- Theme: Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data
New Delhi.: In a landmark milestone, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will celebrate the 20th Statistics Day on 29th June 2026 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. This day is observed every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, a pioneer in the field of statistics and economic planning. Statistics Day aims to create public awareness, especially among the younger generation, about the importance of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation for national development.
Each year since its inception in 2007, Statistics Day is celebrated with a theme of national relevance. The theme for 2026 is “Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data”, which underscores the growing importance of leveraging data generated through administrative processes for evidence-based policymaking and governance. The theme highlights the need for strengthening data quality, interoperability, integration, and governance frameworks to maximize the utility of such data for producing timely, reliable, and granular statistics.
The event will be inaugurated by Dr. P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, who will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest and to deliver the Keynote Address. The inaugural session will feature a special address by Rao Inderjit Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of MoSPI, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning and Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture. The inaugural session will also include addresses by Dr. Saibal Chattopadhyay, Chairperson (National Statistical Commission) and Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary (MoSPI). The inaugural session will also showcase a video highlighting MoSPI’s recent achievements towards Viksit Bharat.
MoSPI will also release important statistical publications on this occasion which include the Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2026, Data Snapshot on Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2026, Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework 2026 (along with metadata), Labour Market Dynamics in Million-plus Cities, Urban Unincorporated Enterprise Landscape: Insights From Million-Plus Cities, a bulletin titled “Transforming Lives: India’s Achievements under the People Dimension of the SDGs”, Handbook on Harmonisation of Datasets and MoSPI’s Vision Document 2026-2031. The prestigious Sukhatme National Award in Statistics will pbe conferred during the event.
The inaugural session will be followed by a technical session on “Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data” with participation from key Central Ministries and Departments, Knowledge Partners and International Agencies, to deliberate on best practices for incorporating administrative data sources in Official Statistics, its challenges, and opportunities, with the aim of establishing administrative data as a practical, trusted, and routinely usable resource for governance. The session will also showcase key use cases of administrative data, including its triangulation with survey and other data sources, to improve data quality, strengthen evidence-based policymaking, and generate more comprehensive insights for decision-making.
A panel discussion on “From Silos to Synergy: Advancing Administrative Data Harmonisation” will also be held. The panel will include Mr. Nand Kumaran, CEO (National e-Governance Division), Dr. Mansi Kedia, Senior Digital Development Specialist (World Bank), Mr. Prashanth Chandramouleeswaran (Head of Public Finance, eGov Foundation), Ms. Avani Kapur (Founder & Director, Foundation for Responsive Governance (ResGov)). The panel discussion will be moderated by Ms. Shalini Kapoor (Chief Strategist (Data & AI), EkStep Foundation).
The event is likely to be attended by around 500 participants including officials from various Central Ministries, NITI Aayog, State Governments, UT administrations, representatives of national and international organisations, domain experts, research institutions and other stakeholders. The highlights of the event can be followed through MoSPI’s social media platforms as well.
