MPPSC 2018 Prelims Q26: Who authored the book, Planned Economy for

Q: What is the answer to MPPSC 2018 Prelims Q26?

A. Correct — A, M. Visvesvaraya. Sir M. Visvesvaraya, the eminent engineer and former Diwan of Mysore, wrote 'Planned Economy for India' (1934) — one of the earliest Indian blueprints arguing that the country should industrialise through deliberate, decade-by-decade economic planning. The book pushed for a planned shift from an agrarian to an industrial economy and is regarded as a pioneering statement of planned development in India.

MPPSC 2018 Prelims Paper-I · Question 26 of 100

Verified against the official question paper. Answer as per the official MPPSC answer key.

Who authored the book, Planned Economy for India?

(a)M. Visvesvaraya
(b)J. R. D. Tata
(c)G. D. Birla
(d)Pattabhi Sitaramayya

Answer

Why

Correct — A, M. Visvesvaraya. Sir M. Visvesvaraya, the eminent engineer and former Diwan of Mysore, wrote 'Planned Economy for India' (1934) — one of the earliest Indian blueprints arguing that the country should industrialise through deliberate, decade-by-decade economic planning. The book pushed for a planned shift from an agrarian to an industrial economy and is regarded as a pioneering statement of planned development in India.

Why the others are wrong

(b)J. R. D. Tata — A leading industrialist, but he did not write this book; he was one of the signatories of the later 1944 'Bombay Plan' (A Plan of Economic Development for India), a different document.
(c)G. D. Birla — Also a top industrialist and a co-signatory of the 1944 Bombay Plan — not the author of 'Planned Economy for India'.
(d)Pattabhi Sitaramayya — A Congress leader and writer best known for 'The History of the Indian National Congress' — not for this work on economic planning.

Concept

'Planned Economy for India' (1934) by M. Visvesvaraya was among the first Indian works to advocate state-guided economic planning and rapid industrialisation. It predated the Congress's National Planning Committee (1938) and the 1944 Bombay Plan, marking Visvesvaraya as an early voice for planned development.

The trap is that all four are famous public figures of the era, and two of them (Tata, Birla) are tied to a different planning document — the Bombay Plan. Anchor the exact title 'Planned Economy for India' to Visvesvaraya.

Key facts

'Planned Economy for India' (1934) was written by M. Visvesvaraya.
He was an engineer and served as Diwan (chief administrator) of Mysore.
He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955; Engineer's Day (15 September) marks his birthday.
The 1944 'Bombay Plan' was a separate document signed by industrialists including J. R. D. Tata and G. D. Birla.

Study next

Early planning efforts in India: Bombay Plan (1944), People's Plan, Gandhian PlanNational Planning Committee (1938) under Jawaharlal NehruPlanning Commission (1950), Five-Year Plans and NITI AayogM. Visvesvaraya — Bharat Ratna and Engineer's Day (15 September)Books and their authors in the freedom-struggle / economic-thought area

Common traps

Confusing 'Planned Economy for India' with the 1944 Bombay Plan
Attributing the book to an industrialist (Tata/Birla) rather than to Visvesvaraya

MPPSC and UPSC ask 'who authored book X' or match books to authors, and fact-check pre-Independence planning documents against their proponents.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Practice

practice — not a real PYQ
Engineer's Day in India is celebrated on 15 September to mark the birth anniversary of:
- (a)M. Visvesvaraya
- (b)Homi Bhabha
- (c)J. C. Bose
- (d)Vikram Sarabhai
Answer(a) M. Visvesvaraya — engineer and Diwan of Mysore.
practice — not a real PYQ
The 1944 'Bombay Plan' for India's economic development is associated with:
- (a)M. Visvesvaraya alone
- (b)a group of leading industrialists including J. R. D. Tata and G. D. Birla
- (c)M. N. Roy
- (d)the Planning Commission
Answer(b) a group of leading industrialists including J. R. D. Tata and G. D. Birla.