It is unfortunate that a hornet's nest has been stirred over the contentious issue of doling out freebies at election time by political parties, in the hope hope of luring voters and seeking their votes. We have seen this happening in every election, and Goa is no exception , where hard cash continues to flow, along with freebies of household gadgets and appliances. This is probably what our Prime Minister Narendra Modi refers to as 'revadi' culture, that needs to be stopped, as it is detrimental to the state's financial health. However, we have the manifestos of political parties promising free water, free electricity up to a certain number of units, free education and a host of healthcare and welfare schemes for women and the poor. These are found to be necessary by some political parties, and therefore cannot be categorised as 'freebies' or bribes. A line has therefore to be drawn between freebies and welfare schemes. Surprisingly, even welfare schemes promised in the manifestos can turn out to be a financial burden and loss for the state.
