FM took leaf out of our Nyay Patra with its internship programme: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has taken a leaf out of its 2024 Lok Sabha polls manifesto by announcing an internship programme but "in their trademark style", the scheme has been designed to "grab headlines with arbitrary targets" rather than a programmatic guarantee.

In the Union Budget of 2024-25, Sitharaman announced that the government will launch a scheme to provide internship opportunities to 1 crore youth in 500 top companies over five years.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Finance Minister has taken a leaf out of the INC's Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship program clearly modelled on the INC's proposed Apprenticeship Program that was called Pehli Naukri Pakki."

"However, in their trademark style, the scheme has been designed to grab headlines, with arbitrary targets (1 crore internships) rather than a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, like the Indian National Congre