Rahul promises minimum income guarantee for poor if Cong returns to power

Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced Monday that his party would ensure "minimum income guarantee" for every poor person in the country if it is voted to power in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

The announcement comes ahead of the Union Budget, the last to be presented by the Narendra Modi government before the polls due in later this year.

It also follows the NDA government's decision to give 10 per cent quota to the economically backward section in the general category.

"The Congress has decided to take a historic decision...The Congress-led government is going to give minimum income guarantee. This means, every poor person in India will have a minimum income. This means there will be no hungry, poor people in India (any longer)," Gandhi said.

He was addressing a 'Kisaan Abhaar Sammelan' here to express gratitude to Chhattisgarh's people, particularly farmers, for voting the Congress to power in the state after 15 years.

Asserting that he gets done what he says, Gandhi added the minimum income guarantee would be implemented across the country.

Later, he tweeted, "We cannot build a new India while millions of our brothers & sisters suffer the scourge of poverty."