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1.

What is federal finance?

Answer»

The division of the power for generating revenues and making expenditures into a three-tier government is called the concept of federal finance. The three tiers are free to make expenditures on their respective heads and get revenue from their respective sources.

2.

Explain federal finance.

Answer»
  • The Constitution of India has distributed the power of generating revenue and making expenditures into a three-tier government. These tiers are:
    1. The central government
    2. The state governments and
    3. The local governments (For e.g. municipality).
  • All these three forms of government are free to make expenditures on their respective heads and to get revenue from their respective sources. This system of financing is called federal finance.
3.

What is fiscal deficit?

Answer»

When a government’s total expenditures exceed the revenue that it generates, excluding money from borrow:ngs, it gives rise to fiscal deficit. Thus, fiscal deficit = Total expenditure – Total income (excluding market borrowings).

4.

Explain briefly fiscal deficit.

Answer»

Fiscal deficit:

  • When a government’s total expenditures exceed the revenue that it generates, excluding money from borrowings, it gives rise to,fiscal deficit.
  • Thus, Fiscal deficit = Total expenditure – Total income (excluding market borrowings).
  • The borrowings that a government does from the market are considered as income on the capital account. In fact this borrowing is a debt created by the government and must not be included as a source of income.
5.

State two non-plan expenditure of the central government.

Answer»

(A) Interest payments (on loans borrowed in earlier periods)
(B) Social services like education, health, public utilities and administration and general services.

6.

State the functions of panchayats that lead to their expenditures.

Answer»

Panchayats are mainly responsible for raising facilities of water supply, water pumps, sewage, roads, cleanliness, public health, electricity, etc. in their concerned region.

7.

What do you mean by developmental and non-developmental expenditures?

Answer»

The expenditure of the budget of state governments is classified into

  1. Developmental expenditures and
  2. Non-developmental expenditures.

1. Developmental expenditure:

Expenditure that provides a direct boost to economic development is known as developmental expenditure. For example, expenditure on irrigation.

2. Non-developmental expenditure:

Expenditure which does not have a direct impact on development is called non-developmental expenditure. For example, expenditure on pensions.

8.

The credit side of the budget records ________(A) Current income(B) Revenue expenditure(C) Capital income(D) Both (A) and (C)

Answer»

Correct option is (D) Both (A) and (C)

9.

Since ________ the expenditure of central government is classified into plan and non-plan expenditures.(A) 1991(B) 2001(C) 2016(D) 2013

Answer»

Correct option is (C) 2016

10.

Which of the following is a demerit of deficit budget?(A) It shows that the governments do not have control on expenditures.(B) Governments borrow more and increase debts.(C) People are made to pay more taxes to enhance government incomes.(D) Both (A) and (B)

Answer»

Correct option is (D) Both (A) and (B)

11.

Total expenditure on revenue account > total receipts = ________(A) Budgetary deficit(B) Primary deficit(C) Fiscal deficit(D) Revenue deficit

Answer»

Correct option is (D) Revenue deficit

12.

What is the role of constitution in the Panchayat?

Answer»
  • The constitution of India has made a provision under which the panchayats in their respective areas can prepare a plan for economic development and social justice and execute it.
  • The constitution has also mentioned several functions and responsibility for the panchayats.
13.

What is panchayat and panchayati raj institution?

Answer»

Panchayat means ‘an assembly of fives. Panchayati Raj Institution is the oldest method of local governance in Asia.

14.

State the sources of income of Panchayat.

Answer»
  • The panchayats get a share in state taxes as suggested in the constitution and by the state finance commissions.
  • They receive grants directly from central government.
  • They also get funds from the state government to execute development projects announced by the state government.
15.

What is meant by development expenditures?

Answer»

Expenditure that provides a direct boost to economic development is known as developmental expenditure. For example, expenditure on irrigation.

16.

How many tiers of government are mentioned in the Indian Constitution?(A) One tier(B) Two tier(C) Three tier(D) Zero tier

Answer»

Correct option is (C) Three tier

17.

Education is the responsibility of which government?(A) Central Government(B) State Government(C) Local Government(D) Joint responsibility of centre and state

Answer»

Correct option is (B) State Government

18.

What is meant by a ‘Panchayat’?(A) An assembly of 5 persons(B) An assembly of 50 people(C) An assembly of 500 people(D) An assembly of 5 villages

Answer»

Correct option is (A) An assembly of 5 persons

19.

Who of the following favoured the concept of balanced budget?(A) Adam Smith(B) Marshall(C) Keynes(D) Hicks

Answer»

Correct option is (A) Adam Smith

20.

State two merits of a balanced budget?

Answer»
  1. A balanced budget ensures financial stability.
  2. The government avoids wasteful expenditures so that it can maintain the expenditure equal to income.
21.

What is current (revenue) account?

Answer»

The account showing current incomes and current expenditures in a budget is called the current account of a budget.

22.

Which accounts are there in the debit side?

Answer»

Current expenditure and capital expenditure.

23.

Which entries are recorded in capital income?

Answer»

Receipts of those transactions which have long term or continuous impacts on government funds. Income generated by the government in the form of borrowings from the market in own country and abroad, borrowing from central bank, income from disinvestment, etc. are recorded in this account.

24.

What is capital account of a budget?

Answer»

The account showing capital incomes and capital expenditures in a budget is called the capital account of a budget.

25.

State developmental expenditure of state budget related to special services.

Answer»

Education, health, nutrition, family welfare, water supply, sainitation, welfare of SC, ST and QBC, etc.

26.

Budgets help entrepreneurs to decide prices. Give reason.

Answer»
  • Through the budget people come to know which sectors is the government favouring and how much resource is it allocating to those sectors.
  • People also come to know the change in the tax structure that will be done in the commodities and the sectors.
  • All this information helps entrepreneurs to understand which commodities will become costlier and which will become cheaper. Based on this they then set their market prices.
27.

One of the merits of the balanced budgets is that(A) It ensures financial stability(B) Promotes development and welfare activities(C) It is useful in times of inflation(D) Both (B) and (C)

Answer»

Correct option is (A) It ensures financial stability

28.

Why developing countries have a deficit budget?

Answer»

A developing economy usually spends a lot on development activities like education, social welfare, creation of public utilities, etc. However, since the economy is yet developing, the income of such nations from taxes and other sources are lower. Hence, developing nations have a deficit budget.

29.

Why developed countries do not have a balanced budget?

Answer»

Developed countries keep on increasing expenditures on defence, research, technology, etc. so that they can maintain their growth rate and develop in newer directions.

30.

How can revenue deficit be overcome?

Answer»

By increasing borrowings on the capital account.

31.

What is budgetary deficit?

Answer»

When the total expenditure (current as well as capital) is greater than the total income (current as well as capital) it results in budgetary deficit.

32.

What is meant by a budget?

Answer»

A government budget is an annual accounting statement of the item-wise estimates of expected revenue and anticipated expenditure of the government for a new fiscal year

33.

How many sides are there in the accounting statement of a budget? Which are those?

Answer»

Two:

  1. The credit side which shows income and
  2. The‘debit side which shows expenditure.
34.

What role do states play in panchayats?

Answer»

The state must delegate powers to the panchayats so that they can function accordingly and welfare their regions. The states also provide finance to the panchayats as per the recommendation of the state finance commissions.

35.

Mention some areas in the list of joint responsibilities of the centre and the states.

Answer»

The list that contains subjects that are common to both i.e. center as well as state. Both of them are jointly responsible for the areas mentioned in this list. These subjects are important for the country and are uniform in purpose for all states. However, the subjects may vary among states. Example: Economic planning, electricity, education, social security, etc.

36.

Who presents the budget generally in the lok sabha?

Answer»

Generally, the finance minister of the country presents the budget in the Lok Sabha.

37.

Which is the general time period for which a budget is made?

Answer»

A budget is made for the period of 1st April to 31st March of next calendar year.

38.

Write a detailed note on important aspects pertaining to enforcement of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India.

Answer»
  • India introduced GST from July 1,2017 after making amendment in the constitution.
  • GST replaced about 17 different indirect taxes which were imposed by the central and state government in India.

Some important enforcement areas of GST in India:
1. Respective rates of central and state indirect taxes were determined by the centre and state with different considerations.

  • Since one single GST was applied on the entire country, it became necessary for the government to set up a nodal agency to determine GST rates and regulate the GST procedures.
  • This nodal agency came in the form of GST council. The finance minister of India was made its chairperson whereas the finance ministers of states were made its members. The council meets every three month.

2. Rates of GST:
There are five different rates of GST applied on various types of goods and services. They are:
1. Zero GST:
The government does not charge GST.on certain goods and services and hence they fall under the zero (0%) GST rate.
Example:
Certain agricultural goods like vegetables, fruits, cereals, education and health services.

2. Levels of rates:
The goods and services not exempted from GST attract 5%, 12%, 18% or 28% depending on the type of needs which they satisfy. The highest GST rate of 28% is imposed mostly on entertainment and luxury goods and services.

3. Compensation to states:
With the introduction of GST it was calculated that some states may incur loss in revenue. Hende the government decided to provide compensation to such states for 5 years since the introduction of GST.

4. Goods and Services kept outside the realm of GST:
In the initial phase, government has not levied GST on certain goods and services. These are to be taxed according to the earlier rates of various indirect taxes. Gradually these goods may be brought under the purview of GST.

These goods are:
(a) Alcohol and
(b) Petroleum products (petrol, diesel, crude, Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) and natural gas)

39.

Explain the purpose (objective) of the budget.

Answer»

Purpose (Objective) of the budget:

The government must plan its expenditures and raise its income in such a way that the following objectives can be fulfilled:

1. To obtain approval of the body of elected representatives:

The ruling government need to take approval of the elected representatives of the democratic government for the expenditures and incomes estimated to incur in the coming financial year.

2. To get an idea regarding available resources and areas requiring expenses:
To get an idea regarding:

(a) The activities which the government can and should undertake
(b) The expenses to be incurred in various sectors and
(c) The sources from where the necessary income may be raised

3. Provide direction for allocation of resources:

  • To allocate the resources i.e. income earned into different sectors with respect to their priority and need.
  • If proper estimates are not made for each sector then it is quite possible that ‘ some sectors may receive more than necessary funds and some seciors may get neglected.

4. For knowledge of the public:

  • Through the budget people come to know which sectors is the government favouring and how much resource is it allocating to those sectors.
  • People also come to know the change in the tax structure that will be done in the commodities and the sectors.
  • All this information helps people to understand which commodities will become costlier and which will become cheaper.
40.

Which of the following is not the purpose of a budget?(A) To get an idea regarding available resources and areas that require expenses(B) Provide direction for allocating resources(C) For knowledge of the government(D) For obtaining approval of the body of elected representatives

Answer»

Correct option is (C) For knowledge of the government

41.

What is meant by a deficit budget?

Answer»

A budget in which the government’s anticipated total expenditure is more than the anticipated total income is called deficit budget. Thus, Deficit budget = Anticipated total expenditure > Anticipated total income.

42.

What is tax credit scheme? Explain.

Answer»
  • For any effective tax regime, it is very important to ensure that there is no duplication of tax. When tax is levied on the same transaction more than once, it is known as duplication of tax.
  • Input Tax Credit (ITC) is a mechanism to avoid duplication of tax on the same transaction. ITC ensures that whatever tax is paid on a given product at an earlier stage, it is set off against the tax payable at the present stage. Earlier, there was no provision under indirect tax system for input tax credit on indirect tax paid, but now GST allows for input tax credit.

Example:

Suppose a trader pays GST of ₹ 35000 at the time of purchase of goods. Suppose at the time of selling this product he is liable to pay GST of ₹ 40,000/-. Then the person needs to pay only the difference in the amount of GST i.e. GST during sale – GST during purchase = ₹ 40,000 – ₹ 35,000 = ₹ 5000/-

43.

Explain briefly budgetary deficit.

Answer»

Budgetary deficit:

When the total expenditure (current as well as capital) is greater than the . total income (current as well as capital) it results in budgetary deficit.

Solution:

The central government undertakes deficit financing (i.e. borrows from RBI) to meet this deficit. The state governments borrow more from the central government which is then called overdraft.

44.

How is the account of a budget maintained? Explain the various types of accounts that are maintained.

Answer»
  • The accounts of budget help to thoroughly understand the concept of budget.
  • As per the rules of accounts, every budget has two sides. They are:
    1. The credit side and
    2. The debit side

(I) The credit side:

The revenues (i.e. incomes) of the government are recorded on this side.

There are two accounts on the credit side. They are:

1. Current ineome (revenue):

  • The revenue income includes direct and indirect taxes, profits of public enterprises, fees and fines from public utilities, etc.
  • Revenue income is also called current income because this section records receipts and expenditures transactions of the current period.

2. Capital income:

  • The section of capital income records receipts of those transactions which have long term or continuous impacts on government funds.
  • Income generated by the government in the form of borrowings from the market in own country and abroad, borrowing from central bank, income from disinvestment, etc. are recorded in this account.

(II) The debit side:

The expenditures of the government are recorded on this side.

There are two accounts on the debit side. They are:
1. Current (Revenue) expenditures:

Current expenditures include expenditure made in the current year on salaries of government employees, interest payment on loan taken by the government, pension, subsidies, grants, current expenses on defence, etc.

2. Capital expenditures:

  • These are expenditures on those transactions which have long term or continuous impact on government funds.
  • This account includes loans given by the government to other governments, repayment of previously taken loans, capital expenses on social and economic services, as well as capital expenses on defence, etc.

Conclusion:

Thus a budget has following two accounts:
(A) Current account which records current incomes and expenditures and
(B) Capital account which records capital incomes and expenditures

45.

State the main elements of budget.

Answer»

Main elements of the budget:

  • It is a statement of estimates of government receipts and expenditures.
  • Budget estimates are for a fixed period, generally a year.
  • The objective of budget of any government is economic development of the region and public welfare.
  • A budget must be approved by Lok Sabha or Assembly or some such public body before its implementation.
  • Usually the finance minister of the country, state-or the head of the governing body declares the budget.
46.

What is capital expenditure?

Answer»

Capital expenditure is expenditures on transactions which have long term or continuous impacts on government funds. This account includes loans given by the government to other governments, repayment of previously taken loans, capital expenses on social and economic services, as well as capital expenses on defence, etc.

47.

What is revenues deficit?

Answer»

When the total expenditure of the government on revenue (current) account is more than total receipts of the government on the revenue account it results in revenue deficit.

48.

State two revenues recorded in the credit side of the union government’s budget?

Answer»

(A) Revenues from direct taxes and
(B) Revenues from indirect taxes.

49.

Why developing countries do not have a balanced budget?

Answer»

Developing countries need a lot of funds to develop their nations. Hence, the government of these nations cannot plan expenditures within given revenue constraints. So, such countries cannot have a balanced budget.

50.

In present times, government budgets are mostly budgets.(A) Surplus(B) Deficit(C) Balanced(D) Unbalanced

Answer»

Correct option is (B) Deficit