Vice-President Criticised Freebies Culture

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance 

In News

• Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar criticized the culture of “freebies” in politics, calling for a parliamentary debate on the issue. 

What are Freebies?

• There is no clear definition of what constitutes a freebie but they are goods, services, or financial aid distributed by political parties during elections to win votes, like free electricity, gas, cycles, loan waivers  and cash transfers.

Challenges and Concerns 

• Freebies put significant pressure on state budgets, leading to fiscal deficits and increasing public debt, contributing to long-term economic challenges.
• Spending on freebies reduces funding for critical sectors like infrastructure, education, and healthcare, hindering growth.
• Freebies can lead to inefficient use of resources and create dependency, without addressing the root causes of poverty.
• Competitive populism (where parties escalate freebies), reduces policy efficiency and focuses on short-term solutions instead of long-term growth.
• Focusing on freebies shifts attention away from necessary policy reforms that could improve skills, education, and job creation.
• The Constitution mandates that the State promote welfare and reduce inequalities (Article 38), but the issue arises when freebies strain state finances.

Supreme Court observations 

• The Supreme Court Bench  criticized the practice of offering freebies before elections, stating it discourages people from working and harms the labor force.
• Earlier The Supreme Court  has also acknowledged that the distribution of freebies during elections influences voters and affects the fairness of elections.

View of experts 

• Former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao criticized the freebie culture in India, highlighting its negative impact on state finances.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the culture of distributing “revris” (freebies) for votes, calling it short-term politics.

Suggestions 

• There is a need for a national policy to ensure that government investments are used effectively for the greater good. 
• There is a need for a national dialogue and code of conduct to address the freebie culture, with the Centre taking leadership.
• Targeted welfare programs are more effective than untargeted freebies, addressing the needs of those who truly require help.

Source :TH