Arvind Panagariya to submit final report on employment data by August 31

Arvind Panagariya

The final report on employment data by the task force headed by Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya is likely to be submitted before he leaves the government think tank on August 31, a senior official said today.

The Indian-American economist, who joined as the first Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog in January 2015, will go back to teach at Columbia University next month.

The task force in its draft report, which was released on July 13, suggested frequent surveys, extensive use of GSTN data and a dedicated central facility to improve India's employment statistics.

The draft also suggested a host of recommendations to help the government collect more reliable, timely and relevant labour market data essential for appreciating employment situation.

The Aayog had invited comments on draft report by July, 23.

In June, the Prime Minister's Office had constituted the task force to suggest solutions for having timely and reliable employment data for policy making.

The prime minister had directed to complete the task expeditiously so that policies on employment could be formulated on the basis of credible data.