III.

Short Questions (Hint)

1. What is the concept of poverty and how is it changed post
2015?
●​ Concept of Poverty: Traditionally, it is viewed as Income Poverty—lacking the
minimum money (income or consumption expenditure) to meet basic necessities
like food, clothing, and shelter.
●​ Change Post-2015 (SDGs): The concept broadened significantly with the UN's
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015.
○​ Goal 1: "No Poverty" aims to end poverty in all its forms and dimensions
by 2030.
○​ It now heavily relies on the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), which
measures deprivations in health, education, and living standards, moving
beyond just income.

2. What is inter-state disparity in poverty? Name two states

with high poverty levels and two with low poverty levels.
●​ Inter-State Disparity: It refers to the uneven distribution of the poverty ratio
(percentage of the poor population) across different states in India. Poverty is
not uniform; some states have a much higher percentage of poor people than
others.
●​ High Poverty States (Poorest):
1.​ Bihar
2.​ Odisha (or Uttar Pradesh/Jharkhand based on recent MPI data)
●​ Low Poverty States:
1.​ Kerala (due to high literacy and Human Development)
2.​ Goa/Punjab/Himachal Pradesh (due to economic growth/Green Revolution
benefits).

3. How is the urban poverty line different from the rural

poverty line in terms of calorie requirements? Why is this
difference necessary?
●​ Calorie Difference:
○​ Rural Poverty Line: Set higher at 2400 calories per person per day.
○​ Urban Poverty Line: Set lower at 2100 calories per person per day.
●​ Reason for Difference: Rural people engage in more physical labour (farming,
manual tasks) compared to urban people, who often have sedentary jobs.
Therefore, rural areas require a higher calorie intake to sustain their livelihood.

4. Briefly explain the main concept of 'Vulnerability' and 'Social

Exclusion' as a challenge of poverty. (Short note)
●​ Vulnerability: It describes the greater probability of certain groups (like
SC/STs, widows, physically disabled) of becoming poor or remaining poor in the
future, especially during calamities (e.g., floods, job loss, disease).
●​ Social Exclusion: It is the process by which individuals or groups are excluded
 from the facilities, benefits, and opportunities that the rest of society enjoys.
It restricts people from having better jobs, education, or living in good
surroundings, leading to poverty.

5. What is the main objective of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana

(AAY)?
●​ Main Objective: To achieve food security for the "poorest of the poor" families
in India and reduce hunger among the most vulnerable segments of the population.
●​ Function: It identifies the poorest households also known as BPL families and
provides them with a highly subsidized quantity of food grains (35 kg per family
per month, often free of cost under current schemes).

6. List the features of MGNREGA and PMUY.

●​ MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,
2005):
1.​ Guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural
household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
2.​ If the government fails to provide employment within 15 days, applicants
are entitled to an unemployment allowance.
3.​ A minimum of one-third of the jobs are reserved for women.

●​ PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana):

1.​ Aims to provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to poor households.
2.​ The main goal is to safeguard the health of women and children by
preventing health issues caused by smoky traditional cooking fuels.
3.​ Provides financial support for a free LPG connection to eligible households
(mainly BPL families).

IV. Long Questions (Hints)

1. Explain the concept of poverty using both the social

scientists' view... How does the concept of human poverty
broaden the idea of income poverty?
●​ General View (Income Poverty):
○​ Definition: Lack of the minimum income/money required to meet basic
necessities (food, clothing, shelter).
○​ Focus: Quantifiable measure based on money/consumption expenditure
(poverty line).
●​ Social Scientists' View (Poverty Indicators):
○​ Poverty is viewed through lack of access to resources and social well-being.
○​ Indicators: Illiteracy, malnutrition, lack of resistance to disease, lack of
access to clean water/sanitation, lack of job opportunities.
●​ Human Poverty Broadening the Idea:
○​ Definition: Human poverty is a much broader concept that focuses on the
denial of basic human capabilities and choices.
○​ Example: A person might be above the income poverty line but still lack
access to literacy, basic healthcare, or equal opportunities (illiteracy, poor
 health, no job security).
○​ Conclusion: Income is only one part; human poverty measures the total
quality of life and freedom to live a long, healthy, and creative life.

2. Elaborate on the major causes of poverty in India.

●​ Historical Reasons:
○​ Colonial Rule: Exploitation under British rule destroyed traditional
handicrafts and depressed the economic growth rate.
●​ Socio-Economic Causes:
○​ High Population Growth: Puts immense pressure on resources and job
opportunities, leading to a low per capita income growth rate.
○​ Unequal Distribution of Land & Resources: Lack of land reform means the
poor often do not own productive assets, keeping them in poverty.
○​ High Level of Indebtedness: Poor farmers/labourers often take loans for
necessities and get trapped in a debt cycle.
●​ Institutional & Other Causes:
○​ Unemployment: Lack of consistent and sufficient employment opportunities
in the formal sector force them to do opt odd or law paying jobs leading to
exploitation and poverty.
○​ Inflation/Price Rise: Continuous steep price rise makes it difficult for poor
families to meet their minimum food requirements.

3. Describe the approach taken by the Indian government to

tackle poverty.
The government's anti-poverty strategy has been two-way:
●​ 1. Promotion of Economic Growth:
○​ Strategy: Based on the assumption that the benefits of rapid economic
growth will "trickle down" (automatically reach) the poor in the form of
more jobs and better opportunities.
○​ Effect: Growth has helped, but it has often been uneven, increasing the
need for direct intervention.
●​ 2. Targeted Anti-Poverty Programs (APPs):
○​ Wage Employment Schemes: Providing direct employment (e.g.,
MGNREGA).
○​ Self-Employment/Asset Creation: Schemes providing subsidized loans for
starting small businesses (e.g., Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana).
○​ Food Security/Welfare: Schemes ensuring food and basic needs (e.g., AAY,
PDS).
●​ 3. Minimum Basic Needs (Indirect Strategy):
○​ Programs like Mid-Day Meals, free education, and subsidized healthcare
(e.g., PMUY for clean fuel) help reduce the expenditure of the poor,
allowing them to cross the poverty line or improve their human development
indicators.

4. Briefly analyze the current trends in poverty in India. Which

groups are the most vulnerable, and which states still require
the maximum attention?
●​ Current Trends:
 ○​ Significant Decline: Poverty has seen a substantial decline since the 1970s
and especially post-1990s reforms. The overall poverty headcount ratio has
fallen significantly.
○​ Faster Reduction: India has shown faster poverty reduction than global
trends, and is on track to meet SDG targets ahead of 2030, according to
MPI data.
●​ Most Vulnerable Groups:
○​ Social Groups: Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST)
households.
○​ Economic Groups: Rural Agricultural Labourers and Urban Casual
Labourers.
●​ States Requiring Maximum Attention:
○​ States with very high poverty ratios (e.g., Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar
Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh), particularly the Eastern and
North-Eastern states, require continuous focused anti-poverty measures to
reduce inter-state disparities.

V. Book Exercise Questions (Short Answers/Hints)

●​ How is the poverty line estimated in India?
○​ Based on consumption expenditure rather than income.
○​ Calculated based on the money needed to meet minimum food (calorie
requirement), clothing, fuel, and education/medical expenses.
○​ Calorie norms: 2400 (rural) and 2100 (urban) per person per day.
●​ Do you think that the present methodology of poverty estimation is
appropriate?
○​ Hint: No, it is often considered inadequate.
○​ Reasons: Focuses only on minimum food/subsistence; ignores non-monetary
aspects like access to education, health, and sanitation; fails to capture
human poverty.
●​ Describe poverty trends in India since 1993.
○​ General Decline: Consistent decline in the percentage of the poor.
○​ Rural Decline: Faster reduction in rural poverty than urban poverty initially.
○​ Inter-State Disparity: Poverty ratio varied widely across states, but
disparities are now slowly reducing.
●​ Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India.
○​ Low economic growth rate inherited from the British.
○​ High population pressure.
○​ Unequal distribution of resources (lack of land ownership).
○​ High indebtedness and unemployment.
●​ Identify the social and economic groups which are most vulnerable to poverty
in India.
○​ Social: Households of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
○​ Economic: Rural agricultural labour households and Urban casual labour
households.
●​ Give an account of interstate disparities of poverty in India.
○​ Poverty levels vary significantly across states.
○​ Highest: Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand (Eastern states).
○​ Lowest: Kerala, Goa, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh.
●​ Describe global poverty trends.
○​ Sharp Decline: Global extreme poverty has declined substantially over the
 last few decades.
○​ Regional Concentration: Poverty remains concentrated in sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia.
○​ Goal: Global community aims to end poverty by 2030 (SDG 1).
●​ Describe the role of government in reducing poverty in India?
○​ Two-Fold Approach: Promoting economic growth (trickle-down) and
implementing targeted anti-poverty programs (APPs).
○​ Examples: MGNREGA (wage employment), AAY (food security), PMUY
(basic needs).
●​ What do you understand by human poverty?
○​ A broader concept than income poverty.
○​ It is the denial of basic human choices and capabilities (e.g., illiteracy, lack
of healthcare, lack of job security, denial of dignity).
●​ Who are the poorest of the poor?
○​ The most vulnerable individuals within poor households.
○​ Examples: Women (especially female heads of households), female infants,
and elderly people are often the last to receive resources.
●​ Differentiate between consumption based poverty line and NMP Index based
poverty estimates.
○​ Consumption-Based: Measures poverty based on minimum monetary
spending needed to meet basic needs (mainly calories/food). (Traditional,
income-focused).
○​ NMP Index (National Multidimensional Poverty Index): Measures poverty
based on simultaneous deprivations across 3 dimensions: Health, Education,
and Living Standards. (Modern, human-focused).
●​ List the indicators used to estimate multidimensional poor in India.
○​ Health (3): Nutrition, Child & Adolescent Mortality, Maternal Health.
○​ Education (2): Years of Schooling, School Attendance.
○​ Standard of Living (7): Cooking Fuel, Sanitation, Drinking Water,
Electricity, Housing, Assets, Bank Account.
___________________
✓ This is to inform you all that above mentioned Hint are comparatively short and
should not be taken as actual answers - please take care of the same.