NSSO collecting data on communicable diseases

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), which started the 75th round of survey from July 1, is for the first time collecting data related to communicable diseases, officials said on Monday.

The National Sample Survey 75th round (NSS-75) covers household consumer expenditure as well as household social consumption education and health.

"For the first time in NSS health survey, the data collected will enable assessment of population who are affected by some widespread communicable diseases," said A.K. Biswas, NSSO's Deputy Director General (Field Operations Divisions - RO Kolkata).

To estimate the population affected by communicable diseases, the survey would collect data on household expenditure for treating such diseases, Biswas said.

The status of immunisation of children between 0-5 years of age would also be collected on the date of survey, according to officials. The NSS education survey will this time collect data regarding vocational and professional training in a bigger way, said Debashis Chakraborty, NSSO's Deputy Director General (Eastern Zone).

The education survey covers both qualitative and quantitative aspects related to educational attainment of the household members and expenditure incurred on education. The year-long survey which will continue up to June 30, 2018, will have 30,792 sample size across different states of India.

Out of the total sample size, 17,236 will be from rural areas while the rest will be from urban areas. The survey outcome will show what proportion of the income each household spends on consumer goods as well as on social expenditure, like education and health.

"The 75th round is a unique round. For the first time, it covers household consumer expenditure and household social consumption -- health and education," P.S. Bose, NSSO' Additional Director General (Survey Design and Research Division), said.

The last survey on household consumer expenditure was conducted in the 68th round of the NSS in 2011-12 while health and education were conducted in the 71st round of the NSS in 2014.

The current round of survey would also collect data in relation to Swachh Bharat, said T.K.Saha, NSSO's Additional Director General (Data Processing Division).

The household consumer expenditure survey is important because it is the prime source of statistical indicators on social consumption and well-being, NSSO officials said.

Since the data is collected not only on the consumption level but also on the pattern of consumption, the consumer expenditure survey is an important tool to work out consumer price indices ( CPIs).

Moreover, food consumption data is used to study the level of nutrition of different regions and disparities therein. "This is considered as one of the most important components of the official measure of poverty," the officials added.