The Congress party launched a sharp critique of the Prime Minister Modi-led NDA government on Monday, asserting that the objectives set out during the launch of the 'Make in India' initiative have proven to be nothing more than a "Jumla" (empty promise).
The party claimed that 'Make in India' has effectively turned into 'Fake in India'.
Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh lambasted the government, stating that the economic policies it has pursued over the last decade are "meaningless, unstable, and lack sensibility."
In a post on X, Ramesh mentioned, "When the non-biological PM announced 'Make in India' in 2014 with his usual hype and hoopla, he outlined four key objectives. Ten years later, here’s a quick status check: Jumla One – Increase the growth rate of Indian industry to 12–14 per cent per year. Reality: Since 2014, the annual growth rate for manufacturing has averaged around 5.2 per cent."
Ramesh continued by highlighting what he termed as the second "jumla" of the government, saying, "Creation of 100 million industrial jobs by 2022. Reality: The number of manufacturing workers has dropped from 51.3 million in 2017 to 35.65 million in 2022-23."
Addressing the third promise, Ramesh noted, "Jumla Three – Increase the share of the manufacturing sector to 25% of GDP by 2022, later extended to 2025.
Reality: The share of manufacturing in India’s gross added value has fallen from 18.1% in 2011-12 to 14.3% in 2022-23."
He went on to say, "Jumla Four – Make India the 'new factory of the world', overtaking China by moving up the value chain. Reality: Far from taking over from China, India has become more economically dependent on it. The share of imports from China has risen from 11 per cent in 2014 to 15 per cent in recent years."
Ramesh also accused the government of stifling competition, stating that only "one or two big conglomerates" close to the ruling dispensation have benefited significantly.
In contrast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently hailed the 'Make in India' initiative as a transformative movement, claiming that its success has made "Bharat unstoppable."
Follow us
