6                          Basic Economic Data
            THE Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) came into existence as
      an independent ministry in 1999 after the merger of the Department of Statistics and the
      Department of Programme Implementation. The Ministry has two wings, one relating to statistics
      and the other relating to programme implementation. The Statistics Wing re-designated as
      National Statistics Office (NSO), consists of the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and the
      National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The Programme Implementation Wing has three
      divisions, namely: (i) twenty point programme, (ii) infrastructure and project monitoring, and
      (iii) Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme. Besides these three wings, there
      is National Statistical Commission (NSC) created through a resolution of Government of India
      and one autonomous institute, viz., Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) declared as an institute of
      national importance by an Act of Parliament.
      Relevant Website: www.mospi.gov.in
      National Statistical Commission
            The National Statistical Commission (NSC) was set up in 2005. The setting up of the NSC
      followed the decision of the Cabinet to accept the recommendation of the Rangarajan
      Commission, which reviewed the Indian Statistical System in 2001. The NSC was initially
      constituted in 2006, to serve as a nodal and empowered body for all core statistical activities of
      the country, to evolve, monitor and enforce statistical priorities and standards and to ensure
      statistical coordination. It has one part-time Chairperson and four part-time members, each
      having specialization and experience in specified statistical fields. Besides, Secretary, Planning
      Commission is an ex-officio member of the Commission. The Chief Statistician of India is the
      Secretary to the Commission.
      Central Statistics Office
            The Central Statistics Office (CSO), an attached office of the Ministry, coordinates the
      statistical activities in the country and evolves statistical standards. Its activities inter-alia,
      include compilation of national accounts, index of industrial production, consumer price indices
      (urban/rural/combined), human development statistics, including gender statistics in the states
      and union territories and dissemination energy statistics, social and environment statistics and
      preparation of the National Industrial Classification.
            The CSO, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation started releasing state/UT-
      wise as well as All India Consumer Price Indices (CPI) separately for rural, urban and combined
      (rural plus urban) for the purpose of temporal price comparison with effect from January, 2011
      with 2010 as the base year. Accordingly, the annual inflation rates, based on these indices were
      made available since January, 2012. CSO revised the base year of CPI form 2010-2012 and
      revised series was launched in 2015. The back series for the revised series of CPI was also made
      available for the users. All these information may be accessed from the website of this Ministry
      (www.mopsi.gov.in).