Rahul Gandhi promises Rs 72,000 per annum to poor families

New Delhi: Leaning on welfare economics in a bid to return to power in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Monday announced its ambitious minimum income guarantee scheme or Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay), under which 20 per cent of the poorest families in India would be given an income support of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 per annum, benefiting about five crore households, or about 25 crore family members.

The scheme would be a part of the Congress manifesto which will be released on April 2 here.

“The time for change has come,” said Congress president Rahul Gandhi as he announced the scheme after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

“The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country,” he said, adding each family that earns less than Rs 12,000 per month would be compensated with a maximum of up to Rs 6,000 per month.

The money would be transferred to the bank account of a woman family member.

Nyay is likely to entail an annual expenditure of Rs 360,000 crore.