Do new schemes ahead of elections amount to ‘voter bribes’?

On November 23, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide victory in Maharashtra Assembly elections. Among several reasons cited for this victory are the implementation of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana — a direct benefit transfer programme introduced by the Maharashtra government in July 2024 – four months ahead of the polls. The scheme, much like its Madhya Pradesh counterpart, which was also introduced ahead of the Assembly elections there, aims to provide monthly financial assistance of ₹1,500 to poor women between the ages of 21 and 65 whose incomes are less than ₹2.5 lakh annually. Critics say such schemes amount to bribing voters and giving the incumbent government an unfair advantage. Here we discuss the issue.  Guests: Reetika Khera, a development economist working on social policy in India and a professor of economics at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; Vikas Rawal, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University Host: Kunal Shankar Edited by Jude Francis Weston