Development (Chapter-1)

What is human development index? Who has prepared it? Write about basic components of human development measurement.

What is meant by sustainable economic development? Give its main features.

What is the main criteria used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion, if any?

Write a paragraph on your nation that what should India do, to become a developed country?

Why average income is taken into consideration instead of total income while making comparison                between countries?

Why do different people have different goals for development? 

The following table shows the proportion of undernourished adults in India. It is based on a survey of various states for the year 2001. Look at the table and answer the following questions.

(i) Compare the nutritional level of people in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

(ii) Can you guess why around 40 per cent of people in the country are undernourished even though it is argued that there is enough food in the country? Describe in your own words.

For each of the items given in Table 1.6, find out which country is at the top and which is at the bottom.

List a few examples of environmental degradation that you may have observed around you.

"The Earth has enough resources to meet the needs of all but not enough to satisfy the greed of even one person". How is this statement relevant to the discussion of development? Discuss.

Why is the issue of sustainability important for development?

Find out the present sources of energy that are used by the people in India. What could be the other possibilities fifty years from now?

Kerala, with lower per capita income has a better human development ranking than Punjab. Hence, per capita income is not a useful criterion at all and should not be used to compare states. Do you agree? Discuss.

Why do we use averages? Are there any limitations to their use? Illustrate with your own examples related to development.

In what respects is the criterion used by the UNDP for measuring development different from the one used by the World Bank?

What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion, if any?

Assume there are four families in a country. The average per capita income of these families is Rs 5000. If the income of three families is Rs 4000, Rs 7000 and Rs 3000 respectively, what is the income of the fourth family?

(i) Rs 7500

(ii) Rs 3000

(iii) Rs 2000

(iv) Rs 6000

Which of the following neighbouring countries has better performance in terms of human development than India?

(i) Bangladesh

(ii) Sri Lanka

(iii) Nepal

(iv) Pakistan

Development of a country can generally be determined by

(i) its per capita income

(ii) its average literacy level

(iii) health status of its people

(iv) all the above