New Delhi:Unveiling the details of the proposed minimum income guarantee (MIG) scheme of the Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said under the scheme, Rs 72,000 per annum will be deposited in the accounts of the poorest 20 per cent families of the country if the party comes to power.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Gandhi said, “under the minimum income guarantee scheme ‘Nyay’, Congress will give Rs 72,000 per annum to the the poorest 20 per cent families if they come to power.’’

Calling it a path-breaking scheme, Rahul said, “5 crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world.’’

He said there’s no such scheme in entire world. He said minimum income line to be fixed would be Rs 12,000 per month. Suppose if someone’s income is Rs. 6,000 per month, the government will give balance amount of Rs. 6,000 per month to that family. When that family starts earning minimum income of Rs. 12,000 per month out of this scheme, the government will stop sending money.

Rahul said poorest families will otherwise be not able to come out of poverty if their income remain below Rs. 12,000 per month. This will eradicate poverty completely. He said the first step to remove poverty was MGNREGA. The next step will be NYAY.

NYAY is doable, we will adhere to fiscal discipline: Chidambaram

Welcoming the announcement by Congress president Rahul Gandhi that poorest 20 per cent families in the country will get Rs 72000 per annum under the proposed minimum income guarantee scheme if the Congress come to power, senior party leader and former finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that the scheme is ‘doable’.

In a series of tweets, Mr Chidambaram said, ‘’Happy that Congress President announced NYAY. In other words, every family in the poorest 20 per cent will be given an income support of Rs 6000 a month.

’’We have consulted economists, this is doable, and we will adhere to fiscal discipline.’’

Reacting to Mr Jaitley terming it as ‘a bluff announcement’, mr Chidambaram said, ‘Dear FM, We have announced NYAY for the poorest 5 crore families. Do you SUPPORT it or OPPOSE it? Look forward to a straight answer.’