industries manufacturing & service sectors section 6 MCQ Questions & Answers Detailed Explanation

Answer: (d)

In all cases of disinvestment, the Government would retain at least 51% equity and the management control. All cases of disinvestment are to be decided on a case by case basis.

The Department of Disinvestment is to identify CPSEs in consultation with respective administrative Ministries and submit proposals to the Government in cases requiring an Offer for the Sale of Government equity.

Answer: (d)

Answer: (b)

The government of India in 2016 launched the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) for the exploration and production (E&P) of oil and gas which will replace the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP). The following are some of the important features of the policy:

A uniform/single license to enable the EØ&P operators to explore and extract conventional and unconventional oil and gas resources including Coal Bed Methane, Shale Gas/Oil, Tight gas, Gas hydrates and any other resource which falls within the definition of "Petroleum" and "Natural Gas"

Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP): Earlier E&P operators were forced to bid for only those blocks which were chosen by the government. Now they can apply for particular areas/blocks they deem to be attractive to invest in, and the Centre will put those areas up for bids.

This is more attractive for prospective operators because, in the past, the blocks are chosen by the government often were large swathes of land or sea in which only a small fraction had hydrocarbon reserves. By offering companies the freedom to choose exactly the areas they want to explore, and their size, the government has a better chance to woo serious energy investors in an effort to help achieve a more cohesive framework of the country’s energy security.

The E&P operators will have to bid for the blocks based on a revenue-sharing model rather than profit sharing. Bidders will be required to quote % of revenue share to the Govt. in their bids which will be a key parameter for selecting the winning bid. In this model the operator will have to share the revenue with the government from the first year of production notwithstanding the operator is making a profit or loss.

This model does not require auditing of costs incurred by the operator but is riskier for investors as it requires sharing of the revenues with the government from the first year itself before the operators have recovered their costs and even if they are making losses.

National Data Repository, which is envisaged as a centralized database of geological and hydrocarbon information, in line with the Digital India initiative, will be available to all. Besides allowing potential investors to make informed decisions, this will open up a new sector in India.

There are a number of companies around the world that make it their business to simply explore hydrocarbon basins and sell the information they gather. The new initiative seeks to incentivise such prospectors.

Answer: (a)

In India, ‘Report on Currency and Finance’ is the annual publication of the Reserve Bank of India.

The report highlights the evaluation or devaluation of the rupee as a currency along with it other aspects and projects the financial condition of the economy.

Answer: (d)

Defence and strategic industries were to be the exclusive domain of the government. Existing units in basic and key industries could continue in the private sector but no fresh private investment in these sectors was to be allowed.

Twenty important industries were allowed in the private sector but under the strict supervision of the state. All industries not covered by the above three categories were allowed in the private sector under the general supervision of the state.

Answer: (a)

Land development banks started financing long term loans for more significant rural development activities like rural and cottage industries, rural artisans etc. 

The main purpose of RRB’s is to mobilize financial resources from rural / semi-urban areas and grant loans and advances mostly to small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers and rural artisans.