Congress flays government for 'jobless growth'

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) The Congress on Friday blamed the BJP-led central government for what it dubbed "jobless growth" in the country, and added that the ruling party has failed to "fulfil its election promise of creating two crore jobs annually".

"Before coming to power, the BJP manifesto talked of creating two crore jobs every year, but on the ground we now have a 'pink slip' situation," senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media here.

"Alarming figures are showing an abysmal growth and the pink-slip season. According to Labour Bureau data, the growth in eight labour-intensive sectors of the Indian economy is a mere 1.1 per cent, which in number terms is just 1.35 lakh," he said.

"If these are the 'acchhe din' (good days) (the BJP promised), then obviously the government's definition of good days is those without jobs," the Congress leader quipped.

Reeling out comparative figures on employment generation during the earlier United Progressive Alliance government's term, Singhvi said: "In 2009-10, 8.9 lakh persons got jobs, while in 2010-11 it were 9.29 lakh."

"In 2013-14, only 4.21 lakh people got jobs, while the numbers fell to 1.35 lakh in 2016-17," he said.

As for celebrations in connection with the three years of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, Singhvi asked: "What are they celebrating?"

"Are they celebrating joblessness? Or are they celebrating jobless growth? What is the point of having 6-7 per cent growth?" he asked.