Why Is India Counting Incomes Now? NSO Gears Up for First-Ever National Income Surveys

For the first time since Independence, India is preparing to systematically measure household incomes and corporate services activity at the national level. The National Statistics Office is laying the groundwork for two landmark surveys that promise to transform how India understands income distribution and the services economy—both crucial for smarter and more targeted policymaking.

Why in News?

The National Statistics Office has begun preparations for India’s first National Household Income Survey (NHIS) and the Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE). Fieldwork for both surveys will start in April 2026, following nationwide training of officials.

What Is the All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT)?

• To ensure readiness, the NSO, under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, is organising an All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT) in Chennai on 28–29 January 2026.
• Senior officers and field functionaries from across India will be trained as Master Trainers.
• These trainers will later guide enumerators and supervisors nationwide.
• The workshop focuses on survey concepts, digital data collection, and uniform methodology to ensure high-quality, comparable data during the actual surveys.

National Household Income Survey: Why Is It Historic?

• The National Household Income Survey (NHIS) is a first-of-its-kind pan-India exercise. Until now, India relied on consumption-based surveys and fragmented income data.
• NHIS will directly collect data on household income distribution and living conditions.
• It will help analyze income from labor, capital, and land, and link earnings with economic activity.
• This survey will enable comparisons across regions, socio-economic groups, and households, providing a solid foundation for designing targeted welfare schemes and inclusive growth policies.

How NHIS Will Help Policymaking

• Accurate income data is essential for identifying inequality and vulnerability.
• NHIS findings will support universal and targeted welfare interventions, help assess the effectiveness of subsidies, and improve fiscal planning.
• Policymakers will be able to distinguish between income poverty and consumption poverty, leading to better-designed social protection programmes.
• For the first time, India will have a nationally consistent picture of who earns what, where, and how.

Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE)

• The ASISSE focuses on India’s rapidly growing corporate services sector, which contributes a major share to GDP but lacks detailed statistical coverage.
• The survey will generate data on Gross Value Added (GVA), capital formation, employment, and emoluments.
• It will provide estimates at State and industry levels, strengthening service-sector analysis.
• The survey adopts an enterprise-based approach and leverages the GSTN framework, covering only incorporated service sector entities.

Why ASISSE Is Important for the Economy

• Services dominate India’s economic structure, yet detailed enterprise-level data has been limited.
• ASISSE will help track productivity, employment trends, and investment patterns in services such as IT, finance, logistics, and professional services.
• This data will improve national accounts, guide sector-specific policies, and enhance India’s global economic reporting standards.

Key Summary at a Glance

Question

Q. Which organization is conducting India’s first National Household Income Survey?

A. NITI Aayog
B. RBI
C. National Statistics Office
D. SEBI