NCERT Solutions Class 9 Economics Chapter 3: Poverty as a Challenge

Poverty is one of the major problems faced by modern India. Chapter 3 of Class 9 Economics talks about poverty using examples and explains how poverty is studied in social sciences. It discusses poverty trends in India and worldwide using the idea of the poverty line. The reasons for poverty and the government’s efforts to reduce it are also covered. The chapter concludes by expanding the official definition of poverty to include human poverty. The notes provided below cover all the topics discussed in the chapter.

1. Describe how the poverty line is estimated in India.

Answer:

A person is considered poor if they don’t earn enough or spend enough on basic things they need to live. This minimum amount needed to cover basic needs is called the poverty line. In India, the poverty line is calculated by adding up the costs of necessary things like food, clothes, shoes, fuel, electricity, education, etc., in rupees. The numbers used to set the poverty line can change every year. Also, the poverty line for rural areas is different from urban areas because life and expenses are different in these places.

2. Do you think that the present methodology of poverty estimation is appropriate?

Answer:

No, the way we measure poverty now doesn’t seem fair. It only considers how much money someone has, not their whole life situation. Nowadays, being poor means more than just not having money. As society moves forward, being poor means different things. People might have food to eat, but they still might not have education, a good place to live, healthcare, a steady job, or respect. To really stop poverty, we need to think about all of these things, not just money. So, if we want to completely get rid of poverty, we should change how we measure it.

3. Describe poverty trends in India since 1973.

Answer:

The Economic Survey of 2017-18 found that although fewer people in the country are poor now compared to before, there are still a lot of poor people. In 1993-94, around 45% of people in both rural and urban areas were poor, but by 2011-12, this dropped to 22%. However, the worrying thing is that there hasn’t been a big enough decrease in the number of poor people overall. In 1993-94, there were 404 million poor people in both rural and urban areas, and by 2011-12, there were still 270 million. This survey clearly shows that the authorities need to take serious action to make India free of poverty.

4. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India.

Answer:

The main reasons for poverty in the country are:

The low level of economic growth during British colonial rule. Colonial policies harmed traditional crafts and hindered the growth of industries like textiles.
The expansion of the Green Revolution created some job opportunities, but they were not enough compared to the number of people looking for work.
Unequal distribution of land and resources is another significant factor contributing to poverty in India.
The poor often spend a lot of money fulfilling social and religious obligations, leading to poverty.
Income inequality among people is also a major cause of poverty.

5. Identify the social and economic groups which are most vulnerable to poverty in India.

Answer:

The social groups most at risk of poverty in India are:

Scheduled Caste Households
Scheduled Tribe Households

The economic groups most vulnerable to poverty in India are:

Rural Agricultural Labour Households
Urban Casual Labour Households

6. Give an account of interstate disparities of poverty in India.

Answer:

Poverty levels vary across different states in India. The effectiveness of poverty reduction efforts differs from one state to another, leading to differences in poverty levels between states. Orissa, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh are the three states with the highest poverty rates in India, with 47%, 42%, and 37% of their populations living below the poverty line, respectively. On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh are among the states with lower poverty rates. Several factors contribute to these differences in poverty levels among Indian states.

7. Describe global poverty trends.

Answer:

The success in decreasing poverty differs from place to place, leading to differences in poverty levels between states. Orissa, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh are the three poorest states in India, with 47%, 42%, and 37% of their populations living below the poverty line, respectively. On the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh are among the more prosperous states in terms of poverty levels. Globally, there has been a significant decrease in poverty. This decline is attributed to rapid economic growth and significant investments in human development in China and Southeast Asian nations. However, poverty rates in Latin America remained largely unchanged, while sub-Saharan Africa experienced an increase in poverty from 41% in 1981 to 46% in 2001. In some former socialist countries like Russia, poverty has emerged despite its absence in the past.

8. Describe the current government strategy of poverty alleviation.

Answer:

Reducing poverty has been a big goal of India’s development plan. The current government’s strategy to fight poverty focuses mainly on two things: making the economy grow and creating programs to help the poorest people. People all over the country are being taught about how important education is, which has led to more people being able to read and write. The government has introduced various plans like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY), and Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) to try to get rid of poverty in the country.

9. Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) What do you understand by human poverty?

Answer:

Human poverty refers to a broader form of poverty that extends beyond just economic status. It encompasses factors such as lack of education, inadequate healthcare, discrimination, and inequality. Simply eliminating economic poverty should not be the sole goal of authorities; instead, the aim should be to eradicate human poverty altogether.

(ii) Who are the poorest of the poor?

Answer:

Women, baby girls, and older adults are seen as the most economically disadvantaged. This is because, within impoverished households, these individuals endure the greatest hardships and lack access to essential necessities in life.

(iii) What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005?

Answer:

The key points of the National Rural Employment Act 2005 are:

Offering 100 days of paid work to each family to secure their living in rural regions.
Promoting sustainable growth to tackle issues like drought, deforestation, and soil erosion.
Reserving one-third of the jobs created by this plan for women.