Minimum guaranteed income Bill passed in Rajasthan Assembly

PTI

Jaipur, July 21

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.

As per 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. The pension payable shall be increased at the rate of 15 per cent per annum from FY 2024-25.

The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023, was passed by voice vote in the Assembly.

Replying to the debate on the Bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal told the House that the state government is providing a comprehensive package of essential services for the welfare of the state’s residents.

The benefits include free and subsidised electricity, gas cylinders, agri inputs, universal health coverage and free food packets for the purpose of reducing overall household expenditure, he said.

In addition to the above, the government has brought a Bill wherein entitlement-based social security is stipulated to support individuals and/or households of the state with an additional income, the minister said.

“Implementation of different provisions of this Bill shall be taken care of by the regular budgetary allocation. However, an additional expenditure of Rs 2,500 crore per year is anticipated and this additional expenditure may increase with time,” Dhariwal said.

As per the aims and objectives of the Bill, every adult person residing in the rural areas of the state shall have a right to get guaranteed employment for 125 days i.e an additional 25 days per year on completion of maximum days of work prescribed by the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (100 days), and to receive minimum wages for it.

Besides, every adult person residing in urban areas of the state shall also have a right to guaranteed employment for at least 125 days in a financial year and will receive minimum wages for it.

All eligible senior citizens, specially-abled persons, widows or single women shall be entitled to a pension under this Bill as may be prescribed.

The pension payable shall be increased at the rate of 15 per cent per annum from FY 2024-25.

Earlier, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot released a video message and said that Rajasthan will be the first state in the country to have such a scheme.

“The state government’s efforts have not fallen short in any field and has tried to provide good governance,” Gehlot said.

Rajasthan is continuously progressing in the field of social security, he added.

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