Srinagar: Secretary, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, Dr Owais Ahmad, on Saturday reviewed the functioning of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics and the progress of its key assignments.
The meeting was held at the Directorate’s office in Bemina and attended by Director General Economics and Statistics Ashu Gupta, regional directors, joint directors, deputy directors and other senior officers.
Ahmad stressed the department’s role in generating reliable, timely and evidence-based statistical information to support policy formulation, development planning and government decision-making.
He said accurate data was essential for assessing development outcomes, identifying emerging priorities and monitoring the implementation of government programmes.
The secretary called for stronger institutional mechanisms for data collection, compilation, validation and analysis to ensure the availability of credible and up-to-date statistical information. He also emphasised accuracy, consistency and transparency in the department’s statistical outputs.
Directing officers to ensure timely completion of assignments, Ahmad called for a result-oriented approach focused on efficiency, accountability and adherence to deadlines. He also stressed regular monitoring of ongoing activities and better coordination between the Directorate, its regional offices and other stakeholder departments.
Highlighting the importance of data-driven governance, he urged the department to adopt modern technologies and strengthen digital systems to improve statistical operations, streamline data management and reduce procedural delays.
During the meeting, Gupta made a detailed presentation on the Directorate’s mandate, functioning, key assignments, progress across different areas and the status of ongoing activities.
