PM Modi sparks debate on politics of freebies. Here's what data says on subsidies, fiscal deficit

Even as PM Modi attacks freebie culture in politics, his government is estimated to run up the second highest subsidy bill in India's history, after the highest in 2020-21 also under him. Whose giveaways are revdis, and whose vitamin pills? Shekhar Gupta decodes the data in episode 1130 of #cuttheclutter
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[isbedi]

I believe we should differentiate between “Revadis” to financial down persons ( like subsidies based on income ) AND blanket free to everyone ( like free electricity to everyone in punjab).
Not sure why we don’t mention this . Even in USA people get cash payments like food stamps instead of subsidies but it’s for poor people . They can’t be called Revadis.

[ajitshukla]

Very good analysis however, pm is the whistle blower here and we have only scrutinized the messenger. It would have been great to scrutinize AAP for which this debate has started in the first place.

[nitinpareek]

Shekhar sir you yourself answered the question when you confirmed that subsidy started increasing after pandemic..

[VarunJainafmc]

Would have liked if the episode also focused on the quality of subsidies being provided. A more productive way of understanding the topic.

[prathammehta]

Shekhar, you cannot possibly compare ‘x’ amount of free units of electricity offered to households by AAP and free grain distribution by the BJP (aimed at the the poorest). One can be looked as vanity, while the other one is a necessity.

[aryan_]

I disagree, in a pandemic you can’t expect to not give subsidies . People would have starved and they have made a more efficient way to transfer without red tapism

[urdaddy]

Without context, data is useless. Do you think food subsidy to below poverty is same as Congress bringing back old pension schemes, AAP giving free electricity to every Delhiite or Punjab doing the same for farmers who use it to grow paddy which is completely unsuitable for Punjab soil

[saikaushikpuvvada]

AP has been a victim of these freebie schemes. Please do a video on AP and the current dire situation we are in. I would like for my fellow citizens from the state to understand the consequences of these freebies by Tuglak.

[akashshrivastava]

Free food to survive is not same as giving free electricity to all middle class to watch Big Boss 🤣

[nv]

Freebies during COVID made sense. West distributed money or had furlough scheme and most countries are facing inflation due to this.

Most of the freebies given during covid usually goes waste as we have one the world's largest wastage due storage.

[VarunStream]

Once a 'Darabari Journalist' always a 'Darbari Journalist'. Aaj kal Modi-bashing ka kitna milta hai? 2024 tak aur kitni Mercedes ban jayengi janab? Aur kitne ghar? Btw, you left out the biggest freebie: UPI. It's a GOI platform - free to use. It has revolutionised financial exchange in the entire nation. And the world has seen nothing like it before. Damn this Modi. Kitna zalim aadmi hai.

[prajakt]

Kejriwal's logic is simple a person born in the country must have basic survival amenities whoever it may be. Is it that hard to understand.

[_GMP_]

BJP subsidies are not seen by public
It won't get them any votes
Even after spending many lakh crores

[aseemrises]

Shekhar sir, is there a continuation of this CTC as the data for other political parties freebies was missing. So we can compare apples to apples. Also would be keen to see if you could share data of other countries fiscal deficits in the same timframe.

[avinashtadi]

Good episode. Please do one episode on this freebies from Andhra Pradesh state. It’s Out of hands

[libshastra]

Well, you can’t blame Modi govt for the pandemic. You have to give it to you to them they tried to bring subsidies down to 1% of GDP.

The question we should asking which revdis are investments and which ones are freebies?

[sankalp]

India offers very limited political choices for right-libertarians. The BJP's slow progress on economic reforms is frustrating, while INC, AAP, and many regionals are running toward Sri Lanka. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu (despite all his faults and corruption allegations) was the only market reformist at the state level (unfortunately, he is unlikely to ever make a comeback). Vajpayee never got time to cement his first-term gains.

[sudoxersudoku]

UPA fiscal deficit was 4.8% and year was 2013-14, Indian intellectuals selectively pick data. next year was Modi rule when it came down to 4.1.

[pranavrathi]

Tell me what present Delhi govt has done on major infra projects. Sheila Dixit did but the kejriwal govt hasn't. This will cause no problem now but in coming 10 years when there will be no major changes.
Kejriwal spends more on ad that the central govt spends especially in FY 2021-22.

[mitsubishi]

Can someone here pls tell if centre can do something to stop disasterous old pension scheme from getting implemented, states have only notified yet not implemented