India's unemployment rate reportedly at its HIGHEST in 45 years - Why this survey has become political issue; All you need to know

This survey has become a political issue. The NSSO data is significant because this was the first comprehensive assessment of India's employment situation conducted after Modi's decision in November 2016 to withdraw most of the country's banknotes from circulation overnight.

Latching onto a media report, Congress president Rahul Gandhi stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over employment generation. (PTI)

New Delhi: In a major setback for Narendra Modi government just months ahead of tightening 2019 elections, a newspaper article on Thursday cited a report by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) which suggested India's unemployment rate stood at a 45-year-high of 6.1 per cent in 2017-18. The newspaper reported the assessment was conducted between July 2017-June 2018, showed the unemployment rate stood at 6.1 per cent, the highest since 1972-73. The newspaper further said the report showed that joblessness stood at 7.8 per cent in urban areas compared with 5.3 parts in the countryside. Now, this survey has become a political issue. As recently, the acting chairman and another member of the government stats body that reviewed the job data had also resigned saying there was a delay in its release. What importance does this report holds The NSSO data is significant because this was the first comprehensive assessment of India's employment situation conducted after Modi's decision in November 2016 to withdraw most of the country's banknotes from circulation overnight. Opposition attacks Modi govt Latching onto a media report, Congress president Rahul Gandhi stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over employment generation. He said the PM promised two crore jobs, but five years later a "leaked job creation report card" has revealed a "national disaster". Gandhi took to Twitter and tagged the media report and asserted that it was time for the prime minister to go. In a tweet, Gandhi wrote, "NoMo Jobs! The Fuhrer promised us 2 Cr jobs a year. 5 years later,  his leaked job creation report card reveals a National Disaster. Unemployment is at its highest in 45 yrs. 6.5 Cr youth are jobless in 2017-18 alone. Time for NoMo2Go," he tweeted with the hashtag 'HowsTheJobs'.

NoMo Jobs!

The Fuhrer promised us 2 Cr jobs a year. 5 years later, his leaked job creation report card reveals a National Disaster. Unemployment is at its highest in 45 yrs. 6.5 Cr youth are jobless in 2017-18 alone. Time for NoMo2Go. #HowsTheJobs pic.twitter.com/nbX4iYmsiZ — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 31, 2019

Centre's response However in the response, the ruling party hit back at Rahul Gandhi and alleged that the Congress president has a myopic understanding of issues. BJP said only someone who has never held a proper job "can peddle such fake news". The party took to Twitter and said that Gandhi had inherited shortsightedness of Mussolini, the Italian dictator. "It's clear that he has inherited Mussolini's shortsightedness and has myopic understanding of issues. EPFO's real data shows sharp increase in jobs, created in just the last 15 months. Only a man who hasn't ever held a proper job and is totally jobless can peddle such #FakeNews!" it said. Earlier, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also alleged that the unemployment rate is at a 45-year high and said this was the reason why the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report on jobs was withheld. This is why the members of National Statistical Commission resigned, he claimed. Surjewala said India does not want a government that has left the future of the youth in jeopardy. He also cited the media report to make his claims. "Modi ji, 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 2 crore jobs turned out to be a cruel joke. India does not want a Government that has left the future of our youth in jeopardy," Surjewala said on Twitter. Why NSC members resigned Earlier this week, top two members of National Statistical Commission (NSC) to step down from their posts. Two external members of the NSC, Acting Chairman PC Mohanan and JV Meenakshi, had resigned on Monday citing differences with the government on issues related to jobs data and GDP back series data, saying the government was not taking the NSC seriously. NCP targets Centre Following the media report that a study by the NSSO has found the current unemployment rate to be at 45-year high, the NCP on Thursday questioned if it is the reason that the Centre has not made the report public yet. NCP MP Supriya Sule also sought to know whether the government would answer the questions being raised or "remain silent, as has been the trend".     "Is this the reason why the NSSO survey has not been made public? Will the government answer or remain silent as has been the trend..," Sule said on Twitter, tagging the report. (With inputs from PTI)