1. What was a major reform introduced by the Kerala government in 1996?
   A) Free healthcare for all citizens
   B) Giving 40% of the state budget to panchayats for local development
   C) Closing down private hospitals
   D) Reducing taxes for doctors
2. Why did the Kerala government allocate a large portion of its budget to panchayats?
   A) To allow villages to plan and provide for their own needs
   B) To reduce the power of the state government
   C) To support only urban development
   D) To create more private hospitals
3. Which of the following areas saw improvements due to Kerala’s budget allocation?
   A) Only urban healthcare facilities
   B) Industrial production and export
   C) Water supply, education, and health centers
   D) Military defense and police forces
4. What was a direct impact of Kerala’s policy on healthcare centers?
   A) Health centers were improved, but challenges like medicine shortages remained
   B) Private hospitals took over healthcare services
   C) Only urban hospitals were developed
   D) People stopped using government hospitals
5. Despite improvements, which healthcare challenges still remained in Kerala?
   A) Lack of modern medical research
   B) Shortage of medicines, hospital beds, and doctors
   C) No hospitals in rural areas
   D) Lack of patients visiting hospitals
6. What was a key feature of Kerala’s approach to governance?
   A) Centralized decision-making
   B) Decentralization by empowering local self-governments
   C) Reducing the number of government schools
   D) Focusing only on urban development
7. How did the Kerala government ensure better education and health for its citizens?
   A) By increasing private investment in healthcare
   B) By providing budget allocations for water, food, and women’s development
   C) By setting up more expensive hospitals
   D) By only focusing on urban areas
8. What lesson can other states learn from Kerala’s approach?
   A) Increasing defense spending improves healthcare
   B) Giving local governments more control can improve public services
   C) Privatization is the only way to improve healthcare
   D) Large-scale industrialization is necessary for development
9. Which sector received priority in Kerala’s model of development?
   A) Military and defense
   B) Health, education, and sanitation
   C) Large-scale industries
   D) Transportation and export
10. What role did panchayats play in improving healthcare in Kerala?
    A) They built military facilities
    B) They ensured better planning for local healthcare needs
    C) They privatized the entire health sector
    D) They replaced government hospitals with private clinics

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Answers and Explanations

1. B) Giving 40% of the state budget to panchayats for local development
   Kerala decentralized governance by allowing panchayats to plan and allocate funds for development projects.
2. A) To allow villages to plan and provide for their own needs
   This ensured that resources were used efficiently to address local problems like health and education.
3. C) Water supply, education, and health centers
   Kerala focused on essential services like clean water, better schools, and improved healthcare facilities.
4. A) Health centers were improved, but challenges like medicine shortages remained
   While progress was made, issues like availability of medicines and hospital beds still needed attention.
5. B) Shortage of medicines, hospital beds, and doctors
   Despite improvements, the healthcare sector still faced shortages in key areas.
6. B) Decentralization by empowering local self-governments
   Kerala’s model of governance gave decision-making power to local bodies, allowing for better planning and execution.
7. B) By providing budget allocations for water, food, and women’s development
   Kerala focused on improving basic services to enhance overall well-being and social development.
8. B) Giving local governments more control can improve public services
   Kerala’s model shows that decentralization leads to better service delivery and efficient governance.
9. B) Health, education, and sanitation
   Kerala prioritized human development indicators over industrial or defense spending.
10. B) They ensured better planning for local healthcare needs
    With funds allocated directly to panchayats, local governments could focus on addressing healthcare needs effectively.

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