Class 10th (CBSE) Economics Chapter :- 1 Development

   Chapter-1 DEVELOPMENT

Q 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

Ans. (iv) all the above  

Q 2.  Which of the following neighbouring countries of India has better performance in terms of human development than India?

(i) Bangladesh

(ii) Sri Lanka

(iii) Nepal

(iv) Pakistan

Ans. (ii) Sri Lanka.

Q.3.Assume there are four families in a country. The average per capita income of these families is 5000. If the income of three families is 4000, 7000 and 3000 respectively, what is the income of the fourth family?

(I) 7500

(II) 3000

(III) 2000

(iv) 6000

Total income of four

families = 5,000 x 4

= 20,000

Total income of three families 

= 4,000 +7,000 + 3,000

= 14,000

Income of the fourth family

= 20,000 - 14,000

= 6,000

Ans :- 6000

Q.4 What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion, if any?

Ans :- 

(i)Per capita income, life expectancy at birth, literacy rate and other basic necessities like clean drinking water, sanitation etc. 

(ii) Sustainability of development.

(iii) It is the process of enlarging people's choices as well as raising the level of well being so that they can lead a purposeful and a creative life. Though the national income and the per capita income are the indicators of human development, but it includes many other elements like consumption, health, environment, education, freedom, security, non-violent atmosphere, etc.

(iv) Sustainable Development is that process of economic development which aims at maintaining the quality of life of both the present and the future generations without harming the natural resources and environment.

(v) UNDP:

(a) Educational level

(b) Health status

(c) Per capita income

Q.5 In what respect is the criterion used by the UNDP for measuring development different from the one used by the World Bank?

Ans :- 

Q.6 Why do we use averages? Are there any limitations to their use ? Illustrate with your own examples related to the development.

Ans:-  Averages are used to compare different countries, states or regions. Averages have many limitations.

1. These don't give us the true picture regarding the distribution of income.

2. Averages don't give us any information regarding the non-materialistic goods and services.

Limitations of average income :

While averages' are useful for comparison, they also hide disparities.

For example, let us consider two countries-A and B. For the sake of simplicity, we have assumed that they have only five citizens each. Based on the data given in the table, let us calculate the average income for both the countries.

Will you be equally happy to live in both these countries ? Are both equally developed? Perhaps, some of us may like to live in country B if we are assured of being its fifth citizen, but if it is a lottery that decides our citizenship number, then perhaps, most of us will prefer to live in country A. This is because even though both the countries have an identical average income, country A is preferred because it has more equal distribution. In this country, people are neither very rich nor extremely poor while most of the citizens in country B are poor, and one person is extremely rich.

Hence, while the average income is useful for the comparison, it does not tell us how this income is distributed among the people.

Q.7. Kerala, with a lower per capita income has a better human development ranking than Punjab. Hence, the per capita income is not a useful criterion at all, and should not be used to compare states. Do you agree? Discuss.

Ans :-  The per capita income is one of the most important components of human development. No country of the world can ignore this. Increasing national income and the per capita income are the two main goals of all the developing as well as developed countries. So we cannot ignore the per capita income

Q.8. Find out the present sources of energy used by people in India. What could be the possibilities fifty years from now?

Ans :-  Coal is the main source of energy. Reserves of coal are limited. So India can face an energy crisis in the future.

Q.9 Why is the issue of sustainability important for development ?

Ans. (i) It cares for the needs of the future generations.

(ii) It promotes an efficient use of natural resources.

(iii) It lays emphasis on quality life.

(iv) It provides long term solution.

 Q.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 discussion of development ? Discuss.

Ans. (i) Groundwater is a renewable resource but its overuse in some regions is lowering the watertable.

(ii) Use of coal for production of energy leads to development, but its overuse degrades the environment.

(iii) Industrialisation leads to development, but it also degrades the environment.

Q.11. List a few examples of environmental degradation that you may have observed around you.

(i) Construction of dams

(ii) Deforestation

(iii) Burning of coal and mineral oil

(iv) Use of fertilizers and pesticides.

(v) Soil erosion.

 

Q.12. The table shows the proportion of undernourished adults in India. It is based on a survey of various states in the country for the year 2001. Look at the table, and answer the following questions.

.

Ans :- 

(i) Based on the above data, compare the nutritional level of the people in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

(ii) Can you guess why around 40 per cent of the people in the country are undernourished even though it is argued that there is enough food in the country? Describe in your own words.

Ans. 

(i) The nutritional level of the people of Kerala is quite higher than the people - both males and females of Madhya Pradesh. In Kerala, the ratio of the undernourished is less than that of Madhya Pradesh.

(ii) There is enough food in the country but even then 40 per cent of the people in the country are undermourished because of the following reasons:

(a) A large number of people are so poor that they cannot afford nutritious food. 

(b) Wastage of foodgrains in godowns is below another important factor responsible for scarcity of foodgrains.

(c) There is a lack of educational and health facilities in many parts of the country. So many people remain backward and poor, and so, they are unable to get nutritious food.

(d) In most of the states, the Public Distribution System (PDS) does not function properly, and the poor people cannot get cheap food items, so they remain undemourished.

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