Background of the scheme: A High Power Expert Committee, under the chairmanship of Dr. S.P. Gupta, Member Planning Commission was constituted in 2002 to look into availability of village level data with village functionaries, feasibility of electronic transmission of validated data from village to the blocks & blocks to Districts and other related aspects to develop a village level data base. As decided by the Committee a pilot study was conducted in 9 states viz., Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, West Bengal. Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. In the meantime, Prof. AbhijitSen, Member, Planning Commission (PC) was appointed as Chairman of the Committee in place of Dr. Gupta. On the basis of experience gained through the pilot and after due deliberations, the Committee submitted its report in 2006. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation formulated a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) on the basis of the recommendations of the report. The scheme envisaged compiling village level statistics at the Gram Panchayat level by/through Panchayat Secretary in coordination with the village level functionaries such as Anganwadi workers, ANM, Chowkidar, village Pradhan, revenue officials, Patwari, etc.
Pilot on BSLLD in RuralAreas:Subsequently on the advice of Planning Commission, a Pilot scheme to compile village level data for the reference year 2008-09 was launched in 32 States / UTs, covering around 500 Gram Panchayats in each State/UT, to explore the availability of village level data, quality of data and identification of data compilers. Delhi, Goa and Chandigarh did not take part in the pilot scheme (First Phase) for the reference year 2008-09/2009-10. Based on the reports of States/ UTs, a Cross Sectional Synthesis Report was prepared by CSO and circulated to all Stake holders, including Planning Commission. In the second reference year, to gather information in the rural areas for 2009-10, the pilot was conducted in 24 States/UT covering same districts. Four States namely, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Sikkim and Rajasthan participated in the BSLLD pilot study for the 3rd reference year also.
Based on the experience of the study, feedbacks received from States/UTs and discussion with them, the Social Statistics Division, Central Statistics Office brought out a feasibility report on the Basic Statistics for Local Level Development Scheme in Rural Areas. The report contains survey instruments, analysis of the data compiled, identification of data compilers along with recommendations for making the scheme operational throughout the country.
Pilot on BSLLD in UrbanAreas:Initially, the proposed BSLLD scheme intended to cover the rural areas only. However, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, being the nodal Ministry for District Planning, desired that for the purpose of district planning, the proposed scheme may include urban areas also. In a meeting of the Secretaries of Urban Development (UD), Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) and MoSPI in 2011, it was decided that a similar pilot study on BSLLD will be implemented in urban areas as well.
In the urban pilot, availability, sources of information and data compilerswere planned to explore at ward level and town level. A schedule for data compilation in urban areas with around 850 indicators has been developed in consultation with stakeholders. The pilot study was commissioned in 2013-14. 26 States/UTs are participating in the pilot study, covering 1198 wards from 82 towns.
