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DEVELOPMENT
Introduction to Development
Development refers to a positive change or improvement or progress in people’s life or
well-being, which can be economic, social, or political. It enshrines economic, social,
political, cultural, and environmental dimensions, thus, causing a significant & positive
effect on one’s life. Development helps people to grow & make a mark in society.
What Development Promises – Different People Have Different Goals
Different people have different goals for development, which may include higher income,
better health, education, equality, freedom, & environmental sustainability. Thus,
development has many aspects & they vary from person to person.
People tend to seek things that are most important to them. Example: For a girl, having
freedom & will to decide what she wants, as her brother have, would be her notion of
development.
At times, the idea of development can be contrasting. In simpler terms- Different persons
can have different developmental goals & what may be developed for one may not be
developed for the other. It may even be destructive for the other.
Example: In order to reserve land for forestation, those residing in the nearby area would
need to relocate from the area.
Income And Other Goals
Income is widely associated with the notion of development as it can be a good & common
parameter for measuring development. Besides income, people also expect- security, equal
treatment & freedom. At times, they become more important than income & materialistic
goods. For development, people look at a mix of goals.
Example: An inclusive, safe & sound workplace would pave the way for greater
participation & engagement of women in jobs.
National Development
National development refers to the improvement of the economic, social, and political
conditions of a country over time. National development can be compared across countries
or states using different indicators, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Human
Development Index (HDI), etc. These indicators provide a comprehensive picture of the
different dimensions of development, including income, education, health, and standard of
living.
How to Compare Different Countries or States?
For comparing the countries, their income is considered to be one of the most important
attributes, and countries which have higher income are more developed as compared to the
other countries which have less income. As different countries usually have different
populations, comparing the total income will not let us know what the average person
earns. So, we compare the average income of the countries.
Average Income refers to the total income of the country which is divided among its total
population and is known as per capita income.
Average Income or Per Capita Income: Total income of the country/Total population of
the country
Example
Country A has a total income of 50,000/- INR & has a population of 10 citizens.
So, in this case, to calculate the average income we would simply do a simple calculation
which is as follows:
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50000/10 = 5000/- INR would be the average income of country A
In World Development Reports, brought out by the World Bank, this criterion is used in
classifying countries:
1. Countries with a per capita income of US$ 49,300 per annum and above in 2019, are
called high-income or rich countries and those with a per capita income of US$ 2500 or
less are called low-income countries.
2. India comes in the category of low-middle-income countries because its per capita
income in 2019 was just US$ 6700 per annum. The rich countries, excluding countries
of the Middle East and certain other small countries, are generally called developed
countries.
Income and Other Criteria
When thinking about a country or region, apart from average income, public facilities also
play an important role.
1. Infant Mortality Rate (or IMR) indicates the number of children that die before the age
of one year as a proportion of 1000 live children born in that particular year.
2. The literacy Rate measures the proportion of the literate population in the 7-and-above
age group.
3. Net Attendance Ratio is the total number of children of age group 14 and 15 years
attending school as a percentage of the total number of children in the same age group.

Public Facilities

Public facilities are essential components of development, as they provide basic services to
people, such as health care, education, transportation, and communication. Government via-
Public welfare schemes, boosting infrastructure in the health & education sector, can pave
the way for the effective & comprehensive delivery of development & progress to the
citizens.
Public facilities can be a mode to create an inclusive & open society as they provide equal
access to services & resources for everyone irrespective of background.
Sustainability of Development
Sustainable Development is the kind of development that meets the needs and demands of
the present generation without compromising the availability of resources for future
generations. Sustainable development requires a balance between economic growth, social
well-being, and environmental protection. The pursuit of economic growth should not come
at the expense of environmental degradation, as this can have negative consequences for
people’s health, livelihoods, and future opportunities.
Scientists have been warning that present use and methods are not sustainable. Some
examples are as follows:
1. Overuse of groundwater
2. Exhaustion of natural resources
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Human Development Index Definition

Indicators of Human Development

 India has been on 130th rank in Human Development Index.

 It is the age by which a particular person belonging to a particular age is expected to

 It is the total number of infants dying below the age of 1 year out of 1000 babies.
 Infant mortality rate in India is 40.5 infants.
Maternal mortality rate

 It is the total number of dying mothers out of 1000 mothers while giving birth to
babies.
 According to the 2011–13 census, maternal mortality rate in India is 167 deaths.
Adult literacy ratio

 It refers to the number of people of both the sexes, i.e., male and female aging more
than 15 years having the ability to read and write.
Percentage of the population below poverty line

 People below the poverty line are categorised according to calories consumed by each
person per day, which is 2400 in rural areas and 2100 in urban areas.
 Any person consuming calories less than the minimum limit mentioned above is said
to be below the poverty line.