Union minister and Republican Party of India President Ramdas Athawale has said that people will slowly get Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts, as “promised” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the 2014 General Elections, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. In his election campaign, Modi had said he would bring back black money stashed abroad, and the amount of such money was so high that it would be equivalent to each person getting Rs 15 lakh in their accounts.

The minister also accused the Reserve Bank of India of not giving the money despite being instructed. “Rs 15 lakh will not come at a single time, but will come slowly,” Athwale told reporters at Islampur in Maharashtra’s Sangli district on Monday evening.

“The government does not have so much money,” he said. “The RBI was asked for money but they are not giving...An assurance was given but there are some technical difficulties...But Narendra Modi is a very active prime minister and has reached the people on many issues.”

Athawale, the minister of state for social justice and empowerment, said he was confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance would win the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “Congress has won elections in a few states,” the minister said. “But we will defeat them in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Narendra Modi will again become prime minister.”