Noted economist Prof. S. Mahendra Dev said welfare was possible only through development and promises to the contrary made during the elections were apparently meant to appease the voters. He observed that seeking votes by promising freebies was unacceptable and such populist schemes were bound to debilitate the economy.
Participating as the chief guest in a seminar on ‘Challenges faced in the delivery of good governance’ organised by the Citizens for Democracy (CfD) here on Saturday, Mr. Mahendra Dev said Brazil was the first country to roll out the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme and today there was practically no country which does not copy it. He insisted that only such welfare schemes which contribute to development should be implemented.
Countries like China and South Korea were making rapid strides, whereas India failed to realize its potential due to multiple drawbacks that could be overcome through proper interventions, he stated.
Commenting on the economy of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Mahendra Dev said the public debt has swelled in recent years, and huge sums were going into debt servicing. There was tremendous scope for the establishment of industries and job creation and it could be achieved through a concerted and planned effort, he added.
CfD Vice-President and former chief secretary L.V. Subrahmanyam said political parties could be at odds with each other on policy matters and fight it out bitterly during elections but they have to set aside their differences after that in public interest.
CfD secretary and former State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, joint secretary V. Lakshmana Reddy and others spoke.
