Bittersweet revdi politics: States struggle to fund freebie promises

Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin Yojana faces beneficiary list pruning, impacting 2.43 crore women. Freebie promises by state governments, like Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, struggle due to financial constraints. Competitive politics of freebies strain state finances, with Punjab and Delhi also grappling with promised sops.