3 POVERTY AS ACHALLENGE

CHAPTER AT AGLANCE
Poverty

Common lndicators Social Indicators

" Level of literacy

"Level of income
" Level of consumpton Lack of general resistance due to malnutrition
Lack of access to health care and sanitation
. Lack of access to safe drinking water

Basis of Poverty Analysis

Social Exclusion Vulnerability

tisa process where people are excluded It is a measure describing the greater probability of certain communities
from facilities, benefits and opportunities or individuals of becoming or remaining po00r in the coming years. It is
further analysed on the basis of the greater risks faced at the time of
that others enjoy.
natural disasters by these groups.

Poverty Line

Meaning

It is an estimated minimum level of income needed to fulfil basic needs of life.

Poverty Estimation in India

[Poverty ratio (%)]

1993-94
2004-05 2011-12

Urban Total Rural

Rural Urban Total Rural
26 37
Urban Total
50 45 42 26 14 22
32
294 agetker wct Social Science--9

Vulnerable Groups

Social Groups Economic Grougr,

" Scheduled castes "Rural agicutural at
" Scheduled tribes "Urban casual loor
Inter-state Disparities

"Bihar and Odisha are the two poorest states.

Bihar and Uttar Pradesn.
" Along with rural poverty, urban poverty is also high in Odsha. Madhva Pradesh,
Kerala. Maharashtra. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal.
" fnere is a significant decline in poverty in
help of high agricuitural grOWn faes.
" Punjab and Haryana, traditionally, have succeeded in reduCina poverty with the

Global Poverty Scenario

" There has been a substantial reduction in global poverty but with great regional differences.
as a result of rapid economic growth and huge investments in
" Poverty declined substantially in China and Southeast Asian countries
resource development.
Banaladesh, the decline has not been asS rapid.
" In South Asian countries, such as India. Pakistan. Nepal. Bhutan and
"Poverty has risen in Sub-Saharan Africa.
"Poverty has resurfaced in former socialist countries like Russia.

Causes of Poverty

Low levelof economic Decline of Unequal and Industries Huge income Borrowings by te
development under traditional irregular suUCcess of providing inequalíties poor leading te
the British rule handicrafts Green Revolution inadequate jobs to indebtedress

Measures for removal of Poverty

Promotion of Economic Growth Targeted anti-poverty Programme:

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Act, 2005 (MGNREGA)
Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY 1993
Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) 1995
Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) 1999
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) 2000
G A

MGNRE

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) 2000

The Challenges Ahead

Providing health Education and job Achieving gender

Poverty Reduction care facilities
Dignty tor te Ao
security for all equality
 Challenge 295
Poverty as a

NCERT QUESTIONS
Exercises to 1993, there
people declined from 1973
in the number of
1. Describe how the poverty line is estimated was a significant reduction
million) in 2004-05 and
in India. the poor (about 407 an average
Ans. While determiningthe poverty line in India, a further 270 million in 2011-12 with
2004-05
minimum level offood requirement, clothing, annual decline of 2.2 per cent during poverty
footwear, fuel and light, cducational and to 2011-12. It may also be noted that
rural areas
medical requirements etc. are determined ratios always remained higher in present
the
for subsistence. These physical quantities are as compared to urban areas. If poverty
trend continues, the people below
multiplied by their prices in rupees. per cent
The present formula for food requirement line may come down to less than 20
in the next few years.
while estimating the poverty line is based on
the desired calorie requirement. Food items Discuss the major reasons for poverty in
India.
such as cereals. pulses, vegetables, milk, oil, are:
sugar etc. together provide these needed Ans. The major reasons for poverty in India
calories. The need of calories depends on (a) Colonial rule: India went through a long
age and the work done by a person. The phase of low economic development
under the British colonial administration.
accepted average calorie requirement in India
The policies of the colonial government
is 2,400 calories per person per day in rural ruined traditional handicrafts and
areas and 2,100calories per person per day in discouraged development of industries
urban areas. The calorie requirement of the like textiles.
people in rural areas is higher than that of
the people living in urban areas because they
(b) High growth in population: The rapid
growth of population, particularly among
do more physical work as compared to urban the poor, is one of the major reason for
people. On the basis of the calculations for the
Indian poverty. Poor people are illiterate
vear 2011-12, the poverty line for aperson was and have a traditional outlook. Hence,
fixed at 816 per monthfor the rural areas and they are either ignorant of birth control
1,000 per month for the urban areas. measures or are not convinced of the
2. Do you think that present methodology of need of birth control. Moreover, they
poverty estimation is appropriate? consider a male child as an asset, i.e.,
as a source of income and a source of
Ans. No, the present methodology of poverty
estimation is not appropriate because it takes security in old age.
into account only the basic needs of food, (c) Low rate of economic development: The
clothing, fuel etc. But the quality of these basic actual rate of growth in India has always
necessities is the lowest quality available. been below the required level. This has
The amount which is fixed as the poverty line resulted in less job opportunities. This
does not include the margin for the constant has been accompanied by a high growth
price fluctuations. The poverty line should rate of population.
Include some corrections for inflation and (d) Unemployment: Another important
the market fluctuations. factor for the incidence of high poverty in
1993. India is the high degree of unemployment
J. Describe poverty trends in India since and underemployment. The job seekers
Ans. As per the data, there has been a substantial
are increasing at a higher rate than the
decline in poverty ratios in India from 45 per
cent in 1993-94 to 37.2 per cent in 2004-05.
increase in the employment opportunities.
There was a further decline to 22 per cent (e) Unequal distribution: Although national
income of India has been increasing since
in 2011-12. Although the number of poor
 296 7agther wtk Social Science--9

in global poverty.
However, the
1951, it was not properly distributed
is marked with great
regional reduction
among different sections of the society.
A large proportion of increased income Due to rapid economic growth and
resource
investment in human
dif ere
mansce
ivs
e,
has been pocketed by a few rich. They
have become richer. Amajority of people
live below the poverty line.
poverty has declinedcountries.
and Southeast Asian
developmeChinna,
substantially in
has
() Social factors: Various social factors, In China, number of poors Come
2008dowandn
to 14.7% in
viz., caste system, joint family system, from 88.3% in 1981
religious beliefs, law of inheritance etc. 2015.
to 0.7% in
have blocked the path of economic (India,
In South Asian countries
development. Bangladesh, Pakistan,theSi
been rapid. InBhut
Sub-an),
Lanka, Nepal,
5. Identify the social and economic groups which has also
are most vulnerable to poverty in India.
decline
Saharan
Africa, poverty. has declined fromn51 per cent
Ans. The social groups vulnerable to poverty are: in 2005 to 41 per cent in 2015. It has also
(a) Scheduled castes households resurfaced in some of the former
(b) Scheduled tribes households
countries like Russia, where
socialist
LatinofficAmerica.
ial y
The economic groups vulnerable t0 poverty
earlier. In
it
are: was non-existent
(a) Rural agricultural labour households the ratio of poverty has also declinaa
(b) Urban casual labour households from 109% in 2005 to 4% in 2015.
6. Give an account of inter-state disparities of 8. Describe the current government strategy of
poverty in India. poverty aleviation.
Ans. The proportion of p0or is not the same in Ans. Removal of poverty is one of the maior
every state in India. Though there has been objectives of the Indian developmental
adecline in poverty in every state since from strategy. The current government strategy of
the early seventies, the poverty ratio varies poverty alleviation is based on two planks:
from state to state. The states like Madhya (a) Promotion of Economic Growth
Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh. Bihar and (b) Targeted Anti-poverty Programmes
Odisha had above allIndia poverty level. Bihar Some of the targeted anti-poverty programmes
and Odisha continue to be the twO poorest
undertaken by the government are:
states with poverty ratios of 33.7% and 32.6% (a) Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana (PMRY :
respectively. Both rural and urban poverty are This programme was started in 1993.
quite high in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar It aims at creating self-employment
and Utar Pradesh. On the other hand, states
opportunities for the educated
like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, unemployed youth in rural areas and
Maharashtra, Haryana, Kerala, Punjab and small toWns.
West Bengal have shown a significant decline
(b) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana
in poverty. Public distribution of food grains,
focus on human resource development, high
(PMGY): This programme was launched
in 2000. It aims at creating and improving
agricultural development and land reform basic services like primary health, primary
measures are some of the factors responsible education, rural shelter, rural drinking
for the decline in poverty in these states.
water and rural electrification.
7. Describe global poverty trends. (c) Rural Employment Generation
Ans. The proportion of people in developing Programme (REGP): This programit
countries living on less than $1.90 per day has was launched in [Link] aims at creating
fallen from 36 per cent in 1990 to 10 per cent
in 2015. There has been a substantial reduction self-employment opportunities in rura
areas and urban towns.
 Challenge 297
Poverty as a
Rural
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural The main features ofthe National
(i) 2005 are:
Employ ment Guarantee Act EmploymentGuarantee Act
(MGNREGA). This act was passed in days employment
" The Act assures 100 household.
September 2005. The act provides 100 everyyear to every
rural
days assured employment every year to One-third of the jobs are
reserved
every rural household in 200 districts.
for women.
Later, the scheme would be extended to at sustainable
600districts. One-third of the proposed " It also aimed cause
jobs have been reserved for Women. development to address the
and soil
G. Answer the following questions briefly: of draught, deforestation
i) What do you understand by human erosion.
and women
poverty? The share of SCs. STs
cent and 53
(ii) Who are the poorest of the poor? are 23 per cent, 17per
(ii) What are the main features of the per cent respectively.
National Rural Employment Guarantee Under this, the average wage has
Act 2005? increased from ? 65 in 2006-07 to
Ans. (i) Human poverty is a concept that goes 132 in 2013-14.
beyond the limited view of poverty
as lack of income. It refers to the The scheme providedemployment to
denial of political, social and economic 220crores person days ofemployment
opportunities to an individual to maintain a to4.78 crore households.
"reasonable" standard of living. Illiteracy, In March 2018, the wage rate for
lack of job opportunities, lack of access unskilled manual workers has been
to proper healthcare and sanitation, caste revised again statewise.
and gender discrimination etc. are all The range of wage rates for different
Components of human poverty. states and union territories lies in
(ü).Women, children (especially the girl child) between 281 per day (for the
and elder people in a poor family are workers in Haryana) to 168 per
regarded as the poorest of the poor because day (for the workers in Bihar and
they are systematically denied equal access Jharkhand).
to resources available to the family.

SOLVED QUESTION BANK

(c) Income 1,000 per month per person
Very Short Answer/Objective Type Questions [1Mark] (d) Income 454 per month per person
program consists
1. The current anti-poverty Ans. (c) Income ? 1,000 per month per person
of two planks, they are:
public 3. Poverty as defined by World Bank implies
(a) Socio-economic reasons and
distribution system. living below:
(6) Promotion of economic growth and (a) $ 1.90 per day (b) $100 per month
targeted anti-poverty program. (c) $10 per day (d) $100 per day
promotion of
(c) Anti-poverty program and Ans. (a) S 1.90 per day
economic growth.
(d) None of the above 4. For the year 2011-12, the poverty line for a
promotion of person in rural areas in India was fixed at:
Ans. (c) Anti-poverty program and
economic growth. (a) 454 per month (b) 816 per month
the year 2011-12? (c) 328 per month (d) 1640 per month
k. Who is an Urban poor as per
person
(a) Income 450 per month per Ans. (b) 816 per month
perSon
(b) Income 500 per month per
298 ogcther wtkSocial Science 9

5. Which of the following is not an anti-poverty cities. They could be daily wage
sineaardhabas
ners
construction sites or child workers at
programme?
They could also be beggars with ,
(a) NREGA
(c) NSSO
(b) AAY
(d) PMGY tatters. chilàren in
Ans. (c) NSSO V. What is poverty? 2 0
a state in which people do Ans. Poverty is a situation in which a
6.
unable to get the minimum basic
person is
shelternecessifortiehiss
not have sufficient income to fulfill the basic
necessities of life like food, clothing and of life, i.e., food, clothing and
shelter. or her sustenance.
Ans. Poverty 18. Mention any one historical reason for
7. The common indicators of poverty are
and
Ans. Low level of income under tthe British
rule. colpoveronitayl.
Ans. Level of income; level of consumption 19. State two consequences of poverty.
8. refers to the total number of [CBSE 2016)
people living below poverty line. Ans. Growth of slums and high level of indebtedne
Ans. Absolute poverty are the two consequences of poverty.
9. refers to the poverty of people 20. What are the factors of human poverty?
in relation to other people, regions or nations. Ans. There are many factors of human poverty like
Ans. Relative poverty not having job security,discrimination due to
10. The state of living in very poor conditions caste, having inadequate access to education
and excluded from facilities, benefits shelter or food etc.
and opportunities that others enjoy is 21. Why is the concept of poverty being broadened
into human poverty?
Ans. Social exclusion Ans. The concept of poverty is being broadened into
11. describes that level of poverty human pOverty as the challenge is becoming
when people have a greater probability of bigger and the analysis of poverty is becoming
being adversely affected than other people rich through a variety of new concepts like
at the time of natural disasters. social exclusion.
Ans. Vulnerability 22. Mention any one common indicator of poverty
12. Social exclusion is a common indicator of Ans. Social exclusion is a common indicator of
poverty. (True/False) poverty today.
Ans. True 23. How is the analysis of poverty becoming rich
13. An urban poor has an income of 2,000per in recent years?
month. (True/False) Ans. The analysis of poverty is being enriched
Ans. False through a variety of new concepts like social
14. Odisha and Chhattisgarh are the poorest exclusion and vulnerability.
states in India.
(True/False) 24. What is poverty line?
Ans. False Ans. Poverty line is an indicator of poverty, l..
15. Rural Employment Generation Programme it is a level of income which barely meets
was launched in 1995. sustenance.
(True/False)
Ans. True 25. When is a person
16. What kind of people in India are
considered poor?
[CBSE 2016)
poor?
considered Ans. A person is considered poor if his or her
Ans. They could be landless labourers in
villages Income or consumption level falls below the
or people living in overcrowded jhuggis in given minimum level necessary to fultil ts
basic needs.
 299
Poverty as a Challenge
26. Who is an urban poor? decline in poverty
35. What led to the substantial
Ans. An urban poor is a person who has an income
(CBSE 2016]
in China?
of 1,000 per month and in terms of calories. poverty in China
kas arequirement of 2,100calories per Ans. The substantial decline in economic growth
person has been a result of rapid
per day. human resource
and massive investment in
a Which methods are used to estimate the development.
poverty development
line in India?
36. By which year the new sustainable ending
Ans. The daily income and consumption method goals of the United Nations proposes
are used to estimate the poverty line in India. all types of poverty?
Ans. 2030.
28. How is poverty line estimated periodically? one of
State the organisation which is responsible A. How is regular growth of population
for estimating poverty. the major causes of poverty? heus (HOTS]
increases the
Ans. High population growth rate Due to this,
Ans. The poverty line is estimated periodically by rate of depletion of resources.
conducting sample surveys. These surveys are pressure on resources increases. People
will
carried out by the National Sample Survey have to manage with a smaller
share of
Organisation (NSSO). resources, thus bringing more people below
29. Why is the calorie requirement higher in rural the poverty line.
areas? 38. The current anti-poverty programme consists
Ans. On account of people in the rural areas of two planks. Name them.
engaging themselves in strenuous physical Ans. The two planks of the current anti-poverty
work, calorie requirement in rural areas is programme are:
higher than in urban areas. (a) Promotion of economic growth
(b) Targeted anti-poverty programmes
30: Give the definition of poverty line as defined
by the World Bank. 39. Name the scheme which was launched to
ereate self-employment opportunities for the
Ans. World Bank defines poverty line in terms educated youth in the rural areas.
of minimum availability of the equivalent of Ans. The Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana
$1.90 per person per day.
40. What is the full form of MGNREGA?
31. Which socialgroups are vulnerable to poverty? Ans. MGNREGA stands for Mahatma Gandhi
[CBSE 2016]
vulnerable to
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Ans. The two social groups, most 41. What does PMGY stand for?
scheduled
poverty, are scheduled castes and Ans. PMGY stands for Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya
tribes households. Yojana.
India.
32. Give any two poorest states in 42. When was Rural Employment Generation
states
Ans. Odisha and Bihar are the two poorest Programme launched?
in India. Ans. REGP was launched in the year 1995.
a significant
33. Which states of India has seen 43. What is India's most compelling challenge?
decline in poverty? Ans. India's most compelling challenge is poverty
significant decline in reduction.
Ans. There has been a Maharashtra, Andhra
poverty in Kerala,
Gujarat and West Short Answer lype Questions [3 Marksl
Pradesh. Tamil Nadu, 44. Explain the colonial rule and income
Bengal. inequalities as causes of poverty.
officially non-existent
. Poverty, which was country? Ans. One historical reason responsible for the low
earlier, has resurfaced in which level of economic development. Le., poverty.
Ans. Russia
 300 ogetker uct Social
Science9
was the British colonial administration. It . Explain any three social indicators thr
was responsible for the ruin of the traditional which poverty is looked upon.
handicrafts and textile industries. It led to a Ans. Poverty today is looked upon
[CBSE 20l6)
fall in employment and thereby income level. through
indicators like illiteracy level, lack of sOcia
The situation was further aggravated by the to healthcare, lack of job opportunities access
high growth rate of population. As a result, (a) People are poor because they are i etc.
thegrowth rate of per capita income was very
low.
and they are illiterate because tihleyiteraarete
poor.
Another major cause of poverty has been (b) Poverty is a situation where sick
the huge inequalities in income, which are
attributed to unequal distribution of land and
cannot afford treatment, i.e.
access to healthcare. theypeopllacke
other resources. Major policy initiatives like (c) Poverty alsoimplies lack of a
land reforms which aimed at redistribution at a minimum decent level. regular job,
of assets in rural areas were not properly
implemented. A8. Define Vulnerability'. How is it determinet
Ans. Vulnerability refers to ameasure describine
45. *Poverty is a curse upon humanity." Explain.
the greater probability of certain communities
[CBSE 2012] like people belonging to backward castes
Ans. Indeed 'poverty is a curse upon humanity'
handicapped persons, old women etc
because the poor cannot afford belly-full becoming or remaining poor in the coming
meals a day.
years. It is determined by the options available
(a) The poor do not have a proper roof on to different sections of the society to have an
their heads to protect themselves from access to an alternative living in terms of assets
cold, rain and heat.
education, health, and job opportunities,
(b) Basicessentials like clothing, oil and soap when confronted with any kind of disaster
etc. are missing in the daily routine of
or calamity.
the poor. They cannot afford a minimum
subsistence level of living. 49. Describe how the poverty line is estimated
in India. [CBSE 2016)
(c) Sick members of the family suffering
from serious aliments like TB, cancer etc. Ans. In India, the poverty line is estimated
cannot be looked after in the absence of periodically, usually every five years, by
medication. conducting sample surveys. These surveys are
(d) In the absence of savings on account of carried out by the National Sample Survey
very low income, the poor fall an easy Organisation (NSSO.
prey to indebtedness. (any three ) In India, for determining the poverty line, the
46. *Every fourth person in India is poor." accepted average calorie requirement is 2,400
Substantiate the given statements (HOTS] calories per person per day in rural areas and
Ans. The above statement throws light upon the 2,100 calories per person per day in urban
fact that in India there is poverty all around areas. In the year 2011-12, the poverty line
us. This implies that roughly 270 million tor a person was fixed at 816 per month
people in India live in poverty. This also for the rural areas and 1.000 for the urban
substantiates the fact that India has the largest areas.
single concentration of the poor in the world. But for making comparisons between
India faces the biggest challenge on the poverty developing countries, manyinternational
front with the landless labourers in villages, over Organisations like the World Bank use a
crowdedjhuggis in cities, daily wage workers, uniform standard for the line, i.
pOverty
child workers in the dhabas and beggars minimum availability of the equivalent 0
around us. S 1.90 per person per day.
 Challenge 301
Poverty as a

Explainthe two higher growth rate has

methods to estimate poverty 1980s and 1990s. The
50. reduction ofpoverty.
line. (CBSE 2012)
The two methods used to estimate pOverty
helpedsignificantlyin the tothe strong link
This stands a testimony
Ans. growth and reduction in
line are:
(a) Income method: It this method, the
between the economic
poverty. need
poverty line is estimated with the help of these. there is a dire
Inthe light of
minimum income required. In the year targeted anti-poverty
2011-12, the poverty line for a person for the introduction of directly or
was fixed at 816 per month for the programme to affect povertyprogrammes
indirectly. Some of the major
rural areas and 1,000 per month for MGNREGA, PMRY,
the urban areas. The higher amount for in this direction are
urban areas has been fixed because of SGSY, AAY etc.
16 on alleviation
poverty
high prices of esential products in urban the results of the
33. Why up?
areas. programmes have been mixed
alleviation programmes
(b) Consumption method: In this method, the Ans. The results of poverty account of:
average calorie requirement of a person have been mixed up on
implementation and right
is multiplied to the current prices. The (a) Lack of proper
accepted average calorie requirement targeting.
due to a lot of
in India is 2,400calories per person per (b) Less effectiveness
overlapping of these schemes. benefits
day in rural areas and 2,100 calories per intentions, the
person per day in urban areas.
(c) Despite the good
not fully
of these programmes have
51. Analyse the factors responsible for contributing reached the deserving poor.
to decline in poverty in Kerala, Andhra of these
(d) Lack of proper monitoring(any three)
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. programmes.
Ans. There has been a decline in poverty in Kerala Long Answer Type Questions [5 Marks]
because it has focused more on human s
resource development. S4. State the dimensions of poverty.
and Tamil Nadu, Ans. The various dimensions of poverty are:
In states of Andhra Pradesh
could (a) It means hunger and shelter.
the public distribution of foodgrains (b) It is a situation in which parents are not
in food
have contributed to the improvement able to send their children to schools.
availability and thereby reducing the poverty. (c) It is a situation where sick people cannot
reduction in the
In Punjab, there has been a afford treatment.
agricultural
level of poverty on account of high (d) It means lack of safe drinking water and
growth rate. sanitation facilities.
of the major (e) It means lack of a regular job at a
52. Removal of poverty has been one
objective of Indian development strategy." In
minimum decent level.
explain the two 55. Give an account of inter-state disparities in
the light of this statement
anti-poverty
planks of Indian government on poverty in India. [CBSE 2013]

strategy.
[CBSE 2012; HOTS]
Ans. In çvery state, the proportion of poor is not
till early 1980s thé same. As a matter of fact, the success
AIS, Over a span of thirty years, income was rate of reducing pOverty varies from state to
avery little growth in per capita state. While the AllIndia Head Count Ratio
observed and reduction in poverty was alsg
(HCR)was 21.9% in 2011-12, but states like
not much.
growth Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar
Since the eighties, India's economic 3.5% and Odisha has poverty above the all India
world from
has been the fastest in the poverty level. Bihar and Odisha continue to
6% during the
Per annum in 1970s to about
 302 octker auo Social
Science-9
(d) High growth rate of population led
be the poorest states with poverty ratios of
33.7% and 32.6% respectively. In Odisha, very low per capita income in the
Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (e) Huge income
inequalities due to
distribution land and other
of
Counequaluntry.
along with rural poverty urban poverty is also
high.
There has been a significant decline in poverty
58. What are the main features of
Employment Guarantee Act, 20052
resour\RcureSal.
fNational
in states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra
NCERT
(CBSE 2016, 13, 12, 111
Pradesh. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Ans. Refer to Ans 9 (iii)
Bengal. High agricultural growth rates are Elucidate the targeted
responsible for reducing poverty in Punjab
and Haryana. Kerala has focussed more on
programmes undertaken by
Ans. The governnment has launched
arnti-poverty
thegovernment,
many
human resource development. Land reform
measures have helped in reducing poverty affecting poverty directly or indirectly. schemesSome
in West Bengal. Public distribution of food of the most important programmes are:
grains is held responsible for the improvement (a) Mahatama Gandhi National
Rural
on the poverty front of Andhra Pradesh and Employment t Guarantee Act 2005: It
aims
Tamil Nadu. to provide 100days of wage employment
56. Give one most suitable factor responsible to every household to ensure
for the reduction of poverty in each of the livelihood in rural areas. It also
aims
security
following cases. at sustainable development to address
(a) Punjab (b) Kerala the causes of draught, soil erosion and
(c) West Bangal (d) Andhra Pradesh deforestation. One-third of the proposed
Ans. (a) High agricultural growth rates are jobs have been reserved for women under
responsible for reducing poverty in this scheme.
Punjab. (b) Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY,
(b) Kerala has focussed more on human It was started in 1993. The aim of the
resource development. scheme is to create self-employment
(c) Land reform measures have helped in
reducing poverty in West Bengal. opportunities for eduated unemployed
(d) Public distribution of food grains is youth in the rural areas and towns. The
responsible for the improvement in youth are provided assistance in setting
poverty in Andhra Pradesh. up small business and industries.
S1. Mention any four causes of poverty in India. (c) Rural Employment Generation
[CBSE 2016, 15, 13, 12, 11] Programme (REGP): It was launched
Or in 1995. The aim of the
programme is
Discuss the major reasons of poverty in India. to create self-employment opportunities
[CBSE 2016, 15, 11, 10] in rural areas and small towns.
Ans. There are a number of causes (d)
responsible
for the widespread poverty in India.
Swarnajayanti Gram SwarOzgar Yojana
Some (SGSY):It was launched in 1999. The aim
of them are:
is tobring the assisted poor families above
(a) Low level of economicdevelopment
under the British rule in India.
the poverty line by organising them into
(b) Decline of Indian Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with the help
which led to handicrafts industry, of bank credit and government subsidy.
unemployment,
and misery which were poverty
responsible for
(e) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojan.
the low rate of (PMGY): It was launched in 2000. Under
(c) Social factors likeincome growth. this, additional central assistance is grven
caste system, religious
faiths and beliefs also kept to states for basic services like priman
of people in society in certain section health,primary education. rural drink1n
poverty. water and rural electrification.
 Challenge 303
Poverty as a
PRACTICEQUESTIONS
VeryShortAnswer/Objective ype Questions [1 Mork) 18. What are the major reasons for
ineffectiveness
The calorie requirement is higher in rural in India?
areas because: Of anti-poverty measures person
T9. Name the Act through which a poor
(a) they do not enjoy as much as people in
urban areas. can get 100days assured employment.
20, What does PMRY stand for?
) food items are expensive. [CBSE 2016]
21. Give the full form of REGP.
(c) they are unemployed.
À) people are engaged in more physical 22. What can be the expected outcomes of povery
labour. reduction?
India?
, The accepted average calorie requirement per 23. What are the bigger challenges before
person in urban areas in India is: Short Answer Type Questions [3 Marks]
(a) 2200 calories (b) 2000 calories
(c) 2300 calories 24. How is illiteracy responsible for poverty in
(d) 2100 calories India?
1. Antyodaya Anna Yojana was launched in:
(a) 2003 Z5. "Poverty reduction is expected to mark better
(b) 1999
(c) 2000 progress in the next ten to fifteen years.
(d) 2005 [CBSE 2016; HOTS]
is the term which defines an Justify.
4. 26. What do you understand by the concept of
increase in real output of a country. 'Social Exclusion'?
5. NSSO stands for
27. Identify the social and economic groups, which
6. the India's most compelling
are most unlnerable to poverty in India.
challenge. [CBSE 2012]
1. The Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana was launched 28. Wide disparities in poverty are visible between
tocreate self-employment opportunities for rural and urban areas and also among the
the educated youth in rural areas. (True/False) different states in India.' Elaborate. (HOTS]
8. Poverty, which was officially non-existent 29. Mention the two planks on which the current
earlier, has resurfaced in Britain. (True/False) anti-poverty strategy of the government is
9. Is it correct to say that India has the largest
concentration of poor in the world? based. Why were the poverty alleviation
programmes not successful in most parts of
10. Give two examples of poor people whom you
Come across in daily life. [CBSE 2016] India? [CBSE 2011)

11. What is mass poverty? Long Answer Type Questions [5 Marks]

12. What do you understand by human poverty? 30. Explain any four measures taken by the
[CBSE 2011]
government to remove poverty.[CBSE 2015, 11]
13. Give one social indicator through which poverty Or
is now being looked through. Manyprogrammes to alleviate poverty have
14. What is the accepted average calories require
ment in India?
been launched by the government of India.
Write down any three of such programmes.
(a) In rural areas 31. Describe the Global Poverty Scenario as studied
(b) In urban areas by the World Bank. [CBSE 2012]
World
Who 1S a poor person according to the
[CBSE 2016] Or
Bank?
10. Which economic groups are most vulnerable
Give an account of Global Poverty Trends.
[CBSE 2016]
to poverty?
17. How has Haryana reduced poverty? 32. How is poverty reduction the most compelling
[CBSE 2016] challenge for India? Explain.