CBSE - Poverty as a Challenge

In India poverty line is measured or calculated considering the following factors required for subsistence:
1. Minimum level of food requirement,
2. Clothing
3. Footwear
4. Fuel and Light
5. Education and
6. Medical requirement etc.
These physical quantities are multiplied by their prices. The present formula for food requirement is based on the desired calorie requirement. On the basis of these calculations in 1999 - 2000, the poverty line in the rural areas was fixed Rs.328 per capita per month and in urban areas, it was Rs.454. People earning more than this amount were considered above the poverty line and earning less than this amount were considered as living below the poverty line.

The present methodology of poverty estimation does not look appropriate. It only takes one factor in view and that is the economic factor. Moreover it considers about a “minimum” subsistence level of living rather than a “reasonable” level of living.

Poverty has many dimensions. It is no longer confined to economic factors alone. With development, the definitions of what constitutes poverty also changes. Its concept has broadened to human poverty. A few persons may have been able to feed themselves but if they are without education, without shelter, without health-care, without job security, without self-confidence, without social equality, they are considered poor. If poverty is to be removed in real sense and the people are to be brought above the poverty line, not only that we need to increase their income but also, we have to provide the people with education, shelter, health-care, job-security, respect, dignity all.

As per the data, there is a substantial decline in poverty ratio in India from 55 percent in 1973 to 36 percent in 1993. There was further decline from 36 percent in 1993 to 26 percent in 2000. Although the number of poor people remained stable (about 320 million) in the earlier two decades (1973 to 1993), there was significant reduction in the number of the poor to about 260 million till 2000. It may also be noted that poverty ratio always remained higher in rural areas compared to urban  areas.If the present trend continues, the people below poverty line may come down to less than 20 percent in the next few years.

The major reasons for poverty in India are:
→ 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 development of industries like textiles.
→ High growth in Population: The rapid growth of population, particularly among the poor, is considered one of the major causes behind Indian poverty. Poor people are illiterate and have traditional outlook. Hence, they are either ignorant of birth control measures or not convinced of the need of birth control. Moreover, they consider male child as an asset, that is, as a source of income and a source of security during old age.
→ Low Rate of Economic Development : The actual rate of growth in India has always been below the required level. It has been around 4 per cent since 1951. This has resulted in less job opportunities. This was accompanied by a high growth rate of population.
→ Unemployment : Another important factor that can be held responsible for the incidence of high poverty in India is the high degree of unemployment and underemployment. The job seekers are increasing at a higher rate than the increase in the employment opportunities.
→ Unequal Distribution: Although national income of India has been increasing since 1951, it was not properly distributed among different sections of the society. A large proportion of increased income has been pocketed by a few rich. They become richer. Consequently, the majority of people have to live below the poverty line.
→ Social Factors : Various social factors, viz., caste system, joint family system, religious faiths, law of inheritance, etc., have blocked the path of economic development.

Social Groups Vulnerable to Poverty :

→ Scheduled caste households 

→ Scheduled tribe households
Economic Groups Vulnerable to Poverty : 

→ Rural agricultural labour households 

→ Urban casual labour households

The proportion of poor is not the same in every state. 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, Orrisa and Bihar continue to be the two poorest states with poverty ratios of 47 and 43 per cent respectively. Both rural and urban poverty are quite high in these states. On the other hand, states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal have shown a significant decline in poverty. Public distribution of food grains, focus on human resource development, high agricultural development and land reform measures are some of the factors responsible for the decline in poverty in these states.

The proportion of people in developing countries living on less than $1 per day has fallen from 28 per cent in 1990 to 21 per cent in 2001. There has been a substantial reduction in global poverty since the nineteen eighties. However, the reduction in poverty is marked with great regional differences. Due to rapid economic growth and massive investment in human resource development, poverty declined substantially in China and Southeast Asian countries.
On the other hand, in South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan), the decline has not been as rapid. While the ratio of poverty in Latin America has remained the same,in sub-Saharan Africa, poverty has risen from 41 per cent in 1981 to 46 per cent in 2001. According to the world development report of 2001, countries like Nigeria, Bangladesh and India still have a large percentage of people living under poverty.
Poverty has also resurfaced in some of the former socialist countries like Russia, where officially it was non-existent earlier.

Removal of poverty has one of the major objectives of Indian developmental strategy. The current government strategy of poverty alleviation is based on two planks:
(1) Promotion of Economic Growth
(2) Targeted Anti-poverty Programmes

  
Some of the anti-poverty programmes undertaken by government at present are discussed below:
→ Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY): Started in 1993, this programme aims to create self-employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in rural areas and small towns.
→ Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY): Launched in 2000, this aims to create and improve basic services like primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural electrification.
→ National Food for Work programme (NFWP): Launched in 2004 in 150 most backward districts of the country, this programme is open to all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and desired to do manual unskilled work.
→ National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA): This act was passed in September 2005. The act provides 100 days assured employment every year to every rural household in 200 districts. Later, the scheme will be extended to 600 districts and also one third to the proposed jobs would be reserved for women.

Human poverty is a concept that goes beyond the limited view of poverty as 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.

Women, children (especially the girl child) and elder people in a poor family are regarded as the poorest of the poor because they are systematically denied equal access to resources available to the family.

Main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005:
→ The Act assures 100 days 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.

Q.1. Every _________ person in India is poor.
(a) third (b) fourth (c) fifth (d) sixth
Ans. (b)

Q.2. Vulnerability to poverty is determined by the options for finding an alternative living in terms of
(a) assets (b) education (c) health (d) all the above
Ans. (d)

Q.3. Social exclusion denies certain individuals the
(a) facilities (b) benefits (c) opportunities (d) all the above
Ans. (d)

Q.4. How many people in India live below the poverty line?
(a) 30 crores (b) 26 crores (c) 28 crores (d) 24 crores
Ans. (b)

Q.5. Which organisation carries out survey for determining the poverty line?
(a) NSSO (b) CSO (c) Planning Commission (d) None of the above
Ans. (a)

Q.6. Which social group is most vulnerable to poverty in India?
(a) Scheduled castes (b) Scheduled tribes (c) Casual labourers (d) All the above
Ans. (d)

Q.7. 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
Ans. (c)

Q.8. Poverty line in rural areas is (As per 1999 – 2000 prices)
(a) Rs 328 (b) Rs. 370 (c) Rs 454 (d) Rs. 460
Ans. (a)

Q.9. Who are the poorest of the poor?
(a) Women (b) Old people (c) Children (d) All the above
Ans. (d)

Q.10. What is the poverty ratio in the state of Orissa?
(a) 50% (b) 47% (c) 60% (d) 57%
Ans. (b)

Q.11. In which state has the high agricultural growth helped to reduce poverty?
(a) Jammu & Kashmir (b) West Bengal (c) Punjab (d) Gujarat
Ans. (c)

Q.12. In which state have the land reform measures helped to reduce poverty?
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Punjab (c) West Bengal (d) Kerala
Ans. (c)

Q.13. Which state has focused more on human resource development?
(a) Gujarat (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Maharashtra (d) Kerala
Ans. (d)

Q.14. 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
Ans. (c)

Q.15. What is the main cause of poverty in India?
(a) High income inequalities (b) Less job opportunities (c) High growth in population (d) All the above
Ans. (d)

Q.16. Which of the following is responsible for high poverty rates?
(a) Huge income inequalities (b) Unequal distribution of land 
(c) Lack of effective implementation of land reforms (d) All the above
Ans. (d)

Q.17. In rural areas, which of the following are not poor?
(a) Landless agricultural workers (b) Backward classes (c) Rural artisans (d) Medium farmers
Ans. (d)

Q.18. Nutritional level of food energy is expressed in the form of
(a) calories per day (b) wheat consumption (c) rice consumption per day (d) none of the above
Ans. (a)

Q.19. As per Planning Commission, minimum daily intake of calories for determining poverty line for rural area is
(a) 2100 (b) 2400 (c) 1500 (d) none of the above
Ans. (b)

Q.20. Poverty ratio in India as compared to Pakistan is
(a) same (b) half (c) two times (d) two and a half times
Ans. (c)

Q.21. What are accepted average calories required in India in urban areas?
(a) 2100 (b) 2400 (c) 2800 (d) 2500
Ans. (b)

Q.22. Who is considered as poor? 
(a) A rich landlord (b) A businessman (c) A landless labourer (d) A teacher
Ans. (c)

Q.23. Which among the following is the method to estimate the poverty line?
(a) Investment method (b) Income method (c) Capital method (d) Human method
Ans. (b)

Q.24. Which state has the largest percentage of poors in India?
(a) Bihar (b) Orissa (c) Kerala (d) Punjab
Ans. (b)

Q.25. When was National Rural Employment Guarantee Act passed?
(a) September 2005 (b) August 2004 (c) May 2009 (d) None of these
Ans. (a)

Q.26. Who advocated that India would be truly independent only when the poorest of its people become free of human suffering ?
(a) Mahatma Gandhi (b) Indira Gandhi (c) Jawahar lal Nehru (d) Subhash Chandra Bose
Ans. (a)

Q.27. Which of the following programmes was launched in the year 2000?
(a) National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (b) Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana
(c) Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (d) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana
Ans. (d)

Q.28. Who do not come under the category of urban poor?
(a) The casual workers (b) The unemployed (c) The shopkeepers (d) Rickshawpullers
Ans. (c)

Q.29. How many percent of Indian people were poor in the year 2000?
(a) 36% (b) 46% (c) 26% (d) 29%
Ans. (c)

Q.30. 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 Yojana (b) National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(c) Rural Employment Generation Programme (d) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana
Ans. (a)

Q.31. For how many days NREGA provides employment?
(a) 70 (b) 80 (c) 90 (d) 100
Ans. (d)

Q.32. Which one of the social groups are vulnerable to poverty?
(a) Scheduled caste (b) Urban casual labour (c) Rural agricultural households (d) All the above
Ans. (d)

Q.33. By which year governments are aiming to meet the Milennium Development Goals including halving the rate of global poverty? 
(a) 2011 (b) 2015 (c) 2045 (d) 2035
Ans. (b)

Q.34. Which one is not the major causes of income inequality in India? [2011 (T-2)]
(a) Unequal distribution of land (b) Lack of fertile land 
(c) Gap between rich and the poor (d) Increase in population
Ans. (b)

Q.35. In which of the following countries did poverty actually rise from 1981 to 2001?
(a) Sub-Saharan Africa (b) India (c) China (d) Russia
Ans. (a)

Q.36. The calorie requirement is higher in the rural areas because :
(a) they do not enjoy as much as people in the urban areas. (b) food items are expensive.
(c) they are engaged in mental work. (d) people are engaged in physical labour.
Ans. (d)

Q.37. Which of the following is an indicator of poverty in India?
(a) Income level (b) Illiteracy level (c) Employment level (d) All of these
Ans. (d)

Q.38. Which of the following is not a valid reason for the poverty alleviation programme in India?
(a) Lack of proper implementation (b) Lack of right targeting
(c) Corruption at the highest level (d) Overlapping of schemes
Ans. (c)

Q.39. Which industry suffered the most during colonial period?
(a) Jute (b) Textile (c) Indigo (d) All the above
Ans. (a)

Q.40. Poverty ratio in which of the following states is above the national average?
(a) West Bengal (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Karnataka
Ans. (a)

2000 AD 

Antyodaya Anna Yojna 

Nigeria 

Sub Saharan Africa and some of the former socialist countries 

1. Human is not able to meet his basic requirements of life that are food, shelter and clothes.

2. A person is considered poor if Levels of income and consumption level is very low.

3. Lack of general resistance due to malnutrition.

4. Lack to access to healthcare and lack of job opportunities.

5. Lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation 

1. There is also inequality of incomes within a family.  

2. In poor families all suffer, but some suffer more than others.

3.  Women, elderly people and female infants are systematically denied equal access to resources available to the family.

4. Therefore women, children and old people are poorest of the poor. 

1. Different countries use different poverty lines to assess their poverty level.

2. Each country uses different criteria to measure their development and growth.

3. The income and the availability of resources are different in every country.

4. The income level and social norms are different from other countries.

5. Owning a car in US is a necessity but India it is a luxury. 

1. Sates like Punjab and Haryana have traditionally succeeded in reducing poverty with the help of high agricultural growth rates.

2. In comparison there has been a significant decline in poverty in Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and west Bengal

3. Recent estimate show while the all India HCR was 21.9% n 2011-12 states like Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha had above all India poverty level. 

1. The poverty alleviation programs are less effective in India. They are unable to achieve the desired goals.

2. It is due to lack of proper implementation and execution. 

C. There also has been a lot of over lapping of schemes.

4. Despite good intentions, the benefits of these schemes have not fully reached the poor.

5. The maximum government officials are corrupt. 

1. There has been a lot of over lapping of schemes

2. Wide disparities between rural and urban areas in term of poverty.

3. Wide disparities between states in terms of poverty.

4. Certain social and economic groups are more vulnerable to poverty. 

1. It leads to hunger and lack of hunger. They live in unhygienic conditions and invite host of diseases.

2. They lack in medical facilities and die of diseases in want of timely and proper treatment.

3. Poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost all places.

4. They live with the sense of helplessness.

5. Poor parents are not able to send their children to school. 
 

1. Illiteracy level is a situation where parents are unable to send their children.

2. Lack of access to healthcare is a situation in which people cannot afford treatment.

3. Lack of access ton drinking water means lack of safe and clean drinking water facilities.

4. Lack of job opportunity means no availability of regular job opportunity.

5. Lack of sanitation means cleaning of our surrounding. 

1. There is also inequality of incomes within a family.  

2. In poor families all suffer, but some suffer more than others.

3.  Women, elderly people and female infants are systematically denied equal access to resources available to the family.

4. Therefore women, children and old people are poorest of the poor 

1. The proportion of poor people is not the same in every state. Although state level poverty has witnessed a secular decline from the levels of early seventies.

2. Recent estimate show while the all India HCR was 21.9% n 2011-12 states like Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha had above all India poverty level.

3. Bihar and Odisha continue to be the two poorest states with poverty ratio of 33.7 and 37.6 percent respectively.

4. Along with rural poverty, urban poverty is also high in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 

1. According to this concept, poverty must be seen in poor surroundings with other people, excluded from enjoying social equality of better-of people in better surroundings.

2. Social Exclusion can be both a cause as well as a consequence of poverty in the usual sense.

3. Broadly, it is the process in which individuals or groups are excluded from facilities, benefits and opportunities that others enjoy.

1. Poverty also means hunger and lack of shelter.

2. Lack of clean water and sanitation.  

3. It is a situation where parents are unable to send their children to schools.  

4. lack of health facilities, lack of regular job and  opportunities,

5. Non availability of safe drinking water, sanitation facilities etc. 

1. Poverty is caused due to many reasons there for social scientists also study many other factors besides income and consumptions. 

2. Social Scientists study illiteracy level, malnutrition, ill-health, lack of health facilities, lack of job opportunities, non availability of safe drinking water, sanitation facilities etc.

3. Thus, the social scientists take a broad view of poverty and its cause. 

1. Economic growth widens opportunities and provides the resources needed to invest in human development.

2. This also encouraged people to send their children, including the girl child to the school.  

3. People also take care of the health of the children.

4. By getting an education children become good human resources and an asset of the family. 

1. A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption levels falls below a given ‘minimum level’ necessary to fulfill basic needs.

2. What is necessary to satisfy basic needs is different at different times and in different countries.

3. That is why; 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.  

4. For example, a person not having a car in the USA may be considered poor. But, in India, owning of a car is still considered a luxury.

5. 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. 

1. A common method used to measure poverty is based on income and consumption levels.

2. A minimum requirement of food requirement and other basic needs such as clothing, footwear, fuel and light, educational and medical requirement, etc. are determined for subsistence.

3. These are then calculated in terms of money required to consume them by multiplying physical quantities by their prices in rupees.

4. Such consumption expenditure determines the poverty line. For the year 2000, the poverty line for a person was fixed at Rs 328 per month in rural areas and Rs 454 for the urban areas.

5. The poverty line is estimated by the NSSO in India.