Monthly Notes: How (and why) policymakers are turning to large-scale, representative surveys
An Interview with DataDelta India Lead Diksha Radhakrishan .
Q. Policymakers often lack up-to-date, reliable data and insights to inform urgent priorities. How is DataDelta working to improve that in India?
Diksha Radhakrishnan: At DataDelta, our primary objective is to empower government and social sector leaders with data that is not only reliable and representative, but also deeply rooted in the experiences of the people they aim to serve.
I can share one such instance of support that the DataDelta India team is providing. Nationally representative surveys, such as those conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in India, offer valuable data to policymakers. But they quickly become out-of-date and don’t always have data specific enough to inform their decisions. IDinsight is collaborating with a southern state government to help them better measure the effectiveness of their work across health and education departments. In addition to helping our partner identify key performance indicators, we are also collecting granular, representative data, for example from diverse sub-groups such as pregnant women, lactating mothers, mothers of children 7-72 months, parents of children aged 6-10 years, and community leaders.
These insights have informed decision-making across departments. For instance, our data helped identify discrepancies between the beneficiary registration lists of pregnant women, maintained by the two departments of Health and Women & Child Development. As a result, the departments unified their registration process so all eligible beneficiaries could receive access to benefits for their families from schemes run by both departments. In sum, more resources will go to families who need them.
As we begin to discuss the second round of the survey, it has become clear that when we provide high-quality, granular data to government partners, they use it in meaningful ways.
Q. You are working on a multi-state household panel survey in India. What was the motivation for building this and how will it be used?
Diksha: The most recent population census occurred in 2011-12. That is more than 12 years ago. Using outdated data can lead to inaccurate estimates, which becomes problematic if used in policies. Additionally, some of the major Indian surveys are often delayed, have quality issues, or lack representation of marginalized groups. Without access to timely, reliable, and decision-relevant evidence, policymakers may struggle to grasp the ground truth and instead rely on anecdotal evidence to make critical decisions. To address this challenge, DataDelta is working to establish a state-representative, multi-state household panel. This will provide policymakers and social sector leaders with a robust mechanism to generate data and insights in a rigorous, cost-effective, and timely manner.
For example, India's commitment, made at the G20 summit, to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 happens as we are pushing on the pedal of economic development and anticipating a surge in energy demands by 2030. Unfortunately, no regular surveys in India capture detailed household energy consumption or demand for energy. The panel survey will fill these gaps with data on households’ energy usage patterns, awareness levels, and readiness for a shift towards clean fuels and decentralized renewable energy sources. It will also offer insights into the impact of government interventions like thermal comfort regulations and building codes on household decisions.
Q. Last month, we featured the stories of three female enumerators in the Philippines. You and many others at IDinsight think a lot about enumerators — from how we hire to how we support them to do their jobs well. Why is this important?
Diksha: DataDelta is driven by three core pillars: innovative sampling approaches, custom-built survey software for high-efficiency management, and hyperlocal field teams from our survey communities. The third pillar is critical to the existence of DataDelta. Without robust field teams, our ability to execute complex, large-scale surveys would be severely compromised. These teams adeptly collect data and are invaluable guides in contextualizing surveys and fostering equitable communication with respondents.
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We are committed to providing a safe environment to the enumerators - for this we have initiated an ethical hiring process. Enumerators receive compensation in accordance with state regulatory standards, accompanied by benefits such as ESIC and EPF contributions.
We are also committed to ensuring gender equity within our field teams. To drive this we have taken various initiatives to identify barriers & bottlenecks that prevent female enumerators from applying and securing enumerator roles. You can read more about this work in the blog here.
Q. What work at DataDelta are you most excited about this year?
Diksha: Over the past 5 years, DataDelta has specialized in delivering customized large-scale surveys to a range of clients. Now, we're transitioning to a product-based approach, offering streamlined services and platforms. Our new tools include:
In 2024, our focus - and what I’m excited about - is on building, socializing, and deploying these tools and platforms for DataDelta in India, driving efficiency and maximizing impact.
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