Thousands of Indians to get color TVs — for free — thanks to populist socialism:
The government of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu said Tuesday it would float a global tender for color television sets that will be given free to tens of thousands of poor people.New state Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said the 14-inch (35-cm) TV sets, which he had promised to people living below the poverty line in the run-up to local assembly elections this month, would be distributed from mid-September.
The 83-year-old leader, who wrested power from his opponent J. Jayalalithaa in the elections, also promised rice at 2 rupees ($0.43) per kg for the poor.
About 30 percent of India’s more than one billion people live below the poverty line.