The sop list is fairly exhaustive. They include free electricity for up to 125 units a month, Rs 25,000 each to over 10,000 ‘Vikas Mitras’ who work among SC and ST people for the purchase of tablets, Rs 10,000 each to more than 30,000 educators working among the Backward Classes and minorities, increased pension to senior citizens and unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 per month
Government freebies are raining cats and dogs in Bihar which will elect a new legislative Assembly in two months. The NDA government in power in the state for the last 10 years has suddenly realised that it owes a lot to the people; Bihar’s longest serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in power in the state for the last 20 years with a brief interregnum of 278 days, has suddenly turned a visionary leader, presenting schemes of financial aid for almost every section of the people.
The sop list is fairly exhaustive. They include free electricity for up to 125 units a month, Rs 25,000 each to over 10,000 ‘Vikas Mitras’ who work among SC and ST people for the purchase of tablets, Rs 10,000 each to more than 30,000 educators working among the Backward Classes and minorities, increased pension to senior citizens and unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 per month.
And the trophy goes to the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana which provides Rs 10,000 each to 75 lakh women “entrepreneurs” as the first instalment which will later be increased to Rs 2 lakh.
It was launched by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who would otherwise miss no chance to run down ‘revdi’ or handout culture.
There is no dearth of government schemes for the poor and the marginalised in India but the benefits envisaged under them seldom reach the intended beneficiaries. It is the primary job of the government to identify the leakage points and plug them. But that calls for political will, administrative acumen and some basic respect and concern for the people; it is easier to distribute money to the voters under some projects ahead of the elections.
The Election Commission of India which moves heaven and earth to ensure free and fair elections in the country has every reason to look the other way since the model code of conduct will come into force only after it issues the election notification. The very expectations of fair electioneering will fall into a bottomless pit if this charade of freebies aimed at purchasing votes is not ended. It is as much the job of the election commission as that of the political parties.
