INTRODUCTION

       The Directorate of Economics & Statistics, J&K has grown out of the nucleus of a “Statistical Section” consisting of one Research Officer, One Research Superintendent and two Senior Assistants in the Planning Department. The first expansion took place in 1957 when a Survey Section consisting of one Statistician, one Statistical Assistant and four Field Investigators was set up. This was followed, a little latter, by creation of a few more posts and designating the unit as “Statistical Bureau” with the staff strength of twenty officials. The Directorate of Economics & Statistics, as it is now, was set up in 1976-68 and since then Organization has grown both vertically and horizontally. The Directorate of Economics & Statistics has two Regional Joint Directorate, Kashmir and Jammu. At district level, the District Statistics & Evaluation Offices are headed by Deputy Director level Officers whereas Chief Planning offices are headed by Joint Director/Dy. Director level officers. At the block level there is a Planning/Statistical Unit consisting of one Statistical Officer, one Junior Statistical Assistant and one Junior Assistant which is presently located in Block Development Offices. The Directorate has Planning/Statistical Units in all important departments in the Civil Secretariat, Heads of Departments, Provincial and District level offices and in some cases even at block/tehsil level offices. These Planning and Statistical units are headed by Joint Directors/Deputy Directors/Assistant Directors/Statistical Officers. In addition there are two Statistical Training Schools one each in Jammu Province.

          There are two services viz, the gazetted and non-gazetted service. The gazetted service includes one post of Director General, Economics & Statistics, Director (Plan Information & Monitoring & PA), Director (Perspective Planning & MPP), Director (CSS), Director (P&S), PDD, Director(P&S) Agriculture Production Department, Director(P&S), PHE department, Director(P&S), Public Works Department and Director (P&S) in SKUAST(Kashmir. There are 31 Joint directors, 142 Deputy Directors and 253 Assistant Directors in the cadre. The non-gazetted service comprises of Statistical Officers, Statistical Assistant, Junior Statistical Assistant, Field Invstigators etc. The gazette service is administered by Planning and Development Department, while as non-gazetted service is administered by the Director General Economics & Statistics ( who is the major Head of the Department of the Service).

          The main function of Directorate of Economics and Statistics is to compute State Income (GSDP) and per capita income of the State. Collection, compilation and Analysis of data emanating from various department, conducting of Sample Surveys, Evaluation Studies, Monitoring of Projects and Programmes and among the main functions of the Statistical/Planning Staff. The Statistical Personnel are also charged with preparation/co-ordination of the district and departmental plans as well. The Department is catering to the entire statistical and planning requirements of the state.

          The Directorate of Economics & Statistics has several units and cells  and each unit is charged with defined functions and duties as detailed hereunder:

i.             Official Statistics Unit

ii.            State Income Unit

iii.           Vital Statistics Unit

iv.          Economic Analysis

v.            Price collection unit

vi.          Co-ordination and publication unit

vii.         Evaluation of dev. Programmes/projects

viii.        Survey and National Sample Survey(NSS)

ix.          Preparation of Economics Survey

x.            Administration

The total staff strength of the cadre as on date is around 2893 with categories of various posts as under: