I.
Understanding the Concept of Development
Aspirations and Goals: Development involves our desires for how we want to
live and our ideas about what a country should be like, including essential
requirements for a better life and increased equality
Diverse Perspectives: Because life situations vary, different people have
different developmental goals
. For example:
Landless rural labourers: Seek more days of work, better wages, and quality
education for children
Prosperous farmers: Desire high family income through high support prices
and the ability to settle children abroad
Urban unemployed youth: Seek employment opportunities
Conflicting Goals: Development for one can be destructive for another
Industrialists vs. Tribals: Industrialists may want large dams for electricity,
but this can submerge land and displace tribal communities who would
prefer small check dams
Gender Dynamics: A girl may seek the same freedom as her brother, but the
brother may resent sharing household work
II. Income and Non-Material Goals
Material Needs: People generally desire regular work, better wages, and
decent prices for their products to increase their income
Quality of Life Factors: Money alone cannot buy everything. People also seek:
Equal treatment, freedom, security, and respect
Friendship and social interaction
Job Considerations: Beyond high pay, people look for job security, a good
working atmosphere, and time for family
Women’s Empowerment: When women are engaged in paid work, their
dignity in the household and society increases, often leading to more sharing
of housework
III. National Development and Comparison Methods
National Development: This involves deciding on a “fair and just path for all”
and choosing ideas that benefit the largest number of people
Average Income (Per Capita Income): The most common attribute for
comparing countries, calculated by dividing the total income of a country by
its total population
World Bank Classification (World Development Report 2019):
Rich/High-income countries: Per capita income of US$ 49,300 per annum or
more
Low-income countries: Per capita income of US$ 2,500 or less
India: Classified as a low middle income country with a per capita income of
US$ 6,700 per annum in 2019
Limitations of Averages: While useful for comparison, averages hide
disparities
Example: Country A and Country B might have the same average income,
but Country A might have an equitable distribution, while Country B has one
extremely rich person and many poor citizens
IV. Human Development Indicators (States and Countries)
Beyond Income (State Data 2018-19):
Haryana: Highest per capita income (Rs 2,36,147) but lower health/education
indicators than Kerala
Kerala: Lower per capita income (Rs 2,04,105) but superior health outcomes,
such as an Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of 7 compared to Haryana’s 30
Bihar: Lowest per capita income (Rs 40,982) and poor educational
attendance
Key Indicator Definitions:
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Number of children dying before age one per
1,000 live births in a year
Literacy Rate: Proportion of literate population in the 7-and-above age group
Net Attendance Ratio: Percentage of children in the 14-15 age group
attending school
UNDP Human Development Report (2021-22): Compares countries based on
education levels, health status (Life Expectancy), and per capita income
India’s HDI Rank: 132
Sri Lanka: Rank 73 (ahead of India in all respects)
Life Expectancy (2021): Sri Lanka (76.4), India (67.2), Bangladesh (72.4)
V. Public Facilities and Nutrition
Collective Provision: The cheapest and most effective way to provide services
like security, education, and health is collectively
Public Distribution System (PDS): States with a well-functioning PDS (like
Tamil Nadu, where 90% of rural people use it) tend to have better nutritional
status
Body Mass Index (BMI): A tool to measure nourishment
Formula: Weight (kg) divided by the square of height (meters)
Data (2019-21): Around one-fifth of the Indian population is undernourished
. In Madhya Pradesh, 28% of both males and females are below normal BMI
VI. Sustainability of Development
Concept: Current development levels must be maintained for future
generations
Renewable Resources (Groundwater): Replenished by nature but can be
overused
Overuse in India: About one-third of the country is overusing groundwater;
60% of the country may be doing so in 25 years
Non-renewable Resources (Crude Oil): Fixed stocks that cannot be
replenished and will be exhausted
Crude Oil Data (2017): World reserves are estimated to last only 50.2 years
Impact: Countries like India, which depend on imports, face a heavy burden
when oil prices increase