The Centre has decided to withhold the Consumer Expenditure Survey results of 2017-18 citing data quality issues.

An official statement said the Ministry of Statistics, Planning and Project Implementation (MoSPI) is separately examining the feasibility of conducting the next Consumer Expenditure Survey in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 after incorporating all data quality refinements in the survey process.

Media reports said that consumer expenditure survey, by the National Sample Survey, said that consumer spending is falling. The news reports also said that the survey has been withheld due to its adverse findings. Responding to the concerns raised, the statement said, “We would like to emphatically state that there is a rigorous procedure for vetting of data and reports which are produced through surveys. All such submissions which come to the Ministry are draft in nature and cannot be deemed to be the final report.”

“The results of the survey were examined and it was noted that there was a significant increase in the divergence in not only the levels in the consumption pattern but also the direction of the change when compared to the other administrative data sources like the actual production of goods and services. Concerns were also raised about the ability/sensitivity of the survey instrument to capture consumption of social services by households especially on health and education,” the statement said.

“The matter was thus referred to a committee of experts which noted the discrepancies and came out with several recommendations including a refinement in the survey methodology and improving the data quality aspects on a concurrent basis,” the statement added.

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