India’s First Household Income Survey Starts in 2026; Check Details Here

In order to close a long-standing disparity in income, inequality, and taxation data, India will introduce its first statewide Household Income Survey in February 2026. This survey will provide policymakers with direct data on earnings from salaries, farms, enterprises, investments, and informal jobs.

The initiative is being led by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI) through the National Sample Survey (NSS). Previous attempts in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1983–84 were unsuccessful because of poor reporting and faulty methodology.

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Who will Conduct this Survey?

This time, the process is being guided by an eight-member Technical Expert Group (TEG), which is chaired by economist Dr. Surjit S. Bhalla, a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council and a former IMF Executive Director. 

The committee comprises Dr. Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist at NSE; Dr. Rajesh Shukla, Managing Director and CEO of PRICE; Prof. Ram Singh, Director of the Delhi School of Economics and an external member of the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee; Prof. Sonalde Desai from NCAER; Prof. Praveen Jha from JNU; Prof. Srijit Mishra from the University of Hyderabad; and Aloke Kar, a former professor at ISI Kolkata.

How will the Survey be Conducted?

The committee must work together to establish definitions, create tools, improve sampling techniques, estimate income measures, and integrate best practices from nations such as the US, Australia, Canada, and South Africa.

The following survey will make use of digital techniques, concentrate on gathering income from both the wealthy and unorganized sector workers, and may cross-reference replies with tax records for verification. 

Household Income Survey Objective 

If done correctly, it will show how household incomes have been impacted by welfare programs, reforms, and digitalization. Additionally, it can reveal hidden or underreported sources of income, particularly in high-income or informal households.

The results may change how India targets welfare programs and formulates tax laws. Social support will be more accurate if low-income households are distinguished from low-spending households. Particularly in the run-up to elections, the statistics may also spark more incisive discussions on class mobility, inequality, and pay disparities.

Difficulties while Conducting this Survey

However, conducting this survey poses a lot of difficulties for the survey committee. While earnings in the informal sector are unpredictable and difficult to record, wealthy households frequently underreport their income. There is an additional layer of complexity in striking a balance between privacy and transparency. The challenge is further complicated by India's extensive informal sector and highly uneven income structures.

The Current Population Survey has been used for this purpose by the US for many years. Such data also form the basis of a large portion of South Africa's progressive social spending.