The ministry of statistics and programme implementation (Mospi) is set to conduct a national child survey in collaboration with the ministry of women and child development (MoWCD) to help policymakers get timely and reliable statistics to ensure better protection of the children's rights.
The survey will map the needs of children under Mission Vatsalya, a scheme for children in need of care and protection as well as those in conflict with law. The periodic survey will then be used to prepare a child index.
"The MoSPI has initiated a discussion to collaborate with MoWCD for conducting a national child survey to map the needs of children covered under the Mission Vatsalya Scheme through a periodic survey. The main focus of the survey is the preparation of a child index under Mission Vatsalya," the statistics ministry told a parliamentary panel in response to its suggestions for developing a child index.
The Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, tabled the report in Parliament last week. The committee, in its earlier reports, had urged the ministry to develop a system to capture statistics on children working in the informal sector, children out of school, or those living on the streets.
"The committee recommends conducting a regular child survey and developing a national child index in synergy with the MoWCD. The committee also suggests that the ministry tie up with state governments to engage panchayats/municipal bodies to help facilitate data collection for conducting the survey," said the House panel.
Presently, the MoWCD is exploring the requirements in terms of indicators to be considered in the survey and the framework to be used. Once the requirements are received from MoWCD, the feasibility of conducting the survey will be explored, subject to the recommendation of technical groups/steering committee.
Besides, the parliamentary panel also noted that the results of the 7th Economic Census have not been published by the statistics ministry due to concerns about data accuracy, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.'In the meeting held by the Cabinet secretary on July 13, 2023, it was recommended that 'it may not be feasible to publish the results of the 7th Economic Census.
The 8th Economic Census is being implemented in close coordination with the states/Union Territories, as they have the role of fieldwork, training, and finalisation of results,' the ministry told the House panel in its response to a query on the progress regarding the Economic Census.
-- Shiva Rajora, Business Standard
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