Freebies or Rights

‘Social policy is too important to be left to experts. It must also draw on informed views of concerned citizens. Freebies or Rights fills many gaps in the public’s access to critical knowledge and ideas, sets the facts straight and clears the fog. It will sharpen your mind and soften your heart.’—Jean Drèze.This book asks a simple but urgent question: when the state provides food, healthcare, education, pensions, or employment support, are these ‘freebies’—or are they rights that make a dignified life possible?Drawing on over two decades of field research across rural India, economist Reetika Khera examines how social policies actually shape everyday life. From Anganwadis and school meals to the Public Distribution System, maternity benefits, pensions, public healthcare, and the MGNREGA, the book traces India’s evolving welfare architecture from ‘cradle to grave’.Blending rigorous research with vivid stories from villages, classrooms, government offices, and field surveys, the book moves beyond political rhetoric to ask deeper questions about inequality, citizenship, and the role of the state. Do welfare programmes create dependency, or do they expand freedom and opportunity? Why are social protections, considered essentials in many countries, often dismissed as handouts in India? Written for students, concerned citizens, policymakers, and sceptics alike, this accessible yet deeply informed book is both an introduction to social policy in India and a compelling argument for viewing social protection not as charity, but as a foundation for dignity, justice, and democratic life.