The poor of India have the first charge on the resources of the country. Congress will find the resources to implem… https://t.co/AGrJsSDFfv — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) 1548677561000

Ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi promises minimum income to poor

RAIPUR: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised to implement nationwide minimum income for the poor if voted to power in May, in what was seen as the latest populist gambit to woo voters after the party swept to power in three states largely on the back of a promise for farm loan waiver “It’s going to be historic. Congress has decided to provide a guaranteed minimum income to the poor in all states. The poor will get a minimum income directly in their bank accounts. This scheme will be the first of its kind in the world as no other country has come up with such a decision so far,” he said at a farmers’ rally organised to mark the implementation of the loan waiver promise which helped Congress defeat BJP in Chhattisgarh.“Nobody will remain hungry and nobody will remain poor as all poor people will be entitled to a guaranteed income. We will do this in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and all other states as well. All you have to do is to give us an opportunity,” Rahul said. The Congress chief, however, did not disclose details of the scheme.Rahul’s announcement was followed by former finance minister P Chidambaram’s comment that the party president’s promise was feasible and resources could be found for the plan: something which pointed to consultations on the issue among the Congress brass.Rahul’s promise comes against the backdrop of speculation that the Narendra Modi government could roll out universal basic income scheme in Friday’s interim budget to calm angry farmers and attract popular support in the lead up to the Lok Sabha elections. The buzz which started after the PM ruled out a countrywide farm loan waiver has gained traction because of the government’s refusal to rule out the possibility of Piyush Goyal restricting himself to an interim budget on Friday: something which led many to think Rahul’s dramatic promise could be a pre-emptive strike mean to steal the government’s “populist thunder”.However, the initial response of official sources suggested that the promise of guaranteed minimum income may not be part of the February 1 package. Even as BJP dismissed Rahul’s announcement as a gimmick, official sources said Congress had borrowed the idea from the Economic Survey of 2016-17.“It has since remained on the table because you cannot find resources for a guaranteed income support without doing away with subsidies on food, fertilisers and kerosene. A rollback of government assistance on healthcare, education and employment generation will also become necessary. Else, the fiscal deficit will be in double digits, sparking runaway inflation. Is Congress ready for that?” asked a senior government functionary, adding that Congress needed to spell out where it was going to find resources from. Economists seemed to share the concern of repercussions for fiscal deficit and the negative spinoffs for inflation.“They have so far followed a rights-based approach. What they are talking now marks a negation of that stance,” one of them said. Farm distress and anger over jobs are two dominant themes that Rahul has been flagging and the latest statement is aimed at throwing the challenge to Modi.During its stint, the Congress-led UPA had enacted the employment guarantee law, promising 100 days employment to the poor. “Now, Congress has decided to implement this (guaranteed minimum income) scheme after its government comes to power at the Centre in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” Rahul said.Rahul’s comments were immediately lapped up by his party colleagues. “The poor of India have the first charge on the resources of the country. Congress will find the resources to implement the promise of Rahul Gandhi,” Chidambaram tweeted.“Assuring minimum guaranteed income will result in reducing the growing income disparity. This will put the poor in the country at the centre of socio-economic policies and governance of the country,” said Bhalchandra Mungekar, economist and member of the Congress manifesto committee. Rahul said Congress walked the talk, pointing out how the Congress government in Chhattisgarh waived short-term farm loans within a day of assuming office when the party had promised to waive agri loans within 10 days of coming to power.“Why didn’t the BJP government waive farm loans? The Modi government said it didn’t have the funds. But BJP and its government have enough money to write off loans of Rs 3.5 lakh crore to 15-odd industrialists and extend benefit of Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani-owned company in Rafale deal. Truth is, there is no dearth of funds but the BJP government’s priority was different,” Rahul said.The Congress chief also accused the BJP government of trying to dilute the law for fair compensation to land owners in acquisition cases, and seeking to “push these ill-intended amendments through BJP-ruled states”.