Photo: Pradeep Gaur/MintTalk of a universal basic income is no longer limited to Silicon Valley moguls and Scandinavian social democrats. In India, a growing emphasis on Aadhaar-based direct benefit transfers, small basic income trials, and the search for alternatives to flagship welfare schemes have created a fertile environment for discussion about universal basic income. While a true universal basic income seems unworkable at India’s current level of development, certain dimensions of basic income policies may prove more promising. Finally, if universal basic income’s allure still proves too powerful to resist, a basic income trial can generate much-needed evidence to effectively dismiss or champion the idea. This article is based on the report, India’s Universal Basic Income: Bedeviled by the Details.

Source: Mint March 23, 2018 02:26 UTC