Economic and Social Development

National Tribal Research Institute is situated at

[amp_mcq option1=”Bilaspur” option2=”Raipur” option3=”Ranchi” option4=”New Delhi” correct=”option4″]

The National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI) is located in New Delhi.

– The NTRI was inaugurated in June 2022.
– It serves as a premier national-level institute for research and evaluation of tribal issues.
– It functions as a knowledge hub for tribal affairs.

The institute collaborates with Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in states, Centers of Excellence (CoEs) of reputed universities, and other research organizations. It provides policy inputs to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and state tribal departments.

Recently launched ‘Jan Samarth’ portal

[amp_mcq option1=”provides single point access for authenticated health information to citizens.” option2=”assists farmers to access links to useful farming-specific information.” option3=”provides access to Pan India e-Government services.” option4=”provides link to Government credit schemes.” correct=”option4″]

The ‘Jan Samarth’ portal is a national portal for credit-linked government schemes. It aims to provide a single platform for citizens to access various government credit schemes.

– Launched by the Union Government.
– Serves as a digital platform aggregating different credit-linked government schemes.
– Facilitates access to financial assistance provided under these schemes.

The portal currently covers schemes related to Education, Agriculture Infrastructure, Business Activity, and Livelihood. It aims to provide a transparent and end-to-end delivery mechanism for these schemes.

Which one of the following is the first State in India to have 100 percent households with tap water connection ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Gujarat” option2=”Goa” option3=”Delhi” option4=”Andhra Pradesh” correct=”option2″]

The correct answer is B. Goa was the first State in India to achieve 100 percent functional household tap connections (FHTCs) in rural areas under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

– The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all rural households in India by 2024.
– Goa achieved the milestone of 100% rural household tap water connections in 2020.

Following Goa, Telangana and Haryana also achieved the 100% milestone in rural areas. The mission is implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Consider the following statements about the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) :

• 1. The MSMEs comprise a dynamic sector of the Indian economy providing large employment opportunities.
• 2. MSMEs require low capital cost and help industrialization of backward regions.
• 3. MSMEs contribute enormously to socio-economic development.

How many of the above statements is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”None” option2=”1″ option3=”2″ option4=”3″ correct=”option4″]

All three statements about Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are correct.
1. MSMEs are indeed a dynamic sector and are crucial for employment generation in India, providing a large number of jobs.
2. MSMEs generally require lower capital investment compared to large industries and are instrumental in promoting industrialization in backward and rural regions, contributing to balanced regional development.
3. MSMEs make significant contributions to the Indian economy in terms of GDP, exports, employment, and fostering entrepreneurship, thus contributing enormously to socio-economic development.

MSMEs are vital for employment, use lower capital, help regional industrialization, and contribute significantly to the economy.

The MSME sector is a significant contributor to India’s GDP and exports. The government provides various schemes and policies to support and promote the growth of MSMEs. The definition of MSMEs in India is based on investment in plant & machinery or equipment and annual turnover.

Which one of the following target groups is the beneficiary of ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan’ scheme ?

[amp_mcq option1=”All rural women” option2=”All returning migrants” option3=”All below poverty line households” option4=”All new migrants to town” correct=”option2″]

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (GKRA) was a scheme launched by the Indian government in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its primary objective was to provide employment and livelihood opportunities to migrant workers who had returned to their native villages during the nationwide lockdown.

– The scheme focused on creating infrastructure and rural works in 116 districts across six states (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha) that received a large number of returning migrants.
– It involved the convergence of 12 different government schemes to provide a range of employment activities.

– The GKRA aimed to empower and provide livelihood opportunities to returnee migrants and rural citizens.
– It was implemented as a 125-day campaign.

According to UNDP’s Human Development Report – 2020, in which of the HDI components has India improved in recent years ?

1. Life expectancy at birth

2. Expected years of schooling

3. GNI per capita

4. Mean years of schooling

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 3 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2, 3 and 4″ correct=”option4″]

According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2020, India’s Human Development Index (HDI) value showed improvement over the preceding years, leading to a rise in rank (though marginally). The HDI is a composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life (Life Expectancy at Birth), knowledge (Expected Years of Schooling and Mean Years of Schooling), and a decent standard of living (GNI per capita). India demonstrated improvements in all these components over time, contributing to its higher HDI score. While the pace of improvement varies across components, the trend leading up to 2020 showed gains in all four listed indicators.

India’s HDI is composed of Life Expectancy at Birth, Expected Years of Schooling, Mean Years of Schooling, and GNI per capita, all of which showed improvement in recent years according to the UNDP HDR 2020 report data for India.

The UNDP HDR 2020 focused on the next frontier: human development and the Anthropocene. India’s HDI value increased from 0.642 in 2018 to 0.645 in 2019 (data reflected in the 2020 report), placing it in the medium human development category. This improvement was due to increases in life expectancy, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and GNI per capita.

Which one of the following statements in the context of social sector spending in India during 2014 – 19 (both States and the Union Government together) is true ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Expenditure on education was 5% of GDP.” option2=”Expenditure on health was 4% of the social services expenditure.” option3=”There was a stagnation in the spending on education as a percent of GDP.” option4=”Health sector spending amounted to 10% of the total expenditure.” correct=”option3″]

Based on data and reports regarding social sector spending in India during the 2014-19 period, expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP remained relatively stagnant, hovering around 3% to 3.5%, well below targets like 6%. While nominal spending increased, the share relative to the growing GDP did not show significant upward movement or showed stagnation. Options A, B, and D present figures that do not accurately reflect the typical levels or proportions of spending on education and health in India during that period. For example, education spending was below 5% of GDP, and health spending was significantly less than 10% of total expenditure and more than 4% of social services expenditure.

Expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP in India during 2014-19 was generally considered stagnant or grew very slowly.

Social sector expenditure includes spending on education, health, social security, nutrition, rural development, etc. India’s spending on education and health, as a percentage of GDP, has historically been lower compared to many other developing and developed countries.

The Government of India programme regarding ‘Stay in India and Study in India’ is initiated by

[amp_mcq option1=”the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports” option2=”the Ministry of Culture” option3=”the Ministry of Education” option4=”the Ministry of Tourism” correct=”option3″]

The ‘Stay in India and Study in India’ programme is an initiative primarily driven by the Ministry of Education (formerly known as the Ministry of Human Resource Development).

– The program aims to improve the quality of education in India, increase the global ranking of Indian educational institutions, and provide incentives to encourage both Indian and foreign students to study in India.
– It seeks to reverse the trend of Indian students migrating abroad for higher education and attract international students.
– The Ministry of Education is the nodal ministry responsible for education policy and implementation in India.

– Various initiatives come under this umbrella, such as studying abroad options offered by foreign universities setting up campuses in India (though this is a complex and ongoing discussion), and promoting existing quality institutions.
– Schemes like the ‘Study in India’ programme (which is similar in objective, focusing on attracting foreign students) are under the purview of the Ministry of Education.

ASEEM is

[amp_mcq option1=”Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Measurement” option2=”Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Mapping” option3=”Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Enterprises Medium” option4=”Automatic Skilled Employee Mission” correct=”option2″]

ASEEM stands for ‘Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Mapping’.

– It is a digital portal launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in July 2020.
– The portal aims to connect skilled job seekers with employers by mapping their skills and matching them with relevant opportunities.
– It acts as a directory of skilled workforce and aims to bridge the demand-supply gap in the labour market.

– The initiative is part of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ (Self-Reliant India Movement).
– It is managed by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with a private partner.

Arrange the following countries in descending order as per the Global Human Development Index, 2019 :
1. Germany
2. USA
3. South Africa
4. India
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2, 3, 4″ option2=”1, 3, 2, 4″ option3=”3, 2, 1, 4″ option4=”4, 3, 2, 1″ correct=”option1″]

Arranging the countries by Global Human Development Index, 2019 in descending order (highest to lowest HDI) is: Germany, USA, South Africa, India.

Based on the UNDP’s Human Development Report 2020 (using 2019 data), the HDI ranks were: Germany (6th), USA (17th), South Africa (114th), and India (131st).

HDI measures a country’s average achievements in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Germany and the USA are in the ‘Very High Human Development’ category, South Africa is in the ‘High Human Development’ category, and India is in the ‘Medium Human Development’ category.