Economic and Social Development

181. The group which regularly moves in and out of poverty is called as:

The group which regularly moves in and out of poverty is called as:

[amp_mcq option1=”Chronic poor” option2=”Churning poor” option3=”Transient poor” option4=”Persistent poor” correct=”option2″]

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The group that regularly moves in and out of poverty is called the “Churning poor”.
Poverty is not static; people can move into or out of poverty over time. Different categories exist to describe this mobility.
Chronic poor are those who are always poor or mostly poor. Transient poor are those who are poor for a temporary period, often moving above and below the poverty line. The churning poor are a specific type of transient poor who frequently move above and below the poverty line. Persistent poor is synonymous with chronic poor.

182. Which one of the following statements with regard to poverty is

Which one of the following statements with regard to poverty is correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”Poverty line is determined by the monetary value of the minimum calorie intake” option2=”The existing mechanism for determining poverty line takes into consideration social factors such as illiteracy, ill health etc.” option3=”Income and assets are the only factors associated with poverty” option4=”The items included in consumption basket are adequate to estimate the poverty line and the number of poor” correct=”option4″]

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Option A is the most accurate statement among the choices regarding the determination of the poverty line, particularly in the context of historical and foundational methodologies used in India. The poverty line has often been linked to the minimum expenditure required to meet basic needs, including a certain minimum calorie intake.
The poverty line in India is primarily determined based on consumption expenditure needed to meet minimum requirements for food (often anchored to calorie norms) and non-food items.
While modern approaches and committees (like Tendulkar and Rangarajan) have refined the consumption basket to include non-food items and considered urban-rural differences, the link between basic needs (including nutritional requirements represented by calorie intake) and the expenditure required to meet them remains a fundamental element in poverty line determination. Option B is incorrect because the official poverty line calculation method in India has historically relied on expenditure/income thresholds, not directly incorporating social factors like illiteracy or ill health into the calculation of the threshold itself, although these are aspects of multi-dimensional poverty. Options C and D are clearly incorrect.

183. The second five year plan of India is regarded as a landmark contribut

The second five year plan of India is regarded as a landmark contribution to development planning. What could be the reasons for the same?
1. Laid emphasis on industrialisation
2. Aimed at increasing the rate of investment
3. Aimed at establishment of socialistic pattern of society
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”1 and 3 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

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The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961), based on the Mahalanobis model, is considered a landmark in Indian development planning for its strong emphasis on industrialisation, particularly heavy industries, its aim to significantly increase the rate of investment, and its explicit goal of establishing a socialistic pattern of society in India.
The plan shifted focus from agriculture (as in the first plan) to rapid industrialization with a focus on building a strong capital goods base through the development of heavy industries under the public sector. It aimed for a higher rate of growth and investment to achieve structural transformation of the economy.
The “socialistic pattern of society” resolution was adopted by the Indian National Congress at its Avadi session in 1955, influencing the objectives and approach of the Second Plan, which envisaged a dominant role for the public sector while allowing for a private sector within the overall planned framework.

184. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contribute significantly in

Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) contribute significantly in the economic and social development of the country. Which of the following measures is / are taken by the Government with respect to MSMEs?

  • 1. Ensure better credit flow
  • 2. Technology upgradation
  • 3. Ease of doing business and market access

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 2 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option4″]

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The Government takes measures across multiple fronts to support Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including ensuring better credit flow, facilitating technology upgradation, and improving the ease of doing business and market access. All three statements list valid government initiatives for MSMEs.
MSMEs are vital for employment generation, economic growth, and regional development in India. The government implements various policies and schemes to address challenges faced by MSMEs related to finance, technology, infrastructure, and market linkages.
Specific schemes and policies include priority sector lending targets for banks, credit guarantee schemes (like CGTMSE), schemes for technological adoption and quality improvement (like CLCS-TUS), promotion of e-commerce and government procurement platforms (like GeM), simplification of registration and compliance procedures (like Udyam registration), and support for marketing and exports.

185. Ayushman Bharat – the centrally sponsored scheme takes care of which o

Ayushman Bharat – the centrally sponsored scheme takes care of which of the following?

  • 1. Includes almost all secondary care and most of tertiary care procedures
  • 2. Includes all pre and post-hospitalisation expenses
  • 3. Increased access to quality health and medication

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2 and 3″ option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1 and 3 only” correct=”option1″]

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All three statements correctly describe features and objectives of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), which is a key component of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
PM-JAY is the world’s largest health insurance scheme fully financed by the government, providing a health cover of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families.
The scheme covers pre-hospitalisation expenses for up to 3 days and post-hospitalisation expenses for up to 15 days, including diagnostics and medicines. It empanels public and private hospitals to provide cashless access to healthcare services, significantly increasing access to quality health and medication for the eligible population. The other component of Ayushman Bharat is the establishment of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) for comprehensive primary health care.

186. Which Asian Country is characterised by negative population growth?

Which Asian Country is characterised by negative population growth?

[amp_mcq option1=”Sri Lanka” option2=”Indonesia” option3=”Japan” option4=”Bangladesh” correct=”option3″]

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Japan is characterised by negative population growth due to a combination of low birth rates and an aging population.
Negative population growth occurs when the number of deaths exceeds the number of births over a period.
Many developed countries, particularly in East Asia and Europe, are facing issues related to declining birth rates and negative or slow population growth. Among the options provided, Japan is the most prominent example in Asia.

187. The Programme of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is implemented by:

The Programme of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is implemented by:

[amp_mcq option1=”Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment” option2=”Ministry of Jal Shakti” option3=”Ministry of Rural Development” option4=”Ministry of Health and Family Welfare” correct=”option2″]

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The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) (SBM-G) is the rural component of the Swachh Bharat Mission. It falls under the purview of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, which is now part of the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Ministry was formed in 2019 by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Rural sanitation programmes in India are primarily implemented under the Ministry responsible for drinking water and sanitation.
The SBM-G aims to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in villages, improve sanitation, and promote hygiene. The Ministry of Rural Development focuses on broader rural development schemes like MGNREGA, rural housing, etc.

188. The National Commission on Agriculture (1976) has classified social fo

The National Commission on Agriculture (1976) has classified social forestry into how many categories?

[amp_mcq option1=”Three” option2=”Four” option3=”Five” option4=”Six” correct=”option1″]

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The National Commission on Agriculture in its 1976 report coined the term ‘Social Forestry’ and classified it into three main categories: 1. Farm Forestry (planting trees on private agricultural land), 2. Rural Forestry (planting trees on common village land, often including community forestry), and 3. Urban Forestry (managing trees in urban areas like parks, roadsides, and industrial belts).
Social forestry aims to increase forest cover and manage forest resources to benefit rural and urban communities, often outside traditional forest areas, involving people’s participation.
Community Forestry is often considered a component of Rural Forestry, focusing on collective management of forest resources by the local community on common land. While some later classifications or schemes might elaborate or add categories, the original classification by the 1976 commission was primarily into these three types.

189. The ‘head count ratio’ relates to which one of the following?

The ‘head count ratio’ relates to which one of the following?

[amp_mcq option1=”The poverty line” option2=”Millennium development goals” option3=”Food insecurity” option4=”Population growth” correct=”option1″]

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The ‘head count ratio’ is a widely used measure in the study of poverty. It represents the proportion of the population whose income or consumption level falls below the defined poverty line.
It is calculated as the number of individuals below the poverty line divided by the total population, expressed as a percentage. A higher head count ratio indicates greater poverty incidence.
While simple to understand, the head count ratio does not capture the severity of poverty (how far below the line people are) or inequality among the poor. Other measures like the poverty gap index or squared poverty gap index provide additional information.

190. Which one of the following about the Gandhian approach to development

Which one of the following about the Gandhian approach to development is NOT true?

[amp_mcq option1=”Voluntary limitation of wants” option2=”Development of self-sufficient village community” option3=”Achieve balance between man and nature” option4=”Industrialization and participation of private players” correct=”option4″]

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Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to development emphasized self-sufficiency, simple living (voluntary limitation of wants), harmonious co-existence with nature, and decentralized village industries (like Khadi) rather than large-scale industrialization and significant participation of private players in that model. Therefore, industrialization and participation of private players is NOT true of his approach.
Gandhi advocated for a village-centric economy based on principles of ‘Sarvodaya’ (welfare of all) and ‘Gram Swaraj’ (village self-rule). His philosophy opposed the negative social and economic consequences of industrial capitalism.
His vision was one of ‘production by the masses’ rather than ‘mass production’, favouring small-scale, labour-intensive technologies suitable for rural settings.
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