Subhadra Yojana: Unfortunate if Scheme Becomes Consumption Expenditure Extravaganza

Subhadra Yojana of the Odisha Government, launched with great enthusiasm, though carefully designed to avoid resources going to ineligible persons, would, unfortunately, have only a marginal impact on improving the state’s economic growth if it is perceived and implemented basically as a populist and consumption-oriented extravaganza at a huge annual cost of almost Rs 11000 crores for five consecutive years. No doubt it has been an act of faith by the government of the Bharatiya Janata Party that had made a promise to the women voters during electioneering. It is difficult to say how at the end of the day, the bulk of the huge amount of public money would be spent. It would be unfortunate if it was on avoidable consumables. Since the entire amount would be through a DBT arrangement to the Bank accounts of the beneficiaries, there is of course little room for pilferage.

The political strategy could have been to win the support of the women voters of the state who were supposedly behind the Biju Janata Dal for over two decades. It may have been a political necessity for the Bhartiya Janata Party to win their support with a more attractive programme. However, long-term benefits would only accrue if the Subhadra Scheme is fine-tuned and made to act as a sustainable economic thrust. 

Government have made it clear that through the Subhadra assistance, they intend to fulfil the following objectives --- (i) provide a financial safety net to women and their families and improve their socio-economic profile; (ii)  improve health, nutritional and educational standards of women and their families; (iii) improve financial inclusion by encouraging financial independence for women leading to their economic empowerment; (iv) extend income support to targeted women; (v) enable them to undertake digital transactions; (vi) improve their economic decision making capability and facilitate personal and professional growth. 

These objectives laudable as they are can be achievable only if the annual assistance of Rs.10,000/- could be most prudently used for maximising benefits. Eagerness to spend a small amount would be against the stated objective of having a financial safety net and improving the socio-economic profile of the beneficiary; nor can it extend income support to the targeted beneficiary.  Now that the Government have not only launched it but are celebrating the launch, an attempt to salvage at least a portion of it, if not the whole, for productive purpose by using the money at the hand of a beneficiary as margin money would be well worth it. A Subhadra beneficiary should be enabled to use her Rs 10K as a margin for availing a loan of at least Rs 20K so that she can use Rs 30K for productive purposes. In fact, Rs 10,000 crores going to women in a year should have prompted a Bank to prepare an appropriate "Loan Product" for women by now. If none has done so far, the Government should soon get in touch with Banks to put such an arrangement in place.

PC: DM Sambalpur (X Handle)

A political system with genuine concern for the future of its economically poor human resources should keep away from schemes that are purely consumption-prone. A pro-people governance should ignite the ambition of Odisha’s educated youths, propel their entrepreneurial spirit; ensure their hand-holding. Many had therefore looked forward to the first policy intervention of the new Government being of a totally different kind that would have addressed the productive potential of the people, particularly of the youths of the state. It would be unfortunate if Subhadra scheme becomes totally a consumption expenditure extravaganza at the cost of taxpayers' money, that too a huge sum of money- of over Rs 10,000 crore annually for five consecutive years.

Citizens with entrepreneurial attitudes are shaping their destinies in a different manner. There are immense possibilities in which the government must play its role and lift the society’s poor segment to greater heights of sustainable economic progress. Let me give a few examples of what humans with an entrepreneurial mindset are doing. Recently, a 4-year-old Buffalo yielding 20 litres of milk was sold for Rs 7 lakhs in Gujarat. Dog breeding is taken as a business by many. This is an area that ensures handsome profit. A place like Chandragiri where we have hundreds of Tibetans living for years could be an ideal place for promoting dog breeding. A Tibetan Mastiff (a variety of pet dogs) could fetch Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Marketing of exotic Birds, wherever such activity is legally permissible, is an exciting business. An Umbrella Cockatoo costs over Rs 5 lakh and a Red Lori Rs 85 K. Floriculture in controlled climatic conditions is profitable. Entrepreneurs should have high-value floriculture projects. Regions like Kandhamal, Koraput, Gajapati, and Keonjhar are suitable for traditional floriculture as well. Large-scale flower cultivation would benefit our farmers.  These are just some stray examples of achieving excellence in entrepreneurship and indicative of potential areas of entrepreneurship. I haven’t touched horse breeding.

Also Read | SUBHADRA Yojana form submission at Jana Seva Kendra: Top Officials Explain how to Submit form

When possibilities of wealth creation are immense, there should be no pressing hurry to weave schemes that keep our people at the subsistence level. Youths should realise that sometimes political forces are keeping them at a low level of living which is against divine design and their natural potential. They must articulate and demand appropriate support from the government to soar to greater heights instead of fighting for small benefits to live happily for a day or two. It is hoped that the Subhadra Yojana would ensure such a paradigm shift.

(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)