Daily Current Affairs Quiz: December 17, 2025

Answer: A [To promote rapid industrialization in India]
Explanation:

The Visvesvaraya Plan was proposed by M. Visvesvaraya aiming at promoting rapid industrialization in India, focusing on the development of industries and economy.

Answer: D [All of the above]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Bombay Plan did propose state control over industries considered essential for national development, including railways and energy, while envisioning a role for the private sector in consumer goods industries. This reflected a mixed economy approach.

Statement 2 is correct: The People’s Plan, drafted by M.N. Roy, did emphasize industrial development but also set a target for achieving agricultural self-sufficiency within ten years. It also advocated for the nationalization of land, reflecting its socialist orientation.

Statement 3 is correct: The Gandhian Plan, formulated by S.N. Aggarwal, prioritized village industries and proposed a decentralized model of economic development, emphasizing self-sufficient village republics as the core units of the economy.

Answer: B [1, 2 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is Correct: The National Planning Committee (NPC) was set up by the Indian National Congress in 1938, with Jawaharlal Nehru as its Chairman. It was the first comprehensive attempt by Indian leaders to plan economic development in a systematic manner.

Statement 2 is Correct: The NPC advocated a mixed economy model, where the State would control key and strategic industries such as heavy industries, infrastructure, and public utilities, while private enterprise would operate in other sectors, reflecting a balanced approach.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: The NPC did not fix a precise time-bound target, such as achieving self-sufficiency in heavy industries within a decade of independence. Its recommendations were broad and long-term, focusing on industrialisation without specifying such rigid timelines.

Statement 4 is Correct: The work of the NPC was disrupted by World War II and the arrest of several Congress leaders, including Nehru. However, its ideas and reports later influenced post-independence planning, particularly India’s Five-Year Plans.

Answer: B [Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is Correct: The Planning Commission was established in March 1950 through a Resolution of the Government of India. It was created to formulate India’s Five-Year Plans and promote planned economic development in the post-independence period.

Statement 2 is Correct: The First Five-Year Plan (1951–56) focused primarily on agriculture, irrigation, and rural development, aiming to address food shortages and stabilize the economy after Partition and Independence.

Why Statement 2 is not the explanation of Statement 1:
 The establishment of the Planning Commission was a broader institutional decision for planned development. The agricultural focus of the First Five-Year Plan was a policy choice within planning, not the reason for setting up the Planning Commission itself.

Answer: A [1, 2 and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is Correct: The Partition of India in 1947 caused a massive influx of refugees, especially from West and East Pakistan. Their rehabilitation required large public expenditure, which strained the financial and administrative resources available for implementing the First Five-Year Plan.

Statement 2 is Correct: India faced an acute shortage of skilled manpower in the early 1950s due to limited industrial experience and weak technical education infrastructure. This shortage hampered the execution of industrial and infrastructure projects during the plan period.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: The First Five-Year Plan did not focus exclusively on heavy industries. Instead, it prioritised agriculture, irrigation, and rural development to address food shortages and inflationary pressures, making this statement incorrect.

Statement 4 is Correct: Inflation was a major challenge inherited from the post-war and post-Partition period. Controlling rising prices and stabilising the economy was a key concern, influencing the Plan’s emphasis on agricultural growth and food production.