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A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for Banking Exams 2025 is part of Banking Exams preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the Banking Exams exam syllabus. Information about A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for Banking Exams 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.

Solutions for A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for Banking Exams. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for Banking Exams Exam by signing up for free.

Here you can find the meaning of A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice A passage has been given below. Few words and sentences have been highlighted to help you answer some of the questions. Read the same carefully and answer the questions that follow:Concern over ‘freebies’ in Indian politics has recently been expressed by those in the highest offices in the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bundelkhand Expressway (Uttar Pradesh) on July 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned youth not to get carried away by the ‘revari culture’, where votes are sought by promising freebies. He hit out at the Opposition parties for offering freebies and said that this was dangerous and harmful to the development of the country.these distort the electoral process (P)/ Days later, a Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (Q)/ irrational freebies’ by claiming that (R)/ N.V. Ramana, heard a public interest litigation in (S)/ which the petitioner argued against the promise of (T).It has been reported that during the hearing, the Chief Justice of India remarked that ‘freebies were a serious issue and asked the Central government to take a stand on the need to control the announcement of ‘freebies’ by political parties during election campaigns. The Court also suggested that the Finance Commission could be involved to look into the matter and propose solutions.The discussion on the demerits of freebies distributed to the public as a result of election promises is not new in India. However, there is often confusion on what constitutes ‘freebies’, with several services that the Government provides to meet its constitutional obligations towards citizens also being clubbed in this category.The basic argument is that these are a waste of resources and place a burden on already stressed fiscal resources. In such discussions, ‘freebies’ not only include the free distribution of what may be considered ‘club goods’ such as televisions and gold chains but also welfare schemes such as free or subsidized rations under the Public Distribution System (PDS), cooked meals under the midday meal scheme, supplementary nutrition through anganwadis, and work provided through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).But can these expenditures by the Government be considered ‘freebies’, as many commentators seem to do? For instance, is the distribution of free food-grain during a pandemic that devastated lives and livelihoods at a time when godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had over 100million tonnes of rice and wheat a ‘freebie’? The Prime Minister and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have repeatedly campaigned about the Government implementing the ‘world’s largest food security programme’ by distributing free food-grain, through the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna Yojana (PMGKAY) to around80 crore ration card holders. The PMGKAY is probably what kept many away from the brink of starvation during the novel coronavirus pandemic. If anything, it can be argued that coverage under the PMGKAY must be expanded to include non-ration card holders as well, as there are many who are excluded from ration lists but are in need of subsidized or free food-grains. Even before the COVID19 pandemic, there have been studies which showed the poverty reducing effect of the PDS. Subsidized food-grains distributed under the PDS not only contribute to ensuring basic food security but also act as an implicit income transfer allowing the poor to afford commodities that they otherwise could not. Further, the PDS also plays an important role in our country where public procurement at minimum support prices (MSPs) is one of the main instruments of support to farmers. The PDS allows food-grains to be available for cheap for consumers while assuring remunerative prices to farmers.Q. Which of the following is/are necessary for India's freebies schemes to succeed?a) including supplementary nutrition through anganwadisb) providing cooked meals under the midday meal schemec) curbing the distribution of club goodsa)Only a and bb)Only b and cc)Only a and cd)All a, b, and ce)None of the aboveCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice Banking Exams tests.