In what is tipped to be a game-changer ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on 28 January announced the party’s plans to implement a minimum income guarantee for the poor, if voted to power. He also tweeted:
He left the details of the plan to the manifesto, including the fixed amount that the poor will receive, the financial implications et al, though NDTV quoted Congress sources saying that the party could promise an income of Rs 1,500 to Rs1,800 for individuals under a certain economic level.
Naturally, it sparked an intense debate on Twitter. Questions were asked, doubts were raised...
And calculations were made, all on Twitter.
What The Scheme Could Mean
There were some expert comments too underlining what the Minimum Income Guarantee scheme could mean for India. PIL lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan explained how it could be done. “It could be done by extending MNREGA to all adults & for 150days/yr. You guarantee half yr employment at minimum wages. Also universal pension at half min wages for elderly (sic),” he explained.
He also said the funds could be raised by removing corporate exemptions and existing wasteful subsidies.
Data journalism non-profit organisation IndiaSpend also put out a thread explaining the concept.
Economist Rupa Subramanya opined that if the scheme doesn’t replace other welfare schemes, it will be expensive just like the Universal Basic Income.
Since many accused the Congress of stealing Modi’s Universal Basic Income idea, a lot of Twitter users began explaining the differences between Minimum Income Guarantee and Universal Basic Income.
A key issue regarding Minimum Income Guarantee scheme that emerged was automation and job losses.
Will Congress Gain From The Scheme In The LS Polls?
Many Twitter users also argued this move will definitely help Congress gain a lot of goodwill in the upcoming elections. The delivery of the promise is secondary, one Twitter user seemed to think. Another commented that Rahul is one step ahead of Modi in setting the agenda.
Many from the Twitter world were hopeful of the scheme.
There were a lot of haters as well as takers for the Minimum Income Guarantee scheme on Twitter. But no one could ignore the idea and its repercussions on the Lok Sabha polls as well as the country.
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