Comments on: The Dirty Secret Of Indian Data http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/ Issues & insights Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:07:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Marianan A J Jeyaseelan http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-266335 Marianan A J Jeyaseelan Sat, 24 May 2008 17:12:23 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-266335 I stumbled upon this blog while searching for data on the number of students enrolled in rural colleges as compared to urban colleges. I could find some data concerning access to higher education by caste and religion but not in terms of the rural urban divide. You can very well appreciate our mind set. India must be among the few countries, where data published by the Central Statistical Organization requires to be first approved by the Minister first. Any one who has the time to go through the technical notes accompanying the National Income Accounts would soon realize what a hoax it all adds up to. Most of the estimates are based on such limited and unscientific samples. One wonders why very learned people occupying high positions in the Planning Commission, Reserve Bank of India and the Ministry of Finance wrangle over what the GDP growth actually is or should be targeted so seriously ever so often. In fact the biggest problem that India faces in making and fine tuning development policies is the utter lack of reliable data. We all know how much value corporates attach to MIS and ERP data. Do governments not need any such data? I stumbled upon this blog while searching for data on the number of students enrolled in rural colleges as compared to urban colleges. I could find some data concerning access to higher education by caste and religion but not in terms of the rural urban divide. You can very well appreciate our mind set.

India must be among the few countries, where data published by the Central Statistical Organization requires to be first approved by the Minister first.

Any one who has the time to go through the technical notes accompanying the National Income Accounts would soon realize what a hoax it all adds up to. Most of the estimates are based on such limited and unscientific samples. One wonders why very learned people occupying high positions in the Planning Commission, Reserve Bank of India and the Ministry of Finance wrangle over what the GDP growth actually is or should be targeted so seriously ever so often.

In fact the biggest problem that India faces in making and fine tuning development policies is the utter lack of reliable data. We all know how much value corporates attach to MIS and ERP data. Do governments not need any such data?

]]> By: Anirudh Bhati http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-264834 Anirudh Bhati Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:35:55 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-264834 Honestly, I didn't do it! :P Honestly, I didn’t do it! :P

]]> By: Observer http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-264821 Observer Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:19:30 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-264821 Anirudh, Are you planning to be a journalist for an Indian news organization? I think you would be hired immediately based on the above style of writing. Anirudh,

Are you planning to be a journalist for an Indian news organization? I think you would be hired immediately based on the above style of writing.

]]> By: anirudh http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-264807 anirudh Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:45:24 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-264807 Democracy especially Indian democracy playing with 'fake' number and statistics game. Whatever govt. or others say that we have to accept because we cannot cross check or get a reliable source of data. What the highest organisations doing in the name of statistics and numerical data is just changing some figure without proper source of collection of data. On the other hand, if we give the exact data to the government for e.g. how much cattle, chicken and other animals, trees etc. after taking census, some days after you witness chicken guniya, mad cow disease, caste or communal riots, biased approach etc.Sometime it is not doing by govt. but after receiving the data, some external agencies used to start their 'progrom' for either political mileage or for the benefit of corporate, or land invasion like SEZs or for multinational companies/ agencies etc. which is happening now in India. Even the polio eradication, I look it with suspicion that, our politician/ government/ corporate never ever interested in peoples welfare. They themselves engage only if they get benefit or some external force. I smell same conspiracy. We are compelled to suspect like this because of our experience with the governance in India. Democracy especially Indian democracy playing with ‘fake’ number and statistics game. Whatever govt. or others say that we have to accept because we cannot cross check or get a reliable source of data. What the highest organisations doing in the name of statistics and numerical data is just changing some figure without proper source of collection of data. On the other hand, if we give the exact data to the government for e.g. how much cattle, chicken and other animals, trees etc. after taking census, some days after you witness chicken guniya, mad cow disease, caste or communal riots, biased approach etc.Sometime it is not doing by govt. but after receiving the data, some external agencies used to start their ‘progrom’ for either political mileage or for the benefit of corporate, or land invasion like SEZs or for multinational companies/ agencies etc. which is happening now in India. Even the polio eradication, I look it with suspicion that, our politician/ government/ corporate never ever interested in peoples welfare. They themselves engage only if they get benefit or some external force. I smell same conspiracy. We are compelled to suspect like this because of our experience with the governance in India.

]]> By: The Chaoszone Weblog » Quick Bits: Competitiveness, Localization, Moms http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-78261 The Chaoszone Weblog » Quick Bits: Competitiveness, Localization, Moms Sat, 06 Jan 2007 18:14:35 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-78261 [...] The Dirty Secret of Indian Data [...] […] The Dirty Secret of Indian Data […]

]]> By: Sridhar Sankranti http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-47710 Sridhar Sankranti Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:10:44 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/11/21/the-dirty-secret-of-indian-data/#comment-47710 I am glad that you brought this out about Indian data and policy making. Sadly people still confine data to academic utilities and do not see its immense use in common policy making. With a variety of govt organizations and institutes in India it is possibe to maintain data on astonishingly different indicators in great detail. I don't know if they actually do it. A good example of data crisis that has puzzled govt machinery in recent times is the farm crisis with officials trying to defend with different tales every single day. The govt of Maharashtra has finally consituted a survey on Vidharbha farm households to know the myths and realities of farm suicides. I would say that this situation of agrarian collapse could have been averted if the govt had been well informed and equipped with data on plight of farm households in the region. Similarly good data on income, employment, establishments, infrastructure, health etc. at household level and aggregate level can help track the development pace across different regions, states and across rural and urban populations. Islands of underdevelopment can be easily identified. Up to date demographic data, private and public sector employment, college enrollment down to caste, gender, age and religion can provide valuable insights that can help in policy making related to employment reservations and other policies to mitigate inequalities. Data on estimated population growth, industrial growth, automobile growth can help in planning related to new housing infrastructure, roads, water demand, hospitals, public transport etc. Planning in developed economies is in fact driven by estimates on various indicators rather and thus is need based and not on felt needs. The development process in India precisely lacks this sort of informed roadmap and as a result haphazard growth and lopsided development. Data and information also means transparency and lack of it means blindness and insulation. A perfect set up for corruption to flourish. Politicians can indulge in "popular" policy making about perceived and popular needs taking advantage of data and information road blocks. Efficiency inducing policies can often be relegated or abandoned to suit the needs of corrupt politicians or bureaucrats. Advertent or inadvertent investments in infrastructure projects that can for example be unproductive/counterproductive, environmentally disastrous could be made. Absence of data could mean absence of evidence that can save the corrupt from the clutches of law enforcement or immune to scrutiny. Data is central to make an informed decision or planning and is very relevant to a fast developing country like India. State and central governments in India should realize the need to invest in data banks on various indicators. The information technology sophistication that is available today can actually make things easier for govts to integrate the govt accounts if all the transactions and processes can go online. In the U.S. and several European countries there is a big market for data and there are numerous companies that engage in data supply and insights. From my own experience, I have seen purchases of various kinds of data by state and federal govts from private data vendors. In developed countries data is considered premium and companies invest big sums in acquiring market data and employing them in their strategic decision making. Governments employ data in formulating new policies or reforms and in planning or investments. Lately various data surveys undertaken by newspaper companies or that famous periodical cola chemical composition updates by CSE and the interest it has aroused in general public and govts alike is a clear demonstration of data employability in Indian context. India today has a big lacunae for data be it related to economic, health, environment and many more. We do have a national census providing survey data every decade but am not sure how adequate and encompassing it is. I visited it's home page at www.censusindia.net only to be retold how data impoverished and insensitive we are. Sridhar Sankranti I am glad that you brought this out about Indian data and policy making. Sadly people still confine data to academic utilities and do not see its immense use in common policy making. With a variety of govt organizations and institutes in India it is possibe to maintain data on astonishingly different indicators in great detail. I don’t know if they actually do it. A good example of data crisis that has puzzled govt machinery in recent times is the farm crisis with officials trying to defend with different tales every single day. The govt of Maharashtra has finally consituted a survey on Vidharbha farm households to know the myths and realities of farm suicides. I would say that this situation of agrarian collapse could have been averted if the govt had been well informed and equipped with data on plight of farm households in the region.

Similarly good data on income, employment, establishments, infrastructure, health etc. at household level and aggregate level can help track the development pace across different regions, states and across rural and urban populations. Islands of underdevelopment can be easily identified.

Up to date demographic data, private and public sector employment, college enrollment down to caste, gender, age and religion can provide valuable insights that can help in policy making related to employment reservations and other policies to mitigate inequalities.

Data on estimated population growth, industrial growth, automobile growth can help in planning related to new housing infrastructure, roads, water demand, hospitals, public transport etc.

Planning in developed economies is in fact driven by estimates on various indicators rather and thus is need based and not on felt needs. The development process in India precisely lacks this sort of informed roadmap and as a result haphazard growth and lopsided development.

Data and information also means transparency and lack of it means blindness and insulation. A perfect set up for corruption to flourish. Politicians can indulge in “popular” policy making about perceived and popular needs taking advantage of data and information road blocks. Efficiency inducing policies can often be relegated or abandoned to suit the needs of corrupt politicians or bureaucrats. Advertent or inadvertent investments in infrastructure projects that can for example be unproductive/counterproductive, environmentally disastrous could be made. Absence of data could mean absence of evidence that can save the corrupt from the clutches of law enforcement or immune to scrutiny.

Data is central to make an informed decision or planning and is very relevant to a fast developing country like India. State and central governments in India should realize the need to invest in data banks on various indicators. The information technology sophistication that is available today can actually make things easier for govts to integrate the govt accounts if all the transactions and processes can go online.

In the U.S. and several European countries there is a big market for data and there are numerous companies that engage in data supply and insights. From my own experience, I have seen purchases of various kinds of data by state and federal govts from private data vendors. In developed countries data is considered premium and companies invest big sums in acquiring market data and employing them in their strategic decision making. Governments employ data in formulating new policies or reforms and in planning or investments.

Lately various data surveys undertaken by newspaper companies or that famous periodical cola chemical composition updates by CSE and the interest it has aroused in general public and govts alike is a clear demonstration of data employability in Indian context. India today has a big lacunae for data be it related to economic, health, environment and many more. We do have a national census providing survey data every decade but am not sure how adequate and encompassing it is. I visited it’s home page at www.censusindia.net only to be retold how data impoverished and insensitive we are.

Sridhar Sankranti

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