Chapter 8 Public Finance in India Solutions

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Economics Solutions Chapter 8 Public Finance in India

1. Choose the correct option

2. Distingwish between following concepts:

3. State with reasons whether you agree or disagree with the following statement:

The main objective of public finance is to offer maximum social advantage, while the main motive of private finance is to fulfil private interest.

Public finance is more elastic compare to private finance because credit provision is much more in the market to increase public finance but, credit availability is limited to increase private finance.
It is also possible to the government to adjust revenue and expenditure with one another in case of public finance.

4. Read the given passage and answer the questions:

‘The conventional notion of social security is that the government would make periodic payments to look after people in their old age, ill-health. disability and poverty. This idea should itself change from writing a cheque for the beneficiary to institutional arrangements to care for beneficiaries. including by enabling them to look after themselves. to a large extent.

The write-a-cheque model of social security is a legacy from the rich world at the optimal phase of its demographic transition, when the working population was numerals enough and earning enough to generate the taxes to pay for the care of those not working. This model is ill-suited for less, well- off India with growing life expectancy. increasing urbanization and resultant migration. Social security
under urbanization will be different from social security in a static society.

5. Answer the following:

(1) Tax rates presented in the budget indicates disposable income of the tax payer. It also determines the development of business and individuals.
(2) Government expenditure is also a part of budget. This public expenditure on defence, administration, infrastructure, education, health care, etc. affects the lives of the citizens and overall economy.
(3) Government uses budget as a medium for implementing economy policies in the country.
(4) Budgetary actions of the government affect production size and distribution of income, utilization of human and material resources of the country.
Thus, implementing suitable budgetary policy is very important for overall development of the economy.

They are explained as follows :

1. Canon of Equity or Equality : According to Adam Smith, every person should pay taxes to the government in proportion to his ability to pay.
Canon of equity or equality means rich people should pay more tax as compared to poor.

2. Canon of Certainty : Adam Smith suggested that the tax payer should know in advance that, how much tax he has to pay, at what time and in what form he has to pay tax to the government.

3. Canon of Convenience : According to this principle, every tax should be levied in such a manner and at such a time that, it becomes convenient to the tax payer to make payment.

4. Canon of Economy : This principle suggests that the cost of tax collection should be the minimum. If tax is collected economically, then such a tax is considered to be a good tax.
Every citizen of a country has to pay tax, imposed upon him as it is compulsory contribution to the government.
Tax is a major source of revenue to the government.
Therefore, public authority (Government) must consider all the principles (canons) of taxation in the preparation and implementation of tax system.

Fees : It refers to charges paid, in return for certain specific services rendered by the government. E.g. fees paid for registration of house, car, education fees, etc.

Prices of Public Goods and Services : Various types of goods and services are produced, supplied and sold by modern government to the citizens. It; is added to public revenue when people s purchase them and pay their prices.

Special Assessment : It is special kind of tax, which is levied by local government on the residents of a particular area. In exchange of it, government provides some special facilities to them.

Fines and Penalties : It is imposed by government on those who violate the laws of the country.
E.g. a traffic police charges fine and collects money if someone violates traffic rule. The objective behind collection of fines and penalties is not to earn money but to discourage the people from violating the laws framed by the government It is small source of income.

Gifts, Grants and Donations : The government receives gifts from its citizens and others. It is included in public revenue. The government may also get grants from foreign government and institutions for general and specific purposes.
Foreign aid is also an important form of public revenue for developing country like India. However, this source of revenue is uncertain in nature.

Special Levies : It refers to the charges levied by government on those commodities, whose consumption is harmful to human health.
Special levies are paid for using commodities like wine, opium and other intoxicants. Special levy is imposed, not to earn income, but to discourage the people from using harmful products.

Borrowings: Government borrows to raise fund because government expenditure generally exceeds government revenue, in a welfare state.

When government borrows from foreign government or international organisations, it is known as external debt. It is more popular source of public revenue for investment in development of projects. Thus, public revenue in form of non-tax sources play very important role in socio¬economic development of a country. Explain the classification of public expenditure.

6. Answer in detail :

Public expense is necessary to perform various functions of the government Public ; expense consists of revenue and capital expenses as well as developmental and non-developmental expenses.

1. High Growth of Population : In a developing country like India, population is rising rapidly. Therefore, government has to incur greater expense to fulfil the needs of growing population.

(2) Growing Urbanisation : Due to expansion of urban sector, government expense increases. Government has to make the provision of water supply, roads, energy, schools and colleges, public transport, hospitals, welfare centres, sanitation, drainage system, etc.
It leads to growth in public expense.

(3) Public Health Care : Public health is a top most priority of modern welfare state. Government undertakes public vaccination programme, maintenance of dispensaries, maternity care and child welfare centres, etc
.
(4) Democracy : There is a democracy in India. A democratic form of government is very expensive due to regular elections and other public works.
It leads to growth in public expense.

(5) An increase in Defence Expense : Government has to incur defence expense to protect the country from external attacks as well as to maintain law and order in a country. Hence, an increase in defence expense leads to growth of public expense.

(6) Disaster Management : Many natural calamities like earthquakes, flood, cyclones, Covid-19 and man-made problems like social unrest, economic instability, etc. occur frequently. In such cases, government has to spend for disaster management which increases public expense.

(7) Infrastructure Development : It is necessary to make provision of economic infrastructure like energy, transport, communication and social infrastructure like education, health, etc. for rapid economic development of a country.
Thus, development of infrastructure facilities results into growth of public expense.

(8) Inflation : Due to inflation, prices of goods and services tend to rise. When government buys goods and services from the market for development of a country, government has to pay higher cost which raises public expense.

(9) Industrial Development : An increase in production depends upon industrial development. It leads to an increase in level of employment and overall economy growth. So, government implements various schemes and programmes for industrial development.
It results into growth of public expense.

(10) Increase in Government Activities : The modern government performs various obligatory and optional functions for social and economic development of a country. It requires huge fund to spend on education, public health, public recreation, social welfare schemes, etc.

Many other functions like maintenance of roads, lighting, public streets, construction of public houses, protecting life and property, public vaccination, garbage collection and ; disposal, prevention and control of epidemics etc. lead to growth of public expenses.

Government also spends on provision of pure water supply, removal of slums, checking ) food adulteration, etc.
All these factors are responsible for the j growth of public expense.

Intext Questions

Find out (Textbook Page 70) :

More examples of obligatory and optional functions of the government.
Answer:

Find out (Textbook Page 73) :

Reasons for growth in public expenditure other than given in the text-book.
Answer:

Find out (Textbook Page 73) :

Important Social Welfare Schemes in India.
Answer: