Image Source : FILE 'If economy is growing, how can job market not expand?', PM Modi rebuts Opposition allegations on unemployment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rebuted the Opposition's allegations on lack of job growth, saying India is among the major economies of the world.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Prime Minister Modi said, "When economy is growing at a faster pace, in fact fastest among the major economies, how will the jobs market not expand?"

The PM argued that a steady pace of foriegn and domestic investment in infrastructure projects and their execution is bound to create jobs.

Citing his speech in the Lok Sabha during the No Confidence Motion, PM Modi said, "When investment into and the pace of execution of infrastructure projects like making roads, laying down rail lines, setting up power generation including solar parks and transmission lines is at all-time high, how come the jobs will not be created."

He further questioned, "If there is significant growth in sales of commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles, does it not mean that jobs are being created?"

Also read | Mahagathbandhan formed for personal survival, not development: PM Narendra Modi

The prime minister, had made creation of jobs as one of his poll issues before coming to power in 2014, a claim that the Opposition parties often question.

In his interview, Prime Minister Modi, said that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is at an all-time high, having a domino's effect on the creation of jobs in the country.

Supporting his argument, he said, "From just 2 mobile manufacturing units in 2014 we have grown to 120. When such development in electronic manufacturing is taking place, will it not create jobs?"

During the last four years of his tenure, Prime Minister Modi implemented several flagship programmes like Make in India, Start-up India, Skill India Campaign. "Today India has emerged as one of the top hubs of start-ups. Are they not creating jobs? App based aggregators are flourishing in India across food, logistics, e-commerce, mobility solutions and many more such sectors. Are they not creating jobs?," said the PM said.

The Prime Minister also cited the growing tourist footfall to substantiate his claim. He said, "We all know the potential tourism has in creating jobs. Foreign tourist arrivals in India grew by 14 per cent last year. Domestic tourism has also grown. Will this not result in job creation?"

Also read | 'No Indian citizen will have to leave country': PM Modi slams Mamata Banerjee for using 'provocative' language on NRC issue

PM Modi, also spoke about the rural welfare schemes like MUDRA, which provides refinance to micro businesses, and UDAN, under which, air connectivity is provided to unserved and underserved airports at a subsidized fare.

He said, "Today India is seeing a historic boom in the aviation sector. Last year, over 10 crore people took a flight. Through UDAN scheme, we have put many places, particularly Tier-II and III cities on the aviation map. Will this not create jobs and opportunities across the board?"

"More than 13 crore MUDRA loans have been given to our hardworking entrepreneurs. I have been told that over 3.5 crore of these loans have been given to first time entrepreneurs. Does every loan not create additional employment opportunities?" he added.

The prime minister further added that "Employment generation is also evident from 45 lakh new subscribers in the Employee Provident Fund and 5.68 lakh people joining the New Pension Scheme in the last nine months. All this has led to creation of more than one crore jobs only in the last year. Thus, the campaign that jobs have not been created must come to a halt now. People are not going to buy it anymore."

(With inputs from ANI)

Watch details of full interview here:

Latest India News

Fight against Coronavirus: Full coverage