Hyderabad: Questioning the long-term sustainability of welfare spending, Telangana high court on Friday made a series of pointed observations on freebie schemes, remarking that if the current trend continued, “even Kuberudu” (god of wealth) would join the queue for govt benefits, while also asking how the state would generate funds once all its lands were sold.Hearing a contempt case against state finance secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania, the court also warned that indiscriminate benefits risked weakening the work culture and straining public finances. Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka made the remarks while dealing with the contempt petition arising from non-payment of dues to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB).Referring to the govt’s practice of selling land to raise resources, the court asked what the state would do for funds once all available land had been exhausted. The judge also questioned the indiscriminate extension of welfare benefits, observing that many schemes were reaching people who did not genuinely require assistance.Pointing out that even millionaires were receiving Rythu Bandhu (now Rythu Bharosa) benefits and that people riding expensive motorcycles and using high-end iPhones were availing free rice meant for the poor, the court remarked: “If this trend of freebies continued, even ‘Kuberudu‘ (god of wealth) would quit everything and join the govt-sponsored food for scheme and avail all freebies.“The observations came after Sultania, against whom the court had earlier issued an arrest warrant, appeared before the court and explained the status of payments due to the SCB.After assuring the authorities that he would appear before the court on Friday, Sultania had been released on a personal bond of Rs 5,000. Details of the warrant’s execution were subsequently placed before the court.Recording his appearance, the judge granted him one week’s time to clarify the status of the pending dues and exempted him from further personal appearance. “It pains to summon officers over such matters since the officer concerned was a good one, but we (courts) are also helpless,” the judge observed.Sultania informed the court that the pending surcharge on stamp duty allegedly collected from the board would be remitted in instalments and that a detailed affidavit would be filed before the next hearing.Referring to the challenges of governance and labour shortages in rural areas, the court observed that farmers were struggling to find workers and that labour from other states was increasingly filling the gap. “If this trend continues, the working class would become extinct and would have to be confined to museums,” the judge said.Stating that the observations stemmed from concerns about the future of society, the judge said they were not directed against any individual but reflected the difficulties faced by govt officials in implementing policy. “With the number of freebies disbursed now, even the officer would be helpless even if he becomes the CM (of the state),” the court noted.The judge also referred to the engineering fee reimbursement scheme, observing that benefits were allegedly being extended to students who had never attended college, while noting that nearly 1.15 crore people across the state were beneficiaries of various welfare schemes.While acknowledging that policymaking was the prerogative of the govt, the court stressed the need for greater public awareness on the issue and posted the matter for further hearing on Aug 19.
