Recently the government claimed that they have no data on the deaths of migrant workers and the number of fatalities that occurred in the medical fraternity, due to COVID-19.
Now, the centre has claimed that they have no record of medium and small businesses (MSME) that have cosed in the wake of the pandemic.
After being asked about how many small and medium businesses closed shop from March to August 2020, the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Pratap Chandra Sarangi replied in a statement to Rajya Sabha,
Covid-19 epidemic has temporarily affected various sectors including micro, small scale enterprises which also affected job scenario. No such record is available.
In addition to this, he also said that there was no data on the number of MSMEs closed down from FY 2014-15 to FY 2019-20 either.
Twitter thought this kind of management needs serious attention.
Bhai Sahib konsa Data hai aap ke pass, everyday it is the same thing I don’t have data. The Indian government sounds more like a kid who doesn’t know the answer to any question that teacher asks… Nalayak kahin ke
— Davinder Deep Singh ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ (@Davinderdeep) September 19, 2020
@PMOIndia Looks like there needs to be a mechanism in which MPs can ask for the data they want before Parliament sessions start, like a month before, they can ask all the data in any template they provide.
— Just Varun (@JustVarun452) September 19, 2020
Govt don’t have data on anything. But how come we get to hear things like lockdown saved some x millions etc.
— gᵃbr🆄 (@Jack8point9) September 20, 2020
They don’t have data on Anything – neither on job losses, migrant workers & deaths among them while they went back home, deaths among healthcare workers & now on MSMEs. Then where do they find data for propaganda Whatsapp forwards – day in day out? All made up, fake numbers?🤔
— Ved Nayak (@catcheronthesly) September 19, 2020
Closure of MSMEs are one of the greatest issues faced by economy pre and during covid. Thousands of job losses and economic shrinkage should be recorded/evaluated and acted upon.
— Niraj Bora (@nJJ1) September 20, 2020
They can easily provide the data by running a few filters on GST returns excel sheets but they won't. GST data is only for tightening regulation and increasing collections.
— Raghav Agarwal (@_RAGHAV_AG) September 19, 2020
However, even after claiming no data record, the government listed the measures they have taken for the sector. Which including the Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt for MSMEs, Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for business, including MSMEs, and Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion through an ‘MSME Fund of Funds’.
