On Tuesday, July 9, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp critique of the Modi Government, accusing it of having a singular mission: “to keep the youth jobless.” In a pointed criticism of the Centre’s handling of unemployment, Kharge argued that while the ruling party may dismiss independent economic reports, it cannot ignore its own government data.
He alleged that the truth is the Modi Government is solely responsible for shattering the dreams of crores of youth over the last 10 years.
In a lengthy post on X (formerly known as Twitter), he pointed out that according to the NSSO’s Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE), 54 lakh jobs have been lost in unincorporated units in the manufacturing sector over 7 years, from 2015 to 2023.
The President of the Indian National Congress added that in 2010-11, 10.8 crore employees were employed in unincorporated, non-agricultural enterprises across India, which has only marginally increased to 10.96 crore in 2022-23 — an increase of just 16 lakh in 12 years.
He cited that based on the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the urban unemployment rate stands at 6.7% as of Q4, FY24.
Kharge pointed out that the Modi government boasts about generating employment in the formal sector using EPFO data. However, even if we accept that data as accurate, it shows a 10% decline in new jobs in 2023.
He highlighted a report from IIM Lucknow, which analyzed government data and revealed widespread issues such as increasing unemployment rates, particularly among the educated, and low female workforce participation across the country in 2024.
Kharge accused the Modi government of dismissing independent economic reports that expose their blatant efforts to cover up the truth. He referenced data from the CMIE indicating that the current unemployment rate in the country has risen to 9.2%, with women facing a staggering rate of 18.5%.
He highlighted findings from the India Employment Report 2024, revealing that despite around 7 crore youth entering the labor force from 2012 to 2019, employment growth stagnated at a mere 0.01%.
The Congress chief criticized the government citing the latest Citigroup report, which states that India requires 1.2 crore jobs annually. The report underscores that even with a 7% GDP growth rate, it will fall short of meeting the youth employment demand. Under the Modi administration, however, the country has only managed an average GDP growth rate of 5.8%.
The Congress MP concluded in the post that whether it’s government jobs, the private sector, self-employment, or the unorganized sector, the Modi government’s singular mission is to ensure that the youth remain unemployed.
The Congress, in its ongoing criticism of the government’s handling of unemployment, pointed to the Citigroup report on Sunday. It alleged that the Modi government had exacerbated India’s “unemployment crisis” by destroying job-creating MSMEs through measures like “Tughlakian demonetization,” hastily implemented GST, and increased imports from China.
According to the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE), despite a higher Labor Participation Rate (LPR), unemployment continues to rise. The LPR includes individuals who are either employed or actively seeking work among the total population aged 15 years and older. Kharge’s post, supported by data, argues that the Modi government has failed to create sufficient job opportunities to address the increasing unemployment among youth.
