Vice President Dhankhar proposes national policy on freebies, advocates direct farm subsidies

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has called for a national policy on freebies, emphasising the need for a structured debate on the issue in the house. Dhankhar stressed that investments must be targeted and yield desired results, terming freebies a “very serious issue” that has become a recent political phenomenon during election times.

“This House needs to deliberate on placatory mechanisms and appeasement, often referred to as freebies. The country’s growth relies heavily on the availability of capital expenditure (capex). However, the electoral process has led to these freebies becoming allurements to voters. Consequently, governments that come to power find themselves in an uncomfortable position, prompting them to reconsider their stance.”

Addressing members during Zero Hour, Dhankhar highlighted the need for a national policy to ensure that government investments are utilised effectively for the greater good. He also advocated for direct subsidies without intermediaries, citing the example of the US, where farmers receive direct subsidies, resulting in higher average incomes compared to general households.

“In the US, which has one fifth the farm households we have, an average farm household income is more than that of the general income household because farmers are given direct subsidy,” he said.

The Vice President also pointed out the lack of uniformity in perks and perquisites given to lawmakers across states. He emphasised that legislation can address this issue, ensuring high-quality investments and benefiting politicians, governments, and executives alike.

“Our Constitution established the legislature, MPs, and MLAs, but lacked a uniform mechanism. Consequently, legislatures in several states provide perks and salaries to Assembly members that far exceed those of Parliament members. Moreover, the pension variation for former assembly members differs significantly, with some states offering pensions ten times higher than others. For instance, if one state offers a pension of one rupee, another state may offer ten times that amount. Since legislation can address these issues, it will ultimately benefit politicians, the government, the executive, and ensure high-quality investments.”