Political parties in India are increasingly competing to win votes by promising welfare benefits. But do they sway voters? And have handouts come at the expense of development and investment in public goods?
National elections will not reach India’s capital until the end of May, but Sunita Devi already knows who she will vote for. Sitting in her neighbor’s kitchen in a South Delhi suburb, she pointed to a bag of rice, on the front of which is emblazoned a photo of incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“He is doing a good job,” explained the 45-year-old. The rice, part of a welfare scheme that provides free grains to nearly 60% of India’s citizens, is one of just many handouts that Devi and her neighbor receive from Modi’s government.
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About the author
Catherine Davison
Catherine Davison is an independent journalist based in Delhi, India, writing on issues at the intersection of health, gender, and the environment.
