scorecardresearch
Thursday, July 31, 2025
TopicFreebies

Topic: Freebies

BJP govt in Delhi will have to deal with an impending revenue deficit. The promised freebies won’t help

Delhi has historically been in revenue surplus, but last 2 years have seen a deceleration. Subsidies & cash transfers may escalate the deficit, unless accompanied by a hike in revenues.

SubscriberWrites: India’s electoral democracy caught in cobweb of freebies & cash transfer

The focus on freebies and cash transfers has led to policy paralysis, as parties prioritize short-term electoral gains over long-term policy planning.

SubscriberWrites: Slogans, Promises and Freebies

The balance between aspirations and reality in modern India.

Middle class is addicted to Modi. Slowing growth, stalled reform & oppressive taxes don’t matter

Indian middle class seethes at growing phenomenon of political parties taking their tax money and spraying it among the more numerous poorer classes to buy their votes.

Indian political parties’ focus on women, cows & freebies, and Mukesh Ambani’s data centre ambitions

Global media also took note of the railway accident in Maharashtra, writing about safety of train travel in India, as well as the reality of the economic downturn in the country.

There’s a new ‘ism’ in town. Left, Right & Centre are losing to it

In the new world, the only idea that cuts across enough vote banks is populism. Its beauty, charm and success lies in its ease of use, in how little it demands from your head or heart.

Dashing through the snow, in a freebie-laden sleigh & packaged food for thought

The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

SubscriberWrites: Electoral optics and economy

Political parties must learn to differentiate between welfare schemes and freebies; while welfare schemes positively impact lives, non-merit freebies are not a fair practice.

Maharashtra, Jharkhand results show freebie strategy works. How this may impact states’ finances

While economists warn politicians against making excessive promises, they acknowledge the value of welfare schemes—provided states remain within their financial limits.

On Camera

Govt’s earlier FDI limit of 74% in insurance sector has remained underutilised, Parliament told

In the latest budget, the FDI limit was increased to 100 percent, but most foreign companies are not buying such large stakes in the Indian insurance sector.

India to get last of Spain-built C-295 next month, focus now on 1st India-made aircraft

New Delhi: The last of the C-295 transport aircraft that is replacing the ageing Avro fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be...

Modi’s Bharat vs Indira’s India: 11-yr report card of politics, diplomacy, economy, nationalism

As Narendra Modi becomes India’s second-longest consecutively serving Prime Minister, we look at how he compares with Indira Gandhi across four key dimensions.