The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has proposed a new framework to publish dedicated city-level statistical reports for 47 million-plus cities across India, Mint reported. The initiative is aimed at filling long-standing gaps in urban data and helping policymakers make better-informed decisions.
India’s cities are playing a larger role in economic growth, employment generation and structural transformation. As per the report of Mint, however, official statistics at the city level remain limited, making evidence-based planning more difficult. Through the new proposal, the government plans to bring a sharper focus to urban economies and labour trends.
Reports based on existing surveys
According to the proposal, the city-level reports will be prepared using existing datasets from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE). These surveys already allow statistically reliable estimates at the city level.
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Two annual thematic reports have been proposed under the framework.
The first report will provide the employment profile of million-plus cities. It is expected to include key labour market indicators such as labour force participation rate, worker population ratio and unemployment rate.
The second report will present a city-level profile of unincorporated sector enterprises. It will cover the scale, structure, employment and economic performance of the urban informal sector.
Why the move matters
The Ministry said the initiative could improve the availability of granular urban statistics, support city-level policy formulation and contribute to city-level GDP estimation. It may also offer a clearer picture of labour markets and enterprise activity in major urban centresThe reports are proposed to be released annually in the public domain using user-friendly formats, making them accessible to researchers, planners and the public.
Stakeholders invited to share feedback
MoSPI has uploaded a consultation paper on its website and invited suggestions on the framework, indicators, methodology and dissemination strategy. Stakeholders can send their comments by May 15, 2026.
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The proposed system marks a broader effort to align India’s statistical framework with the realities of a rapidly urbanising economy.
