Poorest 20% Families To Get Rs 72K Per Year: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised to transfer Rs 72,000 per annum directly into the bank accounts of the poorest in the country under the minimum basic income guarantee scheme if his party forms the government at the Centre.

Addressing a press conference here to outline details of the scheme, Rahul said they have analysed the financial aspects of the programme and found it “doable”.

He said the amount will be transferred in phases into bank accounts of the poorest 20 per cent in the country. It will begin under a pilot scheme. “If Prime Minister Narendra Modi can give money to the richest of the country, the Congress will pay the poorest in the country,” he said.

The CWC meet on Monday is said to have discussed contents of the manifesto in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress move is being seen as an attempt to blunt any advantage the ruling BJP might have got with the PM-Kisan scheme that assures Rs 6,000 per annum per family engaged in the farm sector.

More details are awaited.