Stagnating real wages, a decaying social security system and lack of concern for informal workers mark the Modi government’s 10-year tenure according to data collated by economists Jean Drèze and Reetika Khera. https://thewire.in/labour/growth-in-real-wages-virtually-zero-under-modi-government-data
While presenting their findings last week at a press conference organised by Loktantra Bachao 2024, the economists said that “real wages in the country had barely risen since 2014” across agricultural, non-agricultural and construction sectors.
From 2014-2024, real wages (wages that have been adjusted for inflation) for agricultural labourers declined by 1.3% every year. This is in stark contrast to the increase of real wages by 6.8% each year under the Manmohan Singh-led government from 2004-2014.
Renaming of schemes and exaggerated results
Khera and Drèze said that while the NDA government has, to some extent, compensated for this decline by taking up schemes with focus on building toilets, improving LPG access and housing, their success is much smaller than that what the government claims.
For instance, the NDA government declared India “open defecation free” in 2019, but NFHS-5 data for 2019-21 reveal that about 20% of all households had no toilet facility.
The Modi government is also guilty of renaming schemes launched by the UPA government and glorifying them with PR and marketing campaigns.
- PM Awas Yojayana was Indira Awas Yojana
- Swachh Bharat Mission came from the Nirmal Bharat Mission
- ICDS and Midday meal were clubbed under PM POSHAN
- Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water scheme became Jal Jeevan Mission and,
- PDS was rechristened as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana
22/04/2024