New Delhi: NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Monday said the Congress president Rahul Gandhi has promised scheme of minimum income guarantee without thinking of its impact on the economy.
He said that the scheme if implemented will take the country “four steps backward.” “In 2008, P Chidamabaram took fiscal deficit from 2.5 per cent to 6 per cent. It is the next step in that pattern. Rahul Gandhi made the announcement without thinking of its impact on the economy. We will go back four steps as an economy due to this scheme,” Kumar told ANI.
“I think maybe the fiscal deficit will go up from 3.5 per cent to six per cent. All the credit rating agencies will bring down our ratings. We will not get loans from outside. Eventually, our investments will be blocked,” he said. “It is an old pattern followed by the Congress. They say and do anything to win elections. Poverty was removed in 1966. One Rank, One Pension was later implemented. Everyone received proper education under the Right to Education Act,” he said.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that it is like a ‘false dream’ shown to the people of India. “This showing of a false dream to the people of India, is not going to cut any ice because the Congress’ record of 55 years has always been anti-poor,” said Prasad. “Rahul Gandhi announced the Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme. Indira Gandhi had raised slogan of ‘Gareebi Hatao’ in 1971. We thought poverty had been removed but nothing happened,” said Prasad.
BJP leader Tom Vadakkan said Rahul has made a promise that cannot be delivered. “When asked from where the money will come for this scheme, Rahul Gandhi went clueless. The point here is that he shouldn’t make promises that cannot be delivered,” said Vadakkan.
