Soon after the GDP growth for quarter-1 of 2019-20 was known to be a poor 5%, the Congress party uploaded an infographic with a bunch of claims on GDP growth, Unemployment rate, Exports growth etc. Here is a fact check of these claims. On 02 September 2019, the Indian National Congress posted an infographic comparing the GDP, Unemployment Rate, Exports Growth and Car Sales growth in India during the Manmohan Singh led UPA government’s tenure and the current NDA government led by Narendra Modi. Here is a fact check of these claims. About Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate GDP growth rate was 8.02% during the UPA government’s tenure while it is only 5% under NDA government. Fact: While it is true that the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2019-20 is just 5%, it does not convey the numbers about NDA’s complete tenure. It is also not clear whether the comparison is with respect to a particular quarter or a full financial year. Notwithstanding the controversy regarding the GDP back series data, this claim is MISLEADING. The National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on 30 August 30 2019, released the ‘Estimates of Gross Domestic Product for the first quarter’ from April to June 2019-20. As per this report, the GDP at constant (2011-12) prices in Quarter 1 of the current financial year 2019-20 witnessed a growth of only 5%. The GDP for this quarter is estimated at ₹ 35.85 lakh crores as compared to ₹ 34.14 lakh crores in the same quarter of 2018-19. The first quarter of the financial year 2018-19 had witnessed a GDP growth of 8% as compared to the first quarter of 2017-18. The 5% growth rate in real GDP has been witnessed in the first quarter of the second NDA term. The revised GDP data released by MoSPI in August 2018, at constant (2011-12) prices, shows that during the UPA’s term, India’s real GDP growth increased from 7.9% in 2004-05 to 8.1% in 2006-07 and then declined to 3.1% in 2008-09. Again in 2010-11, it increased to 8.5% and dropped to 5.2% in 2011-12. Overall, the back series data estimates that the GDP growth during UPA (both the terms) was around 6.7%. This is contrast to the 8.1% and 7.5% growth during UPA-1 (2004-09) & UPA-2 (2009-14) respectively, using the old series data. There has also been criticism & controversy regarding the new series and the opposition termed the new data release as ‘gimmickry, jugglery, trickery and chicanery’ as per a story in The Hindu. Numerous other articles were written questioning the kind of data used and the final numbers as per the new series. At the same time, the GDP growth rate as per the new series for the first four years of the NDA (2014-18) was estimated at 7.35%. For the year 2018-19, GDP growth was estimated at 6.8%. While it is true that the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2019-20 is just 5%, it does not convey the numbers about NDA’s complete tenure. It is also not clear whether the comparison is with respect to a particular quarter or a full financial year. Notwithstanding the controversy regarding the GDP back series data, this claim is Misleading. What about Unemployment rate? During UPA government’s tenure, the unemployment rate was 2.2% while under NDA government, the unemployment rate is 7.9%. Fact: As per quinquennial (recurring every 5 years) NSSO surveys on employment & unemployment, the unemployment rate during the UPA was around 2.2%. The unemployment rate during the NDA as per the PLFS 2017-18 was 6.1%. The figure of 7.9% is based on the survey of a Mumbai based private organization. Hence the claim is PARTLY TRUE. According to a Mumbai based organisation, Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, in June 2019, the unemployment rate in India had reached 7.9%. The report has further added that the rate of labour participation has also declined. According to the report, labour participation rate is the proportion of working age population comprising of those above the age of 15 years, that is actively looking for a job, be it employed or unemployed. Unemployment rate has been calculated as the proportion of labour force that is not employed. The sample size used is 5,22, 000. The sampling method has not been mentioned. As far as MoSPI is concerned, the quinquennial (recurring every 5 years) labour force surveys on employment and unemployment were conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The last such survey was conducted during 2011-12. Now, NSSO has switched to the annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) which was conducted during 2017-18. According to the National Sample Survey Office (68 round), in 2011-12, the unemployment rate stood at 2.2%.