P Chidambaram says Centre 'clueless about how to create jobs'; BJP reacts saying he 'insulted every poor person'

Congress leader P Chidambaram hit out at the Centre for their “wild claims” on job creation, a day before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is set to present the Economic Survey in the Parliament. The former finance minister took to Twitter to vent out his frustration, saying that the nation has seen a three-year spell of “modest, but jobless growth” and that the government is “clueless about how to create jobs”. [caption id=“attachment_4241089” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Congress leader P Chidambaram. AFP[/caption] Chidambaram said that the BJP-led government at the Centre was not taking the right steps to foster real job creation. Chidambaram also warned people of the govt making several claims on job creation. “Earlier it was claimed that a Mudra loan of Rs 43,000 (average loan size) created at least one new job. Show me one person who can ‘create’ a new job out of Rs 43,000 investment,” Chidambaram said highlighting flaws in the NDA govt’s policies. In another tweet, he said, “Another minister wanted MGNREGA workers to be counted as holding jobs. So they are ‘job’ holders for 100 days and jobless for 265 days.” Chidambaram made these comments after penning an article in The Indian Express critiquing a study conducted by Professor Pulak Ghosh and Dr Soumya Kanti Ghosh. The study claimed that 70 lakh new ‘payroll’ jobs will be created in India in the organised sector in 2017-2018. In the article, Chidambaram asserts that the 70 lakh jobs claim will “remain a boast” and will eventually be regarded as a bluff. The former finance minister observed that real job creation will be reflected by a “robust increase in private investment, private consumption, exports and credit demand”, none of which, he said are “happening yet”. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview with _Zee News_ , where the prime minister said, “If a man selling pakodas outside the Zee TV office takes home Rs 200 at the end of the day, is that not employment?” Chidambaram said that based on the prime minister’s logic even begging should be considered as a job. “Let’s count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as ’employed’ people,” Chidambaram tweeted. Chidambaram trashes Centre’s “wild claims” on job creation “In the debate on jobs, it is important to keep the distinction between ‘job’ and ‘self-employment’. A ‘job’ is certain, regular and reasonably secure. We want to know how many such jobs have been created,” Chidambaram added in another tweet. He went on to say, “The truth is India is witnessing a three-year spell of modest, but jobless, growth and the government is clueless about how to create jobs.” BJP posted a tweet in reaction to Chidambaram’s comments. “The Congress has once again insulted every poor person, labourer, farmer, and worker by comparing people who earn an honest living with beggars,” the tweet said.

With inputs from agencies