INSIGHT UPSC QUIZ

GS Economy Monetary and Fiscal Policy
Q.

Read the following statements carefully with reference to ‘Factor Cost, Basic Price and Market Price’: 

1. Factor cost includes only the payment to factors of production. It does not include any tax. 

2. Market price is the factor cost including total indirect taxes but excluding total subsidies. 

3. Basic price includes production taxes (less production subsidies) but not product taxes (less product subsidies). 

In reference to the concepts of ‘Factor Cost, Basic Price and Market Price’, which of the statements given above are correct? 

Explanation:

ANSWER: (D) 

  • The distinction between factor cost, basic prices and market prices is based on the distinction between net production taxes (production taxes less production subsidies) and net product taxes (product taxes less product subsidies). 
  • Production taxes and subsidies are paid or received in relation to production and are independent of the volume of production such as land revenues, stamp and registration fee. Product taxes and subsidies, on the other hand, are paid or received per unit or product, e.g., excise tax, service tax, export and import duties etc. 
  • Statement 1 is correct.

Factor cost includes only the payment to factors of production, it does not include any tax. 

  • Statement 2 is correct.

In order to arrive at the market prices, we have to add to the factor cost the total indirect taxes minus total subsidies. 

  • Statement 3 is correct.

The basic prices lie in between: they include the production taxes (less production subsidies) but not product taxes (less product subsidies). 

In order to arrive at market prices, we have to add product taxes (less product subsidies) to the basic prices.

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