Rajasthan bill on minimum income brought with eye on assembly polls: Mayawati

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Mayawati on Sunday lashed out at the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, saying the minimum guaranteed income bill passed by it is aimed at serving its «political interest» ahead of assembly polls. The Rajasthan Assembly on Friday passed a bill to provide minimum guaranteed income to all adult citizens as part of a welfare package for the state.

«The Gehlot government kept sleeping like 'Kumbhakarna' throughout its tenure and remained embroiled in internal political upheavals, otherwise many works related to public welfare, poverty, unemployment, backwardness could have been started by the government much earlier in public interest,» she said. «The announcement of minimum guarantee income scheme by the Congress government in Rajasthan before the assembly elections is less of public interest and more of a decision stemming from political interest.

Due to this, it is difficult for the poor people to get immediate relief. Is it appropriate to spend huge amount of government money only on publicity?» the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

According to the Bill, some beneficiaries will receive guaranteed employment at minimum wage for at least 125 days per financial year. Other beneficiaries such as senior citizens, specially-abled persons, widows and single women shall be entitled to a pension under the Bill.