This page covers how the economy is organised and planned: the three sectors, how national income (GDP) is measured and by whom, the Five-Year Plans and their successor NITI Aayog, agriculture and the farm 'revolutions' (Green, White and others), industry, and the headline numbers of the 2011 Census. Most questions are fixed facts — dates, full forms, who measures what and census figures.
1951
First Five-Year Plan
Planned development begins
2015
NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission
1 Jan 2015
3
Sectors of the economy
Primary, secondary, tertiary
Sectors and national income
How the economy is divided, and how GDP is measured.
| Sector | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Nature-based production | Farming, mining, fishing |
| Secondary | Manufacturing | Factories, construction |
| Tertiary | Services | Banking, IT, transport, trade |
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — In economics, the letter 'D' in GDP stands for:
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Answer: A — Domestic
GDP = Gross Domestic Product — the value of all goods and services produced within the country.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — National Income in India is compiled by:
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Answer: D — Central Statistical Organization
National Income is compiled by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), now under MoSPI.
Planning: Five-Year Plans to NITI Aayog
How India planned its economy, 1951 onwards.
| Plan / body | Remember |
|---|---|
| Planning Commission | Set up 1950; ran the Five-Year Plans |
| First Plan (1951–56) | Focus on agriculture; Harrod-Domar model |
| Second Plan (1956–61) | Focus on industry; Mahalanobis model |
| NITI Aayog (2015) | Replaced Planning Commission; a think-tank, not a fund-allocator |
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Planned economic development in India began in which year (First Five-Year Plan)?
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Answer: A — 1951
The First Five-Year Plan started in 1951, focusing on agriculture.
Agriculture and the farm revolutions
The backbone of the economy — and Punjab's strength.
Indian agriculture
Punjab's wheat is a legacy of the Green Revolution (1960s), which made India self-sufficient in food grains.
Harvinder Chandigarh · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mechanised farming in Punjab — part of the modern inputs (seeds, fertiliser, irrigation) behind the Green Revolution.
CIAT · CC BY-SA 2.0
| Revolution | Product | Linked name |
|---|---|---|
| Green Revolution | Food grains (wheat, rice) | M. S. Swaminathan |
| White Revolution | Milk (Operation Flood) | Verghese Kurien |
| Blue Revolution | Fish | — |
| Yellow Revolution | Oilseeds | — |
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — What type of unemployment is generally found in India's agricultural sector?
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Answer: D — Disguised unemployment
Agriculture has disguised unemployment — more people work on the land than are actually needed.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The Minimum Support Price (MSP) of crops is fixed on the recommendation of:
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Answer: A — Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
The MSP is set by the government on the recommendation of the CACP.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — For how many mandated crops is the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced?
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Answer: A — 22
The MSP is announced for 22 mandated crops each season.
Industry and population
Small industry, and the 2011 Census numbers.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Act was passed in:
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Answer: A — 1956
The KVIC Act was passed in 1956 to promote khadi and village industries.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — As per Census 2011, which state has the lowest sex ratio (females per 1000 males)?
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Answer: A — Haryana
Haryana had the lowest sex ratio (879) among states in Census 2011.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — As per Census 2011, which state has the second-highest population after Uttar Pradesh?
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Answer: A — Maharashtra
Maharashtra is the second-most populous state after Uttar Pradesh (Census 2011).
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — As per Census 2011, the population density of India is about:
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Answer: B — 382 per sq. km
India's population density in 2011 was 382 persons per sq. km.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The place where small farmers and seasonal labourers who regularly move in and out of poverty are called:
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Answer: C — Churning poor
Those who keep moving in and out of poverty are called the 'churning poor'.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The headquarters of NABARD is in:
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Answer: A — Mumbai
NABARD's headquarters are in Mumbai.
COMMON TRAPS
- First Plan (1951) = agriculture; Second Plan (1956) = industry; NITI Aayog from 2015.
- Green Revolution = food grains (Swaminathan); White = milk (Kurien).
- MSP: fixed by govt on CACP's recommendation, for 22 crops.
- Agriculture's typical joblessness = disguised unemployment.
- Census 2011: UP most populous, Maharashtra 2nd; Haryana lowest sex ratio; density 382.
FLASHCARDS
Quick revision
- First Five-Year Plan
- 1951 (agriculture)
- NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission
- 2015
- Green Revolution father
- M. S. Swaminathan
- White Revolution / milk
- Verghese Kurien
- MSP recommended by
- CACP
- Most populous state (2011)
- Uttar Pradesh
CHECK YOURSELF
The White Revolution in India is associated with which person and product? (a) M. S. Swaminathan, wheat (b) Verghese Kurien, milk (c) Norman Borlaug, rice (d) Amul, eggs
Show answer
(b) Verghese Kurien, milk. The White Revolution (Operation Flood) made India the world's largest milk producer; Kurien is its father.