Question 1.
What are the indicators used by social scientists to understand poverty?
Answer:
The indicators used by social scientists to understand poverty are :

• Levels of income and consumption
• 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.
What do you understand by vulnerability to poverty?
Answer:
Vulnerability of poverty means some communities or social groups are more prone to poverty than other sections of the society. Members of a backward caste or individuals such as a widow or a physically handicapped person of becoming, or remaining, poor in the coming years. Vulnerability is determined by the options available to different communities for finding an alternative living in terms of assets, education, health and job opportunities. Further, it is analysed on the basis of the greater risks these groups face at the time of natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunami), terrorism, etc.

Question 3.
How were the British policies responsible for the increase in poverty in India?
Answer:
There were a number of causes for the widespread in India. One of the historical reasons is the low level of economic development under the British colonial administration. The policies of colonial government ruined traditional handicrafts and discouraged development of industries like textiles. The low rate of growth persisted until the nineteen-eighties. This resulted in less job opportunities and low growth rate of incomes. This was accompanied by a high growth rate of population. The two combined to make the growth rate of per capita income very low. The failure at both the fronts : promotion of economic growth and population control perpetuated the cycle of poverty.

Question 4.
What does social exclusion mean?
Answer:

• According to this concept, poverty must be seen in terms of the poor having to live only in poor surrounding with other people, excluded from enjoying social equality of better-off people in better surroundings.
• Social exclusion can be both a cause as well as a consequence of poverty in the usual sense.
• Broadly, it is a through in which individuals or groups are excluded from facilities, benefits and opportunities that others enjoy.

Question 5.
How is economic growth linked with poverty reduction in India?
Answer:
Till the early eighties, there were little per capita income growth and not much reduction in poverty. Afterwards the growth rate jumped from the average of about 3-5 percent a year in the 1970s to 6 per cent during the 1980s and 1990s. The higher growth rates have helped significantly in the reduction of poverty. There is a strong link between economic growth and poverty reduction. Economic growth widens opportunities and provides the resources needed to invest in human development. This also encourages people to send their children, including the girl child, to schools in the hope of getting better economic returns from investing in education.

Question 6.
How are socio-cultural and economic factors responsible for poverty?
Answer:
Many socio-cultural and economic factors are responsible for poverty. In order to fulfil social obligations and observe religious ceremonies, people in India, including the very poor, spend a lot of money. Small farmers need money to buy agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. Since poor people hardly have any savings, they borrow. Unable to repay because of poverty, they become victims of indebtedness. So, the high level of indebtedness is both the cause and effect of poverty.

Question 7.
Explain the principle measures taken in Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to reduce poverty.
Answer:
The measure taken in Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to reduce poverty are :

• The principal measures taken in Punjab to reduce poverty is increasing the agricultural growth rates.
• Kerala has focused more on human resource development to reduce poverty.
• Andhra Pradesh focused on public distribution of food grains to reduce poverty.

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Question 8.
How does rapid growth rate of population increase poverty in a country?
Answer:

• Rapid growth of population in comparison to the rate of growth of resources hampers the process of economic development.
• Increase in population reduces the per capita income and lowers the standard of living in an economy.
• In India, rapid growth of population has put in more stress on its economic and social infrastructure and thereby, aggravating the problem of poverty and unemployment.
• Due to enormous population, a large portion of national income is used on consumption and less is left for saving which, in turn, reduces the capital formation.
• As a result of low capital formation, enough employment opportunities cannot be created which further aggravate the problem of poverty. Poor people in India are ignorant, illiterate and has very less means of entertainment. So, they end up adding more to the population.

Question 9.
What is poverty? What are the dimensions of poverty?
Answer:
Poverty is a situation in which a person is unable to get the minimum necessities of life.
Due to poverty poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place.
The dimensions of poverty are :

• Poverty means hunger and lack of shelter.
• It 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 a regular job at a minimum decent level. :
• 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.

Question 10 How can poverty be reduced in future in India?
Answer:
Poverty can be reduced in the following ways :

• Increasing stress on universal free elementary education
• Increasing empowerment of the women and the economically weaker sections of society.
• Declining population growth.
• Avoiding caste and gender discrimination.
• Improving healthcare, education and job security.
• Removing inequality of wealth among people.

Important Link

Quick Revision Notes : Poverty as a Challenge

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MCQs:Poverty as a Challenge

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