Functions of CSO (Central Statistical Organisation)

The Central Statistical Organisation or Central Statistics Office (CSO) was set up on 2nd May, 1951. It comes under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. It holds a prominent place in Indian Statistical System. It coordinates the statistical activities in the country and evolves statistical standards. It is headed by Director General assisted by five additional director general. Let’s see what are the functions of CSO.

Table of Contents

Functions of CSO and its Divisions

CSO has following five divisions and various functions of CSO are:

National Accounts Division
This division is responsible for:
- Preparation of National Accounts which includes GDP, government and final consumption expenditure, fixed capital formation and other macro-economic aggregates
- Bringing out annual publication titled ‘National Accounts Statsitics’.
Social Statistic Division
This division is responsible for monitoring of Millennium Development Goals, grant-in-aids research etc.
Economic Statistic Division
This division is responsible for:
- Conducting Economic Censuses and Annual Survey of Industries
- Compiles All India Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
- Compiles Energy Statistics and Infrastructure Statistics
- Develops classifications like National Industrial Classification (NIC) and National Product Classification (NPC).
Training Division
This division is primarily responsible for training the manpower in theoretical and applied statistics to tackle the emerging challenges of data collection, collation, analysis and dissemination required for evidence based policy making.
Coordination and Publication Division (CAP)
This division is responsible for:
- Coordination with in CSO as well as with Ministries and State/UT governments.
- Implementation of Capacity Development Scheme and Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS), a central sector scheme aimed at improving the statistical capacity and infrastructure of state statistical system.
- It is nodal division for administering the collection of Statistics Act, 2008.
- Coordination of follow up on implementation of National Statistical Commission (NSC)
- Looking after the administrative work related to Indian Statistics Institute (IIS)