#Budget2019: FactChecker.in debunks Finance Minister Piyush Goyal’s false claims

As Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented Interim Budget of the NDA government on Friday, FactChecker.in contested several claims made by the Finance Minister and debunked many of them on Twitter.

FactChecker.in is an initiative of The Spending and Policy Research Foundation which verifies the claims made by those in public life. It has been certified by the International Fact-Checking Network, a unit of the Poynter Institute.

Here’re some of the major Finance Minister Piyush Goyal’s claims made during his budget speech, debunked by FactChecker.in:

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

Claim: 1.53 crore (15.3 million) houses constructed.

Fact: As of December 2018, at least 3.65 million houses were constructed under PMAY, according to government data. Of these, 1.25 million were constructed in urban areas whereas 2.4 million in rural areas.

Foreign Direct Investment

Claim: India could attract massive amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the last five years- as much as $239 billion.

Fact: True. But the rate of growth of FDI inflows have declined from 25 percent in 2014-15 and 23 percent in 2015-16 to eight percent in 2016-17 and one percent in 2017-18.

Distribution of LED Bulbs

Claim: At least 143 crore (1.43 billion) bulbs distributed that will save Rs 50,000 crore.

Fact: Till date, 32.3 crore (323 million) LED bulbs have been distributed, as per official records.

Swachh Bharat Mission

Claim: Mindset change achieved.

Fact: In 2018, 40 percent households with a toilet, according to a SQUAT Survey, had at least one member who defecated in the open

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

Claim: Over one crore (10 million) youth being trained to help them earn a livelihood.

Fact: Between July 2016 to 30 November 2018, under PM’s Skill Development Programme (second edition) as many as 3.6 million or 36 percent of the target had enrolled and 3.39 million (34 percent) had been trained. In the first edition, between July 2015 to and June 2016, 1.9 million were trained, as per government data.

The first edition was severely criticised for several shortcomings including low level of placements, low quality of training and inflated training numbers.

Mobile Manufacturing Units

Claim: Under Make in India initiative, mobiles and part manufacturing companies have increased from two to 268, providing huge job opportunities.

Fact: As of August 2018, there were 127 mobile manufacturing units in the country, the government told Lok Sabha citing information provided by the Indian Cellular Association.

Similarly, FactChecker.in stated that Finance Minister’s claim that all unmanned level crossings on broad gauge network of railways have been completely eliminated, is partially true.