New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday strongly criticized the growing trend of political parties announcing freebies ahead of elections, stating that such handouts were discouraging people from working.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, while hearing a case on the right to shelter for homeless persons in urban areas, made sharp observations on the impact of free rations and financial assistance.
“Unfortunately, because of these freebies… people are not willing to work. They are getting free rations. They are getting amounts without doing any work,” Justice Gavai remarked during the hearing.
The bench further emphasized that while concerns for the underprivileged were valid, welfare measures should focus on integrating people into the workforce rather than fostering dependency. “We quite appreciate your concern for them, but would it not be better to make them a part of the mainstream of society and permit them to contribute to the development of the nation?” the court observed.
In response, Attorney General R Venkataramani informed the bench that the central government was in the final stages of implementing an urban poverty alleviation mission. The initiative aims to address multiple concerns, including providing shelter for the urban homeless.
