Women hit hardest due by inflation, says Congress' Ragini Nayak

New Delhi, May 16 (PTI) Inflation has hit the country's women the hardest, the Congress' Ragini Nayak said on Thursday.

People have "thali (plate)" but not food, they have vehicles but not fuel, and they have degrees but not jobs, the Congress spokesperson said during a press conference at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters.

"If anyone has been hit the hardest by inflation, it is the women of this country. Under the 'Mahalakshmi' scheme, we will give Rs 1 lakh annually to every woman from poor families. As soon as the Congress and the INDIA bloc government is formed, an amount of Rs 8,500 will reach the accounts of our sisters, daughters and mothers from July 1," Nayak said.

To provide full rights to women, who make up half the country's population, they will get 50 per cent reservation in fresh recruitment drives conducted by the central government, she added.

The country is staring at the highest inflation in 35 years, unemployment is at its highest in 45 years, the rupee has suffered the biggest fall in 75 years, Nayak alleged.

She further claimed that the price of an LPG cylinder was Rs 414 in May 2014 but rose to Rs 1,103 in July 2023. Petrol, which was available for Rs 72 per litre in 2014, has reached Rs 95 per litre.

"Through 'Pehli Naukri Pakki', every educated youngster will be given Rs 1 lakh annually through apprenticeships. We will give legal status to MSP (minimum support price) for farmers. While respecting labour, we will increase the national minimum wage for labourers to Rs 400 per day," she said.

The BJP government has imposed GST on everything, from food items such as milk, curd, cheese, buttermilk to everyday essentials. Ironically, there is a 5 per cent GST on hospital beds and 1.5 per cent on diamonds, she claimed.

"The cost of hospital treatment has increased 71.6 per cent and medicines by about 55 per cent in the last eight years. If you eat food from outside, at a cart, kiosk or hotel, the expenditure has increased by about 55 per cent. Bus fare has increased by about 54 per cent," she said.

Polling for Delhi's seven Lok Sabha will be held in the sixth phase on May 25. PTI NIT SZM