Economic and Social Development: sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives, etc. Here, you must cover topics such as economic growth and development, finance, banking, budget, balance of payments, poverty and related issues, population composition and related characteristics, social sector initiatives related to education, health and sanitation, and international financial institutions. Economic & Social Development will help you study in very systematic manner.
Areas to Focus:
- Economic growth and development – basic concept and definition of economy and economics, uses and transfer of resources, distributive effects, macro and micro economic policy, micro macro balance, distributive impact of economic policies, development versus growth, determinant of growth and development, concepts such as HPI/MPI, HDI, PQLI, GEM, GDI/GII, TAI, Green index, sustainable development, India’s ranking in the various indices.
- Poverty – definitions, causes, distribution-deprivation, income versus calories, measurement of poverty, status of poverty, eradication programmes, poverty and resource policy, tribal rights and issues, livelihood mission.
- Inclusion – definition, relevance, types, financial inclusion, recent initiatives.
- Demographics – census data, populations by gender, by state, by age group, socio-economic status, caste, religion, literacy levels, etc. Trends in human development – interstate comparison, etc.
- Fiscal policy – definition, component, receipts, revenue and capital account, tax revenue, expenditure, budget.
- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, development, growth and employment.
- Inclusive growth
- Budgeting
- Major cropping patterns in different parts of the country, different types of irrigation, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and associated constraints; e-technology for
- Direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; PDS- objectives, functioning, limitations; issues of buffer stocks, food security; economics of animal-rearing, Technology missions.
- Food processing and related industries
- Land reforms
- Effects of liberalisation
- Infrastructure: energy, roads, ports, airports and railways
- Investment models
