Universal Basic Income (UBI) is an unconditional minimum cash transfer. It is universal in the sense that it will be paid to all citizens, irrespective of their class, caste, gender, age or any other distinction; and it is unconditional because the beneficiaries are free to invest the money on anything, unlike other welfare schemes like the National Food Security Act, 2013 which is restricted to food. Its basic components are universality, unconditionality and agency (people are free to choose). It is fixed in a manner such that neither is it so high so as to disincentivise work nor is it so low so as to not be enough for basic survival.
In the times of big surprises in the economic and political decisions of the country, is Universal Basic Income (UBI) the next big surprise? A series of statements by key policymakers of late seem...