Way to help in nation-building
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the rich to give up LPG subsidy is a welcome gesture. The country has spent thousands of crores on subsidy over many decades. Many subsidy schemes were introduced just for the sake of “vote-bank” politics. Nowhere in the world does any country provide as many subsidies as India.
While I am not against providing subsidies, they should serve as a tool to uplift the needy. The affluent and upper middle-class of the society, who can afford to buy a LPG cylinder at the market price, should take this as an invitation to be a part of nation-building.
India is striving to become an economic powerhouse.
But it will not succeed if it continues to bleed a lot of money in the way of subsidies for those who can afford LPG at market price. People from the rich and upper middle-class sections of the society talk of India’s development and how things should change.
This is a chance for them to contribute towards the change they desire and deserve.
A large section of the population in the country today enjoys a good standard of living and earns a decent income. If all such people decide to sacrifice their LPG subsidy, the amount accumulated through such sacrificed subsidies will be substantial. This money can in turn be utilised for some nation-building activity and to provide better services to the country’s citizens.
I believe subsidies should be for the needy, like the Below Poverty Line and lower middleclass families, as they require subsidy to uplift themselves. But those who can afford it, must ponder over this suggestion by the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister has not made it mandatory for the affluent and upper middle-class people to sacrifice their LPG subsidy. This is to ensure that no one feels that they are being discriminated against on the basis of income. Instead, the PM has given a choice to the people, leaving it completely to their conscience.
This gives an opportunity to many people to develop a mindset of sacrificing monetary benefit for the betterment of society at large.
For many, it may seem that it will not matter much if they sacrifice their subsidy, but as they say, little drops of water make a mighty ocean.
While I am not against providing subsidies, they should serve as a tool to uplift the needy. The affluent and upper middleclass of the society, who can afford to buy a LPG cylinder at the market price, should take this as an invitation to be a part of nation-building. The Prime Minister has not made it mandatory for the affluent and upper middle-class people to sacrifice their LPG subsidy. This is to ensure that no one feels that they are being discriminated against on the basis of income. Instead, the PM has given a choice to the people, leaving it completely to their conscience.