The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticized the practice of announcing freebies before elections, stating that such measures were discouraging people from seeking employment as they were receiving free rations and financial aid without working.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih made these observations while hearing a case related to the right to shelter for homeless individuals in urban areas.
Justice Gavai remarked, “Unfortunately, due to these freebies, people are reluctant to work. They are receiving free rations and monetary benefits without any labor.”
Expressing concern over the issue, the bench further stated, “While we appreciate your concern for them, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to integrate them into mainstream society and enable them to contribute to national development?”
Attorney General R Venkataramani informed the court that the central government was in the process of finalizing an urban poverty alleviation mission aimed at addressing multiple concerns, including housing provisions for the urban homeless.
The bench directed the Attorney General to obtain information from the Centre regarding the timeline for the implementation of the urban poverty alleviation mission.
The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing on the matter for six weeks later.