Billionaire Harsh Goenka's 'Save Rs 600' Post Misfires, Internet Questions Economic Realities

Harsh Goenka is currently facing criticism for a social media post where he suggested everyone save Rs 600 a day. The RPG Group Chairman wrote about the value of developing positive habits. He frequently provides advice and thoughts on life, business and revenue-generating on his X handle. Although his goals were focused on promoting beneficial lifestyle changes, several people questioned the suggestion’s practicality.

“Saving Rs 600 per day = Rs 2,19,000 per year Reading 20 pages per day = 30 books per year Walking 10,000 steps per day = 70 marathons per year,” read Goenka’s post.

The goal of Goenka’s post was to highlight the long-term advantages of consistency, but many internet users were drawn to the Rs 600 daily savings goal, which sparked a contentious discussion on the harsh reality of the Indian economy.

A user criticised Goenka’s suggestion, saying most Indians struggle to even earn Rs. 600 a day, let alone saving that amount. They pointed out many people spend over 15 hours a day just to survive, leaving no time or peace of mind to read 20 pages or walk 10,000 steps. The user concluded that Goenka’s advice is only feasible for a small portion of the population.

Another user mentioned, “70% of Indians earn less than this. So stop this theatrics and pay well to your employees.”

While applauding the intent, a third commenter pointed out the hard realities of the middle class in India. The user wrote, “This is brilliant advice. I love the way he has explained. BUT. Minimum wages in India are in the range of Rs. 500-600. 81 Crore people in India live on free ration, which means they fall even below the minimum wage earning.”

A user suggested, “Agree. All businesses in India should start by evaluating how many of their employees earn less than Rs. 1200 per day. Then let’s bring their earnings to a minimum of Rs. 1200 per day so that they can save Rs. 600 per day and live a basic life for their family in balance money.”

The practicality of the saving suggestion is the main point of contention in this argument. Regular saving is undoubtedly a good practice, but individuals claim that Goenka’s proposed savings amount is unrealistic given the financial challenges that many people in India endure due to the country’s high cost of living and low salary rates.