Welfare policy and Modi 2.0 | The Indian Express

Welfare policy and Modi 2.0 | The Indian Express

Written by Yamini Aiyar |Updated: June 8, 2019 7:16:38 am

The writer is president and CEO, Centre for Policy Research

Welfare policy and Modi 2.0

Welfare in Modi’s first term was about grand announcements and ambitious targets. The real challenge of building a high quality 21st century welfare state awaits.

The effectiveness of welfare policy under Modi 2.0 will rest on how it navigates this terrain to invest in building state capacity. (Illustration: CR Sasikumar)

Housing, sanitation, gas connections (Ujjwala), direct benefit transfers (DBT), income support (PM-Kisan) — contrary to early indications, the Narendra Modi government’s first term proved to be far more welfarist than was expected of a government that campaigned on the slogan of minimum government. With the benefit of hindsight, many pundits now argue that it is this medley of schemes that convinced voters to give the Modi government a resounding encore. Regardless of the many mysteries of the Indian voter, there is no argument that these schemes will remain the hallmark of Modi 1.0.