National News
How the ‘revadi culture’ label has turned a fiscal debate into a political slugfest
‘Revadi culture’ or freebies by political parties to woo the electorate has triggered a major political controversy in the country.
The raging debate on ‘revadi’, (a sweet often distributed during festivals) was kicked off after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it as a metaphor for freebies promised by political parties to grab power.
Sri Lanka’s economy hitting the rock bottom, has set off alarm bells for several developing countries. The Indian government has, however, ruled out the possibility of a Sri Lanka-like situation in the country, but advised the states to introspect their respective economic situation.
On July 19, in an all-party meeting during the Monsoon session of Parliament, the Centre had warned about the state-wise debt and the expenditure being incurred by them. Several leaders of regional parties present in the meeting had objected to the Central government raising the issue.
However, a few days before this meeting, on July 12, Modi ignited a political debate on freebies while addressing a rally in Deoghar, Jharkhand, after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of various development projects worth more than Rs 16,800 crore.
In Deoghar, Modi had said that people should stay away from the ideology behind shortcut politics as it can cripple the state’s economy and harm the country.
He added that it is very easy to get votes from the people by making populist promises while adopting short-cuts. Those who adopt short-cuts do not have to work hard nor do they think about the far-reaching consequences it can cause to the country.
But the truth is that the country whose politics is based on short-cuts, is sure to collapse one day. Short-cut politics destroys the country. Citing the example of how electricity is a necessity, Modi said that today one cannot think of a life without electricity.
“Without electricity, we will not be able to charge our mobile phones, watch TV, or get water. There will be no choice but to light a lamp or lantern during evenings. If there is no electricity, tomorrow all the factories will permanently shut down. But this electricity cannot be generated by short-cut. To generate this electricity, power plants have to be set up and thousands of crores of rupees have to be invested,” the Prime Minister said.
On July 16, at the inauguration of the Bundelkhand Expressway in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh, Modi once again targetted the freebies culture and said that there is a challenge before the new India which if not taken care of now, will destroy the future of youth in the country. That’s why it’s important to remain alert of the danger of freebies culture. “Nowadays, every effort is being made in our country to promote the culture of getting votes by distributing free ‘revadi’ (freebies).”
Political leaders who promote it will never build new expressways, airports or defence corridors. Those promoting the culture feel that they can buy people’s trust by distributing free ‘revadis’ to them. The people have to unite together to defeat this mindset from the political discourse of the country.
Apparently, the Prime Minister was taking a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders for promising free electricity in every upcoming poll-bound state after forming the government in Delhi and Punjab.
Responding to the allegations, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed the Centre for “mismanaging’ the country economy. Kejriwal said that the welfare schemes provided by the AAP government cannot be “freebies”.
Condemning the Prime Minister’s statement calling the welfare schemes of the Delhi government as freebies, Kejriwal said that free education and health services cannot be called freebies.
In retaliation, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Kejriwal of deceiving people by offering them freebies to fulfill his poll ambitions and win elections.
The benefit of the Centre-launched welfare schemes is being directly provided to the poor sections of society, while Kejriwal, who pretends to work for the people, is busy giving freebies just to win elections, he alleged.
However, not only AAP, but the TRS government in Telangana and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu have also objected to the Central government’s claims and strongly criticised the BJP government.
The issue has become more political than being viewed from the prism of the economic state of the country. Therefore, political rhetoric is bound to hog the limelight in the coming days as well.
Business
World Bank flags rising poverty levels in Pakistan

New Delhi, Oct 8: The World Bank has expressed serious concern over Pakistan’s economy as the country has failed to reduce poverty despite massive loans injected by the IMF.
The current model of growth has failed to ameliorate the conditions of the poor, and the headcount ratio (HCR) has surged to its highest level of 25.3 per cent in the last eight years, which is a 7 per cent increase in HCR since 2023, the World Bank report states.
Instead of concentrating on rural development to reduce poverty, the Pakistan government has been focused more on increasing defence expenditure.
The World Bank report titled “Reclaiming Momentum Towards Prosperity: Pakistan’s Poverty, Equity and Resilience Assessment” released on September 23, mentions that even the country’s aspiring middle class (constituting 42.7 per cent of its population) is “struggling to achieve full economic security”.
Pakistan’s once-promising poverty reduction trajectory has come to a troubling halt, reversing years of hard-fought gains.
After dramatically reducing poverty from 64.3 per cent in 2001 to 21.9 per cent in 2018 — declining by 3 percentage points annually until 2015 before slowing to less than 1 percentage point per year — recent compounding shocks have pushed poverty rates back up to a projected 25.3 per cent by 2023-24, the report states.
The economic model that delivered early wins has reached its limits, with 14 per cent of the population in 2018 remaining vulnerable to falling back into poverty when faced with shocks.
Compounding crises — Covid-19, economic instability, devastating floods, and record-high inflation—have further exposed systemic weaknesses, leaving many in low-productivity activities and unable to cope with these challenges, the report points out.
Bold policy reforms are now essential to address structural imbalances, prevent sliding back into poverty during shocks, and tackle the persistent challenges in remote areas. In this context, this Poverty, Equity, and Resilience Assessment , the first since the early 2000s, looks at how poverty has evolved in Pakistan by combining traditional and non-traditional data, offering detailed analysis and strategic direction on the country’s efforts and challenges to reduce poverty and promote equity.
This comprehensive assessment aims to provide a roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders to address poverty and equity challenges in Pakistan effectively, the report added.
Crime
CBI arrests two CGST officers in Mumbai for accepting Rs 25,000 bribe

Mumbai, Oct 8: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday said it has arrested a Superintendent and an Inspector of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Mumbai, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a businessman.
According to a CBI statement, the arrested officials have been identified as Superintendent Vikram and Inspector Lav Kumar Chittoria, both posted in the CGST Santacruz Division.
The case was registered on Tuesday following a complaint from a textile trader who had applied online for GST registration of his firm on September 24, the statement said.
The complainant alleged that during a field inspection on October 3, Chittoria demanded Rs 25,000 as illegal gratification for himself and his superior officer.
The officers allegedly warned that the GST registration certificate would not be issued unless the bribe was paid.
Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught both the accused red-handed while accepting the bribe amount inside the CGST West Mumbai Office on Tuesday.
The bribe money was recovered from their possession. Following the arrests, searches were carried out at the offices and residences of both officials, during which several incriminating documents were also seized.
A CBI spokesperson said that both officers were taken into custody for interrogation and will be produced before a competent court in Mumbai later in the day.
“Further investigation is underway to determine whether other officials were involved in the bribery racket and to trace possible links with similar cases,” the official added.
The agency reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption in government departments and urged citizens to report any instance of demand for bribes through its dedicated helpline and online portal.
Just a few days ago, in its crackdown on bribery in government offices, the CBI arrested two senior government officials of the Ministry of Defence and a railway hospital, in two separate cases of bribery.
Business
Committed to boosting Mumbai’s infrastructure, ease of living: PM Modi

Mumbai, Oct 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to enhancing Mumbai’s infrastructure and the ‘Ease of Living’ as he is set to inaugurate Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and the Mumbai Metro Line-3.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “On the way to Navi Mumbai to take part in the programme marking the inauguration of Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport. With this, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will get its second major international airport, thus boosting commerce and connectivity.”
“The final phase of the Mumbai Metro Line-3 will also be inaugurated. We are committed to enhancing Mumbai’s infrastructure and boosting ‘Ease of Living’ for the people of this dynamic city,” he added.
Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, developed at an estimated cost of Rs 19,650 crore, will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in line with his vision of transforming India into a global aviation hub.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is India’s largest Greenfield airport project, developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. As the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, it will work in coordination with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to reduce congestion and position Mumbai among global cities with multi-airport systems.
Spread across 1,160 hectares, NMIA is designed to be one of the most efficient airports in the world, capable of handling up to 90 million passengers per annum and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.
Among its standout features is an Automated People Mover (APM) system that will connect all four passenger terminals to facilitate smooth inter-terminal transfers. A landside APM will also link the city-side infrastructure, ensuring convenience for passengers and staff.
Committed to sustainability, the airport will include storage for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), solar power generation of nearly 47 MW, and electric bus services for city-wide connectivity. NMIA will also become the country’s first airport to be connected by a Water Taxi service.
In addition to the airport, PM Modi will inaugurate Phase 2B of the Mumbai Metro Line-3, which stretches from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade and has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 12,200 crore.
With this launch, the Prime Minister will dedicate the entire Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) to the nation. Built at a total cost exceeding Rs 37,270 crore, this milestone marks a major leap forward in the city’s urban transport infrastructure.
Mumbai Metro Line-3, the city’s first fully underground metro line, is set to redefine commuting in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region by offering faster, more efficient, and eco-friendly transport options for millions of daily commuters.
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