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Question
Why were reforms introduced in India?
Solution
Economic reforms were introduced in the year 1991 in India to combat economic crisis. Economic Crisis of 1991 was a culminated outcome of the policy failure in the preceding years. It was in that year the Indian government was experiencing huge fiscal deficits, large balance of payment deficits, high inflation level and an acute fall in the foreign exchange reserves. Moreover, the gulf crisis of 1990-91 led to an acute rise in the prices of fuel which further pushed up the inflation level. Because of the combined effect of all these factors, economic reforms became inevitable and were the only way to move Indian economy out of this crisis.
The following are the factors that necessitated the need for the economic reforms.
1. Huge Fiscal Deficit: Throughout 1980s, fiscal deficit was getting worse due to huge non-development expenditures. As a result, gross fiscal deficit rose from 5.7% of GDP to 6.6% of GDP during 1980-81 to 1990-91. Subsequently, a major portion of this deficit was financed by borrowings (both from external and domestic source).
The increased borrowings resulted in increased public debt and mounting interest payment obligations. The domestic borrowings by government increased from 35% to 49.8% of GDP during 1980-81 to 1990-91. Moreover, the interest payments obligations accounted for 39.1% of total fiscal deficit. Consequently, India lost its financial worthiness in the international market and, fell in a debt trap. Thus, economic reforms were needed urgently.
2. Weak BOP Situation: BOP represents the excess of total amount of exports over total amount of imports. Due to lack of competitiveness of Indian products, India was not able to earn enough foreign exchange through exports to finance our imports. The current account deficit rose from 1.35% to 3.69% of GDP during 1980-81 to 1990-91. In order to finance this huge current account deficit, Indian government borrowed a huge amount from the international market. Consequently, the external debt increased from 12% to 23% of GDP during the same period. On the other hand, Indian exports were not potent enough to earn sufficient foreign exchange to repay these external debt obligations. This BOP crisis compelled the need for the economic reforms.
3. High level of Inflation: The high fiscal deficits forced the central government to monetise the fiscal deficits by borrowings from RBI. RBI printed new money that pushed up the inflation level, thereby, making the domestic goods more expensive. The rate of inflation rose from 6.7% p.a. to 10.3% p.a. during 1980s to 1990-91. In order to lower the inflation rate, government in 1991 had to opt for the economic reforms.
4. Sick PSUs: Public Sector Undertakings were assigned the prime role of industrialisation and removal of inequality of income and poverty. But the subsequent years witnessed the failure of PSUs to perform these roles efficiently and effectively. Instead of being a revenue generator for the central government, these became liability. The sick PSUs added an extra financial burden on the government’s budget.
Thus, because of all the above reasons existing concomitantly, the economic reforms became inevitable.
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India’s post-1990 economic strategy entailed three important breaks with the past:
- To dismantle the vast network of controls and permits that dominated the economic system.
- To redefine the role of the state as a facilitator of economic transactions and as a neutral regulator rather than the primary provider of goods and services.
- To move away from a regime of import substitution and to integrate fully with the global trading system.
The 1991 reforms unleashed the energies of Indian entrepreneurs and gave untold choices to the consumers and changed the face of the Indian economy. The reform agenda constituted a paradigm shift and has defined the broad contours of economic policymaking for three decades.
Liberalization was adopted as the guiding principle of governance and all governments since 1991, have broadly stuck to that path.
Today we don’t need a paradigm shift. We need to look at individual sectors and see which one of these needs, reforms to create a competitive environment and improve efficiency. The power sector, the financial system, governance structures, and even agricultural marketing need reforms.
Today’s reforms also require much more discussion and consensus-building. The central government needs to work in tandem with state governments and consult different stakeholders impacted by reform decisions. Timing and sequencing are critically important in the new reforms’ agenda.
- In the light of the given text and common knowledge, identify the incorrect statement -
India’s post-1990 economic strategy entailed three important breaks with the past:
- To dismantle the vast network of controls and permits that dominated the economic system.
- To redefine the role of the state as a facilitator of economic transactions and as a neutral regulator rather than the primary provider of goods and services.
- To move away from a regime of import substitution and to integrate fully with the global trading system.
The 1991 reforms unleashed the energies of Indian entrepreneurs and gave untold choices to the consumers and changed the face of the Indian economy. The reform agenda constituted a paradigm shift and has defined the broad contours of economic policymaking for three decades.
Liberalization was adopted as the guiding principle of governance and all governments since 1991, have broadly stuck to that path.
Today we don’t need a paradigm shift. We need to look at individual sectors and see which one of these needs, reforms to create a competitive environment and improve efficiency. The power sector, the financial system, governance structures, and even agricultural marketing need reforms.
Today’s reforms also require much more discussion and consensus-building. The central government needs to work in tandem with state governments and consult different stakeholders impacted by reform decisions. Timing and sequencing are critically important in the new reforms’ agenda.
Read the following statements carefully and choose the correct alternatives given below:
Statement 1 - Timing and sequencing are critically important in the post-economic reform agenda.
Statement 2 - Post pandemic reforms in India require a paradigm shift.
India’s post-1990 economic strategy entailed three important breaks with the past:
- To dismantle the vast network of controls and permits that dominated the economic system.
- To redefine the role of the state as a facilitator of economic transactions and as a neutral regulator rather than the primary provider of goods and services.
- To move away from a regime of import substitution and to integrate fully with the global trading system.
The 1991 reforms unleashed the energies of Indian entrepreneurs and gave untold choices to the consumers and changed the face of the Indian economy. The reform agenda constituted a paradigm shift and has defined the broad contours of economic policymaking for three decades.
Liberalization was adopted as the guiding principle of governance and all governments since 1991, have broadly stuck to that path.
Today we don’t need a paradigm shift. We need to look at individual sectors and see which one of these needs, reforms to create a competitive environment and improve efficiency. The power sector, the financial system, governance structures, and even agricultural marketing need reforms.
Today’s reforms also require much more discussion and consensus-building. The central government needs to work in tandem with state governments and consult different stakeholders impacted by reform decisions. Timing and sequencing are critically important in the new reforms’ agenda.
Read the following statements - Assertion (A) and Reason (R):
Assertion (A) - The 1991 reforms released the vitalities of Indian businesspersons.
Reason (R) - The reform agenda established a paradigm shift and defined the broad outlines of economic policymaking for years to come.
From the given alternatives choose the correct one:
LPG stands for:
Read the following text carefully and answer the given questions on the basis of the same and common understanding.
|
The stabilisation and structural adjustment measures, initiated under the 1991 “Economic Reforms” mark a watershed moment in India's economic policies. For almost three decades since independence, India’s development strategy and economic policies were guided by the objectives of accelerating the growth of output and employment with social justice and equity. Ever since the 1970s, it was realised that many of the regulations on economic activities have outlived their usefulness and were in fact hampering economic growth and development. In response to this, the government initiated some milder liberalisation reforms for almost a decade since the early 1980s. However, the Indian economy soon had to face the Gulf crisis and consequently:
These led to the Indian economy on the verge of Economic crisis. In response to this emerging crisis, the Government initiated a set of stabilisation and. structural reforms like:
The key objective of stabilisation policy was to bring the growth of aggregate demand in line with long term growth path of the economy. In conjunction, the structural adjustment measures like;
Were taken to improve the supply side of the economy. This shifted the long-term growth path of the economy itself completely. |
- Discuss any two reason behind the introduction of Economic Reforms in 1991.
- “In response to the emerging crisis in 1991, the Government initiated a set of stabilisation and structural reforms”.
Briefly discuss any three of such measures.
