Do you think the navaratna policy of the government helps in improving the performance of public sector undertakings in India? How?
To improve efficiency, infuse professionalism and to enable PSUs to compete effectively in the market, government awarded the status of 'navaratnas' to the following nine PSUs:
1) Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL)
2) Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL)
3) Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)
4) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC)
5) Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL)
6) Indian Petro-chemicals Corporation Ltd (IPCL)
7) Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL)
8) National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
9) Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL)
These corporations were granted a greater degree of financial, managerial and operational autonomy. This boosted their efficiency and effectiveness. They also became highly competitive and some of them are becoming the giant global players. Consequent to their better performance, the government retained them under the public sector and enabled them to grow themselves not only in the domestic market but also in the international market. These corporations are self-reliant and financially self-sufficient. Thus, the navaratna policy has certainly improved the performance of these PSUs.
How is RBI controlling the commercial banks?
Distinguish between the following
(i) Strategic and Minority sale
(ii) Bilateral and Multi-lateral trade
(iii) Tariff and Non-tariff barriers.
Agriculture sector appears to be adversely affected by the reform process. Why?
Why were reforms introduced in India?
Those public sector undertakings which are making profits should be privatised. Do you agree with this view? Why?
Do you think outsourcing is good for India? Why are developed countries opposing it?
Why did RBI have to change its role from controller to facilitator of financial sector in India?
What do you understand by devaluation of rupee?
Why are tariffs imposed?
Why has the industrial sector performed poorly in the reform period?
What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies?
What are the two major sources of human capital in a country?
What do you mean by rural development? Bring out the key issues in rural development.
Define a plan?
Who is a worker?
Explain the term ‘infrastructure’.
What is meant by environment?
Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period?
Explain the role of micro-credit in meeting credit requirements of the poor.
What is marketable surplus?
‘There is a downward trend in inequality world-wide with a rise in the average education levels’. Comment.
What is the state of rural infrastructure in India?
What is meant by ‘Food for Work’ programme?
The three dimensional attack on poverty adopted by the govern-ment has not succeded in poverty alleviation in India. Comment.
Analyse the recent trends in sectoral distribution of workforce in India.
Mention the salient demographic indicators of China, Pakistan and India.
Why was it necessary for a developing country like India to follow self-reliance as a planning objective?
What are the various means by which countries are trying to strengthen their own domestic economies?