Narayana Murthy: “Poverty won’t reduce by freebies”

Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy stated on Wednesday that job development, not freebies, will help end poverty in the nation amid a controversy about political parties using freebies to win elections. Speaking at a Mumbai event, Mr. Murthy claimed that if entrepreneurs can start creative businesses, poverty will “vanish” like dew on a sunny morning.

In the event, Narayan Murthy said, “I have no doubt that each of you will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and that is how you solve the problem of poverty. You don’t solve the problem of poverty by freebies; no country has succeeded in that.”

Mr. Murthy, who sparked a controversy last year by implying that children should be ready to work seventy hours a week, claimed to be ignorant about politics and government but offered some suggestions from the standpoint of a policy framework. According to him, there must be rewards or requests made in exchange for the advantages provided.

“The state can conduct random surveys at the end of six months in such households to check if the children are studying more or if the parents’ interest in the child has increased,” he said, stating the example of free energy of up to 200 units per month.

Recently, the Supreme court has also said something about the political parties promising freebies before elections. During a case hearing in recent times, court said that there are many people who are not willing to work as they are getting free rations and money.

Justice B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih said, “Rather than promoting them to be a part of the mainstream of the society by contributing to the development of the nation, are we not creating a class of parasites?”

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They also added that the schemes like Ladki Bahin and other schemes which are related to money distribution are making people not to work and depend on this money itself. It is also said the in India 95% of people who are working are going under debts are facing a lot of problems. This financial education has to be taught from school age and this will also help them to start working rather than being dependent on government schemes.