PBS Launches Survey To Evaluate COVID-19 Socio-economic Impacts

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) launched its field operation survey to evaluate impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing of people

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Oct, 2020 ) :The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) launched its field operation survey to evaluate impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing of people.

The initiatives has been taken to provide evidence-based information about the impact of COVID-19 on the socio-economic condition on the wellbeing of the people.

The survey would capture information related to employment, income, remittances, food insecurity, health, coping strategies adopted by the household and assets to compile wealth quintiles.

The survey was formally inaugurated by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission (DCPC) Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan during a meeting with PBS officials.

Meanwhile, PBS Member Support Services and Resource Management, Sarwar Gondal briefed the DCPC about the activities of the bureau and informed that it has shifted from manual data collection to electronic data collection.

He said that PBS has achieved an in-house capacity to develop Android based data collection softwares, mobile apps and dash boards.

The data would be collected electronically and results would be available by end of November 2020, he added.

It was further informed that PBS was developing Decision Support Systems and Data Dissemination Systems which would enable the policymakers in evidence based decision making.

He said that PBS successfully conducted census and survey such as Mouza Census, PSLM/HIES Survey, LFS etc and the data would be disseminated to the policy makers and general public through dash boards in a user friendly manner.

Jehanzeb Khan appreciated the efforts of PBS and said that reliable and timely data helps the policymakers to take informed decisions.

He said that PBS has vast repository of data adding that it should project itself as an efficient and credible technical organization.

PBS should be the nucleus of all statistical activities and should start working with partner organizations, universities and provincial departments.

PBS should conduct a detailed need assessment survey to make it a next generation PBS.

Jehanzeb Khan also inaugurated the Online Data Quality Assurance Application developed by the IT experts of PBS for District level LFS.

This is first ever District level survey covering module on Disability.

It will provide quarterly estimates representative at Provincial level based on 7200 blocks covering 10800 households.