Wrong to call welfare schemes ‘freebies’ : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Wrong to call welfare schemes ‘freebies’

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Pioneer (19-08-2022)

(State governments must work for the welfare of the poor, for their empowerment and providing them with basic amenities-Editor)

Delivering the Independence Day address at the Historical Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) criticized the Center for insulting States’ welfare schemes by labelling them as ‘freebies’. He added that public welfare is the foremost responsibility of the government and hence Center’s remarks are highly objectionable.

Disagreeing vehemently with the Center’s concept of freebies, KCR said that it also amounts to weakening the nation’s cooperative federal spirit and running down welfare schemes of States. Centre, which is supposed to fulfill that social responsibility, has done miserably over a period, observed KCR.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remark on ‘revdi culture’ perhaps is at the center of CM KCR’s observations similar to some of his counterparts in the country. According to Modi, attempts are being made in the country to bring a culture of garnering votes by distributing revdis, a sweet popular in North India, distributed during festivals, which is very dangerous for the development of the country.

Criticizing some opposition parties for engaging in the politics of freebies, the PM said that they are obstacles to India’s efforts to become self-reliant while also being a burden on taxpayers. Notwithstanding this, the Independence Day was celebrated across the country with several chief ministers making a slew of welfare scheme announcements and countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘revdi culture’ remark.

Unfortunately, PM Modi seems to have failed to take into account that social welfare schemes that subsidize the populace are a universal phenomenon now and, in a democracy, these are but natural. For instance, in the USA, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the largest federal nutrition assistance program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people.

Similarly, the Singapore Government provides financial aid to any family making less than $1,900 a month, besides providing aid in other forms such as making education more affordable, tax exemptions for impoverished families and more affordable housing. Its system of social security is based on enabling self-reliance, supported by strong family and social networks. These are a few examples only. Would these fit into the concept of freebies?

We defined our country as a welfare state, which is a form of government in which the state protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of the citizens, based on the principles of equal opportunity and equitable distribution of wealth. The welfare state is a way of governing in which the state or an established group of social institutions provides basic economic security to its citizens.

By definition, in a welfare state, the government is responsible for the individual and social welfare of its citizens. A fundamental feature of the welfare state is social insurance and social security. This is exactly or perhaps even more as envisaged in the definition of a welfare state. Welfare encompasses those government programs that provide benefits and economic assistance to no or low-income people living in Telangana.

Welfare programs of Government of Telangana aims to improve the quality of life and living standards of the poor and underprivileged. People are able to stand on their own feet with an assured monthly or annual income making them prosperous. KCR’s preference is social insurance. It may sound a bit philosophical, but the schemes conceived and being implemented by the KCR Government takes care of every stage of a human being’s life true to the saying caring from ‘cradle to grave’. 

In the letter and spirit of the welfare state, the Telangana Government implements a number of welfare programs. To name a few identified priority areas of welfare of Telangana Government, there is Kalyan Laxmi, Shadi Mubarak, Aasara pensions, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, Sheep distribution, Fish breeding, Free Double bedroom houses, Residential school education, Dalit Bandhu, etc.

Despite spending huge amounts on these schemes, Telangana has emerged financially strong in the country. The Government’s top priority has been to extend a real helping hand to the needy, helpless and poorest of the poor strata and accordingly, welfare programs were conceived and implemented. The Aasara Pensions, aimed at providing security to life, are being given to every poverty-stricken individual, identifying them either as old or widow or single woman or a beedi worker or a handloom worker or an old age artist or a filarial affected person or AIIDS patient or for that matter any one below the poverty line.

This social security pension scheme is now extended to 10 lakh new beneficiaries from August 15 for a total of 46 lakh beneficiaries. Should this be called a freebie or a social security measure?

The large-scale distribution of sheep substantially enhanced the livestock wealth of Golla and Kurumas communities. The investment support scheme for agriculture, the Rythu Bandhu meant for providing financial assistance to farmer towards crop investment enthused the hearts of farmers. These are not freebies but welfare aimed at social security for the poor farmer.

The Dalit Bandhu Scheme, yet another welfare measure, is bound to change the life and financial status of Dalits in Telangana forever. In the long run, it will become a model policy for other states to emulate. It will herald a sea change in the lives of Dalits and will become torchbearer for Dalits elsewhere in the country.

The Telangana Dalit Bandhu Scheme would help Dalits to define their own development and become partners in the development. This is certainly not a freebie but by all means a social security measure.

Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities, enabling them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights.

CM KCR is laying a strong foundation for future generations’ prosperity and making all sections of the society become economically self-reliant. Why call them freebies?

In a democratic society like India, people have several hopes, purposes, aspirations, ambitions, desires, requirements, passions, problems, needs and so on. People from time to time elect the party, which in their view will fulfill their needs. The contesting parties make promises in the form of election manifestos keeping in view the people’s welfare in focus.

Voters consider them and choose a particular party and elect it to power. The Government thus elected by them to keep their promises has to initiate and implement a number of welfare programs and they cannot be dubbed as freebies. Unfortunately, most of the parties after coming to power fail to keep up their promises. In the case of KCR, he has not only fulfilled all the promises and even gone beyond though not mentioned in the election manifesto.

CM KCR firmly believes that mere growth has no meaning and even legitimacy, if the deprived sections of the society are left behind. Inclusive growth should not only ensure a broad flow of benefits and economic opportunities, but also encompass empowerment and participation. And hence it’s all public welfare, please don’t call them freebies, Modiji.

(The author is Chief Public Relations Officer to Chief Minister, Telangana.)