Decoding Long-Term Impact of Freebies on State Finances

The original version of the article was published on 27th April 2022 in “The Daily Guardian”

Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann pitching free electricity plan in Punjab. Source: The Hans India
Free electricity to farmers was also promised by the BJP in the 2022 UP elections keeping in mind the rising anti-farmer image the party seemed to have inculcated. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Punjab State Government has been in debt since a long time, at present accounting to Rs 3 lakh crores with GSNP of 2021–22 standing at approx. Source: Al Jazeera English
To appease women, in the 2022 state elections AAP promised a Rs 1000 monthly allowance to all women above 18 years of age. Source: Al Jazeera English
Tamil Nadu’s public debt has exceeded Rs 2,00,000 crores in 2015–16. West Bengal has doubled its outstanding state liability in excess of Rs 3,00,000 crores over the last five years. Source: Al Jazeera English
In Tamil Nadu elections, parties have gone as far as to promise mixers and grinders, TV sets, laptops for students to appease voters. Source: Al Jazeera English

Shreya Maskara/New Delhi

Contributing reports by Damini Mehta, Senior Research Associate at Polstrat and Abhinav Nain, Kaustav Dass, Nehla Salil, Pavitra Singh, Interns at Polstrat.

From Polstrat, a non-partisan political consultancy which aims to shift the narrative of political discourse in the country from a problem-centric to a solutions-oriented approach.

Read more about Polstrat here. Follow us on Medium to keep up to date with Indian politics.

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Polstrat is a political consultancy aiming to shift the narrative of political discourse in the country from a problem-centric to a solutions-oriented approach.

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Polstrat

Polstrat is a political consultancy aiming to shift the narrative of political discourse in the country from a problem-centric to a solutions-oriented approach.