Travesty of basic income

It would be wonderful to have a genuine basic income scheme for the country. Thus far, all we have are travesties of the idea

Universal basic income (UBI) has entered India’s public lexicon and political debate. The term has been used to describe various schemes: Rythu Bandhu in Telangana, the Modi government’s handout to small farmers in its recent interim budget, and Rahul Gandhi’s promise of a handout to all poor people. Since I presented a detailed proposal for a UBI in my recent book (India’s Long Road, Penguin India, 2016), and in my article in Indian Journal of Human Development [2017, Vol. 11(2)], I could be forgiven for feeling a sense of satisfaction. However, that is not my reaction; I am disappointed, even