2. Alignment with NDP framework
National Statistical System is aligned with
FYP - India’s development framework
– Derives strategies from track record
– Sets goals and targets
– Identifies intervention mechanism
– Defines approach to programmes
– Allocates resources
National Policies and Action Plans
Political Agenda
3. MDGs- another framework
Poses new challenges
– Compatibility with NDP framework
– Reformation of existing Statistical
objectives/processes
– Relevance of the indicators – contextuality
Optimality of choice
– Transformation burden
– Degrees of freedom
4. Harmonization Principles in
India
Recognizing the potentiality of existing
processes
Minimum conflict with NDP framework –
discretion
low-key troubleshooting
– Reliance on alternatives
– Allowance for invisibility/No imputation for non-
availability of data
5. India’s MDG framework
India follows indicator-framework given in
United Nations, UNDG (2003) : “Indicators for
Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals”
Indian framework is based on all the 48
indicators taking into account the variants
(a), (b)… for indicator number 1, 19 and 48
for monitoring and reporting purposes
Thus a set of 53 indicators only is
considered to be forming the reference
frame for action
6. Actionable Indicators
The set comprises those which are
monitorable in some sense
40 out of 53 (48 prime+5 variants) are
relevant, hence considered actionable
35 out of 40 for tracking – (in any case)
34 of 35 are visible in MDGR
6 out of 40 are missing – in the lab/left out
7. Classification
Identical
Similar
Alternative
Invisible
having exact conformity with the
standard definitions
definitionally modified as per data
availability or for contextual reasons
different indicator in the absence of
quality data for the prescribed
left out either for reasons of
contextual irrelevancy or for complete
lack of data
8. Size of the classes
No. of Indicators in each class
Identical 14
Similar 13
Alternative 7
Invisible 6
Total
(Actionable)
40
9. Relative loss
1/3rd
of actionable set are identical –
matching globally internationally 67%
loss of information for Global comparison
50% of actionable set are of altered kind
(similar+alternative) – includes 7.5% of real
proxy type internally 85% available for
tracking
15% are missing/left-out
10. Revised MDG framework
India has not accepted the revised indicator-
framework drawn up by IAEG-MDG in keeping with
the recommendations by the Secretary-General in
his report to the 61st
session of the UN General
Assembly for inclusion of four new targets
India does not support inclusion of a new target
under Goal 1, that replaces Target 16 of Goal 8
Indicator 1(a) for Poverty Head Count Ratio does
not figure in as a variant explicitly specified in
RMDG framework for national level monitoring- it is
indicatively suggested as a footnote
Dropping of indicator 29 for use of solid fuels,
indicator 48 (a) for Use of Personal Computers, not
appropriate for India
Ref.- Note on India’s stand points on RMDG
12. Indicator 1-a: PHR
Type=Similar
Proportion of the national population
whose incomes fall below the national
poverty line
It is income related
Income is generally more
difficult to measure and does
not accord well with the
standard of living
Only one poverty line for
national and sub-national
levels is implied- not very well
in large countries having wide
difference in prices and
lifestyles from place to place
Proportion of the national population
whose monthly consumption
expenditure falls below the national
poverty line
State specific poverty lines for
rural and urban areas – sub-
national
National poverty lines for rural
and urban areas differ from
States’ poverty lines
Percentage of population
below the national poverty line
[= PHR] is weighted average of
States’ PHRs
13. Indicator 4: Underweight Children
Type=Similar
Percentage of children under 5 years of
age whose weight for age is less than
minus two standard deviation from the
median for the international reference
population ages 0-59 months.
International (WHO) standard age
group makes the data
internationally comparable, but it
fails to distinguish between short
children of adequate body weight
and tall, thin children
Country condition and height
factor are less pronounced in ages
less than 36 months
Percentage of children under 3 years of
age whose weight for age is less than
minus two standard deviation from the
median for the international reference
population ages 0-35 months.
India’s data is based of National
Family Health Survey (NFHS)
conducted for the years 1992-93,
1998-99 and 2005-06
– Last two surveys has reference
age 0-35 months while the first
one has 0-47 months
– Results of last 2 NFHSs are not
comparable with first NFHS
results
– Reference age of 0-59 months
also used in NFHS-III (2005-06)
14. Indicator 6:
Primary
enrolment
Type= Alternative
NER shows proportion of children
of primary school age who are
enrolled in primary school
NER below 100% provides a
measure of the proportion of
school age children who are not
enrolled at the primary level
GER includes children of any age
and hence may exceed 100% as
is the case in India at present
NER is being estimated at
present and going through trials
for reliability before using the
indicator for MDG tracking
NER is the ratio of children of
official school age who are
enrolled in primary school to
the total population of children
of official school age.
GER is the ratio of children of
regardless of age who are
enrolled in primary school to
the total population of children
of age 6-11(normative in India).
15. Indicator 8 &10:
Youth Literacy
Type=Similar
India reports in MDGR
– Adult literacy rate for the age group
(15yrs+) for Indicator 8 towards
Target 3
– Literacy gender parity index for
(7yrs+) for Indicator 10 towards
Target 4
For ensuring primary schooling
literacy of all adults (15 yr+) is
important in India and for
eliminating gender disparity in all
levels, targeting literacy of
women and men alike in all ages
7 yrs+ is important
For Target 3: Towards
ensuring full course of
primary schooling of
children (General Youth
Literacy) and
For Target 4: Towards
eliminating gender disparity
in all levels of education
(women to men ratio of
literate Youths)
The reference age group is
15-24 years for
international comparison
but it is aligned to NLM
objectives in India. Data
tailored to ref. age group is
feasible for MDGR.
17. Replacing
‘Prevalence’
Indicators prescribed:
– 7.18: HIV prevalence among pregnant women
aged 15-24 years and
– 8.21: Prevalence and death rates associated with
Malaria
– 8.23: Prevalence and death rates associated with
Tuberculosis
Data on these are collected for
– Incidence of new cases during specified period of
time in every year
– Incidence rates are used in place of prevalence
rates, giving altered indicators.
18. Limitations
Annual round of HIV sentinel surveillance at identified sentinel
sites (clinics) conducted during 12 weeks from 1st
August to
31st
October every year (for indicator 18) – necessitated
definitional change.
The estimates (for indicator 18 and 21) are too specific to
high-risk zones, both at state-level and national level
Incidence and Death rates due to TB as per notified cases
under DOTS or captured through ARTI is grossly
underestimated due to coverage problem-WHO estimates for
incidence rate is used
Limitation of malaria incidence rates is that they grossly
underestimate the incidence in tribal, hilly, difficult and
inaccessible areas, which cover 20% of population but 80% of
malaria cases.
20. Where national
data is missing
Dietary energy consumption is a basic
component of consumption poverty
estimate – thus there is no real reason
to have it separately by indicator 5 not it
could be substituted by some other
indicator of ‘similar’ type
No ‘alternative’ or ‘similar’ type indicator
is possible for Indicator 20 in absence of
data for it
Area protected, terrestrial or marine
does not get changed regularly, hence it
has not much relevance to developing
countries
Unemployment rate is not generated for
people aged 15-24 years; it is estimated
for the whole population; it requires
segregation of the labour force by age-
groups
-Indicator 5: Prop of popln below
minimum level of dietary energy
consumption
-Indicator 20: School attendance of
Orphans
-Indicator 26: area protected to
maintain biological diversity
-Indicator 45:Unemployment rate of
young people
- Indicator 46: Access to Affordable
Essential Drugs
-Where the Indicators are
not being tracked for
MDGR
21. Issues in focus
Consultation with country focal points is essential
before introducing changes in MDG’s existing
framework
Use of altered indicators is country specific and
economic when it emerges from existing system
Linkage with programme initiatives should be
supported
Non-availability of information at international level
should not be sufficient reason for dropping/
replacing one indicator
After crossing the half-way mark, changing the
indicator frame poses a new hurdle
Through consumption expenditure surveys, distribution of household’s per capita monthly consumption expenditure on food and non-food items is derived corresponding to the consumption basket associated with the given calorie norm (2400 kcal in rural areas and 2100 kcal in urban areas) and meeting a minimum of non-food requirements such as clothing, shelter, transport, etc.
