The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is set to conduct its inaugural Household Income Survey in 2026, supported by a newly established Technical Expert Group (TEG) that will advise on estimation methods and other survey aspects. Besides measuring household income, the survey will also evaluate the effects of technology adoption on wages, according to an announcement from the ministry.
This survey represents MoSPI’s latest effort to accurately assess household income in India. Previous pilot surveys failed to progress to a national scale due to challenges in gathering reliable data. Historical attempts to collect income data date back to the 1950s, when income information was gathered as part of consumer expenditure surveys on an experimental basis. Additional efforts were made in the 1960s under the Integrated Household Survey program.
MoSPI stated that earlier endeavors were halted because the calculated income estimates were found to be less than the combined figures for consumption and savings. The feasibility of collecting household income data was revisited in the 1980s, but it did not yield a national survey.
Recently, the National Sample Survey (NSS) has initiated various programs to address data gaps across different social and economic areas. The household income survey is deemed a crucial step to gather essential information for analyzing income distribution and welfare. MoSPI emphasized the urgent need for a dedicated survey to better comprehend the significant structural changes in the Indian economy over the last 75 years.
According to MoSPI’s recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, India’s per capita gross national income for 2024-25 is projected to reach ₹2.31 lakh at current prices, reflecting an 8.7% increase from 2023-24.
The expert group established on Monday will be led by economist Surjit Bhalla, who previously served as India’s Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund and is a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. Alongside Bhalla and representatives from MoSPI and other government ministries, the group includes notable figures such as Aloke Kar from the Indian Statistical Institute, Sonalde Desai from the National Council of Applied Economic Research, Praveen Jha from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Srijit Mishra from the University of Hyderabad, Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist of the National Stock Exchange of India, Rajesh Shukla, Managing Director at People Research on India’s Consumer Economy, and Ram Singh from the Delhi School of Economics.
MoSPI noted that the Expert Group will guide the finalization of concepts and definitions, survey methods, sampling design, estimation techniques, and will incorporate best practices observed globally. The TEG will also assist in releasing final survey results and reports.
In recent years, MoSPI has undertaken various surveys to illuminate different sectors of the Indian economy, supplementing regular assessments that formulate core macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, Consumer Price Index, and Index of Industrial Production. These surveys encompass investigations into unincorporated enterprises, the service sector, projections on private sector capital expenditures, and domestic travel and tourism.
Last month, the ministry unveiled the results of its first monthly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), which until now had been executed quarterly for urban areas and annually for rural settings. The revised monthly PLFS aims to gather insights about households’ regular monthly income derived from rent, pensions, interest, and remittances, though specific findings from this data have yet to be disclosed.
Upcoming key surveys expected to report in the next few months include the Annual Survey of Industries for 2023-24 and statistics on Household Social Consumption: Health.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/business/statistics-ministry-first-ever-household-income-survey-2026-10083748/
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Publish Date: 2025-06-23 19:39:00
