Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 29: In a bid to build public awareness among the people and especially among the younger generation on the role of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation, employees of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) celebrated the 9th National Statistics Day at CYSD here Monday.
Since 2007, the day is being celebrated in the country in remembrance of Prof Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis who is considered to be the father of the modern Indian statistical system who played a crucial role in the field of economic planning and statistical development during the post-independence era.
Eminent statistician and retired professor Dr J Sarangi who attended the programme as chief guest hailed Mahalanobis’s achievements. “His contributions related to large-scale sample surveys are very important. It is he who introduced the concept of pilot surveys and advocated the usefulness of sampling methods,” Sarangi said.
“The introduction of methods for estimating crop yields helped ascertain the production capacity. Statisticians and students of statistics should try and follow his path for a better future. The importance of statistics cannot be denied. It has always played a crucial role socio-economic life, policy planning, and population census,” Sarangi said.
Ex-deputy director general Dasarathi Sahoo also spoke on the occasion.
Officers and employees of the National Sample Survey Office pledged to use and apply statistical tools in the areas of agriculture, power, civic amenities and health to fulfill the dreams of PC Mahalanobis.
Later, winners of an essay competition on the topic ‘Social development, health, education, poverty, social backwardness, housing and environment’ were felicitated by the guests.
Exhorting everyone to follow the path set by Mahalanobis, human and child development minister Usha Devi said a strong statistics system is a must for the development of the country and state. The minister was speaking at a programme organised by Directorate of Education and Statistics at Panthanivas.
A one-day seminar on ‘Social Development’ was held which was attended by statisticians and academicians. A book titled ‘Samikshya’ was also released on the occasion.
D Behera, director of economic and statistics, and retired professor of Utkal University KPP Swain were others who attended the programme.