Back to all solutions

ECONOMICS (UNDERSTANDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT) - 10 - Social Science solution

Class 10 - Chapter 1: Development

NCERTChapter 1Solution

1. Development of a country can generally be determined by

Answer: (iv) all the above

Explanation: Development cannot be measured only by income. Other factors such as literacy, health facilities, life expectancy, and quality of life are also important indicators of development. Therefore, per capita income, literacy level, and health status together determine the level of development of a country.

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

Answer: (ii) Sri Lanka

Explanation: Sri Lanka performs better than India on several human development indicators such as literacy rate, life expectancy, and health services. Therefore, it has a higher Human Development Index (HDI) than India.

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

Given:

  • Average income = Rs 5000
  • Number of families = 4
  • Income of three families = Rs 4000, Rs 7000 and Rs 3000

Solution:

Total income of all four families = Average × Number of families

= 5000 × 4

= Rs 20,000

Income of first three families = 4000 + 7000 + 3000

= Rs 14,000

Income of fourth family = 20,000 − 14,000

= Rs 6,000

Answer: (iv) Rs 6000

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

Answer:

The World Bank classifies countries mainly on the basis of per capita income.

Per capita income is calculated by dividing the total income of a country by its total population.

Limitations of this Criterion

  1. It considers only income and ignores other important aspects of development.
  2. It does not indicate how income is distributed among people.
  3. It ignores health facilities and educational achievements.
  4. It does not reflect the quality of life enjoyed by people.
  5. Environmental sustainability is not considered.

Therefore, per capita income alone cannot provide a complete picture of development.

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

Answer:

The World Bank uses only per capita income to compare countries.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) uses the Human Development Index (HDI), which includes:

  1. Per capita income
  2. Life expectancy at birth
  3. Educational attainment and literacy

Thus, the UNDP approach is broader because it considers both economic and social factors. It provides a more comprehensive measure of development than income alone.

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

Answer:

Averages help us compare groups that have different populations and total incomes. Per capita income is an average that allows comparison between countries and states.

Importance of Averages

  1. They simplify large amounts of data.
  2. They make comparison easier.
  3. They provide a general picture of a situation.

Limitations of Averages

Averages do not show the actual distribution of income among people.

For example, suppose there are five people with incomes:

  • Rs 1000
  • Rs 1000
  • Rs 1000
  • Rs 1000
  • Rs 46,000

Total income = Rs 50,000

Average income = Rs 10,000

Although the average income appears high, four out of five people earn only Rs 1000. Therefore, averages can sometimes hide inequalities.

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

Answer:

No, I do not completely agree.

Per capita income is an important indicator because it shows the average income available to people. However, it should not be the only criterion used to compare states.

Kerala has a lower per capita income than Haryana, yet it performs better in:

  • Literacy rate
  • Health care facilities
  • Life expectancy
  • Infant mortality rate
  • Quality of education

This shows that development includes both economic and social factors.

Therefore, per capita income is useful, but it must be considered along with health, education, and quality of life indicators.

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

Answer:

Present Sources of Energy in India

  • Coal
  • Petroleum
  • Natural Gas
  • Hydroelectric Power
  • Solar Energy
  • Wind Energy
  • Biogas
  • Nuclear Energy

Possible Sources Fifty Years from Now

  • Advanced Solar Energy Systems
  • Hydrogen Fuel Technology
  • Fusion Energy
  • Improved Wind Energy Systems
  • Ocean and Tidal Energy
  • Large-scale Bioenergy
  • Smart Renewable Energy Grids

Future development should focus on renewable and environmentally friendly sources of energy.

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

Answer:

Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Importance of Sustainability

  1. Natural resources are limited.
  2. Excessive use can lead to resource depletion.
  3. Environmental degradation affects human life.
  4. Future generations also have a right to resources.
  5. Long-term economic growth depends on environmental protection.

Therefore, sustainability is essential for ensuring continuous and balanced development.

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.

Answer:

This statement highlights the importance of sustainable development.

The Earth's resources are sufficient to meet the basic needs of all people if they are used wisely and fairly. However, excessive consumption and greed can lead to the depletion of resources.

Relevance to Development

  1. Resources are limited.
  2. Overexploitation causes environmental degradation.
  3. Unequal consumption increases social inequality.
  4. Future generations may suffer from resource scarcity.
  5. Development should focus on need-based and sustainable use of resources.

Thus, development should promote responsible use of resources rather than unlimited exploitation.

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

Answer:

  • Air pollution caused by vehicles and industries.
  • Water pollution due to discharge of waste into rivers and ponds.
  • Deforestation and cutting of trees.
  • Soil erosion and loss of fertile land.
  • Excessive use of plastic leading to land pollution.
  • Noise pollution from traffic and loudspeakers.
  • Decline in groundwater levels.

12. For each of the items given in Table 1.6, find out which country is at the top and which is at the bottom.

Answer:

This question is based on Table 1.6 of the NCERT textbook. Students should examine the values given in the table and identify:

  • The country having the highest value for each indicator as the top country.
  • The country having the lowest value for each indicator as the bottom country.

The answer will vary according to the values shown in the table.

13. (i) Compare the nutritional level of people in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

Answer:

The nutritional level can be judged from the percentage of adults whose BMI is below normal.

State Male (%) Female (%)
Kerala 8.5 10
Madhya Pradesh 28 28

Kerala has a much lower percentage of undernourished adults than Madhya Pradesh.

Only 8.5% males and 10% females in Kerala have BMI below normal, whereas 28% males and 28% females in Madhya Pradesh are undernourished.

This indicates that the nutritional status of people in Kerala is significantly better than that of Madhya Pradesh.

13. (ii) Can you guess why around one-fifth of people in the country are undernourished even though it is argued that there is enough food in the country?

Answer:

Even though India produces enough food, many people remain undernourished because of several reasons:

  1. Poverty prevents people from purchasing adequate food.
  2. Unequal distribution of income and resources.
  3. Lack of employment opportunities.
  4. Inadequate access to health care and sanitation.
  5. Poor awareness regarding balanced nutrition.
  6. Food wastage and inefficiencies in distribution systems.

Therefore, undernourishment is not only a problem of food availability but also of poverty, access, distribution, and social development.