Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday, 29 April, described the party's proposed minimum income guarantee scheme as "diesel for the engine" of the Indian economy.
Gandhi promised to give government jobs to 22 lakh youths in one year, make 10 lakh recruitment in panchayats and said no farmer will be jailed for not repaying loan, if the Congress is voted to power.
Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan's Dholpur district, Gandhi said the Congress will deposit Rs 3.60 lakh in bank accounts of five crore women in five years unlike Narendra Modi who, he alleged, opened bank accounts of people, but did not deposit a single penny in them.
"I am not here to lie. Our NYAY scheme will jumpstart the economy. It will be a diesel for the Indian economy. We will deposit Rs 3.60 lakh in five years in bank accounts of five crore women," he said in the rally held in Sepau town here.
The Congress has promised to give an annual income support of Rs 72,000 to poor families under the 'NYAY' scheme.
He claimed that unemployment is highest in 45 years and 22 lakh government jobs are lying vacant.
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"We will fill the vacancy in one year after coming to power," Gandhi said.
Gandhi said the prime minister's promise to deposit Rs 15 lakh in bank account of every person of the country was a "lie and was not possible".
He said the Congress discussed with top economists and prepared the 'NYAY' scheme as it "wanted to give money to poor families" without affecting the economy.
"After consultation with economists, P Chidambaram wrote a figure of Rs 72,000 on a paper and gave it to me. Rs 72,000 to 25 crore people in one year. Rs 3.60 lakh can be credited in poor people's bank accounts in five years and we are going to do that. We will deposit this in women's accounts," Gandhi said.
He said the scheme will not only help the poor but also jumpstart the Indian economy.
Gandhi said, "Modiji gives crores of rupees to 15 top industrialists like Anil Ambani, Mehul Choksi, but we will help poors".
The public money will be used in improving public infrastructure. New hospitals, schools, colleges will be set up and free medicines will be provided to people. Dholpur, along with 11 seats in Rajasthan, will go to polls on May 6. Thirteen seats of the state are voting Monday.
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