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UPSC 2016 › Indian Economy

26 questions · 2016 · answers as per the UPSC key

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Topics: International Institutions & Reports (5)Digital Payments & Financial Inclusion (4)Agriculture & Rural Development (3)Infrastructure & Industry (3)Banking & Financial Sector (2)Financial Markets & Capital Markets (2)Fiscal Policy & Budget (2)International Trade & WTO (2)External Sector & Balance Of Payments (1)Human Development, Poverty & Employment Schemes (1)Taxation (1)

There has been a persistent deficit budget year after year. Which action/actions of the following can be taken by the Government to reduce the deficit?

  1. Reducing revenue expenditure
  2. Introducing new welfare schemes
  3. Rationalizing subsidies
  4. Reducing import duty

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

The establishment of 'Payment Banks' is being allowed in India to promote financial inclusion. Which of the following statements is/are correct in this context?

  1. Mobile telephone companies and supermarket chains that are owned and controlled by residents are eligible to be promoters of Payment Banks.
  2. Payment Banks can issue both credit cards and debit cards.
  3. Payment Banks cannot undertake lending activities.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Which one of the following is a purpose of 'UDAY', a scheme of the Government?

(a) Providing technical and financial assistance to start-up entrepreneurs in the field of renewable sources of energy
(b) Providing electricity to every household in the country by 2018
(c) Replacing the coal-based power plants with natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind and tidal power plants over a period of time
(d) Providing for financial turnaround and revival of power distribution companies
Show answer
Answer: (d) Providing for financial turnaround and revival of power distribution companies

With reference to 'IFC Masala Bonds', sometimes seen in the news, which of the statements given below is/are correct?

  1. The International Finance Corporation, which offers these bonds, is an arm of the World Bank.
  2. They are the rupee-denominated bonds and are a source of debt financing for the public and private sector.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

In the context of which of the following do you sometimes find the terms 'amber box, blue box and green box' in the news?

(a) WTO affairs
(b) SAARC affairs
(c) UNFCCC affairs
(d) India-EU negotiations on FTA
Show answer
Answer: (a) WTO affairs

Which of the following is/are included in the capital budget of the Government of India?

  1. Expenditure on acquisition of assets like roads, buildings, machinery, etc.
  2. Loans received from foreign governments
  3. Loans and advances granted to the States and Union Territories

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

Recently, which one of the following currencies has been proposed to be added to the basket of IMF's SDR?

(a) Rouble
(b) Rand
(c) Indian Rupee
(d) Renminbi
Show answer
Answer: (d) Renminbi

With reference to the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), consider the following statements :

  1. IMFC discusses matters of concern affecting the global economy, and advises the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the direction of its work.
  2. The World Bank participates as observer in IMFC's meetings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Which of the following best describes the term 'import cover', sometimes seen in the news?

(a) It is the ratio of value of imports to the Gross Domestic Product of a country
(b) It is the total value of imports of a country in a year
(c) It is the ratio between the value of exports and that of imports between two countries
(d) It is the number of months of imports that could be paid for by a country's international reserves
Show answer
Answer: (d) It is the number of months of imports that could be paid for by a country's international reserves

With reference to 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana', consider the following statements :

  1. Under this scheme, farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two percent for any crop they cultivate in any season of the year.
  2. This scheme covers post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (b) 2 only

Why does the Government of India promote the use of 'Neem-coated Urea' in agriculture?

(a) Release of Neem oil in the soil increases nitrogen fixation by the soil microorganisms
(b) Neem coating slows down the rate of dissolution of urea in the soil
(c) Nitrous oxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is not at all released into atmosphere by crop fields
(d) It is a combination of a weedicide and a fertilizer for particular crops
Show answer
Answer: (b) Neem coating slows down the rate of dissolution of urea in the soil

With reference to 'Stand Up India Scheme', which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. Its purpose is to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
  2. It provides for refinance through SIDBI.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

The term 'Core Banking Solutions' is sometimes seen in the news. Which of the following statements best describes/describe this term?

  1. It is a networking of a bank's branches which enables customers to operate their accounts from any branch of the bank on its network regardless of where they open their accounts.
  2. It is an effort to increase RBI's control over commercial banks through computerization.
  3. It is a detailed procedure by which a bank with huge non-performing assets is taken over by another bank.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1 only

India's ranking in the 'Ease of Doing Business Index' is sometimes seen in the news. Which of the following has declared that ranking?

(a) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
(b) World Economic Forum
(c) World Bank
(d) World Trade Organization (WTO)
Show answer
Answer: (c) World Bank

What is/are the purpose/purposes of the 'Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR)' announced by RBI?

  1. These guidelines help improve the transparency in the methodology followed by banks for determining the interest rates on advances.
  2. These guidelines help ensure availability of bank credit at interest rates which are fair to the borrowers as well as the banks.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

With reference to 'Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion', which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies, and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with cluster approach.
  2. Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have larger stake in this scheme.
  3. An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and microirrigation equipment.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1 and 2 only

With reference to 'Financial Stability and Development Council', consider the following statements :

  1. It is an organ of NITI Aayog.
  2. It is headed by the Union Finance Minister.
  3. It monitors macroprudential supervision of the economy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only
UPSC 2016 · Q60 · Indian Economy › Taxation · Save

The term 'Base Erosion and Profit Shifting' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of

(a) mining operation by multinational companies in resource-rich but backward areas
(b) curbing of the tax evasion by multinational companies
(c) exploitation of genetic resources of a country by multinational companies
(d) lack of consideration of environmental costs in the planning and implementation of developmental projects
Show answer
Answer: (b) curbing of the tax evasion by multinational companies

Recently, India's first 'National Investment and Manufacturing Zone' was proposed to be set up in

(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Gujarat
(c) Maharashtra
(d) Uttar Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: (a) Andhra Pradesh

What is/are the purpose/purposes of 'District Mineral Foundations' in India?

  1. Promoting mineral exploration activities in mineral-rich districts
  2. Protecting the interests of the persons affected by mining operations
  3. Authorizing State Governments to issue licences for mineral exploration

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (b) 2 only

Consider the following statements :

  1. New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.
  2. The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (b) 2 only

What is/are the purpose/purposes of Government's 'Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme' and 'Gold Monetization Scheme'?

  1. To bring the idle gold lying with Indian households into the economy
  2. To promote FDI in the gold and jewellery sector
  3. To reduce India's dependence on gold imports

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana is aimed at

(a) bringing the small entrepreneurs into formal financial system
(b) providing loans to poor farmers for cultivating particular crops
(c) providing pensions to old and destitute persons
(d) funding the voluntary organizations involved in the promotion of skill development and employment generation
Show answer
Answer: (a) bringing the small entrepreneurs into formal financial system

'Global Financial Stability Report' is prepared by the

(a) European Central Bank
(b) International Monetary Fund
(c) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(d) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Show answer
Answer: (b) International Monetary Fund

Regarding 'Atal Pension Yojana', which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. It is a minimum guaranteed pension scheme mainly targeted at unorganized sector workers.
  2. Only one member of a family can join the scheme.
  3. Same amount of pension is guaranteed for the spouse for life after subscriber's death.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

The term 'Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership' often appears in the news in the context of the affairs of a group of countries known as

(a) G20
(b) ASEAN
(c) SCO
(d) SAARC
Show answer
Answer: (b) ASEAN