India to Launch First All-India Household Income Survey in 2026

In a landmark step towards strengthening data-driven policymaking, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has announced that it will conduct the first-ever All-India Household Income Survey in 2026. This move will help understand income distribution, assess technological impacts on wages, and fill existing gaps in welfare and economic inequality data. The survey will be guided by a Technical Expert Group (TEG) chaired by Surjit Bhalla, former Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Why in News?

The Ministry of Statistics has confirmed the launch of a nationwide household income survey in 2026, a first-of-its-kind effort to capture accurate income data from Indian households. It seeks to address longstanding data gaps, particularly in income, wage patterns, and technology’s influence on earnings, which are crucial for welfare and economic policies.

Objectives and Aims

• To capture income distribution patterns across Indian households.
• To assess the impact of technology adoption on household wages and earnings.
• To enable better targeting of welfare schemes through accurate income data.
• To align with international best practices in income data collection.

Technical Oversight

• Technical Expert Group (TEG) set up under the leadership of Surjit Bhalla.

The TEG will provide guidance on,

• Survey concepts and definitions
• Sampling design
• Estimation methods
• Incorporating global best practices from countries like the US, Canada, South Africa, and Australia.

Implementation and Strategy

• Survey to be executed by the National Statistical Office (NSO).
• Expected to include diverse income sources – wages, self-employment, remittances, and digital earnings.
• Will improve upon earlier efforts that faced field-level data reliability issues.
• Efforts will be made to ensure transparency, accuracy, and granular regional insights.

Significance

• First dedicated income-centric survey in independent India.
• Will help bridge gaps in existing economic surveys, which primarily focus on consumption or employment.
• Useful for policymakers, economists, and planners to tackle income inequality and improve social safety nets.
• Could lead to restructuring of income-based welfare schemes like PM-KISAN, subsidy targeting, or DBT frameworks.