Puducherry CM Narayanasamy hails minimum income scheme promise

Senior Congress leader and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Tuesday hailed as 'historic' the minimum income scheme for poor families promised by party president Rahul Gandhi.

The scheme, to be implemented if the Congress was voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections, would have a final assault on poverty as it ensured Rs 72,000 annually to 20 per cent of the poorest families in the country, he told reporters here.

"It is an unparallelled and unprecedented measure announced by Gandhi and would eradicate poverty, he added.

Gandhi Monday said 20 per cent or five crore families belonging to the poorest category with monthly income less than Rs 12,000 would come under the scheme.

Narayanasamy charged the Narendra Modi-led NDA government with having "let down the poor families, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and weaker sections."