MoSPI to Host Data Users Conference at IGIDR Mumbai to Strengthen Dialogue Between Data Producers and Users

To ensure a rich and interactive experience, the conference will utilize the Mentimeter platform, allowing participants to submit questions digitally throughout the sessions.

In a major step towards enhancing user engagement and transparency in the statistical ecosystem of India, the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, is set to host a Data Users Conference on April 21, 2025. This high-profile event will be held at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) campus in Goregaon (East), Mumbai, in collaboration with IGIDR.

This landmark initiative aligns with MoSPI’s ongoing efforts to reinforce its engagement with the user community, foster dialogue, promote evidence-based policymaking, and enhance the credibility and accessibility of official statistics.

Purpose and Objectives

The Data Users Conference seeks to bridge the gap between data producers and users—including researchers, economists, academicians, and policymakers—by encouraging an open exchange of ideas, methodologies, insights, and expectations. It will serve as a platform for showcasing significant developments in national statistical practices, especially in areas with direct policy implications.

The conference will highlight MoSPI’s recent surveys and statistical releases, including the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023–24, updates on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), and new initiatives on GDP base revision and Consumer Price Index (CPI) base updation.

Dignitaries and Key Participants

The event will be chaired by Dr. Saurabh Garg, IAS, Secretary, MoSPI, and will feature an impressive lineup of distinguished guests and expert panelists:

• Dr. Neelkanth Mishra, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) and Chairman, UIDAI

• Prof. Basanta Kumar Pradhan, Director, IGIDR

• Ms. Geeta Singh Rathore, Director General, National Sample Survey (NSS)

• Shri N.K. Santoshi, Director General, Central Statistics (CS)

The conference is expected to attract around 250 delegates representing a cross-section of stakeholders, including academia, media, international organizations, industrial associations, private survey agencies, and technical experts. Senior members of the National Statistical Commission (NSC) and technical advisory committees will also participate actively in discussions.

Technical Sessions: National Sample Surveys and Methodologies

The first half of the day will focus on technical sessions related to National Sample Surveys, including:

• Sampling methodologies used in large-scale surveys

• Multiplier computation and parameter estimation in NSS surveys

• Lessons from the HCES for 2022–23 and 2023–24, with a special spotlight on emerging consumption trends

• Recent revisions to PLFS methodology, aimed at increasing the robustness and clarity of labor force data

Each technical session will be followed by panel discussions, where seasoned statisticians, academics, and policy experts will critically examine the topics presented and explore future improvements in methodology.

Macro-Economic Indicators: GDP and CPI in Focus

In the second half, attention will shift towards key macroeconomic indicators, with sessions covering:

• Measurement of GDP and ongoing efforts for GDP base revision

  • Emphasis will be placed on data sources, sectoral databases, methodological enhancements, and tackling persistent measurement challenges.

• CPI Base Updation Initiative

  • MoSPI will outline its approach to updating the Consumer Price Index base year, a critical process to reflect evolving consumption patterns and price structures.

These sessions will also culminate in panel discussions chaired by eminent personalities from institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Stock Exchange (NSE), and academic organizations like IGIDR and the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS).

Enhancing Participation and Interactivity

To ensure a rich and interactive experience, the conference will utilize the Mentimeter platform, allowing participants to submit questions digitally throughout the sessions. This approach will enable moderators to streamline the Q&A segments while ensuring that pressing and relevant concerns from the audience are addressed.

Broader Goals and Vision

This Data Users Conference marks a pivotal moment in MoSPI’s strategic vision of transforming India’s statistical landscape. The initiative is in line with the Ministry’s broader goal of promoting open data, transparency, and reliable statistical practices to strengthen democratic accountability and inform economic policymaking.

By enabling continuous feedback from data users, MoSPI aims to improve survey design, dissemination practices, and data quality, thereby reinforcing the relevance of official statistics in both policy formulation and academic research.

With a meticulously designed agenda and the participation of top-tier statistical minds from across sectors, the Data Users Conference 2025 promises to be a milestone event in India's data governance ecosystem. It will set the stage for more inclusive, user-informed, and responsive data systems that meet the growing needs of a dynamic economy and an increasingly data-literate society.

The event not only celebrates the importance of official statistics in national development but also underlines the Government’s commitment to statistical reforms, institutional transparency, and stakeholder collaboration.