The Profligate UPA.
Indian citizens have to thank Surjit S.Bhalla for pointing out the profligacy of UPA/Congress in the last few years ( Rajiv Gandhi lessons on the food bill,IE,July 27). According to the statistics of the government, we have 250 million poor with a per capita monthly expenditure of Rs. 709 and the poverty line is Rs.893, the difference being Rs.184 per month. The 250 million poor could have been uplifted by an expenditure of Rs 55,000 crore. But the government has spent an amount of Rs.105,000 crore on NREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and food subsidies in 2011-12. The difference of Rs.50,000 is the leakage ( theft, waste due improper warehousing and supply to non-poor). With proper supervision this could have been avoided. That money could have been used to provide water and sanitation, and improve the quality of life of the poor. The government should involve NGOS and the corporates to ensure proper supervision of of its schemes to reduce, if not eliminate leakage. Poverty cannot be removed without honesty and integrity.
July 27,2013.
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