DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1
EXERCISES
1. Development of a country can generally be determined by
(i) its per capita income
(ii) its average literacy level
(iii) health status of its people
(iv) all the above
Answer: (iv) all the above
2. Which of the following neighbouring countries has better performance in terms of human development than India?
(i) Bangladesh
(ii) Sri Lanka
(iii) Nepal
(iv) Pakistan
Answer: (ii) Sri Lanka
3. Assume there are four families in a country. The average per capita income of
these families is Rs 5000. If the income of three families is Rs 4000, Rs 7000
and Rs 3000 respectively, what is the income of the fourth family?
(i) Rs 7500
(ii) Rs 3000
(iii) Rs 2000
(iv) Rs 6000
Answer: (iii) Rs 6000
4. What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion, if any?
Answer: (1)
• In the World Development Report, 2006, the World Bank uses the term average income or per capita income to classify countries.
• Average income or per capita income is the total income of a country divided by its population.
(2) According to the WDR 2006, countries are classified as follows:
• Rich countries: Countries with earnings per capital? In 2004, 453,000 and more annually were considered rich countries
• Low-income countries: Countries with earnings per capital? 37,000 or less is considered a low-income country.
• India falls into the category of low income countries as it had only capital income per capita in 2004? 28,000 per annum.
• With the exception of Middle Eastern countries and some other small countries, rich countries are generally referred to as developed countries.
(3) The limitations of the condition are as follows:
1. This does not tell us how this income is distributed among the people. A country may have a more equitable distribution. People may not be very rich or very poor.
2. in another country with the same average income, one person may be extremely rich while others may be very poor. Hence, the average earnings approach does not provide an accurate picture of a country.
3. This system hides disparities among people.
5. In what respects is the criterion used by the UNDP for measuring development different from the one used by the World Bank?
Answer:
1. Terms used by the World Bank: Average income, i.e. per capita income, is the main term used by the World Bank to classify countries. According to the World Development Report 2006, published by the World Bank, countries with a per capita income of $10,066 and more in 2004 are considered rich or developed countries. On the other hand, countries with a per capita income of $825 or less are referred to as low-income countries.
2. UNDP compares countries based on the HDI, on the educational level of the people, their health status and income per capital or average income.
3. The Human Development Index used by UNDP is better as it is a broader indicator that includes, in addition to per capita income, health and education.
6. Why do we use averages? Are there any limitations to their use? Illustrate with
your own examples related to development.
Answer:
(1) We use averages for comparison between two countries, two persons or any two or more things.
(2) There are the following limitations to the use of averages :
• Averages do not tell us about the similarities or differences between two countries or individuals or things.
• In the case of countries, the average can be compared in only one aspect, such as income, size, etc., and in the case of students, marks or participation in sports activities, etc. Not all aspects or perceptions are compared.
• Since only one aspect is compared, it does not provide a true picture of different countries, individuals or objects. For example, students differ in height, health, talents and interests. The healthiest learner may not be the smartest or top student. The same is true of countries or states. A country may be ahead of another in one area but lagging behind in another. So the average does not give an accurate picture.
7. Kerala, with lower per capita income has a better human development ranking
than Haryana. Hence, per capita income is not a useful criterion at all and should not be used to compare states. Do you agree? Discuss.
Answer:
It is correct to say that per capita income is not a useful term at all and should not be used to compare states for the following reasons:
• Money cannot buy all the goods and services you need to live well. They are not entirely adequate indicators of the physical goods and services that citizens can use.
• There can be no pollution-free environment in the colony of the rich unless the whole community takes preventive measures.
• Sometimes, it is better to have community services such as security for the entire area than to have private security for one's own home. Again, a school may be opened for the children of the whole community rather than for one or two children of a wealthy person.
• Kerala has a better human development ranking than Punjab.
• In Kerala, the infant mortality rate is 11 compared to 49 in Punjab, which has a much higher per capita income than Kerala. it? 26000 while this in Kerala? 22800. This is because Kerala has adequate basic health and educational facilities.
• Similarly, in some states, the Public Distribution System (PDS) works well and people receive ration regularly while in other states ration shops do not function properly. In such places, people face shortages of crops which affect their health. It is therefore clear that states should not be compared solely on the basis of per capita income.
8. Find out the present sources of energy that are used by the people in India. What could be the other possibilities fifty years from now?
Answer:
The current sources of energy used by the people of India are electricity, coal, crude oil, manure and solar energy. Fifty years from now, other possibilities may include improved use of ethanol, bio-diesel, nuclear power and wind power, especially with the imminent danger of running out of oil resources.
9. Why is the issue of sustainability important for development?
Answer:
Sustainable development means that development should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Of course, since the second half of the twentieth century, a number of scientists have warned that current types and levels of development are not sustainable. The issue of sustainable development stems from the rapid industrialization of the world in the last century. It is felt that economic development and industrialization have led to indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources. On the other hand, the stock of natural resources is limited. Therefore, if limited resources are completely exhausted, the development of all countries is likely to be jeopardized in the future.
In this scenario, the issue of stability has become crucial for development. Several resources have been overused. For example, many parts of the country, namely Punjab, Haryana and western UP, are under serious threat of overuse of groundwater. The water level has dropped by more than 4 metres. As a result, if we continue to use too much, there will be a water crisis in the future. Similarly, if non-renewable resources are used indiscriminately, they will also run out.
10. “The Earth has enough resources to meet the needs of all but not enough to satisfy the greed of even one person”. How is this statement relevant to the disscusion of development? Discuss.
Answer: This statement is relevant to the discussion of development as both resources and development go hand in hand. As the statement claims, we have enough resources on earth – renewable and non-renewable to meet everyone’s needs if we use them in an economical way. For developmental stability, resource utilization and supervision are also important. We must use the resources that keep our environment safe and clean so that there is a balance between the development and use of our resources. Otherwise, development will stagnate after a certain point in the future.
11. List a few examples of environmental degradation that you may have observed around you.
Answer:
1. Air pollution is increasing due to smoke emissions from factories and vehicles.
2. Water pollution is increasing due to shops and small factories in residential areas.
3. Noise pollution is caused by the use of loudspeakers at night and unnecessary honking of horns by various vehicles on the roads.
4. People throw trash wherever they want. Probably no road or roadside dustbins.
5. Sometimes people urinate in the open along the road due to lack of public facilities.
12. For each of the items given in Table 1.6, find out which country is at the top and
which is at the bottom.
Answer:
13. The following table shows the proportion of adults (aged 15-49 years) whose BMI
is below normal (BMI <18.5 kg/m2
Answer:
) in India. It is based on a survey of various
states for the year 2015-16. Look at the table and answer the following questions.
Source: National Family Health Survey-4,
2015-16,
(i) Compare the nutritional level of people in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
(ii) Can you guess why around one-fifth of people in the country are undernourished even though it is argued that there is enough food in the country? Describe in your own words.
Questions Type By: Himashree Bora.
Post ID : DABP002330
