NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Chapter 1 - The Story of Village Palampur
1. Every village in India is surveyed once in ten years during the Census and some of the details
are presented in the following format. Fill up the following based on information on Palampur.
a. LOCATION:
b. TOTAL AREA OF THE VILLAGE:
c. LAND USE (in hectares):
Cultivated Land Land not available for cultivation (Area
covering dwellings, roads,
Irrigated Unirrigated ponds, grazing ground)
26 hectares
d. FACILITIES:
Educational
Medical
Market
Electricity Supply
Communication
Nearest Town
Answer:
a. LOCATION: Bulandshahr District, Western Uttar Pradesh
b. TOTAL AREA OF THE VILLAGE: 226 hectares
c. LAND USE (in hectares):
Cultivated Land Land not available for cultivation (Area
covering dwellings, roads,
ponds, grazing ground)
Irrigated Unirrigated
200 hectares -- 26 hectares
d. FACILITIES:
Educational 1 high school, 2 primary schools
Medical 1 private dispensary, 1 primary health care centre run by the Government
Market 2 markets: Raiganj and Shahpur
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Electricity Most of the houses have electricity connections. Electricity powers all the tubewells in
Supply the fields and is used for various small businesses.
Communication Well connected neighbouring villages, with Raiganj within 3 kms. Proper
transportation including bullock carts, tongas, bogey carrying jaggery. Also, motor
vehicles like motorcycles, jeeps, tractors and trucks are available for easy
transportation.
Nearest Town Shahpur
2. Modern farming methods require more inputs which are manufactured in industry. Do you
agree?
Answer: Yes, it is correct to say that modern farming methods require more inputs which are
manufactured in the industry. It is because modern farming methods use a high-yielding variety of
seeds. These seeds require both chemical fertilisers and pesticides, agricultural implementations like
tractors and proper irrigation facilities like electric tube wells and all these elements are manufactured in
industries. However, on the other hand, traditional farming methods use a relatively low-yielding variety
of seeds and use cow dung and other natural manures as fertiliser, which is why they are less
dependent on industrial outputs.
3. How did the spread of electricity help farmers in Palampur?
Answer: The spread of electricity helped the farmers of Palampur as it helped in the transformation of
the irrigation system of the village. The farmers earlier used Persian wheels to draw water from wells
and irrigate small fields. But after the spread of electricity, electric tube wells replaced these Persian
wheels. The first tube well was installed by the Government but later private tube wells were also
settled by the farmers, resulting in the cultivation of the entire 200 hectares of irrigated land by the
1970s.
4. Is it important to increase the area under irrigation? Why?
Answer: It is important to increase the land under irrigation because farming is the main source of
income for the maximum part of the population in India and only less than 40 per cent of the land is
cultivable in the country. Farmers are dependent on the erratic monsoon season and if the rainfall is
less, farmers are bound to suffer a major loss. So if water is provided for irrigation to the farmers for a
larger portion of land, it would give better output and make more land cultivable in India and also
encourage farmers to take up newer farming methods without the fear of suffering loss.
5. Construct a table on the distribution of land among the 450 families of Palampur.
Answer: The distribution of land among the 450 families of Palampur is as given below:
Area of land Cultivated Number of Families
0 150
Less than 2 hectares 240
More than 2 hectares 60
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
6. Why are the wages for farm labourers in Palampur less than minimum wages?
Answer: There are many landless farm labourers who are paid less than the minimum wages in
Palampur. The Government declared wage for a farm labourer is Rs.300 per day but the competition
for work among the farm labourers is very high, which is why people agree to work for lower wages.
7. In your region, talk to two labourers. Choose either farm labourers or labourers working at
construction sites. What wages do they get? Are they paid in cash or kind? Do they get work
regularly? Are they in debt?
Answer: Students must perform this activity themselves and answer the question based on their
survey.
8. What are the different ways of increasing production on the same piece of land? Use
examples to explain.
Answer: To grow more than one crop on a piece of land during the year is known as multiple cropping.
It is the most common way of increasing production on a given piece of land. The best example of this
is the cultivation in Palampur. In Palampur, jowar and bajra grow during the rainy season, followed by
potato between October and December and during the winter season, wheat is sown in the fields. The
main reason for this the well-developed system of irrigation.
9. Describe the work of a farmer with 1 hectare of land.
Answer: A farmer with 1 hectare of land will be called a small farmer. Since the area for cultivation is
small, the outcome may also not be high. So in order to be able to yield the land in the best possible
way, the farmer needs money. This money is borrowed from a moneylender at a high interest rate and
at times may also have to work as a farm labourer for the moneylender. Once the farm is cultivated, the
produce has to be divided for personal use and for selling in the market. Whatever profit is earned, the
farmer has to usually give it away to the moneylender and little sum of money is left for the use of the
farmer himself. The only help a small farmer gets is that of his family members.
10. How do the medium and large farmers obtain capital for farming? How is it different from the
small farmers?
Answer: Large and medium farmers sell surplus farm products from a part of their produce. A part of
the earnings is saved and kept for buying capital for the next season. A few of them give away the
savings to small farmers and loans at high interest rates and get back the amount by the next season.
Thus, they are able to arrange for the capital for farming from their own savings. Some farmers might
also use the savings to buy cattle, trucks, or to set up shops.
11. On what terms did Savita get a loan from Tejpal Singh? Would Savita’s condition be different
if she could get a loan from the bank at a low rate of interest?
Answer: Savita got a loan from Tejpal Singh at the rate of interest of 24 per cent for four months and
also had to work for Tejpal Singh as a farm labourer at the wage of Rs.100 per day during the harvest
season.
The case would have been different if Savita would have taken the loan from a bank. It is because the
rate of interest would have been lesser than what was asked by Tejpal Singh and also she would have
been able to pay complete attention to our own field during the time of harvest.
12. Talk to some old residents in your region and write a short report on the changes in
irrigation and changes in production methods during the last 30 years.
Answer: Students must do this question based on their own observation.
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
13. What are the non-farm production activities taking place in your region? Make a short list.
Answer: The non-farm production activities taking place in our region are:
1. Dairy
2. Transportation
3. General Stores
4. Fishing
5. Mining
14. What can be done so that more non-farm production activities can be started in villages?
Answer: To promote more non-farm production activities in villages the following steps can be taken:
1. Loans must be available for people at lower interest rates so that they can start up the non-farm
activities.
2. Proper markets should be set up so that the produced goods can be sold.
3. The concerned authorities must set up better transportation between cities and villages so that
the produced goods can be transported to cities and more money can be earned through the
non-farming activities.
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Chapter 2 - People as Resource
1. What do you understand by 'people as a resource'?
Answer: ‘People as a resource’ is a term that means how the population can be an asset and not a
liability. It a way of referring to the working class of society in terms of their existing productive skills and
abilities. The population becomes human capital when an investment is done in the form of education
and training. Education and health also help human beings to be an asset to the economy. Thus,
people as a resource refers to the working population that results in the development of society.
2. How is human resource different from other resources like land and physical Capital?
Answer: Human resources are different from the other resources like land and physical capital
because human beings can use other resources to give out productive output. However, resources like
land and physical capital are dependent on human resource for their use and cannot give any
productive output all by themselves.
3. What is the role of education in human capital formation?
Answer: Education plays a very important role in human capital formation for the following reasons:
1. An educated human can be considered an asset for the economy and not a liability.
2. Education can help an individual make better use of economic opportunities. It helps in
enhancing the national income, cultural richness and increases the efficiency of the
Government.
3. It enhances individual productivity in terms of quality and quantity.
4. Because being educated can help the economic status of an individual, it also develops the
consciousness towards society.
5. An educated person is also aware about health and hygiene and it will ultimately result in better
health of the people of a country.
4. What is the role of health in human capital formation?
Answer: Health plays a very important role in human capital formation in the following ways:
1. If an individual is healthy, he or she may have better immunity to fight illness
2. Being healthy will also increase the overall outcome of an individual
3. The health of an individual is directly proportional to the work he does. Thus better health will
increase efficiency.
The above-mentioned points prove that if better health care measures are taken up and an individual in
a country becomes more healthy, the human capital and productivity will also increase.
5. What part does health play in the individual’s working life?
Answer: If an individual is healthy, then he or she may be able to give a better outcome in terms of
their work lives. The efficiency of a healthy person is higher than that of an unhealthy person. A healthy
person can spend more time working in comparison to an unhealthy person. Hence, health plays a very
important role in an individual’s working life.
6. What are the various activities undertaken in the primary sector, secondary sector and
tertiary sector?
Answer: The various activities that come under the primary, secondary and tertiary sector are as
follows:
Primary Sector Secondary Tertiary Sector
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Sector
Agriculture, forestry, animal Manufacturing Trade, transport, communication,
husbandry, fishing, poultry, farming, banking, education, health, tourism
mining and quarrying and insurance
7. What is the difference between economic activities and non-economic activities?
Answer: The activities that add value to the national income are called economic activities. They can
be divided into two types: market activities and non-market activities. Market activities involve the
activities performed for pay or profit and non-market activities include the production done for self-
consumption.
The activities that add no value to the national income are called non- economic activities. The
domestic chore is an example of non-economic activities.
8. Why are women employed in low paid work?
Answer: The wage distribution among men and women has been a major concern for society. Women
are mostly paid less than women men and one major reason for this is the meagre education
qualification of women. They are employed in sectors which do no provide them with proper maternity
leaves, child care benefits and other provisions and are also responsible for managing the household
work. Hence they are paid less than men. Skill is another reason why wages for women are less than
men. Men are considered more skilful in comparison to women, despite equal physical work. Due to
these reasons women are employed in low paid work.
9. How will you explain the term unemployment?
Answer: A situation in which skilled and abled people do not get gainful work at a decent wage is
called unemployment. Rural and urban areas, both have unemployment. In the case of the rural
population, there is seasonal unemployment and in urban areas, there is educated unemployment.
10. What is the difference between disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment?
Answer: Rural areas have cases of both seasonal and disguised unemployment. Seasonal
unemployment is when a person is unable to find jobs during a few months of the year. This mostly
happens for farmers who are unemployed for a part of the year when no crops are grown.
Disguised unemployment is when people appear to be employed. When the number of people working
on agricultural land is higher than the number of people actually required to work, this is considered as
an example of disguised unemployment. If a piece of land requires only three people to work on it, but
rather five are working on it, the two extra people are an example of disguised unemployment.
11. Why is educated unemployed, a peculiar problem of India?
Answer: Educated unemployment has become a common phenomenon in India. Youths with
matriculation, graduation and post-graduation degrees are unable to get jobs in India. This is because
the education system in India labels anyone above the age of 18 years eligible to work. This leaves the
youth unskilled and ultimately unemployed. It is important that an individual does not only have a
degree but must also be skilled enough to get a job.
12. In which field do you think India can build the maximum employment opportunity?
Answer: There are three types of activities in which the employment sector is divided: the primary
sector, secondary sector and tertiary sector. The largest part of Indi’s population is dependent on
agriculture for their livelihood, yet there is massive scope of disguised unemployment in the agricultural
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
sector. Hence the manufacturing sector, a secondary activity is the one where the maximum part of the
population can be given employment due to the increase in the number of industries.
13. Can you suggest some measures in the education system to mitigate the problem of
educated unemployed?
Answer: Some measures that can be taken in the education system to mitigate the problem of
educated unemployed are as follows:
1. Make secondary level education more career-oriented. This practice will not just help individuals
get education but also enhance their skills and get better employment opportunities.
2. An individual should be able to choose the subjects that suit his or her abilities.
3. New subjects and fields of study should be introduced at the school level which can be opted a
career in the future. This will open an opportunity for students to plan their future options at
school level itself.
14. Can you imagine some village which initially had no job opportunities but later came up with
many?
Answer: Students must answer this question based on their own experience.
15. Which capital would you consider the best — land, labour, physical capital and human
capital? Why?
Answer: Human capital can be considered to be the best out of the land, labour, physical and human
capital. This is because the other resources cannot be used all by themselves and only humans can
use other resources and get productive outcomes of it.
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Chapter 3 - Poverty as a Challenge
1. Describe how the poverty line is estimated in India?
Answer: A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level falls below a given
“minimum level” necessary to fulfill the basic needs. This minimum level is called the poverty line. In
India, the poverty line is estimated by multiplying the prices of physical quantities like food, clothing,
footwear, fuel, light, education, etc. in rupees. The numbers involved in determining the poverty line
vary for different years. Also, the poverty line for rural areas is different from that of the urban areas
because the work, lifestyle and expenses are different for rural and urban areas.
2. Do you think that present methodology of poverty estimation is appropriate?
Answer: No, the present-day methodology of poverty estimation does not seem to be completely
appropriate. This is because the only factor is taken into consideration is the economic status and
moreover, it considers a minimum subsistence of living instead of a reasonable status of living. Poverty,
today is a larger concept than only the economic status of the people. With advancements and
development, the definition of poverty has also changed. People may have been able to feed
themselves and their family but education, shelter, health, job security and dignity al are still at a threat.
To overcome poverty entirely, all the above-mentioned factors also need to be kept in consideration. To
completely remove poverty from the country, the methodology to estimate poverty should also be
changed.
3. Describe poverty trends in India since 1973?
Answer: The Economic Survey of 2017-18 shows that although poverty has declined in the country,
the number of poor still remains to be very high. The poverty ratio of 1993-94 for both rural and urban
areas together was at 45% and the ratio for the year 2011-12 has declined down to 22%. However, the
topic of concern still remains that there has not been any massive decline in the number of poor living
in the country. From 404 million poor population in both rural and urban areas together in 1993-94. The
poor population till 2011-12 remains to be 270 million for both rural and urban areas. The survey clearly
tells that the concerned authorities must take some serious steps in order to make India a country free
of poverty.
4. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India?
Answer: The major reasons for poverty in the country are:
1. The low level of economic development under British colonial rule. The policies of the colonial
government ruined traditional handicrafts and discouraged the development of industries like
textiles.
2. The spread of the Green Revolution created many job opportunities for the people of the
country, yet they were not sufficient in comparison to the number of job seekers.
3. Unequal distribution of land and resources is another important factor for poverty in India.
4. In order to fulfil social obligations and religious ceremonies the poor end up spending a lot which
results in poverty.
5. Inequality in the income of the people is also a major reason for poverty.
5. Identify the social and economic groups which are most vulnerable to poverty in India.
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Answer:
The social groups which are most vulnerable to poverty in India are:
1. Scheduled Caste Households
2. Scheduled Tribe Households
The economic groups which are most vulnerable to poverty in India are:
1. Rural Agricultural Labour Households
2. Urban Casual Labour Households
6. Give an account of interstate disparities of poverty in India
Answer: Poverty in India differs for different states. The success rate of reducing poverty varies from
state to state causing inter-state disparities in poverty level. Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are the
three poorest states in India with their people living below the poverty line being 47, 42 and 37 per cent
respectively. Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are the three better-off states in India
as far as the poverty is concerned. There are various factors that are responsible for these interstate
disparities of poverty in India.
7. Describe global poverty trends.
Answer: The success rate of reducing poverty varies from state to state causing inter-state disparities
in poverty level. Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are the three poorest states in India with their
people living below the poverty line being 47, 42 and 37 per cent respectively. Jammu and Kashmir,
Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are the three better-off states in India as far as the poverty is concerned.
There has been a substantial reduction in global poverty. Poverty declined in China and South-East
Asian countries as a result of rapid economic growth and huge investments in the development of
human resources. In Latin America, the ratio of poverty remained almost the same. In sub-Saharan
Africa, poverty saw an upward trend rather than a downward trend. It rose from 41% in 1981 to 46% in
2001. Poverty has surfaced itself in some of the former socialist countries like Russia, where formerly it
was non-existent.
8. Describe current government strategy of poverty alleviation?
Answer: Removal of poverty has been one of the major objectives of Indian developmental strategy.
The current anti-poverty strategy of the government is based broadly on two planks, being, promotion
of economic growth and targeted anti-poverty programmes. Awareness is being spread across the
nation specifying the importance of education, which has resulted in the increase of literacy level.
Various schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005,
Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) and
Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) have been introduced by the government with an aim to abolish
poverty from the country.
9. Answer the following questions briefly
(i) What do you understand by human poverty?
Answer: Human poverty is a term that means that poverty in India is not just limited to the economic
status of the people but rather spreads in various other sectors which include lack of education,
negligence of health care system, discrimination and disparity. Abolishing poverty from the country
should no be the only aim of the authorities but to abolish human poverty must be the aim.
(ii) Who are the poorest of the poor?
Answer: Women, female infants and elderly are considered to the poorest of the poor. This is because,
in a poor household, these people suffer the most and are deprived of the maximum necessities in life.
(iii) What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005?
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Answer: The main features of the National Rural Employment Act 2005 are as follows:
1. To provide 100 days of wage employment to every household to ensure livelihood security
2. Sustainable development to address the cause of draught, deforestation and soil erosion.
3. One-third of the proposed jobs under this scheme have been reserved for women
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
Chapter 4 - Food Security in India
1. How is food security ensured in India?
Answer: To ensure the availability of food to all sections of the society the Indian government carefully
designed food security system, which is composed of two components: (a) buffer stock and (b) public
distribution system. Food security is ensured in India in the following ways:
1. Availability of Food - food produced in the country and the previous year stocks saved by the
Government
2. Accessibility of Food - food reaches to every citizen of the country
3. Affordability of Food - every individual should have the money to afford food which is safe and
nutritious
2. Which are the people more prone to food insecurity?
Answer: The people living below the poverty line might be food insecure all the time while better-off
people might also turn food insecure due to calamity or disaster. The social composition along with the
inability to buy food also plays a role in food insecurity. The SCs, STs and some sections of the OBCs
(lower castes among them) who have either poor land-based or very low land productivity are prone to
food insecurity. Other than these sections, people hit by a natural disaster are also likely to be food
insecure.
3. Which states are more food insecure in India?
Answer: Eastern and south-eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal,
Chattishgarh, parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are the largest food-insecure states in India.
4. Do you believe that green revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains? How?
Answer: Post-independence, India adopted a new strategy in the agricultural field which led to the
Green Revolution, especially for the production of wheat and rice. Ever since India has avoided famine
even in adverse weather conditions and various varieties of crops grow all across the country. This
availability of food grains even in adverse conditions at the country level ensured the Government to
have a proper food security system. Hence, it can be said that the green revolution has made India self-
sufficient in food grains.
5. A section of people in India are still without food. Explain?
Answer: A section of people in India are still without food despite a large increase in the food grain
production in the country. This is because of the increased price of commodities and people not being
able to afford food to feed themselves and their families. Unemployment can also be a cause of this
chronic hunger that poor people suffer in rural areas.
6. What happens to the supply of food when there is a disaster or a calamity?
Answer: When there is a disaster or calamity the production and cultivation f food grains is highly
effected. The production decreases and this causes a shortage of food grains and ultimately in the
hiked prices of food grains. The region affected by calamity might also turn into a food-insecure state if
the calamity lasts for a longer period of time.
7. Differentiate between seasonal hunger and chronic hunger?
Answer: Hunger is one of the most important aspect indicating food security. Hunger results in poverty
and there are two dimensions of hunger, one is seasonal hunger and the other is chronic hunger.
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
The type of hunger that exists when a person is unable to get work for the entire year is called seasonal
hunger. Seasonal hunger is related to cycles of food growing and harvesting. This is prevalent in rural
areas because of the seasonal nature of agricultural activities and in urban areas because of casual
labourers.
Chronic hunger is a consequence of diets persistently inadequate in terms of quantity and/or quality.
Poor people suffer from chronic hunger because of their very low income and in turn inability to buy
food even for survival.
8. What has our government done to provide food security to the poor? Discuss any two
schemes launched by the government?
Answer: The government has launched various schemes for the welfare of the people and to provide
food security to the poor. Two such schemes are the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Annapurna
Scheme (APS).
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) - Launched in the year 200, under this scheme one crore of the poorest
among the below poverty line families covered under the targeted public distribution system were
identified and 25kg of food grains were provided to each eligible family at a highly subsidised rate of
Rs.2 per kg wheat and Rs.3 per kg rice. The scheme was further expanded in the year 2003 and close
to 50 lakh more below poverty line families were provided with the food grains.
Annapurna Scheme (APS) - Launched in the year 2000, the scheme aims to provide food to the senior
citizens who have remained uncovered under the National Old Age Pension Scheme. The eligibility for
an applicant is that she or he should be 65 years or above in age.
9. Why buffer stock is created by the government?
Answer: A buffer stock of food grains is created by the government so that it can be distributed in the
food deficit areas and among the poorer strata of the society at a price much lower than the market
price. A buffer stock also helps to resolve the problem of food shortage during adverse weather
conditions, disaster or calamity. Thus maintaining buffer stock is a step taken by the government in
order to ensure food security.
10. Write notes on:
(a) Minimum support price - The Food Corporation of India purchases wheat and rice from the
farmers in states where there is surplus production. The farmers are paid a preannounced price for
their crops. This price is called Minimum Support Price. Before the sowing season every year, the
government announces the MSP and the purchased food grains are stored in granaries.
(b) Buffer stock - Buffer stock is the stock of food grains, namely wheat and rice, procured by the
Government through the Food Corporation of India. This buffer stock is used by the government in case
of any calamity or disaster or for the poorer section of the society.
(c) Issue price - Food is kept in stocks in the form of the buffer stock to distribute foodgrains in the
deficit areas and among the poorer strata of the society at a price lower than the market. This price is
also known as Issue Price.
(d) Fair price shops - Ration shops also, known as Fair Price Shops, keep stock of foodgrains, sugar,
and kerosene for cooking. These items are sold to people at a price lower than the market price. Any
family with a ration card can buy a stipulated amount of these items every month from the nearby ration
shop.
https://byjus.com
NCERT Solutions For Class 9 Social Science Economics
11. What are the problems of the functioning of ration shops?
Answer: Ration shops also, known as Fair Price Shops, keep stock of foodgrains, sugar, and kerosene
for cooking. These items are sold to people at a price lower than the market price. However, there are
problems of functioning of the ration shops:
1. The quality of food provided to poor people is less than the expected quality of foodgrains.
2. The ration shop deals indulge in malpractices and do not provide the poor people with entire
quantity they deserve.
3. Some ration shops are not opened regularly and this causes discomfort to the poor.
4. The ration shopkeepers even update wrong entries in the name of the poor people.
12. Write a note on the role of cooperatives in providing food and related items.
Answer: Along with the government, cooperatives also play an important role in ensuring food security
in India, especially in the southern and western parts of the country. The cooperative societies set up
shops to sell low-priced goods to the poor. Out of all fair-price shops running in Tamil Nadu, around 94
per cent are being run by cooperatives. Mother Dairy, in Delhi, is involved in providing milk and
vegetables at controlled rates decided by the government. Amul, responsible for the White Revolution
in India, is a cooperative involved in providing milk and milk products. The Academy of Development
Science (ADS) in Maharashtra has been involved in the setting up of Grain Banks in different regions. It
organises training and capacity-building programmes on food security for NGOs. Its efforts are also
directed towards influencing the government's policy on food security. Thus, through these examples, it
can be seen that cooperative are playing an active role in the distribution of food and related items.
https://byjus.com
