New Delhi: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has launched a revamped Microdata Portal during the recent Conference of State Government Ministers, taking a significant step towards improving data accessibility, enhancing user experience, and integrating advanced technologies within the official statistical system. Serving as a central repository for comprehensive statistical data from national surveys and the economic census, the new portal overcomes the technological constraints of its predecessor. Developed in collaboration with the World Bank Technology Team, it features a modern, scalable technology framework that meets current security standards while supporting a responsive design and improved data access. The portal is available at https://microdata.gov.in/.

Alongside this, the website of the National Statistical System Training Academy has also been launched. It simplifies access to information about the ministry’s capacity building initiatives by bringing them together in one place. The website can be visited at www.nssta.gov.in. Both the portal and the website have been developed in-house by the ministry’s Data Informatics and Innovation Division.

MoSPI also presented a proof of concept for an AI and machine learning-based classification tool designed to simplify the use of the National Industrial Classification (NIC) in the production of official statistics. Using natural language processing, the tool allows users to enter text queries and receive suggestions for the top five relevant NIC codes. This development reduces manual effort, boosts the productivity of enumerators, and leads to more accurate data collection, contributing to improved planning and policy-making. The tool has emerged as an outcome of the ministry’s recently concluded hackathon.

The launch of these digital platforms and AI-powered tools reflects the ministry’s continued efforts to adopt modern technology for effective data management. These initiatives are expected to promote a stronger data-driven approach to policy-making, helping ensure that government interventions are both accurate and well-targeted, furthering the goal of Viksit Bharat.

BI Bureau