Economics · Class 12 Commerce

Ch 3Poverty — Class 12 Economics, concept-first.

This is the NCERT Class 11 Economics (Indian Economic Development) chapter on poverty — one of the most challenging issues facing India, alongside rural development and building infrastructure.

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Chapter contents

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Introduction

This is the NCERT Class 11 Economics (Indian Economic Development) chapter on poverty — one of the most challenging issues facing India, alongside rural development and building infrastructure.

4.2

Who are the Poor?

In every locality and neighbourhood, both rural and urban, some people are poor and some are rich, with many stages in between. The story of Anu and Sudha (Box 4.1) shows the two extremes.

4.3

How are Poor People Identified?

If India is to solve the problem of poverty, it must find viable and sustainable strategies to address the causes of poverty and design schemes to help the poor.

4.4

The Number of Poor in India

When the number of poor is estimated as the proportion of people below the poverty line, it is known as the 'Head Count Ratio'.

4.5

The causes of poverty lie in the institutional and social factors that mark the life of the poor. The poor are deprived of quality education and unable to acquire skills that fetch better incomes; acc…

4.6

Policies and Programmes towards Poverty Alleviation

The Indian Constitution and the five year plans state social justice as the primary objective of the government's developmental strategy.

4.7

Poverty Alleviation Programmes — A Critical Assessment

Efforts at poverty alleviation have borne fruit: for the first time since Independence, the percentage of absolute poor in some states is now well below the national average.

4.8

Conclusion

We have travelled about six decades since Independence. The stated objective of all our policies has been to promote rapid and balanced economic development with equality and social justice, and pover…

Key Concepts

The main terms introduced in this NCERT Class 11 Economics chapter on poverty, with brief explanations in our own words, are given below for quick revision.

Summary

The chapter's own Recap (printed at the end of the NCERT chapter), summarised:

Exercises

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