Narendra Modi government’s claim of creating 70 lakh jobs has fallen flat: Congress

Congress cites revised employment figures of EPFO

Citing revised employment figures of the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the Congress on Friday said the Modi government’s claim of creating 70 lakh jobs had fallen flat as the data put the employment figure, at least, 12% lower.

The party also alleged that while the country’s economy is in distress, the government is exploring to legalise betting in sports.

All-time low

“On June 23, 2013 Shri Narendra Modi had tweeted that there is a competition between the Congress and the rupee, who will fall lower is the competition. The rupee that day was trading at 59.27 to a dollar. Five years later, the rupee has been hovering around 69 to a dollar and that’s the lowest the rupee has ever fallen,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari at a press briefing.

“We would like to ask the Prime Minister that there seems to be a competition between the rupee and the BJP,” he added, and reminded that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, then the Leader of the Opposition, had said that “the rupee had lost its value and the Prime Minister his grace.”

Mr. Tewari also claimed that latest RBI data showing a decline in bank deposits revealed people’s lack of confidence in the banking sector and revised EPFO data put a question mark on the government’s claim.

Claims & counterclaims

“As recently as four days ago, Prime Minister had used this data to claim that 70 lakh new jobs had been created. He had based his assertion on a study carried by an economist. Now the data by the EPFO shows that between September and March 2017-18, EPFO enrolment fell by 12.5% ,” he said.

The Congress said that while there is a “huge economic distress” across the country, the government seems to be concerned with legalising betting in sports.