The GDP at market prices of a country is Rs 6,000 crore. Indirect taxes are Rs 700 crore and subsidies are Rs 200 crore. What is its GDP at factor cost?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Rs 5,500 crore
Given:
GDPMP = Rs 6,000 crore
Indirect taxes = Rs 700 crore
Subsidies = Rs 200 crore
Factor cost = market prices − net indirect taxes (indirect taxes − subsidies).
Net indirect taxes = 700 − 200 = 500
GDPFC = 6,000 − 500 = Rs 5,500 crore
Rs 5,300 crore subtracts indirect taxes but forgets to add back subsidies.
NCERT (2026-27): “Table 2.4: Basic National Income Aggregates … Market prices are the prices as paid by the consumers Market prices also include product taxes and subsides. The term factor cost refers to the prices of products as received by the producers. Thus, factor cost is equal to market prices, minus net indirect taxes. …” “2.3 Some Macroeconomic Identities It is to be noted that all these variables are evaluated at market prices. Through the expression given above, we get the value of NNP evaluated at market prices. But market price includes indirect taxes. When indirect taxes are imposed on goods and services, their prices go up. Indirect taxes accrue to the government. We have to deduct them from NNP evaluated at market prices in order to calculate that part of NNP which actually accrues to the factors of production. Similarly, there may be subsidies granted by the government on the prices of some commodities (in India petrol is heavily taxed by the government, whereas cooking gas is subsidised). So we need to add subsidies to the NNP evaluated at market prices. The measure that we obtain by doing so is called Net National Product at factor cost or National Income. Thus, NNP at factor cost ≡ National Income (NI ) ≡ NNP at market prices – (Indirect taxes – Subsidies) ≡ NNP at market prices – Net indirect taxes (Net indirect taxes ≡ Indirect taxes – Subsidies)” |