The Union Budget 2017 was broadly focused on 10 broad themes such as farmers, rural population, youth, poor, health care for the underprivileged, infrastructure, and financial sector for stronger institutions, speedy accountability, public services, prudent fiscal management and the tax administration for the honest.
Current Affairs Quizzes 2016 for IAS Prelims 2017
The Union Budget of India is a comprehensive display of the Government's estimated revenue and expenditure for a particular year. It also includes estimates for the next fiscal year, known as budgeted estimates. The Department of Economic Affairs under the Union Ministry of Finance is tasked with the preparation of the budget.
Union Budget 2017 Questions for IAS Exam
We will continue to provide the Union Budget 2017 questions for IAS Exam on the crucial reforms of the year, vital for IAS Prelims 2017. Here we are providing the second part in questions based on Union Budget 2017.
1. The Union Budget 2017 is a merger of the Railways Budget with General Budget to bring Railways to the centre stage of the Government’s Fiscal Policy. Consider the following statements regarding the new reforms in railways this budget:
1) Coach Mitra app as a single window interface, to register all coach related complaints and requirements to be launched.
2) By 2017, all coaches of Indian Railways will be fitted with bio-toilets.
3) SMS based Clean My Coach Service will be started.
Which of the following statements is correct?
a. Only 1
b. 1 and 3
c. 2 and 3
d. All of the above.
Answer: b
Explanation:
Some of the new reforms in the Indian Railways this budget are as follows:
• It is proposed to feed about 7,000 stations with solar power in the medium term.
• SMS based Clean My Coach Service has been started
• ‘Coach Mitra’, a single window interface, to register all coach related complaints and requirements to be launched.
• By 2019, all coaches of Indian Railways will be fitted with bio-toilets.
• Tariffs of Railways would be fixed, taking into consideration costs, quality of service and competition from other forms of transport
2. The allocation made for MGNREGA in the Union Budget 2017 is the highest ever. Consider the following achievements recorded under MGNREGA program mentioned in the Union Budget 2017:
1) Women participation in MGNREGA has increased to 55% from less than 48%.
2) Against the target of 5 lakh farm ponds under MGNREGA, 10 lakh farm ponds would be completed by March 2017.
3) MGNREGA allocation to be the highest ever at 48,000 crores in 2017-18.
Which of the following statements is correct?
a. Only 1
b. 1 and 2
c. 2 and 3
d. All of the above.
Answer: d
Explanation:
The Union Budget mainly focuses on rural India population and some of the targets and achievements in this regard are as follows:
• Over 3 lakh crores spent in rural areas every year, for rural poor from Central Budget, State Budgets, Bank linkage for self-help groups, etc.
• Another aim is to bring one crore household out of poverty and to make 50,000 Gram Panchayats poverty free by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji.
• Against the target of 5 lakh farm ponds under MGNREGA, 10 lakh farm ponds would be completed by March 2017. During 2017-18, another 5 lakh farm ponds will be taken up.
• Women participation in MGNREGA has increased to 55% from less than 48%.
• The MGNREGA allocation under the Union Budget 2017 will be the highest ever at 48,000 crores in 2017-18.
3. The Union Budget 2017 commits that a programme of “human resource reforms for results” will be launched during 2017-18. What statement best describes the objective of this programme?
a. For human resources development in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
b. For human resources development in the Government schools.
c. For imparting new skills to people in mason training.
d. None of the above.
Answer: a
Explanation:
According to the Union Budget 2017, the allocation for Prime Minister's Employment Generation Program and Credit Support Schemes has been increased threefold. It also made some provisions and new announcements for empowering the rural India.
• For imparting new skills to people in rural areas, mason training will be provided to 5 lakh persons by 2022
• A programme of “human resource reforms for results” will be launched during 2017-18 for human resources development in Panchayati Raj Institutions
• The total allocation for Rural, Agricultural and Allied sectors is 187223 crores.
10 Topics asked every year in IAS Exam
4. The Union Budget targets to develop an action plan to reduce IMR to 28 by 2019 and MMR to 100 by 2018-2020. In this regard, which of the following statements regarding the government’s Maternity Benefit Scheme is true?
a. Under Maternity Benefit Scheme Rs.6, 000 each will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of the pregnant women.
b. This scheme is only applicable to those pregnant women who undergo institutional delivery and vaccinate their children.
c. Both (a) and (b)
d. None of the above.
Answer: c
Explanation:
The Union Budget targets to develop an action plan to reduce IMR to 28 by 2019 and MMR to 100 by 2018-2020. Under Maternity Benefit Scheme 6,000 each will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of pregnant women who undergo institutional delivery and vaccinate their children.
As parts of efforts to bring down the maternal mortality rate, the government of India has announced a scheme to provide pregnant women financial aid. The scheme will be applicable to the over 650 districts of the country. Under this scheme, a pregnant woman will be provided with money for covering hospital admission, vaccination and nutritional food.
The money will be directly transferred to pregnant women bank accounts and it will greatly help in bringing down the maternal mortality rate. Currently, the scheme is being implemented on a pilot basis in 53 districts with the benefit amount being Rs. 4,000.
5. The Union budget 2017 focuses greatly on the safety of the railway passengers and hence made the following provisions:
1) A Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh will be created with a corpus of 1 lakh crores.
2) All inter-station level crossings on Broad Gauge lines will be eliminated by 2020.
3) 500 stations will be made differently abled friendly by providing lifts and escalators.
Which of the following statements is correct?
a. Only 1
b. 1 and 2
c. 1 and 3
d. All of the above.
Answer: c
Explanation:
The Union budget 2017 focuses greatly on the safety of the railway passengers and hence made the following provisions:
• For 2017-18, the total capital and development expenditure of Railways has been pegged at 1,31,000 crores.
• For passenger safety, a Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh will be created with a corpus of 1 lakh crores over a period of 5 years.
• Unmanned level crossings on Broad Gauge lines will be eliminated by 2020
• In the next 3 years, the throughput is proposed to be enhanced by 10%. This will be done through modernisation and upgradation of identified corridors.
• Railway lines of 3,500 km will be commissioned in 2017-18. During 2017-18, at least 25 stations are expected to be awarded for station redevelopment.
• 500 stations will be made differently abled friendly by providing lifts and escalators.