GV PAN Thousands of people wait. (2 SHOTS)
GV Rajiv Gandhi, son Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, arrives.
SCU Man waits.
SV Rajiv Gandhi hands gift to woman.
SV Man makes chair with gift of tools.
SV PAN Rajiv Gandhi hands over gift.
SV Woman using weaving machine.
SV Rajiv Gandhi hands out more gifts.

(1.20)
PD/JRS

Background: Some 40,000 of India's poor people gathered at the Ram Lila ground in New Delhi on January 4 for a public ceremony during which loans of cash and tools were distributed.The loans, financed by public sector banks, form part of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's 20-point plan for economic recovery.Mrs Gandhi's son Rajiv, a Member of Parliament and general secretary of the Congress (I) Party, handed out some of the loans.Items included sewing and knitting machines and sets of tools for joiners and cobblers.Two opposition political parties, the Lok Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), called the plan a misuse of public money.They said it was politically motivated to attract poor voters in the next general election.Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Secretary of the BJP, questioned whether all loan recipients had satisfied the banks' standard rules of qualification.