DEVELOPMENT
1. What Development Promises: Different People, Different Goals
- Development = real growth that improves people’s quality of life
in all dimensions.
- Goals vary by stakeholder:
- Industrialist: higher output, profits, new factories.
- Displaced community: loss of land, livelihoods, cultural ties.
- Key insight: a project may be development for some, destructive
for others.
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2. Income and Other Goals
- Material goals:
- Higher income → better access to goods, services, housing.
- Non-material goals:
- Freedom, security, respect, leisure, environmental quality.
- Trade-offs in employment:
- High salary with no job security vs. moderate salary with stable
work.
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3. National Development
- Defined as a country’s ability to raise citizens’ living standards.
- Core indicators:
- Per capita income
- Literacy rate
- Life expectancy
- Access to health, education and public services
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4. Comparing Countries or States
- Total income not enough: ignores population size.
- Per capita income = National Income ÷ Total Population
- Reflects average earning power of an individual.
- Limitation: conceals unequal distribution of income.
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5. Income and Other Criteria
Beyond average income, development also measured by:
- Literacy Rate
- % of people aged 7+ who can read and write.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
- Number of deaths under 1 year per 1,000 live births.
- Net Attendance Ratio
- % of 14–15-year-olds attending school.
Comparative snapshot (Haryana · Kerala · Bihar):
- Kerala tops in literacy and school attendance, lowest IMR.
- Bihar lags in all three despite any income gains.
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6. Public Facilities
- Services provided by the government, e.g.:
- Schools, hospitals, roads, public transport
- Public Distribution System, sanitation, electricity
- Importance:
- Some essentials (clean air, public goods) can’t be bought
privately.
- Well-functioning public facilities uplift everyone, not just those
who can pay.
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7. Sustainability of Development
- Sustainable development meets present needs without harming
future generations.
- Resource categories:
- Renewable (water, forests) – replenish slowly
- Non-renewable (coal, minerals) – finite stock
- Imperative: use resources judiciously to ensure long-term well-
being.
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Quick Reference
1. Per Capita Income = National Income ÷ Total Population
2. Development is multi-dimensional: economic, social,
environmental
3. Always pair income data with social indicators for a full picture