New Delhi, 17th Sept. The Congress on Tuesday launched a scathing attack at the Modi government’s first 100 days in its third term, accusing it of a series of policy U-turns and scandals, while failing to address India’s growing unemployment crisis.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, condemned what he termed “job-loss growth” under the current administration. He pointed to the government’s economic mismanagement, blaming policies such as demonetization, the hurried implementation of GST, and an unplanned COVID-19 lockdown for the decimation of job-creating sectors like MSMEs.
Ramesh stated that despite the Modi government’s promises, India’s unemployment rate is at its highest in 45 years, with youth unemployment rates especially alarming. “The unemployment rate for graduate youth is 42%, and the overall female unemployment rate in urban areas stands at 21.6%,” he said, citing data from the International Labour Organization’s 2024 India Employment Report.
He also highlighted that India’s GDP growth has averaged just 5.8% under the Modi government, far short of the 7% needed to generate sufficient employment for the country’s growing labor force. A Citigroup report estimates that India needs to create 1.2 crore jobs per year for the next decade to meet the demand.
