CBSE Class 9 Social Science Poverty as challenge Assignment

Answer: D

Question: What is meant by Social Exclusion? 
(A) Process by which all individuals are excluded from certain privileges.
(B) Process by which all individuals are given privileges.
(C) Process in which Individual or Groups are excluded from facilities and Opportunities that is enjoyed by the General people.
(D) None of these.

Answer: C

Question: When was National Rural Employment Guarantee Act passed? 
(A) In August 2008
(B) In August 2014
(C) In August 2005
(D) In August 1995

Answer: C

Question: The Calorie requirement is higher in the Rural areas because. 
(A) They do not enjoy as much as people in the Urban areas.
(B) Food items are expensive.
(C) They are engaged in mental work.
(D) People are engaged in physical labour

Answer: D

Question:. NSSO stands for. R
(A) National Sample Survey Organisation
(B) National Sampling Survey Organisation
(C) National Sample Survey Organised
(D) National Sample Surveyed Organisation

Answer: A

Question: Name a method to estimate Poverty Line in India. 
(A) Expenditure method
(B) Income method
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) Demand and supply

Answer: B

Question: In how many districts was NFWP initially launched?
(A) 180 Districts
(B) 250 Districts
(C) 150 Backward Districts
(D) 370 Backward Districts

Answer: C

Question: Which Industry suffered the most during the Colonial Period? 
(A) Agriculture
(B) Raw Materials
(C) Textiles
(D) Manufacturing 

Answer: C 

Short Answer Type Questions

Question: How is Poverty seen by Social Scientists?
 Explain. 
 OR
List the Indicators of Poverty. 
Answer: Social Scientists use different types of Indicators to understand their consumption of goods. Poverty is also observed using other Social Indicators like lack of Education, Healthcare, Sanitation, Job Opportunity, Illiteracy level and Safe drinking Water.
Now Poverty is looked through other Indicators like Illiteracy Level, Lack of access to Health Care, lack of Job Opportunities, lack of access to Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation, etc. Nowadays, the concept of Social Exclusion is becoming very common in theanalysis of Poverty.

Question: “In poor families, all suffer, but some suffer more than others.” Explain the statement.
Answer: Women, elderly people and Female infants are systematically denied equal access to Resources available to the Family.

Question: List the main problems faced by the Poor People. 
Answer: (i) Lack of food and shelter.
(ii) Illiteracy.
(iii) Lack of clean water and Sanitation facilities.
(iv) Unemployment.
(v) Malnutrition.
(vi) Helplessness.

Question: Which social and economic groups are more vulnerable to Poverty?
Answer: (i) Social groups which are most vulnerable to Poverty are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Households.
(ii) Among the economic groups the most vulnerable group are the Rural Agricultural Labour Households.
(iii) In Urban areas the Casual Labour Households.

Question: Discuss the trend of Poverty in India since 1973.
OR
Describe Poverty trends in India since 1973.
Answer: There has been a substantial decline in Poverty ratios in India from about 45 per cent in 1993-94 to 37.2 per cent in 2004-05. The proportion of people Below the Poverty Line further came down to about 22 per cent in 2011-12. If the trend continues, people below the Poverty line may come down to less than 20 per cent in the next few years. Although, the percentage of People living Under Poverty Line declined in the earlier two decades, yet the number of poor remained stable around 320 million for a fairly long period. The latest estimate indicates a significant reduction in the number of poor to about 26 million.

Question: Differentiate between ‘Minimum Subsistence Level of Living‘ and a ‘Reasonable Level of Living‘. 
Answer: (i) A “Minimum” Subsistence Level of Living contains food, cloth and shelter (the basic needs).
(ii) A ‘Reasonable‘ Level of Living means not only food,cloth and shelter but also Health care, Education,Job Security and Self-confidence.

Question: What is poverty line? Give the Income for Poverty Line fixed for the Rural and Urban areas in India according to 2000. 
Answer: A person is said to be poor if his or her Income or Consumption Level falls below a given minimum level necessary to fulfil basic needs. Each Country uses an imaginary Line that is considered appropriate for its existing level of Development and its accepted minimum social norms. In the year 2000, a Family of five Members living in Rural areas and earning less than about ` 1,640 per month were below the Poverty Line, whereas in Urban areas earning less than about ` 2,270 per month in the similar Family were considered Living below the Poverty Line. 

Question: Mention the statistics related to Poverty problem of the Vulnerable Groups. 
Answer: (i) Although the average people below the Poverty Line for all groups in India is 26 percent, yet 51 out of 100 people belonging to Scheduled Tribes are not able to meet their basic needs.
(ii) About 50 percent of casual workers in Urban areas are below Poverty line.
(iii) About 50 percent of Landless Agricultural Workers and 43 percent of SCs are poor.

Question: What is meant by ‘Vulnerability’ to Poverty?
Which economic categories are more vulnerable to Poverty in India? 
Answer: Vulnerability to poverty : It is a measure which describes the greater probability of certain communities or individuals (such as a Widow or a Physically handicapped person) of becoming or remaining poor in coming years.
Economic categories more vulnerable to Poverty in India : Scheduled Tribes, Urban casual labourers, Rural agriculture labourers, Scheduled Castes are the major economic groups which are more vulnerable to Poverty. Among these, Scheduled Tribes contribute to 51 percent of Poverty in India. 

Question: Explain three ways in which Poverty can be estimated in India. 
OR
Describe how the Poverty Line is estimated in India.
Answer: While determining the Poverty Line in India, a Minimum Level of food requirement, clothing, Footwear, fuel and light, Educational and medical requirement, etc., are determined for subsistence.
(i) The Calorie Requirement depending upon the age, sex, area and type of work is the way of estimating Poverty. Average Calorie requirement in India is 2,400 per person per day in Rural areas and 2,100 per person per day in Urban areas.
(ii) Monetary Expenditure Per Capita needed is also a way of estimating Poverty. In the year 2000, the Poverty Line for a Person was fixed at `328 per month for the Rural areas and `454 for the Urban areas. 
(iii) A Uniform Standard for Poverty Line is also used,which is given by International Organisations like the World Bank. This is equivalent to $ 1 per Person per day.
Note : According to the changed data, the poverty lines was fixed at ` 816 per month for the Rural areas and ` 1000 per month for urban areas.

Question: Explain any three Social Indicators through which Poverty is looked upon.
Answer: Poverty today is looked upon through Social Indicators like Illiteracy level, lack of access to Health care, lack of Job Opportunities, etc.
(i) People are poor because they are Illiterate and they are Illiterate because they are Poor.
(ii) Poverty is a situation where sick people cannot afford treatment, i.e., they lack access to Health Care.
(iii) Poverty also implies lack of a Regular Job at a Minimum Decent Level

Question: “The proportion of people below Poverty Line is also not same for All Social Groups and economic categories in India.” Explain.
Answer: (i) Social Groups: The Social Groups which are most vulnerable to Poverty are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Households. Althoughthe Average for people below Poverty Line for All Groups in India is 30, 48 out of 100 people belonging to Scheduled Tribes in Rural areasare not able to meet their basic needs.
(ii) Economic groups: Similarly among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the Rural Agricultural Labour Households and the Urban Casual Labour Households.
(iii) Inequality within Family: Apart from these social groups, there is also Inequality of Incomes within a Family. In Poor families all suffer, butsome suffer more than others. Women, elderly people and Female infants are systematically denied equal access to Resources available to the Family.

Question: Identify the social and economic groups which are most Vulnerable to Poverty in India.
Answer: Social groups, which are most vulnerable to Poverty, are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Households. Similarly, among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the Rural Agricultural Labour Households and Urban Casual Labour Households.

Question: How is the regular growth of population a major cause of Poverty in India ? Explain.
Answer: (i) Pressure on Resources has increased.
(ii) Unemployment has increased.
(iii) Led to increase in the rate of depletion of Resources.
(iv) The people belonging to below Poverty Line has increased.
(v) Growth rate of Per Capita Income has become low.

Question: “Poverty reduction is expected to mark better progress in the next ten to fifteen years.” Justify the statement.
Answer: (i) This is sure to happen.
(ii) This would be possible mainly due to higher economic growth, increasing stress on Universal Free Elementary Education.
(iii) Declining Population growth, increasing Empowerment of the Women and the economically weaker section of the society.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question: Do you think that Present Methodology of Poverty Estimation is appropriate? 
Answer: The Present Methodology of Poverty Estimation does not look appropriate. It only takes one factor in view and that is the economic factor. Moreover, it considers about a “Minimum” Subsistence level of living rather than a “Reasonable” level of living. Poverty has many dimensions. It is no  longer confined to economic factors alone. With Development, the definitions of what constitutes Poverty also changes. Its concept has broadened to Human Poverty. A few persons may have been able to feed themselves but if they are without Education, without Shelter, without Health-care, without Job security, without Self-confidence, without Social equality, they are considered Poor. If Poverty is to be removed in real sense and the people are to be brought above the Poverty line, not only that we need to increase their Income but also, we have to provide the people with Education, Shelter, Healthcare,  Job-security, Respect and Dignity.

Question: Social exclusion can be both a cause as well as consequence of Poverty. Explain. 
Answer: Social exclusion can be seen in the terms of poors who have to live only in a poor surrounding with other poor people. Poor people are excluded from better surroundings with better-off people. For example, in India, people belonging to certain lower castes (i.e., Scheduled Castes) are excluded from equal Opportunities. Poor people of certain castes have to live in a separate locality and are excluded from mixing with better-off people. Due to such discrimination, there comes a prevalent scene of inequality which leads to Poverty and can cause more damage than having a very low Income.

Question: Give a brief account of Inter-state disparities of Poverty in India. 
Answer: (i) Proportion of poor people is not the same in every State.
(ii) In 20 States and Union Territories, the Poverty Ratio is less than National Average.
(iii) In the states of Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh, Poverty is a serious problem. Along with Rural Poverty, Urban Poverty is also high in these States.
(iv) While in the states like Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir,Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, there is a significant decline in Poverty.
(v) States like Punjab and Haryana have succeeded in reducing Poverty with the help of high Agricultural growth rates.
(vi) In West Bengal, land reform measures have helped in Reducing Poverty

Case Study Questions Poverty As A Challenge Class 9 Social Science

Read the following text and answer the following questions on the basis of the same:
The proportion of people below Poverty Line is also not same for all social groups and economic categories in India. Social groups which are most vulnerable to Poverty are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Households. Similarly, among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the Rural Agricultural Labour Households and the Urban casual labour Households. Although the average for people below Poverty Line for all groups in India is 30, 48 out of 100 people belonging to Scheduled Tribes in Rural areas are not able to meet their basic needs. Similarly, 47 per cent of Casual workers in Urban areas are below Poverty line.
About 50 per cent of landless Agricultural Workers and 43 per cent of Scheduled Castes are also poor.
The double disadvantage, of being a landless casual wage labour Household in the Socially Disadvantaged Social Groups of the Scheduled Caste or the Scheduled Tribe population highlights the seriousness of the problem. Some recent studies have shown that except for the scheduled tribe Households, all the other three groups (i.e.,Scheduled Castes, Rural Agricultural Labourers and the Urban Casual Labour Households) have seen a decline in Poverty in the 1990s.
Apart from these Social groups, there is also Inequality of Incomes within a Family. In poor families all suffer, but some suffer more than others.
Women, elderly people and female infants are systematically denied equal access to Resources available to the Family. Therefore women, children (especially the girl child) and old people are Poorest of the Poor.

Question: Who are the Poorest of the Poor?
(A) Scheduled caste
(B) Scheduled tribe
(C) Agricultural labour
(D) Women, children (especially the Girl child) and Old people.

Answer: D

Question: Which Social groups are most vulnerable to Poverty in India?
(A) Scheduled caste
(B) Scheduled tribe.
(C) Agricultural labour
(D) Both (A) and (B)

Answer: D

Question: Agricultural Labour Households and the Urban Casual Labour Households come under :
(A) most vulnerable economic groups
(B) most vulnerable social groups
(C) poorest of poor
(D) scheduled tribe

Answer: A

Question: Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding the Poverty Line?
I. The average for people below Poverty Line for all groups in India is 30, 48 out of 100 people belonging to Scheduled Tribes in Rural areas are not able to meet their basic needs.
II. 74 per cent of Casual Workers in Urban areas are below Poverty Line.
III. About 50 per cent of Landless Agricultural Workers and 43 per cent of Scheduled Castes are also poor.
Identify the incorrect option.
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) I and III 

Answer: B

Question: About ____________ per cent of landless agricultural workers and 43 per cent of Scheduled Castes are also poor.
(A) 50
(B) 70
(C) 30
(D) 80

Answer: A