Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday announced five ”Mahila Nyay” guarantees, including Rs 1 lakh annually into the bank accounts of poor women and 50 per cent reservation in government jobs if his party is voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a women’s rally in Maharashtra’s Dhule district as part of his ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, Gandhi also promised that the central government share in the budget for women working as ASHA, anganwadi workers and those in mid-day meal schemes would be doubled.
A nodal officer would be appointed to educate women about their rights and fight their cases, he said. The Savitribai Phule hostels will be set up for women in every district of the country, Gandhi said.
Before Gandhi’s speech, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in a video statement said the ‘Mahalaxmi’ guarantee envisages depositing Rs 1 lakh directly in the bank accounts of poor women annually. He said ”Aadhi Aabadi Pura Hakk”, which means 50 per cent quota for women in government jobs.
The Congress guarantees were ”pathar ki lakeer” and not a ”jumla”, Kharge said.
