Development
LET’S WORK THESE OUT (Page No. 6)
1. Why do different persons have different notions of development? Which of the following explanations is more important and why?
(a) Because people are different.
(b) Because life situations of persons are different.
Answer: Different persons have different notions of development because their needs, desires and living conditions are not the same. A landless labourer may think of more work and better wages as development, while a rich farmer may think of high support prices for crops.
Out of the two given options, the more important explanation is (b) Because life situations of persons are different, since a person’s development goals depend mainly on his or her living conditions.
2. Do the following two statements mean the same? Justify your answer.
(a) People have different developmental goals.
(b) People have conflicting developmental goals.
Answer: No, they do not mean the same.
- The first statement means that people have different goals according to their needs. For example, a girl may want equal freedom like her brother.
- The second statement means that the goals of some people may actually clash with the goals of others. For example, an industrialist may want to build a dam for electricity, but this may submerge the land of tribals.
Thus, different goals are not always conflicting, but sometimes they can be.
3. Give some examples where factors other than income are important aspects of our lives.
Answer:
- Equal treatment and freedom (e.g., women want respect and equality).
- Security (e.g., a safe environment to live in).
- Respect of others (e.g., dignity in society).
- Good working atmosphere and opportunities to learn (e.g., choosing a job with regular employment and security even if the pay is less).
4. Explain some of the important ideas of the above section in your own words.
Answer:
- People have different developmental goals depending on their situation.
- Income alone cannot ensure development; things like security, equality, respect, and freedom are also important.
- Sometimes, one person’s development may cause harm to others (conflicting goals).
- Hence, development means a mix of goals – both material (income, wages) and non-material (respect, security, freedom).
LET’S WORK THESE OUT (Page No. 7)
1. Look at the picture on the right. What should be the developmental goals for such an area?
Answer: The developmental goals for such an area should be:
- Better housing facilities for the poor so that they don’t have to live in slums.
- Clean drinking water and sanitation for all families.
- Employment opportunities for people living in slums so that they can improve their standard of living.
- Affordable healthcare and education facilities.
- Reduction of inequality between the rich and the poor, so that development benefits everyone.
- Safe environment with proper roads, electricity, and waste management.
2. Read this newspaper report and answer the questions that follow:
(i) Who are the people who benefited and who did not?
Answer:
- The multinational company and the local company of Ivory Coast benefited because they earned money by dumping the toxic waste cheaply.
- The common people of Abidjan did not benefit. Instead, they suffered from health problems like nausea, skin rashes, fainting, diarrhoea, and even death.
(ii) What should be the developmental goal for this country?
Answer: The developmental goals for Ivory Coast should be:
- Strict laws for waste disposal to protect people and the environment.
- Safe and healthy living conditions for all citizens.
- Better healthcare facilities to treat affected people.
- Sustainable development where economic activities do not harm human life and nature.
3. What can be some of the developmental goals for your village, town or locality?
Answer: Some of the developmental goals for my village/town/locality are:
- Good education facilities – more schools with quality teaching.
- Better healthcare – hospitals, doctors, and medicines for all.
- Employment opportunities – so that people do not remain unemployed.
- Clean drinking water and sanitation – proper drainage, toilets, and safe water.
- Good roads, electricity, and transport for easy movement.
- Pollution-free environment with proper waste management and greenery.
- Equality and security so that everyone lives with dignity and respect.
LET’S WORK THESE OUT (Page No. 9)
1. Give three examples where an average is used for comparing situations.
Answer:
- Average marks of students in a class.
- Average runs scored by a cricketer in matches.
- Average rainfall of a region in a year.
2. Why do you think average income is an important criterion for development? Explain.
Answer: Average income is important because it shows how much income is available per person in a country. It helps to compare different countries or states by removing the effect of population size. A country with higher average income is usually considered more developed.
3. Besides size of per capita income, what other property of income is important in comparing two or more societies?
Answer: Besides per capita income, it is important to see how income is distributed among people. If only a few people have very high income while most others are poor, then average income will be misleading. So, equality of income distribution is also important.
4. Suppose records show that the average income in a country has been increasing over a period of time. From this, can we conclude that all sections of the economy have become better? Illustrate your answer with an example.
Answer: No, we cannot conclude that all sections have become better. For example, if in a country one rich person’s income increases a lot, then the average income will rise, but the poor people may remain the same or even worse. So, average income hides inequalities.
5. From the text, find out the per capita income level of about 10-15 low-income countries as per World Development Reports.
Answer: According to the World Development Report (2019):
Countries with per capita income of US $2500 or less are called low-income countries.
(India, with per capita income of about US $6700, comes under the low middle-income category.)
6. Write a paragraph on your notion of what should India do, or achieve, to become a developed country.
Answer: To become a developed country, India should not only increase income but also focus on equality and quality of life. It should provide better education, healthcare, clean drinking water, and job opportunities for all. Development should reduce poverty and inequality, protect the environment, and ensure dignity, freedom, and security for every citizen.
LET’S WORK THESE OUT (Page No. 12)
1. Look at data in Tables 1.3 and 1.4. Is Haryana ahead of Kerala in literacy rate etc., as it is in terms of per capita income?
Answer: No, Haryana is not ahead of Kerala. Haryana has higher per capita income, but Kerala has much better performance in literacy rate, infant mortality rate, and net attendance ratio. This shows that per capita income alone is not enough to measure development.
2. Think of other examples where collective provision of goods and services is cheaper than individual provision.
Answer:
- Public transport like buses and trains is cheaper than everyone buying their own vehicle.
- Public parks, street lights, and security for a locality are cheaper collectively.
- Government schools and hospitals provide services at low cost compared to private arrangements.
3. Does availability of good health and educational facilities depend only on amount of money spent by the government on these facilities? What other factors could be relevant?
Answer: No, it does not depend only on money spent. Other important factors are:
- Proper planning and management of services.
- Equal access to all sections of society.
- Awareness among people to use these facilities.
- Honesty and efficiency of officials in implementing schemes.
4. In Tamil Nadu, 90 per cent of the people living in rural areas use nma ration shop, whereas in West Bengal only 35 per cent of rural people do so. Where would people be better off and why?
Answer: People in Tamil Nadu would be better off because more rural families have access to ration shops. This ensures food security at low prices, reduces hunger, and improves nutritional levels compared to West Bengal where fewer people benefit.
EXERCISES
1. Development of a country can generally be determined by
(i) its per capita income
(ii) its average literacy level
(iii) health status of its people
(iv) all the above
Answer: (iv) all the above.
(Per capita income, literacy level, and health status together give a clear picture of development.)
2. Which of the following neighbouring countries has better performance in terms of human development than India?
(i) Bangladesh
(ii) Sri Lanka
(iii) Nepal
(iv) Pakistan
Answer: (ii) Sri Lanka.
3. Assume there are four families in a country. The average per capita income of these families is Rs 5000. If the income of three families is Rs 4000, Rs 7000 and Rs 3000 respectively, what is the income of the fourth family?
(i) Rs 7500
(ii) Rs 3000
(iii) Rs 2000
(iv) Rs 6000
Answer: (iv) Rs 6000.
(Explanation: Total income = 5000 × 4 = 20,000. Income of 3 families = 4000 + 7000 + 3000 = 14,000. So, 20,000 – 14,000 = 6000.)
4. What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion, if any?
Answer:
- The World Bank uses per capita income as the main criterion.
- Limitation: It does not show how income is distributed among people and ignores non-material aspects like health, education, equality, and security.
5. In what respects is the criterion used by the UNDP for measuring development different from the one used by the World Bank?
Answer:
- The World Bank considers only per capita income.
- UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) uses the Human Development Index (HDI) which includes income, education (literacy), and health (life expectancy).
Thus, UNDP’s measure is more comprehensive.
6. Why do we use averages? Are there any limitations to their use? Illustrate with your own examples related to development.
Answer:
- We use averages to compare different situations in a simple manner.
- Limitation: Averages hide inequalities.
- Example: If one person earns ₹50,000 and nine others earn only ₹1000 each, the average income will look high, but most people are poor.
7. Kerala, with lower per capita income has a better human development ranking than Haryana. Hence, per capita income is not a useful criterion at all and should not be used to compare states. Do you agree? Discuss.
Answer: No, I do not fully agree. Per capita income is useful but not sufficient for comparison. Kerala shows that factors like literacy rate, health facilities, and low infant mortality rate are more important than only income. So, per capita income should be used along with other indicators.
8. Find out the present sources of energy that are used by the people in India. What could be the other possibilities fifty years from now?
Answer:
- Present sources: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, water (hydel power), wind energy, solar energy, and biomass.
- Future possibilities: Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, hydrogen fuel, and other renewable sources because coal and petroleum are limited and polluting.
9. Why is the issue of sustainability important for development?
Answer: Sustainability means development without harming the future. If we overuse resources like groundwater, forests, and petroleum, they will get exhausted. Then future generations will suffer. Therefore, sustainable use of resources is necessary to ensure continuous development.
10. “The Earth has enough resources to meet the needs of all but not enough to satisfy the greed of even one person”. How is this statement relevant to the disscusion of development? Discuss.
Answer: This statement means that natural resources are sufficient for everyone’s needs if used wisely, but overuse and greed will exhaust them. Development should be sustainable, i.e., resources must be used carefully so that future generations also benefit. If some people exploit resources excessively for profit, it leads to inequality, environmental degradation, and threatens future development.
11. List a few examples of environmental degradation that you may have observed around you.
Answer:
- Cutting of trees and deforestation.
- Air pollution due to vehicles and factories.
- Water pollution in rivers and lakes from sewage and chemicals.
- Improper disposal of plastic waste.
- Noise pollution from traffic and loudspeakers.
12. For each of the items given in Table 1.6, find out which country is at the top and which is at the bottom.
Answer:
- Gross National Income (GNI) per capita:
- Top: Sri Lanka (US $12,707)
- Bottom: Nepal (US $3,457)
- Life Expectancy at birth:
- Top: Sri Lanka (77 years)
- Bottom: Myanmar (67.1 years)
- Mean Years of Schooling:
- Top: Sri Lanka (10.6 years)
- Bottom: Myanmar & Nepal (5.0 years)
- HDI Rank:
- Top: Sri Lanka (Rank 73)
- Bottom: Pakistan (Rank 154)
13. The following table shows the proportion of adults (aged 15-49 years) whose BMI is below normal (BMI <18.5 kg/m2) in India. It is based on a survey of various states for the year 2015-16. Look at the table and answer the following questions.
Source: National Family Health Survey-4,
2015-16, http://rchiips.org
(i) Compare the nutritional level of people in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
Answer:
- In Kerala, only 8.5% males and 10% females have BMI below normal.
- In Madhya Pradesh, about 28% males and 28% females have BMI below normal.
(ii) Can you guess why around one-fifth of people in the country are undernourished even though it is argued that there is enough food in the country? Describe in your own words.
Answer:
- Unequal distribution of food and income.
- Many people are poor and cannot afford proper food.
- Lack of public facilities like health and nutrition programmes in some states.
- Illiteracy and lack of awareness about balanced diet.
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