With the Lok Sabha election coming up close, the Congress party has unveiled the revival of its NYAY scheme, the flagship initiative from its 2019 manifesto. They declared that, if elected, the party would allocate Rs 1 lakh annually to every woman in impoverished families. They have also pledged to implement 50 percent reservation for women in new appointments within the central government.
NYAY, also known as Nyuntam Aay Yojana, stood out as the centerpiece of the Congress’s 2019 election manifesto. It pledged a guaranteed annual cash transfer of Rs 72,000 to “five crore families, constituting the poorest 20 per cent of all families.” The manifesto specified that the funds would preferably be deposited into the bank account of a female member of the household, either existing or encouraged to be opened for this purpose.
Addressing a women’s rally in Maharashtra’s Dhule on Wednesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, unveiled five “Mahila Nyay” assurances. The initial commitment, known as the Mahalakshmi guarantee, aimed to provide Rs 1 lakh to one woman from every economically disadvantaged family. However, Congress did not disclose the total financial impact of this pledge or the projected number of families it would encompass.
When questioned about the number of families that would benefit from the initiative, TS Singh Deo, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and convenor of the Congress manifesto committee said, “We are awaiting the Government of India to conduct the Census. Once the government completes this task, we will proceed to identify the eligible women. While there are figures provided by various organizations, they are not consistent. Therefore, it will require a coordinated effort by the government.”
He stated, “One figure puts it (the number of poor families) at 6 or 7 per cent. Another puts it at 12 per cent, yet another puts it at 15-16 per cent. The government has not gone ahead with the Census. The only figures we have is that of the 2011 Census… But that is not an issue. It is a goal that is to be achieved and it will be done.”
The 2019 manifesto of the Congress party outlined that the projected cost of its NYAY initiative would exceed 1 percent of the GDP in the initial year and surpass 2 percent of the GDP starting from the second year. It also emphasized that as the nominal GDP expands and families transition out of poverty, the expenditure would decrease relative to the GDP.
Among the additional commitments made under the “Mahila Nyay” initiative announced on Wednesday was a pledge of “aadhi aabadi, poora haq” — ensuring 50 percent reservation for women in new appointments within the central government. Deo clarified that this pledge could be executed through “executive orders.” He emphasized that job reservation is not a matter governed by the Constitution.
Another significant commitment was to double the Centre’s contribution to the salaries of Anganwadi, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist), and mid-day meal scheme workers.
Congress’s guarantees were labeled as “pathar ki lakeer” (set in stone) instead of “jumla” by Kharge.
The party further made a promise to appoint a legal assistant in every panchayat to educate women about their rights and offer necessary assistance. It also promised to construct at least one working women’s hostel in every district headquarters nationwide, to be named after the esteemed social reformer, Savitribai Phule.