India starts four-year term as UN Statistical Commission member

India started its four-year term as a member of the United Nations Statistical Commission on Monday. The country had won the election to the global statistics body in April after a gap of nearly two decades.

The period of India’s term corresponds with the time that the 24-member body will decide on new norms for national accounts, which will also play an important role in changing India’s GDP calculations. The last revision to national accounts was made in 2008, which forms the basis of India’s current GDP series, with 2012 as a base year.

The system of national accounts is an internationally agreed standard recommendation on measures to compile economic activity.


India’s membership in the statistical body will likely have a bearing on the determination of new systems of environmental accounts and the determination of aspects of well-being and sustainability for economies.

The country has been trying to create a regular database of parameters under the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the 2023 session, the statistical body organised a high-level forum on official statistics to look beyond measures like the GDP, which measures economic performance and focus on measures of well-being aligning with SDGs, which are to be met by 2030.

The forum also introduced measures like the multidimensional vulnerability index (MVI) to “assess the vulnerability of small island states as well as other countries.”

The nodal body of statistics in the country, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been trying to develop a database of high-frequency socio-economic indicators which cannot be compiled using administrative data.

The 79^th round of the National Sample Survey had a Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey component, along with a detailed questionnaire on Ayurveda, Yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

ET had earlier reported that the government is starting the 80^th round of surveys, which may include a survey on the impact of digital payments, along with CAMS.

The CAMS captures details like people owning mobile phones, population with drinking water services, households with a computer or internet, and access to financial institutions.

The ministry also aims to complete the household consumption expenditure survey this year, which shall help revise the consumer price index series.