Politics in India is increasingly getting self-centered and dynasties have already begun ruling the roost – starting of course with the Nehru family and progressing into very many dynasties across states today. True to their character, public interests matter little to the dynasties, though this was not true of the Nehru family. Doles are announced left and right by selfish regional satraps to grab power and remain in power. The doles being extended to the poor for their sustenance or a help to them to build a dwelling are of one category, which serves a major social purpose. No nation or government can ignore their plight. No amount of support to them is unjustified.
But, the new-age rulers in various states are going further. So did the UPA-II by extending subsidized rations to the BPL families. Crores of families have benefited from this, but this did not translate into votes for the Congress-led alliance in the 2014 parliament polls and the rival BJP was swept to power. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik is smiling through repeated terms in power by virtue of the one-rupee-a-kilo rice ration scheme for the large army of poor in the state. Now, Telangana’s chief minister Chandrashekar Rao is set to implement an election promise of giving over Rs 3,000 as dole every month to every unemployed youth in the state — its employment exchange itself having a backlog of 10 lakh jobless people, and the PSC having a list of 28 lakh people seeking jobs. The huge burden on the exchequer by giving them a dole of this size can only be surmised. He is principally playing vote bank politics to sustain his family in power for more terms.
Governments extending doles set apart huge sums in their budget for such indulgences. Public money for which they have been given control of is not for squandering. They must use it wisely. The other grim side of this splurge with motivated self-interest is a nurturing of a generation of lazy people. The youths who get a dole of over Rs 3,000 a month for free can mostly be trusted to sit back and do no work for the rest of their lives. A nation cannot grow if its productive forces are allowed a holiday. The free or subsidized ration schemes in Odisha first and across the country later have already done huge damage. Instead of the people giving their mite to the nation and its growth, the nation is paying them pocket money and free ration – all for votes. A shameful scenario, this!
