New Delhi:The Supreme Court came down hard Thursday morning on state governments’ practice of pre-election handouts, or ‘freebiess’. In a series of strong statements the court demanded to know how states planned to fund actual development if they continued offering free food and free electricity.
A proposal from poll-bound Tamil Nadu’s government – to provide free electricity to its customers, irrespective of financial status – was the trigger for scathing remarks on states spending crores on subsidies while running into budgetary deficits and complaining about a lack of money for development.
The indiscriminate distribution of ‘freebies’, particularly for those could afford to pay for utilities and services, the court warned, had created a culture that seems to reward not working.
The court also asked the state government to explain why this scheme had been announced “at the last minute”, leaving power distribution companies scrambling to adjust tariffs and budget calculations.
“What kind of culture are we developing pan-India?” Chief Justice Surya Kant said, “If you start giving free food from the morning… then a free cycle… then free electricity… and now we are reaching a stage where we transfer cash into people’s account directly…imagine.”
“It is understandable to provide, as part of a welfare system, for those who cannot pay. But if you distribute without distinction between those who can afford and those who can’t…”