Both incumbent Congress & its main rival BJP are offering host of freebies. Some voters have welcomed the move, others say it is only aimed at elections.
While the courts and media come down heavily on this culture, political parties continue to announce freebies. They do this under the pretext of promising a ‘welfare state’.
In its ‘Sankalp Patra’ for Rajasthan, BJP commits to develop Jaipur as ‘Smart City’, increase pensions for elderly & specially-abled and ensure MSP for millets.
Madhya Pradesh BJP has put its eggs in Ladli Behana Yojana basket, while Congress is waiting for Model Code of Conduct to 'handcuff' Shivraj govt before it opens its 'chest' of promises.
Subsidies are here to stay. Worryingly, subsidy expenditure will likely increase as Indian politicians try to meet a wider set of aspirations through more diverse freebies.
Next round of state elections will see more welfare promises. However, these freebies may be offered at the cost of investment in infrastructure required for a modernising economy.
Rajasthan’s finances show its revenue is relatively strong & it is becoming more independent of the Centre. Prioritising social sector over capex is not necessarily bad, say experts.
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.
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