There are more than 22 lakh women in Himachal as per the 2011 Census. Task becomes all the more daunting as hill state suffered loss of Rs 9,000 crore due to rains in July-August.
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.
While bond yields tend to fall amid low inflation & interest rate cuts, market experts say they’ve been rising due to concerns over tax collections, fiscal deficit & potential impact of US tariffs.
A panel of experts moderated by ThePrint’s Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta drew connections between insights of 1965 Indo-Pak War and strategic takeaways highlighted by Op Sindoor.
In its toughest time in decades because of floods, Punjab would’ve expected PM Modi to visit. If he has the time for a Bihar tour, why not a short visit to next-door Punjab?
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