"Happy to announce that we shall give one tola gold, at about Rs 38,000 as on today, to brides belonging to all such communities of Assam where it is customary to provide gold at the time of wedding," says the Budget of a State in India. Guess which one it's? Assam.

The blatantly populist scheme is already drawing much flak. Many are reminded of the Mangalsutra scheme in Tamil Nadu, a State where political parties are known to indulge in reckless populism and freebies.

It's also a form of legalization of dowry, critics opine. As per a report, the students of a University in Gauhati have described the scheme as regressive.

The State budget runs a deficit of Rs 1,100 Cr. The gold scheme has got an allocation of Rs 300 Cr. The Indians' weakness for gold is being exploited by politicians.