The Department of Economics and Statistics in its present form was set up in 1953 with the Director as the administrative head. Earlier, it originated from a small statistical section manned by a qualified statistician in the office of the Board of Revenue in 1933. The section was then brought under the control of the Director of Industries and Commerce for the purpose of collection and dissemination of information on Industries, but was again transferred to the Board of Revenue. Later, the statistical activity was extended to important sectors of the State’s economy and hence brought under the control of the Economic Adviser to Government in the Public Department. \
The Department of Statistics, which is the State Statistical Bureau of Tamil Nadu, was under the Administrative control of various departments such as Agriculture Department, Forest and Fisheries Department and Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department. From July 1988, it is under the administrative control of Planning and Development Department, which is now known as Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Department. The Department with its present name ‘Department of Economics and Statistics’ came into force with effect from 08.02.1996.