Every year, we receive a mail and a visit from an officer of the Statistical Department. They provide us with some forms to fill out and also request the company's balance sheet. We provide them with the necessary information and also have to provide them with a certain amount of money. While there is no issue with this process, I am curious to know if it is mandatory to provide information such as a balance sheet to the Statistical Department. What authority do they have, and what are the consequences if we do not cooperate with them?
From India, Aurangabad
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From India, Aurangabad
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Dear HBJ,
The submission of information to the statistical department is an activity that repeats every year. Could you please find out which ministry this department is a part of? Is it under the union government or the state government? The individuals working in the department are best suited to provide information on what happens to the data that is submitted. Do they conduct research on the industry segment to which your company belongs?
Looking at the bigger picture, the Department of Statistics must be collating the information you provide, which is likely valuable to the economic research cell of either the Ministry of Industry or the Ministry of Commerce. Accurate data is essential for policy-making. If business owners start withholding information, how will policymakers formulate policies concerning imports, exports, domestic consumption, taxes, and other related matters? Let us not deprive them of this vital information.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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8219The submission of information to the statistical department is an activity that repeats every year. Could you please find out which ministry this department is a part of? Is it under the union government or the state government? The individuals working in the department are best suited to provide information on what happens to the data that is submitted. Do they conduct research on the industry segment to which your company belongs?
Looking at the bigger picture, the Department of Statistics must be collating the information you provide, which is likely valuable to the economic research cell of either the Ministry of Industry or the Ministry of Commerce. Accurate data is essential for policy-making. If business owners start withholding information, how will policymakers formulate policies concerning imports, exports, domestic consumption, taxes, and other related matters? Let us not deprive them of this vital information.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Dear Dineshji, thank you for the reply. This is the NSO department; I believe it must be under the Central Government. I do agree with your point, and we will definitely provide the required information as we always do.
However, my question is whether this is compulsory and what authority the NSO officer has. Many times, government employees behave in an intimidating way with employees and "demand" information rather than request it, as if they will penalize if the information is not provided properly or in time. They also always expect something in return.
We already provide employee details to various departments such as labor, employment exchange, etc., from time to time. This information is also available online with the PF department, and the balance sheet is accessible through MCA. I fail to see why the statistical department needs to receive this information from each industry in written forms.
From India, Aurangabad
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However, my question is whether this is compulsory and what authority the NSO officer has. Many times, government employees behave in an intimidating way with employees and "demand" information rather than request it, as if they will penalize if the information is not provided properly or in time. They also always expect something in return.
We already provide employee details to various departments such as labor, employment exchange, etc., from time to time. This information is also available online with the PF department, and the balance sheet is accessible through MCA. I fail to see why the statistical department needs to receive this information from each industry in written forms.
From India, Aurangabad
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Dear HBJ,
You have written, "Many times government employees behave in an intimidating way with employees." However, this is happening in most government departments, whether from central or state government. Therefore, it is nothing new if employees of NSO demand the information.
Furthermore, you have written, "We already provide details of employees to various departments like labor, employment exchange, etc., from time to time. This is available online with the PF department also. The balance sheet is available with MCA. I do not see why the statistical department needs to get this from each industry in written forms."
Yes, what you say is correct. The information should be submitted only once, and the various agencies can derive the information from that source. Nevertheless, it requires the integration of all government departments vertically as well as horizontally. This has never happened earlier and is unlikely to happen in the future too. Government ministries or departments work in silos. They do not have any vision beyond their department.
I had a chance to work in an MNC that operated in 220 countries! Despite the enormity of their operations, the work went on smoothly. Due to automation, most of the work happened on its own, and there were no data entry operators. They had made a tremendous investment in developing their own IT systems.
We need leadership that has a vision and takes a holistic view. In our country, we have not had a PM who has worked in an MNC. Though Shri Rajiv Gandhi worked as an employee, he was a pilot, and that too in a government service like Air India. With his background in a bureaucratic organization, the bureaucracy continued during his regime as well.
For the method of work that you are expecting, we need visionary leadership that launches administrative reforms vigorously. But then, which political leadership will do that? They always want servile or subservient officers, famously called "babus." What you are witnessing is "babugiri" that we inherited from the British. No political leader worth their salt has the acumen to shed the bureaucracy. Therefore, let us accept it without grumbling!
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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You have written, "Many times government employees behave in an intimidating way with employees." However, this is happening in most government departments, whether from central or state government. Therefore, it is nothing new if employees of NSO demand the information.
Furthermore, you have written, "We already provide details of employees to various departments like labor, employment exchange, etc., from time to time. This is available online with the PF department also. The balance sheet is available with MCA. I do not see why the statistical department needs to get this from each industry in written forms."
Yes, what you say is correct. The information should be submitted only once, and the various agencies can derive the information from that source. Nevertheless, it requires the integration of all government departments vertically as well as horizontally. This has never happened earlier and is unlikely to happen in the future too. Government ministries or departments work in silos. They do not have any vision beyond their department.
I had a chance to work in an MNC that operated in 220 countries! Despite the enormity of their operations, the work went on smoothly. Due to automation, most of the work happened on its own, and there were no data entry operators. They had made a tremendous investment in developing their own IT systems.
We need leadership that has a vision and takes a holistic view. In our country, we have not had a PM who has worked in an MNC. Though Shri Rajiv Gandhi worked as an employee, he was a pilot, and that too in a government service like Air India. With his background in a bureaucratic organization, the bureaucracy continued during his regime as well.
For the method of work that you are expecting, we need visionary leadership that launches administrative reforms vigorously. But then, which political leadership will do that? They always want servile or subservient officers, famously called "babus." What you are witnessing is "babugiri" that we inherited from the British. No political leader worth their salt has the acumen to shed the bureaucracy. Therefore, let us accept it without grumbling!
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Dear HBJ,
The Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 through the State Statistical Departments. As per the Act, it is obligatory on your part to furnish the return in the prescribed format mentioned in the notice issued under Section 5 of the Act. Failure to do so could result in a fine ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000.
Thank you.
From India, Salem
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The Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 through the State Statistical Departments. As per the Act, it is obligatory on your part to furnish the return in the prescribed format mentioned in the notice issued under Section 5 of the Act. Failure to do so could result in a fine ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000.
Thank you.
From India, Salem
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Dineshji, I agree. It's not possible to change the bureaucracy and corruption that is now in our genes. We have to accept it without grumbling, as you write, rather than get frustrated.
Umakanthanji, thank you for the information; this is what I wanted to know. Yes, we will provide the information needed as we do every year. I only wish Government babus had some basic decency and training on how to interact with people. Guess that's too much to ask.
From India, Aurangabad
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Umakanthanji, thank you for the information; this is what I wanted to know. Yes, we will provide the information needed as we do every year. I only wish Government babus had some basic decency and training on how to interact with people. Guess that's too much to ask.
From India, Aurangabad
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As Umakanthan ji has correctly replied, this is a statutory requirement, and you are obliged to provide it.
As for providing the balance sheet, the Balance Sheet of a company (both private and public) as well as for LLP is a public document and can be seen by anyone from the MCA website. So there is no secret you are sharing by providing them with the balance sheet.
Indian jurisprudence provides that in the case of an organization with limited liability, the person doing business with the organization is doing so at his own risk and liability. Therefore, he should have access to your Annual Accounts to figure out whether you are a safe customer/vendor. Therefore, anyone who is doing business with you can demand a copy of your annual accounts.
From India, Mumbai
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As for providing the balance sheet, the Balance Sheet of a company (both private and public) as well as for LLP is a public document and can be seen by anyone from the MCA website. So there is no secret you are sharing by providing them with the balance sheet.
Indian jurisprudence provides that in the case of an organization with limited liability, the person doing business with the organization is doing so at his own risk and liability. Therefore, he should have access to your Annual Accounts to figure out whether you are a safe customer/vendor. Therefore, anyone who is doing business with you can demand a copy of your annual accounts.
From India, Mumbai
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Hello Saswata. I understand now that it is a statutory requirement, and we always give this information. I just wanted to be sure because of the attitude of the person demanding the same, as I had written above. Thanks for your input.
From India, Aurangabad
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From India, Aurangabad
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Actually, many companies do ignore them because they have very few rights. I had a client who said he would happily pay the ₹10,000 penalty rather than waste time giving them the data.
But coming back to the original question, I have 2 points to make:
1. Balance Sheet (I guess you mean published annual accounts) is a public document, so you may as well give them.
2. You need to read the act and check what documents they can actually ask for (I have read it long, long back so I don't remember). If the data they are asking for is not in the act, you can actually refuse to give it.
From India, Mumbai
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But coming back to the original question, I have 2 points to make:
1. Balance Sheet (I guess you mean published annual accounts) is a public document, so you may as well give them.
2. You need to read the act and check what documents they can actually ask for (I have read it long, long back so I don't remember). If the data they are asking for is not in the act, you can actually refuse to give it.
From India, Mumbai
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Learned Shri Umakantan has placed things in the true perspective. Maybe Indian bureaucracy may be deficient in professionalism. But are the managers in the private sector any different, considering that the querist himself concedes that "We give them the required information and also have to give them some amount"!
From India, Kochi
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From India, Kochi
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