Mahalaxmi Scheme: Congress promises ₹1 lakh per year to poor to tackle poverty

The Indian National Congress has unveiled its party manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, which includes the introduction of the Mahalaxmi Scheme. This scheme will provide an unconditional cash transfer of ₹1 lakh per year to the poor.

According to the party, the Mahalaxmi Scheme is a moral and political responsibility of the government to ensure that every Indian family receives a basic income every month.

The scheme will target the poor families at the bottom of the income pyramid for identification.

The cash transfer will be directly deposited into the bank account of the oldest woman in the household. In cases where there is no woman present, the transfer will be made to the account of the oldest member of the family.

The implementation of the scheme will be done in phases and will be subject to annual reviews to evaluate the number of beneficiary families and its effectiveness in reducing poverty.