MOSPI household expenditure survey came amid internal wrangling over future round

THE RELEASE of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) for 2022-23 last week came after an internal wrangling over whether to continue with the next round of the survey for 2023-24 or simply junk it.

It is learnt that there was a move by an influential section within the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) to shelve the survey’s fieldwork for 2023-24 that is currently underway, citing the finalisation of 2022-23 survey results. But, this move faced pushback from others in the statistical system, leading to a decision in favour of continuing the survey exercise for 2023-24. MOSPI has been working on back-to-back surveys for 2022-23 and 2023-24 to see whether the revised methodology is giving robust and stable results for consumption expenditure.

“There was an internal proposal to scrap the ongoing fieldwork for Household Consumption Expenditure Survey for 2023-24. Since the survey results were finalised for 2022-23, the view by a section within the ministry was that the next round of the survey is not required now and should be shelved. However, the proposal was shot down and the fieldwork of the 2023-24 survey will continue as it is,” a person aware of the developments told The Indian Express.

The objections to continuing with the second part of the backto-back surveys were placed on record even before the final results of the first part — the 202223 survey — were publicly released. This was based on the premise that the outcome of the first part was on favourable lines.

A query sent to the Secretary, MOSPI by The Indian Express on this issue did not elicit an answer.

The Ministry has been working on the 2022-23 and 2023-24 surveys in a row after a significant gap of 11 years from the last survey of 2011-12 given that the survey for 2017-18 was junked by the government citing quality issues. Studies based on leaked findings of that survey had pointed to a rise in poverty levels in 2017-18.

On February 5 this year, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister Rao Inderjit Singh had said field work for Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24 started in August 2023.

“MOSPI is conducting backto-back surveys (HCES 2022-24), each of one-year duration, on Household Consumption Expenditure. Field work for the first year of the HCES 2022-24 has been completed and post survey activities for preparation of survey results have been commenced. Further, field work for the second year of HCES 202224 has been initiated from August 2023,” he said.

The intent behind conducting back-to-back surveys for 2022-23 and 2023-24 was to assess the robustness of the revised methodology, officials said.

File MOSPI has been working on back-to-back surveys for 2022-23 and 2023-24.