Jobs data: Unemployment was recorded at 6.1 per cent
The National Sample Survey Office's (NSSO's) periodic labour force survey (PLFS), accessed by the Business Standard, shows that the country's unemployment rate was at a 45-year-high of 6.1 per cent. The report, which was not released despite being vetted by the National Statistics Commission in December, caused a row on Wednesday. Two members of the statistics body quit over the stalling of the report. The report gives ammunition to the opposition with the national elections due in May.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal took a jibe at the ruling BJP, saying that the masses were becoming disillusioned due to the increasing unemployment. Two people resigned. "They don't want to bring the data forward. Data is being encountered," he said. "This is a result of Modi ji's pakodanomics," he added.
Here are the Highlights on reactions to the jobs data:
"Make the election about jobs", tweets National Conference's Omar Abdullah
His tweet says, "Make this general election about jobs or rather the lack of any. IMO people, especially the youth, won't really care about defence deals beyond a point except perhaps the crony capitalism angle and even that not so much."
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted on the country's unemployment rate being at a 45-year-high saying, "The truth of the BJP government giving false figures of employment to the country is revealed today with the highest unemployment in the last 45 years at 2017-18."
"'How's the josh?' nahin, how're the jobs?" All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen Party president Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted
"Unemployment rate is at a 45-year high. This is why the NSSO Report was kept under the wraps. This is why members of NSC resigned. Promise of 2Cr Jobs turned out to be a cruel joke! India does not want a Govt that has left the future of our youth in jeopardy," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted
"Indian youth are looking forward to jobs & Modi Ji presents them with highest Unemployment rate in 45 years. #DEMONetisation by Modi Ji sounded the Death Knell for Jobs in India. NSC members sidelined by Govt. & forced to resign to hide BJP's failure on the Job creation front," Congress Telangana tweeted
"Modi had claimed that data is not there but he has created unprecedented number of jobs. The data is there but he is scared of the truth. India has never suffered as much as under his rule. Modi's promise was of 10 crore new jobs," Sitaram Yechury tweeted
"So, this is why Govt prevented the release of data! No wonder, all polls this week found jobs the biggest issue,"Swaraj Abhiyan president Yogendra Yadav tweeted