Charity should go beyond immediate relief: Sonu Sood

Actor-producer Sonu Sood stressed the necessity of focusing beyond immediate relief efforts for distressed individuals and instead aiding their self-sufficiency through sustainable livelihood options. "Charity should initiate with addressing immediate suffering. When someone is hungry, provide them with food. Yet, do not cease there; assist them in discovering avenues to become self-reliant and forge a brighter future," he remarked.

Sonu's remarks were made during the seventh symposium, titled 'The Humanity in Us,' held at The Debut, Hitex, Mumbai. Anshu Gupta, co-founder of Goonj and Gram Swabhimaan, argued that charitable initiatives must tackle genuine needs of communities instead of just dispensing surplus resources. Girish Mallpani, founder and MD of MPM Group, advocated for a prudent fiscal framework to govern welfare spending by State governments.

He suggested distinguishing essential welfare measures such as healthcare, education, nutrition, and social security from non-essential subsidies and electoral handouts. The attendees also advocated for a broader parliamentary discussion on instituting a transparent and accountable framework for welfare expenditure. However, they cautioned against imposing rigid expenditure limits that might undermine vital social security programs or States grappling with major challenges.

Uma Sudhir, an independent journalist, moderated the session, while former Police Commissioner A.K. Khan and former Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma shared their viewpoints on welfare policies and their implementation from an administrative perspective.