Rahul Gandhi promises Rs 72,000 per year to 25 crore poor people if Congress voted to power

Addressing a press conference at New Delhi, the Congress president said that if the grand old party was voted to power in the 2019 general elections, they wont leave any stone turned to eradicate poverty from the nation.

Rahul Gandhi (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: In the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday came up with possibly his biggest pre-poll claim by giving a gist of his party's minimum income scheme for benefiting the poor of the nation. Addressing a press conference at New Delhi, the Congress president said that if the grand old party is voted to power in the 2019 general elections, they won't leave any stone unturned to eradicate poverty from the nation. Gandhi added it would be a first of sorts in India's political history, that a Union government shall provide Rs 72,000 per annum to the 20 per cent poorest families in the country. Gandhi said that the party had worked out the financial details as to how to fund the scheme. He termed as the scheme as the Second MGNREGA. The Congress chief exuded confidence that the scheme was bound to benefit five crore poor families and 25 crore people in all. "It is fiscally possible. We have been studying the scheme for four-five months. We committed to the MGNREGA, we delivered MGNREGA ... now we will ensure justice for the poor," said Rahul Gandhi. He also described it as an "extremely powerful, dynamic, well-thought-through idea." "Final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country," he said. "It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme," he said. "People have suffered in the last five years and we are going to give justice to them," he added. He said the scheme will supplement income of those earning Rs 12,000 per month. "The minimum income line is Rs 12,000. Those who have income less than Rs 12,000 we will top up (their income)," he said. "Today is a historic day.. It is on this day that the Congress party launched its final assault on poverty. 5 Crore of the poorest families in India, will receive Rs. 72,000 Per Year #NyayForIndia is our dream & our pledge. The time for change has come," Gandhi tweeted. Gandhi announced the scheme on a day the election process formally took off as candidates for the first round of polling filed their papers. Hours before the press conference, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top policy-making body had met.