The NITI Ayog has said that the “leaked” National Sample Survey of Office (NSSO) report which showed the unemployment rate during July 2017-June 2018 at 6.1 percent, a 45-year high, is not verified. Hours after the NSSO report came out in media, the NITI Aayog clarified that it was a draft report which is still being processed and that the data in the report is not finalised.
NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said that the Government did not release the data which is still being processed and will release the report when it is ready. The government think-tank said that the Employment Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) data shows that 4.8 million additional jobs have been created. “Data collection method is different now we are using a computer-assisted personal interviewee in the new survey. It is not right to compare the two data sets, this data is not verified. It is not correct to use this report as final.” Kumar added.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that enough jobs are being created but there is a lack of good quality jobs. “The NITI Aayog analysis shows that we are creating 7-8 million jobs. Conventional estimates had suggested that there are 12 million new entrants per year. New estimates suggest that because of higher education and declining women’s labour population, the country needs 7 million jobs”, Kant said.
