Q. In India, which one of the following compiles information on industrial disputes, closures, retrenchments and lay-offs in factories employing workers?

  • Central Statistics Office
  • Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
  • Labour Bureau
  • National Technical Manpower Information System

Answer: (c) Labour Bureau

Labour Bureau
  • Labour Bureau, an attached office under Ministry of Labour and Employment, was set up on 1st October 1946.
  • It is entrusted with the work of compilation, collection, analysis and dissemination of statistics on different aspects of labour.
  • Labour Bureau has two main wings stationed in Shimla and Chandigarh.
  • The functions/activities of Labour Bureau can be classified under the following major heads:
    • Compilation and maintenance of Consumer Price Index Numbers for Industrial Workers, Agricultural/Rural Labourers, Retail Price Index of Selected Essential Commodities in Urban Areas etc.
    • Quick Employment Survey and Employment-Unemployment survey are also being conducted by Labour Bureau.
  • The various editions on Statistics of “Industrial Disputes, Closures, Retrenchments and Lay-offs in India during 2006” is compiled based on the voluntary returns received every month from the Labour Departments of the States and the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central).
National Statistical Office (NSO)
  • National Statistical Office (NSO) acts as the nodal agency under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for planned development of the statistical system in the country, lays down and maintains norms and standards in the field of statistics, involving concepts and definitions, methodology of data collection, processing of data and dissemination of results. 
  • The National Statistical Office (NSO) consists of the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the Computer center and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
    • NSO is headed by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).
  • Functions:
    • It compiles and releases the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) every month in the form of ‘quick estimates’; conducts the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI); and provides statistical information to assess and evaluate the changes in the growth, composition and structure of the organized manufacturing sector.
  • National Statistical Office (NSO) is mandated with the following responsibilities:
    • acts as the nodal agency for planned development of the statistical system in the country, lays down and maintains norms and standards in the field of statistics, involving concepts and definitions, methodology of data collection, processing of data and dissemination of results;
    • coordinates the statistical work in respect of the Ministries/Departments of the Government of India and State Statistical Bureaus (SSBs), advises the Ministries/Departments of the Government of India on statistical methodology and on statistical analysis of data;
    • prepares national accounts as well as publishes annual estimates of national product, government and private consumption expenditure, capital formation, savings, estimates of capital stock and consumption of fixed capital, as also the state level gross capital formation of supra-regional sectors and prepares comparable estimates of State Domestic Product (SDP) at current prices;
    • maintains liaison with international statistical organizations, such as, the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO), the International Labour Organizations (ILO), etc.
    • compiles and releases the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) every month in the form of ‘quick estimates’; conducts the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI); and provides statistical information to assess and evaluate the changes in the growth, composition and structure of the organized manufacturing sector;
    • organizes and conducts periodic all-India Economic Censuses and follow-up enterprise surveys, provides an in-house facility to process the data collected through various socio economic surveys and follow-up enterprise surveys of Economic Censuses;
    • conducts large scale all-India sample surveys for creating the database needed for studying the impact of specific problems for the benefit of different population groups in diverse socio economic areas, such as employment, consumer expenditure, housing conditions and environment, literacy levels, health, nutrition, family welfare, etc.;
    • examines the survey reports from the technical angle and evaluates the sampling design including survey feasibility studies in respect of surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey Organizations and other Central Ministries and Departments;
    • dissemination of statistical information on various aspects through a number of publications distributed to Government, semi-Government, or private data users/ agencies; and disseminates data, on request, to the United Nations agencies like the UNSD, the ESCAP, the ILO and other international agencies;
    • releases grants-in-aid to registered Non-Governmental Organizations and research institutions of repute for undertaking special studies or surveys, printing of statistical reports, and financing seminars, workshops and conferences relating to different subject areas of official statistics.
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
  • The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is a central government department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India.
  • It is responsible for formulation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector, keeping in view the national priorities and socio-economic objectives. While individual administrative ministries look after the production, distribution, development and planning aspects of specific industries allocated to them, DPIIT is responsible for the overall industrial policy.
  • It is also responsible for facilitating and increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the country.
  • DPIIT is the nodal Department in Government of India for coordinating and implementing programmes with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in India. The department also coordinates with apex Industry Associations such as Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Indian Industry, ASSOCHAM in their activities relating to promotion of industrial cooperation and to stimulate FDI into India.
  • Responsibilities:
    • The department has created an online portal called the India Investment Grid (IIG), an interactive investment portal providing details of sectors, states and projects in which domestic and foreign investors may sink in capital.
    • The department is the nodal body for the Startup India initiative, which aims to make India a hub for startups. It aims to discard restrictive States Government policies within this domain, such as License Raj, Land Permissions, Foreign Investment Proposals, and Environmental Clearances.
    • The department is currently framing the e-commerce policy, a set of rules aimed at streamlining and regulating the digital business ecosystem.
    • DPIIT is also responsible for intellectual property rights relating to patents, designs, trademarks, copyrights, layout-designs of integrated circuits, and geographical indication of goods, and oversees the initiative relating to their promotion and protection.
National Technical Manpower Information System (NTMIS)
  • National Technical Manpower Information Systems (NTMIS) is a scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India in 1983.
  • This scheme is funded by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
  • The National Technical Manpower Information System (NATMIS) is a database or information system maintained by the government of a country that provides information about the technical workforce in the country.
  • The purpose of NATMIS is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date record of technical manpower available in the country, as well as the skills, qualifications, and competencies of these individuals.
  • The main functions of NATMIS include:
    • Collection of data: NATMIS collects data from various sources such as educational institutions, employers, and training centers to build a comprehensive database of technical manpower in the country.
    • Monitoring and analysis: NATMIS can be used to monitor the trends and patterns in the technical workforce, and to analyze the supply and demand of skills in different sectors.
    • Support for policy and planning: NATMIS provides valuable information that can be used to support the development of policies and plans aimed at improving the quality and competitiveness of the technical workforce.
    • Career guidance and employment services: NATMIS can be used to provide career guidance and employment services to individuals seeking information about employment opportunities, training programs, and other related services.