Public Finance & Taxation

UPSC Prelims 2025 hard Economy Open full page

A country’s fiscal deficit stands at ₹50,000 crores. It is receiving ₹10,000 crores through non-debt creating capital receipts. The country’s interest liabilities are ₹1,500 crores. What is the gross primary deficit?

Explanation

Fiscal Deficit represents the government's total borrowing requirement, while the Primary Deficit shows how much the government is borrowing excluding interest payments on past debt. ✅ Formula:
Primary Deficit = Fiscal Deficit − Interest Payments Given: * Fiscal Deficit = ₹50,000 crores
* Interest Liabilities = ₹1,500 crores
* Non-debt capital receipts are already factored into the fiscal deficit, so no need to adjust further. Calculation:
Primary Deficit = ₹50,000 − ₹1,500 = ₹48,500 crores

UPSC Prelims 2025 hard Economy Open full page

Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission of India are correct?

I. It has recommended grants of ₹4,800 crores from the year 2022–23 to the year 2025–26 for incentivizing States to enhance educational outcomes.
II. 45% of the net proceeds of Union taxes are to be shared with States.
III. ₹45,000 crores are to be kept as performance-based incentive for all States for carrying out agricultural reforms.
IV. It reintroduced tax effort criteria to reward fiscal performance.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Explanation

The 15th Finance Commission made recommendations to promote better fiscal discipline, education, and agriculture reforms, while adjusting tax devolution among states. ✅ Statement I: Correct 4,800 crores were recommended (2022–23 to 2025–26) to incentivize states for improving educational outcomes. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect The Commission recommended 41% of Union taxes to be shared with states, not 45%. ✅ Statement III: Correct It proposed a ₹45,000 crore performance-based incentive for states to implement agricultural reforms. ✅ Statement IV: Correct It reintroduced the 'tax effort' criterion, rewarding states that better mobilize revenue in relation to their GSDP.

UPSC Prelims 2025 hard Economy Open full page

Suppose the revenue expenditure is ₹80,000 crores and the revenue receipts of the Government are ₹60,000 crores. The Government budget also shows borrowings of ₹10,000 crores and interest payments of ₹6,000 crores. Which of the following statements are correct?

I. Revenue deficit is ₹20,000 crores.
II. Fiscal deficit is ₹10,000 crores.
III. Primary deficit is ₹4,000 crores.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Explanation

Revenue Deficit, Fiscal Deficit, and Primary Deficit are key indicators used to assess a government's financial health. ✅ I. Revenue Deficit = ₹20,000 crores – Correct * Definition: Revenue Deficit = Revenue Expenditure − Revenue Receipts
* Calculation: ₹80,000 crores − ₹60,000 crores = ₹20,000 crores ✅ II. Fiscal Deficit = ₹10,000 crores – Correct * Definition: Fiscal Deficit = Total Expenditure − Total Receipts (excluding borrowings)
* Alternatively, it reflects total borrowings needed to meet the gap
* Given: Borrowings = ₹10,000 crores ⇒ Fiscal Deficit = ₹10,000 crores ✅ III. Primary Deficit = ₹4,000 crores – Correct * Definition: Primary Deficit = Fiscal Deficit − Interest Payments
* Calculation: ₹10,000 crores − ₹6,000 crores = ₹4,000 crores

UPSC Prelims 2025 medium Economy Open full page

Consider the following statements:

Statement I: In India, income from allied agricultural activities like poultry farming and wool rearing in rural areas is exempted from any tax.

Statement II: In India, rural agricultural land is not considered a capital asset under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Explanation

Income from agriculture is tax-exempt in India, but only core agricultural activities like cultivation qualify. Allied activities such as poultry or dairy are taxable. Also, certain types of land are excluded from capital asset classification under tax law. ❌ Statement I: Incorrect Allied agricultural activities like poultry farming and wool rearing are not tax-exempt under the Income-tax Act, 1961. ✅ Statement II: Correct Rural agricultural land is not treated as a capital asset under Section 2(14), so capital gains tax does not apply on its sale.

UPSC Prelims 2025 easy Economy Open full page

Consider the following statements:

I. Capital receipts create a liability or cause a reduction in the assets of the Government.
II. Borrowings and disinvestment are capital receipts.
III. Interest received on loans creates a liability of the Government.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Explanation

Capital receipts involve transactions that either increase liabilities or reduce assets for the government. Revenue receipts, on the other hand, are routine incomes like interest or taxes that don’t affect assets or liabilities. ✅ Statement I: Correct
* Capital receipts create liabilities (like borrowings) or reduce assets (like disinvestment). ✅ Statement II: Correct
* Borrowings and disinvestment are both capital receipts. ❌ Statement III: Incorrect
* Interest received is a revenue receipt, not a capital receipt—it’s income, not a liability.

UPSC Prelims 2025 hard Indian Polity Open full page

With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information:

| Organization      | Some of its Functions     | It Works Under      |
|--------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Directorate of Enforcement    | Enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018     | Internal Security Division-I, Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Directorate of Revenue Intelligence | Enforces the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962    | Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance |
| Directorate General of Systems and Data Management | Carrying out big data analytics to assist tax officers for better policy and nabbing tax evaders | Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance     |

In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?

Explanation

The question relates to the correct mapping of key investigative and analytical bodies under the Government of India and their parent ministries or departments. ❌ Row I: Incorrect The Directorate of Enforcement does implement the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, but it functions under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, not the Ministry of Home Affairs. ✅ Row II: Correct The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) enforces the Customs Act, 1962 and works under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. ✅ Row III: Correct The Directorate General of Systems and Data Management aids in big data analytics for tax enforcement and operates under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

UPSC Prelims 2023 medium Economy Open full page

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Interest income from the deposits in Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) distributed to their investors is exempted from tax, but the dividend is taxable.
Statement-II: InvITs are recognized as borrowers under the 'Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002'.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Explanation

* Statement I is Incorrect : Earlier, InvITs offered some tax benefits to investors. However, the budget in 2023 changed the taxation structure. Currently, all income distributed by InvITs, including interest income, dividend income, and rental income, is taxable in the hands of the unitholders according to their income tax slab. * Statement II is Correct : InvITs are indeed recognized as borrowers under the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act). This Act allows InvITs to access various financing options and enforce security interests in case of defaults.

UPSC Prelims 2023 easy Economy Open full page

Consider the following:
1. Demographic performance
2. Forest and ecology
3. Governance reforms
4. Stable government
5. Tax and fiscal efforts

For the horizontal tax devolution, the Fifteenth Finance Commission used how many of the above as criteria other than population area and income distance?

Explanation

Based on principles of need, equity and performance, overall devolution formula is as given in the chart:

UPSC Prelims 2023 medium Economy Open full page

Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : India accounts for 3.2% of global export of goods.
Statement-II :Many local companies and some foreign companies operating in India have taken advantage of India's 'Production-linked Incentive' scheme.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Explanation

* Statement I is incorrect: India's share in global merchandise trade is only 1.8% and 4% in global services. India plans to increase its export share in global trade from 2.1% to 3% by 2027 and 10% by 2047. * Statement II is correct: The PLI scheme is open to both domestic and international manufacturers. Samsung as well as Indian firms such as Dixon Technologies, UTL, Neolyncs, Lava International, Optiemus Electronics and Micromax are also expanding their factories to take advantage of the PLI scheme.

UPSC Prelims 2022 easy Economy Open full page

With reference to the expenditure made by an organisation or a company, which of the following statements is/are correct ?

1. Acquiring new technology is capital expenditure.
2. Debt financing is considered capital expenditure, while equity financing is considered revenue expenditure.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct. Acquiring new technology - This is a capital expenditure. When a company acquires new technology (like software, machinery, or equipment), it's considered an investment that will benefit the organization for several years. The cost is added to the company's asset base and depreciated over its useful life. Statement 2 is incorrect. Debt vs. Equity Financing - The way a company finances its expenditures (debt or equity) doesn't determine whether it's a capital or revenue expenditure. The nature of the expense itself matters more. |Aspect|Capital Expenditure| Revenue Expenditure |
|--|--|--|
|Definition |Expenditure incurred for acquiring or improving fixed assets, which provide long-term benefits.|Expenditure that is incurred for routine operations and maintenance, providing short-term benefits.|
| Purpose|To acquire, enhance, or extend the life of assets such as buildings, machinery, or equipment.| To meet day-to-day operational needs, like salaries, utilities, and maintenance.|
|Impact on Assets | Increases the value of assets or creates new assets. |Does not increase the value of assets.|
|Accounting Treatment |Recorded as an asset on the balance sheet and depreciated over time. |Recorded as an expense in the profit and loss statement for the current period.|
|Time Horizon |Long-term benefit, typically spread over several years. |Short-term benefit, usually within the current year.|
|Examples | Purchase of machinery, construction of buildings, land acquisition. |Salaries, wages, rent, repairs, and maintenance costs.|

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