Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has taken a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s newly announced PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, referring to it as “Rs 1 lakh crore jumla – Season 2.” In his Independence Day address, PM Modi unveiled the scheme, which promises the creation of 3.5 crore jobs over the next two years. Under this initiative, youth securing their first job in the private sector would receive ₹15,000, while the employing companies would be provided with incentives.

The total outlay of the scheme stands at ₹99,446 crore, and it aims to support job creation between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027. Notably, 1.92 crore of the projected beneficiaries are expected to be first-time entrants into the workforce.

Responding to this announcement, Gandhi shared a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a recycled promise. “Rs 1 lakh crore jumla – Season 2! Even after 11 years, Modi ji is repeating the same old slogans and memorized figures,” he remarked. Gandhi pointed out that a similar promise was made last year involving internships worth ₹1 lakh crore, but the outcome was underwhelming.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also referenced a parliamentary query he raised recently, in which the government admitted that fewer than 10,000 internships were provided under the earlier initiative. He claimed that the stipend offered was so minimal that 90% of youth declined participation. “Modi ji has run out of new ideas. This government will not provide jobs—only slogans,” Gandhi concluded.

Additionally, Gandhi attached a screenshot of his Lok Sabha question along with the official response from Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra, further fueling his criticism.