The National Sample Survey (NSS) is a socioeconomic survey conducted in annual rounds with a cycle of rotating topics. The 53rd Round (January to December 1997) included surveys on household consumer expenditure and unorganized trading enterprises.

Sample sizes were as follows: 23,395 rural and 28,415 urban households for the consumer expenditure survey, and 72,529 and 83,146 urban enterprises for the trade survey. The surveys were representative at national and state levels, but select areas were excluded due to geographic remoteness.

The consumer expenditure survey report calculated monthly per capita expenditure by dividing monthly household expenditure by household size. The trade survey collected data on the characteristics small trading enterprises including number of enterprises, characteristics of workers, seasonality, assets, and value added to the economy.