Advances in Business Statistics, Methods and Data Collection

7Establishment Based Informal Sector Statistics: An Endeavor of Measurement from Economic Census 2018 of Nepal

Mahesh C. Pradhan

Economic Census Section, Central Bureau of Statistics, Kathmandu, Nepal

7.1 Introduction

Nepal is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission, (2017). The global ambitions have also been aligned with the constitution of Nepal, periodic plans and annual budgets with social, economic, and environmental development aspirations. SDGs can only be achieved by setting quantitative benchmarks for sectoral development indicators as a starting point. The Government of Nepal has given a space in their plans and programs for enhancing the national statistical system.

Nepal has a large informal economy, and proper measurement of that economy is essential. Before the informal economy can be measured and official statistics produced, an official definition for the informal and formal economies must be agreed. Although the informal economy is often discussed in Nepal, as yet no official definition of the “informal sector” is set out in legislation or policy documents. In common practice however, economic transactions or activities associated with enterprise or employment, outside of the formal boundary are understood as informal.

The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) is the government agency in Nepal authorized to compile various kinds of official statistics, using different data sources, ...