Since 2020, political candidates through India have promised that women in their states would obtain cash documents – indefinitely – If they have won their elections.
Everything you need for women to obtain up to 3,000 Indian rupees (around US $ 35) per month is to prove that their annual income is less than a certain threshold, such as 120,000 rupees (around US $ 1,400). Transfers are simple thanks to Aadhar, the biometric system of India which is linked to the bank account of a person.
All in all, 134 million women – a fifth of the adult female population of India – received cash transfers, according to research from Axis Bank. And in November 2024, an amount equivalent to 0.6% of the gross domestic product of India was spent on these programs. For the context, the Indian government spent 1.9% of its GDP in health care during the year 2023-2024.
Women say that money has transformed their lives. But the programs are unpredictable. Experts who are looking for voters fear that men who promise money can easily withdraw it.