The National Buildings Organisation was established by the Government of India in 1954 as an attached office under the control of the then Ministry of Works and Housing for technology transfer and experimentation and dissemination of housing statistics. The Government examined the need for restructuring the organization in the context of the long term policy of technology transfer within the framework of National Housing Policy and the increased need of the information system for Housing Policy. It was observed that the functions of NBO in the technology side were required to be transferred to a more flexible and autonomous institution, while NBO’s socio-economic and statistical functions needed to be emphasized and expanded.

In view of above and having regard to the requirements under National Housing Policy to strengthen the Management Information System (MIS) and various other socio-economic and statistical functions connected with housing and building activities, the National Buildings Organization was restructured with effect from 25th August, 1992 and then again restructured in March 2006, keeping in view the current requirements under the National Housing Policy and various socio-economic and statistical functions connected with housing and building activities.

• The NBO is the nodal organization at the central level for collection, tabulation and dissemination of statistical information on housing and building construction activity statistics and related basic minimum infrastructural facilities.
• NBO has the major functions which inter-alia include the study and survey of socio-economic aspect of housing, collection, collation, coordination, analysis and dissemination of building and housing statistics.
• Socio Economic Research Unit NBO has to ensure that plan/schemes of the Ministry are properly monitored.
• It coordinates the activities relating to housing census and sample surveys on housing condition, linkages with Central, State local agencies, financial institutions and all statistical agencies in order to collate, store, retrieve and disseminate information on shelter indicators and housing schemes on a continuous basis. NBO also coordinates and disseminates data on housing with UNCHS and other international organizations.
• The statistics so collected and tabulated is available from NBO in the form of published publications and is also being planned to put the entire information on the website of NBO.

Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is the single largest national initiative ever launched in the country to address the concerns of infrastructure, slum development and basic civic amenities to the poor in cities and towns. NBO has been designated as nodal agency for coordinating of matters under JNNURM relating to Basic Services for the Urban Poor (BSUP) & Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme (IHSDP). In addition to above mentioned work charter NBO has the has the additional responsibility to:

• Develop National Resource Centre and MIS cell for JNNURM (including Data Centre and e-governance etc.)
• Organize workshops on State/Regional/National Level.
• Organize training camps of municipal/ULB officers in various aspects including pro-poor governance.
• Organize National Consultation on housing and building construction statistics, urban poverty and slums.
• Develop and maintain JNNURM Monitoring System, Poverty Monitoring System and Performance Tracking System with the help of NIC, CGG, YASHADA and other agencies.
• Organize and assist in Capacity Building Programs for officials of the Ministry.