The National Statistical Bureau (NSB) has been given greater powers and responsibilities to strengthen the cadre of statisticians and validate all data generated in the Kingdom.

It will act as a clear­ing house on how data is collected, processed, and published or used in the various government min­istries and agencies thus ensuring that the data generated is accurate and reliable enough for policy making.

All works related to data collection and processing by various government agencies will henceforth be routed through the NSB or jointly executed, with outsourcing as the last option.

Thrashing out the nu­merous difficulties faced by NSB, the 64th session of the Lhengye Zhungt­shog decided that more resources will be pooled to strengthen the capacity to generate efficient, regular and reliable statistics.

NSB will work with other agencies by building coordination and linkages, and statisticians employed in the ministries and departments will be made accountable by giving a say to NSB over their ca­reer, training, studies and promotion.

Prime Minister Lyonch­hen Jigmi Y. Thinley said that the importance of statistics cannot be over-emphasized in a demo­cratic setting. Data is an important yardstick to gauge the performance of the government and create the necessary conditions for accountability and transparency.

He asked the NSB to explore ways to also generate data beyond the conventional method to reflect Bhutan’s more holistic GNH model of development using the latter’s four pillars, nine domains and 72 indica­tors. To this end, the NSB, the GNH Commission and the Centre for Bhu­tan Studies would meet sometime this year to discuss how to take this idea forward.

In his presentation to the cabinet, the NSB director Kinga Tshering said a statistical system had to be created where­by all statically trained personnel in the country will be brought under the NSB. This will help pool scarce resources, reduce cost and build a common data processing system that ensures regular and timely statistics from various sectors.

Also needed, he said, was the establishment of a uniform statistical standard and methodol­ogy in terms of definition, codes and classifications that will allow for both national and international comparison.

“It will avoid duplica­tion and inconsistencies,” he said. “Almost every survey in the country repeats the same ques­tions but at times with differing definitions and standards.”

He recommended creating a national data repository that allows easy access to all users.

Pooling of resources will help in solving the shortage of statisticians and also develop a profes­sional cadre of statisti­cians in the country in future.

The difficulties encoun­tered by NSB currently were lack of coordina­tion among data produc­ers and providers, lack of standards and methodol­ogy, shortage of trained and qualified manpower, delays in publication/dis­semination as a result of skill in data processing and analysis.

Kinga Tshering reported to the cabinet that even as there was an increase in data demand both nationally and internation­ally, the NSB had limited control over field statisti­cal personnel. Statisti­cians in ministries and departments were given responsibilities other than statistics.

Many publications depending on secondary data were delayed or their quality compromised due to late supply, non-availa­bility, or poor quality and outdated data.

For these reasons the Central Statistical Organi­zation (CSO), the forerun­ner of NSB, had remained weak and incapable of meeting the country’s sta­tistical data needs with a lot of data gaps and delays

In the early 1990s the royal government intro­duced a centralized sta­tistical system and trans­ferred all the statistical activities to the CSO. But the system did not work as most organizations trans­ferred only the statistical responsibilities and not statistically trained per­sonnel.

In 1998, the system was reviewed and decentral­ized making each minis­try/agency responsible for its own data collection.

The NSB currently has 59 staff, including 20 district statistical offices. There are only 13 statisti­cally personnel in other organizations.

By Kezang Dorji in THIMPHU