4.

Finally at the midnight of -----------------, the new national flag of the Republican of South Africa was unfurled marking the
newly born democracy in the world.
(A) 26 April 1964 (B) 26 April 19964 (C) 26 April 1984 (D) 26 April 1974

5. ------------------ is the supreme law that determines the relationship among people living in a territory and also the relationship
between the people and government.
(A) Government (B) Common people (C) Constitution (D) Democracy

6. The Indian constitution adopted many institutional details and procedures from colonial laws like the -------------------.
(A) Rowlaff Indian Act (B) Morley – Minto reforms
(C) Montague – Chelmsford reforms (D) Government of India Act 1935

7. The drafting of the document called the constitution was done by an assembly of elected representatives called
the ---------------.
(A) Parliament (B) Drafting committee (C) Lok Sabha (D) Constituent Assembly

8. Drafting committee of the constituent assembly was chaired by:

(A) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (B) J.L. Nehru (C) Mahatma Gandhi (D) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

9. Values that inspired and guided the Indian freedom struggle and were in turn nurtured by it, formed the foundation for India’s
democracy. These values are embedded in the ------------- of the Indian constitution.
(A) 8th Schedule (B) Preamble (C) Article 13 (D) Volume 09

10. Those who crafted the Indian constitution felt that it has to be in accordance with people’s aspirations and changes in society.
So, they made provision to incorporate changes from time to time. These changes are called ----------------.
(A) Constitutional amendments (B) Reforms
(C) Changes in the constitution (D) Revival of the constitution

SUBJECTIVE DPP – 3.2

Very short answer type question:
1. Name any four democracy countries of the world.
2. Which of the following countries is not a democracy – Great Britain, Canada and Myanmar and why?
3. Mention any four limitations of democracy.
4. ‘In a democracy the majority of people rule through their elected representatives.’ Give reasons.
5. “In Pakistan people elect their representatives to the national and provincial assemblies but still it cannot be called a
democratic country: Give reasons.
6. When did Zimbabwe gain independence? Which party has ruled since then and who is its leader?
7. What is the most common from of democracy in today’s world and why?

Short answer type question:

8. What is constitution? Why is it important?

9. What is apartheid?
10. Who is Nelson Mandela?
11. What changes have been brought in the constitution of South Africa after 1994?
12. “The South African Constitution inspires democracy all over the world.” why?
13. With reference to the Indian Constitution answer the following questions:
(i) When was it passed?
(ii) When was it enforced?
(iii) Why this date was chosen?

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14. With reference to Constituent Assembly answer the following questions:
(i) When were its election heid?
(ii) Who was its President?
(iii) Who was appointed the Chairman of the Drafting Committee?
(iv) When was the Constitution passed by the Constitution Assembly?
15. What is the importance of Preamble?
16. ‘A Constitution is a living document’. Justify.
17. “The Constitution Assembly was the representative body of the people of India”. Explain with examples.
18. “The working of the Constituent Assembly has given sanctity to the Constitution”. Explain.
19. India is a “Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic”. Justify.

Long answer type question:

20. How did the Policy of Apartheid come to an end?
21. Outline in brief the background in which the constitution of independent India was formulated.
22. State the different steps in the framing of India’s Constitution.
23. Mention the events that influenced the members of the Constituent Assembly.
25. What do you mean by constitutional amendment? What is the procedure for constitutional amendment ?
26. Why should we accept the Constitution made by the Constituent Assembly more than 50 years ago ?
27. Explain the major factors which contributed to the making of our constitution.

ANSWER KEY
(Objective DPP 3.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ans D C C B C D B D B A

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 
ELECTORAL POLITICES

SL-04(C)
WHY ELECTIONS ?

An election is a contest organized between different political parties for getting people’s support.
The party which gets the support of the largest number of people comes to power and forms the government in a
representative democracy election is a mechanism by which people can choose their representatives in an election, the voters
make many choices.

(i) They can choose persons who will make laws choices.
(ii) They can choose persons who will form government and take major decisions.
(iii) They can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making.

(a) What makes an Election Democratic?

In a democracy elections reflect truly and solely the will of the people.
A democratic election must fulfill the following minimum conditions:

(i) Everyone should be able to choose. It means that every person should have one vote and every vote should have equal
value.
(ii) There should be something to choose from. Parties and candidates should be free to contest elections. They should offer
some real choice to the voters.
(iii) The choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elections must be held regularly after every few years.
(iv) The candidate preferred by the people should get elected.
(v) Elections should be conducted in a free and fair manner where people can choose as they really wish.

(b) Is it good to have Political Competition?

(i) Elections are a means to gain power and positions of influence in the government. in a nation with over 1,000 million
population, there may be a few millions who nurture these aspirations and ambitions. These aspirations and ambitions
can be fulfilled only if they get successfully elected as people’s representatives. Since the number of representatives to
be elected is fairly very small there is cut throat competition among the aspirants.

(ii) Electoral competition is like a competition at any market place. in a market, business firms fight each other to gain
consumer’s confidence. Those firms which are in a position to gain this confidence taste success. Those who fail finally
have to withdraw from the market. Competition, therefore, compels adoption of consumer-friendly practices.

(iii) Same is the case with the electoral competition. Different political have to work to gain voters’ confidence. They may
successfully hoodwink voters once or a couple of times. but this game cannot go on indefinitely, finally, every
politician, or a political party, would have to show results and live upto voters’ expectation. This is what political or
electoral competition ensures, and this is the strength of competition.

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 (c) Demerits of Political Competition:
The system of elections gives rise to political competition. Political competition has its own costs :
It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism.
Different political parties and leaders often use dirty tricks to win elections.
Parties and leaders often level allegations against each other.
This pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long-term policies to be formulated.
The environment created by competition dissuades many people to enter the political arena.

WHAT IS OUR SYSTEM ELECTIONS?

(i) Elections to choose people’s representatives to Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament) and Vidhan Sabha (State
Assemblies) is held after every five years, i.e., the term of an elected representative (Lok Sabha, MP or Vidhan Sabha,
MLA) is five years.
(ii) By-election is an election that is held to choose a candidate in place of a member of legislature who has resigned
suddenly or died.
(iii) Mid-term election is an election held to constitute a new house if the legislature is dissolved before its full time.
(iv) Universal adult franchise implies that any person who has attained 18 years of age has a vote. There is no
‘discrimination on the basis of caste, sex, religion, etc.

(a) Electoral Constituencies:

(i) India follows an area based system of representation. For this purpose, the country is divided into different areas for
purposes of elections. These are called electoral constituencies.
(ii) Voters who live in a constituency elect a representative for their area. For elections to Lok Sabha, the country is divided
in 543 constituencies. Therefore, 543 MPs get elected to Lok Sabha as people’s representative.
(iii) One of the features of a democratic election is that every vote should have equal value. to ensure this, an effort has been
made that each constituency should have roughly the same number of voters. In practice, however, it has not been
possible to maintain this balance.

Demarcation of electoral constituencies for the state assemblies:

For elections to the state assembly, a state is divided into a number of electoral constituencies. The number of assembly
constituencies in a state depends upon the size of area and population in the state. Each Parliamentary constituency has a
number of assembly constituencies.
The same principle applies for elections to panchayats and municipalities. Each village or town is divided into several
‘wards’. Each ward elects one representative.

(b) Reserved Constituencies:

A true democracy provides equal opportunity to all individuals and sections of society to take part in elections get elected and
share in the governance of the economy.
However, due to various historical, social, cultural and economic reasons, section of the society has remained backward. It
constitutes the weaker section of the society.
The weaker section constitutes, by and large Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Castes
(OBCs), and women.
The weaker section cannot be expected to play the game of electoral competition on the same turf as the powerful sections.
To be meaningful, a level playing field is to be provided.

(c) Voters list:

Electoral roll is the list of persons who are eligible to vote in an election:-
All the citizens aged 18 years and above are eligible voters.
Every citizen has the right to vote regardless of his or her caste, religion or gender.
Persons with unsound mind and criminals can be denied the right to vote.
Election photo identity Card: Every eligible voter (i.e., whose name appears in the voters ’list) is being issued an identity card
by the govermment. This contains the photograph of the voter. The card serves as a mark of identification at the time of
polling of votes.
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(d) Nomination of Candidates:
Any citizen of the minimum age of 5 years can file his nomination. filing the nomination means he can present himself as a
candidate.
Every person who wishes to contest an election has to fill a ‘nomination form’ and give some money as ‘security deposit’.
Recently, a new system of declaration has been introduced on direction from the Supreme Court. Every candidate has to
make a legal’ declaration, giving full details of:
Serious criminal cases pending against the candidate.
This information has to be made public. this provides an opportunity to the voter to make their decision on the basis of the
information provided by the candidates.

Classification of candidates:

Candidates contesting an election can be classified in two groups:

(i) Independents, i.e., those individuals who contest elections on their own.

(ii) Party candidates, i.e., those individuals who contest elections as a nominee of a political party.

“Most candidates are fielded from political parties”.

Party candidates enjoy many advantages over independent.

(i) When a candidate represent a party, it is easier for voters to know what he stands for. so a person voting for a party
candidate knows what he is voting for.

(ii) Modern electioneering is a cumbersome process. it needs huge Organisation to manage it. individuals cannot mobilize
resource for this type of Organisation, parties can and they do mobilize resources.

(iii) Electioneering means campaigning in different forms and in different parts of a constituency. An individual cannot
organise these but a party can.

(iv) On the polling day polling booths have to be set up and manned by volunteers. Polititical parties can easily manage it.
A political party is geared to and has necessary resources to contest elections. Hence, individuals seek to be part of a
political party.

(e) Election Campaign:

Election is all about choosing a representative to the legislature and / or the government. Before a judicious choice is made,
voters need to be informed about :

(i) Who is a better representative?

(ii) Which party will make a better government?
(iii) These pieces of information are put together in an election campaign.

Candidates and / or parties

(i) Contact their voters.

(ii) Address mass gatherings / political meetings.
(iii) Mobilize their supporters.

In a battle for voters’ vote, competition gains heat.

Restrictions placed on election campaigns by law :

It is necessary to regulate campaigns to ensure that every political party and candidate gets a fair and equal chance to
compete.
According to our election law, no party or candidate can:

(i) Bribe or threaten voters;

(ii) Appeal to them in the name of caste or religion;

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(iii) Use government resources for election campaign; and spend more than Rs.5 lakh in a constituency for a Lok Sabha
election or Rs. 10 lakh in a constituency in an Assembly election. If they do so, their election can be rejected by the
court even after they have been declared elected.

Model code of conduct for election campaign:

All the political parties in our country have agreed to a Model Code of Conduct for election campaigns. According to this no
party or candidate can:
Use any place of worship for election propaganda; use government vehicles, aircraft and officials for elections; and once
elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects, take any big policy decisions or make any
promises of providing public facilities.

Election Manifesto:
A party’s manifesto states its programme of action before it campaigns for votes among the voters.

(i) A manifesto tells the voters what the party thinks about major issues of internal or foreign policy, and promises to do
certain things if it is voted to power.
(ii) It explains why does the party agree or not agree with the government.
(iii) It must also tell the voter what it is going to do if it wins.
(iv) A party which is in government tells voters why it acted the way it did.
(v) Election manifestos are important documents. Parties are judged by these.

Importance of Symbols in Elections:

Political parties have usually well-known symbols. Normally, a person recognises a party instantly from its symbol. Symbols
are allotted by the Election Commission so that every candidate has a different symbol and the voters do not get confused.

(f) Polling and Counting of Votes:

(i) On the Election Day, every person whose name is on the voters’ list can go to a nearbe’ polling booth’, situated usually
in a local school or a government office.
(ii) Once the voter goes inside the booth, the election officials identify her, put a mark on his finger and allow him to cast
his vote. An agent of each candidate is allowed to sit inside the polling booth and ensure that the voting takes place in a
fair way.
(iii) Earlier the voters used to indicate whom they wanted to vote for by putting stamp on the ballot paper. A ballot paper is a
sheet of paper on which the names of the contesting candidates along with party name and symbols are listed.
(iv) Nowadays electronic voting machines (EVM) are used to record votes. the machine shows the names of the candidates
and the party symbols. Independent candidates too have their own symbols, allotted by election officials. All the voter
has to do is to press the button against the name of the candidate he wants to give his vote.
(v) Once the polling is over, all the EVMs are sealed and taken to a secure place. a few days later, on a fixed data, all the
EVMs from a constituency are opened and the votes secured by each candidate are counted. The agents of all candidates
are present there to ensure that the counting is done properly. The candidate who secures the highest number of votes
from a constituency is declared elected.
(vi) In a general election, usually the counting of votes in all the constituencies takes place at the same time, on the same
day. Television channels, radio and newspapers report this event. Within a few hours of counting, all the results are
declared and it becomes clear as to who will form the next govermment.

(g) Election petition:

If a candidate is not satisfied by the way the election has been held, he can go to the Court and question his rival’s election.
The decision of the Court does not let the questioning candidate win the seat but it makes winning candidate lose his seat.

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128
WHAT MAKES ELECTIONS IN INDIA DEMOCRACY?

(a) Independent Election Commission:

Election Commission is an independent body provided for in the Constitution.
The whole election business is carried out by the Election Commission. It is charged with the responsibility of conducting
free and fair elections which are the foundation of the whole system of democracy. Headed by the Chief Election
Commissioner and two other members, the functions of the Commission are as follows:

(i) Preparation of voters ‘list

(ii) Delimitation of the constituencies
(iii) Controlling the election machinery
(iv) Recognizing newly formed parties
(v) Allotting party symbols to parties
(vi) Conducting of polling and counting of votes
(vii) Announcement of results.

The procedure for the appointment of Election Commission is laid down in the Constitution. The Election Commission
makes sure that the party in power does not take undue advantage of its position.

(b) Popular Participation:

Another way to check the quality of the election process in to. See whether people participate in it with enthusiasm. If the
election process is not free or fair, people will not continue to participate in the exercise.

(i) People’s participation in election is usually measured by voter turnout figures. Tumout indicates the per cent of
eligible voters who actually cast their vote. over the last fifty years, the tumout in Europe and North America has
declined. In India the turnout has either remained stable or actually gone up.
(ii) In India the poor, illiterate and underprivileged people vote in large proportion as compared to the rich and privileged
sections. this is in contrast to western democracies.
(iii) Common people in India attach a lot of importance to elections. They feel that through election they can bring pressure
on political parties to adopt policies and programmes favorable to them. They also feel that their vote matters in the
way things are run in the country.
(iv) The interest of voters in election related activities has been increasing over the years. During the 2004 elections, more
than one-third voters took part in the campaign-related activities. More than half of the people identified themselves as
being close to one or the other political party. One out of every seven voters is a member of a political party.

(c) Acceptance of Election Outcome:

If election are not free and fair, the outcome always favours the powerful. in such a situation, the ruling parties do not lose
elections. The outcome of India’s elections speaks for itself:

(i) The ruling parties routinely lose elections in India both at the national and state level. In fact in every two out of the
three elections held in the last fifteen years, the ruling party lost.
(ii) In the US, an incumbent or ‘sitting’ elected representative rarely loses an election. In India about half of the sitting MPs
or MLAs lose elections.
(iii) candidates who are known to have spent a lot of money on ‘buying votes’ and those with known criminal connections
often lose elections.
(iv) Barring few disputed elections, the electoral outcomes are usually accepted as ‘people’s verdict’ by the defeated party.

(d) Challenges to free and fair elections:

(i) Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they do enjoy a big and unfair
advantage over smaller parties and independents.

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 (ii) In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to push others out of the electoral race
and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties.
(iii) Some families tend to dominate political parties; tickets are distributed to relatives from these families.
(iv) Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, for both the major parties are quite similar to each other
both in policies and practice.
(v) Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared to bigger parties.

These challenges exist not just in India but also in many established democracies. these deeper issues are a matter of concern
for those who believe in democracy. That is why citizens, social activists and organizations have been demanding reforms in
our electoral system.

ELECTIONS ARE THE BAROMETER OF DEMOCRACY

Elections are rightly said to be the barometer of democracy.

(i) It is through elections that the people give expression to their opinion.
(ii) It is through elections that the persons who have to work as representative of the people are identified.
(iii) Any unpopular government can be unseated in an election.
(iv) Elections help in maintaining an effective control over the executive.
(v) Elections are the time when it is possible to debate publicly on various socio-economic issues. different issues and
subjects of concern come to the fore.
(vi) The true character of social and political workers comes out during the election campaign. The real worth of individuals
can easily be adjudged.
In short, a fair and free election is indicative of the healthy and robust democracy.

IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN A DEMOCRACY

Political parties are important for the functioning of democracy.

(i) The participate in the elections.

(ii) They put forward their alms and goals before the people.
(iii) Through their manifestos they let the people know what programme of action they would follow if they are voted to
power.
(iv) This makes it easier for voters to make their choice between different candidates.
(v) The ruling party helps the government to keep in touch with what the people feel about its policies.
(vi) Opposition parties act as watch-dogs on the government. they are always alert to the policies and actions of the
government. they citicise the govermment for its acts of omission and commission. All these make sure that the
government should not go out of the track.

ROLE AN OPPOSITION PARTY IN A DEMOCRACY

The opposition in a legislature represent the legitimized dissent of the people.

An opposition party plays a significant role in a democracy.
(i) It acts as an alert watch-dog.
(ii) It exercises a check on ill-considered legislations.
(iii) It helps check the slackness of the government and its various departments.
(iv) The member of the opposition can move adjoumment motions, cut motions, and vote of no-confidence, with the aim to
highlight any major government failure or acts of omission.
(v) The investigative commissions set up to enquire into alleged cases of corruption or negligence of duties have members
from the opposition parties also. This ensures that they act in a fair and unbiased manner.

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 EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP – 4.1

1. For election to Sabha, India is divided into how many number of constituencies?
(A) 534 (B) 538 (C) 543 (D) 542
2. SC/ST and OBC constitute:
(A) Workers section (B) Weaker section (C) Voters section (D) All the above
3. Currently how many seats are reserved for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha?
(A) 79 and 41 (B) 97 and 14 (C) 72 and 42 (D) 69 and 29
4. What is the minimum voting age in India for men and women?
(A) 18 years for all (B) 18 and 21 (C) 21 and 18 (D) 24 and 28
5. What is the minimum qualifying ago for contesting election for legislatures in our country?
(A) 21 years (B) 30 years (C) 25 years (D) 18 years
6. What is that vote which is casted by anyone to a candidate, but others would not know his choice?
(A) Private vote (B) Personal vote (C) Hidden vote (D) Secret Ballot
7. The highest number of Lok Sabha seats are from:
(A) West Bengal (B) Bihar (C) Maharashtra (D) U.P.
8. Which of the following states of India has only one seat in Lok Sabha?
(A) Manipur (B) Meghalaya (C) Nagaland (D) Arunachal Pradesh
9. What is the limit of expenditure in election to State Assembly?
(A) 25 Lakh (B) 10 Lakh (C) 20 Lakh (D) 5 Lakh
10. Who conducts election in India?
(A) Government of India (B) The President of India
(C) Election Commission of India (D) Parliament of India
11. In a democracy, election reflect truly and solely the will of the:
(A) People (B) Press (C) Parliament (D) Political Parties
12. In a democracy who of the following should be elected?
(A) Preferred by the Press (B) Preferred by the Prime Minister
(C) Preferred by the Public opinion (D) none of the above
13. The term of a Lok Sabha member and State Assembly member is:
(A) 4 years (B) 6 years (C) 3 years (D) 5 years
14. In many states of India, seats in panchayats, and municipalities and corporation are reserved for:
(A) Industrial and Land lords (B) Higher caste people
(C) Farmers and business men (D) Persons from OBCs
15. Election Photo identity Card in India is issued by :
(A) Collector of the district (B) Superintendent of police
(C) Chief Minister (D) Election Commission
16. Recently Supreme Court has directed for which document-while filing nomination:
(A) Family declaration (B) Legal declaration
(C) Income declaration (D) Family planning declaration
17. The candidates in an election are classified as :
(A) Winners and losers (B) Proposers and seconders
(C) Independents and party candidates (D) Pro and against the government candidates
18. Who of the following can contest election in India?
(A) A person who can understand peoples concern and it otherwise eligible as per law
(B) Any body who is at least-a graduate
(C) All those who have at least minimum property of Rs. 10 crores
(D) None of the above

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19. Which of the following Union Territories have maximum seats in Lok Sabha?
(A) Pondichery (B) Delhi (C) Daman and Diu (D) Chandigarh
20. According to our election law no party or candidate can:
(A) Bribe or threaten voters (B) Appeal to voters in the name of caste or religion
(C) Use govermment resources (D) All the above

SUBJECTIVE DPP – 4.2

Very short answer type question:
1. What is a constituency?
2. What is electoral Roll or Voter’s List? What is its importance?
3. Explain Universal Adult Franchise.
4. When can a person be denied the right to vote?
5. What do you mean by EVM? What is its use?
6. What are Reserved Constituencies?
7. What is an election manifesto? What is its use?
8. Mention any two points relating to Model Code of Conduct for election campaigns.
9. Mention any two provisions which ensure the independency of the Election Commission.
10. What is the difference between a voter and a candidate?

Short answer type question:

11. What are the different measures taken to ensure free and fair elections?
12. What choices do voters make during elections?
13. What are the negative effects of electoral competition?
14. What are the conditions which make a election democratic?
15. Why have some constituencies been reserved?
16. What is the importance of election campaign?
17. State the features of the Model Code of Conduct which all political parties have agreed to adhere to during elections.
18. What are the challenges which prevent free and fair elections from being held?

Long answer type question:

19. What makes elections in India democratic?
20. Explain the role of Election Commission in free and fair elections.
21. Explain the election procedure.
22. What is the importance of political parties in a Democracy?

ANSWER KEY
(Objective DPP 4.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Ans C B A A C D D C A C A C D
Que. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Ans D D B C A B D

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 
COVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
& LEGISLATURE

SL -05(C)
HOW IS A MAJOR POLICY DECISION TAKEN ?

(a) The Decision Makers:

Any decision regarding the implementation of various policies in democracy is not only taken by the person who sings it. But
any decision in a democracy involves other major functionaries also. Lets take the example of the office Memorandum which
announced 27 percent reservations in civil posts and services under the Government of India for the Socially and
Economically Backward Classes.

(i) The Government first appointed the second Backward Classes Commission which gave its recommendation in 1980.

(ii) The report was discussed in Parliament and many parties demanded its implementation. When the Janata Dal came into
power in 1989, it announced its intention to implement this report through the address of the President to the Parliament.

(iii) ON 6th August 1990, seven days before the Office memorandum was issued, the Union Cabinet and took a formal
decision about this.

(iv) The next day Parliament was informed by the Prime Minister about this decision through a statement in both the house.

(v) The decision of the Cabinet was officially recorded and sent to the Department of Personnel and Training for immediate
implementation. The minister asked the top officers of the department to make an order to implement the cabinet’s
decision.

(vi) The officers drafted the order and took the minister’s approval. After this, the minister sought approval from the Prime
Minister’s office and O.M. 36012/31/90 officially came into being.

(vii) A number of cases were filed against this order in the courts. All these cases were bunched together and considered by
the Supreme Court. This case was known as the ‘Indira Sawheny and Others vs Union of India and Other’s case. In
1992, the Supreme Court upheld the Government order but asked the government to make certain modifications.

(viii) The ministry issued another office memorandum on September 8th 1993 and the disputers ended amicably.

Thus any major decision in a democracy involves all organs of the government – executive, legislature and the
judiciary.
(b) Need for Political institutions:
Governing a country involves various activities. this include ensuring security to the citizens, providing facilities for
education and health, to collect taxes and spend money thus raised on administration, defence and development programmes.
it formulates and implements several welfare schemes. Some persons have to take decisions on how to go about these
activities. Others have to implement these decisions. if disputes arise on these decisions or in there implementation, there
should be some one to determine what is wrong and is right. So to attend all this tasks, several arrangements are made in all
modern democracies. Such arrangements are called institutions. a democracy works well when these institutions perform
functions assigned to them. The Constitution of any country lays down basic rules on the powers and functions of each
institution.
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 Working with institutions is not easy. Institutions involve rules and regulations. This can bind the hands of leaders.
Institutions involve meetings, committees and routines. This often leads to delays and complications. Therefore dealing with
institutions can be frustrating. But that is nit the spirit of democracy. Some of the delays and complications introduced by
institutions are very useful. They provide an opportunity for a wide set of people to be consulted in any decisions. Institutions
make it difficult to have a good decision taken very quickly. But they also make it equally difficult to rush through a bads
decision. That is why democratic governments insist on institutions.

PARLIAMENT

(a) Why do we need a Parliament?

In all democracies, an assembly of elected representatives exercises supreme political authority on behalf of the people. In
India such a national assembly of elected representatives is called Parliament. At the state level this is called Legislature or
Legislative Assembly.

(i) Parliament is the final authority for making laws in any country. This task of law making or legislation is so crucial that
these assemblies are called legislatures. Parliaments all over the world can make new laws, change existing laws and
make new ones in their place.

(ii) Parliament all over the world exercise some control over those who run the government. In some countries like India
this control is direct and full. Those who run the government can take decisions only so long as they enjoy support of
the Parliament.

(iii) Parliament controls all the money that governments have. In most countries the public money can be spent only when
the Parliament sanctions it.

(vi) Parliament is the highest forum of discussion and debate on public issues and national policy in any country.
Parliament can seek information about any matter.

(b) Two Houses of Parliament:

Lok Sabha (lower house):

Maximum membership 550,530 elected. From states and 20 from union territories. President can nominate two representative
of Anglo-Indian community if they haven’t got adequate representation.

Qualifications:

Minimum age 25 years

Citizen of India.
The total country is divided into various constituencies, according to the population, Each constituency elect one
representative. every person above the age of 18 can vote.

Term:
Maximum 5 years, but can be dissolved any time by president. elects the speaker who presides over the session and conducts
business in the house. speaker can vote only in the situation of a tie. there is one deputy speaker who assists the speaker.

Rajya Sabha (upper house):

Total membership 250, elected members 238 and 12 nominated by the President.

Qualifications and Term:

Minimum age 30 years, Citizen of India. The members of state legislative assemblies elect the members of upper house i.e.
Rajya Sabha. It is a permanent house, every member is elected for 6 years, 1/3 of total members retires every 2 nd year.
The vice-president is the ex-officio chairman of Rajya Sabha and to assist him there is a vice chairman.

Lok Sabha is more powerful than Rajya Sabha:

(i) Any ordinary law needs to be passed by both the Houses. but if there is a difference between the two Houses, the final
decision is taken in a joint session in which members of both the Houses sit together. Because of the larger number of
members, the view of the Lok Sabha is likely to prevail in such a meeting.
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 (ii) Lok Sabha exercises more powers in money matters. Once the Lok Sabha passes the budget of the government or any
other money related law, the Rajya Sabha cannot reject it. The Rajya Sabha can only delay it by 14 days or suggest
changes in it. The Lok Sabha may or may not accept these changes.

(iii) Most importantly, the Lok Sabha controls the Council of Ministers. Only a person who enjoys the support of the majority
of the members in the Lok Sabha is appointed the Prime Minister. If the majority of the Lok Sabha members say they
have ‘no confidence’ in the Council of Ministers, all ministers including the Prime Minister, have to quit. The Rajya
Sabha does not have this power.

POLITICAL EXECUTIVE
At different levels of government various functionaries help the elected representative take day-to-day decisions but do not
exercise supreme power on behalf of the people. All these functionaries are collectively known as the executive. They are
called executive because they are in charge of the ‘execution; of the policies of the government. Thus, when we talk about
‘the govermment’ we usually mean the executive.

(a) Political and Permanent Executive:

(i) People who are appointed on a long term basis are called the permanent executive or civil services, persona working in
civil services called civil servants. They remain in office even when ruling party changes. These officers work under
political executive and assist them in carrying out the day-to-day administration. The civil servant is usually more
educated and has more expert knowledge of the subject.
Political executive are those who are elected by the people for a specific period. Political leaders who take the big
decisions falls in this category.

(ii) People who are elected for a specific period are called political executive. Political leaders who take the big decisions
fall in this category. In a democracy the will of the people is supreme. The minister is elected by the people and thus
empowered to exercise the will of the people for all the consequences of her decision. That is why the minister takes all
the final decisions. The minister decides the overall framework and objectives in which decisions on policy should be
made. The minister is not, and is not expected to be, an expert in the matters of her ministry. The minister takes the
advice of experts on all technical matters. But very often experts hold different opinions or place before more than one
option. Depending on what the overall objective is, the minister decides.

(b) Prime-Minister and Council of Ministers:

Election:

The President appoints the Prime Minister. But the President cannot appoint anyone he/she likes. The President appoints the
leader of the majority or the coalition of parties that commands a majority in the Lok Sabha, as Prime Minister. In case single
party or alliance gets a majority, the President appoints the persion most likely to secure a majority support.

Term:

Maximum five years, minimum the time he enjoys the majority in the Lok Sabha.

Council of Minister:

Council of Ministers is the official name for the body that includes all the Ministers. it usually has 60 to 80 Ministers of
different ranks. The President appoints the Council of Ministers on the advice of the prime minister. The Ministers are
usually from the party or the coalition that has the majority in the Lok Sabha, Sometimes, a person who is not a member of
Parliament can also become a minister. but such a person has to get elected to one Houses of the Parliament within six
months of appointment as minister.

(i) Cabinet minister are usually top-level leaders of the ruling party or parties who are in charge of the major ministries.
Usually the Cabinet Ministers meet to take decisions in the name of the Council of Ministers. Cabinet the inner ring of
the Council of Ministers. it comprises about 20 ministers.

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(ii) Ministers of state with independent charge are usually in-charge of smaller Ministries. They participate in the Cabinet
meetings only when specially invited.

(iii) Ministers of State are attached to and required to assist Cabinet Ministers. Since it is not practical for all ministers to
meet regular and discuss everything, the decisions are taken in Cabinet meetings. That is way parliamentary democracy
in most countries is often known as the Cabinet from of government.

Collective responsibility:
The cabinet works as a team. The ministers may have different views and opinions, but everyone has to own up to every
decision of the Cabinet. No minister can openly citicise any decision of the government, even if it is about another Ministry
or Department.

(c) Powers of the Prime Minister:

(i) The Prime minister has the right to form his/her Council of ministers and to make distribution of portfolios among them.
If any Minister disagrees with the Prime Minster the latter can get him/her removed from the Council of Ministers.

(ii) he/she allocates work to the different members of the Council of ministers. He/she acts as a coordinator among the
various Ministers so that the whole work of administration is carried on smoothly.

(iii) The prime minister and his/her Council of Ministers formulate internal as well as the external policies of the
Govermment. He/she and his/her council of ministers has te right to get te state of war or peace declared by the
President. He/she and his/her council of ministers put their policies before the parliament and get them rectified by it

(iv) The President makes important appointments only on the advice of the Prime Ministers. Appointments of the
Govermment, Ambassadors, Judges etc. are made on the Prime Minister’s advice

(v) The President proclaims emergency on the advice of the Prime Minister.

(vi) It is the advice of the Prime Minister that the President summons or prorogues the sessions of both the houses of the
Parliament and dissolves the Lok Sabha.

Problems faced by the Prime Minister of a Coalition Government:

In recent years the rise of coalition politics has imposed certain constraints on the power of the ‘prime Minister. The Prime
Minister of a coalition government cannot take decisions as he/she likes. He/she has to accommodate different groups and
factions in his party as well as among alliance partners. He/she also has to heed to the views and-positions of the coalition
partners and other parties, on whose support the survival of the government depends.

(d) The president

Qualifications:

(i) Citizen of India

(ii) Minimum age 35 years
(iii) Should not hold any office of profit under the govermment.
(iv) Should have the qualification to become a member of Lok Sabha

Election:

President is elected by a special body called electoral college consisting of elected members of Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha and
state legislative assemblies.

Term and salary:

(i) Term is of 5 years.
(ii) Salary Rs. 100000/-month, which cannot be reduced during his/her term.
(iii) Can be elected as president twice not more then that.

Removal:
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(i) If it is found that the president is not working according to constitution, the process of his/her removal can be started.

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(ii) The process is called impeachment.
(iv) Can be started in any house of Parliament but 1/4 th members of that house has to sign on the proposal.
(iv) 14 days notice is sent to the President.
(v) Process is started in the house, is discussed and has to be passed by 2/3 rd majority
(vi) The proposal is sent to other house, it is discussed and has to be passed by 2/3 rd majority
(vii) In between the process President can defend himself/herself through an authorized counsel. If the proposal is passed by
both the houses by 2/3rd majority President is removed.

Power of President:
Executive power:
(i) Appoints Prime Minister, Council of ministers, allocates their portfolio, can ask for their resignation.
(ii) Is the supreme commander of defence forces can declare war and conclude treaties.
(iii) All the important appointment of the government are made by President.
(iv) Receives the credentials of the ambassadors of different countries in India.

Legislative power:
(i) summons the sessions of Parliament, inaugurates it with his/her address and can dissolve the lok Sabha before its time.
(ii) No bill can become law till it is signed by President. Can reject the bill for once, but second time has to sign it.
(iii) Can issue ordinances.
(iv) Money Bills can be presented in Lok Sabha with the prior permission of President.

Judicial Power:
(i) Can grant pardon or can reduce the sentence of any convicted person.
(ii) Can take the advice of Supreme Court on any question of law or public importance. But is free to abide by or deny the
advice.

Emergency powers of President:

National emergency:
(i) Can be imposed if the security of the country is threatened by external, aggression or internal armed rebellion
(ii) Can be imposed only on the written request of Council of Ministers, has to be passed by parliament within one month.
(iii) Fundamental rights of the citizen’s can be curbed.
(iv) State government are dissolved and union government takes over the subjects given under state list.
(v) Emergency can be imposed for six months, can be extended maximum up to one year with due permission of
parliament.
(vi) Such an emergency was declared in India in 1965(indo-Pakistan war), 1975-77 (declared by Indira Gandhi on account of
internal disturbance).

State emergency:
(i) Whenever the President feels that the govermment in the state is not working according to constitution, state emergency
can be imposed in that state.
(ii) State government is suspended or dissolved and its powers are taken over by the central government.
(iii) Governor administers the state in the name of the President.
(iv) Emergency has to the approved by the parliament within one month.
(v) Can be imposed for 6 months and can be extended up to three years with the approval of parliament.
(vi) On October, 9, 2007, the President rule has been imposed on the south Indian state of Kamataka makin itthe latest state
where the emergency has been imposed.
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 Financial emergency:
(i) If the President feels that the financial stability or the credit of India is threatened, financial emergency can be imposed.
(ii) Salaries of the government officials can be reduced.
(iii) All finance bill of the states are passed by the central government.
(iv) Central government can ask state government to observe certain principles relating to financial matters.
Financial emergency has never been declared, on a previous occasion, the financial stability of credit of India has been
threatened, but a financial emergency was avoided. India experienced a shock on 6 July, 1991, when it had to agree to airlift
47 tonnes of gold from the vaults of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to London-intot he vaults of Bank of England-to act as
collateral for borrowing in the international financial market. a little earlier, the government had leased 20 tonnes of gold to
the State Bank of India (SBI) for sale in the international bullion market. the funds were urgently needed to ensure that it did
not default on its international financial commitments and also to ensure that there was continued supply of petroleum and
petroleum products to keep its economy moving. the acute balance of payments crisis was accompanied by a high inflation
rate 17 per cent.

Parliamentary System of Government Parliamentary form of Government

Is based on a fusion of legislative and Is based on separation of powers where all
Executive orders The three organs of govermment are
Separate
There is a presence of a nominal head and Such a distinction does not exist and the
A real head. the president who is the head President is the real executive.
Of state is actually only a nominal head. all
His powers are exercised by the Prime
Minister who is the real executive.
The executive is collectively and individually The President is not responsible to the
Responsible to the legislature. Legislature.
The tenure of the cabinet depends on the The President enjoys a fixed tenure.
Support it commands in the legislature.
The minister initiate important bills in the legislature. The members of the President’s cabinet
Cannot initiate any bills in the legislature.
All ministers have to be members of the legislature and are President’s Cabinet consists of experts
accountable to it. Who are not accountable to the legislature.

THE JUDICIARY
India is a federal state which means the centre and the state both their powers. the Supreme Court acts as a guardian of the
Constitution. The Supreme Court keeps an eye on the working and powers of both the state and the centre. The Supreme
Court has the power to settle disputes between the state and the centre and between two states. the Constitution of India has
also given responsibility for the protection of fundamental rights to the Supreme Court. if the govermment passes any law or
issues any order which is unconstitutional, the judiciary can declare the law as against the Constitution.

Independence of the Judiciary:

‘Independence of the Judiciary’ means that the judiciary should not be under the influence or control of any individual or
authority. If the Legislature of Executive is in a position to influence the judiciary in any way, the judges will not be able to
give impartial justice. in India the independence of the judiciary is ensured through:

(i) Appointment of Judges: The judges of the Supreme Court and High Court are appointed by the President on the advice
of the Prime Minister and in consultation with the Chief justice of the Supreme Court. In practice it means that the
seniors judges of the Supreme Court select the new judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts.

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 (ii) Security of Tenure: a Judge can remain in office till he/she has attained the age of 65 years (in case of Supreme Court)
and 62 (in case of High Court). He/she can be removed by the President on the ground of “proven misbehavior or
incapacity. ”But the resolution of his/her impeachment should be passed by both the Houses.

(ii) Salaries etc. are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India: The Salaries are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India
and cannot, therefore, be votes upon by the Parliament.

(iv) No discussion with respect to the conduct of any judge: No discussion shall take place in Parliament with respect to the
conduct of any judge in the discharge of his/her duties when a motion for his/her removal is under consideration.

Judiciary in India, one of the most powerful in the world:

The Supreme Court and the High Court have the power to interpret the Constitution of the country. They can declare invalid
any law of the legislature or the actions of the executive, whether at the Union level or at the State level, if they find such a
law or action is against the Constitution. Thus they can determine the validity of any legislation or action of the executive on
the country, when it is challenged before them. This is known as the judicial review. The Supreme Court of India has also
ruled that the core or basic principles of the Constitution cannot be changed by the Parliament.

Indian Judiciary, the Guardian of the Fundamental Rights:

The powers and the independence of the Indian judiciary allow it to act as the guardian of the Fundamental Rights. The
citizens have the right to approach the courts to seek remedy in case of any violation of their rights. Any one can approach
the courts if public interest is hurt by the actions of government. This is called public interest litigation. The courts intervene
to prevent the misuse of the government’s power to make decisions. They check malpractices on the part of public officials.
That is why the judiciary enjoys a high level of onfidence among the people.

EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP – 5.1

1. The President can nominate 2 members belonging to Anglo Indian Community in the Parliament in case :
(A) Lok Sabha has adequate representation (B) Lok Sabha has inadequate representation
(C) Rajya Sabha has inadequate representation (D) none of the above

2. Who elects the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
(A) The President (B) The Prime Minister
(C) The members of Lok Sabha (D) The members of Rajya Sabha

3. The minimum age limit of Lok Sabha member and the Rajya Sabha member is:
(A) 30 years and 25 years respectively (B) 25 years and 30 years respectively
(C) 25 years and 35 years respectively (D) 25 years and 25 years respectively

4. The word ex-office often used for the Vice President of India means:
(A) he/she would automatically become the chair Person of Rajya Sabha
(B) he/she would elected by the people directly.
(C) he/she would be nominated by the President of India
(D) none of the above

5. A joint sitting of the two Houses is called by:

(A) The Prime Minister (B) The President (C) The Speaker (D) The Deputy Speaker

6. Who gives the certificate that the bill is the financial bill?
(A) The Prim Minister (B) The President
(C) The Speaker (D) The member who reads the bill

7. The “No-Confidence Motion” means the opposition parties move a motion that the Lok Sabha does not have confidence in:
(A) The Cabinet (B) The Council of Ministers
(C) The Prime Minister (D) none of the above
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8. Which of the following statement is not correct?
(A) If the majority of the house votes against the motion the council of minister continues
(B) If the majority of the house votes for the motion the council of minister has to resign
(C) If the President votes against the motion the council of ministers has to resign
(D) none of the above
9. During question hours the questions are given to:
(A) The Speaker (B) The Deputy Speaker
(C) the Secretary General of the house (D) all of the above
10. Which of the following is not correct?
(A) Starred questions are for oral answer B) Non-starred questions are for written answer
(C) Both are for oral and written answers (D) all of the above
11. Who are the heads of the state and the government respectively?
(A) The Prime Minister and the President (B) The President and the Prime Minister
(C) The Speaker and the Vice President (D) The President and the Vice President
12. The president is elected by:
(A) The direct election by the citizens who obtained 18 years
(B) The indirect election by the electoral college
(C) The Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers
(D) none of the above
13. Which of the following are the executive powers of the president?
(A) All government decisions have to go on the president name
(B) The president is the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces of india
(C) The president has wide powers of appointment
(D) all of the above
14. The president enjoys the following powers:
(A) financial powers (B) emergency powers (C) judicial powers (D) all of the above
15. Which of the following is not the judicial functions of the parliament?
(A) It can impeach and remove the president out of his office
(B) It takes part in the election of the president
(C) It can impeach the judges of the Supreme Court
(D) It can impeach the judges of the High Court of India

SUBJECTIVE DPP – 5.2

Very short answer type question:
1. Who is the head of the Govermment?
2. Name any three institutions responsible to run democratic govermment in India.
3. By whom and when can the /House of People be dissolved?
4. Mention any four powers of the parliament.
5. What is the tenure of the Prime Minister?
6. Dr. Man Mohan Singh is not the member of Lok Sabha but still he was appointed as the Prime Minister of India. Give
reason.
7. How is the Chief justice of India appointed?
8. Why is it necessary to keep the judiciary independent of the govermment?

Short answer type question:

9. What are the qualifications required for contesting the election for the post of the President?
10. How and on what grounds can the President be removed from office?
11. How is the Prime Minister of India appointed?
12. What is meant by the term collective responsibility?

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13. What is meant by discretionary powers of the President?
14. How is the President of India elected?
15. Distinguish between the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers.

Long answer type question:

16. Explain the emergency powers of the President.

17. Explain the powers of the Indian Prime Minister.
18. How does the Lok Sabha exercises supreme power in comparison to Rajya Sabha?
19. What are the legislative and executive powers of the President?

Previously Asked Questions

20. Explain the legislative powers of the governor of the Indian state. Under what circumstances can he use his discretionary
powers ?
OR
How is the Indian Parliament composed? Explain any four functions of the Indian Parliament.

21. Explain four major functions of Indian Parliament. Why has the Indian constitution vested supreme power in the parliament?

22. Why is the Prime Minister called first among equals? What are his/her functions?
23. How does the Indian parliament control the executive?
24. Explain the legislative and two executive functions of the governer. What is his/her role during emergency ?

25. What are the legislative powers of the Governor of a State? On what ground can the Governor recommend the introduction of
President’s rule in his state?
26. How is the Indian President elected? Examine the legislative powers of the Indian President.

27. How is Prime Minister the constant factor in the parliamentary executive in India. What makes him/her more powerful than
the President of India.
28. Explain the role of Prime Minister and his Council of Minster in the Parliamentary democracy (India). What is the
significance of collective responsibility in this context?
29. Examine the powers of Governor of an Indian State, with special reference to his discretionary powers.

30. What is the difference between a Bill and Law? Describe the various stages through which a Bill has to pass to become a
Law.

ANSWER KEY
(Objective DPP 5.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans B C B A B C A C C A B B D D B

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 
DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

SL – 06 (C)
LIFE WITHOUT RIGHTS

(a) Prison in Guantanamo Bay:

(i) Guantanamo Bay is a naval base near Cuba, controlled by the American Navy.
(ii) The U.S.Forces secretly abducted about 600 people who they felt were responsible for the terrorist attack on New
York which occurred on 11th September 2001 and imprisoned them here.
(iii) In lost cases, the governments of their countries were not asked or even informed about their imprisonment.

Families of the prisoners, media or even UN representatives have not been allowed to meet them. There has been no trial
before any magistrate in the USA nor have the prisoners been allowed to approach the courts in their own country.
Amnesty international reported that the prisoners were being tortured in ways that violated the US laws. They were being
denied the treatment that even prisoners of war must get as per international treaties. Prisoners were not released even after
they were officially declared not guilty. The UN Secretary General said the prison in Guantanamo Bay should be closed
down. The US government refused to accept these pleas.

(b) Citizens’ Rights in Saudi Arabia:

(i) The country is ruled by a hereditary king and the people have no role in electing or changing their rulers.
(ii) The king selects the legislature as well as the executive. he appoints the judges and can change any of their decisions.
(iii) Citizens cannot form political parties of any political organizations. Media cannot report anything that the monarch
does not like.
(iv) There is no freedom of religion. Every citizen is required to be Muslim. Non-Muslim residents can follow their own
religion in private, but not in public.
(v) Women are subjected to many public restrictions. The testimony of one man is concemed equal to that of two women.

(c) Ethnic Massacre in Kosovo:

(i) Albanians formed the majority of the population in Kosovo but the Serbs were in majority in other parts of
Yugoslavia.
(ii) Milosevic who became the Prime Minister wanted Serbs to dominate the country and to get rid of the Albanians.
(iii) Thousands of Albanians were massacred. Finally, several other countries intervened to stop this massacre.
(iv) Milosevic was captured and tried by an international Court of justice for crimes against humanity.

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RIGHT IN A DEMOCRACY

(a) What are Rights?

(i) Rights are claims of a person over other fellow beings, over the society and over the government. A right possible
when you make a claim that is equally possible for others. You cannot have a right that harms or hurts others. The
claims we make should be reasonable. They should be such that can be made available to others in an equal measure.
Thus, a right comes with an obligation to respect other rights.
(ii) Just because we claim some thing it does not become out right. It has to be recognised by the society we live in. rights
acquire meaning only in society. Every society makes certain rules to regulate our conduct. They tell us what is right or
what is wrong. What is recognized by the society as rightful becomes the basis of rights.
(iii) When the socially recognised claims are written into law they acquired real force. Otherwise they remain merely as
natural or moral rights. When law recognises some claims they become enforceable. We can demand their application.
When fellow citizens or the government do not respect these rights we call it violation or infringement of our rights. In
such circumstances citizens can approach courts to protect their rights.

Rights are reasonable claims of persons, recognised by society and sanctioned by law.
(b) Why do we need Rights in a Democracy?
(i) Fundamental Rights provide the conditions which are essential for the development of the inherent qualities in man
and to secure his all round growth.
(ii) These are necessary to preserve human dignity and promote social progress in an atmosphere of freedom.
(iii) These provide civil liberties, without which democracy cannot be even conceived.
(iv) These are a significant check on the arbitrary use of the government.
(v) Rights protect minorities from the oppression of majority.

RIGHTS IN THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION

In India, like most other democracies in the world, these rights are mentioned in the Constitution. Some rights which are
fundamental to our life are given a special status. They are called Fundamental Rights. The preamble of our Constitution
talks about securing for all its citizens equality, and justice. Fundamental Rights put this promise into effect. They are an
important basic feature of India’s Constitution.
(a) ‘Right of Equality’:
The various aspects of ‘Right of Equality’ are as follows:
(i) Equality before Law: The constitution guarantees that all citizens are equal, before law. These is no
discrimination on the basis of race, caste, sex or place of birth.
(ii) Abolition of all titles like khan Bahadur, etc.
(iii) People should be given equal opportunity to show their skill.
(iv) The State cannot discriminate against anyone in the matter of employment. All citizens can apply
and become employees of the State.
(v) Protection of Weaker Sections: the right of equality gives special provisions for women and
children.
(vi) Reservation: In legislature, educational institutions, government offices, etc, some seats are reserved
for the weaker sections.
(vii) Ban on Untouchability: Untouchability has made an offence. Anyone who practices untouchability is
liable to punishment.

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(viii) No citizen can be denied access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public
entertainment.

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Two exceptions to the Right of Equality.
The Right to Equality contains two exceptions as follows:
(i) The state can made special provisions for women and children, scheduled castes and scheduled
tribes and backward classes. these classes need special protection because often they have been victims of unequal
treatment.
(ii) The state can reserve some posts for SCs, STs and OBCs.

(b) the Right to Freedom is actually a cluster of rights:

The Right to Freedom is a Fundamental Right given to us by the Constitution and safeguarded by the government .it consists
of the following rights:
(i) Freedom of speech and expression.
(ii) Freedom to assemble peacefully.
(iii) Freedom to form unions and associations.
(iv) Freedom to move within the country.
(v) Freedom to live in any part of India.
(vi) Freedom to practice any profession.
In addition, the Parliament has enacted a law giving the right to information to the citizens.

Restriction to the Right to Freedom:

The restrictions are as follows:
(i) The government can restrict these rights in the interest of national integration. it implies that
if these laws are used against the unity and integrity of India, the government can pass laws to restrict them.
(ii) Similar restrictions can be imposed if they are disturbing public order or morality.
(iii) We have the right to speech, but we should not use abusive language.
(iv) We have the right to use public property but it is not a right to destroy it. it is our duty to
protect public property.

“No citizen can be denied his life and liberty.”

The Right to Freedom guarantees that no citizen can be denied his life and liberty.
(i) These can be denied only by law, i.e., only if a citizen has violated a law or committed a
crime.
(ii) No one can be arrested without being told why he/she is being arrested.
(iii) And, if arrested, every citizen has the right to defend himself/herself through a lawyer of
his/her own choice.
(iv) Also, if a citizen is arrested, he/she must be brought before a magistrate within 24 hours.
Recently, the Supreme Court has expanded the meaning of the right to life to include the right to food. All these rights are
given to the citizens to ensure that the government cannot oppress them unjustly or take away their liberty.

Preventive Detention:
if a person is seen to be a threat to law or unity and integrity of the country, the government can detain such person to prevent
any damage. this is called Preventive Detention.
But preventive detention can extend only for three months.
The period can be extended by an advisory board.
At the end of this period, the person should either be brought for trial before a Court or released.

(c) ‘ Right against Expiation’:

Right against Expiation provides for the following:
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(i) Prohibition of traffic in human beings.
(ii) Prohibition of forced labor or begar.
(iii) Prohibition of employment of children in factories.

Constitutional provisions to protect the rights of children.

The provisions to protect rights of children are as follows:
(i) The Constitution bans trading in children, i.e., buying and selling of children.
(ii) Children under the age of 14 cannot be employed to do dangerous jobs.
(iii) All children should be provided free and compulsory education till the age of 14.
(iv) Right against exploitation protects them from bonded labor.
(v) The Constitution protects them from moral and material degradation.

(d) Right to Freedom of Religion:

Our Constitution gives the right to practice any religion to all citizens. Accordingly,
(i) there is no discrimination against any religion;
(ii) Laws are not passed on the basis of religion;
(iii) A citizen can proactive any religion which he/she wishes to;
(iv) Religion Constitution ous sects can setup charitable institutions.

(e) Cultural and educational rights:

India is a country many religion, languages and cultures. The Constitution helps them in preserving and developing their own
identity.
(i) All sections of people having their distinct culture, language and script have full freedom to protect the same.
(ii) All minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

(f) How can we secure these Rights?

The Constitution provides that the Courts have a duty to protect citizens ‘tights.
(i) Every citizen has a right to go to a Court to enforce his rights.
(ii) He can challenge any act of the government against his rights.
(iii) Courts can issue orders to the government.
(iv) These Court orders are known as Writs.
(v) Some of the important forms of writ are: Habeas corpus, mandamus, quo warranto and
certiorari.

Different types of writs.

An order issued by a court to the government is called a writ. some of the important types of writs are as follows:
(i) Habeas Corpus: The Court can order the government to produce before it a detained person, so that it can know the
reason for detention and set him free if there is no legal justification for the detention.
(ii) Mandamus: The court may issue a command to any public or quasi- public legal body which has refused to perform its
legal duty.
(iii) Quo Warranto: It is issued by a Court to a public servant to inquire into the legality of his holding a public office and to
remove him if his claim is not well-founded.
(iv) Prohibition: It is issued by a Higher Court to stop the proceedings in a lower Court on the ground that the Lower Court
does not have the jurisdiction to deal with the case.
(v) Certiorari: It is issued by the Supreme court to a Lower Court in order to quash its order or decision.

(g) Nature of Fundamental Rights in th e Constitution:

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The nature of Fundamental Rights is as under:
(i) The government cannot make a law which violates the Fundamental Rights.
(ii) Some right are available to all, while some other rights are available only to citizens.

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 (iii) These rights are not absolute. These are subject to certain restrictions imposed in the interest of public order, decency or
morality.
(iv) These rights are justiciable.
(v) Some of these rights can be suspended in times of emergency.

EXPANDING SOURE OF RIGHTS

While fundamental rights are the source of all rights, OUR Constitution and offers a wider range of rights. Over the years the
scope of rights has expanded.

(a) Expansion in the Legal Rights:

(i) Now school educational has become a right for Indian citizens. The governments are responsible for providing free and
compulsory education to all children up to the age of 14 years.
(ii) Parliament has enacted a law giving the right to information to the citizens. This Act was made under the Fundamental
Rights to freedom of thought and expression.
(iii) Recently the Supreme Court has expanded the meaning of the right to life to include the right to food.
(iv) Constitution provides many more rights, which may not be Fundamental Rights. For example the right to property is not
a Fundamental Right but it is a constitutional right. right to vote in elections is an important constitutional right.

(b) Expansion in the Human Rights:

International Covenant recognises many rights that are not directly a part of the Fundamental Rights in the Indian
Constitution. this has not yet become an international treaty. but human right activists all over the world see this as a
standard of human rights. These include:

(i) Right to work, an opportunity to everyone to earn livelihood by working.

(ii) Right to safe and healthy working conditions, fair wages that can provide decent standard of living for the workers and
their families.
(iii) Right to adequate standard of living including adequate food, clothing and housing.
(iv) Right to social security and insurance.
(v) Right to health which provides medical care during illness, special care for women during childbirth and prevention of
epidemics.
(vi) Right to education provides which provides free and compulsory primary education and equal access to higher
education.
(c) Constitution of South Africa guarantees its citizens several kinds of new rights:
(i) Right to privacy, so that citizens or their homes cannot be searched, their phones cannot be tapped, their communication
cannot be opened.
(ii) Right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being.
(iii) Right to have access to adequate housing.
(iv) Right to have access to health care services, sufficient food and water; no one may be refused emergency medical
treatment.

FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES
Fundamental Duties were incorporated due to the following reasons:
(i) Fundamental Duties have been added to balance the Fundamental Rights and keep them in the right perspective.
(ii) These have been added to make the citizens realize that if they are given some Fundamental Rights they have also to
perform certain duties. Every right has a duty attached to it.

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 (iii) These have been added to develop patriotism among the citizens and to make them realize the importance of protecting
the sovereignty and integrity of the country and to promote harmony and to strengthen the nation.

Our Constitution states the following as Fundamental Duties of citizens:

(i) Right to work
(ii) Right to free and compulsory education
(iii) Right to equal wages
(iv) Right to an adequate livelihood
(v) Promote and develop Panchayati Raj
(vi) Promotion of SC/ST
(vii) Public health, protection of animals, ban on drinking
(viii) Promote cottage industries
(ix) Protect environment
(x) Maintain world peace.

DIRECITIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY

The Directive Principles of State Policy are the directions given by the Constitution to government to establish a just society.
The aim of these directions is to create proper economic and social conditions to create a good life.
The Directive Principles of State Policy can be classified as follows:
Socialist

(i) Right to work

(ii) Right to free and compulsory education
(iii) Right to equal wages
(iv) Right to an adequate livelihood
(v) Promote and develop Panchayati Raj
(vi) Promotion of SC/ST
(vii) Public health, protection of animals, ban on drinking
(viii) Promote cottage industries
(ix) Protect environment
(x) Maintain world peace.

Fundamental Rights Directive Principles

1. These are right of citizens guaranteed by the 1. These are directions given by the Constitution to The
Constitution. government.
2. The government must grant these right to the 2. It is for the government of follow these principles or
citizens not.
3. A citizen can go to a Court to get his rights 3. These cannot be enforced by Courts.
enforced.
4. These are more political in nature. 4. These are socio- economic in nature.

In the case of conflict between the Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles the former enjoy precedence.

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

National Human Right Commission (NHRC) IS an independent commission. It was setup in 1993. The NHRC performs the
following functions:

(i) It can make an independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation of human rights.
(ii) It can inquiry into any case of abetment of such violation or negligence in controlling it by any government officer.

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 (iii) It can take any step of promote human rights in the country. The Commission has ranging powers to carry out it’s
inquiry:
(iv) It can summon witnesses.
(v) It can question any government official.
(vi) It can demand any official paper.
(vii) It can visit any prison for send its own team for on-the spot inquiry.

The Commission presents its findings and recommendations to the government. it cannot by itself punish the guilty. Hon’ble
justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu assumed the office of Chaiperson of National Human Right Commission April 2,2007.
National Commission of Women is headed by Smt. girija Vyas. National Commission of Minorities is headed by Mohd.
Hamid Ansari.

EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP-6.1

1. The Fundamental Rights granted to the Indian Citizen can be amended by the:
(A) Vice-President (B) President (C) President (D) Prime Minister
2. Which of the following is not an instance of an exercise of a fundamental right?
(A) Workers from Bihar go to the Punjab to work on the farms.
(B) Christian missions set up a chain of missionary schools.
(C) Men and women government employees get the same salary.
(D) Parents’ property is inherited by their children.
3. Which of the following rights has only has been ensured to the been granted to the citizens of India and denied to non-
citizens?
(A) Equality before law (B) Freedom of speech, assemble and association
(C) Right to constitutional remedies (D) Protection of life and personal liberty
4. Which of the following Fundamental Rights citizens of India?
(A)To get-education (B) To get employment
(C) To buy and sale property (D) To from association or unions
5. Which of the following writ or order in passed by the Supreme court of the high court to ascertain the validity a person to a
certain post?
(A)Habeas Corpus (B) Prohibition (C) Quo warranto (D) Mandamus
6. The Right to Private Property in India today is:
(A)A fundamental rights (B)A political right (C) A moral right (D) A legal right
7. Which of the following is not a political right of a citizen?
(A)Right to vote (B) Right to seek election (C) Right to property (D) Right to partition
8. The Right to freedom of movement in India is a :
(A)Legal Right (B) Natural Right (C) Moral Right (D) Fundamental Right
9. Which fundamental rights will be affected if our county adopts a policy of racial discrimination against Muslims and
Christians?
(A)Right to equality (B) Right to freedom
(C) Right against exploitation (D) Right to constitution remedies
10. Which of the following rights is available under the Indian Constitution?
(A)Right to work (B) Right to adequate livelihood
(C) Right to protect one’s culture (D) Right to privacy

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11. Which of the following Fundamental Duties have been enumerated in our Constitution for the citizen?
(A)To abide by the constitution, and respect National flag
(B) To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our freedom struggle
(C) To up hold, protect the unity, Sovereignty, integrity and to defend our country and render national service when called
upon to do so
(D) All the above

12. Fundamental Rights can be suspended by:

(A) The Union cabinet (B) The President
(C) The Chief Justice of India (D) Non of the above

13. Which one of the Fundamental Rights of the Indian Constitution prohibits traffic using of human beings?
(A)Right to equality (B) Right against exploitation
(C) Right to freedom (D) Non of the above

14. Which of the following freedoms is not available to an Indian citizen?

(A)Freedom to criticize the government
(B) Freedom to participate in armed revolution
(C) Freedom to start a movement to change the government
(D) Freedom to oppose the central values of the Constitution

15. Which of the following Fundamental Rights has been the subject of maximum litigation and controversy?
(A) Right to Property (B) Right to equality
(C) Right to freedom of religion (D) Right to freedom

SUBJECTIVE DPP -6.2

Very Short Answer Type Questions:
1. Mention three qualities of rights.
2. Why are the right guaranteed by the Indian Constitution called Fundamental Rights?
3. Mention any two exceptions to the Right to Equality.
4. Mention any four rights of the Indian citizens except the Fundamental Rights.
5. Mention any two limitations of freedom of speech and expression.
6. Which is the most important right and why?
7. What is meant by ‘Preventive Detention’?
8. Mention two Right which are important Constitution Rights but not Fundamental Rights.

Short Answer Type Questions:

9. What is the position of citizens with regard to their government in Saudi Arabia?
10. What is the significance of Fundamental Rights?
11. What are the Fundamental Rights Guaranteed in our Constitution?
12. What are the aspects of ‘Right to Equality’?
13. What are the important exceptions to the ‘Right to Equality’?
14. “No citizen can be denied his life and liberty” Comment.
15. Write about ‘Right against exploitation’.
16. Mention Constitution provision to protect the right of children.

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Long Answer Type Questions:
17. Explain cultural and educational rights as provided Constitution.
18. What do you mean by ‘Right to Constitution Remedy’? What kind of writs can be issued under this right? Explain them each.
19. Distinguish between fundamental rights and directive principals of state policy.
20. What is National human Right Commission? What is its function?
21. What are the International Covenant or Economic, Social and Cultural Rights?
22. What is relationship between democracy and rights of citizen?
23. What do you think about the reasonable restrictions on the right to freedom? Are they justified? Give your reasons.
24. Explain any four Fundamental Rights which are granted by the Indian Constitution to all Indian citizens. What can a citizen
do if these rights are violated?

ANSWER KEY
(Objective DPP6.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans C D B D C D C D A C D B B B A

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 
ECONOMIC STORY
OF PALAMPUR

SL-01(E)
INTRODUCTION

(i) In Palampur faming is the main activity. Several other activities such as small scale manufacturing, dairy transport etc.
are also carried out. In these production activities various resources combine to produce the desired goods and services.
(ii) Palampur is well connected with neighboring villages and towns. An all weather road connects the village to Raiganj
and further on to the nearest small town. many kinds of transport such as bullock carts, tongas, bogeys, motorcycles,
jeeps, tractors and trucks are visible on ties road.
(iii) Palampur has about 450 families belonging to several different castes. 80 families of upper caste own the majority of
land. Their houses are quite large and made of brick with cement plastering. The SCs (dalits) comgrise one third of the
population and live in one corner of the village and in such smaller houses, some of which are of mud and straw.
(iv) Most of the houses have electric connections. Electricity powers all the tubewells in the fields. Electricity is also used
in various types of small business. Palampur has two primary schools and one high school. These is a primary health
centre run by the government and one private dispensary.

ORGANISATIONL PRODUCTION
Production of any type of goods or services required the services of four factors of Production.

Lan Labour
d

Production of Goods
Or
Services

Capital Enterprise

(i) First requirement is land and other natural resources such as water, forests and minerals.
(ii) Second requirement is labor. Some production activities require highly educated workers, other activities required
workers who can do manual work.
(iii) Third requirement is physical capital, i.e. the variety of inputs required at every stage during production. Tools,
machines, buildings can be used in production over many years, and are called fixed capital. Raw materials and money
in hand are called working; these are used up in production.

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 (iv) There is a fourth requirement too. One needs knowledge and enterprise to be able to put together land, labor and
physical capital and produce an output. this, these days is called human capital. every production is organised by
combining land, labor, physical capital and human capital, which are know as factors of production.

FARMING N PALAMPUR
(a) Fixed land:
Farming is the main production activity in Palampur. 75 per cent of the working people are dependent on farming for their
livelihood. Since 1960 in Palampur, there has been no expansion in land area under cultivation. By then, some of the
wastelands in the village had been converted to cultivable land. There exists no further scope to increase farm production by
brining new land under cultivation.

(b) Ways to produce more from the same land:

All land is cultivated in Palampur. No land is idle. During the rainy (kharif) season, people grow jowar and bajra which are
used as cattle feed. Between Octobers to December they cultivate potatoes. In the winter (or the Rabi) season they sow
wheat. a part of the land area is also devoted to sugarcane which is harvested once every year. The main reasons why farmers
are able to grow three different crops in a year are:-
(i) As a result of the coming of electricity in the Palampur village, people have greatly improved the system of irrigation.
They can now irrigate more lands quite effectively.
(ii) Tube wells were first installed by the government but soon people were able to set up their own tubewells.
(iii) By multiple cropping more then one crop is grow on a piece of land during the same year. All farmers in Palampur
grow at least two main crops; many are growing potato as the third crop.
(iv) The other way is to use modern farming methods for higher yield. Higher yields are possible from a combination of
HYV seeds, irrigation, chemical fertilisers, pesticides etc.

(c) Green Revolution:

Large increase in crop yields, leading to record food production started, in our country from 1960 onwards and marked a
turning point in Indian agriculture which has led to green revolution in our country. The great increase in the production of
food grain crops especially the wheat crop in our country during the last 30 years is called Green Revolution. This is because
a sort of revolution has taken place in Indian agriculture leading to enormous food grain production. the revolution is called
because it has led to unprecedented greenery of crops everywhere. The period 1960 to 1980 is also called ‘golden era’ for the
record food grain production. it is because of the green revolution that our country has become salt sufficient in food
production and even buffer stocks of food grains have been created for use in the times of natural calamities like drought and
floods.

(d) How Electricity help the farmers in Palampur?

(i) The major impact of the spread of electricity in Palampur was to transform the system of irrigation.
(ii) Electricity helped the farmers to shift from the traditional Persian wheels to electricity run tube wells.
(iii) The irrigation capacity of electricity run tube wells is much more then that of the Persian wheels.
(iv) Spread of electricity leads, literally the whole society from darkness to light. it transforms all social economic norms of
life . it is like a whole new world.

(e) Sustainable use of land:

(i) land being a natural resource, it is necessary to be very careful in its use. The modern farming methods have overused
the land resource.
(ii) Green Revolution is associated with the loss of soil fertility due to increased use of chemical fertilizers.
(iii) Continuous use of groundwater for tube well irrigation has reduced the water-table below the ground.
(iv) Environmental resources like soil fertility and groundwater are built up over many years. Once destroyed, it is very
difficult to restore them.

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 (f) Distribution of land between the farmers of Palampur:
(i) Not all the people engaged in agriculture have sufficient land for cultivation. In Palampur, about one third of the 450
families are landless, i.e. 150 families, most of them dalits, have no land for cultivation.
(ii) Of the remaining families who own land, 240 families cultivate small plots of land less then 2 hectares in size.
(iii) In Palampur, there are 60 families of medium and large farmers who cultivate more then 2 hectares of land. A few of
the large farmers have land extending over 10 hectares or more.

(g) Who will provide the labour?

(i) Farming requires a great deal of hard work. Small farmers along with their families, cultivate their own fields. Thus,
they provide the labor required for farming themselves. Medium and large farmers hire farm labourers to work on their
fields.
(ii) Farm labourers come either from landless families cultivating small plots of land. Unlike farmers, farm labourers do
not have a right over the crops grown on the land. Instead, they are paid wages by the farmer for whom they work.
Wages can be in cash or in kind of crop. Sometimes labourers get meals also. Wages vary widely from region to region,
from crop to crop, from one farm activity to another (like sowing and harvesting).there is also a wide variation in the
duration of employment. a farm labourer might be employed on a daily basis, or for one particular farm activity like
harvesting, or for the whole year.

(h) The capital needed in farming:

(i) Most small farmers have to borrow money to arrange for the capital. They borrow from large farmers or the village
moneylenders or the traders who supply various inputs for cultivation. The rate of interest on such loans is very high.
They are put to great distress to repay the loan.
(ii) In contrast to the small farmers, the medium and large farmers have their own savings from farming. They are thus able
to arrange for the capital needed.
(i) Sale of Surplus Farm Products:
(i) Small farmers have little surplus because their total production is small and from this a substantial share is kept for their
own family needs. so, it is the medium and large farmers who supply wheat to the market.
(ii) Large and medium farmers sell the surplus farm products. a part of the earnings is saved and kept for buying capital for
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.

NON FARMING ACTIVITIES IN PALAMPUR

(a) dairy :
Dairy is a common activity in many families of Palampur. People feed their buffalos on various kinds of grass and the jowar
and bajra that grow during the kharif season. The milk is sold in Raiganj, the nearby large village. Two traders from Shahpur
town have set up collection cum chilling centers at Raiganj from where the milk is transported to far away towns and cities.

(b) Small scale manufacturing in Palampur:

Less than fifty people are engaged in manufacturing in Palampur unlike the manufacturing that takes place in the big
factories in the big factories in the4 towns and cities, manufacturing in Palampur involves very simple production methods
and are done on a small scale. they are carried out mostly at home or in the fields with the helps of family labor.

(c) The shopkeepers of Palampur:

People involved in trade (exchange of goods) are not many in Palampur. the traders of Palampur are shopkeepers who buy
various goods from wholesale markets in the cities and sell them in the village. There are a few small general stores in the
village selling a wide range of items like rice, wheat, sugar, tea, oil, biscuits, soap, toothpastes, batteries, candies, notebooks,
pen, pencil and even some cloth.

156
157
 (d) Transport:
there are a variety of vehicles on the road connecting Palampur to Raiganj. Rickshawallahs, tongawallahs, jeep, tractor, truck
drivers and people driving the traditional bullock cart and bogey are people in the transport services. They ferry people and
goods from one place to another, and in return get paid for it.

EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP-1.1

1. Which of the following is the main activity in village Palampur?

(A) Manufacturing (B) Farming (C) Transportation (D) Dairy
2. Production activities need various types of resources which include-
(A) Natural Resources (B) Man made items (C) Human effort and money (D) All the above
3. Production of any type of goods or services requires the service of ______________ factors of production.
(A) Five (B) Four (C) Three (D) Two
4. The name of the small town nearest to village Palampur is-
(A) Shanjahan pura (B) Shivpuri (C) Shahpur (D) Sheopur
5. The village Palampur has a population of about how many families?
(A) 550 (B) 350 (C) 250 (D) 450
6. People of which caste live in a corner of the village?
(A) Higher Caste (B) Middle income Group (C) OBC’s (D) The SC’s (Dalits)
7. Physical capital means the-
(A) Raw materials and money (B) Capital that works
(C) Air, Water & Gas (D) All the above
8. Working capital means-
(A) Working with capital (B) Capital that works
(C) Raw materials and money in hand (D) None of the above
9. Human capital includes-
(A) The working population of the country
(B) All those places where humans live
(C) All that capital which is produced by humans
(D) All that capital which is used in production by only humans
10. Which of the following is not a factor of production?
(A) Land (B) Labor (C) Capital (D) Trading
11. Which of the following is a fixed factor of production?
(A) Land (B) Labor (C) Capital (D) Organisation
12. Which non-farming activity is practiced in Palampur?
(A) Small manufacturing activities (B) Shop – keeping
(C) Transport (D) All of the above
13. How many people of Palampur are engaged in non-farm activities?
(A) 10 per cent (B) 15 per cent (C) 20 per cent (D) 25 per cent
14. Which types of transport are visible in the Palampur-Raiganj road?
(A) Bullock carts and Tongas
(B) Bogeys or wooden carts drawn by buffalos
(C) Motor vehicles like motorcycles, jeeps, tractors and trucks
(D) All of the above

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SUBJECTIVE DPP - 1.2
Very Short Answer Type Questions:
1. What are the major economic activities of rural India?
2. What are factors of production? Name any four factors of production.
3. How many families are there in the Palampur village?
4. What is a fixed capital?
5. What is multiple cropping?
6. What is meant by HYV seeds?
7. Who are the farm labourers?
8. Who are the small farmers?

Short Answer Type Questions:

9. Is it important to increase the area under irrigation? Why?
10. What is the main production activity in Palampur?
11. What is capital? Distinguish between physical capital and working capital.
12. How electricity has helped the farmers of Palampur?
13. Why are the wages for farm labourers in Palampur less then minimum wages?
14. Distinguish between Rabi and Kharif crops. Make a list of various food grains and non food grain crops of both these
seasons.
15. What are the different ways of increasing production on the same piece of land?
16. Differentiate between traditional and HYVseeds.

Long Answer Type Questions:

17. Define single-cropping, double- cropping and multiple-cropping.
18. How do the medium and large farmers obtain capital for farming? How is it different from the small farmers?
19. What can be done so that more non-farm production activities can be started in villages?
20. Modern farming methods require more inputs which are manufactured in industry. Do you agree?
21. What do you mean by green revolution? Why was it caused? Discuss its advantages and disadvantages to large and small
farmers separately.

ANSWER KEY
(OBJECTIVE DPP 1.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Ans B D B C D D B C A D A D D D

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 
PEOPLE AS
RESOURCE

SL-02 (E)
HUMAN CAPITAL

Population becomes human capital when there is investment made in the form of education, training and medical care.
Human capital is the stock of skill and productive knowledge embodied in them. People as a resource are a way of referring
to; a country’s working people in terms of their existing productive skills and abilities.

(a) Human Capital formation:

When the exiting ‘human resource’ is further developed by becoming more educated and healthy, we call it ‘human capital
formation ‘that adds to the productive power of the country just like ‘physical capital formation’.
‘Investment in human capital (though education, training, medical care) yields a retum just like investment in physical
capital’.

(i) It increases the productivity of the workers.

(ii) Educated, trained and healthy people can use natural resources in a better way.
(iii) It adds to quality of labor.
(iv) A country can earn foreign exchange by exporting services.

(b) Human resources is different from other resources like land and physical capital:
Land consists of all natural resources. These are provided to us by nature. Physical capital consists of all those objects that
help in further production of different type of goods and services. Human resource, on the other hand, consists of knowledge
and skills. Other resources are not capital of brining about an improvement in they by their own effort; they can be changed
only by human resources. They do not have a mind and a brain of their own. Human resources, on the other hand, can be
trained to perform any task for which it is required. It required education, trained and health care. These, in turn, are again
provided by human resources. Thus, human resources, unlike other factor resources, has an ability to improve itself.

(c) “Population is an asset fo4 the economy rather then a liability”:

Population, for long, had been seen as a liability which slows down the rate of economic growth. This view of population
was based on the fact that population represented the stock of human being. Human beings make a demand on nation’s
resources for their survival. Larger the population more the resources like, food, health facilities, etc., would be required by it
for its survival. Hence, population would be treated as a liability. However, this view of population is not the correct one.
More important thing is that population is the source of supply of the most important factor resource, i.e., human capital. It is
human capital that organizes the population activity and makes other factor resources work. It is in this sense that the stock of
knowledge and skills that constitutes human resource is a valuable asset. However it may be noted that unless human beings
are converted into human resource they may constitute a liability.

(d) Importance of Human Capital Formation:

Investment in human resource (vie education and medical care) can give high rates of rates of rates in the future. This
investment on people is the same as investment in land capital.

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 (e) Virtuous cycle of human development:
Educated parents are found to invest more heavily on the education of their child. This is because they have realized the
importance of education themselves. They are also conscious of proper nutrition and hygiene. They accordingly look after
their children’s needs for education at school and good health. a virtuous cycle is thus created in this case. a vicious cycle
may be created by disadvantaged parents who, themselves uneducated and lacking in hygiene, keep their children in a
similarly disadvantaged state.

‘’ countries like Japan did not have any natural resources; still they are developed countries’.
They have invested on people especially in the field of education and health.
The skilled and trained people have made efficient use of other resources like land and capital. Efficiency and technology
evolved by people have made these countries rich/ developed.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES BY MEN AND WOMEN

All the activities which contribute to the flow of goods and services in the economy are called economic activities. These
activities add value to the national income. Economic activities have two parts
(i) Market Activities: Market activities involve remuneration to anyone who performs i.e., activity performed for money or
profit. These include production of goods and services including government service.
(ii) Non-market activities are the production for silf-consumption. These can be consumption and processing of primary
product and own account production of fixed assets.
(a) Economic activities and Non- Economic Activities:

(a) Economic activities and Non-Economic Activities :

Economic Activities :
(i) Economic activities contribute to the flow of goods and services in an economy.
(ii) If there is an increase in productive activities that means economy is progressing.
(iii) Economic activities lead to an increase in the personal income as well as the national income.

Non- Economic Activities:

(i) Non- economic activities do not contribute to the flow of goods and services in an economy.
(ii) Increase in non- economic activities is not an indicator of the economy is progressing.
(iii) Non- economic activities do not lead to an increase in the personal income and national ncome.

(b) Classification of the Various Economic Activities:

The different type of activities can be classified in three sectors, viz,
(i) Primary Sector: (ii) Secondary Sector, and (iii) Tertiary Sector.
(i) Primary Sector: primary Sector includes all those activities which are reacted to natural resources, like cultivation of
land. The primary Sector covers agriculture and allied activities like forestry, animal husbandry, fishing, poultry farming
and mining.
(ii) Secondary Sector: A secondary activities covers those activities that are concerned with the transformation of natural
resource and products obtained the into other goods. For example, cultivation of wheat is a primary activity. Wheat is
converted in to flour in a mill. This is secondary activity. Similarly, forestry is a primary activity. But manufacturing of
furniture is a secondary activity and so on. Secondary sector includes quarrying and mining.
(iii) Tertiary Sector: it includes all those activities which produce different types of services that are required by society.
Examples: services of a doctor, a teacher, a maid, an insurance company, a transport company. In an underdeveloped
economy, primary sector is the dominant sector of the economy. With economic-growth, the relative importance of the
secondary sector and tertiary sector increases, whereas that of the primary sector falls.

(c) Generally women are not paid as par with the men:
A majority of the women have meager education and low skill formation. Women are paid low compared to men. Most
women work where there is no job security for them. Various activities relating to legal protection are meager. Employment
in this sect6or is characterized by irregular and low income. In this sector, there is an absence of basic facilities like maternity
leave, child care and other social security systems.

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QUALITY OF POPULATION

The quality of population depends upon the literacy rate, health of a person indicated by life expectancy and skill formation
acquired by the people of the4 country. the quality of the population ultimately decides the growth rate of the country.

(a) Education:
Advantages of Education:
(i) Education helps individual to make better use of the economic opportunities available before him.
(ii) Education and skill are the major determinants of the earning of any individual of the market.
(iii) Education opens new horizons for an individual, provides new aspiration and develops values of life.
(iv) Education contributes towards the growth of society also.
(v) Education enhances the national income, cultural richness and increases the efficiency of governance.
(vi) Literacy is not only a right; it is also needed if the citizen are to perform their right properly.

Steps taken by the government to promote education in India:

Among the important measures taken in recent years to promote education, the following may be mentioned:
(i) Steps have been taken by government to promote universalistion of education.
(ii) Navodaya Vidhyalyas have been set up in each of the districts to provide quality education.
(iii) Vocational streams have been developed to equip large number of high school students with occupations related to
knowledge and skills.
(iv) sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has been launched with the aim of providing elementary education to all children in the age
group of 6 to 14 years by 2010.
(v) Bridge courses and back to school camps have been initiated to increase the enrollment in elementary education.
(vi) Mid-day meal scheme has been implemented to encourage attendance and retention ofchildren . It also aims at
improving nutritional status of children.
Four peculiarity of literacy in India:
(i) The literacy rates have increased from 18% in 1951 to 65% in 2001.
(ii) A vast differences is noticed across different section of population. Literacy among males is nearly 50% higher then
females and it is about 50% higher in urban areas as compared to the rural areas.
(iii) Literacy rates very from 96% in some districts of Kerala to a below 30% in some parts of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
(iv) According to the census of 2001, a person aged 7 years and above who can read and write with understanding in any
language is treated as literate.

Strategy pursued in the Tenth Five Year Plan to promote education :

(i) The tenth Five-Year Plan plays special attention to increase the enrollment in higher education of the 18 to 23 years
age group from the present 6% to 9% by the end of the plan period.
(ii) the strategy focuses on: a vast differences is noticed across, quality, adoption of states-specific curriculum
modification, vocationalisation, networking no the use of information technology. The plan also focuses on distant
education, convergence of formal, non-formal, distant and IT education and IT education institutions.
(iii) The Tenth Plan provides for an expenditure of Rs. 43, 825 crore on education during the period 2002-07, as against Rs.
151 Crore spent during the First Plan (1951-56).

(b) Health:
The heath of a person helps him to realize his potential and the ability to fight illness. An unhealthy person becomes a
liability for an organization indeed; health is an indispensable basis for relishing one’s well benign. Health does not mean
survival only; it involves not only the physical fitness of the individual but also his mental, economic and social well being.
Good health increases the efficiency of a worker. . Good health increases the learning capacity of a worker.

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 Main elements of national health policy and its achievements:
Our national health policy aims at improving the accessibility of health care, family welfare and nutritional service with
special focus on underprivileged segment of population. India has built up a vast health infrastructure and manpower required
at primary, secondary, and tertiary care in government as well as in the private sector. The success of these measures gets
reflected in the following:
(i) Life expectancy has increased to over 64 years in 2000.
(ii) Infant Mortality Rate has come down from 147in 1951 to 75 in 2000.
(iii) Crude birth rate have dropped to 26.1
(iv) Death rate has come down to 8.7 during the same duration of time.
All these facts are indicators of better health conditions in the country.

UNEMPLOYMENT
Unemployment is said to exist when people who are willing to work at the going wages cannot find jobs.
(a) Disguised Unemployment:
It is a situation in which more workers are working in an activity then required. the people who are actually engaged in such
an activity appear to be employed but are not fully employed, for e.g. if for the cultivation of one hectare land, 10 workers are
required but instead of 10 workers, 15 workers are working in this case 5 workers are disguised unemployed. In such cases
even if the surplus workers are removed, the overall production does not suffer.

(b) Seasonal Unemployment:

It is a type of unemployment in which a worker is employed during some parts of the year (especially during harvesting or
sowing season) and remain without work during the rest of the year. Factors responsible for seasonal unemployment
(i) Lack of small scale and cottage industries in rural areas.
(ii) Lack of multiple cropping
(iii) Lack of commercialization of agriculture.

(c) Structural unemployment:

The working force in India is very large. It wants work but the existing capital structure is unable to absorb them. The
mismatch of available capital and the size of the labor force create persistent unemployment both in agriculture and industry.
We lack resources to improve agriculture and industry to provide employment to our labor force. This causes unemployment,
This type of unemployment occurs due to
(i) Lack of capital
(ii) Lack of resources.
(iii) Under utilization of natural resources.
(iv) Surplus workers as compared to demand.
Indian economy is facing structural unemployment as work force is more then the demand.

(d) Educated Unemployment:

If the spread of education is not according to the needs of economy it can create an army of educated unemployment. In India
educated unemployment has become a common phenomenon.
India has failed to balance its education policy according to the needs of the economy. There is surplus of manpower in
certain categories while there is a death of technical skills in other sectors.

‘Education unemployment a peculiar problem of India’

Education unemployment is a person who has some formal education upto some level, say senior secondary or more, and
fails to find a job. This type of unemployment is on the rise in India. This is due to the following factors:
(i) Much of the education is of low-quality and general in nature. it does not have any vocation-specific
component. Therefore, much of it is irrelevant.

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164
(ii) The rate at which white-collar jobs have been created in India is much less then the rare at which population and
education have been increasing.
(iii) In the globalizing world, demand for high-skilled labor is fast increasing. There is no demand for persons with not or
little skills. Our education system is mass producing this second category of persons.

Steps for solving the problem of educated unemployment:

The ultimate solution to the problem of educated unemployment is to be sought within the educated system.

(i) This needs a proper manpower planning. Manpower planning implies that a realistic assessment should be made about
the manpower requirements in different sectors of the economy. Once these assessments have been made, education and
training programs in schools, colleges, universities and other professional and training institutes should be accordingly
designed.

(ii) Education should be made vocational. So that an-adult can find a suitable job immediately after he leaves a school or a
college.

(iii) Higher education should be restricted to a meaningful few. To be realistic, education at this level should be high quality
and research-oriented. In short, universal education is a must; but higher education should be restricted to a few and
should be or high standards.

(e) Technical Unemployment:

If unemployment occurs owing to changes in technology, it is referred to as technical unemployment. Suppose, when
computer reduces the need for labourers drastically in an economy. This leads to technical unemployment.

(f) Magnitude of unemployment of India:

There are two ways by which the magnitude of unemployment is measured in India.
(i) The first one is through conducting sample surveys and population census.
(ii) The information provided by employment exchanges.

(g) Factors responsible for unemployment of India:

(i) Rapid growth of population: our population has been continuously rising. From a population of 361 million in 1951 it
has risen to 1027 million in 2001 but due to slow economic growth employment opportunities have not risen at the same
pace.

(ii) Over dependence on agriculture: Even after more then 50 years of independence more then 60% of our population still
depends upon primary sector for its livelihood.

(iii) Under-development of cottage and small scale industry: our rural sector is facing problems of disguised and seasonal
unemployment. This is due to under development of cottage and small scale industry.

(iv) Under-development industries: due to shortage of capital and other essential input the industrialization process is very
slow. So the industrial sector has failed to provide enough job opportunities to unemployed workers.

(h) Disadvantages of Unemployment:

(i) Wastage of resources: human capital is one of the most important resources. Unemployment leads to wastage of
manpower resource. People who are an asset for the economy turn into a liability. There is a feeling of hopelessness and
despair among the youth.

(ii) Poverty: the basic cause of poverty is unemployment. People do not have enough money to support their family.
Inability of educated people who are willing to work to find gainful employment implies a great social waste.

(iii) Increase in dependent population: unemployment tends to increase economic overload. The dependence of the
unemployed on the working population increase.

(iv) Poor quality of life: the quality of life on an individual as well as of society is adversely affected. When a family has to
live on a bare subsistence level, there is a general decline in its health status and rising withdrawal from the school
system.

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 Hence, unemployment had detrimental impact on the overall growth of an economy. Increase in unemployment is an
indicator of a depressed econ0omy. It also wastes the resource, which could have been gainfully employed. If people
cannot be used as a resource, they naturally appear as a liability to the economy.

(i) Employment scenario in the three sectors:

(i) Agriculture is the most labour absorbing sector of the economy. More then 60% of the population is already working in
the primary sector. This sector is already facing the problem of disguised unemployment. Some of the surplus labor has
moved to either the secondary or the tertiary sector.

(ii) In the secondary sector, small scale manufacturing is the4 most labor-absorbing. There is much scope in this sector as
new manufacturing units are being set up.

(iii) In case of the tertiary sector, various new services are now appearing like biotechnology, information technology and so
on. As the need for the service sector is increasing, this sector has the ability to absorb a large number of working
population.

(j) Methods to remove rural unemployment:

(i) By promoting small scale and cottage industry.
(ii) By spreading technical education.
(iii) By promoting supplement works like animal rearing, horticulture etc.

EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP- 2 .1

1. Population becomes human capital when there is investment made in the form of -
(A) Education (B) Training (C) Medical care (D) All of the above
2. ____________resources are capable of brining about an improvement in them by their own effort.
(A) Land (B) Capital (C) Mineral (D) Human
3. Activities which contribute to the flow of goods and services in he economy are called -
(A) Economy activities (B) Non-economy activities (C) Both (A) and (B) (D) None of the above
4. A large population need not be a liability. It can be turned into a productive asset by investment in -
(A) Human capital (B) physical activity (C) Land (D) Labour
5. The sector which includes agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishing, poultry, farming and mining –
(A) Primary Sector (B) Secondary Sector (C) Tertiary Sector (D) All of the above
6. A process where by we add to the stock of human resources, but not human beings also in an economy is termed as:
(A) Human Resource (B) Human Capital
(C) Capital formation (D) Human capital formation
7. The plan outlay on education has increased from Rs.___________crore in the first five year plan to
Rs.____________________ crore in the tenth five year plan.
(A) 125, 48253 (B) 151, 43825 (C) 170, 42385 (D) 190, 52834
8. When the number of person employed in a work is more then what is required, it is know as?
(A) Seasonal unemployment (B) Frictional unemployment
(C) Disguised unemployment (D) Secular unemployment
9. ______________ is the death of children under one year of age.
(A) Mortality Rate (B) Death Rate (C) Early Death Rate (D) Infant Mortality rate

10. Which of the following is Non-Market Activity?

(A) Production for exchange (B) Production for self consumption
(C) Production for trade (D) Production for exports
11. Trade, Transport, Communication, Tourism, health and insurance are the activities included in:
(A) Primary Sector (B) Tertiary Sector (C) Secondary Sector (D) None of the above

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12. In recent years, there has been a decline in the dependence of population on ___________ partly
because of disguised unemployment .
(A) Agriculture (B) Industries (C) Transport sector (D) Banking sector
13. Which of the following countries has a poor natural resource but rich human resources?
(A) India (B) Nepal (C) Japan (D) Sri Lanka

SUBJECTIVE DPP - 2.2

Very Short Answer Type Questions:
1. What is human capital?
2. How is human resource different from other resource like land and physical capital?
3. What is death rate?
4. Why are women employed in low paid work?
5. What is the role of health in human capital formation?
6. What major changes indicate improvement of health in India?
7. What is sarva shikasha Abhiyan?
8. How can the infant mortality rate be reduced?
9. How will you explain the term unemployment?
10. What is the male and female literacy rate in India?

Short Answer Type Questions:

11. Countries like Japan did not have any natural resources, still they are developed countries’. Give reasons.
12. What is the difference between economic activities and non-economic ?
13. What is the difference between disguised unemployment and seasonalur ?
14. Mention a few peculiarity of literacy in India.
15. Why is educated unemployed a peculiar problem of India?
16. What strategy has been adopted by the government in the Tenth Five Year Plan to improve the education sector?
17. What do you understand by virtuous cycle of human development?
18. How does unemployment adversely affect an economy?

Long Answer Type Questions:

19. What is the role of education is human capital formation?
20. Describe various activities undertaken in primary, secondary and territory Sector.
21. Define structural unemployment, disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment?
22. Which of the factors of production, namely land, labor, physical and human capital is the best and why?
23. What do you understand by the term Gross National Product? Is it a correct measure of a country’s progress? If not, what else
methods can you suggest?
24. Outline the main elements of our national health policy. What are the main achievements in health area in India?

ANSWER KEY
(OBJECTIVE DPP 2.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Ans D D A A A D B C D B B A C

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 
POVERTY ASA
CHALLENGE

SL- 03 (E)
INTRODUCTION

India has the largest single concentration of the poor in the world. This illustrates the seriousness of the challenge. Poverty
means hunger and lack of shelter. It is also a situation in which parents are not able to send their children to school or a
situation where sick people cannot afford treatment. Poverty also means lack of clean water and sanitation facilities. It also
means lack of a regular job at a minimum decent level. Above all it means living with a sense of helplessness. Poor are in a
situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place, in farm, factories, government offices, hospitals, railway stations
etc. Obviously nobody would like to live in poverty.

POVERTY AS SEEN BY SOCIAL SCIENTISTS

Usually the indicators used to work out poverty, relate to the levelly of income and consumption. But now poverty is looked
through other social
Indicators like illiteracy level, lack of general resistance due to malnutrition, lack to access to healthcare, lack of job
opportunities, lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation etc. Analysis of poverty based on social exclusion and
vulnerability is now becoming very common.

(i) Social Exclusion: is a process through which individuals or groups are prevented from using facilities, benefits and
opportunities that the better-off section of the society enjoy . Social exclusion can be both a cause and a consequence
of poverty.
(ii) vulnerability : vulnerability describes the greater probability of being more adversely affected then other-people when
bad time comes for everybody, whether a flood or an earthquake or simply a fall in the availability of jobs.

POVERTYLINE

A common method used to measure poverty is based on the income or consumption levels. A person is considered poor if his
or her income or consumption level falls below a given “minimum level” necessary to fulfil basic needs. Poverty line may
very with time and place. Each country uses an imaginary line that is considered appropriate for its existing level of
development and its accepted minimum social norms. While determining the poverty line in India, a minimum level of food
requirement, clothing, footwear, fuel and light, education and medical requirement to. Are determined for subsistence. there
physical quantities are multiplied by their prices in rupees. The total equivalent is considered as poverty line. Daily minimum
nutritional requirement for a person has been fixed at 2400 calories per person/ per day in rural areas and 2400 calories per
person/per day in urban areas. The monetary expenditure per capital needed for buying these calorie requirements in terms of
food grains etc. is revised periodically taking into consideration the rise in prices. On the basis of these calculations, for the
year 2000, the poverty line for a person was fixed at Rs. 328 per month in rural areas and rs.454 per month in urban areas. In
this way in the year 2000, a family of live members living in rural areas and reaming less then about Rs. 1640 per month will
be below the poverty line. a similar family in the urban areas would need a minimum of rs.2270 per month to meet their basic
requirements.
For making comparisons between developing countries, many international organizations like the World Bank use a uniform
standard for the poverty line: minimum availability of the equivalent of $ 1 per person per day.

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 Is present methodology of poverty estimation appropriate?
No, the present methodology of poverty estimation is not appropriate. It is only a quantitative concept. It captures only a
limited part of what poverty really means to the people. It is about a ‘minimum ‘subsistence level of living rather then a
‘reasonable level of living. Many scholars advocate that we must broaden the concept into human poverty. The other aspect
like education, shelter, health, job, self-confidence equality etc. should also be included while calculating poverty.

POVERTY ESTIMATES
There is substantial decline in poverty ratios in India from about 55 per cent in 1993. the preparation of people below poverty
line further came down to about 26 per cent in 2000. If the trend continues. People below poverty line may come down to
less then 20 per cent in the next few years. The latest estimates indicate a significant reduction in the number of poor to about
260 million.

VULNERABLE GROUPS
The proportion of people below poverty line is also not same for all social groups and economic categories in India.
(i) Social groups which are most vulnerable to poverty are scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households.

(ii) Among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the rural agricultural labor households and the urban
casual labor households.

(iii) Although the average for people below poverty line for all groups in India is 26, 51 out of 100 people belonging to
scheduled tribe are not able to meet their basic needs. Similarly, 50 percent of causal workers in urban areas are below
poverty line. About 50 percent of landless agricultural workers and 43 percent of scheduled castes are also poor.

(iv) The double disadvantage, of being a landless casual wage labor household in the socially disadvantaged social groups
of the scheduled caste or the scheduled tribe population highlights the seriousness of the problem.

(v) some recent studies have shown that except that for the scheduled tribe household , all the other three groups i.e.
scheduled castes , rural agricultural labourers and the urban casual labor household have seen a decline in poverty in the
1990s.

(vi) Women, elderly people and female infants are systematically denies equal access to resources available to the family.
Therefore women, children (especially the girl child) and old people are poorest of the poor.

INTER STATE DISPARITIES

There has been significant decline in poverty since independence. In 1960-61 more then 34% population of the country was
living below poverty line which has declined to 26% in 2000-01. Although there has been reduction in poverty, the success
rate of reducing poverty varies from state of sate.

(i) States with poverty ratio more then the nation average: Orissa, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh are the most
poverty ridden states of India. The poverty ration in these states is much higher then the national average .Orissa and
Bihar are the poorest states with poverty ratio of 47 and 43 respectively. Most of these states are facing rural as well as
urban poverty.

(ii) States with poverty ratio less then the national average: recent studies show that in 20 states and Union Territories, the
poverty ratio is less then the national average. There has been a significant decline in poverty ratio in Kerala, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal.

(iii) States with poverty ratio: states like Panjab, Haryana, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir have very low
percentage of population living below poverty line.
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GLOBAL POVERTY SCENARIO
(i) The population of people in developing countries living in extreme economic poverty-defined by the World Bank as
living on less then that $1 per day-has fallen form 28 per cent in 1960 to 21 per cent in 2001. Although there has been a
substantial reduction in global poverty, it is marked with great regional differences.

(ii) Poverty declined substantially in China and South-east Asian countries as a result of rapid economic growth and
massive investments in human resource development.

(iii) In the countries of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan) the decline has not been as rapid.

(iv) In Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty in fact rose from 41 per cent in 1981 to 46 per cent in 2001.

(v) In Latin America, the ratio of poverty remained the same.

(vi) The Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations calls for reducing the proportion of people living on less
then $1 a day to half the 1990 level by 2015.

CAUSES OF POVERTY

(i) BRITISH Rule: Britishers ruled India for more then 100 years. Prior to the British rule, traditional Industries, for
instance, textiles, were flourishing in India. During the British rule, they adopted policies to discourage such industries.
This left millions of weavers poor.

(ii) Rural Economy: Indian economy is predominantly rural economy. As such, the major production is of primary goods.
In India, 70% of the total population is engaged in agriculture but its contribution to the national income is only one-
third. It means that despite India being predominantly an agricultural country, it is very much backward in agriculture.

(iii) Heavy Pressure of Population: population in India has increasing very rapidly. Main factors accounting for it is sharp
tall in death rate but stable birth rate for the many decades. This pressure of population serves as a big stumbling block
to economic development.

(iv) Chronic Unemployment and Under- employment: with constant increase in population there has developed a situation
of chronic unemployment and underemployment. Due to increasing pressure on land, per hectare availability of land is
decreasing. Due to division of land, production is decreasing. Agriculture sector is also facing problem of disguised
unemployment.

(v) Lack of Proper Industrialisation: India is very backward from the industrial point of view. Hardly 3 percent of working
population is engaged in large scale industries. Consumers’ goods industries like soap, cloth, sugar, leather, oil etc. have
developed to a large extent but capital and producers’ goods industries have not yet developed properly.

(vi) Social factors: social factors like illiteracy, large size of family, law of inheritance, and caste system are also responsible
for prevalence of poverty ridden people.

ANTI POVERTY MEASURES

The current anti – poverty strategy of the government is based broadly on two planks
(i) Promotion of economic growth (ii) targeted anti –poverty programmers.

(a) Promotion of Economic Growth:

(i) Since the eighties, India’s economic growth has been one of the fastest in the world. The growth rate jumped from the
average of about 3.5 per cent a year in the 1970s to about 6 per cent during the 1980s and 1990s. The higher growth
rates have helped significantly in the reduction of poverty. It is becoming clear that is a strong link between economic
growth and poverty reeducation.
(ii) Economic growth widens opportunities and provides the resources needed to invest in human development. This also
encourages people to send their children, including the girl child, to schools in the hope of getting better economic
returns from investing in education.

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(b) Targeted Anti – Poverty Programmers:
National Rural Employment guarantee Scheme (NREGA) 2005:

(i) It was passed in September 2005. This Act provides for 100 days assured employment every year to every rural
household in 200 districts. Later the scheme will be extended to 600 districts.
(ii) one third of the proposed jobs will be reserved for women.
(iii) The Central Government will establish National Employment Guarantee Funds.
(iv) State government will establish State Employment Guarantee Funds for implementation of the scheme.

(v) Under the programme if an applicant is not provided employment within fifteen days, she/he will be entitled to a daily
unemployment allowance.

National Food for Work Programme (NFWP):

(i) It was launched in 2004 in 150 most backward districts of the country.
(ii) The programme is open to all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and desire to do manual unskilled work.
(iii) It is implemented as a 100 percent centrally sponsored scheme and food grains are provided free of cost to the states.

Prime Minister Rozar Yozana (PMRY):

(i) It is another scheme which was started in 1993.
(ii) The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in rural areas and
small business and industries.
(iii) They are helped in setting up small business and industries.

Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP):

It was launched in 1995. The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities in rural areas and small towns.
A target for creating 25 lakh new jobs has been set for the programme under the Tenth Five Year Plan.

Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY):

It was launched in 1999. The programme aims at bringing the assisted poor families above the poverty line by organizing
them into self help groups through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy.

Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yozana (PMGY):

(i) It was launched in 2000.
(ii) Additional central assistance is given to states for basic services such as primary health, primary education, rural shelter,
rural drinking water and rural electrification.

Antyodaya Anna Yozana (AAY):

This scheme was launched in December 2000. Under this scheme one crore of the poorest among. The BPL families covered
under the targeted public distribution system were identified. Poor families were identified by the respective state rural
development departments though a Below Poverty Line (BPL) survey. Twenty five kilograms of food grains were made
available to each eligible family at a highly at a highly subsidized rate of Rs 2 per Kg for wheat and Rs 3 per for rice. This
quantity has been enhanced from 25 to 35 kgs with effect from April 2002. The scheme has been further expanded twice by
additional 50 lakh BPL families in June 2003 and in August 2004. With this increase, 2 crore families have been covered
under the AAY.

(c) Assessment of poverty – alleviation programmes:

Poverty-alleviation programmes have been implemented in India since 1978. The results of these programmes have been
mixed.
On the positive side, the incidence of poverty has declined in India . There has been a significant fall in poverty during the
decades of 1980s and 1990s. Whereas in 1973, about 55 percent of India’s population lived below poverty. This ratio has
currently come down to 26 percent.

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 On the negative side, poverty reduction remains India’s most compelling challenge. About one-fourth on India’s total
population, i.e., about 260 million persons, live below the line of poverty. This shows that the poverty alleviation
programmes have not lived up to the expectations. The major weaknesses of there programmes have been as follows:
(i) Lack of proper implementation.
(ii) Lack of right targeting
(iii) Overlapping of schemes.
(iv) Non-delivery of benefits to the targeted groups.

THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

(i) Poverty has certainly declined in India. But despite the progress, poverty reduction remains India’s most compelling
challenge. Wide disparities in poverty are visible between rural and urban areas and among different states.

(ii) Poverty reeducation is expected to make better progress in the next ten to fifteen years. This would be possible mainly
due to higher economic growth, increasing stress on universal free elementary education, declining population growth,
increasing empowerment of the woman and the economically weaker section of society.

(iii) The official definition of poverty captures only a limited part of what poverty really means to people. It is about a
“minimum” subsistence level of living rather then a “reasonable” level of living. We must broaden the concept into
human poverty.

(iv) With development the definition of what constitutes poverty also changes. Eradication of poverty is always a moving
target. Hopefully we will be able to provide the minimum “necessary” in terms of only income to all people by the end
of the next decade. But the target will move on for all, and achieving gender equality and dignity for the poor. These
will be even bigger tasks.

EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP- 3 .1
1. Poverty means:
(A) Lack of intelligence (B) Lack of proper health (C) Lack of income (D) All of the above
2. An estimated income that is required to purchase the minimum subsistence needs of a person in termed as:
(A) Poverty ratio (B) Income level (C) poverty line (D) poverty standard
3. the attitude of higher income groups people towards the poor that forces the latter to keep away maintaining any social with
the former is know as:
(A) Social awareness (B) Social contract (C) Social exclusion (D) Social contact
4. World Bank use a uniform standard for the poverty line; minimum availability of the equivalent of ________ per person per
day.
(A) Rs. 10000 (B) 100 Yen (C) 10 Euro (D) 1 U.S. Dollar
5. In 1960-91 more then _________ population of the country was living below poverty line which has declined to _______ in
2000-01.
(A) 34%, 26% (B) 46%, 34% (C) 58%, 36% (D) 36%, 22%
6. Which of the following is the minimum calories requirement of poverty in India?
(A) 2200 in urban and 2600 in rural areas (B) 1800 in urban and 2300 in rural areas
(C) 2100 in urban and 2400 in rural areas (D) None of the above

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7. The minimum monthly expenditure in India for poverty line is fixed at:
(A) 428 per month person in rural and 445 in urban areas
(B) 428 per person in rural and 444 in urban areas
(C) 328per person in rural and 454 in urban areas
(D) Rs. 328 in rural and 445 in urban areas
8. The poverty ratio in this state is less then the national average-
(A) Kerala (B) Assam (C) Punjab (D) Gujarat
9. India is very backward from the industrial point of view. Hardly _____ of working population is engaged in large scale
industries.
(A) 3 per cent (B) 13 per cent (C) 31 per cent (D) None of the above
10. Since the eighties, India’s growth has been one of the fastest in the world. the growth rate jumped from the average of about
______ a year in the 1970s and 1980s and 1990s.
(A) 1.5%, 5% (B) 2.5%, 7% (C) 3.5%, 7% (D) 3.5%, 6%
11. This programme provides for 100 days assured employment every year to every rural household in 200 districts.
(A) NFWP (B) PMRY (C) NREGA (D) All the above
12. Prime Minister Rozgar Yozana was started in –
(A) 1993 (B) 1995 (C) 1999 (D) 2003
13. Which programme aims at bringing the assisted poor families above the poverty line by organizing them into salt help groups
through a mix of bank credit and government subsidy?
(A) SGSY (B) PNGY (C) AAY (D) PMRY
14. Poverty Alleviation Programmes have been implemented in India since-
(A) 1958 (B) 1968 (C) 1978 (D) 1988
15. How many people in India live in poverty?
(A) 20 crore people (B) 26 crore people (C) 30 crore people (D) None of the above

SUBJECTIVE DPP - 3.2

Very Short Answer Type Questions:
1. Define Poverty.
2. What is Poverty Line?
3. What is accepted average calorie requirement in India for rural and urban areas?
4. Which two states of India continue to be the poorest states?
5. What do you mean by poverty alleviation programmes?
6. Who is the poorest of the poor?
7. What is the aim of the National and State Employment Guarantee Funds?
8. Identify the social and economic groups which are more vulnerable to poverty in India.

Short Answer Type Questions:

9. Explain the measurement of poverty.
10. Do you think that present methodology of poverty estimation is appropriate?

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11. What are the Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojna (PMRY) and swaranjayayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojna (SJSRY)?
12. Discuss the poverty trends in India since 1973.
13. Give an account of inter-state disparity in India.
14. Discuss global poverty trends.
15. What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005?

Long Answer Type Questions:

16. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India.
17. Describe current government strategy of poverty alleviation.
18. “Poverty has certainly declined in India. But despite the progress, poverty reduction remains India’s most compelling
challenge.” Discuss.

ANSWER KEY

(Objective DPP 3.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans D C C D A C C B A D C A A C B

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 
FOOD SECORITY

SL- 04 (E)
FOOD SECURITY

Food security means availability, accessibility and affordability of food to all people at all times. Food security depends on
the public Distribution System (PDS), Government vigilance and action at times when this security is threatened.

Food security has following dimensions:

(i) Availability of food production within the country, food imports and the previous years stock stored in government
granaries.
(ii) Accessibility means food is within reach of every person.
(iii) Affordability: it implies that a person has enough money to buy sufficient nutritious and safe food to meet one’s dietary
needs. Thus, food security is ensured in a country only if
(I) Enough food is available for all the person.
(ii) All persons have the capacity to buy food of acceptable quality.
(iii) There is no barrier on access to food.

WHY FOOD SECURITY

(a) Over population:

The population of India is increasing at a very fast rate. the population of India has increased from 361 million in 1951 to
1027 million in 2001.

(b) Reduction in net sown area under cereals:

There has been a gradual shift from cultivation of food crops to cultivation of fruits, vegetables, oilseeds and other cash
crops, which also act as industrial raw material; This has lead to the reduction in net sown area under cereals, millets and
pulses.

(c) Hoarding and black marketing:

There is continuous tendency on the part of traders in India to hoard food grains and to accentuate the shortage of food grains
in order to push up the prices for reaping extraordinary profit.

(d) Reduction of land under cultivation:

The use of more and more land for construction of factories, warehouses and shelters has reduced the land under cultivation
and new fertile land for framing no longer available.

(e) Corrupt administrative practices:

The government has imposed various measures like price controls, rationing, zoning, surprise checks etc. but as the
administrative machinery in India is totally corrupt, these measures fail to reap any benefit to the general masses of the
country.

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 (f) Natural calamities:
Natural calamities like earthquake, drought, flood, tsunami, famine etc. can also adversely affect the fold security of the
country.

How is food security affected during a calamity?

Due to a natural calamity, say drought, total production of foodgrains decreases. It creates a shortage of food in the affected
areas. Due to shortage of food if such calamity happens in a very wide spread area of is stretched over a longer time period, it
may cause a situation of starvation. A massive starvation might take a turn of famine. a famine is characterized by wide
spread deaths due to starvation and epidemics caused by forced use of contaminated water or decaying food and loss of body
resistance due to weakening from starvation . There are places like Kalahandi and Kashipur in Orissa were famine-like
conditions have been existing for many years and where some starvation deaths have also been reported. Therefore, food
security is needed in a country to ensure food at all times.

WHO ARE FOOD ENSECURE?

(i) In India, the worst affected groups are landless people with or no land to depend upon, traditional artisans, providers of
traditional services, petty self-employed workers and destitute including beggars.
(ii) In the urban areas, the food insecure families are those working members are generally employed in ill-paid occupation
and casual labor market. These workers are largely engaged in seasonal activities and are paid very low wages that just
ensure bare survival.
(iii) The social composition along with the inability to buy food also plays a role in food insecurity.
(iv) The SCs, STs, and some sections of the OBCs (lower castes among them) who have either poor land-base or very low
land productivity are prone to food insecurity.
(v) The people affected by natural disasters, who have to migrate to other areas in search of work, are also among the most
food insecure people.
(vi) A high incidence of malnutrition prevails among women. This is a matter of serious concem as it puts even the unborn
baby at the risk of malnutrition.

(a) Which states are more food insecure?

the food insecure people are disproportionately large in some regions of the country, such as economically backward states
with high incidence of poverty, tribal and remote areas, regions more prone to natural disasters etc. in fact, the states of Uttar
Pradesh (eastern and south-eastem parts), Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, parts of Madhya and
Maharashtra account for largest number of food insecure people in the country.

(b) Hunger:
Hunger is another aspect indicating food insecurity. Hunger is not just an expression of poverty, it brings about poverty. The
attainment of food security therefore involves eliminating current hunger and reducing the risk of future hunger. Hunger has
chronic and seasonal dimension.

(i) Seasonal Hunger:

Seasonal hunger is related to cycle of food growing and harvesting. During off season, prices of foodgrains become
high or there can be shortage of foodgrains. This situation leads to seasonal hunger. This type of hunger exists when a
person is unable to get work for the entire year.

(ii) Chronic Hunger:

Chronic hunger is a consequence of diets persistently inadequate in terms of quality. The basic cause of chronic hunger
is very low income. The type of hunger exists when a person is unable to get work for the entire year.

(c) India is aiming at self-sufficiency in foodgrains since independence:

(i) After independence, Indian policy makers adopted all measures to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains. India adopted
a new strategy in agriculture, which resulted in the ‘Green Revolution’ especially in the production of wheat and rice.

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 (ii) Since the advent of the Green revolution in the early-‘70s, the country has avoided famine even during adverse weather
conditions.

Impact of Green Revolution:

(i) The success of Green Revolution has made India self sufficient in good grains.
(ii) Because of Green Revolution there was an increase in the production of wheat and rice.
(iii) The higher rate of growth was achieved in Punjab and Haryana.
(vi) Tami Nadu and Andhra Pradesh recorded significant increase in rice yield.
(v) The increase in the production of foodgrains helps the Government to build buffer stock.
(vi) This buffer stock led to food security.

FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

India has become self-sufficient in foodgrains during the thirty years because of a variety of crops grow in whole country.
The availability of foodgrains at the country level has further been ensured with a carefully designed food designed system.
This system has two components: (a) Buffer Stock (b) Public Distribution System.

(a) What is Buffer Stock?

Buffer Stock refers to the stock of foodgrains, namely wheat and rice procured by the government through Food Corporation
of India (FCI). The FCI purchases wheat and rice from the farmers in states where there is surplus production. FCI procures
wheat and rice from the markite immediately after harvesting of these crops. The stocks are released for sale through the Fair
Price Shops. The principal objective of buffer stock is to maintain stability in the prices of foodgrains. The prices stability is
essential to protect the interests of both producers and consumers: of course, different conditions favour producers and
consumers.

(i) If there is a bumper crop: by guaranteeing to purchase crops at a pre-announced price, the government ensures that price
of wheat does not crash, and farmers interests are protected.

(ii) If there is a crop deficit: in this situation wheat would be released from the buffer stock; it would be made available for
sale in the market, Supply of wheat would increase. price of wheat could come down.
Thus buffer stocks help to protect the interests of both producers and consumers.

(b) Public distribution system.

The food procured by the FCI is distributed through government regulated ration shops among the poorer section of the
society. This is called the Public Distribution System (PDS). Ration shops are now present is most localities, villages, towns
and cities. There are about 4.6 lakh ration shops all over the country. Rations shops also know as Fair Price Shops, keep stock
of foodgrains, sugar, and kerosene oil for cooking. These items are sold to people at a price lower then the market price. Any
family with a ration card can buy a stipulated amount of these items every month from the nearby ration shops.

History of Rationing in India:

The introduction of Rationing in India dates back to the 1940s against the backdrop of the Bengal Famine. The rationing
system was revived in the wake of an acute food shortage during the 1960s, prior to the Green Revolution. In the wake of
high incidence of poverty levels, as reported by NSSO in the mid-1970s, three important food intervention programmes were
introduced.
(i) Public Distribution System for Foodgrains (in existence earlier but strengthened thereafter).
(ii) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) introduced in 1975 on an experimental basis.
(iii) Food-for-work programme introduced in 1977-78.

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 (iv) At present, there are several Poverty Alleviation Programmes (PAPs), mostly in rural areas, which have an explicit food
component also. While some of the programmes such as PDS, mid-day meals etc. are exclusively food security
Programmers, most of the PAPs also enhance food security.
Current states of Public Distribution System:
(i) In 1992, Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) was introduced in 1,700 blocks in the country . the target was to
provide the benefits of PDS to remote and backward areas.
(ii) Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was introduced to adopt the principle of targeting the ‘poor in all areas’. it
was for the first time that a differential price was adopted for poor and non-poor.
(iii) Two special schemes were launched in 2000. (a) Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) (b) Annapuma Scheme (APS) with
special target groups of ‘poorest of the poor’ and ‘indigent senior citizens’.

National food for work programme:

This scheme was launched on November 14, 2004 in 150 most backward districts of the country with the objective of
intensifying the generation of supplementary wage employment. The programme is open to all rural poor who are in need of
wage employment and desire to do manual unskilled work. It is implemented as a 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme
and the foodgrains are provided to States free of cost. The Collector is the nodal officer at the district level and has the overall
responsibility of planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and supervision. For 2004-05, Rs 2,020 crore have been
allocated for the programme in addition to 20 lakh tones of foodgrains.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY):

This scheme was launched in December 2000. Under this scheme one crore of the poorest among the BPL families covered
under the targeted public distribution system were identified. Poor families were identified by the respective state rural
development departments through a Below Poverty Line (BPL) survey. Twenty five kilogram of foodgrains were made
available family at a highly subsidized rate of Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per for rice . This quantity has been enhanced
from 25 to 35 kgs with effect from April 2002. the scheme has been further expended twice by additional 50 lack BPL
families in June 2003 and in August 2004. With this increase, 2 crore families have been covered under the AAY.

Achievement of Public Distribution System:

(i) The PDS has proved to be the most effective instrument of government policy over the years in stabilising prices and
making food available to consumers at affordable prices.
(ii) The system, including the minimum support price and procurement has contributed to an increase in food grain
production and provided income security to farmers in certain regions.

Problem Associated with Public Distribution System:

(i) There is a general consensus that high level of buffer stocks of foodgrains is very undesirable and can be wasteful. the
storage of massive food stocks has been responsible for high carrying costs, in addition to wastage and deterioration in
grain quality.
(ii) The increase food grain procurement at enhanced MSP is the result of the pressure exerted by leading foodgrain
producing states, such as Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh.
(iii) PDS dealers are sometimes found resorting to malpractices like diverting the grains to open market to get better margin,
selling poor quality grains at ration shops, irregular opening of the shops , etc.

ROLE OF COOPERATIVES IN FOOD SECURITY

(i) The cooperative are also playing an important role in food security in India especially in the southem and western parts
of the country.
(ii) The cooperative societies set up shops to sell low priced goods to poor people.
(iii) In Delhi, Mother Dairy is making strides in provision of milk and vegetables to the consumers at controlled rate decided
by Government of Delhi. Amul is another success story of cooperatives in milk and milk products from Gujarat.

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(iv) In Maharashtra, Academy of Development Science (ADS) has facilitated a network of NGOs for set6ting up grain
bancks in different regions.
(v) ADS organises training and capacity building programmes on food security for NGOs.

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 (vi) Grain Banks are now slowly taking shape in different parts of Maharashtra. Ads efforts to set up Grain Banks, to facility
replication through other NGOs and to influence the Government’s policy on food security are thus paying rich
dividends.

EXERCISE
OBJECTIVE DPP- 4 .1

1. If a nation can not ensure for all of its citizens availability of enough nutritious food, it will be a situation of:
(A) Food insecurity (B) Living insecurity
(C) Minimum living standard insecurity (D) None of the above
2. Stock of food grains, namely wheat and rice procured by the government through Food Corporation of India (FCi):
(A) Food stock (B) Food grain stock (C) Buffer stock (D) All of the above
3. a shop in which consumer goods are available ate subsidized rate is called:
(A) Retail shop (B) Fair Price shop (C) Ration shop (D) Both (B) & (c)
4. Availability, accessibility and affordability of food to all people at all times is termed as :
(A) Abundance of food (B) Food security (C) Meals security (D) Social Security
5. The price at which the foodgrains are sold to the consumers by the fair price shops in know as:
(A)Purchase Price (B) Consumers Price (C) Issue Price (D) Selling Price
6. The famine of Bengal occurred in the year:
(A) 1934 (B) 1943 (C) 1946 (D) 1933
7. Rationing is termed as:
(A) A system of consumption (B) A system of production
(C) A system of exchange (D) A system of distribution
8. Food security depends on the:
(A) Public Distribution system
(B) Government vigilance and action at times when this security in threatened
(C) Public Awareness
(D) Both (A) & (B)
9. Availability of food means:
(A)Food production within the country (B) Food imports other countries
(C) Previous years stock in government granaries (D) All the above
10. Food within the reach of every person means:
(A)Availability (B) Affordability
(C) Accessibility (D) Quality of the food should be good
11. Affordability implies that an individual has:
(A)Enough money to buy food
(B) Enough money to keep food safe
(C) Enough capability to keep food nutritious
(D) Enough money to buy sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet his dietary need
12. ‘Seasonal’ and ‘Chronic’ are the two types of:
(A) Poverty (B) Hunger (C) Insecurity (D) Food availability
13. Which of the following crop’s production increased rapidly in India after Green Revolution?
(A)Mustard & Groundnut (B) Sugarcane and Sunflower
(C) Wheat and Rice (D) Tea and Coffee
14. Which of the following states achieved the highest rate of growth of foodgrain production during 1964-65 to 1995-96?
(A) Gujarat and Maharashtra (B) Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
(C) Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (D) Punjab and Haryana

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15. Food grains such as rice and wheat are procured in India for buffer stock by :
(A) National Agricultural Cooperative Government of India
(B) Food Corporation of India
(C) ministry of Food and Agricultural Government of India
(D) State Trading Corporation of India

SUBJECTIVE DPP - 4.2

Very Short Answer Type Questions:
1. What is meant by food security?
2. Name the two dimensions of hunger.
3. Give any two main defects of the public distribution system.
4. Which two states witnessed a high rate of growth in the production of food grains.
5. Name any two Yozanas introduced with one objective of each for food security.
6. Which type of people are more vulnerable to food insecurity?
7. To whom the BPL card is issued?
8. Mention the names of any four cooperative societies working in different states of India.

Short Answer Type Questions:

9. What are three dimension of food security?
10. Who is food security ensured in India?
11. Which people are more prone to food security in India?
12. Which states is more food insecure in India?
13. Do you believe that green revolution has made India self-sufficient in food grains? How?
14. Explain how a section of the people are still without food.
15. What happens to the food supply in case of a disaster or a calamity?
16. Differentiate between seasonal hunger and chronic hunger.
17. Discuss any two important schemes launched by the government to provide food security to poor in India.

Long Answer Type Questions:

18. Describe a buffer stock created by the government.
19. What are the aims, achievements and problems of Public Distribution System in India?
20. What is the role of cooperatives in providing food and related items in India.
21. Write short notes on:
(i) Minimum Support Price (ii) Fair Price Shops
22. Trace in brief the history of rationing in India.

ANSWER KEY
(Objective DPP 4.1)

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans A C D B C B D D D C D B C D B

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