Social and Economic Development to provide decent living to all the citizens is one of the objectives of every Government. For speedy realisation of such objectives, planning is considered to be an appropriate tool. The foundation of successful planning is assured availability of reliable and adequate data for all the sectors of the economy.

Public administration involves various activities for implementing public policies. It comprises a number of stages. Administrative process involves decision-making at different stages where decisions are based on the factual information of the work environment. Thus host of statistics/data are needed in all the fields/subjects.

The authority and responsibility for collection of statistics is laid down in the 7^th Schedule of the Indian Constitution under Article 246. It is placed in serial number 94 of Union list and No. 45 of the concurrent list. However, appropriate to the federal set up of the country, Central Government acts by understanding as a co-ordinating agency for presentation of statistics in all-India basis where State Governments are responsible for presentation of statistics at the state and other lower levels.

The Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MOS&PI) acts as the apex body/nodal agency for all statistical matters in the country. At the state level the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, has been acting as Nodal Agency for all Statistical activities. The system is followed in Manipur also. The Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Manipur is responsible for co-ordinating the Statistical activities and for laying down as well as for maintaining statistical standard, providing consultancy and advisory supports to other statistical agencies and maintaining liaison with various Departments/Organisations of the state and also with CSO/other Statistical Organisations at the centre/other states and Union Territories. However, the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Manipur has no control over other Government, Semi-government, private organisations/ departments/institutions. At present, Manipur Economic/Statistical Services are not yet formed and encadrement of statistical posts/services is also not yet introduced. All the statistical cells/units are independently working under the control of respective departments/institutions/ organisations.

FORMATION OF DIRECTORATE OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS :

The initial nomenclature of the Directorate of Economics & Statistics was “State Statistical Bureau (SSB)”. It was set up in Manipur in the month of July, 1958 with a skeleton staff of 18 members under the initiation of Mr. Thangkhopao Kipgen, the then Planning Secretary to the Government of Manipur. From a small beginning during the 2^nd Five Year Plan, the State Statistical Bureau had been expanded gradually. The State Statistical Bureau (SSB), Manipur started participation in the survey programmes of National Sample Survey (NSS) from the 5^th sub-round of the 17^th round (1962-63) of NSS. With the increase in work load and responsibility both in terms of scope and coverage with the participation in the National Sample Survey Programme, the expansion of the State Statistical Bureau started from 1963-64 (18^th round of NSS). During 1963-64 there were 10 sub-divisions in Manipur of which 3 sub-divisions such as Mao,Tamenglong and Ukhrul were not covered by the All India Programme of National Sample Survey due to disturbed conditions in those days. From 1970-71 onwards the whole of Manipur was covered by the NSS Programme.

The then Lt. Governor of Manipur wrote a letter to the Director, Central Statistical Organisation, Department of Statistics, Cabinet Secretariat , New Delhi on the 5^th June,1970 to depute one of the Sr. Technical Officer to Imphal to study the workings of the State Statistical Bureau, Manipur with a view of suggesting improvements to make the working of the Bureau more efficient and purposeful. A team of technical officers visited Imphal from the 24^th to 29^th August, 1970 under the leadership of Shri K.L. Saxena, Jt. Director, CSO. The Team of Technical Officers from CSO submitted its report on the 5^th September,1970 and recommended among other things, the desirability of creating the post of Director of Economics & Statistics. Accordingly one post of Director of Economics & Statistics was created during 1971-72 and the then SSB become a Directorate. The total strength of the Directorate as on the 31^st March, 1972 was 162 which rose to 408 in 1987-88 but Government has taken a decision in 2001 to abolish 99 posts as and when the specified posts are rendered vacant due to promotion/retirement/expiry under the down/right sizing policy of the Government. Up to the year 2007-08, altogether 42 posts were abolished and the total staff strength as on 31-03-2008 stood at 366 of which 54 posts were lying vacant and therefore effective strength of manpower in respect of the Directorate was 312 only.

District Statistical Offices had been opened from 1972-73 in all the erstwhile 5(five) districts of Manipur viz. Manipur Central District, Manipur North District, Manipur West District, Manipur South District and Manipur East District . The District Statistical Offices are engaged mostly in mobilising the Statistical Data required by the Government. After making re-organisations of the erstwhile Manipur Central District on the 25^th May, 1983, 2(two) more District Statistical Offices such as Bishnupur DSO and Thoubal DSO were opened during the year 1983-84. From the year 1998-99, Manipur has been divided into 9(nine) Districts. Each district has a District Statistical Office headed by a District Statistical Officer (DSO). The DSOs are transferable with Dy. Directors of the State Head Quarters Office of the Directorate of Economics & Statistics.

A small printing (Press) unit has been functioning in the Directorate since 1975 in order to minimise the time-lag in bringing out Statistical publications. Statistical Publications/Forms/Schedules for crop estimation survey/ad-hoc surveys are being printed in the Printing Unit of the Directorate. The equipments installed in 1975 for printing of Statistical reports/forms/schedules etc. were of LETTER PRINTING which were all outdated. On the other hand, the posts created for manning the said printing unit were earmarked for abolishment as and when the posts are rendered vacant. In order to carry out the printing works of the Directorate, the system of DTP is introduced. The volume of printing work is quite voluminous and therefore an offset printing machine with a plate-making machine was installed in 2006-07. The Directorate has got a separate unit for graphic activities having 13 staff members and also got a small electronic data processing unit named as Computer Unit since June, 1987.

OBJECTIVES/FUNCTIONS/ DUTIES OF THE DES :

The Directorate of Economics & Statistics is responsible for providing the necessary data-base for planning in the State. Statistical data on diverse socio-economic activities of the state are being collected, processed and published from time to time. While the DES is responsible for collecting directly some amount of information through its own functionaries, a major part of the Statistical information is being mobilised with the help of other Departments. The main functions of the DES can broadly be classified as follows :

(i) Collection, Compilation ,Processing, Analysis and presentation of data on various socio-economic aspects of the State in a systematic manner and dissemination of the same through periodic publications,

(ii) Conducting sample surveys and other ad-hoc field enquiries etc., on various aspects and problems of socio-economic development,

(iii) Coordinating the Statistical activities of various departments of the State Government and rendering them technical advisory services,

(iv) Organisation of post-recruitment training to Statistical personnel,

(v) Liaison with the Statistical organisations of the Government of India and of other State Governments,

(vi) Assisting in the evolution of a sound Statistical system,

(vii) Standardisation of all questionnaires/schedules/formats etc. meant for data collection,

(viii) Ensuring elimination or otherwise minimisation of duplications of statistical work among the departments and

(ix) Ensuring adoption of uniform concepts, definitions and procedures by providing consultancy and advisory support to other agencies/ departments.