Rahul Gandhi Promises Rs 1 lakh Per Year to ‘Poor Women’ if Congress Comes to Power

Mumbai: A day after promising sops for the tribals, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday announced ‘Mahila Nyay Guarantee’ schemes for women, which include Rs one lakh annually for the poor women and 50 per cent reservation in government jobs if his party is voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a women’s rally in Maharashtra’s Dhule district as part of his ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ Gandhi announced that Rs one lakh will be deposited annually into the bank accounts of poor women.

“Our guarantees are not like what the Modi government promises and fails to deliver. We will not conduct any survey, we will directly deposit Rs one lakh annually in the bank accounts of poor women,” the Congress leader said.

Gandhi also said that the Congress government will give 50 per cent of reservations in government jobs for all women. He promised that the government’s share in the budget for ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers and women working in anganwadis (government-run women and child care centres) and in mid-day meal schemes would be doubled.

Saying that Maharashtra is the land of social reformers like Savitribai Phule, the Wayanad Congress MP announced the government will build at least one Savitribai hostel for working women at district headquarters in her honour. The number of such hostels across the country will be doubled, he added.

Gandhi also said that a nodal officer would be appointed to educate women about their rights and help in the fight for their cases.

“In the last 10 years of the Narendra Modi-government, the womenfolk have got nothing. Their troubles have mounted because of price rise, unemployment, security and safety,” he added.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was in New Delhi, announced the names of the guarantees in a video message.

The five assurances under the ‘Nari Nyay Guarantee’ are named as Mahalaxmi scheme (Rs one lakh to poor women), Aadhi Aabadi Pura Hakk (50 per cent reservation for women in government jobs), Shakti Ka Sammaan (government’s contribution doubled to the monthly income of Anganwadi, ASHA and midday meal workers), Adhikar Maitri (appointment of a nodal officer in every district) and Savitribai Phule hostel (at least one hostel for working women at district headquarters).

“Half the population, full rights: Half of all new recruitments in the central government will be reserved for women,” said a tweet by Congress.