Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday promised free treatment facilities for up to ₹10 lakh to the poor in Chhattisgarh if his party were re-elected to power in the poll-bound State.
Addressing election rallies in Rajnandgaon and Kabirdham districts, Mr. Gandhi also said that the party’s farm loan waiver promise would be approved in the first cabinet meeting of the new government like in the past, even assuring the farmers that they would get ₹3,000 per quintal for paddy, up from the existing rate of ₹2,640. He also announced that assistance amount for landless farmers would be increased from ₹7,000 to ₹10,000.
“We had promised ₹2,500 [for paddy], now it is ₹2,640. You didn’t tell us to increase it. You didn’t need to say it, we increased it. Why? Because we listen to your voice, we understand what is there in your heart. Today I am saying two things to the farmers of Chhattisgarh: today the rate of paddy is ₹2,640 and [it will] become ₹3,000 in the coming days and this will go on increasing,” he said.
