Chidambaram Accuses BJP Government of Plagiarizing Congress’s Employment-Linked Incentive Scheme
New Delhi, 23rd July 2024: Shortly after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the first Union Budget of the Modi 3.0 administration, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram criticized the BJP-led NDA government for allegedly adopting ideas from the Congress’s 2024 Lok Sabha manifesto.
“I am pleased to see that the Honorable Finance Minister has reviewed the Congress Manifesto for the 2024 elections following the election results,” Chidambaram remarked.
Referring to the Employment-linked Incentive (ELI) detailed in the Congress manifesto, Chidambaram said, “It is encouraging to see that the Finance Minister has essentially incorporated the Employment-linked Incentive (ELI) found on page 30 of our manifesto. Additionally, the introduction of an Apprenticeship scheme, including an allowance for each apprentice as outlined on page 11, is also noteworthy.”
Chidambaram expressed a wish that other ideas from the Congress manifesto had been included, noting, “I will soon highlight the opportunities that have been overlooked.”
On the government’s move to eliminate the angel tax for investors, Chidambaram stated, “I am pleased to learn about the removal of the Angel Tax, a request the Congress has long supported, most recently mentioned on page 31 of our manifesto.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticized the BJP-led NDA government, accusing them of drawing inspiration from the INC’s Nyay Patra 2024. In a post on X, Ramesh said, “The Finance Minister’s internship program seems to have borrowed elements from the INC’s proposed Apprenticeship Program, previously known as Pehli Naukri Pakki. However, the current scheme appears designed more for media attention, with arbitrary targets of 1 crore internships, rather than providing a comprehensive guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates as envisioned by the Indian National Congress.”
