The Supreme Court of India has raised a sharp question about the free facilities being distributed, which are being given indirectly to get votes or with the intention of creating a vote bank of beneficiaries, that instead of bringing people into the mainstream by giving ‘reoriyas’, are we not making them ‘par-jeevi’? It would be good if the Supreme Court decides to ban these ‘reoriyas’ before the elections, considering them as bribes. However, the truth is that this free-riding has left many people of the country unable to work or they do not feel the need to work. It seems that the lack of concern for livelihood is also pushing the youth towards drugs and crime.
It is worth mentioning here that the practice of ‘free reoriyas’ for votes has been going on in India for 70 years. It was started by K. Kamaraj as the Chief Minister of Madras between 1954-1963. They had started a scheme of free education and free food for students. Well, to some extent, this should be considered a plan for a better future than freebies, but the real freebies were started in 1967 by DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, when he made promises like giving 4 kg of rice for 1 rupee in the elections. In 1980, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao implemented the scheme of giving rice for 2 rupees. The limit was reached in 1990, when on one hand, AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa made promises like giving free sarees, pressure cookers, televisions and washing machines in the elections and on the other hand, in Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal became the first in the country to give free electricity in 1997. In 2006, DMK promised to give free color TVs to the voters. In 2015, the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Delhi with the promise of free electricity and water. In 2017, the Congress came to power in Punjab with the promise of free mobile phones and other promises. In 2022, AAP came to power in Punjab and Congress in Himachal Pradesh with the promise of providing free electricity and other facilities. However, the promise of giving Rs 1000 to women every month has not been fulfilled yet. Even in Delhi, schemes of giving one bottle of liquor for free with one bottle of liquor were in the discussion.
The tragic thing is that no government that has made Punjab free has measured the depth of Punjab’s economy and how much weight it can bear. As a result, Punjab’s debt is estimated to be Rs 5 lakh 50 thousand crore by 2027. In fact, Punjab’s debt had started rising due to the expenditure of the central security forces sent to Punjab during the Punjab unrest of 1984. In 2000, Punjab had a debt of only Rs 8500 crore, which was waived by the then Punjabi Prime Minister I.K. Gujral and some installments were waived, but due to the start of freebie schemes, Punjab’s debt increased to Rs 40 thousand crore in 2006-07. In 2009-10, this debt crossed Rs 53 thousand crore. In 2014-15, this debt increased to Rs 88818 crore and in 2019-20, it increased to Rs 2 lakh 29 thousand 354 crore. In 2021-22, it increased to Rs 2 lakh 61 thousand crore and now in 2024-25, it has crossed Rs 3 lakh 53 thousand crore. It is yet to start giving free Rs 1100 to women every month.
If we talk about the real reality of Punjab at the ground level, then most of the rural and poor population is considering the free schemes of the government as the progress of Punjab. The real thinking of the people is being made dull and directionless. People are being made to give up the habit of working and become freeloaders. People are being kept away from their basic rights. Now the question arises that if such schemes and promises continue in the coming time, what will happen to the economy of Punjab? How will it come to the fore? Punjab does not have much geographical resources or minerals, on the basis of which we can hope for a good economy. Therefore, it is necessary that the people elect such a right-thinking government that firmly gives the people their basic rights and facilities, but does not intoxicate them with the opium of freeloaders. People will also have to understand that a strong economy, full employment, strong education and health facilities are the basis of a prosperous life. Therefore, if the economy of Punjab is to be saved, then constructive steps are needed to invest money in productive works, not in free schemes. It is necessary to rationalize subsidies. Otherwise, Punjab will become even more desolate.
