Research Paper I Economic and Political Weekly

The Household Income Survey, beginning with HIS 2026, should be institutionalised as a foundational reform. Drawing on India’s prior efforts over the last two decades and global best practices, the conceptual, methodological, and institutional requirements for building a credible, disaggregated, and policy-relevant income data system are outlined. The introduction of a strategic design framework is proposed to ensure the evolution of HIS 2026 into a permanent infrastructure for facilitating inclusive, evidence-based policymaking.