AICC Secretary Sanjay Dutt Friday said the NYAY scheme conceptualised by the Congress would be of "big help to empower the poor."
The NYAY scheme is "aimed at empowering the poor by guaranteeing minimum income of Rs 72,000 per annum" if the Congress was voted to power in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Dutt who is in charge of the party's affairs in Puducherry told reporters here.
He said the NYAY scheme like the MGNREA "is intended to empower poor families and the amount of Rs 6,000 per month would be credited to the account of the woman member in the family."
When his attention was drawn to the criticism of the scheme by union Minister Nitin Gadkari that it was "a political gimmick", the Congress leader said there was a saying that "a man suffering from jaundice would see everything yellow. Those who criticise the NYAY are only against the poor and protectors of affluent persons."
The Congress leader also charged the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre with "having failed the farmers, the unemployed youth and betrayed women as atrocities against them have been on the rise."
He said the Congress nominee for the Lok Sabha seat in Puducherry V Vaithilingam had a "proven track record of performance as he had been Chief Minister of Puducherry for two terms and a legislator here for a long time."
Justifying the demand for statehood for Puducherry, Dutt said when smaller states had been granted it, "why should the centre deny this to Puducherry and deprive the people of benefits of development."
Dutt also alleged there was "a silent conspiracy between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and AINRC leader N Rangasamy" to stall the implementation of welfare schemes the Congress government here had evolved.
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and senior PCC leader A Namassivayam were also present.
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