A day after NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Rajiv Kumar said that the data in the reported NSSO survey was not verified, Ex-NSC Acting Chairman PC Mohanan rubbished the claim and said that the numbers are final.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Mohanan said that the report is final and doesn’t need any further approval.
Earlier on Thursday, a Business Standard report claimed to have accessed the National Sample Survey Office's (NSSO) periodic labour force survey (PLFS). According to the survey, India's unemployment rate was at a 45-year high of 6.1 percent during 2017-18.
- The NSSO report has been held back by the government and courted controversy after two National Statistical Commission (NSC) members resigned
- Several Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal and Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the Modi government over the issue
- The government has defended itself for not disclosing the data and said the decision lies solely with them
- The report, revealed a day before the interim Budget, has stirred a political storm
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
Note Ban, GST Impact on Jobs More Than NSSO Headline Data: Report
The real impact of demonetisation and GST on the unemployment rate in the country could be far worse than what was portrayed by the headline figures given in the National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO's) report for 2017-18.
A Business Standard report claimed that if the current weekly status (CWS) approach of the NSSO’s periodic labour force survey (LFPS) is taken into account, the unemployment rate would be significantly higher, at 8.9 percent in 2017-18, as opposed to 6.1 percent when measured using the usual status approach.
Read the full story here.
Ex-NSC Head Rubbishes Govt Claim, Says Unemployment Data ‘Final’
Ex-NSC Acting Chairman PC Mohanan has rubbished the claims of the government and has said that the unemployment data numbers are final. Speaking to The Indian Express, Mohanan said that the report is final and doesn’t need any further approval.
Unemployment Data Reiterates That Note Ban Left Us In A Shambles
The numbers coming out of the NSSO report, held back by the government and published by a newspaper, indicate several failures on the employment front. While unemployment rate is above 6 percent, the labour force participation rate too, has plunged to a historic low of 37 percent.
However, beyond these obvious numbers lie the true extent of the rot. It is now evident that demonetisation disrupted the job market massively.
Read the full story here.
'It's Not Official Data, Have to Wait Until Govt Releases Official Data': Mohandas Pai
Reacting to the controversy over unemployment data, former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai said:
“It’s not official data (on jobs), we don’t know if it’s correct, we have to wait until government releases official data. Today, we have alternate sources of data based on databases and they say a large number of jobs were created in the last four and a half years.”Mohandas Pai, as quoted by ANI
Pai further attacked the Opposition, saying the UPA government fell into the trap of jobless growth.
“UPA and people from the Opposition who criticise this data should be very careful because during their era did they create jobs? They didn’t know how to count. They fell into the trap of jobless growth.”Mohandas Pai, as quoted by ANI