Q and Ans : Poverty

Chapter: Poverty 

Question 1.

What are the major features of poverty? Explain.
Answer:

It also is a situation in which parents are not able to send their children to school or a situation where sick people cannot afford treatment.

Poverty also means lack of clean water and sanitation facilities.

It also means lack of regular job at a minimum decent level. Above all it means living with a sense of helplessness.

Poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place, in farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, railway stations etc.

Poverty when looked through other social indicators like illiteracy level, lack of general resistance due to malnutrition, lack of access to healthcare, lack of job opportunities, lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation etc.

Question 2 Which of the main factor responsible for the reduction of poverty in the following states:
(i) Punjab
(ii) Kerala
(iii) West Bengal
(iv) Tamil Nadu
Answer:
(i) Punjab: Povety has been reduced due to high agricultural growth rate.
(ii) Kerala: Poverty has been reduced through human resource development.
(iii) West Bengal: Poverty has been reduced through land reform measures.
(iv) Tamil Nadu: Poverty has been reduced through proper public distribution system.

Question 3 Explain the causes of poverty in India.
Answer: Causes are-
1. The policies of colonial government ruined traditional handicrafts and discouraged development of industries in India.
2. The failure at both the fronts: promotion of economic growth and population control perpectuated the cycle of poverty.
3. The effects of growth in agriculture sector due to Green revolution were limited to some parts of India.
4. The industries did not provide enough jobs to absorb all job seekers.
5. The major reason for poverty is unequal distribution of land and other resources.

Q Explain some measures which have been taken by the government to remove poverty.
Answer
The government has launched various poverty alleviation schemes to control poverty.
(i) National Rural Employ-ment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005:
[1] It was passed in September 2005.
[2] 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.
[3] One-third of the proposed jobs would be reserved for women.
[4] Under the programme, if an applicant is not provided employment within fifteen days, he/she will be entitled to a daily unemployment
allowance.
[5] It also aimed at sustainable development to address the cause of draught, deforestation and soil erosion.
 
(ii) The Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY):
[1] It was started in 1993.
[2] The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities for the educated unemployed youth in rural areas and small towns.
[3] They are helped in setting up small business and industries.

(iii) Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP):
[1] It was launched in 1995.
[2] The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities in rural areas and small towns.
[3] A target for creating 25 lakh new jobs has been set for the programme under the Tenth Five Year Plan.

(iv) Swamajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY):
[1] It was launched in 1999.
[2] The programme aims at bringing the assisted poor families above the poverty line
[3] It helps them organising into self-help groups through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy.

(v) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY):
[1] It was launched in 2000.
[2] under this programme, additional central assistance is given to states for basic services such as primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural electrification.


Q ‘The results of poverty alleviation programmes have been mixed.’ Give reasons.
Answer: The results of poverty allevation programmes have been mixed up on account of:

a) Lack of proper implementation and right targeting

b) Less effectiveness due to a lot of overlapping of these schemes

c) Despite the good intentions, the benefits of these programmes have not fully reached the deserving poor

d) Lack of proper monitoring of these programmes

Q Explain vulnerability.

Answer:Vulnerability:

[1] Vulnerability describes the greatest probability of being more adversely affected than other people, which is done due to earthquake or simply a fall in the availability of jobs

[2] Measurement of Vulnerability to poverty describes the greater probability of certain communities ie; members of a backward caste or individuals i.e. a widow or a physically handicapped person

[3] Vulnerability is determined by the option available to different communities for finding an alternative living in terms of assets, education , health and job opportunities.

[4] Further, it is analysed on the basis of the greater risks these groups face at the time of natural disasters.

[5] Additional analysis is made of their social and economic ability to handle risks of natural disasters.

Q Define Social Exclusion.
Answer
Social exclusion can happen to social and economically depressed groups. Social exclusion is the process by which the poor lack benefits, facilities, and equal opportunities that the others enjoy. The example for this can be shown in the Indian caste system where the socially excluded groups cannot live the others.