Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman accepts Chidambaram's 'challenge' on revised GDP data

New Delhi: Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar Thursday accepted the challenge of former finance minister P Chidambaram for a 'debate' on the revised GDP data which showed economic growth during the current NDA regime was better than that in the UPA rule.

Responding to Chidambaram's tweet, Kumar said that he has accepted the challenge.

Kumar tweeted

Hon. @PChidambaram_IN Ji,challenge accepted.Let’s discuss & dissect back series data.I gave 3 hrs of detailed interview yesterday & it is somewhat disingenuous of you to say that I asked the media to not ask questions. Do give more coherent reasons for ur difficulty with new data https://t.co/RxF38JZutx — Rajiv Kumar  (@RajivKumar1) November 29, 2018

Chidambaram had termed the revision of GDP data as a "hatchet job" by Niti Aayog and said it was time to windup the "utterly worthless body".

"Former Chief Statistician Pronab Sen is absolutely correct. Niti Aayog has nothing to do with tabulation of data," the former finance minister added.

Responding to it, Kumar tweeted:

Therefore, it was logical for @NITIAayog to provide the platform for its release. Pronab Sen would know that MOSPI & Yojana Bhavan worked closely together.

— Rajiv Kumar  (@RajivKumar1) November 29, 2018

The CSO Wednesday released back-series data with 2011-12 as base year.

The new numbers show India's economic growth rate averaged 6.7 percent during the Congress-led UPA regime as compared to 7.3 percent under the present government. Previous numbers had put the average growth rate during the 10-year UPA rule at 7.75 percent.

In January 2015, the government moved to a new base year of 2011-12 from the earlier 2004-05 for national accounts. The base year of national accounts had been revised earlier in January 2010.

With PTI Inputs