Congress' 'final assault on poverty' a bluff: Arun Jaitley

He called the Congress president's announcement a total bluff.

"They promised a farm loan waiver of Rs. 72,000 in 2008, but gave away only Rs. 52,000. A Comptroller and Auditor General report later found that Delhi businessmen ended up getting most of the money," he said at a press conference.

Trying to woo the voters 17 days ahead of the Lok Sabha Election 2019, Rahul Gandhi came out with a Rs. 72,000 minimum income scheme for all poor people of the country.

Gandhi said his party will implement the scheme if voted to power in the upcoming polls.

What is the scheme?

The scheme, which has been worked out by former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, has marked Rs. 12,000 per month as the "minimum income line".

Any poor but working person, who has an income of less than Rs. 12,000 per month, will be helped by the scheme to touch the "minimum income line". Once the person's income naturally becomes Rs. 12,000 per month, the scheme will automatically cease to work.

What Rahul Gandhi said about the scheme?

Claiming the scheme as fiscally feasible, Gandhi said: "The scheme will eradicate poverty in the country. This is the final assault on poverty."

"Today is a historical day," the Congress president said.

Gandhi said the scheme will benefit 25 crore people in the country.

When will the General Election begin?

The first phase of the Lok Sabha election will begin on Apr 11. The election will continue in seven phases till May 19.

The poll results will be declared on May 23.