Sir,
I would like to analyse and highlight the significance of Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme promised by Rahul Gandhi the prime ministerial candidate of Indian National Congress. To start with ,it is neither desirable nor feasible to guarantee any kind of income without doing any economic activity. We can offer an employment guarantee scheme,but can’t offer minimum income guarantee scheme, because we will need extra money for payment of minimum income in the form of financial aid to all those who are eligible for the same. It will lead to inflation followed by economic depression in the country. Consequently, there will general unemployment among the deserving persons in the country. It will further curtail investment which in turn will lead to low productivity and less production of goods and services in the country. Ultimately, Indian economy will be pushed back as an underdeveloped and poor country. The people getting money under the proposed scheme will stop doing any economic activity, rather they would prefer rest. In this way, the proposed scheme is totally useless, uneconomic, and destructive in nature.
However, there are many other alternative schemes to be considered in favour the poor people of our country. We can improve and expand the scope of MG-NERGA to make it more meaningful and productive. There is scope for soil and water conservation through Integrated Watershed Development Programmes so that the poor people may get socially useful employment. Moreover, the skill development program already in operation can also be used to minimise poverty. Instead of offering financial alms to the poor people,they should be encouraged by offering subsidies on agricultural and industrial inputs. Hence, the proposed minimum income guarantee scheme if is totally against the principles of economic development and needs to be condemned by all. But at the same time we should not have any objection to the scheme it is going to be financed privately by the concerned leaders or party funds.
O P Sharma
Bagnoti, Nowshera
Follow our WhatsApp channel