Is there any relationship between unemployment and poverty? Explain.
Yes, there does exist a direct and positive relationship between unemployment and poverty. Unemployment leads to poverty and poverty in turn leads to unemployment. An unemployed person has no means to earn money and cannot fulfill his own and his family's basic needs. He and his family cannot avail quality education, medical facilities and have no means to create income-earning assets. Such circumstances often compel indebtedness. Consequently, an unemployed person exaggerates poverty for his family due to indebtedness. This confirms the positive relationship between unemployment and poverty. If the government wants to alleviate poverty, then it should aim at creating new employment opportunities. As a result, more people will get employed and perhaps their income will rise. This rise in income will improve their access to quality education, better health care and other basic amenities. Further, these newly employed people will experience appreciation in their living standards and can create income-earning assets. The combined result of all these factors leads to alleviation of poverty. Hence, there exists a positive (but a negative) relationship between unemployment (employment) and poverty.
Illustrate the difference between rural and urban poverty. Is it correct to say that poverty has shifted from rural to urban areas? Use the trends in poverty ratio to support your answer.
The three dimensional attack on poverty adopted by the govern-ment has not succeded in poverty alleviation in India. Comment.
What programmes has the government adopted to help the elderly people and poor and destitute women?
Why are employment generation programmes important in poverty alleviation in India?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
How can creation of income earning assets address the problem of poverty?
What is meant by ‘Food for Work’ programme?
Suppose you are a resident of a village, suggest a few measures to tackle the problem of poverty.
Suppose you are from a poor family and you wish to get help from the government to set up a petty shop. Under which scheme will you apply for assistance and why?
What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies?
What are the two major sources of human capital in a country?
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?
Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period?
What are the main characteristics of health of the people of our country?
What are the indicators of educational achievement in a country?
Were there any positive contributions made by the British in India? Discuss.
Victor is able to get work only for two hours in a day. Rest of the day, he is looking for work. Is he unemployed? Why? What kind of jobs could persons like Victor be doing?
How has the consumption pattern of energy changed over the years?
What similar developmental strategies have India and Pakistan followed for their respective developmental paths?
Who is a casual wage labourer?
Though the public sector is very essential for industries, many public sector undertakings incur huge losses and are a drain on the economy’s resources. Discuss the usefulness of public sector undertakings in the light of this fact.
Discuss the reforms which have been initiated recently to meet the energy crisis in India.
What is meant by environment?