Cash transfers to women are spreading, but will they fix the problems?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Cash transfers to women have become a staple pre-election promise across India. The latest battleground is Delhi, where all three major parties have pledged direct payouts to women ahead of the assembly elections.
Even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite its broader opposition to the “freebies" culture, has joined the fray—offering cash handouts in an election that saw it return to power after 27 years. Read this | The battle for Delhi: It is Kejriwal’s suvidha vs Modi’s vikas But even before before Delhi, at least 13 states, spanning diverse political landscapes, have already implemented similar schemes—many rolled out just before elections. If the upcoming BJP government in Delhi keeps its promise, it will join Telangana and Jharkhand in offering the highest monthly payout of ₹2,500.
The rising participation of women in the electoral process could partly explain this rush among political parties. The last two Lok Sabha elections saw higher turnout among women voters than among male voters. By some accounts, pre-poll promises of cash transfers to women may have played a key role in bringing the ruling parties back to power.
Read this | Why political parties are breaking the bank to win over women voters While some criticize the schemes for their adverse impact on states’ fiscal math, economists also feel they offer greater agency to women and can help tide over past-pandemic livelihood crises. However, it is a short-term solution. “A judicious mix of basic income (cash transfers) and participation income (income earned through participating in economic activity) is crucial for sustainable economic growth," said Lekha Chakraborty, a professor at the National Institute of Public
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