Sunday, December 12, 2010

Why is the Indian Economy still affected by Floods and Droughts?

In India, agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. Contribution of agriculture to the economy of India can be estimated from the fact that 70% of India population is dependent on cultivation and agriculture contributes to 18% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India. Out of the total sown area, 60% is dependent on the rainfall, thus prone to floods and droughts. Thus flood and droughts occurring repetitively after some years have an adverse affect on our country economy.

In India major rainfall is received from southwest monsoon in the summer season. The vagaries of this monsoon are the main cause of floods/drought in our country. Floods are associated with excessive rainfall while the draughts are the result of deficient rainfall. However, other factor also plays a role in establishing the condition for these calamities including hydrology, deforestation, soil nature, erosion etc. At present our country is encountering the drought condition due to the deficient rainfall. While last year many regions of the country faced the situation of flood.

Since the majority of population (approximately 70%) is dependent on cultivation droughts and floods have significant economic, environmental and social consequences. Due to these natural calamities the product of farm gets damaged. The farmers who have taken huge loans to fund their operations from the private moneylender become unable to pay their debts. The quality of land gets deteriorated transforming into wasteland. Along with the current season productivity reduction next seasons crop also get reduced. The conditions of the marginal farmers become more vulnerable as they left with no or reduced produce of current crops and reduced land capacity for future. Last year due to the flood in Bihar 3 million people migrated from that area to the urban area in the search of work.

Impact of drought and flood is not only limited to the farmers but felt over the entire country. Food security that is already a concern, due to prevailing poverty and huge population, in the country turns severe. Due to reduced productivity food prices rises resulting inflation. This inflation is also the result of corrupt and malpractices of middlemen. Reduced purchasing capacity of common man bring decline in demands of other products and because of demand and supply rule the industries get affected. In this view economy of the country becomes somewhat stagnant.

Electricity, which is still not available to 400 million people, is very important requirement for the growth of economy of country. During draught due to the water deficiency hydroelectric power generation having 25% share in total power generation also gets affected. With the reduced power production almost all activities related to cultivation, industries, household etc. get adversely affected. Thus the output get reduced which is reflected in the GDP of country.

Drought and floods adverse affect on our economy get exaggerated due existing poverty in India (still approx. 6.8 crores families are below poverty line as planning commission). The conditions of poor farmers get more deteriorated and it becomes difficult for them to earn the basic needs. The government is running many programs like Bharat Nirman, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, and Rastiriya Krishi Vikas Yoazana.etc. for poverty alleviation and enlistment of rural life.

The population in India is growing at faster rate. As an estimate the population of India will be 1.43 billion by 2031-32. To feed this burgeoning population the challenge on the yield of farm is increasing day by day. When such a calamity occurs it pushes a large population towards hunger including the cultivator. To meet this deficiency grains has to import from other countries. This results in reduction of the foreign currency that has a direct impact on economic state of country. Recently in the wake of Deficient rainfall in this year the finance minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee announced for the import of food for 700 million population of India.

The present drought situation the country is undergoing is very serious. More than 246 districts in the country have been affected by the malady caused by deficient rainfall. The severe drought like conditions is the result of climatic imbalances caused by the failure of the monsoon.

Due the sufficient grain stock, better transportation and communication facilities and advancement of technology situation of famine will not be encountered which is the result of floods and drought in the past. But still the impact these calamities on the overall economy can be felt. Though the government is taking several measures yet all those fall short to mitigate the affect of these situations.

Measures for flood mitigation were taken from 1950 onwards. As against the total of 40 million hectares prone to floods, area of about 18.22 million hectares has been protected by construction of embankments. A number of dams and barrages have been constructed. The State Governments have been assisted to take up mitigation programs like construction of raised platforms.

Floods continue to be a menace however mainly because of the huge quantum of silt being carried by the rivers emanating from the Himalayas. As per an estimate, every year about 2/3rd of the irrigation projects pond, tanks etc become ineffective due to siltation. Thus, the maintenance of these irrigation projects is very important that is not being carried out efficiently. In UP there are 100,000 personnel to carry out the task of maintenance but their output is nil. In between 1992 to 2004 around 200 minor and major irrigation projects were made but their capacity has left only about 3.4 hectare.

To fight with the condition of draught various projects are running Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP), Desert Development Programme (DDP), and National Watershed Development Project for Rain fed Areas (NWDPRA), Integrated Water Development Project (IWDP). Water of the major rivers has to be diverted to area depleted of the rainfall. However the output of these programs is not satisfactorily. To gain the output of these programs these should be run more effectively and efficiently.

Much is being done but lot has to be done to conquer the adverse affect of Drought and floods. Along with the planned construction of new means the maintenance of existing one is also very important otherwise affect of these calamities will always remain on the economy of our country.

Women Empowerment: Challenges and Prospects

It is disheartening to note that the phrase “empowerment of Women” is considered as a mere phase in the multistage process of giving women what they really deserve. The very mention about “empowerment” clearly indicates the upper hand men enjoy in the social structure. But India has come a long way in empowering women. According to Upanishads, the primary duty of women is to be in the service of her husband. We now talk about one third seats for women in the highest decision making body in the country (parliament). India has come a long way. The different phases India took in the women empowerment is here:
Ancient India - Primary duty of women is “Husband Service”
Medieval India- Don’t let women out. Don’t let her express. If her husband dies, she should die too.
Modern India Pre Independence- Guys, lets stop Sati. Let her stay inside the house forever after her husband dies!
1950s- Lets send women children to schools and colleges!
1960-Dowry Prohibition Act
1990s-Women should occupy responsible positions in the social structure
2001- Women's Empowerment Year
2010- 1/3rd seats should be reserved for Women in parliament.

The chart above summarizes the position of women in Indian society at various points in time. Some good Prospects

Lets talk about some of the good policy steps taken by our government in the area of women empowerment.

Firstly, the move to reserve one-third seats in the parliament for women could probably be the boldest and biggest step taken by Indian government in the area of women empowerment. The bill, if passed would result in more than 180 seats in the lower house occupied by women compared to less than 30 occupied currently. This might also produce a “Trickle down effect” where even the state governments would pass a similar bill to reserve 1/3rd seats for women in the State Legislatures.

Secondly, to provide integrated social empowerment of women, the government initiated a scheme called as “Swayamsidha” in 2001 which helps them in establishing self-reliant Women’s self help groups(SHG's) The objective is to achieve all-round empowerment of women by ensuring direct access and control over resources. It helps in creating confidence and awareness among the members of SHGs regarding health, nutrition, education, hygiene and economic upliftment. A number of rural women have already been benefited through this scheme and this project is one of the long term strategic initiatives taken by the government in the area of women’s empowerment.

Another initiative is a program called as STEP(Support to Training and Employment Program for Women). The objective of this program is to empower women by provide sustainable employment opportunities. The project helps in upgrading their skills(primarily in Agriculture, Dairy and Handlooms), forming viable groups, providing access to credit facilities and arranging for marketing linkages . This program has already made a significant impact in the lives of a number of women in the traditional sectors. Many Tough Challenges

As we see, government is taking some concrete steps in empowering women by helping women to help themselves and their families. But are these programs sufficient? Are they brining about a change in the attitude of a patriarchic society? Here are some bitter answers:

  • The maternal mortality rate in India is the second highest in the world. India accounts for more than 25% of all maternal deaths in the world.
  • In a survey conducted by WHO, more than 80% of pregnant Indian women are found to be anemic. This results in exceptionally high rates of child malnutrition. Malnourished women give birth to malnourished children, perpetuating the cycle
  • Only 39% of Indian women attend primary schools. Most families pull them out of out of school, either to help out at home or from fear of violence.
  • While women are guaranteed equality under the constitution, legal protection has little effect in the face of prevailing patriarchal traditions. Women lack power to decide who they will marry, and are often married off before they reach the age of 18.

As we see, the challenges we face in empowering women are far away from the prospects of development programs initiated by our government. Though some of the recent steps taken by the government seem to indicate that these are the right steps to take, but what India really needs right now are sizable leaps! The move to reserve one-third seats in the parliament is definitely one such.

As we progress from a developing nation towards a developed nation, every care must be taken to compositely develop and empower women along the way to stand true to what our great Jawaharlal Nehru said “You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women”!

Communal harmony and the internal security of India are interlinked

Communalism is ‘the loyalty to a sociopolitical grouping based on religious or ethnic affiliation rather than to society as a whole’. It is an ideology which takes three forms or stages, one following the other. The first stage starts with a belief that those who follow the same religion have common secular interests, that is, common political, economic, social and cultural interests. The second stage is characterized by the notion that in a multi-religious society like India, the secular interests of followers of one religion are dissimilar and divergent from that of the followers of another religion. In the third stage it is believed that the interests of the followers of different religions are mutually incompatible, antagonistic and hostile.

The communist ideology in India went through all these stages during the freedom struggle against the British. The hard earned, precious independence of India was won after decades of glorious struggle but along with a bloody, tragic partition that ripped apart the fabric of the emerging free nation. Thousands of lives were lost from both the sides, that of the Hindus and the Muslims in the communal riots and being left with no other alternative, a separate Muslim state of Pakistan was conceded. India was made a secular country with provisions for protection of minority communities. Despite precautionary and preventive measures having been taken, the communal legacy still continues.

At the time of freedom and partition, it was believed by great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru that partition was a temporary phenomenon and once the communist fervour subsides, a United and strong India would be formed. However, contrary to their expectations, India and Pakistan stand apart as separate nations and the fraught question of their bilateral relations remains unsolved till date. The disputed State of Kashmir has been ravaged by violence, civilian casualties, damage of property, curfew and the resulting disruption of normal life. Communal problem, which is the root cause, with all its social, political and economic ramifications remains unabated even today and bedevils the State.

With the passage of time, the path taken by communalism has changed. Earlier it was the large scale communal riots, now it has taken the route of terrorism. Bomb blasts and shooting attacks have rent asunder the major cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad and others. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands were maimed and devastated. Authorities blame terror groups ranging from Islamic insurgents of Kashmir to the Hindu terror groups in Maharashtra. Whatever the reason or religion behind such activities be, the loss is to humanity as a whole. All the religions basically preach love and the feeling of brotherhood towards fellow beings. It is only the parties with vested interests that sow the seeds of communal hatred and violence in the minds of people.

“The mullahs of the Islamic world and the mullahs of the Hindu world and the mullahs of the Christian world are all on the same side. And we are against them all”.

–Arundhati Roy

India is a developing country, and the fourth largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. The vision of our national leaders is to make India a ‘developed nation’ and an ‘economic superpower’. However, the internal security of the nation is a pre-requisite for the attainment of this vision. As long as the communal tensions inside the country do not ease, the internal security of the nation cannot be ensured, despite the strength of the army or paramilitary employed to control the situation. Once the communal tension inside the country subsides and India becomes internally secure, then the problems in the bilateral relations between the twin nations of India and Pakistan can be smoothly dealt with.

In order to strike at the base, that is, to bring about communal harmony, there must be harmony in the minds of the people. ‘Aaman ki aasha’ is a voluntary initiative taken to improve Indo-Pak relationship. Similar voluntary organizations that encourage communal harmony should come up. Minorities complain that they are looked upon as aliens and trouble-makers in their own land and the Majority community in turn puts the blame on the Minorities. Mental revolution among people, considering the fellow citizens as brethren is essential to bring about communal harmony in the country. The communal harmony thus attained is a sine-qua-non for the internal security of the country.

Only when the internal security is ensured can the nation embark on the path towards development and economic advancement. Recently, the Allahabad High Court gave its judgement regarding the Ayodhya controversy, dividing the disputed land into 3 parts and distributing them among the three contesting parties involved, the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Central Board of Waqf and the Ramlalla Virajman. The peaceful air that surrounded the country following the verdict, bodes well for the nation.

Globalization will kill Small-Scale Industries in India

Globalization is the metamorphosis of the individual nations into an integrated entity by means of their interconnection on an economic, social and cultural level, fuelled by easy transport and communication among them. It is the modern renaissance that makes ideas, goods, services, trade, technology and culture permeate into the entire geography of the world thus turning it into a global village.

While globalization is a large scale phenomenon, small scale enterprises are a local phenomenon but having effects of dimensions as large as it’s global ‘friend and foe’. Friend- because both globalization and small scale industries are the two wheels of the vehicle of economic growth and prosperity; foe- because some argue that given the developing nation that India is, Small Scale Industries(SSIs) can suffer and strangulate to death by the fierce competition put up by globalization. Let us observe and decide.

Micro and small scale enterprises have existed in India since ages in the form of traditional skills and knowledge based products made by people for the self sufficiency of rural India. Today as per the government definition, “An industrial undertaking in which the investment in fixed assets in plant and machinery whether held on ownership terms on lease or on hire purchase does not exceed Rs. 10 million, can be categorized as small scale undertaking”. After independence, the Indian government made various laws to help revive and flourish the SSI because of the employment potential it had at a low capital cost. It needed mediocre technical knowledge and minimal infrastructure to set up. Thus it was and is the most ideal form of employment opportunity for both the urban and rural population. It not only encourages entrepreneurship among people but also makes them self reliant. Govt. funding, support and intensive promotion has aided people to participate more in this successful phenomenon making SSI the second largest employment sector after agriculture. It forms about 45-50% of our exports. The products also form a large percentage of our domestic market too with SSI producing a number of products like confectionaries, spices, beverages, natural essence oils, dyes, sports goods, wooden furniture, glass, ceramic and earthen wares, cotton and woolen knitted products, silk and synthetic wear, leather shoes, bags, garments and novelty items, plastic items, survey instruments, auto parts, clocks and watches, musical instruments, lab chemicals, basic metallic and non-metallic mineral products. They are the dynamic sectors of our economy. It also leads to the preservation of many traditional and indigenous skills and products our country is famous for. It is the road to rural industrialization and ‘rural urbanization’ thus creating a regional balance.

India was self reliant and self sufficient but with the march of the world towards industrialization India found its closed policy of trade leading to an impending economic crisis. The main reason behind this was the focus of efforts on heavy industries and lack of it on the consumption goods. From 1991 India witnessed a major change as the govt. introduced liberalization, privatization and globalization reforms to pep up the economy. Soon the world realized what a big 1billion-population-market India was. They brought their goods to India which were mass produced and therefore cheaper and of better quality than the local goods. They started challenging the SSI and thus posed an end to them. Further with the introduction of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the MNCs were facilitated with areas with liberal economic and trade laws, round the clock facilities and concessions to enhance foreign investments and promote exports. This endangered the existence and survival of SSIs.

But this is not the complete picture. A lot of foreign entrepreneurs who do not have the time or funds to build the infrastructure for their own manufacturing unit in India engage a number of SSI owners to produce goods for them in a short span of time and sell them to cater to the international demand. In other words they outsource the manufacturing to the Indians. Thus it leads to more labour absorption and growth of SSIs. Many of the SSIs have turned into LSIs this way. Also the demand for SSI goods will never finish as a lot of their products are not lucrative options for the MNCs. For example, the incense sticks or agarbatties, bangles, pickles, etc. are not a catch for LSIs but have a constant demand and thus SSIs have a great opportunity in identifying such areas.

So it can be said that both globalization and SSIs are the essentials of Indian economy and India must make efforts to promote, sustain and aid both in a fair and unbiased way. A fruitful measure would be to reserve certain goods for production exclusively by the SSIs and their intelligent outsourcing by the govt. to ensure maximum benefits. Also the govt. should advertise the indigenous goods worldwide so that the foreign folk also go in for the ethnic items produced here like khadi, silk, wool, statues, gems, ornaments, etc. as these represent the traditional art form and culture of the region. As far as the financial aids are concerned, the govt. is doing good work to make things simple and possible for the interested individuals by funding and financial support. Also the setting up of institutes for technical training and skill enhancement of the workforce is helping in a big way.

While globalization has put us on the map of superpower countries, SSIs have empowered the common man to walk with the same stride as the big-wigs. For India to be a superpower, it is must make efforts to strengthen each and every thread of its economic fabric to make the flag of its success fly high.

White collar crimes are wide spread in society

White-collar crime and its consequences are recognized from centuries which categorize number of crimes. Mostly business and government professionals are involved in series of frauds termed as white-collar crime because these are lucrative, comparatively risk-free, and nearly socially up to standard. Due to high occurrence of these crimes, security officials plan modern technique to fight back through prevention, investigation, and prosecution. When the term white-collar crime is conversed, people are encouraged to think decisively about the nature of crime, law, and criminal justice. In the criminal justice system, the focal point of the investigative efforts on the crimes of the poor. If it is viewed from same legal eye of the state, the crimes of the powerful are hidden. White-collar crime is defined as "those illegal acts which are characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and which are not dependent upon the application or threat of physical force or violence.

Individuals and organizations commit these acts to obtain money, property, or services; to avoid the payment or loss of money or services; or to secure personal or business advantage. Generally the white collar criminals commit range of frauds to get personal financial gain. White collar crimes do not show any vicious activity, but the extent of these crimes are intense and it can bring about great economic loss for companies, investors. Computer fraud is characterized as the crime committed to perform a plan or illegal activity and the targeting of a computer with the intention to modify, damage, or put out of action the data of computer system. There are many examples of crimes which include offering missing goods to a buyer, stealing someone's funds by hacking into his bank or credit card account. Hackers find passwords and delete information, create programs to steal passwords, or even rummage through company garbage to find secret information. Embezzlement is another type of white collar crime, termed as the misuse of items with which a person has been assigned. Charges of embezzlement can even be levied if the embezzler intended to return the property later. Employee theft is most common example of embezzlement. Company employees can have access to company property so they can easily misuse the property. Numerous examples can be quoted such as theft of retail items, discounted sale of retail items, and theft from cash registers.

Health care frauds are a stereotypical white collar crime in which highly qualified medical practitioners and health supervisory abuse their posts and professional skills through misleading nonviolent tactics such as fake bills just for individual financial gain. Environmental crimes are the infringement of laws which are made to protect the environment and human health. Littering, Improper waste disposal, Oil spills, Destruction of wetlands are some of the Environmental crimes. Perpetrator of Environmental law violation is fined, put on experimentation, sent to jail. Financial crimes are major white collar crimes. These are any non-violent felony that is committed by or against an individual or corporation and lead to great fiscal loss. These frauds include tax evasion, cheating of company funds, and the sale of fictitious insurance plans.

Another category of serious white collar crime is government fraud, which is an unlawful act that deliberately rid the government of funds through trickery. When the government gets fiddled, taxpayers pay the price. Procurement and contractor fraud are examples of costliest government fraud. In Identity theft the criminal use the personal information of another in order to commit fraud. Crooks of this type of crime have to face heavy penalties if trapped. Insurance fraud is very common in which offender forged claims to an insurance company, personal injury and property damage claims that are overstated in order to collect extra reimbursements. Mail fraud is committed by using Postal Service or any private or commercial interstate mail carrier, such as Mailboxes, etc. Money laundering is a felony in which lawbreakers hide the resource and objective of illegitimately acquired funds. Public corruption is an act of violating the public official's duty of faith towards his or her society. Anyone who is elected, appointed, hired, or employee of a constituency of citizens commits crime on the state, or local level when an official takes favorable decision in exchange of offered some value. Securities fraud is committed by white collar criminal such as corporations, broker-dealers, analysts, and private investors when the executor intentionally deceives investors for financial profits. The culprit of tax evasion deliberately and illegally avoids paying mandatory taxes to the government. Telemarketing fraud fall under white collar criminal in which wrongdoer make some plan that uses telephone contact to fraudulently rid its victims of funds or assets. The most regular type of telemarketing frauds are prize offers and sweepstakes, magazine sales, credit card sales.

In today's hi-tech world, white collar crimes are creating a serious trouble for government. People who commit white-collar crimes are sometimes the same kind of people who are in a position to see to it that their crimes are not defined too detrimental. While the impact of white-collar criminals leave an immense impact on the nation but the cost to each individual is petite. Practically it is observed that no effort from police department goes into skirmishing white-collar crime.

Our social system is corrupted by number of white collar crime and it is a great challenge for us to discover suitable resolution to the increasing menace of white-collar crime. These crimes are directly affecting the economy of the nation and the public's confidence, therefore corrective action must be taken immediately for preventing, detecting, investigating, and prosecuting economic crimes in order to minimize their outcome. Main blockade to get to the bottom of the white-collar crime hazard is that the public is not aware of its seriousness. It is more important to create wakefulness and businesses, and the nation's lawmakers must be convinced with its significance in identifying that such high-tech and economic crimes have an undesirable effect on society. Mostly people are innocent and they are not aware of the degree to which their lives, financial status, businesses, families, or privacy might be pretentious by electronic crime. A rock-hard inspection or accounting background is obliging to detect white-collar crime because swindlers are very clever and they can manipulate the situation very well.

The New Child Labour Law

“The child is father of the man”- William Wordsworth

Child is a bundle of joys a flower incarnate in person. A flickering smile of the child pleases everyone. The brightness and future welfare of the society is closely interwoven with the brightness of the child and its careful upbringing. Childhood is the most important period of life, as it shapes adulthood. The very initiation of life-making starts at childhood. The early lesson of the child starts from the cradle. Parents adopt different methods to rear up the child in different ages, to make it a happy man or woman later. The mother being closer, has a greater responsibility to train up the child well from the very infancy.

If one desires to know a nation, he should look for it into its children. Child is not only the future of the nation and its aspirations but also, and mainly, its strength in reserve. The future of nation is best insured if its children are healthy and active, educated and informed, disciplined and trained, as well as free from social prejudices, having a scientific outlook. It is, therefore a duty cast on the society at large to protest this crop of nation from the damaging effects of excessive exposure to vagaries of climate, as well as, from social oppression and injustice.

Talking all the aspects as a whole, the childhood is the most significant period of one’s life. It is considered, and rightly so, to be the very foundation of life on which depends the entire structure the whole personality as such child the father of man – is the natural future leader of the nation in every walk of life, may it be industry, education, politics, social services, administration defence, civil services or anything else. It is during this formative period of moulding that the life begins to acquire shape and substance, and the attitudes, behaviours, manners and emotions do get developed.

Concept of Child Labour

The term ‘Child Labour‘ is, at times, used as a synonym for ‘employed child’ or ‘working child’. In this sense it is co-extensive with any work done by a child for profit or reward. But more commonly than not, the term ‘child labour’ is used in a derogatory sense. It suggests something which is hateful and exploitative.

Thus, child labour is recognized by the sociologists, development workers, educationists and medical professionals as hazardous and injurious to the child, both physically and mentally.

According to Shri. V.V.Giri, former president of India, has thus distinguished the two concepts of the ‘child labour’s: the term ‘child labour’ is commonly interpreted in two different ways: first, as an economic practice and secondly, as a social evil. In the first context it signifies employed of the children in gainful occupations with a view to adding to the labour income of the family. It is in the second context that the term child labour is now more generally used. In assessing the nature and extent of the social evil, it is necessary to take into account the character of the jobs on which the children are engaged, the dangers to which they are exposed and the opportunities of development which they have been denied.”

The term ‘child labour’ applies to children engaged in all types of activities whether these be industrial or non-industrial but which are determined to their physical, mental, moral and social well being and development. The brain of a child develops anatomically till the age of ten, the lungs till the age of fourteen and the muscles till the age of seventeen. Anything which obstructs the natural growth of any or all of these vital organs should be considered as determinate to natural physical growth, or even hazardous.

Some Historical Aspect on Child Labour in India

In ancient India it was the duty of the king to educate every girl and boy and parents could be punished for not sending their children to school called ashrams, which were really residential schools under a guru (a learned sage). Child labour existed only in the form of child slaves children, sometimes even less than 8 years of age, were purchased, to do so-called low and dishonorable work. Kautilya (4th century B.C) considered it degrading to make children work on such jobs and hence prohibited the purchase and sale of slave children below 8 years.

Children, however, helped their parents in household activities and family crafts. They learnt the skills by observing and participating in such activities. A predominantly rural society is inevitably characterized by small and marginal economic units. India, through its medieval period, was no exception. Increasing pressure on land led to fragmentation of holdings. Growing families had to look beyond personal cultivation for subsistence. A class of landless labourers came into existence, often bonded to the large landowners. These labourers used their children to help in their economic activities. The rural artism rarely worked alone. Infact the entire family was a work unit with the ‘pater familia’ being the master craftsman. Occupations were determined largely on the basis of heredity, and children were introduced to their traditional craft at a young age.

Nature of Child Work

From time immemorial it has been the practice that children were to engage themselves in some sort of work or the other, both in home and in the field. In olden days, children of tender age performed even toilsome work alongwith adult agricultural and other workers. In the medieval period, children used to be engaged as trainees under the guidance of their parents to learn traditional crafts of the family.

In agriculture, children are employed not on agricultural operations but in non-agricultural operations also. They are employed in such diverse agricultural operations as ploughing, sowing, transplanting, weeding, harvesting threshing and guarding the crops, etc.

In plantations, child labour is a part of family labour. They assist their parents in plucking of leaves and coffee berries, or collecting of latex, or they do some secondary jobs, such as, weeding, spreading of fertilizers, the care of nurseries, digging of drains, etc. they are also employed to pick out stalks and coarse leaves of tea spread over the green leaves in the shadow.

There is also an increasing concern about the accident and disease incident among child agricultural workers, controls on hazardous insecticides and pesticides are deficient and neither the children nor their parents receive any instruction as how to use them safely. The same is true of mechanical operations.

Children in cities perform much larger varieties of activities than those in villages because of the extensively diversified structure of urban economics. Often, children are employed for packing, labeling, etc., in the factories. Other industries in which children are engaged are match factories, bidi manufacturing, mica cutting, wood and cork, furniture and fixture, printing, publishing and allied trades, leather products, rubber and rubber products, machinery, transport equipment, lock factories, gem cutting and polishing, potteries, glass bangle industries, brass work, carpet industries and personal services like laundaries, deying and cleaning.

Millions of small boys and girls are engaged in the unorganized sector, comprising hotels, restaurants, canteens, wayside ‘dhabas’, shops, repair workshop, and establishments of various types. They also work as hawkers, coolies, shoe-shine boys and venders. In big cities, children can be seen cleaning and washing automobiles just for a trip. The bigger the city, the higher is the persistent demand for teenagers to work as domestic servants and it is there that they are often subjected to worst types of exploitation without any means of protections-legal or social on the kitchen floor and are, as a rule, not permitted to attend school. Sexual abuse is also reported to be frequent.

In a good number of occupations child worker is invariably exposed to risks of various nature because of his tender age. For instance, he is likely to suffer burn injuries while working round about big ovens, or while carrying hot beverages; the newspaper hawkers and shoe-shine boys are exposed to the risk of road accident; rag-pickers may get cut injuries from glass pieces or broken tin cans; or the child working on construction sites alongwith his parents may sustain injuries while carrying brick or stone loads.

Interestingly, children are sometimes also employed as performing artists. They are given roles in films, and in circus they perform acrobatic feats, Magicians and jugglers use them as ‘Jamura’ (the helping boy) and they are also used by them for arousing public sympathy at wayside shows for alms.

Some writers and social workers are of the view that begging is a major field of operations where children are put to work. Mrs. Sengupta has observed.:
“Our seething millions where child employment is rife and has become a various form of exploitation ….. begging is becoming a real profession and there are scaring rumours that gangsters and syndicates of inhuman beings trade in human babies and children. Certainly the mother clad in a rag and clutching a baby in her arms is a sight that is shameful. Children are drugged or even, one hears, tortured. To see pavement dwellers in all their horrors living in filth, children picking up rejected and popping food mixed with filth into their mouths makes one feel desperate: but no one seem to do prevent from flaunting drugged babies or little tots on the road and to use them for employment purposes.”

Curiously, some well to do urban families, having connections in the country-side, take in some child of a poor relative, ostensibly, for supporting the child out of sympathy for the for the poor relatives, but he or she eds up as a domestic servant with no opportunity for education.

It has been also discovered that a sizable number of children ranging between 5 to 12 years of age had actually been kidnapped from different places to weave carpets and were forced to work for as long as 22 hours a day. These children treated like virtual slaves, were found to bear scar marks of torture. They were, reportedly, severely beaten even with iron rods, if they were deficient in work or committed errors in weaving.

The most nefarious rather barbarian form of child exploitation is the practice of bonded labour. The child is handed over by the loaner as security or collateral security against small sums of loan obtained at an exorbitant rate of interest. The bonded child usually gets only a handful of coarse grain for his subsistence. He has to toil very hard and exists at the mercy of his lord for the whole of life without the least hope of redemption. The mortgagee is usually some big landlord, money –lender or the village businessman and the mortgager is the poor landless labourer. Through this practice is prevalent in many parts of rural India, it is predominant in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu but with a distinguishing feature that there the bonded child is allowed to stay with his parents on the condition that he must present him self at work daily at 8 a.m. The practice of bounded labour is still prevalent dispite stringent laws against it which provide for imprisonment of, and imprisonment of, and imposition of fine on, the guilty.

Causes Of Child Labour

Child labour is a socio-economic phenomenon. It is generally concerned that illiteracy, ignorance, low wages, unemployment, poor standard of living, stark poverty, deep social prejudices and appalling backwardness of the country-side are all, severally and collectively, the root causes of child labour. Mr Madan, Deputy Director, Ministry of Labour, is of the view that “the children are required to seek employment either to augment the income of their families or to have a gainful occupation in the absence of availability of school going facilities at various places.”

It has been officially stated that, “child labour is no longer a medium of economic exploitation but is necessitated by economic necessity of the parents and in many cases that of the child himself.” Prof. Gangrade believes that child labour is a product of such factors as customs, traditional attitude, lack of school or reluctance of parents to send their children to school, urbanization, industrialization, migration and so on.

Age Limit

The Indian constitution in its article 24 lays down that, “No child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.” The abuse of the tender age can be stopped by bringing these vast unorganized sectors under legislative control. We see that children employed in different occupations and different states are subject to different set of regulations and treatment. But our primary interest is to save the tender aged children from health risks, hazardous and other forms of exploitation. The complex socio-economic conditions in different social milieu may not advocate the uniform age limit. But this should not rule out the possibility of acceptance of age uniformity, though child labour (Prohibitions and Regulation) Act has brought about much needed uniformity in certain cases. Not only in our country, but also in almost all other countries of the world the non-uniformity of age regulation is still in existence. The most widely covered and most strictly regulated sector is industry. Fifty-four of the member countries for which such information is available, have fixed the minimum age for industrial employment at 14. A higher age – 15 or 16 is the general rule in another forty-five and a lower one -12 or 13 – in just over a dozen. In case of non-industrial employment national laws and regulations are naturally extremely diverse. The majority of countries have, in principle, a uniform minimum age of 14, 15 or 16 years for all employment (disregarding agriculture for the moment).

But in our country where dire poverty is manifest in every walk of life what will be the minimum age for child labour? The International Labour Organization in its Convention No. 138 (1973), in Article 3 had clearly stated, “The minimum age for admission to any type of employment or work which by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out is likely to jeopardise the health, safety or morals of young persons shall not be less than 18 years.” If India ratifies this convention, millions of children will be thrown out of employment. In the present socio-economic condition in the country it is difficult to prescribe the minimum age. It will make the problem of unemployment and poverty more acute. But for the sake of uplifting the future standards of employment as well as to protect the children from such abuse of their tender age, at least we can appeal to our government to provide free and compulsory education to every child up to the age of 14 years. The law –makers must keep in mind the recommendation of the Convention No. 138. age limits should be gradually raised to a level consistent with the fullest physical and mental growth and development of child workers as recommended by the International Labour Organization to save the children from the clutches of social injustice and deprivation and to ensure for them a happy normal growth in the national interest of every country.

Hours of Work

The health and efficiency of the workers depend mostly on the hours of work. Long hours of work are harmful not only for moral and physical development, but also retard efficiency. Considering our climate and geophysical conditions the hours of work should be lowered. The long working days minimize the working life. So it is less productive in the long run. Shorter working days are also less productive, but it provides more employment. The socio-economic conditions of India demands shorter working hours. The tender age of the working children should be protected from the onslaught of rigorous working hours. The environment of the working places, such as, hotels, restaurants, tea-stalls, and sweet-shops is most uncongenial to the development of the child. But the working children devote 16 to 20 hours daily to serve the clients.

According to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, no child shall be permitted to work more than a period of 6 hours inclusive one hours rest in one day. Moreover short working hours, with rest intervals would enable the child workers to perform their duties efficiently and happily. The most surprising thing is that the employer hardly takes any care to make a difference between the child and the adult worker. Naturally working children become the victim of exploitation. Working hour should be restricted in such a way that they may be permitted to part time education. The most striking thing is that no special provision have been made regarding the condition of work, conservancy services whole- some drinking water, medical facilities, accident benefits, rest, etc., for the child workers. They should enjoy the same facilities like the adult workers.

Implementation of Schemes

Our constitution provides, as a fundamental right, that no child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed in any factory, or mine, or be engaged in any other hazardous occupation. Once Dr. Rajendra Prasad had remarked, “We might search our hearts and ask ourselves whether we have done everything possible to implement this directive.”

According to the report of the National Commission on Labour, the employment of children in factories, mines, plantations or in other organized sectors has been decreasing. However, this report adds that it continues to persist in varying degrees in the unorganized sector, such as, small plantations, restaurants, hotels, cotton ginning and weaving, carpet weaving, stone breaking, brick kiln, handicrafts and road building, etc. Employment of children, who are below the prescribed age, was also reported to be continuing at far off places and in rural areas where enforcement of statutory provisions was all the more difficult.

The real enforcement lies in the implementation. The positive side of implementation is that law should have and validity. The greedy employers do not care the existing laws. Like all other countries several industrial activities such as manufacturing, mines, construction and various kind of transport are dealt with by separate laws and regulations. On the other hand the immature children are in the dark about legal protection. Like all laws should be properly administered. The essential feature of the administration of labour law is inspection. A peculiar feature is that the employer always tries to draw a screen before the inspector. Inspector hardly gets any opportunity to identify the child for verify his age and the other working conditions. Children do not come openly to the inspector to report about their grievances.

International Labour Organization and Child Labour

The basic aim of the ILO to abolish Child Labour altogether is yet a distant goal in view of the present economic setup of the World. It has taken measures to protect the working children and to ameliorate their working and living conditions and to impart job-based education. The United Nations declaration of the rights of the child says:

“The child shall enjoy special protection and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.”

It further states that: “the child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form. The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case be caused or permitted to be engaged in any occupations or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.”

Best blessings on those
Little, innocent lives
Bloomed on earth,
Who have brought the message
Of joy from heavenly garden
- Rabindra Nath Tagore

It is the bounded duty of the country to provide for atleast free primary education for all children. One must remember that the industrialization can wait but youth does not last long. This right to primary education must be for all the present time, and not a dubious or ambiguous must be for the present for some defined future. The basic guarantees of our Constitutional must be fulfilled here and now.

Therefore, so far as the projects for development of human resources are concerned, the programme for welfare of children must be given top priority. It is only in this way that children can be trained to be good future citizen, mentally alert and prosperous. We should aim at providing proper and equal opportunities for development to all children in the light of the above mentioned constitutional directives. It is only then that we can fulfill our aspirations and achieve our objectives of social justice and equality enshrined in our constitution.

Deforestation: Major environmental problem

Deforestation is a main environmental concern in the world. Deforestation includes the cutting down, burning, and destructing of forests. Numerous researches suggests that deforestation may be the first link in a chain of environment degradation that includes erosion, climatic changes, loss of biodiversity and genetic endowment, air pollution, decline in watershed functions, and the apparent loss of hardwood, fuel wood, and aesthetic stocks.

Population explosion is major basis for decline of the rain forests. These forests are being cut down at a petrifying rate to supply man with lumber, pasture land, and farm land. The outcome of such human activities is deforestation; the world's most valuable environment is being ruined. Plants and animals life is gradually diminishing as the natural habitats are bested. Deforestation occurs because people need land for agricultural. Large companies clear vast amounts of land, often for cattle pastures to fill the beef market. They also use the land for large plantations and use pesticides and irrigation systems that are very harmful to the land. The chemicals which are used to destroy pests also kill other animals and cause a lot of damage to surrounding areas. The rain washes the chemicals into the water system killing the aquatic life. The use of Land in such a way affects negatively the surrounding areas. It also can take centuries to re-grow.

There is solid cause of deforestation which is mainly related to a competitive global economy. It forces countries to utilize their only resource for funds. This process takes place at local and national level. Locally, people use land for farming to generate income because of poverty and population growth. Nationally, governments sell logging concessions to cover debts and develop industries. People are using their rainforests only for a short-term solution and could not assess the long term effects of their distractive activities. It is predicted that half the rain in tropical countries comes from evaporation of moisture from the covering of the trees. As trees and plants are destroyed, the moist awning of the tropical rain forest rapidly reduces. Evaporation and Evapotranspiration processes from the trees and plants return large quantities of water to the local atmosphere, promoting the formation of clouds and precipitation. Due to less evaporation, more of the Sun's energy is able to warm the surface and the air above which leads to increase in temperatures and the drying of land. Today, it is novel policies and program of development; rapid industrialization, urbanization and growing consumerism that have resulted in the large scale destruction of the forests. Due to the difficulty of deforestation, a major environmental issue, many clashes have arisen between environmental activist groups and those concerned in deforestation activities. The solutions to crisis of deforestation lie in dealing with the root cause. To resolve the issue, experts have to consider the economic problems that lie at the heart of the situation. Many proposals have been offered such as sustainable wood sources. If deforestation continues at its current rate then in just 100 years, there will be no more rainforests left at all and people will be the most sufferers.

Governments and environmentalists are facing major challenge- what steps must be taken to stop deforestation so that current environmental conditions would not get poorer. Scarcity and over population are main causes which alarms to governments. Policies must be made to overcome such problems so that we can save our forest and animals. Environmentalists and forestry supporters have been telling people and governments to instantly act on the problem regarding continued deforestation practices all around the world. Deforestation could be gradually stopped if people would be more environmentally mindful. That means, to speed up efforts in stopping deforestation. We must start participating in recycling programs. Governments should also implement legislations that would successfully prevent the deforestation process. Government must encourage reforestation which is the sought-after healing process

Everyone must understand that rainforest are splendid, exceptional gift of nature on our valuable Earth. If preventive measures are not taken immediately to stop the effects of deforestation, humans will be under grip of severe crisis. They may lose animals, plants, and there are great possibilities for dreaded diseases that are killing off our own race. All people must join their hands to work out a plan that is appropriate for businesses, governments, and most importantly the environment. Another important threat to human is that deforestation leads not only to species annihilation but also to loss of the genetic diversity that could help certain species adjust to a changing world. People are well familiar with the environmental crisis which can happen due to deforestation. Still they are destroying speedily.

The effects of deforestation can be devastating. It can lose the land of its natural aesthetic. In coming years, dangerous consequences will be visible. Deforestation can damage to the environment, usually stemming from its ability to cause land erosion. When an area is cleared, the soil under the surface is essentially stripped of the roots that provided it structural integrity and support. Without this support, the force of water, gravity, or both can cause the land to move, either as one piece, or more commonly, steadily and incrementally. Soil erosion due to deforestation is the main cause of Costa Rica's environmental calamity such as flooding, desertification and sedimentation in rivers, long-term hydroelectric shortages, loss of wildlife diversity, and the obvious depletion of the wood resources. Such a severe climate change can be arrested through reducing tropical deforestation. Deforestation bans and moratoria can effectively work if implemented properly.

Deforestation of is a severe environmental destruction which can not be revived if damaged at current rate. People cut down trees to meet out their own need without considering future outcome. They do not recognize about the damage they are doing. The deforestation affects the plant life. People have general impression that if trees are cuts down, it will grow back in a few years. Plants will ultimately grow back, but the forest will be changed into a secondary forest and may never be the same.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

List of Various Committees & Their Focus Area

  1. Abhijit Sen Committee (2002) : Long Term Food Policy
  2. Abid Hussain Committee: On Small Scale Industries
  3. Ajit Kumar Committee : Army Pay Scales
  4. Athreya Committee: Restructuring Of IDBI
  5. Basel Committee: Banking Supervision
  6. Bhurelal Committee : Increase In Motor Vehicle Tax
  7. Bimal Julka Committee : Working Conditions ATCOS
  8. C B Bhave Committee : Company Information
  9. C Babu Rajiv Committee : Reforms In Ship Act 1908 & Ship Trust Act 1963
  10. Chakravarty Committee : Working Of The Monetary System And Suggest Measure For Improving The Effectiveness Fo Monetary Policy In Promoting Economic Development
  11. Chandra Shekhar Committee : Venture Capital
  12. Chandrate Committee: Delisting In Sharemarket
  13. Chore Committee : Review The Operation Of The Cash Credit System
  14. Dave Committee (2000) : Pension Scheme For Unorganized Sector
  15. Deepak Parikh Committee : To Revive Unit Trust If India (UTI)
  16. Dhanuka Committee : Simplification Of Transfer Rules In Security Markets
  17. G V Ramakrishna Committee : On Disinvestment
  18. Goiporia Committee : Improvement In The Customer Service At Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks
  19. Hanumant Rao Committee: Fertilizers
  20. J R Varma Committee: Current Account Carry Forward Practice
  21. Jankiramanan Committee : Securities Transactions
  22. JJ Irani Committee : Company Law Reforms
  23. K Kannan Committee : To Examine The Relevance Of The Concept Of Maximum ermissible Bank Finance (MPBF) As A Method Of Assessing The Requirements Of Bank Credit For Working Capital And To Suggest Alternative Methods.
  24. Kelkar Committee : Tax Structure Reforms
  25. Khan Working Group :Development Finance Institutions
  26. Khusro Committee : Agricultural Credit System
  27. Kumarmanglam Birla Report: Corporate Governance
  28. Mahajan Committee (1997): Sugar Industry
  29. Malegam Committee : Reforms In The Primary Market & Repositioning of UTI
  30. Malhotra Committee : Broad Framework Of Insurance Sector
  31. Marathe Committee: Recommendation For Urban Co-operative Banks
  32. Mashelkar Committee 2002 : Auto Fuel Policy
  33. Mckinsey Report: Merger Of 7 Associate Banks With SBI
  34. Meera Seth Committee: Development Of Handlooms
  35. Narismhan Committee: Banking Reforms
  36. NN Vohra Committee : Relations (Nexus) Of Politicians With Criminals
  37. Parekh Committee : Infrastructure Financing
  38. Percy Mistry Committee: Making Mumbai An International Financial Center
  39. Prasad Panel : International Trade And Services
  40. R V Gupta Committee : Small Savings
  41. Raja Chelliah Committee: Tax Reforms
  42. Rekhi Committee : Indirect Taxes
  43. RV Gupta Committee : Agricultural Credit
  44. S P Talwar Committee: Restructuring Of Weak Public Sector Bank
  45. S Tendulkar Committee: Redefining Poverty Line And Its Calculation Formula
  46. Sapta Rishi Committee (July 2002) : Development Of Domestic Tea Industry
  47. Shah Committee : Reforms Relating To Non Banking Financial Companies (NFBC)
  48. SL Kapoor Committee : Credit & Flow Problems Of Ssis
  49. SN Verma Committee (1999) : Restructuring The Commercial Banks
  50. Tandon Committee : System Of WORKING CAPITAL Financing By Banks
  51. Tarapore Committee: Report On Capital Account Convertibility
  52. Udesh Kohli Committee: Analyze Fund Requirement In Power Sector
  53. UK Sharma Committee : NABARD's Role In RRB
  54. Vaghul Committee : Money Market In India
  55. Vasudev Committee: NBFC( Non Banking Finance Corp) Sector Reforms
  56. Y B Reddy Committee :2001 : Review Of Income Tax Rebates
  57. A C Shah Committee:NBFC
  58. A Ghosh Committee:Final Accounts
  59. A Ghosh Committee:Modalities Of Implementation Of New 20 Point Programme
  60. A Ghosh Committee:Frauds & Malpractices In Banks
  61. Abid Hussain Committee:Development Of Capital Markets
  62. Adhyarjuna Committee:Changes In NI Act And Stamp Act
  63. AK Bhuchar Committee:Coordination Between Term Lending Institutions And Commercial Banks
  64. B Eradi Committee:Insolvency And Wind Up Laws
  65. B Sivaraman Committee:Institutional Credit For Agricultural & Rural Development
  66. B Venkatappaiah Committee:All India Rural Credit Review
  67. BD Shah Committee:Stock Lending Scheme
  68. BD Thakar Committee:Job Criteria In Bank Loans (Approach)
  69. Bhagwati Committee:Unemployment
  70. Bhagwati Committee:Public Welfare
  71. Bhave Committee:Share Transfer Reforms
  72. Bhide Committee:Coordination Between Commercial Banks And SFC's
  73. Bhootlingam Committee:Wage, Income & Prices
  74. C Rao Committee:Agricultural Policy
  75. CE Kamath Committee:Multi Agency Approach In Agricultural Finance
  76. Chatalier Committee:Finance To Small Scale Industry
  77. Chesi Committee:Direct Taxes
  78. Cook Committee (On Behalf Of BIS - Under Basel Committee ):Capital Adequacy Of Banks
  79. D R Mehta Committee:Review Progress And Recommend Improvement Measures Of IRDP
  80. Damle Committee:MICR
  81. Dandekar Committee:Regional Imbalances
  82. Dantwala Committee:Estimation Of Employments
  83. Dave Committee:Mutual Funds (Functioning)
  84. Dharia Committee:Public Distribution System
  85. DR Gadgil Committee:Agricultural Finance
  86. Dutta Committee:Industrial Licensing
  87. G Lakshmai Narayan Committee:Extension Of Credit Limits On Basis Of Consortium
  88. G Sundaram Committee:Export Credit
  89. Gadgil Committee (1969):Lead Banking System
  90. Godwala Committee:Rural Finance
  91. Goiporia Committee:Customer Service In Banks
  92. GS Dahotre Committee:Credit Requirements Of Leasing Industry
  93. GS Patel Committee:Carry Forward System On Stock Exchanges
  94. Hathi Committee:Soiled Banknotes
  95. Hazari Committee (1967):Industrial Policy
  96. IT Vaz Committee:Working Capital Finance In Banks
  97. J Reddy Committee:Reforms In Insurance Sector
  98. James Raj Committee:Functioning Of Public Sector Banks
  99. Jankiramanan Committee:Securities Transactions Of Banks & Financial Institutions
  100. JV Shetty Committee:Consortium Advances
  101. K Madhav Das Committee:Urban Cooperative Banks
  102. Kalyansundaram Committee:Introduction Of Factoring Services In India
  103. Kamath Committee:Education Loan Scheme
  104. Karve Committee:Small Scale Industry
  105. KB Chore Committee:To Review The Symbol Of Cash Credit Q
  106. Khanna Committee:Non Performing Assets
  107. Khusrau Committee:Agricultural Credit
  108. KS Krishnaswamy Committee:Role Of Banks In Priority Sector And 20 Point Economic Programme
  109. L K Jha Committee:Indirect Taxes
  110. LC Gupta Committee:Financial Derivatives
  111. Mahadevan Committee:Single Window System
  112. Mahalanobis Committee:Income Distribution
  113. Marathe Committee:Licensing Of New Banks
  114. ML Dantwala Committee:Regional Rural Banks
  115. Mrs. KS Shere Committee:Electronic Fund Transfer
  116. Nadkarni Committee:Improved Procedures For Transactions In PSU Bonds And Units
  117. Nariman Committee:Branch Expansion Programme
  118. Narsimham Committee:Financial System
  119. Omkar Goswami Committee:Industrial Sickness And Corporate Restructuring
  120. P R Nayak Committee:Institutional Credit To SSI Sector
  121. P Selvam Committee:Non Performing Assets Of Banks
  122. PC Luther Committee:Productivity, Operational Efficiency & Profitability Of Banks
  123. PD Ojha Committee:Service Area Approach
  124. Pendarkar Committee:Review The System Of Inspection Of Commercial, RRB And Urban Cooperative Banks
  125. Pillai Committee:Pay Scales Of Bank Officers
  126. PL Tandon Committee:Export Strategy
  127. PR Khanna Committee:Develop Appropriate Supervisory Framework For NBFC
  128. Purshottam Das Committee:Agricultural Finance And Cooperative Societies
  129. R Jilani Banks:Inspection System Of Banks
  130. R S Saria Committee:Agricultural Finance And Cooperative Societies
  131. Raghavan Committee:Competition Law
  132. Raja Chelliah Committee:Tax Reforms
  133. Rajamannar Committee:Centre - State Fiscal Relationships
  134. Rajamannar Committee:Changes In Banking Laws , Bouncing Of Cheques Etc.
  135. Rakesh Mohan Committee:Petro Chemical Sector
  136. Ram Niwas Mirdha Committee (JPC):Securities Scam
  137. Rangrajan Committee:Computerization Of Banking Industry
  138. Rangrajan Committee:Public Sector Disinvestment
  139. Rashid Jilani Committee:Cash Credit System
  140. Ray Committee:Industrial Sickness
  141. RG Saraiya Committee (1972):Banking Commission
  142. RH Khan Committee:Harmonization Of Banks And Ssis
  143. RK Hajare Committee:Differential Interest Rates Scheme
  144. RK Talwar Committee:Customer Service
  145. RK Talwar Committee:Enactment Having A Bearing On Agro Landings By Commercial Banks
  146. RN Malhotra Committee:Reforms In Insurance Sector
  147. RN Mirdha Committee:Cooperative Societies
  148. RV Gupta Committee:Agricultural Credit Delivery
  149. S Padmanabhan Committee:Onsite Supervision Function Of Banks
  150. S Padmanabhan Committee:Inspection Of Banks (By RBI)
  151. Samal Committee:Rural Credit
  152. SC Choksi Committee:Direct Tax Law
  153. Shankar Lal Gauri Committee:Agricultural Marketing
  154. SK Kalia Committee:Role Of NGO And SHG In Credit
  155. SL Kapoor Committee:Institutional Credit To SSI
  156. Sodhani Committee:Foreign Exchange Markets In NRI Investment In India
  157. SS Kohli Committee:Rehabilitation Of Sick Industrial Units
  158. SS Kohli Committee:Rationalization Of Staff Strength In Banks
  159. SS Kohli Committee:Willful Defaulters
  160. SS Nadkarni Committee:Trading In Public Sector Banks
  161. SS Tarapore Committee:Capital Account Convertibility
  162. Sukhmoy Chakravarty Committee:To Review The Working Of Monetary System
  163. Tambe Committee:Term Loans To SSI
  164. Tandon Committee:Follow Up Of Bank Credit
  165. Tandon Committee:Industrial Sickness
  166. Thakkar Committee:Credit Schemes To Self Employed
  167. Thingalaya Committee:Restructuring Of RRB
  168. Tiwari Committee:Rehabilitation Of Sick Industrial Undertakings
  169. UK Sharma Committee:Lead Bank Scheme (Review)
  170. Usha Thorat Panel: Financial Inclusion
  171. Vaghul Committee:Mutual Fund Scheme
  172. Varshney Committee:Revised Methods For Loans (>2 Lakhs)
  173. Venketaiya Committee:Review Of Rural Financing System
  174. Vipin Malik Committee:Consolidated Accounting By Banks
  175. VT Dehejia Committee:To Study Credit Needs Of Industry And Trade Likely To Be Inflated
  176. Vyas Committee:Rural Credit
  177. Wanchoo Committee:Direct Taxes
  178. WS Saraf Committee:Technology Issues In Banking Industry
  179. Y H Malegam Committee:Disclosure Norms For Public Issues
  180. YV Reddy Committee:Reforms In Small Savings

Some Recent Working Groups & Committees by RBI & Their Focus Area:

(Name of Chairmen is given)

  1. Working Group on Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR): Deepak Mohanty
  2. Working Group on Surveys: Deepak Mohanty
  3. High Level Committee to Review Lead Bank Scheme: Usha Thorat
  4. Working Group to Review the Business Correspondent Model: P Vijaya Bhaskar Rao
  5. High Level Group on Systems and Procedures for Currency Distribution: Usha Thorat
  6. G20 Working Group on Enhancing Sound Regulation and Strengthening Transparency: Dr. Rakesh Mohan and Mr. Tiff Macklem
  7. Committee on Financial Sector Assessment: Dr. Rakesh Mohan
  8. High Level Committee on Estimation of Savings and Investment: Dr. C. Rangarajan
  9. Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS) on Capital Flows and Emerging Market Economies: Dr. Rakesh Mohan
  10. Task Force For Diamond Sector: A K Bera
  11. Technical Advisory Group on Development of Housing Start-Up Index in India: Prof. Amitabh Kundu
  12. Working Group on Defraying Cost of ICT Solutions for RRBs: Shri G. Padmanabhan
  13. Working Group on IT support for Urban Cooperative Banks: R Gandhi
  14. Working Group on Technology Upgradation of Regional Rural Banks: Shri G. Srinivasan
  15. Interest Rate Futures: Shri V.K. Sharma
  16. Internal Working Group to Study the Recommendations of the NCEUS Report: KUB Rao
  17. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep: S. Ramaswamy
  18. Working Group on Rehabilitation of Sick SMEs: Dr. K. C. Chakrabarty
  19. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services In Jharkhand: V.S.Das
  20. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services in Himachal Pradesh: Dr. J. Sadakkadulla
  21. Internal Technical Group on Seasonal Movements in Inflation: Dr. Balvant Singh
  22. Working Group to Examine the Procedures and Processes of Agricultural Loans: C P Swarankar
  23. Task Force on Empowering RRB Boards for Operational EfficiencyDr. K.G. Karmakar
  24. Technical Group Set up to Review Legislations on Money Lending: Shri.S. C. Gupta
  25. Working Group To Suggest Measures To Assist Distressed Farmers: Shri. S. S. Johl
  26. Technical Group on Statistics for International Trade in Banking Services: Shri K.S.R.Rao
  27. Technical Advisory Group On Development Of Leading Economic Indicators For Indian EconomyDr. R B Barman
  28. Working Group on Savings for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-08 to 2011-12): Dr.Rakesh Mohan
  29. Working Group on Compilation of State Government Liabilities: Dr. N.D. Jadhav
  30. Working Group on Improvement of Banking Services in Uttaranchal: V.S. Das
  31. Working Group on Cost of NRI Remittances: P. K. Pain
  32. Working group to formulate a scheme for Ensuring Reasonableness of Bank Charges: N. Sadasivam
  33. Committee on Fuller Capital Account Convertibility: S.S.Tarapore
  34. Committee on Financial Sector Plan for North Eastern Region: Smt. Usha Thorat
  35. Survey on Impact of Trade Related Measures on Transaction Costs of Exports: Balwant Singh
  36. Advisory Committee on Ways and Means Advances to State Governments: M.P.Bezbaruah
  37. Need and Use Behavior for Small Denomination Coins: Sanal Kumar Velayudhan
  38. Debt Sustainability at State Level in India: Indira Rajaraman, Shashank Bhide and R.K.Pattnaik
  39. Internal Group to Examine Issues Relating to Rural Credit and Microfinance: Shri H.R.Khan
  40. Working Group to Review Export Credit: Shri Anand Sinha
  41. Internal Working Group on RRBs: Shri A V Sardesai
  42. Working Group on Warehouse Receipts and Commodity Futures: Shri Prashant Saran
  43. Internal Group to Review Guidelines on Credit Flow to SME Sector: Shri C.S.Murthy
  44. Working Group on Regulatory Mechanism for Cards Shri R.Gandhi
  45. Group on Model Fiscal Responsibility Legislation at State Level: Shri H R Khan
  46. Task Force on Revival of Cooperative Credit Institutions: Prof.A.Vaidyanathan
  47. Special Group for Formulation of Debt Restructuring Mechanism for Medium Enterprises: Shri G.Srinivasan
  48. Working Group on Screen Based Trading In Government Securities: Dr.R.H.Patil
  49. Expert Group on Internet Deployment of Central Database Management System (CDBMS): Prof.A.Vaidyanathan
  50. Report on Monitoring of Financial Conglomerates: Smt.Shyamala Gopinath
  51. Working Group on Development Financial Institutions: Shri N. Sadasivan
  52. Advisory Committee to Advise on the Administered Interest Rates and Rationalisation of Saving Instruments: Dr.Rakesh Mohan
  53. Advisory Committee on Flow of Credit to Agriculture: Prof.V.S.Vyas
  54. Working Group on Flow of Credit to SSI Sector: Dr.A.S.Ganguly
  55. Group to Study the Pension Liabilities of the State Governments: B. K. Bhattacharya
  56. Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives: Shri G. Padmanabhan
  57. Working Group on Instruments of Sterilisation: Smt. Usha Thorat
  58. Working Group on Information on State Government Guaranteed Advances and Bonds: Shri.G.Padmanabhan
  59. Working Group on Cheque Truncation and E-cheques: Dr.Barman, ED
  60. Working Group on Introduction of Credit Derivatives in India: Shri B. Mahapatra
  61. Group to Assess the Fiscal Risk of State Government Guarantees: Smt. Usha Thorat
  62. Advisory Committee on Ways and Means Advances to State Governments: Shri C.Ramachandran
  63. Working Group on Rupee Derivatives: Shri Jaspal Bindra
  64. Committee on Computer Audit: Shri A.L. Narasimhan
  65. Committee on Payment Systems: Dr R H Patil
  66. Review Group on The Working of The Local Area Bank SchemeShri G.Ramachandran
  67. Technical Group on Statistics of International Trade in Services: Shri Deepak Mohanty
  68. Working Group for Suggesting Operational and Prudential Guidelines on STRIPS (Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal of Securities): Shri M.R.Ramesh
  69. Working Group on Electronic Money: Mr.Zarir J. Cama
  70. Working Group on Economic Indicators Dr. R.B. Barman
  71. Working Group to Examine the Role of Credit Information Bureaus in Collection and Dissemination of Information on Suit-filed Accounts and Defaulters: Shri S.R. Iyer
  72. Information systems audit policy for the banking and financial sector: Dr. R.B.Burman
  73. Working Group on Consolidated Accounting and Other Quantitative Methods to Facilitate Consolidated Supervision: Shri Vipin Malik
  74. Expert Committee to Review the System of Administered Interest Rates and Other Related Issues: Dr.Y.V. Reddy
  75. Inter-Departmental Group to study the Rationalisation of Current account Facility with Reserve Bank of India: Shri K.W. Korgaonkar
  76. The Expert Committee on Legal Aspects of Bank Frauds: Dr.N.L. Mitra
  77. The Standing Committee on International Financial Standards and Codes
    Standing Committee on International Financial Standards and Codes: Dr. Y.V.Reddy
  78. Technical Group on Market Integrity: Shri C.R. Muralidharan
  79. Technical Group on Phasing Out of Non-banks from Call/Notice Money Market (March 2001): Dr.Y.V.Reddy
  80. Core Group on Voluntary Disclosure Norms for State Governments: Dr.Y.V.Reddy
  81. Task Force to Study the Cooperative Credit System and Suggest Measures for its Strengthening: Shri Jagdish Kapoor
  82. Internal Group to Review the Guidelines Relating to Commercial Paper: Dr.Y.V.Reddy
  83. High Power Committee on Urban Cooperative Banks: Shri Madhav Rao
  84. Working Group for setting up Credit Information Bureau in India: Shri N.H.Siddiqui
  85. Committee for Redesigning of Financial Statements of Non-Banking Financial Companies: Shri V.S.N. Murthy
  86. Working Group on Restructuring Weak Public Sector Banks: Shri M.S.Verma
    Working Group for Working Out Modalities on Dissemination of Information in Electronic Form: Shri Y.S.P. Thorat and Shri C.R. Gopalasundaram
  87. Committee on Technology Upgradation in the Banking Sector: Dr A.Vasudevan ]
  88. Working Group of EURO: Shri V.Subrahmanyam
  89. New Monetary Aggregates: Dr. Y.V. Reddy
  90. Committee on Capital Account Convertibility: Shri S.S.Tarapore

Saturday, December 4, 2010

INDIAN ECONOMY QUESTIONS

1. Deficit financing increases—
(A) Rate of money inflation
(B) Rate of money deflation
(C) Rate of devaluation
(D) All of the above
Ans : (A)

2. Which is not a monetary measure to control inflation ?
(A) Soft loan policy
(B) Hard credit policy
(C) Tight the regulation of money issue
(D) To reduce the quantity of money
Ans : (A)

3. Which is the monetary measure to control inflation ?
(A) Increase in taxation
(B) Decrease in taxation
(C) Soft credit policy
(D) Hard credit policy
Ans : (D)

4. Selling of securities in the open market by the central bank creates—
(A) Inflation
(B) Deflation
(C) Both of above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (B)

5. To control inflation the central bank should do—
(A) To sell government securities and to decrease bank rate
(B) To sell government securities and to increase bank rate
(C) To purchase government securities and to increase bank rate
(D) To purchase government securities and to decrease bank rate
Ans : (B)


6. To buy a book, from the market by giving money is called—
(A) Direct Exchange
(B) Indirect Exchange
(C) Direct and Indirect exchange
(D) This is not any type of exchange
Ans : (A)

7. Which of the following is not a direct tax ?
(A) Income tax
(B) Property tax
(C) Sales tax
(D) House tax
Ans : (C)

8. Ultimate burden of tax is known as—
(A) Impact
(B) Incidence
(C) Shifting of tax
(D) None of the above
Ans : (B)

9. When elasticity of demand and elasticity of supply are equal, the burden of tax ?
(A) Lies more on buyer
(B) Lies more on seller
(C) Lies equally on buyer and seller
(D) All of the above are false
Ans : (C)

10. Which of the following economists suggested tax on expenditure ?
(A) Dalton
(B) Musgrave
(C) Kaldor
(D) Van Philips
Ans : (A)

11. If interest payment is deducted from the fiscal deficit, then the balance is—
(A) Primary deficit
(B) Budgetary deficit
(C) Revenue deficit
(D) Monetary deficit
Ans : (A)

12. Which is the characteristic of a tax ?
(A) Tax is a payment for government service
(B) Tax is a compulsory payment
(C) Tax is voluntary
(D) To get benefit for a tax is compulsory
Ans : (B)

13. Which government income is included in revenue budget ?
(A) Tax-revenue
(B) Non-tax-revenue
(C) Both of above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

14. Which is included in Capital budget ?
(A) Income received from public borrowings
(B) Income received from tax-sources
(C) Income received from non-tax sources
(D) All of the above
Ans : (A)


15. Which is not included in the principles of public expenditure as developed by Findley Shirras ?
(A) Principle of Economy
(B) Principle of Sanction
(C) Principle of Elasticity
(D) Principle of Surplus
Ans : (C)

16. Which of the following is the largest significant factor of revenue expenditure of Central Government ?
(A) Defence Expenditure
(B) Subsidy
(C) Interest Payment
(D) Salary
Ans : (C)

17. In comparison to revenue deficit; the size of fiscal deficit is always—
(A) Higher
(B) Smaller
(C) Similar
(D) Uncertain
Ans : (A)

18. What is CENVAT ?
(A) Direct Tax
(B) Indirect Tax
(C) Development Planning
(D) None of the above
Ans : (B)

19. Where is Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) established ?
(A) New Delhi
(B) Mumbai
(C) Surat
(D) Jaipur
Ans : (C)

20. What is the nature of income tax in India ?
(A) Proportional
(B) Progressive
(C) Regressive
(D) None of the above
Ans : (B)

21. Which factor is not related to economic development ?
(A) Continuous process
(B) Increase in real national income
(C) Long run and continuous increase
(D) Compulsory change in economic welfare
Ans : (D)

22. The index of measuring economic development is—
(A) Increase in productive assets
(B) National income
(C) Per-capita income
(D) Any of the above
Ans : (D)

23. Process of economic development means—
(A) Economic change
(B) Social change
(C) Ethical, institutional and cultural change
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

24. At 2004-05 prices, the per-capita national income in India during 2009-10 was—
(A) Rs. 21005
(B) Rs. 33588
(C) Rs. 25241
(D) Rs. 20241
Ans : (B)

25. What is the main characteristic of a capitalist or free market economy ?
(A) Individuals are the owners of factors of production
(B) Profit is the main motive of carrying out various activities
(C) Consumer freedom
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

26. According to population census 2001, the state of largest density of population is—
(A) Maharashtra
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) West Bengal
(D) Bihar
Ans : (C)

27. According to population census 2001, which union territory has the largest percentage of literacy ?
(A) Delhi
(B) Chandigarh
(C) Puducherry
(D) Lakshdweep
Ans : (D)

28. According to population census 2001, which of the following states is below the national average of literacy ?
(A) Maharashtra
(B) Gujarat
(C) Orissa
(D) West Bengal
Ans : (C)

29. As per population census 2001, what is the percentage of urban population in total population of India ?
(A) 25•8%
(B) 26•78%
(C) 27•78%
(D) 28•78%
Ans : (C)

30. What was infant mortality rate in India in 2008 ?
(A) 70 per thousand
(B) 65 per thousand
(C) 60 per thousand
(D) 53 per thousand
Ans : (D)


31. As per population census 2001 in which state literacy rate is lowest ?
(A) Bihar
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Orissa
(D) Sikkim
Ans : (A)

32. What has been the annual growth rate of population during 1991-2001 ?
(A) 2•20 %
(B) 2•14%
(C) 1•95%
(D) 1•00%
Ans : (C)

33. In the history of population growth of India, which year is called “the year of great divide” ?
(A) 1951
(B) 1947
(C) 1935
(D) 1921
Ans : (D)

34. What was the density of population per square km in India in 2001 ?
(A) 325 persons
(B) 333 persons
(C) 327 persons
(D) 345 persons
Ans : (A)

35. The factor that determines the change in population of a place is—
(A) Birth rate
(B) Death rate
(C) Migration
(D) All of these
Ans : (D)

36. In whose production U.P. occupies the first place in India ?
(A) Food grains production
(B) Milk production
(C) Production of sugarcane and sugar
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

37. The Headquarter of RBI is in—
(A) Delhi
(B) Mumbai
(C) Kanpur
(D) Nasik
Ans : (B)

38. Which state produces maximum soyabean ?
(A) Madhya Pradesh
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Bihar
(D) Rajasthan
Ans : (A)

39. Which state produces maximum pulses in the country ?
(A) Madhya Pradesh
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Orissa
(D) Maharashtra
Ans : (A)

40. Kasturba Gandhi Education Scheme is related to—
(A) Girl Education
(B) Adult Education
(C) Child Labour Education
(D) Tribal Women (above 18 years)
Ans : (A)

41. Which state stands first in the length of roads in the country ?
(A) Maharashtra
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Madhya Pradesh
(D) Rajasthan
Ans : (A)

42. National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) was established in—
(A) 1950
(B) 1951
(C) 1952
(D) 1947
Ans : (A)

43. What is ‘green gold’ ?
(A) Tea
(B) Coffee
(C) Gold
(D) Rice
Ans : (A)

44. Which one is the leading state in the production of groundnut in the country ?
(A) Haryana
(B) Gujarat
(C) Rajasthan
(D) Uttar Pradesh
Ans : (B)

45. Which state in India produces maximum mica ?
(A) Madhya Pradesh
(B) Bihar
(C) Orissa
(D) Jammu and Kashmir
Ans : (B)

46. What is a foot loose industry ?
(A) Any industry which can locate virtually anywhere
(B) Foot loose industry has no strong national orientation in its location requirements
(C) Both of above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

47. “Mahila Samridhi Yojana” was launched on—
(A) October 2, 1992
(B) October 2, 1993
(C) October 2, 1995
(D) January 1, 1996
Ans : (B)

48. Which of the following is not a member of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ?
(A) India
(B) Pakistan
(C) Bhutan
(D) None of these
Ans : (D)

49. Nowadays, the thurst areas of human development are—
(A) Health
(B) Gender Equity
(C) Gender Empowerment
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

50. According to area, which state is the largest ?
(A) Madhya Pradesh
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Uttar Pradesh
(D) Maharashtra
Ans : (B)

51. Demand curve of a firm under perfect competition is—
(A) Perfectly Inelastic
(B) Perfectly Elastic
(C) More Elastic
(D) Less Elastic
Ans : (B)

52. Which of the following equation is correct for perfect competition ?
(A) AR = MR = Price
(B) AR MR
(C) AR MR
(D) Price MR
Ans : (A)

53. Which equation is correct under normal profit ?
(A) AR = AC
(B) AR AC
(C) AR AC
(D) AR = AC = 0
Ans : (A)

54. The object of every producing firm is—
(A) To maximise production
(B) To minimise cost
(C) To maximise profit
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

55. Who determines price under perfect competition ?
(A) Representative firm
(B) Industry
(C) Normal firm
(D) Government
Ans : (B)


56. Marshall's representative firm is a long-run average firm while optimum firm is a—
(A) Maximum cost firm
(B) Minimum cost firm
(C) Marginal cost firm
(D) Average cost firm
Ans : (B)

57. In perfect competition average revenue curve is—
(A) Parallel to x-axis
(B) Parallel to y-axis
(C) Slopes down from left to right
(D) Slopes upward from left to right
Ans : (A)

58. In the long-run, perfect competitive firm gets—
(A) Only normal profit
(B) Abnormal profit
(C) Loss
(D) Any of the above
Ans : (A)

59. What minimum price is acceptable by a firm in the short-period ?
(A) Equal to AC
(B) Equal to AVC
(C) Equal to AFC
(D) Equal to TC
Ans : (B)

60. Selling cost is a must in—
(A) Pure monopoly
(B) Perfect competition
(C) Imperfect competition
(D) All of the above
Ans : (C)

61. Which category of land is rent less land ?
(A) First category of land
(B) Second category of land
(C) Third category of land
(D) Marginal land
Ans : (D)

62. Opportunity cast of a factor is known as—
(A) Transfer earning
(B) Money cost
(C) Present earning
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)

63. Quasi Rent is—
(A) Equal to firm's total profit
(B) More than firm's total profit
(C) Less than firm's total profit
(D) None of the above
Ans : (D)

64. Which of the following can not be accepted factor of production ?
(A) Land
(B) Labour
(C) Light of sun
(D) Capital
Ans : (C)

65. Land is the only factor of production whose supply is ?
(A) More Elastic
(B) Perfectly Elastic
(C) Perfectly Inelastic
(D) Unitary Elastic
Ans : (C)

66. Rent will be produced at that time when ?
(A) Entire land is fertile
(B) Elasticity of supply of land is perfectly elastic
(C) Land is mobile
(D) None of the above
Ans : (D)

67. The Example of derived demand is—
(A) Demand for labour
(B) Demand for tea
(C) Demand for consumable commodity
(D) Income demand
Ans : (A)

68. Which of the following is an active factor of production ?
(A) Land
(B) Labour
(C) Capital
(D) Organisation
Ans : (B)

69. Who developed the innovation theory of profit ?
(A) Shumpeter
(B) Haley
(C) Prof. Knight
(D) Karl Marx
Ans : (A)

70. When the rate of money inflation increase then the prices of commodities ?
(A) Increase
(B) Decrease
(C) Remain constant
(D) Do not change
Ans : (A)

71. In common meaning, inflation is a condition in which—
(A) Price of commodity increases
(B) Value of money decreases
(C) Price of commodity and value of money both increase
(D) Price of commodity increases and value of money decreases
Ans : (D)

72. According to Keynes, real inflation takes place—
(A) Before the level of full employment
(B) On the level of full employment
(C) After the level of full employment
(D) All above are true
Ans : (C)

73. Which is the main reason of demand pull inflation ?
(A) Increase in money supply
(B) Increase in commercial expenditure
(C) Increase in foreign demand for goods
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

74. The reason for cost push inflation is—
(A) Increase in money wages
(B) Increase in rate of profit
(C) Both of above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

75. What is necessary to control cost push inflation ?
(A) To impose control on wages of labour
(B) To remove market imperfections
(C) Both of the above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

76. When was Consumer Protection Act enacted ?
(A) 1980
(B) 1985
(C) 1986
(D) 1991
Ans : (C)

77. When was Planning Commission formed ?
(A) March 15, 1950
(B) March 15, 1951
(C) August 15, 1947
(D) January 26, 1950
Ans : (A)

78. Planning Commission is—
(A) A statutory body
(B) A consultative body
(C) Both of above
(D) None of these
Ans : (B)


79. Who is the Chairman of Planning Commission ?
(A) President
(B) Prime Minister
(C) Finance Minister
(D) Home Minister
Ans : (B)

80. Who is the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission ?
(A) Montek Singh Ahluwalia
(B) C. Rangrajan
(C) K. C. Pant
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)


81. Who was the first Chairman of Planning Commission ?
(A) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(B) Raja Gopala Chari
(C) Mahatma Gandhi
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)

82. Which of the following is the function of Planning Commission ?
(A) To estimate various resources of the country
(B) To prepare plan for the balanced and effective use of resources
(C) To review plan
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

83. When was National Development Council formed ?
(A) 15th March, 1950
(B) 6th August, 1951
(C) 6th August, 1952
(D) 26th January, 1950
Ans : (C)

84. Who becomes the Chairman of National Development Council ?
(A) President
(B) Prime Minister
(C) Finance Minister
(D) Minister of Planning
Ans : (B)

85. Final shape is given to plan by—
(A) Planning Commission
(B) Finance Minister
(C) National Development Council
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

86. When was first five year plan introduced ?
(A) 1st April, 1950
(B) 1st April, 1951
(C) 1st April, 1952
(D) 31st March, 1950
Ans : (B)


87. When was 10th five year plan introduced ?
(A) 1st April, 2002
(B) 1st April, 2003
(C) 1st April, 2004
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)

88. Eleventh Five Year Plan Size (Centre Plus States) as percentage of GDP is—
(A) 9•46%
(B) 13•54%
(C) 15•25%
(D) 14•76%
Ans : (B)

89. What is the period of 11th five year plan ?
(A) 2006-2011
(B) 2007-2012
(C) 2008-2013
(D) 2009-2014
Ans : (B)

90. What is the revised target fixed for annual rate of growth of GDP during 11th five year plan ?
(A) 9%
(B) 8•1%
(C) 10%
(D) 10•5%
Ans : (B)

91. For which year the latest census is being conducted in India ?
(A) 2001
(B) 2010
(C) 2012
(D) 2011
Ans : (D)

92. How many censuses (including the 2011 census) have been carried out since independence ?
(A) 05
(B) 06
(C) 07
(D) 08
Ans : (C)

93. At what interval of years population census is conducted in India ?
(A) 05 years
(B) 06 years
(C) 10 years
(D) 15 years
Ans : (C)

94. When was first human development report of India issued ?
(A) March 2000
(B) April 2002
(C) June 2002
(D) April 2001
Ans : (B)

95. In which religion largest population growth was noticed during 1991-2001 ?
(A) Hindu
(B) Muslim
(C) Christian
(D) Sikhs
Ans : (B)

96. According to population census 2001, population of India as on March 1, 2001 was—
(A) 102•87 crore
(B) 100•20 crore
(C) 99 crore
(D) 98 crore
Ans : (A)

97. In which of the following states the percentage of scheduled caste population is maximum as per final figures of population census 2001 ?
(A) Uttar Pradesh
(B) Madhya Pradesh
(C) Kerala
(D) Punjab
Ans : (D)

98. In which state the literacy rate of women is highest ?
(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Kerala
(C) Mizoram
(D) West Bengal
Ans : (B)

99. According to population census 2001, which of the following states shows largest growth of population during 1991-2001 ?
(A) M.P.
(B) Manipur
(C) Rajasthan
(D) Nagaland
Ans : (D)

100. According to population census 2001, what is the number of women per 1000 men in India ?
(A) 939
(B) 959
(C) 933
(D) 927
Ans : (C)

101. “An Enquiry into the Nature and Causes of Wealth of Nations” is the book of economist—
(A) Adam Smith
(B) Marshall
(C) Robbins
(D) None of above
Ans : (A)

102. “Economics is the Science of Wealth” who gave this definition ?
(A) J. K. Mehta
(B) Marshall
(C) Adam Smith
(D) Robbins
Ans : (C)

103. “Economics is what economists do.” It has been supported by—
(A) Richard Jones
(B) Comte
(C) Gunnar Myrdal
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

104. “Human Welfare is the subject of Economics.” This statement is associated with the name of which of the economists ?
(A) Marshall
(B) Pigou
(C) Penson
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

105. Who has given scarcity definition of economics ?
(A) Adam Smith
(B) Marshall
(C) Robbins
(D) Robertson
Ans : (C)


106. “Economics is a science” the basis of this statement is—
(A) Relation between cause and effect
(B) Use of deductive method and inductive method for the formations of laws
(C) Experiments
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

107. Characteristics of economic laws are—
(A) Mere statements of economic tendencies
(B) Less certain
(C) Hypothetical
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

108. Which theory is generally included under micro economics ?
(A) Price Theory
(B) Income Theory
(C) Employment Theory
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)

109. Whose opinions have revolutionised the scope of macro economics ?
(A) Adam Smith
(B) J.B. Say
(C) J.M. Keynes
(D) All of the above
Ans : (C)

110. Which of the following is an economic activity ?
(A) Teaching of a teacher in the school
(B) To teach son at home
(C) To serve her child by mother
(D) To play football by a student
Ans : (A)

111. Passive factor of production is—
(A) Only land
(B) Only capital
(C) Both land and capital
(D) Neither land nor capital
Ans : (C)

112. Under law of demand—
(A) Price of commodity is an independent variable
(B) Quantity demanded is a dependent variable
(C) Reciprocal relationship is found between price and quantity demanded
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

113. For inferior commodities, income effect is—
(A) Zero
(B) Negative
(C) Infinite
(D) Positive
Ans : (B)

114. When total utility becomes maximum, then marginal utility will be—
(A) Minimum
(B) Average
(C) Zero
(D) Negative
Ans : (C)

115. Utility means—
(A) Power to satisfy a want
(B) Usefulness
(C) Willingness of a person
(D) Harmfulness
Ans : (A)

116. Marginal utility is equal to average utility at that time when average utility is—
(A) Increasing
(B) Maximum
(C) Falling
(D) Minimum
Ans : (B)

117. At point of satiety, marginal utility is—
(A) Zero
(B) Positive
(C) Maximum
(D) Negative
Ans : (A)

118. Which of the following is the second law of Gossen ?
(A) Law of equi-marginal utility
(B) Law of equi-product
(C) Theory of indifference curve
(D) Law of diminishing marginal utility
Ans : (A)

119. Total utility of a commodity is measured by which price of that commodity ?
(A) Value in use
(B) Value in exchange
(C) Both of above
(D) None of above
Ans : (A)

120. According to Marshall, the basis of consumer surplus is—
(A) Law of diminishing marginal utility
(B) Law of equi-marginal utility
(C) Law of proportions
(D) All of the above
Ans : (A)

121. Which commodity can be called as Giffen commodity ?
(A) Inferior commodity
(B) Superior commodity
(C) Any of above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)

122. The price of a commodity is determined where—
(A) Demand supply
(B) Demand supply
(C) Demand = supply
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

123. In perfect competition, the demand for a commodity is—
(A) Elastic
(B) Perfectly elastic
(C) Inelastic
(D) Perfectly inelastic
Ans : (B)

124. Which condition is not found in perfect competition ?
(A) Many buyers and sellers
(B) Perfect knowledge about market conditions
(C) Product differentiation
(D) Perfect factor-mobility
Ans : (C)

125. In which market, a firm cannot determine price ?
(A) Perfect competition
(B) Monopoly
(C) Monopolistic competition
(D) Oligopoly
Ans : (A)

126. Which is not the characteristic of socialist or planned economy ?
(A) Government is the owner of resources
(B) Production decisions are determined by the government
(C) Profit motive
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

127. The main feature of mixed economy is—
(A) Combination of free market economy and centrally planned economy
(B) Production is carried out by private individuals and government
(C) Both of the above
(D) None of the above
Ans : (C)

128. What per cent of GDP at 2004-05 prices was contributed by agriculture and related sectors in 2009-10 ?
(A) 14•6%
(B) 17•6%
(C) 19•0%
(D) 19•8%
Ans : (A)

129. According to World Development Report 2010, Low income economies are those whose per-capita gross national income is—
(A) $ 975 or less than this
(B) Less than $ 11905
(C) Less than $ 4526
(D) None of the above
Ans : (A)

130. Which of the following country's economy is known as high income economy ?
(A) America
(B) U.K.
(C) Singapore
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)


131. How much percentage of working population in India depends on agriculture as per economic survey 2009-10 ?
(A) 52%
(B) 70%
(C) 73%
(D) 75%
Ans : (A)

132. Which policy of economic system has been adopted by India for its economic development ?
(A) Capitalist Economy
(B) Mixed Economy
(C) Socialist Economy
(D) Centralised Planned Economy
Ans : (B)

133. A positive aspect of economic development after independence is—
(A) Creation of a large industrial base
(B) Proportion of population living below poverty line has declined
(C) Self sufficient in the production of food grains
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

134. The negative aspect of economic development after independence is—
(A) Problems of poverty and unemployment have not been eliminated
(B) Industrialisation did not take place as expected
(C) Many public sector enterprises started making losses
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

135. Reasons for the privatisation and liberalisation of public sector after 1991 are—
(A) Corruption
(B) Lack of efficiency in work
(C) Ineffective management
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

136. The main strategy adopted in the new economic policy of 1991 is—
(A) Liberalisation
(B) Privatisation
(C) Globalisation
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

137. How many industries have been reserved for government sector at present ?
(A) 03
(B) 04
(C) 05
(D) 06
Ans : (A)

138. How many industries are kept for compulsory licensing at present ?
(A) 03
(B) 06
(C) 05
(D) 07
Ans : (C)

139. Agriculture sector registered 1•6% growth in 2008-09 and what is estimated for 2009-10 ?
(A) 6%
(B) 4•3%
(C) 0•2%
(D) 0•9%
Ans : (C)

140. When was World Trade Organisation set up by the member countries of the united Nations to promote trade among countries ?
(A) 1994
(B) 1995
(C) 1999
(D) 2005
Ans : (B)

141. Where is the Headquarter of WTO located ?
(A) Newyork
(B) Washington
(C) Peris
(D) Geneva
Ans : (D)

142. The main objective of WTO is—
(A) Import and export restrictions to be abolished
(B) Instead of bilateral agreements, WTO expects the countries to follow multilateral agreements
(C) To regulate international trade of both goods and services
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

143. The largest source of National Income in India is—
(A) Agriculture Sector
(B) Industry Sector
(C) Service Sector
(D) Trade Sector
Ans : (C)

144. In which state the percentage of people living below poverty line is largest ?
(A) Orissa
(B) Bihar
(C) M.P.
(D) U.P.
Ans : (A)

145. Which of the following programmes is not for rural poverty eradication ?
(A) SGSY
(B) SJSRY
(C) PMGY
(D) All above programmes are for rural poverty eradication
Ans : (B)

146. The cause of rise in prices of goods, in the market is—
(A) Rise in money supply
(B) Increase in cost of production
(C) Increase in stocks of goods and blackmarketing
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

147. Changes in the prices of goods in India is measured by which of the following index numbers ?
(A) Wholesale Price Index (WPI)
(B) Consumer Price Index (CPI)
(C) Both of above
(D) None of these
Ans : (C)

148. Which year has been currently used as the base year to estimate national income in India by CSO ?
(A) 2004-05
(B) 1993-94
(C) 2001-02
(D) 1999-2000
Ans : (A)

149. Which of the following remedies are adopted to control price rise in the economy ?
(A) Monetary measures
(B) Fiscal measures
(C) Administered price mechanism
(D) All of the above
Ans : (D)

150. The term “Evergreen Revolution” has been used for increasing agricultural production in India by—
(A) Norman Barlogue
(B) Raj Krishna
(C) M. S. Swaminathan
(D) R. K. V. Rao
Ans : (C)