Poverty as a Challenge

Q1. What is India's most compelling challenge?

Ans. Poverty reduction is the India’s most compelling challenge.

Q2. Give one factor responsible for reduction of poverty in West Bengal.

Ans. In West Bengal, land reform measures have helped in reducing poverty.

Q3. Poverty which was officially non-existent earlier has resurfaced in which country?

Ans. Poverty has resurfaced in Russia, where officially it was non-existent earlier.

Q4. Mention any one historical reason for poverty in India.
Or
What is the historical reason behind India's poverty?

Ans. One historical reason is the low level of economic development under the British colonial administration.

Q5. When is a person considered poor?

Ans. A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level falls below a given “minimum level” necessary to fulfill basic needs.

Q6. Give one factor responsible for reduction of poverty in Kerala.

Ans. Kerala has focused more on human resource development and thus succeeded in reducing poverty.

Q7. How is the analysis of poverty becoming rich in recent years?

Ans. In recent years, analysis of poverty is becoming rich through a variety of new concepts like social exclusion and vulnerability.

Q8. Which two states of India continue to be the poorest?

Ans. Orissa and Bihar continue to be the two poorest states with poverty ratios of 47 and 43 per cent respectively.

Q9. What are the factors of human poverty?

Ans. Factors of human poverty are food and shelter, health care, education and job security, and gender equality and dignity for the poor.

Q10. Which states of India have seen a significant decline in poverty?

Ans. There has been a significant decline in poverty in Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal.

Q11. What led to the substantial decline in poverty in China?

Ans. Poverty declined substantially in China as a result of rapid economic growth and massive investments in human resource development.

Q12. How does a country measure its poverty?

Ans. Each country uses an imaginary line that is considered appropriate for its existing level of development and its accepted minimum social norms.

Q13. What are the factors responsible for the reduction of poverty in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu?

Ans. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu public distribution of food grains could have been responsible for the improvement.

Q14. What are the factors responsible for the reduction of poverty in Punjab and Haryana?

Ans. States like Punjab and Haryana have traditionally succeeded in reducing poverty with the help of high agricultural growth rates.

Q15. State the two consequences of poverty.

Ans. Two consequences of poverty are:

1. Growth of slum areas
2. High level of indebtedness

Q16. Who advocated that India would be truly independent only when the poorest of its people become free of human suffering?

Ans. Mahatama Gandhi always insisted that India would be truly independent only when the poorest of its people become free of human suffering.

Q17. Why is the calorie requirement higher in rural areas than in urban areas?

Ans. Since people living in rural areas engage themselves in more physical work, calorie requirements in rural areas are considered to be higher than urban areas.

Q18. How is regular growth of population a major cause of poverty?

Ans. Due to high population growth, the pressure on resources will increase. People will have to manage with a smaller share of resources. This situation will cause more poverty.