ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES: POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT. — Social Science STD 10 — Question
Gujarat BoardEnglish MediumSTD 10Social ScienceECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES: POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT.4 Marks
Question
What are the reasons for poverty in India$?$
✓
Answer
The main reasons for poverty in India are as under:
Defective Planning:
After independence, more emphasis was laid on large and heavy industry in the plans but small and cottage industries and handicraft were neglected. Facilities in urban regions increased but Poverty Alleviation Programmes were not effective in the rural regions so there was lop-sided development.
It created a big gap in the development between the rural and the urban regions.
About $26 \%$ live below the poverty line. The average rate of economic development has been low $(5\%)$ compared to the growth rate of population $(1.9\%)$ and rate of inflation$( 5$ to $6\%). .$
Unequal Distribution of Land and Low Agricultural Productivity:
Due to the absence of alternative occupation, the rural p0pulation has remained dependent on agriculture so their income is low.
About $26\%$ agricultural land is in the hands of top $3\%$ rich farmers, whereas $55\%$ of the bottom poor farmers have only $10\%$ of the agricultural land.
This has resulted into unequal distribution of agricultural land, marginal farmers, absence of latest technology and full time employment in the agricultural sector.
Unequal Distribution of Development Benefits:
Development programmes like technological development, irrigation, loans and subsidy have benefited the rich more than the poor and the weaker sections of the society.
The World Bank Report $2005$ says that $20\%$ of the population at the top receives $37.5\%$ of the national income. Where as $27\%$ population at bottom gets $7.7\%$ of national income.
Absence of Implementation of Land Reforms
The objective of land reform laws was to redistribute land and to provide land to the landless farmers In particular.
But the unequal distribution of Income has intensified the problem of poverty.
The poor farmers do not have any alternative employment.
Social Reasons:
The social reasons for poverty in India include illiteracy, absence of unity, large size of the family and social backwardness.
People are unaware of the laws that benefit them, and so are not able to lake advantage of the laws.
They cannot work efficiently since they don’t get nutritious food.
They are incapable of finding self-employment.
The irresponsible administrative officers and other rural leaders take advantage of the ignorant villagers.
They cannot fight unitedly for their rights and interests.
The major reasons for poverty in India are casteism, social set-up, belief in untouchability, rituals and customs, tradition and orthodoxy.
Price Rise:
The objective of economic development could not be achieved due to constantly increasing prices.
It led to continuous decrease in purchasing power of rupee and the Government administration remained ineffective in controlling the price rise.
Slow Agricultural Development:
The rate of agricultural development remained slow because of inadequate and scarce facilities of irrigation, cultivation, lack of manure and scarcity of water.
Need a full question paper?
Generate a complete, print-ready paper with questions like this in minutes — across 16+ boards, with answer keys.