🧠 Meaning of Development (Simple Explanation)
Development means improving the current condition of life.
It is more than just economic growth — it includes things like:
Reducing poverty
Better education
Good government
Better medical care
Freedom and respect
🎯 What Development Promises — Different People, Different Goals
Different people have different needs in life.
So, people have different goals for development. Sometimes these goals can even go
against each other.
Example:
A landless labourer may want more days of work and higher wages.
A rich farmer may want high prices for their crops and cheap workers.
This shows two things:
Different people have different development goals.
These goals can be conflicting.
💰 Income and Other Goals
Yes, money is important to live a good life.
But money is not everything. People also want:
Equal treatment
Freedom
Safety
Respect
So, when we talk about development, we should look at both money and non-money
goals.
🌍 National Development
Definition:
National development means improving the living conditions of all citizens in a
country.
It includes:
More income per person (Per capita income)
Better health care
Good education
Clean drinking water
Social services
📊 How to Compare Different Countries or States?
We usually compare countries based on their income.
But just looking at total income is not enough. Countries have different
populations. So we use:
🔢 Average Income (Per Capita Income):
Formula:
Average Income = Total Income of the Country ÷ Total Population
It helps to compare how much income an average person earns in different countries.
🚫 Limitations of Average Income as a Development Measure
While average income is useful, it also has limitations:
It does not show how money is shared among people.
It ignores other important things like health, education, safety, etc.
Two countries can have the same average income but very different levels of
development.
According to the World Bank Report (2017):
Countries with per capita income of US $12,056 or more are rich countries.
Countries with US $955 or less are low-income countries.
(Example: India was in this group in 2017.)
🧮 Income and Other Criteria
Just using income is not a complete way to compare development.
We must also look at:
Infant mortality rate (how many babies die before age 1)
Literacy rate (how many people can read/write)
Net attendance ratio (how many children go to school)
These give a better idea of real development.
Public Facilities
Definition:
Public facilities are basic services provided by the government to all people for
their welfare.
Examples:
Hospitals
Schools
Public transport
Clean drinking water
Sanitation
Why Public Facilities are Needed:
Not all people are rich. Some cannot afford even basic needs like food.
The government gives food through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Even if someone has money, they can’t buy everything — like clean air.
That’s why the government must provide these services for everyone’s benefit.
📐 Body Mass Index (BMI)
Definition:
BMI is a number calculated using a person’s weight and height.
It helps tell if someone is underweight, healthy, or overweight.
Formula Unit: Kg/m²
Example of Ideal BMI for 14-year-olds:
Girls: Between 18.5 and 24.9
Boys: Between 18.5 and 24.9
📘 Human Development Report (HDR)
It is a global report used to measure development.
Published by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme).
It compares countries based on:
Education
Health
Per capita income
In the 2019 HDR, India ranked 131 out of all countries.
🌱 Sustainable Development
Definition:
Sustainable development means fulfilling our needs today without harming the
ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Why it’s important:
Scientists have warned that the current style of development is damaging nature.
Some examples of unsustainable use:
Overuse of groundwater
Excessive use of natural resources