New Delhi – The Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI) Secretary, Dr. Saurabh Garg, has strongly pushed back against allegations of manipulating India's economic data, particularly concerning the recently reported 7.8 percent GDP growth for the April-June quarter.
Dr. Garg expressed his dismay at such accusations, highlighting the extensive effort and meticulous work involved in compiling the nation's GDP figures. “It's extremely painful and I would say unfortunate to hear,” he stated, underscoring the dedication of thousands of statisticians and a field force of 10,000 individuals who collect data across India weekly.
Transparency and Verifiability of India's GDP Data
The Secretary asserted that every piece of data, along with its underlying methodology and sources, is transparently available for public verification. He pointed out that India possesses one of the largest data collection mechanisms globally, gathering crucial information through surveys on consumption expenditure, annual industries, and unincorporated sector enterprises.
The controversy intensified after former finance secretary Subhash Garg suggested in an interview that the economy's actual growth was significantly lower, around 2.6 percent, attributing this discrepancy to a downward revision of current prices GDP. This claim sparked a wide debate among economists, many of whom have since defended the credibility of the official GDP numbers.
Methodological Rigor and International Consultation
Dr. Saurabh Garg also addressed concerns about methodological changes, explaining that these were introduced in February following extensive consultations. These discussions involved a broad spectrum of experts, economists, and forecasters, and were conducted over the past year. Furthermore, the government engaged with international bodies like the IMF and United Nations to integrate global best practices into its data collection and reporting processes.
“To cast doubts on the methodology, on the data sources, on the technical ability of the high-quality statisticians that are available in the country and available with the government, it's extremely painful to hear of these kinds of baseless allegations of data jugglery being made,” Dr. Garg concluded, reinforcing the integrity and professionalism of India's statistical framework.