Industry, Ports, Finance and Welfare Schemes of West Bengal — Practice

Question 1

In which year did the Kolkata Metro open, and what was its significance?

Accepted Answer

1984; it was the first metro rail in India.

Question 2

What is Kanyashree Prakalpa?

Accepted Answer

A conditional cash-transfer scheme from 2013 to keep girls in school and delay marriage.

Question 3

What was freight equalisation and how did it affect Bengal?

Accepted Answer

A policy from 1952 charging the same transport price for steel and coal across India. It removed the cost advantage of Bengal's proximity to raw materials and weakened its industrial position.

Question 4

Name four industrial centres of West Bengal and what each is known for.

Accepted Answer

Durgapur for steel, Chittaranjan for locomotives, Haldia for petrochemicals and a dock, and Kharagpur for railway works and the first IIT.

Question 5

Why must investor-summit MoUs be treated carefully?

Accepted Answer

They record intentions. Only a part converts into projects, and conversion takes years, so the figures overstate actual investment.

Question 6

Examine the causes of the industrial slowdown in West Bengal.

Accepted Answer

Partition cut jute fields off from mills and disrupted markets. Freight equalisation removed the raw-material advantage, and licensing and central investment patterns favoured other regions. Labour unrest, ageing plants and land-acquisition conflicts later deterred investors. The weight of each is debated, so a balanced answer lists them and ends with a policy priority.

Question 7

Evaluate Kanyashree using reach, impact, cost and exit.

Accepted Answer

Reach: it covers large numbers of girls in school. Impact: it is credited with keeping girls enrolled, though evidence on delayed marriage is mixed. Cost: a modest share of the state budget. Exit: it ends at the education milestone, which gives a natural taper. It could be strengthened by linking to skills and jobs.

Question 8

Why was the Farakka Barrage built in relation to Kolkata Port?

Accepted Answer

To divert Ganga water into the Hooghly and flush silt so the port stays navigable.

Practice — Industry, Ports, Finance and Welfare Schemes of West Bengal

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