Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Data, interrupted: On official household spending survey

Data, interrupted: On official household spending survey

Reviving (पुनर्जीवित) the official household (पारिवारिक घर) spending survey is only a first step

India’s official statistical machinery (organization, system, apparatus, agency) is gearing up (get ready, prepare, equip (oneself) for something) to relaunch the All-India Household Consumer Expenditure (घरेलू उपभोक्ता व्यय) Survey, traditionally undertaken (आरंभ करना, शामिल होना, लगना) quinquennially (पंचवर्षीय, प्रति पाँच वर्ष पर), from July 2022. If it fructifies (फलवान होना, उपजाऊ बनाना), the result may be known towards the latter half of 2024, provided (बशर्ते, अगर, इस शर्त पर) the Government permits the release. The last such Survey (2017-18), did not get such a sanction (स्वीकृति, अनुमति, सहमति) — its results reportedly (कथित तौर पर, माना जाता है, प्रतीत होता है) indicated the first fall (गिरना, कमी) in monthly per-capita (प्रति व्यक्ति) spending by households since 1972-73, with rural households facing a sharper decline compared to 2011-12. The Statistics Ministry had flagged (indicate, identify, point out; draw attention to) ‘discrepancies (विसंगति, विषमता, भिन्नता)’, ‘data quality issues’ and ‘divergences (विचलन, भिन्नता, विषमता)’ between estimated consumption levels and the actual output of goods and services. While it had sought to scuttle ((intentionally) cause something to fail) suggestions that unflattering (unattractive, unfavourable, incorrect) data were being obfuscated (अस्पष्ट करना, भ्रमित करना, जटिल करना), a better course of action (method, approach, procedure, plan of action) would have been to release the data with caveats (warning, caution, red flag). It could have argued, for instance (as an example, for example), that the numbers, at best (only, simply, but, nothing but), reflect (think about, give thought to, consider, review, mull over, contemplate) the short-term impact of the ‘bold structural reforms’ carried out (implement, execute, discharge) in the year preceding (previous, prior, earlier) the Survey, to ‘formalise (ratify, endorse, confirm, certify; legalize, legitimize, agree to (rules & regulations))’ the economy — demonetisation (the act of depriving a currency unit (note/coin) of its status as money) and the GST. A fresh survey could then have been commissioned (order or authorize someone (a eperson/organisation) to do something) later for a clearer picture (impression, view, vision, notion). This is what the UPA had done in 2011-12 to measure employment and consumer spending levels afresh (anew, over again, once more), after the 2009-10 Surveys were affected by the global financial crisis and a severe drought (dry spell, dry period, lack of rain, shortage of water) that hit (affect badly, devastate, damage) rural incomes.

The Government had promised to examine the ‘feasibility (practicality, workability, viability)’ of a fresh Consumer Spending Survey, over 2020-21 and 2021-22, after ‘incorporating all data quality refinements (improvement, transformation, betterment)’ mooted (put forward, introduce, present) by a panel (committee, council, directorate, commission, group, delegation). One hopes the exact ‘refinements’ are spelt out upfront (in advance, beforehand, ahead of time) in the upcoming Survey. Of equal import is providing data comparable with past numbers, while factoring in (take something into account; consider, take account of, take into consideration, reckon with) changes in consumption patterns; and it may still not be too late to release the previous Survey’s findings to help assess longer term trends. The absence of (lack of, unavailability, non-existence) official data on such a critical aspect of the economy — used to estimate poverty levels, rebase (from a new base level for something) GDP, and to make private investment decisions — for over a decade (a period of ten years), is damaging to India. Being a free-market (a type of economic system that is controlled by the market forces of supply and demand, as opposed to government controls that involve price-cutting monopolies. It is different from a regulated market or command economy. In the latter, a central government agency decides the supply and demand, which means the market does not operate freely. In a free market, a majority of companies and properties are owned by individuals or entities in the private sector instead of the state) and transparent (indisputable, straightforward, honest, forthright; obvious, explicit, unambiguous, unequivocal) democracy distinguished (differentiate, separate, tell apart, recognize, pick out, characterize, individuate, identify, designate, categorize, classify) India from the likes of (someone/something considered as a type) China where official data are read with a pinch of salt. The Government’s actions, including the delayed release of critical jobs data, have dulled (lessen, decrease, diminish, reduce) that perception (understanding, discernment, recognition/realization; interpretation). If anything (on the contrary; even), such Surveys need to be conducted more frequently for more effective policy actions informed by ground realities (practical condition/situation), no matter how unpleasant they may be. Now, imperfect proxies (deputy, representative, substitute. (proxy war means war through a representative/agent)) are deployed (position, station, post; use, utilize, employ, make use of) to gauge the economy, surmises (prediction, guesswork, notion, opinion/thought) made about the extinction (destruction, elimination, eradication, removal (a complete one)) of extreme poverty, and outlays (expenditure, expenses, spending, cost, price, disbursement, investment) are tom-tommed (proclaim, announce/voice, boast about) without evidence on outcomes. The NSO must be empowered (authorize, permit, allow) to collect and disseminate (spread, circulate, distribute, publicize, communicate, make known) more data points, without fear of insinuations (implication, reference, hint/indication, suggestion (usually, an unpleasant one)) about its abilities, or a looming (appearing/emerging as a large/threatening one; imminent, impending, forthcoming, fast approaching) axe (chopper; end, termination, discontinuation) on its regular Surveys.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.household (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पारिवारिक घर
English Meaning - family, house.

2.revive (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पुनर्जीवित
English Meaning - reintroduce, re-establish, restore, relaunch, bring back, reinstall, reinstitute.

3.National Sample Survey (NSS) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राष्ट्रीय नमूना सर्वेक्षण
English Meaning - It is one of the oldest continuing household sample surveys in the developing world. The survey is conducted on a regular basis by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), India’s premier data collection agency. Since 1972, the NSSO has fallen under the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation of the Government of India (GOI).

4.Household Consumer Expenditure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - घरेलू उपभोक्ता व्यय
English Meaning - Household consumer expenditure is the sum total of monetary values of all the items (i.e. goods and services) consumed by the household on domestic account during the reference period.

5.undertake (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आरंभ करना, शामिल होना, लगना
English Meaning - engage in, become involved in, embark on, launch into.

6.quinquennially (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - पंचवर्षीय, प्रति पाँच वर्ष पर
English Meaning - in a way that is recurring every five years.

7.fructify (verb)

Hindi Meaning - फलवान होना, उपजाऊ बनाना
English Meaning - make fruitful/productive.

8.provided (conjunction)

Hindi Meaning - बशर्ते, अगर, इस शर्त पर
English Meaning - if, on condition that, provided that, presuming that, assuming that, given that.

9.sanction (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्वीकृति, अनुमति, सहमति
English Meaning - approval, permission, consent.

10.reportedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कथित तौर पर, माना जाता है, प्रतीत होता है
English Meaning - supposedly, seemingly, apparently, professedly, ostensibly, purportedly.

11.fall (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गिरना, कमी
English Meaning - decrease, decline, reduction.

12.per-capita (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रति व्यक्ति
English Meaning - relating to each person; per person, for each, individual.

13.discrepancy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विसंगति, विषमता, भिन्नता
English Meaning - inconsistency, difference, disparity, variance, variation, deviation, divergence.

14.divergence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विचलन, भिन्नता, विषमता
English Meaning - difference, contrast, dissimilarity, variance, variation.

15.obfuscate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अस्पष्ट करना, भ्रमित करना, जटिल करना
English Meaning - confuse, complicate, make unclear; bewilder, mystify, puzzle, perplex.

16.machinery (noun)

English Meaning - organization, system, apparatus, agency.

17.gear up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - get ready, prepare, equip (oneself) for something.

18.All-India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (noun)

English Meaning - The All-India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey, usually conducted by the government’s National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) (a wing of National Statistical Office (NSO)) every five years. The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) is traditionally a quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey that is designed to collect information on the consumption spending patterns of households across the country, both urban and rural. The data gathered in this exercise reveals the average expenditure on goods (food and non-food) and services and helps generate estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) as well as the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes.

19.National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) (noun)

English Meaning - The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) was set up in 1950, with the idea of having a permanent survey organization to collect data on various facets of the economy. As per the government announcement dated May 23, 2019, that the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) is merged with the Central Statistics Office to form the National Statistical Office (NSO).

20.flag (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, identify, point out; draw attention to.

21.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

22.scuttle (verb)

English Meaning - (intentionally) cause something to fail.

23.unflattering (adjective)

English Meaning - unattractive, unfavourable, incorrect.

24.course of action (phrase)

English Meaning - method, approach, procedure, plan of action.

25.caveat (noun)

English Meaning - warning, caution, red flag.

26.for instance (phrase)

English Meaning - as an example, for example.

27.at best (phrase)

English Meaning - only, simply, but, nothing but.

28.reflect (verb)

English Meaning - think about, give thought to, consider, review, mull over, contemplate.

29.carry out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - implement, execute, discharge.

30.preceding (adjective)

English Meaning - previous, prior, earlier.

31.formalise (verb)

English Meaning - ratify, endorse, confirm, certify; legalize, legitimize, agree to (rules & regulations).

32.demonetisation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of depriving a currency unit (note/coin) of its status as money.

33.commission (verb)

English Meaning - order or authorize someone (a eperson/organisation) to do something.

34.picture (noun)

English Meaning - impression, view, vision, notion.

35.afresh (adverb)

English Meaning - anew, over again, once more.

36.drought (noun)

English Meaning - dry spell, dry period, lack of rain, shortage of water.

37.hit (verb)

English Meaning - affect badly, devastate, damage.

38.feasibility (noun)

English Meaning - practicality, workability, viability.

39.refinement (noun)

English Meaning - improvement, transformation, betterment.

40.moot (verb)

English Meaning - put forward, introduce, present.

41.panel (noun)

English Meaning - committee, council, directorate, commission, group, delegation.

42.spell out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - explain, make clear, elucidate/clarify.

43.upfront (adjective)

English Meaning - in advance, beforehand, ahead of time.

44.factor in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - take something into account; consider, take account of, take into consideration, reckon with.

45.absence of (noun)

English Meaning - lack of, unavailability, non-existence.

46.rebase (verb)

English Meaning - from a new base level for something.

47.Gross domestic product (GDP) (noun)

English Meaning - a measure of economic activity in a country. It is the total value of a country’s annual output of goods and service.

48.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years.

49.free-market (noun)

English Meaning - a type of economic system that is controlled by the market forces of supply and demand, as opposed to government controls that involve price-cutting monopolies. It is different from a regulated market or command economy. In the latter, a central government agency decides the supply and demand, which means the market does not operate freely. In a free market, a majority of companies and properties are owned by individuals or entities in the private sector instead of the state.

50.transparent (adjective)

English Meaning - indisputable, straightforward, honest, forthright; obvious, explicit, unambiguous, unequivocal.

51.distinguish (verb)

English Meaning - differentiate, separate, tell apart, recognize, pick out, characterize, individuate, identify, designate, categorize, classify.

52.the likes of (phrase)

English Meaning - someone/something considered as a type.

53.(take something) with a pinch/grain of salt (phrase)

English Meaning - disbelieve, distrust, doubt, have no confidence/faith in, be suspicious of.

54.dull (verb)

English Meaning - lessen, decrease, diminish, reduce.

55.perception (noun)

English Meaning - understanding, discernment, recognition/realization; interpretation.

56.if anything (phrase)

English Meaning - on the contrary; even.

57.ground reality (noun)

English Meaning - practical condition/situation.

58.proxy (noun)

English Meaning - deputy, representative, substitute. (proxy war means war through a representative/agent).

59.deploy (verb)

English Meaning - position, station, post; use, utilize, employ, make use of.

60.surmise (noun)

English Meaning - prediction, guesswork, notion, opinion/thought.

61.extinction (noun)

English Meaning - destruction, elimination, eradication, removal (a complete one).

62.outlay (noun)

English Meaning - expenditure, expenses, spending, cost, price, disbursement, investment.

63.tom-tom (verb)

English Meaning - proclaim, announce/voice, boast about.

64.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - result, consequence, effect.

65.National Statistical Office (NSO) (noun)

English Meaning - The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation came into existence as an independent Ministry on 15th October 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 Statistics Office (CSO) and National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). CSO is an attached Office and NSSO is subordinate Office under the control of Ministry of S&PI.

66.empower (verb)

English Meaning - authorize, permit, allow.

67.disseminate (verb)

English Meaning - spread, circulate, distribute, publicize, communicate, make known.

68.insinuation (noun)

English Meaning - implication, reference, hint/indication, suggestion (usually, an unpleasant one).

69.looming (adjective)

English Meaning - appearing/emerging as a large/threatening one; imminent, impending, forthcoming, fast approaching.

70.axe (noun)

English Meaning - chopper; end, termination, discontinuation.