AI, IoT for Better Data Quality: CEA

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Thursday said latest technology, including artificial intelligence and internet of things, need to be used to improve quality of data, which is the bedrock of policymaking.

Addressing the National Workshop on Using Alternate Data Sources and Frontier Technologies for Policy Making, Nageswaran emphasised that data generated by statistical systems and alternate data complement each other, rather than substituting each other.

He said the latest trends in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), have to go hand in hand with skilling of manpower, ensuring authenticity, reliability of the data quality with advanced design of algorithms holds the key in this endeavour.

He further mentioned that data generated by the statistical systems has been the bed rock of policymaking in India.

Suman K Bery, Vice Chairperson NITI Aayog and Chairman, EAC to the PM, said the way forward on integration of conventional data with alternate data sources.

Bery focused on utilising data generated through traditional modes of data collection and rigorous statistical analysis forming the basis for evidence-based policymaking.

He highlighted the importance of ensuring quality of administrative data.

The insights from traditional as well as alternate data sources need to be strengthened with emphasis on data processing and assimilation, he added.

Statistics and Programme Implementation Secretary Saurabh Garg said MoSPI has been brainstorming from the last couple of years as to how alternate data sources can be integrated in the existing national statistical system and this workshop is the culmination of the efforts made in past.

With the objective of enhancing harmonisation of data having practical utility, Garg enlisted five key building blocks -- meta data structures, international and national classifications, unique identifiers, self-quality assessment tools, and reconciliation of diverse data to achieve such endeavour.

P R Mesharam, Director General (Data Governance), MoSPI, reiterated that NSO India, with its time-tested statistical products, has facilitated the evidence-based policy making over a long period of time.

The need of the hour is to use alternative data sources and frontier technologies to strengthen data eco-system of the country and provide data for evidence-based decision making in real time, he said.

He added that this is in line with developing enhanced statistical capabilities "supporting our vision of becoming a developed nation".

On the opening day of the workshop, MoSPI also released annual publication 'EnviStats India, 2025: Environment Statistics'.

The publication is a key resource for policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders, offering a comprehensive overview of the country's environmental landscape.