A day after a report in Business Standard presented data from government statistics to show unemployment was at a 45-year high of 6.1 per cent, the paper on Friday reported that joblessness would be higher if the 'current weekly status' methodology.
The new report states that the NSSO calculated the unemployment rate to be 8.9 per cent using the current weekly status methodology, pointing to the adverse impact of demonetisation and GST.
The Business Standard report noted that the figure of 6.1 per cent unemployment was arrived at by the National Sample Survey Office using its usual approach of determining employment status of a person a year before the date of the survey. The current weekly status methodology determines the employment status of a person seven days before the date of the survey.
An expert quoted by Business Standard said the current weekly status methodology would present a more accurate figure for unemployment in 2017-18 in the wake of demonetisation and introduction of GST.
The new data from the NSSO, which critics allege the Narendra Modi government has tried to suppress, is expected to fuel further criticism from the opposition. Two members of the National Statistical Commission had resigned earlier in the week, purportedly to protest the Modi government delaying the release of unemployment figures.
Following the initial Business Standard report on Thursday, the NITI Aayog held a press conference to state the NSSO data had been “approved” and was not final.
