Sample survey should reach panchayat level: Srikant Jena

-- NSSO to start its 69th round sample survey from July 1 in State

BHUBANESWAR: “National Sample Survey should reach panchayat-level to get accurate and clear socio-economic data as sometimes mismatch emerges between sample survey and real data,” said Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation Srikant Jena while inaugurating a three-day long joint Regional Training Camp for the field staff of Odisha and Chattisgarh here on Monday.

Gracing the occasion, Minister Jena said the sample survey is an instrument which collects data from various socio-economic sectors to help policy makers and implementing agency to focus on providing requisite facilities. Such surveys and their successful completion are of paramount importance to update the requisite database for all developmental agencies, he added.

He also said the survey should reach the panachayat-level to get the actual data. Only assessing and analysing data at the district and State-level won’t help to trace out the real picture of development, he said adding, sometimes we find mismatch between the ground-level data and the sample survey data which we can avoid by going near to the common people.

He appealed the Media and common people to cooperate the officials and field staff during survey. After collection and compilation of the data, the Government would make future planning for the country, State and district, he added.      

National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) would start its 69th round survey from July 1. The Survey will continue up to December 31 which would cover 9,428 villages and 7,684 urban blocks in urban areas of the country, while it would cover 424 villages and 168 urban blocks representing all the districts in the State.

The 69th round of NSSO would survey on ‘Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, Housing Condition and Slums’. Using the information collected in this survey, important indicators of living facilities like availability and sources of drinking water, improved latrine facilities, arrangement for garbage disposal, drainage system and particulars of dwellings would be generated for the use of various Government Departments.

Among others, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation secretary Dr TCA Anant, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NSSO J Dash, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner of the State Dr RN Senapaty and Field Officers from the Central and the State Governments were present.