Improving Co-ordination in National Statistical System of

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• Improving Co-ordination in National Statistical
  System of
• Nepal

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Improving Co-ordination in National Statistical
System of Nepal

• Current state
• Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), a central
  statistical agency was established in 1959 as per
  the Statistical Act of Nepal
• The act visualizes more of a centralized
  statistical system
• However, CBS could not meet growing demand and as
  a result, various ministries and departments
  gradually started collecting data on their own.

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Current state

• CBS has been conducting censuses of population,
  agriculture, manufacturing establishment, major
  household surveys such as living standard survey,
  labour force survey etc.) and compiles national
  accounts statistics.
• So, the current statistical system is a defacto
  decentralized.

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Current state contd..

• As the system gradually became decentralized,
  problems appeared as follows
• Conflicting statistics are being produced due to
• lack of necessary survey capability,
• lack of knowledge on standard concepts,
  definitions, classifications and methodology

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Current state contd

• Duplication of activities exists
• Weak coordination among data producing agencies
• due to the lack of data sharing culture (which
  naturally wastes resources and also brings out
  inconsistent data).
• There still lacks statistics in many important
  areas due to resource constraints.

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Current state contd

• CBS is mandated by the Act to function
  independently,
• But, the bureau is currently under National
  Planning Commission Secretariat and
• In practice, approval of NPC on technical and
  administrative matters is required.

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Attempts to improve the system

• Attempts made in the past
• to strengthen statistical system of Nepal by
  improving coordination mechanism
• To develop statistical manpower, and
• To restructure CBS organization

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Achievements

• In past 50 years, three major structural changes
  in CBS organization went through
• Progresses made so far are as follows
• Organization has been expanded
• A separate statistical service under Civil
  Service Act is created
• Statistical manpower has been developed,
• National Statistical Council (NSC) was created
  with a purpose of coordinating agencies involved
  in statistical activities, standardizing
  statistical operations and ultimately, to develop
  an integrated statistical system.

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Achievements contd

• Under ADBs technical assistance a Comprehensive
  National Statistical Plan (CNSP) was prepared
  aiming
• To develop a designated statistical system,
• Establish survey clearance system,
• To improve coordination mechanism by upgrading
  CBS,
• To enable CBS to assume a lead role in the
  system,
• To restructure CBS and other statistical agencies

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weaknesses

• However, the achievements were limited in every
  aspect of the system
• Coordination was limited because, NSC was
  functioning more as a advisory body,
• CBSs status was not high enough to coordinate
  ministries,
• The Statistical Act has not been enough actually
  to cover the growing scope the national
  statistical system.

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Future plans

• The future plan is virtually to implement the
  CNSP honestly. The spirit of CNSP are
• To upgrade CBS,
• Develop co-ordination mechanism among data
  producers and users
• To restructure CBS as well as statistical wing of
  other organization

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Future plan contd

• Promote designated statistics system and survey
  clearance system
• Amend the existing statistical act or bring a new
  one which is underway and also foresees to bring
  National Coordination Council (National
  Statistical Council) under the act.
• The new act would visualize the leading role of
  CBS in coordinating agencies, standardizing
  statistical activities of the country and
  ultimately empower the bureau in overall
  statistical development of the country.

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Key Issues

• Organizational arrangement of an upgraded CBS,
  should it be under NPC or NPC secretariat or
  Prime Ministers Office?
• Converting National Statistical Council into an
  executive body (contrary to the existing advisory
  body)
• Managing coordination among producers and users
  at local level
• Amendment of Statistics Act 1958 incorporating
  upgraded CBS and bringing NSC under

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Key Issues contd..

• The statistics service group of statistical
  service under civil service act is not
  functioning fully in order to encompass other
  line ministries, departments and agencies
• Above all, support from and commitment of
  political level and also of higher level in the
  bureaucracy is crucial to bring about the changes
  in the statistical system of Nepal.

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Thank you