Data authenticity

At a recent event to announce the partnership between the Wadhwani Foundation and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the country's struggle with authentic data came to the fore once again. Romesh Wadhwani, the foundation's chairman, started his address by saying that many recent government policies on skill development and job creation were based on the assumption that India needed to skill-train 500 million people; but, when and how that figure came into existence was not known. He said while latest research showed there was a shortage of skill, the actual numbers were much smaller. Later, when it was time for Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, to take the stage, the minister said while he couldn't throw light on the source of the figures, he knew that about 220 million people employed in agriculture and another 30 million employed by the government needed skill-training. Then, he gently requested Wadhwani not to 'question' this piece of government data.