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The correct answer is Economic development refers to the flow of goods and services in the economy for a long period of time only.

• Sustainable development
• It is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Key Points

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
• Sustainable Development Goals​
• ​Eliminate Poverty
• Erase Hunger
• Establish Good Health and Well-Being
• Provide Quality Education
• Enforce Gender Equality
• Improve Clean Water and Sanitation
• Grow Affordable and Clean Energy
• Create Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Increase Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• Reduce Inequality
• Mobilize Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Influence Responsible Consumption and Production
• Organize Climate Action
• Develop Life Below Water
• Advance Life On Land
• Guarantee Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• Build Partnerships for the Goals

The correct answer is 2030.

Key Points

• Sustainable Development Goals ​
• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint for achieving a better and sustainable future for all.
• The United Nations (UN) General Assembly in its 70^th Session held on 25^th September 2015, with the aim of taking forward the success of Millennium Development Goals, adopted the document titled "Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" consisting of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and associated 169 targets.
• The SDGs came into force with effect from 1^st January 2016.
• The SDGs are a comprehensive list of global goals integrating social, economic, and environmental dimensions of development.
• Moreover, the SDGs are universal (for all nations – developed, developing, and least-developed), interconnected and indivisible and hence necessitate comprehensive and participatory approaches in bringing everybody together so that no one is left behind.
• Countries are primarily responsible for following up and reviewing the progress made in implementing the goals and targets at the national level till 2030.

Key Points

• Sustainable Development Goals​
• ​Eliminate Poverty
• Erase Hunger
• Establish Good Health and Well-Being
• Provide Quality Education
• Enforce Gender Equality
• Improve Clean Water and Sanitation
• Grow Affordable and Clean Energy
• Create Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Increase Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• Reduce Inequality
• Mobilize Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Influence Responsible Consumption and Production
• Organize Climate Action
• Develop Life Below Water
• Advance Life On Land
• Guarantee Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• Build Partnerships for the Goals

The correct answer is Family Planning Programme.

Key Points

• Family Planning Programme
• ​India was the first country in the world to have launched a National Programme for Family Planning in 1952.
• The key strategic focus of this initiative is on improving access to contraceptives through delivering assured services, ensuring commodity security and accelerating access to high-quality family planning services.
• The program's primary objectives were to lower fertility rates and slow population growth.

• Integrated Rural Development Programme
• ​The objective of the Integrated Rural Development Program is to help families who live below the poverty line to enhance their state of living and to empower the poor by helping them develop at every level.
• The program’s objectives are met by providing productive assets and inputs to its target groups.
• The assets, which could be in the primary, secondary or tertiary sector are provided as financial assistance to these families in the form of government subsidies as well as loans or credit from financial institutions.
• The beneficiaries of this program are as follows
• Rural artisans
• Laborers
• Marginal Farmers
• Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes
• Economically backward classes with an annual income of less than Rs 11,000.
• National Rural Employment Programme
• The NREP was launched in 1980 with a view to significantly increase employment opportunities in rural areas.
• This was viewed as a major step towards poverty alleviation.
• The NREP replaced the food for work (FFW) program.
• Jawahar Rojgar Yojna
• ​Jawahar Rozgar Yojna was launched on April 1, 1989, by merging National Rural Employment Program (NREP) and Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP).
• A general objective of providing 90-100 Days of Employment per person particularly in backward districts.
• People below Poverty Line were the main targets.

The correct answer is Option 4.

• POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES TOWARDS POVERTY ALLEVIATION
• ​The government’s approach to poverty reduction was of three dimensions.
• Growth-oriented approach
• ​It is based on the expectation that the effects of economic growth — rapid increase in gross domestic product and per capita income — would spread to all sections of society and will trickle down to the poor sections also.
• Rapid industrial development and transformation of agriculture through a green revolution in select regions would benefit the underdeveloped regions and the more backward sections of the community.
• Poverty alleviation programs
• Expanding self-employment programs and wage employment programs are being considered as the major ways of addressing poverty.
• For example - Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP), Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY), and Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
• Providing minimum basic amenities to the people
• ​India was among the pioneers in the world to envisage that through public expenditure on social consumption needs — provision of food grains at subsidized rates, education, health, water supply, and sanitation—people’s living standards could be improved.
• Three major programs that aim at improving the food and nutritional status of the poor are the Public Distribution System, Integrated Child Development Scheme, and Midday Meal Scheme.
• Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana are also attempted in developing infrastructure and housing conditions.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana is available in which people in India are encouraged to open bank accounts.

The correct answer is The difference between the poverty line and the actual income level of all those living below that line.

Key Points

Poverty Gap

• The poverty gap is a ratio showing the average shortfall of the total population from the poverty line—the minimum level of income required to secure the basic necessities for survival.
• In other words, it reflects the intensity of poverty in a nation.
• The poverty gap indicator is produced by the World Bank Development Research Group.
• It measures poverty by looking at household per capita income and consumption.
• The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index-2018 released by the UN noted that 271 million people moved out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16 in India.

Important Points

Poverty 

• ​According to World Bank, Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being and comprises many dimensions.
• It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity.
• In India, 21.9% of the population lives below the national poverty line in 2011.
• Types of Poverty
• ​Absolute Poverty
• A condition where household income is below a necessary level to maintain basic living standards (food, shelter, housing).
• Relative Poverty
• ​It is defined from the social perspective that is the living standard compared to the economic standards of the population living in its surroundings.
• Hence it is a measure of income inequality.
• Causes of Poverty in India
• ​Population Explosion
• Low Agricultural Productivity
• Low Rate of Economic Development
• Inefficient Resource utilisation
• Unemployment
• Climatic Factors - Natural calamities such as frequent floods, disasters, earthquakes,s, and cyclones cause heavy damage to agriculture in these states.
• Poverty Alleviation Programs in India
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005
• ​Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
• National Food security act
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
• National Urban Livelihood Mission
• National Rural Livelihood Mission: Aajeevika (2011)

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• The Action Agenda for enhancing digital connectivity is based on the following strategic objectives
• Enhancing digital infrastructure
• ​Soft and hard digital infrastructure such as network and cloud computing, fiber optic cables, mobile network penetration, and regulatory framework including digital standards, is critical for enhancing connectivity and, more generally, promoting economic development.
• Developing software for services that can be provided digitally
• ​Digital provision of services for individuals and firms will help reduce transaction costs.
• Electronic databases and online applications for government departments will increase efficiency, automation, and transparency.
• Empowering citizens digitally
• ​In the long term, digital connectivity will be important in empowering citizens by enhancing engagement, knowledge sharing, collaboration, and providing opportunities for participative governance.

Additional Information

• Digital connectivity facilitates the communication and commerce that drives economic growth.
• Individuals cannot transfer payments digitally, use e-governance portals to connect with the government, access information, or make online purchases without continuous and reliable Internet or telephone access.
• The Digital India Programme, an inter-ministry campaign launched in 2015, has made significant progress in its nine growth areas.
• The areas of focus include building broadband highways, providing universal access to mobile connectivity, a public internet access program, E-governance, electronic service delivery, access to information, increasing electronics manufacturing, providing information technology skills for jobs, and early harvest programs.

The correct answer is Low proportion of labour force in the primary sector.

Key Points

• The low proportion of labor force in the primary sector indicates a high proportion of the labor force is working in the Secondary and Tertiary sectors, which are major factors of economic growth. 
• This suggests that a particular country is a developing country. Thus, option 3 is correct.

Additional Information

• Commonly used Indicators of Economic Development
• Gross National Product per capita​
• Population Growth
• Occupational Structure of the Labor Force
• Urbanization
• Consumption per capita
• Infrastructure
• Social Conditions
• Literacy rate
• Life expectancy
• Health care
• Caloric intake
• Infant mortality

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• Competition Commission of India
• ​The objectives of the Act are sought to be achieved through the Competition Commission of India, which has been established by the Central Government with effect from 14^th October 2003.
• The Competition Commission of India's goal is to create and sustain fair competition in the economy that will provide a ‘level playing field’ to the producers and make the markets work for the welfare of the consumers.
• CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.
• It is the duty of the Commission to eliminate practices having an adverse effect on competition, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India. Hence, option 4 is correct.
• The Commission is also required to give an opinion on competition issues on a reference received from a statutory authority established under any law and to undertake competition advocacy, create public awareness and impart training on competition issues.
• The Competition Act 
• ​​The Competition Act, 2002, as amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007, follows the philosophy of modern competition laws.
• The Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises, and regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control, and M&A), which causes or are likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.

The correct answer is 1921.

Key Points

• The year 1921 is known as the year demographic divide because it is the only census year when there was a decrease in the growth of population.
• After 1921, there has been a trend of continuous rise in population.
• Decadal Growth Rates in India

• Growth of Population
• ​Phase I 
• The period from 1901-1921 is referred to as a period of the stagnant or stationary phase of growth of India’s population, since in this period growth rate was very low, even recording a negative growth rate during 1911-1921.
• Both the birth rate and death rate were high keeping the rate of increase low.
• Poor health and medical services, illiteracy of people at large, and inefficient distribution system of food and other basic necessities were largely responsible for high birth and death rates in this period.
• Phase II 
• The decades 1921-1951 are referred to as the period of steady population growth.
• An overall improvement in health and sanitation throughout the country brought down the mortality rate.
• At the same time, better transport and communication systems improved distribution systems.
• The crude birth rate remained high in this period leading to a higher growth rate than the previous phase.
• This is impressive in the backdrop of the Great Economic Depression, the 1920s, and World War II.
• Phase III 
• The decades 1951-1981 are referred to as the period of population explosion in India, which was caused by a rapid fall in the mortality rate but a high fertility rate of population in the country.
• The average annual growth rate was as high as 2.2 percent.
• It is in this period, after the Independence, that developmental activity was introduced through a centralized planning process and the economy started showing up ensuring the improvement of the living conditions of people at large.
• Consequently, there was a high natural increase and a higher growth rate.
• Besides, increased international migration bringing in Tibetans, Bangladeshis, Nepalese and even people from Pakistan contributed to the high growth rate.
• Phase IV 
• In the post-1981 till present, the growth rate of country’s population though remained high, has started slowing down gradually.
• A downward trend of crude birth rate is held responsible for such population growth.
• This was, in turn, affected by an increase in the mean age at marriage, improved quality of life particularly education of females in the country.
• The growth rate of population is, however, still high in the country, and it has been projected by World Development Report that the population of India will touch 1,350 million by 2025.

The correct answer is The number of children a woman will likely bear in her lifetime.

Key Points

• The fertility rate refers to the number of live births per 1000 women in the child-bearing age group, usually taken to be 15 to 49 years. 
• This is a ‘crude’ rate – it is a rough average for an entire population and does not take account of the differences across age groups.
• Differences across age groups can sometimes be very significant in affecting the meaning of indicators.
• That is why demographers also calculate age-specific rates.
• The total fertility rate refers to the total number of live births that a hypothetical woman would have if she lived through the reproductive age group and had the average number of babies in each segment of this age group as determined by the age-specific fertility rates for that area. Hence, option 3 is correct.

​

• India's population is stabilizing as per the Fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS) as the total fertility rate has decreased across the majority of the states.
• Of the 17 states analyzed in the NFHS-5 data, except for Bihar, Manipur, and Meghalaya, all other states have a TFR of 2.1 or less, which implies that most states have attained replacement level fertility.
• There have been some improvements in women's empowerment-related indicators.
• More women are able to participate in household decision-making in 9 states while 30% more women now have bank accounts in Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, and West Bengal.
• Anemia among women remains a big concern.
• In all the states, anemia is much higher among women compared to men.

Additional Information

• Female sterilization continues to dominate as the modern method of contraceptives in states like Andhra Pradesh (98%), Telangana (93%), Kerala (88%), Karnataka (84%), Bihar (78%), and Maharashtra (77%).
• Sikkim recorded the lowest TFR, with one woman bearing 1.1 children on average.
• Bihar recorded the highest TFR of three children per woman.
• In 19 of the 22 surveyed states, TFRs were found to be ‘below-replacement, a woman bore less than two children on average through her reproductive life.