Politics of subsidy

Sir, - The former Prime Minister, Mr. V. P. Singh's demand to bring out a white paper on subsidies is correct. The concept of `social justice' that our vote-seekers freely utter during election campaigns is only a means, not an end in itself. It is to give a fillip to the downtrodden to catch up with those on average and above. Job reservation and subsidies are the modus operandi, thereof. It is to strengthen the capacity of the target classes to contribute to the national economy. Job reservation or food or input subsidy should increase the level of productive employment and not to curtail it. It must be reflected in the net national product, though not annually, at least over a stipulated long run. But our politicians are trying to define employment as 'opportunities, yielding wages without work' and subsidies as `governmental bounties'. The earlier we realise the 'mundane reality of economy' against the `falsehood of vote seeking politics', the better we prosper.

R. K. Divakara,

Bangalore

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