The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has replaced the Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES) with a Standing Committee on Statistics (SCos).

Key Points

• It will now be called the Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS) and its renewed objective is to review the existing data framework and address issues related to all surveys.
• The order was issued by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) on July 13.

What is Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES)?

• Set up in late 2019 was tasked with examining economic indicators pertaining to the industrial sector, the services sector, and the labour force statistics.
• Their purview was limited to datasets like the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the Annual Survey of Industries, the Index of Industrial Production and the Economic Census
• It was chaired by the Chief Statistician of India (CSI) and had 27 members from various ministries, departments, agencies and academic institutions.
• The SCES was mandated to submit its report by June 2020, but it could not do so due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.

Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS)

• The SCoS has a broader mandate to review the framework and results of all surveys conducted under the aegis of the National Statistical Office (NSO).
• The SCoS is mandated with enhanced terms of reference to ensure more coverage in comparison to the SCES.
• The committee has 10 official members, and 4 non-official members who are eminent academics.
• The panel can have up to 16 members, as per the order issued by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementatior (MoSPI).
• It will review and monitor the statistical activities of all the ministries and departments and will advise them on improving the quality, coverage, timeliness and credibility of official statistics.
• The SCoS will also coordinate with the National Statistical Commission (NSC), which is the apex body for setting policies and standards for statistical systems in lndia.
• The National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India is an autonomous body which formed in 2000 under the recommendation of Rangarajan Commission.
• SCoS identifies data gaps in official statistics and develops strategies to fillthose gaps.