Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is 9%.

Key Points

• 12th Five Year Plan (2012 - 2017)
  • 12th Five Year Plan 2012-17 as per the draft document released by the Planning Commission aims at a growth rate of 9%.
  • 12th Five Year Plan of the Government of India (2012–17) was India's last Five Year Plan.
  • With the deteriorating global situation, the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said that achieving an average growth rate of 8 percent in the next five years is not possible.
  • The final growth target has been set at 8% by the endorsement of the plan at the National Development Council (NDC) meeting held in New Delhi.
  • The government intends to reduce poverty by 10 percent during the 12th Five-Year Plan.

Additional Information

• NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)
  • Planning Commission was replaced by a new institution – NITI AAYYOG on January 1, 2015, with emphasis on the ‘Bottom –Up’ approach to envisage the vision of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government, echoing the spirit of ‘Cooperative Federalism.
  • Chairperson: Prime Minister
  • Vice-Chairperson: To be appointed by Prime-Minister
  • Governing Council: Chief Ministers of all states and Lt. Governors of Union Territories.
  • Regional Council: To address specific regional issues, Comprising Chief Ministers and Lt. Governors Chaired by Prime Minister or his nominee.
  • Adhoc Membership: 2 members in ex-officio capacity from leading Research institutions on a rotational basis.
  • Ex-Officio membership: Maximum four from Union council of ministers to be nominated by Prime minister.
  • Chief Executive Officer: Appointed by Prime-minister for a fixed tenure, in the rank of Secretary to Government of India.
  • Special Invitees: Experts, Specialists with domain knowledge nominated by Prime-minister.

The correct answer is Orphan children.

• Palanhar Yojana of the Rajasthan government is associated with orphan children.

Key Points

• Palanhar Yojana
  • ​This scheme was launched in 2004-05 for the care and up keeping of Orphan children.
  • A person (normally a near relative) taking responsibility for caring and bringing up such a child is called "Palanhar".
  • In this Scheme `500 per month is given for the children of 0-6 years who go to Anganwari and `1,000 per month is given for school going children of age 6-18 years and an annual grant of `2,000/-.

Additional Information

• Mukhya Mantri Hunar Vikas Yojana
  • This scheme is for higher education/skill development programme to beneficiaries of PalanharYojana and children staying in Government and Non-government Institutional Homes.

The correct answer is Residential hostel.

• Under the Rajasthan Ambedkar DBT Voucher Yojana, Students will be provided facility of residential hostels.

Key Points

• Ambedkar DBT Voucher Scheme
  • Under this scheme, the state government will provide vouchers for residential facilities to the students studying in various reserved categories of colleges of Rajasthan to stay away from their homes in urban areas. 
  • Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved the proposal to implement Ambedkar DBT Voucher Scheme for SC, ST, OBC, MBC, and EWS students.
  • Under the scheme, the beneficiary students will be given Rs. 7 thousand per month for the residential facility at the divisional headquarters and Rs. 5 thousand per month for other district headquarters.
  • Under this scheme, 5000 students will be provided vouchers on a merit basis for 10 months.
  • Only those students will be able to take advantage of Rajasthan Ambedkar DBT Voucher Yojana, who live in urban areas away from their homes to get an education.

The correct answer is Mycem Cement Factory - Katani.

Key Points

• Mycem Cement Factory is situated in Damoh.
  • It was established in 2013.
  • It is a subsidiary of Heidelberg cement of Germany.
• National Newsprint and Paper Mill are situated in Nepanagar, Burahnpur, Madhya Pradesh.
  • It was established in 1948.
  • It is India's first newspaper printing mill.
• Security Paper Mill is situated in Hoshangabad.
  • It was established in 1968.
  • Stamp paper, postal tickets, and currency notepaper are manufactured here.
  • It is under the control of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• Tissue Paper Mill is situated in Indore.
• Kaimur factory is situated in Katani.
  • It was established in 1923.
  • This factory is operated under ACC cement company.

The correct answer is 1, 2 and 3.

Key Points

• Planning in India:
  • History of Economic Planning In India
    • Economic planning in India dates back to the pre-Independence period when leaders of the freedom movement and prominent industrialists and academics got together to discuss the future of India after Independence which was soon to come.
    • Noted civil engineer and administrator M. Visvesvaraya is regarded as a pioneer of economic planning in India. Hence statement 1 is correct.
    • His book “Planned Economy for India” published in 1934 suggested a ten-year plan, with an outlay of Rs. 1000 crore and a planned increase of 600% in industrial output per annum based on the economic conditions of the time. 
    • The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. 
    • Subsequently, Planning Commis­sion was set up on 15 March 1950 and the plan era started from 1April 1951 with the launch­ing of the First Five Year Plan (1951-56).​

• Long term objectives of Five Year Plans in India are:
  • High Growth rate to improve the living standard of the residents of India.
  • Economic stability for prosperity.
  • Self-reliant economy.
  • Social justice and reducing the inequalities.
  • Modernization of the economy.
  • The idea of economic planning for five years was taken from the Soviet Union under the socialist influence of first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Hence statement 2 is correct.
  • The first eight five-year plans in India emphasized growing the public sector with huge investments in heavy and basic industries, but since the launch of the Ninth five-year plan in 1997, attention has shifted towards making the government a growth facilitator. Hence statement 3 is correct.