Rs 72,000/ year: Rahul Gandhi promises minimum income guarantee if Congress voted to power at Centre

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced that if voted to power, his party's government will give Rs 72,000  to families whose income is less than Rs 12,000 a month. 

Announcing what he touted as the world's first such scheme, Mr Gandhi said, "Congress party promises that India's 20%, most poor families will get yearly Rs 72,000 in their bank accounts under minimum basic income guarantee scheme."

"Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world," he added. 

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi has announced that if elected to power, 5 crore poorest families will receive Rs 72,000 a year. This Minimum Income Guarantee will be the final assault on poverty," the party announced on its Twitter handle. 

"If a family's income is less than Rs 12,000 per month, we will take it to Rs 12,000," Mr Gandhi announced.

Last week, while launching the Congress's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls at a rally in Uttarakhand, Gandhi said everyone earning below a certain level would be given a guaranteed minimum income, which would go straight into the accounts of the beneficiaries.

He added that India would be the first country in the world to introduce a scheme like this if the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power.

The seven-phased Lok Sabha polls will be held from April 11 to May 19 and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 23.

(With PTI inputs)