Irresistible offer or false promise: Congress's NYAY scheme evokes mixed response

Rishipal, 35, who sells vegetables on a cart, gives thumbs up to Rahul Gandhi's offer of paying poor families Rs 6,000. " Taxi driver Monu, however, is not convinced about the minimum income guarantee scheme of the Congress.

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Matto, 65, lives in a hut on the outskirts of Chandigarh. A resident of Muzzafarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, Matto and her husband moved to Parol village near Chandigarh eight years ago in search of better opportunities.

Her husband works as a labourer in a brick kiln where he gets Rs 270 as daily wage. But, with no vision in one eye and inability to walk without assistance, Matto is now struggling to make ends meet.

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The 65-year-old says despite having an Aadhar card, she has not been able to avail benefits of old age and disability pension in Punjab.

Now the release of Congress manifesto, which focuses on a minimum income guarantee scheme NYAY, has rekindled Matto's hopes of a fixed monthly income.

"Mai baith kar roti kha lungi. Muje Rahul Gandhi par yakin hai Modi bekar hai kuch nahi kiya (Now, I will be able to eat comfortably. I trust Rahul Gandhi. Modi did not do anything for me)," an emotional Matto says on NYAY.

45-year-old Satish who works as an ear cleaner

Satish, 45, works as an ear cleaner. He lives in a rented accommodation in Mullanpur with his six children and earns a meagre Rs 350 a day. Satish says he knows these doles are part of the electoral process but calls the Congress offer irresistible. "Political parties forget promises made during elections. Nobody cares about the poor. But this Congress offer is good," Satish tells India Today TV.

Rishipal, the 35-year-old vegetable seller

Rishipal, 35, who sells vegetables on a cart, gives thumbs up to Rahul Gandhi's offer of paying poor families Rs 6,000. "Rs 500 by Modi will not serve any purpose. It is not enough to feed children," Rishipal says.

Mukesh, 22, agrees with Rishipal. A chaat seller, the 22-year-old says the minimum income guarantee scheme will supplement his monthly income of Rs 8,000. "This is a good scheme. I will be able to pay my house rent from this added income," Mukesh says.

Taxi driver Monu, however, is not convinced about the minimum income guarantee scheme of the Congress. "Neither Modi nor Rahul Gandhi can control the rising prices. I do not believe Congress will pay Rs 6,000 to poor," says Monu who lives with his parents at Khuda Lahaura in Chandigarh.

He doesn't shy away from praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "PM Modi not only made the nation strong but also the Indian Army," he adds.

For youngsters Atul and Sonu Kumar, the scheme is a mixed bag. They believe the Congress promise will not see the light of day. "Congress did nothing for the poor during its regime. Modi took five years to understand the system. Now we can expect vikas. Nobody is like him," says Sonu Kumar, who works as a driver and earns up to Rs 12,000 a month.

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On the other hand, development experts believe that merely indulging in competitive populism and doles will not benefit the poor or the nation.

The minimum income guarantee scheme may help the poor to arrange food besides other needs but they should be skilled to supplement this income, says professor Pramod Kumar, Director, Institute for Development and Communication.

Professor Pramod Kumar adds, "This country needs to build a social security and safety net to integrate the poor into the system in a productive manner."

The professor adds that one-time doles will not work towards a healthy systematic change. "The need is to build the capacity of the system to provide skills, education by way of income support to the poor so that they are able to attain skills," Kumar adds.