On November 23, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide victory in Maharashtra Assembly elections. There’s a related question - how much do such promises — mixer-grinder or cash transfers, actually influence voter behaviour? If women were to get 100 days of MNREGA employment, they would get ₹29,000 a year - more than double what they get …
While hearing a petition demanding the de-recognition of political parties that promise “irrational freebies” to voters, the Supreme Court recently drew attention to the substantial fiscal cost of freebies. Also, even if people are sitting at the top of the income distribution pyramid, you could still see something that the petitioner describes as a “freebie” as a welfare measure. But …
