Statistics Ministry to Conduct First-Ever Household Income Survey in 2026
New Delhi: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will conduct the first-ever Household Income Survey in 2026, marking a significant step toward understanding income distribution in India. A Technical Expert Group (TEG) has been constituted to advise the ministry on the methodology and other critical aspects of the survey.
While previous attempts to measure household income date back to the 1950s and 1960s, those efforts did not succeed due to various challenges. This upcoming survey will be the first successful and comprehensive initiative of its kind.
“Recently, the National Sample Survey (NSS) has undertaken several initiatives to bridge data gaps in various socio-economic areas. The Household Income Survey is another crucial step by the ministry to generate vital data for analysing income distribution and welfare,” MoSPI stated. The ministry emphasised the “urgent need” for a dedicated survey to better understand the structural transformations the Indian economy has undergone over the past 75 years.
In recent years, MoSPI has expanded its data collection efforts beyond traditional surveys used to compile macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, Consumer Price Index, and Index of Industrial Production. Newer initiatives include annual surveys on unincorporated enterprises, the services sector, capital expenditure projections in the private sector, and domestic travel and tourism.
Last month, the ministry also released findings from its first-ever monthly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), previously conducted quarterly for urban areas and annually for rural ones. The updated monthly PLFS includes questions on households’ regular income from sources such as rent, pension, interest, and remittances. However, the results pertaining to these income details have not yet been released.
The upcoming Household Income Survey is expected to fill a crucial data gap and provide valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and economists working to address income inequality and enhance social welfare.
(Subham Singh)
