Introduction
Field Services Section was established at Federal Bureau of Statistics Headquarter Karachi since inception of the Department. This Section was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad in 1992 with the responsibility to monitor the Technical, Financial as well as Administrative matters relating to Regional / Field Offices scattered all over the country. The Section started functioning under the supervision of Chief SO, Director (FS), DDG (FS) & the then DG / Head of the Department. Later on, FS Section was divided in to two functionary units i.e. Admn-III & FS Section. Admn-III dealt with the Administration matters of Officers / Officials posted at Regional / Field Offices under the supervision of Director (Admn), whereas FS Section dealt with the field operation and monitoring of regular, ad hoc, Project Censuses / Surveys conducted by PBS and all technical matters of Regional / Field Offices. The Section has been raised to the level of FS Wing in the new set-up of the organization and is currently being supervised by Director (FS), Census Commissioner (FS), Member (National Account) and Chief Statistician / Head of the Department.
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has 18 Regional and 16 Field Offices spread all over the country for timely completion of field operation at local level to make enumeration cost effective. The Province / Area wise detail of Regional / Field Offices of PBS along with hierarchical structure is as under:-
Major Functions of FS Wing are:-
- To ensure the data quality and timely completion of Regular/Project/Ad hoc Surveys/Censuses or any other type of data collection at National Level.
- To coordinate with other Technical Sections of PBS in connection with all activities relating to PBS Surveys /Censuses and with all Regional / Field Offices of PBS regarding training, technical and administrative matters etc.
- To coordinate with the Admn Sections and Data Processing Sections on the issues relating to Regional / Field Offices and filled-in questionnaires received from field.
- Preparation of Plans for conduct of Pilot Surveys, pre-testing of schedules / questionnaires, estimate cost of field operations etc.
- Monitor and control of field operations and introduction of appropriate field forms and procedures.
- Supervising / monitoring of progress of all types of ongoing regular/project / Ad hoc Surveys / Censuses and to ensure quality / timely completion of field enumeration and retrieval of filled-in questionnaires from the field.
- Monitoring of Working Programs of field staff and Inspection Tour Programs (ITP) of Officers of Regional / Field Offices for Regular / Project / Ad hoc Surveys / Censuses to meet the targets.
- Examination of Inspection Tour Programme (ITP) of Chief S.O’s / S.O (I) of Regional Offices for Regular/Project/Ad hoc Surveys / Censuses and submission to the competent authority for approval and conveying the approval to officer concerned.
- To Examine the Inspection Tour Reports (ITR) on monthly basis preparation of summary of the ITRs and submission of the salient point to the Competent Authority for their perusal.
- Develop plans for deployment and sharing of staff on temporary basis among Regional / Field Offices according to the needs of the office for timely completion of the survey.
- Submit recommendations to the Competent Authority regarding Posting / transfers of the Field staff at Regional / Field Offices keeping in view their work load and availability of staff.
- Monitoring of staff position, budgetary position, vehicles statements pertaining to Regional / Field offices and recommend appropriate measures thereon.
- Preparation of measures to minimize interviewers, respondents and other sources of bias during the field operation of a particular survey.
- To develop cost estimates and prepare enumeration steps for all kind of ad hoc surveys to be conducted in the field.
REGULAR ACTIVITIES OF REGIONAL / FIELD OFFICES OF PBS (Present Plan)
- Price Statistics.
- Sensitive Price Index (SPI)
- Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- CPI (Rent Component)
- Wholesale Price Index (WPI )
- Producer’s Price Index (PPI)
- Labour Force Survey 2012-13.
- Trade Statistics.
- Budget Documents.
- Mechanized and Non-Mechanized Road Transport.
- Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF).
- Updation of Urban Area Frame, 2012-13.
- Pakistan Social and living Statistics Measurement, 2012-13.
REGULAR ACTIVITIES OF PBS AND MAIN SOURCES OF DATA
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics collects statistical data relating to various socio-economic sectors of the economy and Demographic data through primary and secondary sources.
A. PRIMARY SOURCES.
- Price Statistics.
- Labour Force Statistics.
- Demographic Statistics.
- Statistics on Social & Economic Status of Households.
- Mining Statistics
- Manufacturing Statistics
- Education Census
- Economic Census
B. SECONDARY SOURCES. (Involving other Agencies)
- Other Agencies Collect the Data
- Statistics on Manufacturing Industries
- Agricultural Statistics
- Social Statistics like Education, Health, Sports and Culture.
- Generation of Electricity
- Business and Communication
- Other Agencies Provide Data from their records.
- External Trade Statistics.
- Public Finance Statistics
AD HOC SURVEYS TO BE CONDUCTED BY PBS
Field Services Wing coordinates with the subject matter sections and other concerned Departments in connection with ad hoc surveys to be conducted by PBS for proper planning of field operations and effective monitoring of these activities in the field.
In this connection following functions are performed to carry out the Ad hoc Surveys/Censuses after the approval of Secretary/Chief Statistician, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Statistics Division.
- To prepare cost estimates pertaining to field operation, data processing and report writing etc for conducting ad hoc surveys / censuses by PBS.
- To monitor the administrative issues of ad hoc surveys.
- To ensure the availability of field staff for the subject Survey.
- To facilitate the Agency concerned in arranging training for the field staff and to ensure participation of field staff in the training programmes.
- To facilitate the Regional / Field Offices in connection with collection of Survey material.
- Issuance of instructions / redressing of hurdles of Regional / Field Offices in connection with carrying out enumeration work in the field.
- To ensure the receipt of cost of the survey from Agency concerned and its deposit in the Statistics Division’s Accounts maintained in National Bank of Pakistan.
- To ensure completion of the assignment / surveys within the stipulated period.
- Coordination with the concerned survey agency and Regional / Field Offices for timely completion of the survey.
- Collection of bills / receipts / vouchers etc. from Regional / Field Offices, their examination/scrutiny as per Government Rules, obtaining approval from the Competent Authority and submission to Statistics Division for reimbursement and onward disbursing to concerned Office.
- Maintaining of head wise amount collected and expenditure made therein by all offices of PBS for office record and as per MOU signed.
- Reporting the status of Head of Account as per agreement / MOU to Principal Accounting Officer, Statistics Division.
- Submission of completion report to all concerned.