The 27th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (COCSSO), a major national forum for the coordination between the central and state statistical agencies, came to order in Kolkata, West Bengal on November 11, 2019. This annual event, hosted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) of the Government of India, brings together statistical community members with the aim of coordinating efforts to afford timely and reliable statistics to planners and policy makers. The theme for 2019’s conference was “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Conference Background
The COCSSO has been a significant platform since its initiation in 1971. Its goal is to facilitate discussions and coordinated initiatives among various central and state statistical organizations. As an imperative evidence-based decision-making tool, the conference turns focus towards the modernization of statistical systems and development of human resources.
In September 2016, MoSPI developed the National Indicator Framework (NIF), which plays a crucial role in monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The NIF is comprised of 306 statistical indicators serving as a backbone for monitoring SDGs progress.
Introduction to SDG India Index
The first-of-its-kind ‘SDG India Index’ was developed in an impressive collaboration involving the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Global Green Growth Institute, United Nations in India, and NITI Aayog. Spanning across 13 of the total 17 SDGs (excluding Goals 12, 13, 14 and 17), the index offers significant insights into India’s efforts towards achieving these global goals.
This conference focuses on encouraging State Governments to develop their State Indicator Frameworks in line with the NIF. This initiative will further strengthen the statistical system of the country, making it more adept at addressing current needs.
| SDG India Index | Description |
|---|---|
| Developer | Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Global Green Growth Institute, United Nations in India, and NITI Aayog |
| Number of covered SDGs | 13 out of 17 |
| Incepted | September 2016 |
| Key Feature | Helps in monitoring the progress of SDGs |
Objectives of the Conference
The COCSSO has several core objectives. It aims at providing an overall perspective for the development of the statistical system while contemplating recommendations and solutions to issues impacting its growth.
Technical statistical problems are also addressed during the conference, allowing for robust problem-solving dialogues among the attendees. Further efforts are targeted towards setting up Working Groups on specific issues or tasks relating to official statistics.
Guidelines for standardization and quality control in the collection of statistics are provided and reviewed. Furthermore, the conference takes into account the Action Taken Report, which documents the follow-up actions based on the recommendations of the previous COCSSO meetings.
Lastly, the role of Statistical Advisors in the Central and State/UT Governments is examined, with a view to expanding and enhancing their contributions towards the statistical system of the country.