Economic Survey far from truth, ground reality: Congress

Jul 22, 2024

New Delhi [India], July 22 :The Congress has slammed the annual Economic Survey presented by the government in parliament on Monday, saying it was far from the truth and the ground reality prevailing in the country.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, the Deputy Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and spokesperson Gaurav Gogoi said the survey does not take note of the backbreaking price rise and widespread unemployment prevailing in the country.
Alleging that the survey had used the typical "Modi tricks" of fear and deceit, he said, if the Economic Survey was to be believed, then everything was fine. But it is not like that on the ground, he observed, while referring to the highest levels of unemployment and inflation prevailing in the country.
He said the government had completely failed to control inflation, which was still around 10 percent. He said it may not affect the rich and wealthy, but it has badly hit the poor and middle classes in the country.
Gogoi said, "Take any sector like transport and pointed out how travelling in sleeper or general class on the railways, the most frequent mode of transportation for the poor and middle classes, had become a nightmare.
He said the Modi government had focused all its attention on the AC coaches. Let the government build AC coaches, but it must not be at the cost of the general and the sleeper classes."
Referring to the massive problem of unemployment prevailing in the country, he pointed out how the desperate unemployed youth were even risking their lives by joining the Russian Army to fight in Ukraine and even working in war torn Israel.
Not just that, he added, people were even trying to emigrate out of the country illegally as they don't have any jobs here.
Observing that this government only believed in doling out deceptive slogans, Gogoi said that the Congress did not expect anything in the budget. He quoted a former Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor saying that the industrial sector had been monopolised by 8-10 powerful companies.
The Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha said that the budget will be aimed at providing benefits to people like Adani and Ambani and 8/10 other companies only, while the common people, the unemployed youth and the farmers will just get deceptive, catchy slogans.