For 60 years Cong failed to open bank accounts of poor, now crying over cash transfer to them: Anurag Thakur

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): With Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and its leader Rahul Gandhi making repeated demands from the Central government to pay cash directly into the accounts of poor, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday took a dig at the party's first family and stated that it ruled the country for 60 years but couldn't open bank accounts for the needy. He pointed out that it was the Narendra Modi government that opened bank accounts of poor for direct transfer of funds.
"Those who speak of direct transfer of funds have ruled the country for 60 years. One family ruled for years but they couldn't get their accounts opened. Today, they speak about the transfer of funds in the accounts. It was the Modi government that did direct transfers to beneficiaries and got 40 crore Jan Dhan accounts opened," Thakur said.
While giving an account of packages and budgetary allocation as a relief to poor and industries amid lockdown, the MoS Finance commented on Rahul Gandhi's tirade over the slump in economy said, "There are people who are trying to do politics, they can do it. We want to serve the nation and will keep doing it".
The Minister of State for Finance, Thakur, said that the Modi government has transferred Rs 53,000 crore in the accounts of 43 crore people in less than one and a half months.
Starting at the beginning of this month, 20.5 crore women who are Jan Dhan account holders will get Rs 11,000 crore.
"The rest are also getting money in their accounts. For traders and businessmen and their 2.88 lakh units, Rs 18,000 crore has been sanctioned in seven days. We did what we promised and whatever is needed of us, we will do," said Thakur.
In what is seen as the first major step towards the reopening of the economy as malls and restaurants open after 75 days of lockdown, the Minister advised people to observe caution and move out only when absolutely necessary.
"We imposed the lockdown as the priority was to save lives. However, many sectors have been opened and the economy will eventually come on track soon. Temples and malls too will be opened. But I want to appeal to the people to go out only when it is absolutely necessary. They should protect themselves," added the minister.
He reiterated that work on the front of reopening industries has begun albeit with lesser manpower.
Responding to the government's decision on not announcing any new financial scheme for a year, the Minister said that the plan is to implement the already announced schemes effectively.
"We have lost two months of this financial year. If you take an example of MNREGA, we are trying that migrant labourers who have returned to their villages should get employment and more man-days. We raised the wage per day from Rs 182 to Rs 202. The budget has been increased from Rs 61,000 crore to approximately Rs 1 lakh crore, which never happened and is a historical decision," the Minister added. (ANI)