₹4,371 Cr Boost for National Statistics Under New VISTAR Initiative
The Union Cabinet has formally authorized the VISTAR initiative, a transformative program designed to revamp India’s statistical machinery. Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the scheme allocates ₹4,371.10 crore for its implementation from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The project directly supports the Viksit Bharat 2047 agenda by introducing a high-speed, real-time data framework.
VISTAR is engineered to deliver superior data accuracy, enhanced timeliness, and seamless interoperability across government databases. By preparing datasets for artificial intelligence integration, the scheme lays the groundwork for next-generation analytics. The program also grants operational agility, enabling swift resource redistribution in response to urgent policy needs.
Executed by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the initiative will overhaul all statistical and data governance functions across the country. It champions a unified strategy that merges digital innovation, extensive surveying, and rigorous research. This comprehensive upgrade will solidify the nation’s official statistical infrastructure.
The scheme’s architecture rests on three foundational pillars. The first pillar expands the Ministry’s survey capabilities, raising the count from 43 to 59 major polls under the Fifteenth Finance Commission cycle. These surveys are strategically deployed to plug critical data shortages, ultimately refining policy formulation and execution.
Capacity enhancement remains a central theme under the Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) vertical. States and union territories will receive targeted funding via a newly structured SSS 2.0 mechanism, designed to maximize statistical output and regional coordination.
Furthermore, the Eighth Economic Census will be conducted alongside state administrations to catalog non-farm enterprises and labor forces at the local ward and village levels. This granular data will chart the unorganized economy’s size and scope, establishing a baseline for the National Statistical Business Register. The register will subsequently optimize business surveys and inform precision-driven economic strategies nationwide.