'Guarantee schemes not for tax payers, should focus on the poor': Congress leader B K Hariprasad

"There is nothing wrong in removing rich people from receiving these benefits," Hariprasad said.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad on Thursday said the state government can remove affluent people from the beneficiary list of the five guarantee schemes.

"I have been suggesting to the state government that it should not give benefits of guarantee schemes to income tax payers. Instead, these schemes should focus only on the poor," he told reporters here.

Hariprasad, who is also the Congress National General Secretary, said that the Union Government already removed gas subsidy benefits to taxpayers. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi too called for rich people to give up gas subsidy benefits, he added.

"There is nothing wrong in removing rich people from receiving these benefits. The purpose of announcing guarantee schemes was to uplift the poor and help them economically. The government should focus on the welfare of the poor and give whatever benefits are available to them," he said.