Minimum income plan money will go to bank accounts of women, says Congress

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Updated: Apr 25, 2020 07:15 IST

The Congress on Tuesday sought to clear “confusion” over the minimum income guarantee scheme that party president Rahul Gandhi has promised to implement if voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the minimum income guarantee scheme will directly benefit 20 per cent beneficiary families.

“There was some confusion yesterday. This is not a top-up scheme. All 20 per cent families will get Rs 72,000 a year. I repeat, this is not a top-up scheme,” Surjewala told a specially convened press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi.

Gandhi on Monday announced that the Congress, if voted to power in the upcoming national elections, will implement the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) across the country. He said that the government led by the Congress party will determine an income of Rs 12,000 as the line for demarcation of poverty for a family.

Also Read | ‘Final assault on poverty’: Rahul Gandhi on Rs 12K income poll promise

All the identified beneficiary families will get direct transfer of money into their accounts with a capping of Rs 72,000 a year.

A day later, Surjewala clarified that the minimum guarantee scheme is “women centric”. He said, “The Congress party will get this amount credited to the bank accounts of the women of beneficiary families.”

“This scheme will be implemented without any discrimination between the urban and rural areas. It will be implemented across the country uniformly,” Surjewala said.

Also Read | ‘Bluff announcement’: Arun Jaitley on Congress’s Rs 12K income poll promise

The announcement by Gandhi drew sharp criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Union minister Arun Jaitley called it a “bluff announcement” in his blog. Jaitley argued that the Narendra Modi government’s welfare benefits to people averaged Rs 1,06,800 annually as against Rs 72,000 promise made by Gandhi.