Narayana Murthy criticizes freebie culture, emphasizes job creation

Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has criticized the culture of freebies, arguing that fostering innovative entrepreneurship and job creation is the key to eliminating poverty in India. 

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He stated that poverty would “vanish like dew on a sunny morning” if India focused on building innovative enterprises. He expressed confidence that entrepreneurs could generate thousands of jobs asserting, “You don’t solve poverty with freebies. No country has succeeded in that way.” Currently, India provides free rations and cash transfers to 80 crore citizens. 

His remarks come amid an ongoing debate over political parties offering freebies to attract voters before elections. A petition seeking restrictions on such practices is pending  before the Supreme Court. 

Last month, the Supreme Court also criticized the freebies culture, stating that instead of distributing free benefits, people should be integrated into the mainstream economy to contribute to nation-building. The court made this observation while hearing a plea regarding shelter for the homeless in Delhi, pointing out that many people avoid working due to the appeal of free rations and cash transfers. 

Later, Murthy clarified that his comments were based on a policy perspective, not politics or governance. He suggested that benefits should come with accountability. Citing free electricity schemes, he proposed conducting surveys to assess their impact on education and family welfare.  Additionally, Murthy criticized most artificial intelligence solutions as outdated programs misleadingly marketed as futuristic technology.