Politics · India Bureau
Cabinet approves ₹4,371 crore scheme to modernise India's statistical infrastructure
The Union Cabinet has cleared a five-year VISTAR initiative designed to overhaul the country's data collection systems and strengthen economic measurement capabilities. The programme will support 59 nationwide surveys, conduct the 8th Economic Census, and integrate artificial intelligence into statistical operations.
LSN India ·
The Cabinet has given its approval to the VISTAR scheme, a comprehensive five-year programme aimed at upgrading India's statistical framework with an outlay of ₹4,371 crore. The initiative represents a significant push to modernise how the country collects, processes and analyses critical economic data.
The scheme will fund the execution of 59 surveys across various sectors while simultaneously conducting the 8th Economic Census, a decennial exercise crucial for assessing the health of India's economy and business landscape. Beyond census operations, VISTAR will introduce artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of statistical analysis and reporting.
A key component of the programme focuses on strengthening data infrastructure at the state level, enabling state governments and statistical departments to generate more reliable and timely information for policymaking. These improvements are expected to enhance the precision of Gross Domestic Product estimates and provide more granular insights into economic activity across regions.
The scheme underscores the government's commitment to building robust institutional capacity for evidence-based governance and economic planning. By integrating modern technology with traditional statistical methodologies, VISTAR aims to position India's data systems among the more sophisticated frameworks in developing economies, supporting better-informed policy decisions at both national and state levels.