Availability of a sound statistical data base is a pre-requisite of sound planning in any field of economic activity. It is more so in the case of Revenue from Indirect Taxes (Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax) where statistics is required by policy makers not only for policy planning but also for monitoring of revenue collection on a regular basis. Therefore the role of a strong database for the purpose of fiscal policy planning hardly needs any emphasis. The need for creating a sound statistical system in respect of Indirect Taxes led to the establishment of what is now called the “Directorate of Data Management”.
Creation of Directorate of Data Management
On the recommendations of the Statistical Expert Committee of the Government of India, a unit was set up as a small branch office in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs(CBIC) in 1947 and functioned from the North Block. Gradually it expanded to become a full fledged Directorate in 1972 and was named The Directorate of Statistics & Intelligence(S&I), Customs & Indirect Taxes.
Apart from providing statistical input to the CBEC, the Directorate was also entrusted with the job of bringing out important publications viz. Central Excise Tariff, Customs Tariff and the Monthly Bulletins, etc. However, keeping in view the expansion of statistical activity, the work relating to publication of Central Excise and Customs Tariffs and Budget Bulletins were separated from Statistical work and a separate Directorate of Publication was created to cater to all publication work.
On 27 June 2002, the Directorate of Statistics and Intelligence was renamed as the “Directorate of Data Management (DDM), Customs & Indirect Taxes”. The Directorate of Data Management functions as an independent Directorate under the Commissioner Data Management who is the head of the department. He is assisted by a Deputy Director General (DDG), an Additional Commissioner (ADC), a Chief Statistical Officer(CSO), two Deputy/Assistant Commissioners(DC/AC) and two Research Officers (ROs). While the Commissioner, ADC and DC/ACs are from the Indian Revenue Services (IRS), Indian Customs & Central Excise; the DDG,CSO and ROs are on deputation from the Indian Statistical Services(ISS),One Senior most Programmer of CBEC.