Amid coronavirus pandemic, Rahul Gandhi urges Centre to implement MGNREGA, NYAY

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said it is necessary to implement a scheme like MGNREGA and the party-proposed minimum income guarantee scheme NYAY to help those suffering due to unemployment in cities and the poor across the country.

The Congress has been urging the government to scale up the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and expand its scope to meet the growing work demand in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

Gandhi asserted that implementing the two schemes would also be beneficial for the economy.

"It is necessary to implement a scheme like MGNREGA for those suffering due to unemployment in cities, and the NYAY scheme for the poor people across the country," the former Congress chief tweeted.

It will also be very beneficial for the economy, he said.

"Will the suit-boot-loot government be able to understand the pain of the poor?" Gandhi said.

He also shared a graph showing an increase in MGNREGA demand.

During the lockdown period in the wake of the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Congress repeatedly demanded that the government should deposit a sum of Rs 7,500 in all Jan Dhan accounts, all pension accounts and all PM-Kisan accounts to help the poor and vulnerable tide over the crisis.

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had proposed, and promised to implement the NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) scheme if voted to power.