Goodies From Uncle Assam

Last month, in a grand act of political theatre, roughly 40L women, in Assam, received ₹9,000 each, in their bank accounts. Roughly half of the state’s households received this lumpsum payment as upohar (gift) from mama, as chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is popularly known. These households already receive ₹1,250 monthly, under the Orunodoi 3.0 scheme. If monthly transfers provide security, a lumpsum bonus is icing on the cake.