Argue in favour of the need for different forms of government intervention in education and health sectors.
India being a federal country, expenditures on both education and health are carried out by all the three tiers of the government. In India, the education and health sectors services are provided both by the public as well as by the private institutions. While, the private institutions are guided by the market and profit motive, on the other hand, the public institutions are guided by the main motive of rendering services and to enhance human capital. As the cost of education and health facilities provided by private institutions is higher, so it is difficult for the majority of population to avail these services because of their economic inability.
Thus, it is very important for the government to provide quality education and health facilities to this section of the population. Moreover, private institutions are unable to reach remote and rural areas where people lack initiative for education and health. In this context, the role of government to encourage them and to make them aware of advantages of education and health cannot be substituted. Also, there are some underprivileged sections of population like, ST, SC, OBC, the interests of whose can only be protected by the interference of government. Moreover, people as individual consumers do not have complete information about the quality of services and the related costs. This often leads to exploitation of people. Hence, government intervention in health and education sector is must in order to enhance the quality of human capital.
Trace the relationship between human capital and economic growth.
Discuss the need for promoting women’s education in India.
Discuss the following as a source of human capital formation
(i) Health infrastructure
(ii) Expenditure on migration.
What are the main problems of human capital formation in India?
‘There is a downward trend in inequality world-wide with a rise in the average education levels’. Comment.
What are the indicators of educational achievement in a country?
How is human development a broader term as compared to human capital?
Education is considered to be an important input for the development of a nation. How?
What factors contribute to human capital formation?
How does investment in human capital contribute to growth?
What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies?
What do you mean by rural development? Bring out the key issues in rural development.
Define a plan?
Who is a worker?
Explain the term ‘infrastructure’.
What is meant by environment?
Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
Why were reforms introduced in India?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period?
You are residing in a village. If you are asked to advice the village panchayat, what kinds of activities would you suggest for the improvement of your village which would also generate employment.
While subsidies encourage farmers to use new technology, they are a huge burden on government finances. Discuss the usefulness of subsidies in the light of this fact.
Explain ‘growth with equity’ as a planning objective.
The traditional handicrafts industries were ruined under the British rule. Do you agree with this view? Give reasons in support of your answer.
What similar developmental strategies have India and Pakistan followed for their respective developmental paths?
Group the following features pertaining to the economies of India, China and Pakistan under three heads
• One-child norm
• Low fertility rate
• High degree of urbanisation
• Mixed economy
• Very high fertility rate
• Large population
• High density of population
• Growth due to manufacturing sector
• Growth due to service sector.
Those public sector undertakings which are making profits should be privatised. Do you agree with this view? Why?
What are the various means by which countries are trying to strengthen their own domestic economies?
China’s rapid industrial growth can be traced back to its reforms in 1978. Do you agree? Elucidate.
Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development.