Poverty as a Challenge 189 16. What do you mean by unemployment allowance under “NREGA”. Ans. Rural households which had registered themselves with the local Gram Panchayats were entitled for wage employment for 100 days in a year. Else otherwise they will get unemployment allowance at the prescribed rates. 17. How can we tackle the poverty? Give three suggestions. Ans. Following are three suggestions to remove poverty: (i) Make people more literate so that they are able to do respectable jobs and earn more. (ii) Make the society more aware of small families and let them know the advantages of it. (iii) The government should increase economic development. More jobs should be created. 18. How is the high level of indebtedness both the cause and effect of poverty? Ans. (i) Small farmers are many in numbers. They need money to buy agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. (ii) They are unable to pay because of poverty, they become victims of indebtedness. 19. Describe Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGYS) anti-poverty programme. Ans. Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGYS) anti-poverty programme 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. 20. Explain the principal measures taken in Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to reduce poverty. Ans. (i) The principal measure 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 food grains to reduce poverty. 21. Give three names of anti-poverty schemes started by the government. Ans. (i) National Food for Work Programme, (ii) Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana, (iii) Rural Employment Generation Programme Short Answer Type-II Questions 1. Describe how the poverty line is estimated. Ans. In India, the poverty line is estimated on the basis of minimum level of requirement of: – Food – Clothing – footwear – fuel – electricity – medical – educational requirements. 2. What are indicators used by social scientists to understand poverty? Ans. Social scientists look at poverty through a variety of indicators. Usually the indicators used relate to the levels of income and consumption.
190 Social Science–IX But now poverty is looked through other social indicators such as: (i) Illiteracy level (ii) Lack of general resistance due to malnutrition (iii) Lack of access to healthcare (iv) Lack of job opportunity (v) Lack of access to safe drinking water (vi) Lack of sanitation facilities. 3. What is social exclusion? Give one example. Ans. Poor generally live in poor surroundings with other people. So, they do not enjoy equality of better-off people in better surroundings. – Broadly, it is a process through which individuals or groups are expanded from facilities and benefits that others enjoy. So, they do not get equal benefits and opportunities to grow economically. A typical example is the working of the caste system in India in which people belonging to certain castes are excluded from equal opportunities. Social exclusion thus may lead to, having a very low income. 4. What is vulnerability? Ans. Vulnerability to poverty is a measure, which describes the greater probability of certain communities or individuals of becoming, or remaining, poor in the coming years Example: Communities: Backward caste, SC, ST; Blacks in USA, etc. Individuals: Widows, physically handicapped persons. – Further, it is analysed on the basis of greater risks these groups face at the time of natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunami), terrorism, etc. Vulnerability: When bad time comes for everybody, how that situation is handled. Bad times may be flood or an earthquake or simply a fall in the availability of jobs. 5. What is poverty line? Ans. It is a common method used to measure poverty, based on the income or consumption levels. A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level is below a given ”Minimum Level” , necessary to fulfill basic needs. – Basic needs are different at difficult times and in different countries. – Poverty line may vary with time and place. Each country uses different imaginary line which in their opinion is appropriate for its development. – For example, a person not having a car in the United States may be considered poor. – In India, owning a car is still considered luxury . 6. Explain the various dimensions of poverty in India in reference to the urban and rural poverty. Ans. Poverty is usually measured on the basis of income or consumption levels. If the income of a person falls below a minimum level, then he is considered to be poor. Poor are: a rural poor, and a urban poor.
Poverty as a Challenge 191 A family of five members living in rural area and having a monthly income of less than `4080 is considered a rural poor. Whereas a family of five members living in urban area and having a monthly income of less than `5000 per month is considered an urban poor. 7. Who is responsible of conducting surveys of poverty line in India? In which year are these surveys done? Ans. In India Survey of poverty line is conducted by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). The survey on poverty line is conducted every five years. Last survey was done by NSSO in the year 2013-14. The World Bank also conducts surveys across the globe to study and make comparisons between developing countries. According to the World Bank, a person having an income of less than $ 1.90 per day is poor. 8. Do you think that present methodology of poverty estimation is appropriate? Ans. We think present methodology of poverty estimation is not appropriate. It takes into consideration income and consumption level only. According to social scientists poverty should be looked through social indicators such that: – malnutrition – lack of access of to health care – lack of job opportunities – lack of access of safe drinking water – lack of sanitation, etc. Poverty should also be viewed on the basis of social exclusion and vulnerability. 9. Explain the poverty trend in India? Ans. (i) There is substantial decline in poverty ratios in India from about 45 per cent in 1993-94 to 22 per cent in 2011-12. (ii) The proportion of people below poverty line further came down to about 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 (iii) If the trend continues, people below poverty line may come down to less than 20 per cent in the next few years. The percentage of people living under poverty declined in the earlier two decades (1973-1993). – But the rate of decline was very slow. – The number of poor declined from 2004-5 to 2011-12 with an average annual decline of 2.2 percentage points. 10. Identify the social and economic groups, which are most vulnerable to poverty in India. Ans. The following are the economic groups which are vulnerable to poverty in India as per data* Scheduled tribes—43% Scheduled caste—29% Rural agricultural labourers—34% Urban cultural labourers—34% * As per the latest data available in NCERT-IX Textbook 2019 Edition.
192 Social Science–IX Other social groups which are vulnerable to poverty are widows, orphans, physically handicapped, old people, etc. Overall average of Indian poverty ratio was 22% in 2011-12. 11. Suggest some measures to reduce regional poverty? Or How can we reduce regional poverty. Ans. Measures to reduce regional poverty: Several states of India like Odisha, 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. 12. Explain any three points how poverty declined in some states. Ans. There has been a significant decline in poverty in Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal. – Punjab and Haryana have succeeded in reducing poverty with the help of high agricultural growth rates. – Kerala has reduced poverty by developing human resources. – In West Bengal, land reforms has helped in reducing poverty. – In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, improvement may be due to public distribution of food grains. 13. What were the effects of Industrialisation in job sector? Ans. The industries, both in the public and private sector, provided some jobs. – But these were not enough. Unable to find proper jobs in cities, many people started working as rickshaw pullers, vendors, construction workers, domestic servants, etc. – Due to less income they started to live in slums. – Poverty, which was mostly in rural areas earlier, has now become a feature of the urban sector. 14. Is there any link between economic growth rate and poverty reduction? Ans. Upto early eighties, there was little growth in per capita income. – Official poverty estimates (of 45%) remained same between 1947 and early 1980s. Since the eighties, India’s economic growth has been one of the fastest in the world. – The growth rate jumped from the average of about 3.5% a year in the 1970s to about 6% per year during the 1980s and 1990s. The higher growth rate has helped in the reduction of poverty. Therefore, it is becoming clear that there is a strong link between economic growth rate and poverty reduction. 15. Why are targeted anti-poverty programmes required? Ans. (i) The government also encourages people to send their children, including the girl child, to schools. They hope they will get them better economic returns by investing education. – Moreover, growth in the agricultural sector is much below expectations.
Poverty as a Challenge 193 (ii) This has a direct bearing on poverty as a large number of poor people live in villages. These are dependent on agriculture. (iii) Under the circumstances, there is a clear need for targeted anti-poverty programmes. The two programmes under targeted Anti-poverty measures are: (iv) Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) (v) Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) 16. What are the major reasons for the less effectiveness of poverty alleviation programmes? Ans. The results of these programmes have been mixed. – One of the major reasons for the 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 reaching to the poor. Therefore, the major emphasis in recent years in on proper monitoring of all the poverty alleviation programmes. 17. 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 toned to be set up. Improvement in agriculture: While the 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 a 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 can easily afford it. 18. Discuss any three government programmes for poverty alleviation. Ans. (i) Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (PMRY): This scheme was started for the welfare of the educated unemployed in urban areas. Youth belonging to the weaker sections of society are given priority in this scheme. (ii) Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS): This was launched in 1999 to create wage employment to families below the poverty line, and to improve the quality of life in the rural areas. (iii) Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY): The objective of this programme is to generate gainful employment for the unemployed and under-employed men and women in rural areas, community and social assets are created such as soil conservation work. 19. Give one positive and one negative side of poverty conditions in India, and mention the major weaknesses of poverty alleviation programmes. Ans. Positive aspect: India’s economic growth is one of the fastest in the world which helps in reducing poverty. Negative aspect: A large number of poor live in villages and depend on agriculture where growth is much below expectation.
194 Social Science–IX Weakness of poverty alleviation programme: Lack of proper implementation and right targeting with lots of overlapping schemes. 20. 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. But the major causes of them being ineffective are: (a) Overlapping of schemes. Clumsy monitoring results in the benefits of these schemes not fully reaching out to those who deserve it. (b) Lack of proper implementation and targeting. 21. “Despite the progress, poverty reduction remains India’s most compelling challenge”. What are the challenges that India is facing to eradicate poverty? Ans. (i) The following are the challenges that India is facing to eradicate poverty: – Various and different types of poverty can be seen between rural and urban areas and among different states. – Certain social and economic groups are more vulnerable to property. (ii) Poverty reduction may be expected to make better progress in next ten to fifteen years if the following steps are taken: – higher economic growth, – free elementary education, – declining population growth, – increasing employment of the women, – upliftment of economically weaker section of the society. Long Answer Type Questions 1. Give two examples of poor people whom you come across in daily life. Ans. The first example of a poor family whom I have come across is of Joginder Kumar. Joginder hails from Churu Distt. in Rajasthan. He has a small piece of agriculture land there but it was not enough for him to support his family. He is also not very educated so he shifted to Jaipur. Here he sells toys. But the income from selling the toys is not enough. His wife works as a maid in a few houses to support her husband. They have one son who is ten years old two daughters aged five and three years respectively. His son goes to the school in the morning and works in the garage in the evenings to support his studies. The second example is of Ram Ratan. Though he is employed with a private firm but he is unable to support his big family of eight persons including his parents in his meager income. So, he works part time an accountant to raise his income. His wife also helps him to raise the family income by taking tuition classes.
Poverty as a Challenge 195 2. Differentiate between urban and rural poverty taking examples of Ram Saran for urban case and Lakha Singh for rural case. Ans. The following table differentiates urban and rural poverty: Ram Saran (Urban Case) Lakha Singh (Rural Case) 1. Daily wage labourer in a wheat flour 1. Casual labourer in a village near mill near Ranchi in Jharkhand. Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. 2. Average income ` 5,000 per month. 2. Does not have fixed job, gets ` 200 per day only, that also sometimes only. Gets sometimes, wheat, dal or vegetables for full day's work on agricultural land. 3. Family of six including his wife and 3. Family of eight including his wife, four children. children and ailing mother. 4. Wife works as part time maid and 4. Women in family spend the day gets ` 3,000 per month. chopping fodder and collecting firewood in the fields. 5. His elder son works in a tea shop 5. No kid works in his family. and earns ` 300 per month . 3. What are the main features of poverty in India? Ans. The main features of poverty in India are: (i) There has been a decline in poverty in India over the years. Poverty increased during the 1970s and then declined in the 1980s. In the next decade, there was first an increase, and then with the advent of economic reforms, there was a sharp decline in the incidence of poverty. Since 1993-94, poverty has been on a constant decline. (ii) There is unequal distribution of poverty in the country. A recent study has pointed out that over 90% of India’s rural poor live in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. More than half of India’s rural poor live in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. However, poverty in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and Haryana still remain low. (iii) We see poverty in both rural and urban areas. Rural poor consist of people who belong to the lower castes of society and other tribal groups. They are landless agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers, rural artisans, etc. In towns and cities, the poor people consist of unemployed, underemployed or persons employed in low-productivity jobs like being rickshaw pullers, cobblers, and street vendors. 4. 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 2,400 per person per day in rural areas and 2,100 per person per day in urban areas.
196 Social Science–IX (ii) Monetary expenditure per capita needed is also a way of estimating poverty. In the year 2000, poverty line for a person was fixed at ` 328 per month for the rural areas and ` 454 for the urban areas. (iii) A uniform standard for poverty line is also used, which is set by international organisations like the World Bank. 5. Discuss poverty scenario among the vulnerable groups in India. Or Mention the social and economic groups who are more vulnerable to poverty in India. Explain any two reasons of poverty in such communities. Ans. The proportion of people below poverty line is not same for all social groups and eonomic categories in India. (i) Social groups which are most vulnerable to poverty are scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households. (ii) Among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the rural agricultural labour households and the urban casual labour households. • Although the average for people below poverty line for all groups in India is 22* per cent, 43* out of 100 people belonging to scheduled tribes in rural areas are not able to meet their basic needs. – Similarly, 34* per cent of casual workers in urban areas are below poverty line. – About 34* per cent of landless agricultural workers and 29* per cent of scheduled castes are also poor. The double disadvantage; of being a landless casual wage labour household; and also born in the scheduled caste or the scheduled tribe population highlights the seriousness of the problem. Some recent studies have shown that except for the scheduled tribe households, all the other three groups (i.e., scheduled castes, rural agricultural labourers and the urban casual labour households) have seen a decline in poverty in the 1990s*. 6. State an account of inter-state disparities in poverty in India. Ans. 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 70s, 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, Odisha and Bihar continue to be the two poorest states with poverty ratios of 47% and 43%, 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, 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. 7. Describe global poverty trends. Ans. The proportion of people in developing countries living on less than $1 per day has fallen from 28% in 1990 to 21% in 2001. There has been a substantial reduction in global poverty since the 1980s. 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. * As per the latest data available in NCERT-IX Textbook 2019 Edition.
Poverty as a Challenge 197 On the other hand, in South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and 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% in 1981 to 46% 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 did not even exist earlier. 8. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India. Or Describe any five causes of poverty in India. Ans. The major reasons for poverty in India are: (i) 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 the textile industry. (ii) High growth in population: The rapid growth in 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 a male child an asset, that is, as a source of income and a source of security during their old age. (iii) Low rate of economic development: The actual rate of growth in India has always been below the required level. It has been around 4% since 1951. This has resulted in less job opportunities. This was accompanied by a high growth rate of population. (iv) 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. There are more people looking for jobs than employment opportunities. (v) Unequal distribution: Although the national income of India has been increasing since 1951, it has not been properly distributed among the different sections of society. A large proportion of increased income has been pocketed by a few rich and hence the gap between the rich and poor has widened Majority of people have to live below the poverty line. (vi) Social factors: Various social factors, viz., caste system, joint family system, religious faiths, law of inheritance, etc., have blocked the path of economic development. 9. Describe any five 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 Rozgar Yojana (PMRY): This was launched on 2nd October 1993, to create self-employment opportunities for the educated youth both rural areas and small towns. Under this scheme, people get assistance in setting up small businesses and industries. (ii) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY): SGSY was launched on 1st April, 1999. It supports enterprises that are in villages and aids rural people organize
198 Social Science–IX themselves into self-help groups (SHGs). The SGSY aims to bring poor families rise above poverty by providing them bank credits and subsidies so that they can generate income. (iii) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY): This programme was launched in 2000. It aims to focus on the development of villages in five key areas primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural roads. (iv) Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY): This scheme came into existence in September 2001. The objectives of which are: (a) To provide wage employment and food security in villages. (b) To create a durable community, along with 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. It guarantees 100 days of employment to every rural household in 200 districts which would later extend to 600 districts. However, these programmes have failed to be very effective. Lack of proper implementation is one of the major causes for this. There has also been an overlapping of schemes. Thus, in the recent past, the focus has been on monitoring them properly. 10. “NREGA 2005 is an important anti-poverty programme”. Explain. Ans. “NREGA stands for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which was launched in the year 2005. The scheme includes: (i) Providing 100 days of guaranteed employment every year to every rural household. (ii) Spreading its wings to 600 districts from a start of 200. (iii) Women would be give one-third of the proposed jobs. (iv) The central government established the National Employment Guarantee Funds and the state government established State Employment Guarantee Funds to bring this scheme to force. (v) In case the scheme fails to provide employment within fifteen days, he/she will be entitled to a daily unemployment allowance. Case Study Based MCQs Case Study–1 Read the given extract/source/passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: Poverty line at the centre of the discussion on poverty is usually the concept of the “poverty line”. A common method used to measure poverty is based on the income or consumption levels. 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 the basic needs is different at different times and in different countries. Therefore, 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. For example, a person not having a car in the United States may be considered poor. In India, owning of a car is still considered a luxury.
Poverty as a Challenge 199 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. These physical quantities are multiplied by their prices in rupees. The present formula for food requirement while estimating the poverty line is based on the desired calorie requirement. Food items, such as cereals, pulses, vegetable, milk, oil, sugar, etc., together provide these needed calories. The calorie needs vary depending on age, sex and the type of work that a person does. The accepted average calorie requirement in India is 2400 calories per person per day in rural areas and 2100 calories per person per day in urban areas. Since people living in rural areas engage themselves in more physical work, calorie requirements in rural areas are considered to be higher than in urban areas. The monetary expenditure per capita needed for buying these calorie requirements in terms of food grains, etc., is revised periodically taking into consideration the rise in prices. On the basis of these calculations, for the year 2011–12, the poverty line for a person was fixed at `816 per month for rural areas and `1000 for urban areas. Despite less calorie requirement,the higher amount for urban areas has been fixed because of high prices of many essential products in urban centres. In this way in the year 2011–12, a family of five members living in rural areas and earning less than about `4,080 per month will be below the poverty line. A similar family in the urban areas would need a minimum of `5,000 per month to meet their basic requirements. The poverty line is estimated periodically (normally every five years) by conducting sample surveys. These surveys are carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). However, for making comparisons between developing countries, many international organisations like the World Bank use a uniform standard for the poverty line: minimum availability of the equivalent of $1.90 per person per day (2011, ppp). 1. Which one factor does not form part of social indicator of poverty? (a) Lack of general resistance due to malnutrition (b) Lack of access to healthcare (c) Lower levels of income and consumption (d) Lack of access to safe to drinking water Ans. (d) 2. Which of the following methods is used to measure poverty? (a) Income or consumption levels (b) Income or saving levels (c) Expenditure or investment levels (d) Economic or social conditions Ans. (a) 3. Poverty Line in India is defined on the basis of: (a) Minimum level of income (b) Nature of the job (c) A person’s employment status (d) All of the above Ans. (a) 4. What is the accepted average calories required for per person per day in urban areas? (a) 3000 Calories (b) 2300 Calories (c) 2100 Calories (d) 2400 Calories Ans. (c)
200 Social Science–IX 5. Who conducts the periodical sample surveys for estimating the poverty in India? (a) National Survey Organisation (b) National Sample Survey Organisation (c) Sample Survey Organisation (d) None of the above Ans. (b) 6. Which of the following is an indicator of poverty in India? (a) Income level (b) Employment level (c) Illiteracy level (d) Level of health Ans. (a) Case Study–2 Read the given extract/source/passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: Poverty in India also has another aspect or dimension. 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, the success rate of reducing poverty varies from state to state. Recent estimates show while the all India Head Count Ratio (HCR) was 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 states like Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pardesh, Bihar and Odisha had above all India poverty level. Bihar and Odisha continue to be the two poorest states with poverty ratios of 33.7 and 32.6 per cent respectively. Along with rural poverty, urban poverty is also high in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In comparison, there has been a significant decline in poverty in Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal. States like Punjab and Haryana have traditionally succeeded in reducing poverty with the help of high agricultural growth rates. Kerala has focused more on human resource development. In West Bengal, land reform measures have helped in reducing poverty. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu public distribution of food grains could have been responsible for the improvement. 1. There has been a significant decline in poverty in Kerala because of: (a) Focusing more on human resource development (b) Land reform measures (c) Public distribution of goods (d) High agricultural growth lines Ans. (a) 2. A state which has focused on Human Resource Development in reducing property: (a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Assam (d) Kerala Ans. (d) 3. Which one of the following states still faces serious problem of society? (a) West Bengal (b) Kerala (c) Odisha (d) Tamil Nadu Ans. (c)
Poverty as a Challenge 201 4. In which state poverty is not a serious problem? (a) Kerala (b) Assam (c) Odisha (d) Bihar Ans. (a) 5. In which state has the high agricultural growth helped to reduce poverty? (a) Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu (c) Punjab (d) West Bengal Ans. (c) 6. In which state have the land reform measured helped to reduce poverty? (a) Gujarat (b) Kerala (c) Punjab (d) West Bengal Ans. (d) Case Study–3 Read the given extract/source/passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: There is a clear need for targeted anti-poverty programmes. Although there are so many schemes which are formulated to affect poverty directly or indirectly, some of them are worth mentioning. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 aims to provide 100 days of wage employment to every household to ensure livelihood security in rural areas. It also aimed at sustainable development to address the cause of draught, deforestration and soil erosion. One-third of the proposed jobs have been reserved for women. The scheme provided employment to 220 crores person days of employment to 4.78 crore households. The share of SC, ST, Women person days in the scheme are 23 per cent, 17 per cent and 53 per cent respectively. The average wage has increased from 65 in 2006–07 to 132 in 2013–14. Prime Minister Rozgar Yozana (PMRY) is another scheme which was started in 1993. The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in rural areas and small towns. They are helped in setting up small business and industries. Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) was launched in 1995. The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities in rural areas and small towns. A target for creating 25 lakh new jobs has been set for the programme under the Tenth Five Year plan. Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) was launched in 1999. The programme aims at bringing the assisted poor families above the poverty line by organising them into self-help groups through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yozana (PMGY) launched in 2000, additional central assistance is given to states for basic services such as primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural electrification. 1. MNREGA stands for (a) National Rural Exchange Guarantee Act (b) New Revolution Employment Guarantee Act (c) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (d) National Rajiv Employment Guarantee Ans. (c)
202 Social Science–IX 2. When was the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NEGRA) passed? (a) 2000 (b) 2003 (c) 2004 (d) 2005 Ans. (d) 3. Which of the following anti-poverty programme provides 100 days of assured employment of the rural poor? (a) National Food for Work Programme (2004) (b) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005) (c) Rural Employment Generation Programme (1995) (d) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (1999) Ans. (b) 4. For how many days MNREGA provides employment? (a) 70 (b) 80 (c) 90 (d) 100 Ans. (d) 5. When was Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana launched? (a) 1996 (b) 1997 (c) 1988 (d) 1999 Ans. (d) 6. Which of the programme was started in 1993? (a) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (b) Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (c) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (d) Rural Employment Generation Programme Ans. (b)
ISBN: 978-93-93738-04-2 789393 738042 T09-8685-249-COMP.CBSE QB SO SCI T-II IX
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