Indian Economy

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), now renamed as Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, guarantees 100 days of wage employment per financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

The TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement came into force on January 1, 1995. However, developing countries like India were given a 10-year transition period, so the operational date for India was January 1, 2005.

India is consistently the second-largest sugar producer in the world after Brazil. The country has a well-established sugar industry spread across states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Brazil occupies the first position.

The Finance Commission is a statutory body constituted under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution every five years. Dr. C. Rangarajan was indeed the Chairman of the 12th Finance Commission (2004-2009). All three statements A, B, and C are correct.

The 12th Finance Commission, chaired by Dr. C. Rangarajan, submitted its report in 2004. Its recommendations were operational for the five-year period from 2005 to 2010. Finance Commission recommendations typically cover five-year periods.

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is a public sector enterprise established in 1966 under the Ministry of Tourism. It is indeed involved in constructing and managing hotels and restaurants across India, including the well-known Ashok Group of Hotels.

The Kasturba Gandhi Education Scheme (Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya) was launched to provide educational facilities to girls from minority communities and disadvantaged groups, particularly in rural areas.

The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched to enhance production of rice, wheat, and pulses to ensure food security for India's growing population.

The United States is India's largest trading partner in terms of total trade (exports + imports), followed by China and the UAE.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is one of the oldest and most widely recognized stock market indices, tracking 30 large publicly-owned companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

Under the Lead Bank Scheme, each district in India is assigned to a lead bank responsible for coordinating banking services and credit delivery in that district.

Rajdhani Channel is a premium express mail service by India Post for fast delivery of mail between major cities, particularly for business and official correspondence.

The Bhandari Committee was constituted to recommend measures for restructuring and strengthening Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to improve their financial health and operational efficiency.

Vinod Rai took over as Comptroller and Auditor General of India in 2008, succeeding V. N. Kaul.

Abhijit Sen, a renowned economist, chaired the High Level Committee on Long-term Grain Policy which made recommendations on India's food security and agricultural pricing policies.

The National Development Council includes the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of states, Administrators of Union Territories, and Union Cabinet Ministers. State Governors are not members as they hold constitutional positions rather than executive political roles.

Pakistan objected to India's Baglihar Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir, claiming it violated the Indus Waters Treaty provisions. The dispute was eventually resolved through international arbitration.

The Meera Seth Committee was established to review the handloom sector and recommend measures for its development and modernization.