Statement by India at the 35^th Session of Human Rights Council (06-23 June 2017) on Agenda Item 3: Cluster Interactive Dialogue with SR on extreme poverty and human rights. [Geneva, 07 June 2017]

Mr. President,

We thank both the SRs for their presentation. The report of the SR on extreme poverty explores the idea of universal basic income.

2. We do share the SR’s concern that the fundamental values of international human rights are coming under strain owing, to a great extent, to the growing sense of economic insecurity. The dwindling faith in electoral democracy is also a cause of concern.

3. The SR has regretted that the human rights system has failed to adequately address the issue of economic insecurity. We believe that such insecurity is not merely an economic issue but emerges from plethora of both economic and non-economic factors.

4. The idea of universal basic income has a long history, however, it is still to prove itself as a practical tool for social protection. Even amongst the strong proponents of this idea there are dissimilarities of views and approaches.

5. We remain doubtful if this idea can be the sole panacea for our socio-economies deficiencies. Instead, any imaginative solution must look at a combination of approaches not discarding the positive fallout from schemes such as cash transfers and social protection floors.

6. With regard to the idea of basic income, affordability emerges as a concern even in the developed world. Hence, how does SR perceive its viability in the developing countries? Finally, we would like the SR to share his views about how the idea of basic income contributes towards incentivizing work?

Thank you.