Numbers crunch

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma was asked during an exporters’ meet whether recent reports on the authenticity of monthly export figures were correct or not. Exports in July rose more than 80 per cent, a figure many economists and experts suggest could be incorrect. A visibly clueless Anand Sharma told reporters, “You can ask the commerce secretary. We know there is foolproof method for collecting all these data. The DGCIS is an authority that gives these figures and I know to the best of my knowledge that they are meticulous in keeping their reports.”