14.13 Limitation Of The Collection Of Statistics Act,1953
14.13 Limitation of the Collection of Statistics Act,1953
The Collection of Statistics Act, 1953 has been serving at present only the limited purpose of ASI, which covers a part of the whole industrial sector. There are a large number of industries in the small-scale sector, which are excluded from the scope of ASI. Similarly, there is also a large industrial activity in the unregistered informal or household sector which is out of ASI purview though it plays a highly significant role by way of feeding the larger units as well as producing value added goods for non-industrial consumers. Although there is a scope under Section 2(b) of the Act. To cover all “commercial concerns”, but this is not being done so far. Moreover, it is important to reiterate the emerging trend of realities, for example, taking account of High-tech sectors such as IT, bio-technology, food processing as well as to accommodate services sector whose share in the economy is rapidly growing. For catalyzing the development in these industries and related sectors, the data obligations must flow out of the provisions of Act.
Even where an Act such as Collection of Statistics Act, 1953 exists with provision for prosecution, there are non-response cases. This is largely due to meager penalty of a maximum fine of Rs.500/-, which though theoretically extends to cause a fine of Rs.200/- per day on default beyond a certain period but that has almost never been imposed. So the Act in such cases hardly serves the purpose and becomes counter-productive. This is despite the fact that the factories covered under ASI are statutorily obliged to furnish the required data in the prescribed format.
