Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday in Anantapur announced a basic income support scheme as a poll promise. He named it Indiramma Universal Basic Income Support. Under the scheme, a sum of Rs 5,000 per month will be transferred to every poor family in Andhra Pradesh. "It is not like Modi's guarantee. It is Congress' guarantee," he said.
The Grand Old Party met with success when it made populist promises to the voters of both Karnataka and Telangana. The party, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, is relying on the mantra of welfarism, freebies and social justice.
However, economists and alert citizens are not thrilled. Cash transfer schemes are going out of control, resulting in a huge burden on the exchequer. The promises made to the Telangana voters are yet to be fulfilled by the Revanth Reddy government. Recently, there was a talk that the schemes could be financed only if Rahul Gandhi became the Prime Minister.
Political parties are losing sight of fiscal discipline. Instead of investing in infrastructure and other areas that will have productive outcomes, they are trying to bribe voters by promising freebies.
