Poverty as a Challenge class 9 Economics MCQ & SAQ
Poverty as a Challenge class 9 Economics NCERT SOLUTION:
Q.1. Describe how the poverty line is estimated in India.
Ans.
The poverty line is estimated based on consumption levels in India. A person has basic needs which include the minimum level of food, clothing, educational and medical needs; etc.
These minimum consumptions are then calculated in Rupees and total becomes the minimum income required to fulfill basic needs.
A person is considered poor if their income level falls below the minimum level necessary to fulfill basic needs.
Q.2. Do you think that the present methodology of poverty estimation is appropriate?
Ans.
The present methodology of poverty estimation takes into account a minimum subsistence level of living rather than a reasonable level of living.
A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level falls below a given minimum level necessary to fulfill basic needs.
While ensuring the minimum necessary in terms of income is indeed essential for India to bring a large section of its population out of the clutches of poverty, the government must also focus its attention upon the broader element of human poverty.
A future state may be achieved wherein everybody is able to feed himself or herself.
However, in the continuing presence of factors like illiteracy, lack of job opportunities, lack of access to proper healthcare and sanitation, caste and gender discrimination, etc., such a state cannot be called a poverty-free state.
Q.3. Describe poverty trends in India since 1973.
Ans.
A Decline
There has been a substantial decline in the poverty ratios in India from about 55 per cent in 1973 to 36 per cent in 1993.
The proportion of people below the poverty line further came down to about 26 per cent in 2000.
Although the percentage of people living in poverty declined from 1973 to 1993, the number of poor remained stable at around 320 million for a fairly long period.
However, as per the latest estimates, the number of poor has shown a significant decline to about 260 million.
Rural and Urban Poor
The poverty trends also indicate that the problem of poverty is a much bigger menace in rural areas than it is in urban areas.
As the greater part of the Indian population resides in the villages, the greater number of the poor also resides in the villages.Vulnerable Groups
Looked at from the point of view of the various social and economic groups in the country, the scheduled tribes, the scheduled castes, the rural agricultural laborers and the urban casual laborers turn out to be the groups most vulnerable to poverty.
Though the average for people below the poverty line for all groups in India is 26, the averages of these groups are higher than the average Indian poverty ratio.
Poor States
The poverty trends also show that though there has been a decline in poverty in every state from the early seventies, the success rate of reducing poverty has varied from state to state.
In 20 states and union territories, the poverty ratio is less than the national average of 26. In others, the poverty ratios are higher than the national average. Among these, Orissa and Bihar continue to be the two poorest states with poverty ratios of 47 and 43 per cent respectively.
On the other hand, states like Kerala, Gujarat, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir have shown a significant decline in poverty.
Q.4. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India.
Ans.
Major reasons for poverty in India:
(a) Colonial Rule
India went through a long phase of low economic development under the British colonial administration.
The policies of the colonial government ruined traditional handicrafts and discouraged the development of industries like textiles.
(b) Low economic growth and high population growth
The Indian administration’s failure on the two fronts − promotion of economic growth and population control perpetuated the cycle of poverty.
(c) Rural Poverty
The effects of agricultural and rural development were limited to only certain parts of the country. As a result, while some parts of the country showed great progress in the rural sector, others continued in the shadow of poverty.
The presence of huge income inequalities is a major reason for the high poverty rates in rural areas.
The government’s failure to properly implement major policy initiatives to tackle the issue of income inequalities has contributed to the continuance of poverty in villages.
(d) Urban Poverty
The jobs created by the industrial sector have not been enough to absorb all the job seekers. Unable to find proper jobs in cities, many people start working as rickshaw pullers, vendors, construction workers, domestic servants, etc.
With irregular small incomes, these people cannot afford expensive housing. As a consequence, they start living in slums. Thus, poverty (a largely rural phenomenon sometime back) has become a dominant feature of urban India as well.
(e) Socio-Cultural Factors
Various socio-cultural factors like caste and gender discrimination and social exclusion have contributed to the wider realm of human poverty.
Q.5. Identify the social and economic groups which are most vulnerable to poverty in India.
Ans.
The social groups vulnerable to poverty are:
Scheduled castes households
Scheduled tribes households
The economic groups vulnerable to poverty are:
Rural agricultural labor households
Urban casual labor households
Q.6. Give an account of interstate disparities in poverty in India.
Ans.
There is a difference in the proportion of poor people in the States.
Estimates show that the average India HCR was 21.9% in 2011-12 but States like Bihar and Orissa are the two poorest states with poverty ratios of 33.7 and 37.6% respectively.
In comparison, there has been a significant decline in poverty in Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal.
These States have used agricultural growth and Human Capital growth to reduce poverty.
Q.7. Describe global poverty trends.
Ans.
The proportion of people in developing countries living in extreme economic poverty has fallen from 43% in 1990 to 22% in 2008.
There are disparities in poverty among the regions around the World. The number of the poor in China has come down from 85% in 1981 to 6% in 2011.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty declined from 51% in 1981 to 47% in 2008.
In Latin America, the ratio of poverty has declined from 11% in 1981 to 6.4 per cent in 2008.
Q.8. Describe the current government strategy of poverty alleviation.
Ans. The removal of poverty is one of the major objectives of the Indian developmental strategy.
The current government strategy of poverty alleviation is based on two planks:
Promotion of Economic Growth.
Targeted Anti-poverty Programmes.
Some of the targeted anti-poverty programmes undertaken by the government are:
(а) Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY): This programme was started in 1993. It aims at creating self-employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in rural areas and small towns.
(b) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY): This programme was launched in 2000. It aims at creating and improving basic services like primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural electrification.
(c) Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP): This programme was launched in 1995. It aims at creating self-employment opportunities in rural areas and urban towns.
(d) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA): This act was passed in September 2005. The act provides 100 days of assured employment every year to every rural household in 200 districts. Later, the scheme would be extended to 600 districts. One-third of the proposed jobs have been reserved for women.
Q.9. Answer the following questions briefly
(a) What do you understand by human poverty?
(b) Who are the poorest of the poor?
(c) What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005?
Ans.
(a)
Human poverty is a concept that goes beyond the limited view of poverty as a lack of income.
It refers to the denial of political, social and economic opportunities to an individual to maintain a “reasonable” standard of living.
Illiteracy, lack of job opportunities, lack of access to proper healthcare and sanitation, caste and gender discrimination, etc., are all components of human poverty.
(b)
Women, female infants and older people are the poorest of the poor. Within a low-income family, such individuals suffer more than others.
They are systematically denied equal access to the resources available to the family.
(c) Main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005:
The Act assures 100 days of employment every year to every household.
Initially covering 200 districts, the Act would be extended later on to cover 600 districts.
One-third of the jobs are reserved for women.
Poverty as a Challenge class 9 Economics MCQ :
Question. What is the number of persons living below the poverty line in 2001-02 ?
(A) 26.02 crore
(B) 20.52 crore
(C) 22.67 crore
(D) 24.52 crore
Answer : A
Question. Which region has high percentage of people living below poverty line -
(A) Rural
(B) Urban
(C) Hilly
(D) All the above
Answer : A
Question. What is accepted average calorie requirement in rural areas in India -
(A) 2000 cal
(B) 2600 cal
(C) 2400 cal
(D) 3000 cal
Answer : C
Question. What is the accepted average calorie requirement in Urban areas in India -
(A) 1500 cal
(B) 2100 cal
(C) 2400 cal
(D) 2700 cal
Answer : B
Question. What is the poverty line for the rural areas in India at present -
(A) Rs. 400 per month
(B) Rs. 350 per month
(C) Rs. 328 per month
(D) Rs. 375 per month
Answer : C
Question. What is the poverty line for the Urban areas in India at present ?
(A) Rs 454 per month
(B) Rs. 300 per month
(C) Rs. 600 per month
(D) Rs. 550 per month
Answer : A
Question. Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana was launched in -
(A) 1997
(B) 1998
(C) 1996
(D) 1999
Answer : D
Question. Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana was started in-
(A) 1990
(B) 1991
(C) 1992
(D) 1993
Answer : D
Question. Which is the poorest state in India -
(A) Bihar
(B) Orissa
(C) Rajasthan
(D) Gujarat
Answer : B
Question. The population of India in 2000-01 was -
(A) 100 crore
(B) 98 crore
(C) 102 crore
(D) 105 crore
Answer : C
Question. Contribution of agriculture in Indian economy is -
(A) 25 %
(B) 30 %
(C) 35 %
(D) 50 %
Answer : C
Question. Which of the following states is among the poorest in India?
(A) Jammu and Kashmir
(B) West Bengal
(C) Orissa
(D) Kerala
Answer : C
Question. Poverty eradication programmes launched by the Government of India aim at ____.
(A) Eradicating poverty in rural areas
(B) Eradicating poverty in urban areas
(C) Eradicating unemployment
(D) Increasing literacy rate
Answer : A
Question. The Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana aims at ____.
(A) Self-employment
(B) Rural housing
(C) Urban housing
(D) Health and sanitation
Answer : A
Question. In which of the following countries was poverty considered non-existent, but has increased from 1981 to 2008?
(A) India
(B) China
(C) Russia
(D) Brazil
Answer : C
Question. Factors expected to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in India are given below. One doesn’t belong to the list. Which one is it?
(A) Increasing stress on education
(B) Increasing empowerment of women.
(C) Decreasing financial aid from the World Bank
(D) Increasing financial aid from the World Bank
Answer : D
Question. Poverty decline has occurred the most in which of the following countries as a result of rapid economic growth and massive investments in human resource development?
(A) India
(B) Sri Lanka
(C) Nepal
(D) China
Answer : D
Question. Women, children and old people are the ____ of the poor.
(A) Educated
(B) Intelligent
(C) Richest
(D) Poorest
Answer : D
Question.____ is determined by the options available to different communities for finding an alternative means of livelihood.
(A) Vulnerability
(B) Capability
(C) Poverty line
(D) Social equality
Answer : A
Question. The poverty line is estimated periodically by conducting sample surveys. Who conducts these surveys?
(A) PMO
(B) Ministry of Home Affairs
(C) DRDO
(D) NSC
(e) NSSO
Answer : E
Question. The poverty ratio has been rising since 2001 in the ____ regions.
(A) South-East Asian
(B) Central American
(C) Sub-Sahara African
(D) Western European
Answer : C
Question.____ can be a major cause as well as a consequence of poverty.
(A) Social exclusion
(B) Vulnerability
(C) Unemployment
(D) Inflation
Answer : A
Question. Which of the following states has focused on developing its human resources sector, which in turn has helped in reducing the poverty ratio?
(A) Punjab
(B) Haryana
(C) Orissa
(D) West Bengal
(e) Kerala
Answer : E
Question. The social groups that are more vulnerable to poverty are ____.
(A) Rural people
(B) SC's and ST's
(C) Minorities
(D) Illiterates
Answer : B
Question. The levels of income and consumption of people are measured by the ____.
(A) Per capita income
(B) Gross Domestic Product
(C) Poverty line
(D) Employment Exchange
Answer : C
Question. Lack of employment, education and health care determines ____.
(A) Vulnerability
(B) Poverty
(C) Under development
(D) Unemployment
Answer : A
Question: Which of the following is a social indicator of poverty laid by social scientists:
(a) Increase in population
(b) Illiteracy level
(c) Caste
(d) Health Club membership
Answer : B
Question: Which one is a social group from amongst the following groups vulnerable to poverty?
(a) Rural agricultural labor households.
(b) Urban casual labor households.
(c) Scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households.
(d) The female daily wagers.
Answer : C
Question: Which scheme was started in 1993 to create self employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in rural areas and small towns?
a) Prime Minister Rojgar Yojna
b) National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
c) Rural Employment Generation Programme
d) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna
Answer: Prime Minister Rojgar Yojna
Question: Which among the following is the method to estimate poverty?
a) Income Method
b) Investment Method
c) Capital Method
d) Human Method
Answer: Income Method
Question: There has been a significant decline in poverty in the state of
a) Jammu & Kashmir
b) Assam
c) Bihar
d) Uttar Pradesh
Answer: Jammu & Kashmir
Question: Which one is a social group from amongst the following groups vulnerable to poverty?
a) Scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households
b) Rural agricultural labor households
c) Urban casual labor households
d) The female daily wagers
Answer: Scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households
Question: What is the accepted average calories required in India in urban areas?
a) 2400
b) 2100
c) 2800
d) 2500
Answer: 2400
Question: Which state has the largest percentage of poor in India?
a) Orissa
b) Bihar
c) Kerala
d) Punjab
Answer: Orissa
Question: Which one of the social groups is vulnerable to poverty?
a) All of these
b) Scheduled caste
c) Urban casual labor
d) Rural agricultural households
Answer: All of these
Question: Which of the following is a social indicator of poverty laid by social scientists?
a) Illiteracy level
b) Increase in population
c) Caste
d) Health club membership
Answer: Illiteracy level
Question: In which of the following countries did poverty actually rise from 1981 to 2001?
a) Sub-Saharan Africa
b) India
c) China
d) Russia
Answer: Sub-Saharan Africa
Question: Every____ person in India is poor.
a) Fourth
b) Third
c) Fifth
d) Tenth
Answer: Fourth
More Questions......................
Question: What is the number of persons living below the poverty line in 2001-02 ?
a) 26.02 crore
b) 22.67 crore
c) 20.52 crore
d) 24.52 crore
Answer: 26.02 crore
Question: Which region has high percentage of people living below poverty line
a) Rural
b) Hilly
c) Urban
d) All the above
Answer: Rural
Question: What is the accepted average calorie requirement in rural areas in India
a) 2400 cal
b) 2000 cal
c) 2600 cal
d) 3000 cal
Answer: 2400 cal
Question: What is the accepted average calorie requirement in Urban areas in India
a) 2100 cal
b) 2700 cal
c) 1500 cal
d) 2400 cal
Answer: 2100 cal
Question: What is the poverty line for the rural areas in India at present
a) Rs. 328 per month
b) Rs. 350 per month
c) Rs. 375 per month
d) Rs. 400 per month
Answer: Rs. 328 per month
Question: What is the poverty line for the Urban areas in India at present ?
a) Rs 454 per month
b) Rs. 300 per month
c) Rs. 550 per month
d) Rs 454 per month
Answer: Rs 454 per month
Question: Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana was launched in
a) 1999
b) 1998
c) 1997
d) 1996
Answer: 1999
Question: Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana was started in-
a) 1993
b) 1991
c) 1990
d) 1992
Answer: 1993
Question: Which is the poorest state in India
a) Orissa
b) Gujarat
c) Bihar
d) Rajasthan
Answer: Orissa
Question: The population of India in 2000-01 was
a) 102 crore
b) 100 crore
c) 98 crore
d) 105 crore
Answer: 102 crore
1. Which social group is most vulnerable to poverty in India?
(a) Schedule castes
(b) Schedule tribes
(c) Casual laborers
(d) All of the above
► (d) All of the above
2. What is the accepted average calories required in India in urban areas?
(a) 2100
(b) 2400
(c) 2800
(d) 2500
► (a) 2100
3. Every____ person in India is poor.
(a) Third
(b) Fourth
(c) Fifth
(d) Tenth
► (b) Fourth
4. Who is an Urban poor as per the year 2011-12?
(a) Income Rs 450 per month per person
(b) Income Rs 500 per month per person
(c) Income Rs 1,000 per month per person
(d) Income Rs 454 per month per person
► (c) Income Rs 1,000 per month per person
5. In which state is the public distribution system responsible for the reduction in poverty?
(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
► (c) Both (a) and (b)
6. How many people in India live below the poverty line?
(a) 50 million
(b) 88 million
(c) 60 million
(d) 76 million
► (b) 88 million
7. Which two states of India continue to be the poorest states?
(a) Orissa, Bihar
(b) Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand
(c) Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
(d) None of the above
► (a) Orissa, Bihar
8. Poverty ratio in India as compared to Pakistan is
(a) same
(b) half
(c) two times
(d) two and a half times
► (c) two times
9. For making comparisons between developing countries, which uniform standard (per person per day) for the poverty line is used in terms of minimum availability?
(a) $1
(b) $2
(c) $3
(d) $5
► (a) $1
10. In which state have the land reform measures helped to reduce poverty?
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Punjab
(c) West Bengal
(d) Kerala
► (c) West Bengal
11. Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana was started in:
(a) 1990
(b) 1991
(c) 1992
(d) 1993
► (d) 1993
12. In which state has the high agricultural growth helped to reduce poverty?
(a) Jammu & Kashmir
(b) West Bengal
(c) Punjab
(d) Gujarat
► (c) Punjab
13. Which one is not the major cause of income inequality in India?
(a) Unequal distribution of land
(b) Lack of fertile land
(c) Gap between the rich and the poor
(d) Increase in population
► (b) Lack of fertile land
14. Which organization carries out a survey for determining the poverty line?
(a) NSSO
(b) PMRY
(c) PMGY
(d) None of the above
► (a) NSSO
15. How many people were poor in India between 2011-12?
(a) 25 crore
(b) 27 crore
(c) 29 crore
(d) 31 crore
► (b) 27 crore
16. Which industry suffered the most during the colonial period?
(a) Cotton
(b) Textile
(c) Food
(d) Both (a) and (b)
► (d) Both (a) and (b)
17. The country which has the largest single concentration of the poor people in the world is :
(a) China
(b) Pakistan
(c) India
(d) Nepal
► (c) India
18. Social exclusion denies certain individuals the
(a) facilities
(b) benefits
(c) opportunities
(d) all the above
► (d) all the above
19. Which organization carries out a survey for determining the poverty line?
(a) NSSO
(b) CSO
(c) Planning Commission
(d) None of the above
► (a) NSSO
20. Antyodaya Anna Yojana was launched in :
(a) 2003
(b) 1999
(c) 2000
(d) 2005
► (c) 2000
21. Which of the following social radiators is not looked at by social scientists for poverty?
(a) Literacy level
(b) Lack of access to health care
(c) Lack of access to see movies and to go to restaurants
(d) Lack of access to safe drinking water
► (c) Lack of access to see movies and to go to restaurants
22. Among the economic groups, which of the following groups are the most vulnerable groups in India?
(a) Rural agricultural labor households and urban casual labor households
(b) Farmers with 1-hectare land
(c) Urban small shopkeepers
(d) Urban daily wages
► (a) Rural agricultural labor households and urban casual labor households
23. Vulnerability to poverty is determined by the options for finding an alternative living in terms of:
(a) assets
(b) education
(c) health
(d) all of the above
► (d) all of the above
24. Which two states of India continue to be the poorest states?
(a) Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir
(b) Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand
(c) Orissa, Bihar
(d) None of the above
► (c) Orissa, Bihar
Poverty as a Challenge class 9 Economics SAQ :
. Explain how poverty begets more poverty?
Ans. Poverty begets more poverty. It is both a cause as well as consequence of poverty. A poor country cannot save much out of its national income. As a result, it suffers from capital deficiency which adversely affects the level of production and income in the country.
2. Explain the concepts of : (a) Social exclusion (b) Vulnerability
Ans. (a) Social Exclusion : According to this concept, poverty must be seen in terms of the poor who have to live only in poor surroundings with other poor people. Poor people are excluded from better surroundings with better-off people. For example, in India people belonging to certain castes are excluded from equal opportunities.
(b) Vulnerability : There is a greater possibility of remaining poor in case of certain communities (such as members of backward classes, widows, physically handicapped persons). These groups of people face greater risks at the time of natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunami). Thus vulnerability describes the greater possibility of being adversely affected in comparison to other people in odd times.
3. Suggest some measures to reduce regional poverty?
Ans. Measures to reduce regional poverty: Several states of India like Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, etc., are economically very poor. To remove this regional poverty the following measures may be suggested:
(a) More Central assistance and grants should be given to backward states.
(b) Special concessions may be given for investments in backward areas.
(c) Public sector enterprises should be set up in backward states.
4. Discuss any three measures to reduce poverty in India?
Ans. More Industrialisation: In order to remove poverty and unemployment, especially in cities, more and more industries are to be set up.
Improvement in Agriculture: While latest methods should be adopted in improving agriculture, steps should also be taken so that land is provided to the tiller and it is not concentrated in the hands of few rich farmers and landlords. Education: Education is a must for removing any evil, including poverty and unemployment.
It must be made cheaper so that every person could get it easily.
5. Discuss any three government programmes for poverty alleviation?
Ans. 1. Prime Minister's Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) : These schemes have been started for the welfare of the educated unemployed in urban areas. Youth belonging to the weaker sections of society are given priority.
2. Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) : These were launched in 1999 to create wage employment to families below the poverty line and to improve the quality of life in the rural areas.
3. Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) : The objective of this programme is to generate gainful employment for the unemployed and underemployed men and women in rural areas, community and social assets are created such as soil conservation work.
6. Mention any three features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005?
Ans. National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 was passed in September 2005 with the following features:-
(i) It provides 100-days of assured employment every year to every rural household with the reservation for one- third of the proposed jobs for women.
(ii) The central government will establish a National Employment Guarantee Fund for Women and state governments will establish State Employment Guarantee Funds for implementation of the scheme.
(iiiIf an applicant is not provided employment within 15 days, he/she will get a daily unemployment allowance.
7. What are the main causes of poverty in India? Ans. Main causes of poverty in India are:-
(i) Huge income inequalities make it difficult for government policies to be implemented properly for poverty elimination. Therefore income inequality is a major cause of poverty in India.
(ii) Exploitation of traditional Indian handicrafts and textile industries by British colonial administration is another major cause of poverty.
(iii) In order to fulfill social obligations and observe religious ceremonies, the poor spend a lot of money. Poor people borrow money for different reasons and become the victims of indebtedness.
8. Explain three ways in which poverty can be estimated in India?
Ans. While determining the poverty line in India, a minimum level of food requirement, clothing, footwear, fuel and light, educational and medical requirement etc. are determined for subsistence.
(i) The calorie requirement depending upon the age, sex, area and type of work is the way of estimating poverty. Average calorie requirement in India is 2400 per person per day in rural areas and 2100 per person per day in urban areas.
(ii)Monetary expenditure per capita is also a way of estimating poverty. In the year 2000, the poverty line for a person was fixed at Rs 328 per month for the rural areas and Rs 454 for the urban areas.
(iii) A uniform standard for the poverty line is also used, which is given by international organizations like the World Bank. This is equivalent of $ 1 per person per day.
9. Explain the principal measures taken in Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to reduce poverty?
Ans. (i) The principal measures taken in Punjab to reduce poverty is increasing the agricultural growth rates.
(ii) Kerala focused more on human resource development to reduce poverty.
(iii)Andhra Pradesh focused on public distribution of foodgrains to reduce poverty.
10. Give one positive and one negative side of poverty conditions in India, and mention the major weaknesses of poverty alleviation programmes?
Ans. Positive aspect:-
(i) India's economic growth is one of the fastest in the world which helps in reducing poverty.
Negative aspect:-
(i) Large number of poors live in villages and are dependent upon agriculture where growth is much below expectation.
Weakness of Poverty alleviation programme :-
(i) Lack of proper implementation and right targeting with lots of overlapping schemes.
What are the indicators used by social scientists to understand poverty?
Answer:
The indicators used by social scientists to understand poverty are :
Levels of income and consumption
Lack of general resistance due to malnutrition
Lack of access to healthcare
Lack of job opportunities
Lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation, etc.
What do you understand by vulnerability to poverty?
Answer:
Vulnerability of poverty means some communities or social groups are more prone to poverty than other sections of the society. Members of a backward caste or individuals such as a widow or a physically handicapped person may become, or remain, poor in the coming years. Vulnerability is determined by the options available to different communities for finding an alternative living in terms of assets, education, health and job opportunities. Further, it is analysed on the basis of the greater risks these groups face at the time of natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunami), terrorism, etc.
How were the British policies responsible for the increase in poverty in India?
Answer:
There were a number of causes for the spread in India. One of the historical reasons is the low level of economic development under the British colonial administration. The policies of the colonial government ruined traditional handicrafts and discouraged development of industries like textiles. The low rate of growth persisted until the nineteen-eighties. This resulted in less job opportunities and low growth rate of incomes. This was accompanied by a high growth rate of population. The two combined to make the growth rate of per capita income very low. The failure on both fronts : promotion of economic growth and population control perpetuated the cycle of poverty.
What does social exclusion mean?
Answer:
According to this concept, poverty must be seen in terms of the poor having to live only in poor surroundings with other people, excluded from enjoying social equality of better-off people in better surroundings.
Social exclusion can be both a cause as well as a consequence of poverty in the usual sense.
Broadly, it is a through which individuals or groups are excluded from facilities, benefits and opportunities that others enjoy.
How is economic growth linked with poverty reduction in India?
Answer:
Till the early eighties, there was little per capita income growth and not much reduction in poverty. Afterwards the growth rate jumped from the average of about 3-5 percent a year in the 1970s to 6 per cent during the 1980s and 1990s. The higher growth rates have helped significantly in the reduction of poverty. There is a strong link between economic growth and poverty reduction. Economic growth widens opportunities and provides the resources needed to invest in human development. This also encourages people to send their children, including the girl child, to schools in the hope of getting better economic returns from investing in education.
How are socio-cultural and economic factors responsible for poverty?
Answer:
Many socio-cultural and economic factors are responsible for poverty. In order to fulfill social obligations and observe religious ceremonies, people in India, including the very poor, spend a lot of money. Small farmers need money to buy agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. Since poor people hardly have any savings, they borrow. Unable to repay because of poverty, they become victims of indebtedness. So, the high level of indebtedness is both the cause and effect of poverty.
Explain the principle measures taken in Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to reduce poverty.
Answer:
The measures taken in Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to reduce poverty are :
The principal measures taken in Punjab to reduce poverty is increasing the agricultural growth rates.
Kerala has focused more on human resource development to reduce poverty.
Andhra Pradesh focused on public distribution of food grains to reduce poverty.
illustrate the seriousness of poverty in India?
Answer:
In our daily life, we come across many people who we think are poor. They could be landless laborers in villages or people living in overcrowded jhuggis in cities.
They could be daily wage workers at construction sites or child workers in dhabas. They could also be beggars with children in tatters. We see poverty all around us. In fact, every fourth person in India is poor.
This means roughly 270 million (or 27 crore) people in India lived in poverty in 2011-12. This also means that India has the largest single concentration of the poor in the world. This illustrates the seriousness of the challenge.
Is it correct that the poverty line may vary with time and place?
Answer:
A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level falls below a given “minimum level” necessary to fulfill the basic needs. What is necessary to satisfy basic needs is different at different times and in different countries.
Therefore, the poverty line may vary with time and place. Each country uses an imaginary line that is considered appropriate for its existing level of development and its accepted minimum social norms.
Explain how the low level of education of the poor people can be held responsible for poverty in India.
Answer:
Low level of education of the poor is a major cause behind their poverty. Poor people do not have access to education.
Because of illiteracy, the Indian farmers have failed to learn new methods of cultivation. Even the village moneylenders succeed in cheating them quite easily.
Moreover, poor parents are not able to send their children to schools. So, the poor people are employed as unskilled workers and are paid low wages due to low level of education.
Describe the aims of Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana.
Answer:
Swarnayanti Gram Swarozgar : Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) was launched in 1999. The programme aims at bringing the assisted poor families above the poverty line by organizing them into self-help groups through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy.
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yozana : The Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yozana (PMGY) was launched in 2000. Under this scheme, additional central assistance is given to states for basic services such as primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural electrification.
What are the major reasons for the less effectiveness of anti-poverty measures?
Answer:
The major reasons for less effectiveness of anti-poverty measures are :
One of the major reasons for less effectiveness is the lack of proper implementation and right targeting.
Moreover, there has been a lot of overlapping of schemes.
Despite good intentions, the benefits of these schemes are not fully reached to the deserving poor.
Therefore, the major emphasis in recent years is on proper monitoring of all the poverty alleviation programmes.
Poverty as a Challenge class 9 Economics long question:
. What are the main features of poverty in India?
Ans. Features of Poverty in India: Following are the main features of poverty in India.
(i) Declining Trend: The proportion of people below poverty line in India had variations. Poverty ratio increased during the decade of the 1970s. It decreased sharply during the decade of the 1980s. During the decade of 1990s, there was first a rise following the period of economic reforms and then a fall in the incidence of poverty. Since 1993-94, the total number of the poor shows a declining trend.
(ii)Inter-State Variations: Poverty is not equally distributed through the country. A recent study shows that more than 90 per cent of India’s rural poor live in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Further, 50 per cent of India’s rural poor live in three states (namely, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh). As against this, the poverty ratio in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and Haryana is quite low.
(iii) Nature of Poverty: Poverty is visible both in our rural and urban areas. The rural poor consist of people of low castes and tribal groups. The major group of the poor include landless agricultural laborers, small and marginal farmers, rural artisans, etc. In the urban sector, the poor include largely unemployed, underemployed or persons employed in low productivity occupations such as rickshaw pullers, cobblers, and street vendors.
2. Describe in brief the important poverty alleviation programmes undertaken by the Government of India?
Ans. Poverty Alleviation Programmes of India: The important poverty alleviation programmes which are in operation in rural and urban areas are :
(i) Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana (PMRY): PMRY was launched on 2 October 1993. The aim of this programme is to create self-employment opportunities for educated youth in rural areas and small towns. They help in setting up small businesses and industries.
(ii)Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) : SGSY was launched on 1 April, 1999. It aims at promoting enterprises at the village level. It helps the rural people to organize themselves into self-help groups. The objective of SGSY is to bring the existing poor families above the poverty line by providing them income generation assets through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy.
(iii) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) : PMGY was introduced in 2000. Its objective is to focus on village level development in five critical areas, that is, primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural roads. As a result of this, the quality of life of rural people will improve.
(iv) Sampoorna Grameen Rojgar Yojana (SGRY) : This programme was launched in September 2001. The objectives of this scheme are :
(a) to provide wage employment along with food security in the rural areas.
(b) to create durable community, social and economic assets.
The ongoing Employment Assurance Scheme and JGSY would be merged with SGRY.
(v) National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) : NREGA was passed in September 2005. The Act provides for 100-days assured employment to every rural household in 200 districts. Later, the scheme will be extended to 600 districts. However, the results of these programmes have not been very effective. One of the major reasons for their less effectiveness is the lack of proper implementation and right targeting. Also, there has been an overlap of schemes. Therefore, the major emphasis in recent years is on their proper monitoring.
3. How can poverty be reduced in future in India? Suggest any four points?
Ans. Poverty can be reduced in the following ways:-
(i) Increasing empowerment of women and the economically weaker sections of society.
(ii)Fostering economic growth. (iii) Increasing the stress on universal free elementary education.
(iv) Caste and gender discrimination to be avoided. (v) Improving health care, education and job security.
(vi) Removing inequality of wealth among people.
4. Mention the two planks on which the current anti-poverty strategy of the government is based. Why were the poverty alleviation programmes not successful in most parts of India?
Ans. The current anti-poverty strategy of the government is based broadly on two planks:
(i) Promotion of economic growth.
(ii)Targeted anti-poverty programmes. The results of poverty alleviation programmes have been mixed. The major reasons for less effectiveness are :-
(i) Lack of proper implementation and right targeting.
(ii)Overlapping of a number of schemes. They lack proper monitoring and therefore the benefits of these schemes do not fully reach out to the deserving poor.
5. NREGA 2005 is an important anti-poverty programme? Explain.
Ans. NREGA stands for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. Following things were included in the scheme:
(i) It aims at providing 100-days assured employment every year to every rural household.
(ii) It initially started for 200 districts but later on extended to 600 districts.
(iii)One-third of the proposed jobs were reserved for women.
(iv) The Central government established National Employment Guarantee Funds and the state government established State Employment Guarantee Funds for implementation of the scheme.
(v) If an applicant is not provided employment within fifteen days he/she will be entitled to a daily unemployment allowance.
6. Give a brief account of inter-state disparities of poverty in India? Ans. Proportion of poor people is not the same in every state.
a. In 20 states and union territories, the poverty ratio is less than the national average.
b. In the states of Orissa, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh the poverty percentage is more than 35. So
Poverty is a serious problem in these states. Along with rural poverty, urban poverty is also high in these states.
c. While in the states like Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh there is significant decline in poverty.
d. States like Punjab and Haryana have succeeded in reducing poverty with the help of high agricultural growth rates.
e. In West Bengal, land reform measures have helped in reducing poverty.
HOTS
1. What is meant by 'vulnerability' to poverty? Which economic categories are more vulnerable to poverty in India?
Ans. Vulnerability to poverty: It is a measure which describes the greater probability of certain communities or individuals (such as a widow or a physically handicapped person) of becoming or remaining poor in coming years. Economic categories more vulnerable to poverty in India: Schedule tribes, urban casual laborers, rural agriculture laborers, scheduled castes are major economic groups, which are more vulnerable to poverty. Among these, scheduled tribes contribute to 51% of poverty in India with an average Indian poverty ratio of 26.
2. Social exclusion can be both a cause as well as consequence of poverty? Explain.
Ans. Social exclusion can be seen in the terms of poors who have to live only in poor surroundings with other poor people. Poor people are excluded from better surroundings with better-off people. For example, in India people belonging to certain lower castes (i.e., Scheduled Castes) are excluded from equal opportunities. Poor people of certain castes have to live in a separate locality and are excluded from mixing with better-off people. Due to such discrimination These people are deprived of better employment and growth opportunities. Social exclusion thus leads to poverty and can cause more damage than having a very low income.
3. Who are the most vulnerable as far as poverty is concerned? How have the states of West Bengal, Punjab and Tamil Nadu tackled poverty?
Ans. The most vulnerable groups to poverty are:
(i) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (ii) Rural agricultural labor
(iii) Urban casual labor.
States tackled poverty in the following ways:-
i. West Bengal:- Land reform measures have helped in reducing poverty.
ii.Punjab:- Reduce poverty with high growth rates of agriculture.
iii. Tamil Nadu:- Public distribution of food grains has reduced poverty.
How does the rapid growth rate of population increase poverty in a country?
Answer:
Rapid growth of population in comparison to the rate of growth of resources hampers the process of economic development.
Increase in population reduces the per capita income and lowers the standard of living in an economy.
In India, rapid growth of population has put in more stress on its economic and social infrastructure and thereby, aggravating the problem of poverty and unemployment.
Due to the enormous population, a large portion of national income is used on consumption and less is left for saving which, in turn, reduces the capital formation.
As a result of low capital formation, enough employment opportunities cannot be created which further aggravate the problem of poverty. Poor people in India are ignorant, illiterate and have very few means of entertainment. So, they end up adding more to the population
What is poverty? What are the dimensions of poverty?
Answer:
Poverty is a situation in which a person is unable to get the minimum necessities of life.
Due to poverty poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place.
The dimensions of poverty are :
Poverty means hunger and lack of shelter.
It is a situation in which parents are not able to send their children to school or a situation where sick people cannot afford treatment.
Poverty also means lack of clean water and sanitation facilities.
It also means a lack of a regular job at a minimum decent level. :
Poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place, in farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, railway stations etc.
Discuss the various groups that are vulnerable to poverty.
Answer:
The following groups are vulnerable to poverty :
Social Groups: Social groups, which are most vulnerable to poverty are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households. Although, the average for people below poverty line for all groups in India is 22, 43 out of 100 people belonging to Scheduled Tribes are not able to meet their basic needs.
Economic Groups: Among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the rural agricultural labor households and the urban casual labor households.
Inequality of incomes within a family: There is also inequality of incomes within a family. In poor families, all suffer, but some suffer more than others. In some cases, women, elderly people and female infants are denied equal access to resources available to the family.
How can poverty be reduced in future in India?
Answer:
Poverty can be reduced in the following ways :
Increasing stress on universal free elementary education
Increasing empowerment of the women and the economically weaker sections of society.
Declining population growth.
Avoiding caste and gender discrimination.
Improving healthcare, education and job security.
Removing inequality of wealth among people.
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