The freebie problem: It is not a Centre vs state issue

Both the central government and states offer freebies, but Delhi is an outlier because it has high revenues and low fiscal responsibilities

The freebies debate is going off-track. The Supreme Court is seized of the matter when it should have better things to do. Non-Bharatiya Janata Party ruled states have taken up the cudgels against the Centre for allegedly trying to restrain them from offering better welfare to their people. Some columnists have also weighed in on the side of states, even as the finance minister has raised the right issue: Why not provide for your welfarist spending in your budgets instead of leaving the question of financing “freebies” vague or by letting the deliverers of freebies go bankrupt (example, discoms)?

Let us