Modi government renaming, repackaging UPA schemes: Congress

The Congress criticised the BJP-led government on Sunday for "renaming, repackaging and relaunching" programmes launched by the previous UPA government.

Criticising the Narendra Modi-led National Demorcratic Alliance (NDA) government over its social schemes like Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana, the Congress said it was nothing but "renaming, repackaging and relaunching" programmes of the UPA government.

The subterfuge and plagiaristic repackaging with which these schemes were launched, belie the Prime Minister Modi's claims that he was not launching them to "reap political benefits", Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said here in a statement.

It also belies the claim that he was not one of those "several small-time politicians who launch certain schemes to win the next election", he added.

"The fact is that the high voltage media exercise undertaken yesterday, was yet again a blatant attempt at renaming, repackaging and relaunching coupled with the now characteristic event management style of governance. It has again established the 'NAMO' style of governance i.e. 'Nothing Original-Message Only'," he said.

"Contrary to the claims, the entire exercise was aimed at credit taking by looking to be pro-people in the midst of the anti people 'Suit Boot Sarkar' image that this government has made for itself by its misdeeds and crony friendly policies," the Congress leader said.

The people of this country, however, can see through this subterfuge, he said.

"They know that the schemes are nothing but repackaged Aam Aadmi Beema Yojana (AABY), Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Beema Yojana (RGSSBY) and the Rashtriya Swasthya Beema Yojana (RSBY) schemes that the previous government launched with an aim to widen the social security net," he said.

These far-reaching schemes, ever since their launch in 2007 and 2008, benefited about five crore people (with AABY), 42 lakh (RGSSBY) and 12 crore (RSBY) and an amount of Rs.2,155 crore, Rs.327.71 crore and Rs.4,300.07 crore, respectively, have been disbursed already.

The cumulative number of individuals covered under these schemes exceeds 17 crore (6 crore families) and the amount benefiting them totals over Rs.7,800 crore, Surjewala added.

"We sincerely hope that the Modi government is not wanting to shut down these major schemes providing a security umbrella to 17 crore people of the country," he said.