User:Nikitarao23/sandbox

The idea of a universal basic income (UBI) in India has been a topic of discussion circulating over the last few years. On January 31, 2017, the Economic Survey of India included a 40-page chapter on UBI that outlined the 3 components of the proposed program: 1) universality, 2) unconditionality, 3) agency. The UBI proposal in India is framed with the intent of providing every citizen "a basic income to cover their needs," which is encompassed by the "universality" component. "Unconditionality" points to the accessibility of all to the basic income, without any means tests. The third component, "agency," refers to the lens through which the Indian government views the poor. According to the Survey, by treating the poor as agents rather than subjects, UBI "liberates citizens from paternalistic and clientelistic relationships with the state." Several scholars around the globe, including Guy Standing and Pranab Bardhan, have expressed strong support of the implementation of UBI as an alternative to corrupt and ineffective existing social programs in India. Organizations like the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) and UNICEF have backed the proposal by launching the 2010 UBI pilot program in Madhya Pradesh, India.