The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): The Congress party is intensifying its outreach to women voters ahead of the sixth and seventh phases of the Lok Sabha elections, planning to distribute over 40 lakh pamphlets promoting its proposed “Mahalakshmi” scheme, sources revealed. This initiative promises to provide Rs 1 lakh annually to a woman from each poor family.
In a video message last week, Sonia Gandhi emphasized that Indian women are facing difficult times due to a “severe crisis” and that the party’s ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme aims to transform their lives. “The Congress’ ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme guarantees that we will give Rs 1 lakh every year to a woman from a poor family,” she stated.
Sources confirmed that Congress is preparing to distribute over 40 lakh pamphlets, with a primary focus on the “Mahalakshmi” scheme, in constituencies across the country as the sixth and seventh phases of the elections approach.
At a rally on Saturday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi elaborated on the scheme, which the party intends to implement if the INDIA bloc comes to power. “We will make crores of lakhpatis. Under the scheme, a list of all families living below the poverty line will be created, and a woman from each family will be chosen. The INDIA bloc will then provide them with one lakh rupees per year, deposited as Rs 8,500 per month,” he explained.
Gandhi also assured that starting July 1, poor women would find Rs 8,500 deposited in their accounts on the first of every month. This promise was made based on interactions during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, where numerous women shared their hardships with him, leading to the conception of the Mahalakshmi scheme.
The ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme is one of the main five guarantees promised by Congress. According to the party’s manifesto, “The Congress resolves to launch the Mahalakshmi scheme to provide Rs 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be identified among the families at the bottom of the income pyramid.”
The sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled for May 25, with the seventh and final phase on June 1. Votes will be counted on June 4.