Living Standards Survey 1995-1996
Nepal, 1995 - 1996
Created on
Apr 25, 2019
Last modified
Apr 25, 2019
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Identification
Survey ID Number
NPL_1995_LSS-I_v01_M
Title
Living Standards Survey 1995-1996
Subtitle
First Round
Country
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Nepal | NPL |
Study type
Living Standards Measurement Study [hh/lsms]
Series Information
This is the first Living Standards Survey (NLSS I) conducted in Nepal.
Abstract
The Nepal Living Standards Survey I (NLSS I) was designed as a multi-topic survey collecting a comprehensive set of data on different aspects of household welfare (consumption, income, housing, labor markets, education, health etc.). These data, together with those collected through future rounds of the survey, will ultimately allow the Government to monitor progress in improving national living standards and to evaluate the impact of various government policies and programs on the living conditions of the population. The survey was conducted under the responsibility of the Household Survey Division of Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
Kind of Data
Sample survey data [ssd]
Unit of Analysis
- Households
- Individuals
- Communities
- Individuals
- Communities
Scope
Notes
The 1995 Nepal Living Standards Survey covered the following topics:
HOUSEHOL LEVEL
- Household Information
• Household Roster
• Information on Parents
• Activities
• Unemployment
- Housing
• Type of Dwelling
• Housing Expenses
• Utilities and Amenities
- Access to Facilities
- Migration
- Food Expenses and Home Production
- Non-Food Expenditures and Durable Goods
• Frequent Non-Food Expenditures
• Infrequent Non-Food Expenditures
• Inventory of Durables Goods
- Education
• Literacy
• Past Enrollment
• Current Enrollment
- Health
• Chronic Illnesses
• Illnesses or Injuries
• Immunization
- Anthropometrics
- Marriage and Maternity History
• Maternity History
• Pre- and Post-natal Care
• Family Planning
- Wage Employment
• In Agricultural
• Outside Agriculture
- Farming and Livestock
• Landholding
• Production and Distribution
• Expenditure on Inputs
• Earning from Agriculture
• Livestock
• Ownership of Farming Assets
• Extension Services
- Credit and Saving
• Borrowing
• Lending
• Other Assets
- Remittances and Transfers
• Income Sent
• Income Received
- Other Income
- Adequacy of Consumption
COMMUNITY LEVEL
RURAL COMMUNITY
- Population Characteristics and Infrastructure
• Characteristics of the Community
• Electricity
• Water Supply and Sewerage
- Access to Facilities
• Services and Amenities
• Education
• Health Facilities
- Agriculture and Forestry
• Land
• Irrigation
• Crop Cycles
• Wages Paid to Hired Labor
• Rental Rates for Cattle and Machinery
- Migration
• Out-Migration
• In-Migration
- Development Programs, User Group, etc
• Development Programs
• User Groups
• Quality of Life
- Rural Primary School
- Rural Health Facility
- Markets and Prices
URBAN COMMUNITY
- Population Characteristics and Infrastructure
• Characteristics of the Community
• Electricity
• Water Supply and Sewerage
- Access to Facilities
- Markets and Prices
• Local Shop / Shops
• Wholesaler
HOUSEHOL LEVEL
- Household Information
• Household Roster
• Information on Parents
• Activities
• Unemployment
- Housing
• Type of Dwelling
• Housing Expenses
• Utilities and Amenities
- Access to Facilities
- Migration
- Food Expenses and Home Production
- Non-Food Expenditures and Durable Goods
• Frequent Non-Food Expenditures
• Infrequent Non-Food Expenditures
• Inventory of Durables Goods
- Education
• Literacy
• Past Enrollment
• Current Enrollment
- Health
• Chronic Illnesses
• Illnesses or Injuries
• Immunization
- Anthropometrics
- Marriage and Maternity History
• Maternity History
• Pre- and Post-natal Care
• Family Planning
- Wage Employment
• In Agricultural
• Outside Agriculture
- Farming and Livestock
• Landholding
• Production and Distribution
• Expenditure on Inputs
• Earning from Agriculture
• Livestock
• Ownership of Farming Assets
• Extension Services
- Credit and Saving
• Borrowing
• Lending
• Other Assets
- Remittances and Transfers
• Income Sent
• Income Received
- Other Income
- Adequacy of Consumption
COMMUNITY LEVEL
RURAL COMMUNITY
- Population Characteristics and Infrastructure
• Characteristics of the Community
• Electricity
• Water Supply and Sewerage
- Access to Facilities
• Services and Amenities
• Education
• Health Facilities
- Agriculture and Forestry
• Land
• Irrigation
• Crop Cycles
• Wages Paid to Hired Labor
• Rental Rates for Cattle and Machinery
- Migration
• Out-Migration
• In-Migration
- Development Programs, User Group, etc
• Development Programs
• User Groups
• Quality of Life
- Rural Primary School
- Rural Health Facility
- Markets and Prices
URBAN COMMUNITY
- Population Characteristics and Infrastructure
• Characteristics of the Community
• Electricity
• Water Supply and Sewerage
- Access to Facilities
- Markets and Prices
• Local Shop / Shops
• Wholesaler
Coverage
Geographic Coverage
National
Producers and sponsors
Primary investigators
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) | National Planning Commission Secretariat |
Producers
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| The World Bank | Technical assistance |
Sampling
Sampling Procedure
Sample Design
Sample Frame: A complete list of all wards in the country, with a measure of size, was developed in order to select from it with Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) the sample of wards to be visited. The 1991 Population Census of Nepal was the best starting point for building such a sample frame. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) constructed a data set with basic information from the census at the ward level. This data set was used as a sample frame to develop the NLSS sample.
Sample Design: The sample size for the NLSS was set at 3,388 households. This sample was divided into four strata based on the geographic and ecological regions of the country: (i) mountains, (ii) urban Hills, (iii) rural Hills, and (iv) Terai.
The sample size was designed to provide enough observations within each ecological stratum to ensure adequate statistical accuracy, as well as enough variation in key variables for policy analysis within each stratum, while respecting resource constraints and the need to balance sampling and non-sampling errors.
A two-stage stratified sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the NLSS. The primary sampling unit (PSU) is the ward, the smallest administrative unit in the 1991 Population Census. In order to increase the variability of the sample, it was decided that a small number of households - twelve - would be interviewed in each ward. Thus, a total of275 wards was obtained.
In the first stage of the sampling, wards were selected with probability proportional to size (PPS) from each of the four ecological strata, using the number of household in the ward as the measure of size. In order to give the sample an implicit stratification respecting the division of the country into Development Regions, the sample frame was sorted by ascending order of district codes, and these were numbered from East to West. The sample frame considered all the 75 districts in the country, and indeed 73 of them were represented in the sample. In the second stage of the sampling, a fixed number of households were chosen with equal probabilities from each selected PSU.
The two-stage procedure just described has several advantages. It simplified the analysis by providing a self-weighted sample. It also reduced the travel time and cost, as 12 or 16 households are interviewed in each ward. In addition, as the number of households to be interviewed in each ward was known in advance, the procedure made it possible to plan an even workload across different survey teams.
Sample Frame: A complete list of all wards in the country, with a measure of size, was developed in order to select from it with Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) the sample of wards to be visited. The 1991 Population Census of Nepal was the best starting point for building such a sample frame. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) constructed a data set with basic information from the census at the ward level. This data set was used as a sample frame to develop the NLSS sample.
Sample Design: The sample size for the NLSS was set at 3,388 households. This sample was divided into four strata based on the geographic and ecological regions of the country: (i) mountains, (ii) urban Hills, (iii) rural Hills, and (iv) Terai.
The sample size was designed to provide enough observations within each ecological stratum to ensure adequate statistical accuracy, as well as enough variation in key variables for policy analysis within each stratum, while respecting resource constraints and the need to balance sampling and non-sampling errors.
A two-stage stratified sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the NLSS. The primary sampling unit (PSU) is the ward, the smallest administrative unit in the 1991 Population Census. In order to increase the variability of the sample, it was decided that a small number of households - twelve - would be interviewed in each ward. Thus, a total of275 wards was obtained.
In the first stage of the sampling, wards were selected with probability proportional to size (PPS) from each of the four ecological strata, using the number of household in the ward as the measure of size. In order to give the sample an implicit stratification respecting the division of the country into Development Regions, the sample frame was sorted by ascending order of district codes, and these were numbered from East to West. The sample frame considered all the 75 districts in the country, and indeed 73 of them were represented in the sample. In the second stage of the sampling, a fixed number of households were chosen with equal probabilities from each selected PSU.
The two-stage procedure just described has several advantages. It simplified the analysis by providing a self-weighted sample. It also reduced the travel time and cost, as 12 or 16 households are interviewed in each ward. In addition, as the number of households to be interviewed in each ward was known in advance, the procedure made it possible to plan an even workload across different survey teams.
Data Collection
Dates of Data Collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 1995-06 | 1996-05 |
Data Collection Mode
Face-to-face [f2f]
Data Collection Notes
Field Work Organization
Field Teams: The data were collected by 12 field teams, each responsible for a particular area of the country. Assignment of wards to the various teams was done to balance the work load and travel time across teams. The teams were based in the appropriate district office of the CBS, and covered on average 23 wards. Each team consisted of one supervisor, three interviewers, and a data entry operator. One of the interviewer was also trained as an anthropometrist, and was responsible for weighing and measuring children in all interviewed households. Each team included at least one female interviewer.
Structure of the Interviews: Each ward was visited once. Within each ward, however, households to be interviewed were often visited several times, depending on how long it took to complete the questionnaire. In the first visit, the interviewer completed the listing of all the household members and made appointments to talk to each of them; in later visits, he/she interviewed the different members of the household. The amount of time taken to complete the questionnaire varied greatly from household to household, depending on the number of people there were in the household, how much land they owned, how many different kinds of economic activities they were undertaking, how many modern consumer goods they owned, and other such factors. In general, the larger the household, the more the people had to be interviewed, and hence the longer the interview in the household was likely to be. Usually it took at least two visits to complete the interview.
Data Entry and Management: A distinctive feature of the NLSS is the use of personal computers for data entry in the field. Instead of sending the completed questionnaires back to the central office for data entry, the data collected in the ward were entered while the team was still in the field. for this purpose, each team was provided with a computer, a printer, and a power system for data entry, in addition to scales and meters to measure children. A data entry program developed specifically for the survey was installed on each computer. The data entry program let the data operator and the supervisor know if there were mistakes or missing data in the interview, and checked whether information from one part of the interview matched information from other parts. When problems or errors were found, the interviewers returned to the households to correct the information. This process of entering, checking, and correcting the data in the field helped to ensure that the information collected was accurate. It also reduced the time lag between data collection and data analysis; diskettes containing the complete data for each ward were sent back to the central office as soon as work in the ward was completed, and the data were available for analysis shortly after the completion of the collection phase.
Data Collection: Data collection was planned over a full year to cover a complete cycle in agricultural activities and capture seasonal variations in other variables. Field work took place in four subsequent phases. During the first phase, which began on Ashad 15, 2052 (June 25, 1995), interviews were carried out in 28 wards. Then the supervisors and data entry operators were called back to the CBS for a two-week review of the data collected. Instructions were issued where errors and inconsistencies were found. The second phase of data collection work started from Bhadra (mid-August 1995) and continued till the first week of Kartik. During this phase, work on 66 wards was completed. The third phase data collection work continued from Kartik (after Dasain) onwards to Poush. During this phase work on 93 wards was completed. The fourth phase began in "Magh" and was completed by the end of "Jesth", 2052 (June 15, 1996), as planned.
Field Teams: The data were collected by 12 field teams, each responsible for a particular area of the country. Assignment of wards to the various teams was done to balance the work load and travel time across teams. The teams were based in the appropriate district office of the CBS, and covered on average 23 wards. Each team consisted of one supervisor, three interviewers, and a data entry operator. One of the interviewer was also trained as an anthropometrist, and was responsible for weighing and measuring children in all interviewed households. Each team included at least one female interviewer.
Structure of the Interviews: Each ward was visited once. Within each ward, however, households to be interviewed were often visited several times, depending on how long it took to complete the questionnaire. In the first visit, the interviewer completed the listing of all the household members and made appointments to talk to each of them; in later visits, he/she interviewed the different members of the household. The amount of time taken to complete the questionnaire varied greatly from household to household, depending on the number of people there were in the household, how much land they owned, how many different kinds of economic activities they were undertaking, how many modern consumer goods they owned, and other such factors. In general, the larger the household, the more the people had to be interviewed, and hence the longer the interview in the household was likely to be. Usually it took at least two visits to complete the interview.
Data Entry and Management: A distinctive feature of the NLSS is the use of personal computers for data entry in the field. Instead of sending the completed questionnaires back to the central office for data entry, the data collected in the ward were entered while the team was still in the field. for this purpose, each team was provided with a computer, a printer, and a power system for data entry, in addition to scales and meters to measure children. A data entry program developed specifically for the survey was installed on each computer. The data entry program let the data operator and the supervisor know if there were mistakes or missing data in the interview, and checked whether information from one part of the interview matched information from other parts. When problems or errors were found, the interviewers returned to the households to correct the information. This process of entering, checking, and correcting the data in the field helped to ensure that the information collected was accurate. It also reduced the time lag between data collection and data analysis; diskettes containing the complete data for each ward were sent back to the central office as soon as work in the ward was completed, and the data were available for analysis shortly after the completion of the collection phase.
Data Collection: Data collection was planned over a full year to cover a complete cycle in agricultural activities and capture seasonal variations in other variables. Field work took place in four subsequent phases. During the first phase, which began on Ashad 15, 2052 (June 25, 1995), interviews were carried out in 28 wards. Then the supervisors and data entry operators were called back to the CBS for a two-week review of the data collected. Instructions were issued where errors and inconsistencies were found. The second phase of data collection work started from Bhadra (mid-August 1995) and continued till the first week of Kartik. During this phase, work on 66 wards was completed. The third phase data collection work continued from Kartik (after Dasain) onwards to Poush. During this phase work on 93 wards was completed. The fourth phase began in "Magh" and was completed by the end of "Jesth", 2052 (June 15, 1996), as planned.
Questionnaires
Questionnaires
The NLSS questionnaire is different from other household survey questionnaires in several ways. First, information is collected on several aspects of household behavior - demographic composition, housing, education, health, consumption expenditures, income by source, employment. The questionnaire is therefore longer than usual survey questionnaires. Second, information is collected from all household members, not just from the head of household. This is done so as to gain a full picture of living standards for women and children as well. Third, a community questionnaire is also administered in addition to the household questionnaires. Community questionnaires were administered in all wards -- with different questionnaires for urban and rural wards -- to collect information on characteristics of the community, prices, and facilities available. This information supplements the information collected at the household level. The questions in the community questionnaire were answered by the ward or VDC chairman, or other such knowledgeable people in the ward.
Access policy
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSMS Data Manager | The World Bank | lsms@worldbank.org | http://go.worldbank.org/QJVDZDKJ60 |
Citation requirements
Use of the dataset must be acknowledged using a citation which would include:
- the Identification of the Primary Investigator
- the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation)
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download
- the Identification of the Primary Investigator
- the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation)
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download
Disclaimer and copyrights
Disclaimer
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.
Metadata production
DDI Document ID
DDI_NPL_1995_LSS-I_v01_M
Producers
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| World Bank, Development Economics Data Group | DECDG | Production of metadata |
Date of Metadata Production
2010-06-25
DDI Document version
Version 01 (June 2010).