The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has entered into a research partnership with Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Punjab. The two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a framework that can forecast monthly household consumption spending across India. This research aims to improve how the government understands and measures economic activity and poverty.
What the research will do
The study will work with existing household consumption data collected by the government to estimate monthly per capita consumption expenditure at both the national and state levels. Researchers will examine patterns in how Indian households spend money and use these insights to strengthen poverty measurement methods. The findings are also intended to support broader economic planning by government agencies.
The collaboration represents an application of artificial intelligence tools to official statistics, combining Thapar Institute’s technical expertise with MoSPI’s statistical capacity and data resources. Officials present at the signing included Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary of MoSPI; Prof. Padmakumar Nair, Vice Chancellor of Thapar Institute; and Shri R. Rajesh, Additional Director General of MoSPI’s Capacity Development Division.
What this means for you
Better data on household spending could lead to more accurate identification of poor and vulnerable families, potentially improving the targeting of welfare schemes and government support. Policymakers will have more reliable tools to understand economic conditions and plan public investments. Students and researchers in engineering and data science may find new opportunities to work on government statistics challenges. More broadly, this partnership signals that India’s statistical system is adopting modern analytical methods to deliver more precise information for governance and planning.