A one-day consultative workshop on “Using Administrative Data for Governance: Harmonising Departmental Data at the State/UT Level” was organised by the Directorate of Economics & Statistics, UT Ladakh, in collaboration with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, at Pal Hotel, Leh, on March 25.

The workshop aimed to strengthen the use of administrative data for effective governance and promote harmonisation of departmental datasets at the State/UT level to enhance planning, monitoring, and service delivery.

Joint Director, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Ladakh, Tsewang Gyalson highlighted the objectives of the workshop and emphasised the importance of standardised and harmonised data systems for evidence-based decision-making and efficient public service delivery. He noted that data plays a crucial role in governance and stressed that departmental data must be reliable, structured, accessible, and usable.

Madhura Roy, Director, MoSPI, delivered a detailed presentation on data harmonisation, covering key aspects such as the National Metadata Structure 2.0 (NMDS), the Statistical Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF), data structure and quality dimensions, national and international standards, development of unique identifiers, reconciliation of datasets, machine readability, operational guidelines for dataset management, and the Advance Release Calendar.

Himachali Rana, Deputy Director, MoSPI, spoke on the current status of administrative data systems and outlined expectations from States and Union Territories. Her presentation highlighted administrative data as a strategic resource, challenges in data linkage, and the need for assessment and action plans.
During the interactive session, directors from various line departments shared their experiences and perspectives on data management and integration.

The Director, Health & Medical Education, explained the functioning of the health database system and its role in improving service delivery and maintaining accurate health records.

The Chief Engineer, Power Development Department (PDD), discussed the integration of electricity-related datasets and their utility for public services.

The Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs, highlighted the availability of consumer data records and stressed the need for integration to improve coordination and data sharing among departments.

The Director, Animal Husbandry Department, elaborated on key data collection systems maintained by the department and raised concerns regarding interdepartmental accessibility. He emphasised the importance of effective data management for planning and implementation of schemes.

The Joint Director, Information and Nodal Officer, DIRLMP, shared insights into land records data systems and their online availability for efficient public service delivery. He also underscored the importance of maintaining accurate administrative records for effective governance.

The workshop was attended by Directors and Joint Directors of various departments, along with officers and officials from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, PD&MD, UT Ladakh, and the Team Leader, PMU, PM Gati Shakti.