HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS

The Department of Economics & Statistics, Government of Kerala is the nodal agency of the state responsible for the systematic collection, compilation, analysis, objective, interpretation and dissemination of statistics relating to various sectors of Kerala Economy. Kerala is one of the states in India having an well-organized statistical system. The department had its origin in the scheme 'Improvement of Agricultural Statistics' started in 1949 as a Post War reconstruction Scheme under the Department of Research in the erstwhile Travancore University.

After the integration of Travancore and Cochin States, the Travancore Cochin State Government constituted the Board of Statistics in 1951 with the Director of Research as Chairman and the Secretary to Government Food and Agriculture and the Professor of Statistics as members. Secretary to Board of Statistics also appointed in 1951. In 1954, the Department of Statistics was established.The Professor of Statistics and the head of the Department was designated as the Director of Statistics. The professor of Statistics in the University of Travancore was appointed as Director of Statistics in addition to his duties in the University.

In 1956 District Statistical Offices were established in the four districts of the erstwhile Travancore-Cochin State. Consequent on the re-organization of the states in India and the formation of the State of Kerala in November 1956, a portion of the statistical staff of the Madras State was transferred to this Department. In November 1957 the activities of the Department were extended to the Malabar and Kasaragod areas by establishing District offices and Taluk Offices in those areas. In December 1958 the Bureau of Economic Studies was set up by the State Government to carry out research studies on various sectors of Kerala Economy and to render advice to Government on economic issues referred to it. The Bureau of Economics and Statistics was formed by the amalgamation of the Bureau of Economics Studies with the Department of Statistics with effect from 1st August 1963.

In October 1967, the State Planning Board was set up with Director of Bureau of Economics and Statistics as the Member Secretary of the Board. Most of the work related to the State Planning Board was done by the officers of the Bureau of Economics and Statistics till 27-05-1972. When the Director of Bureau of Economics and Statistics was appointed as full time Member Secretary of the Board he relinquished the post in the Bureau of Economics and Statistics. During the period of October 1967 to May 1972 the Board and the Bureau functioned together as one entity. In 1980, the name of Bureau of Economics and Statistics has been redesignated as Directorate of Economics and Statistics vide GO (Rt) No.366/80/Plg. dated 8-8-1980. The Directorate of Economics & Statistics is the nerve centre of the State statistical system.