Industrialist Harsh Goenka often shares motivational and interesting posts to keep his social media fans entertained. On Wednesday, the chairman of RPG Group shared motivational advice on building good habits, but his tweet didn’t go down well with a majority of social media users. On X (formerly Twitter), Mr Goenka emphasised the importance of small, consistent actions for long-term success. He suggested that people should aim to save ₹600 daily, read 20 pages, and walk 10,000 steps as part of building good habits.
”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. Never underestimate the power of small habits,” read his tweet.
See the tweet here:
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 yearNever underestimate the power of small habits.
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) September 18, 2024
The billionaire’s well-intentioned advice on cultivating small habits like saving, reading, and walking quickly backfired on social media. Many labelled his statement as ”out of touch with financial reality”, ”disconnected from the struggles of low-income households”, and ”elitist and insensitive”.
While saving is undoubtedly a valuable financial habit, the harsh reality in India is that several individuals struggle to make ends meet due to meagre salaries. Many internet users said that the suggestion to save ₹600 daily, equivalent to ₹18,000 monthly, seems detached from the financial struggles of many Indians.
One user wrote, ”Everything else is fine, but tell me how much is the daily income of an ordinary citizen? Can he save Rs. 600 per day after his daily expenses?”
Another commented, ”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 third said, ”Wealth disparity at its finest. Wherein India’s 76th richest man due to generational wealth, advises other Indians to save more than India’s average income.”
A fourth added, ”Corporate Employees POV: 1) Provide additional allowance of Rs 600/day = Rs 2,19,000/year. 2) Allow peace of mind to read 20 pages/day = 30 books/year. 3) Encourage work-life balance for employees by providing time for walking 10,000 steps/day = 70 marathons/year.”