Una, September 29 – A one-day workshop on user-producer and stakeholder consultation and data collection was organized in Una today (Monday) under the Statistical Strengthening Scheme. Abhishek Jain, Secretary of the Department of Economics and Statistics, Planning, Finance, and Public Works Departments, inaugurated the workshop by lighting a lamp.
Addressing the workshop, Abhishek Jain emphasized the need for collective efforts to strengthen the state's statistical infrastructure. He stated that this workshop is an important milestone in strengthening Himachal Pradesh's statistical system, as it encourages a robust dialogue between data producers and users.
This initiative paves the way for improving the quality, reliability, and accessibility of statistical findings, supporting evidence-based decision-making for the state's socio-economic development.
He stated that the availability of highly granular and detailed data at the sub-district level is essential for accurate planning, targeted interventions, and real-time monitoring of government schemes. He stated that this process will help make governance more effective and result-oriented.
He stated that data obtained from various departments in the district plays a crucial role in policymaking at the state and central levels, prioritizing development plans, and allocating funds for various schemes. He emphasized that accuracy and timeliness of data are essential to reflect ground realities.
The Secretary directed all department heads in the district to prepare accurate data related to their respective departments with utmost seriousness, responsibility, and transparency and make it available within the stipulated timeframe. He stated that the direction and effectiveness of government policies and programs depend on the reliability of data. Accurate data not only facilitates better planning but also helps ensure the real benefits of schemes reach the general public.
Earlier, Joint Director, Economics and Statistics Department, Anupam Sharma welcomed the chief guest and others. He also emphasized the need for continuous capacity building and collaboration between data producers and users to meet new challenges in statistical work.
Dr. Vinod Rana, Economic Advisor to the Department, emphasized the growing need to enhance statistical capacity at the grassroots level to enable evidence-based planning and monitoring. Speaking on the occasion, Virendra Sharma, Assistant Commissioner, Una, stated that only through an unwavering commitment to data integrity can we ensure sound economic governance and sustainable development.
Two PowerPoint presentations were presented in the opening sessions of the workshop. The first presentation was given by the State Income Section, highlighting the data requirements for preparing the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) estimates, while the second presentation, presented by the Official Statistics Section, provided information on assessing good governance at the grassroots level through the District Good Governance Index in Himachal Pradesh. The second session, which took place in the afternoon, included a quiz and an open-house discussion.
ASP Surendra Kumar, senior officials from all departments, representatives from the National Statistical Regional Office, Hamirpur, Government of India, and experts from across the state, along with officials and staff from the Statistics Department, were present on the occasion.