New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- Cash transfers to women have become a staple pre-election promise across India. The latest battleground was Delhi, where all three major parties pledged direct payouts to women ahead of the assembly election. Even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite its broader opposition to the "freebies" culture, joined the fray-offering cash handouts in an election that saw it return to power after 27 years.

Read this | The battle for Delhi: It is Kejriwal's suvidha vs Modi's vikas

Thirteen other states spanning diverse political landscapes have implemented similar schemes-many of which were rolled out just before state elections. If the upcoming BJP government in Delhi keeps its promise, it will join Telangana and Jharkha...