Human Development and Sustainable Development: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Indian Economy)

Explanation

Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) was launched on 2nd October, 1993, covering all the 1778 blocks under-Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS). These blocks were identified mainly in DPAP, DDP, Hill and Tribal areas. The main objective of the EAS was also on the lines of JRY, i.e. to provide gainful employment during lean agriculture season in the form of manual works to all able bodied adults who were in need and desirous of working, but unable to find anything to do. The assurance of 100 days of employment was extended to men and women above 18 years and below 60 years of age, residing in the villages of the blocks covered by EAS. A maximum of two adults per family were to be provided assured employment of 100 days under the scheme. The secondary objective was to develop economic infrastructure and community assets and resources for sustained employment and devel-opment.

Explanation

Madhya Pradesh was the first Indian state to prepare and release its Human Development Report (HDR) in 1995, under the guidance of Professor Amartya Sen.The Madhya Pradesh HDR was a pioneering effort in India, focusing on various dimensions of human development within the state, including health, education, and standard of living. The report aimed to assess and improve the well-being of its citizens by analyzing these critical areas. This initiative set a precedent for other Indian states to develop their own HDRs, contributing to a more localized understanding of human development challenges and facilitating targeted policy interventions. The Human Development Index (HDI) was introduced in 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through its Human Development Report (HDR). It was conceptualized by economist Mahbub ul Haq and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen. The HDI was created to shift the focus of development economics from purely economic growth (e.g., GDP) to a broader measure of human well-being, encompassing health, education, and living standards. It remains a key tool for assessing and comparing global development progress.

Explanation

Option (b) is correct: In the 1990s, poverty rates among various social and religious groups in India exhibited significant disparities. Government statistics from that period indicate that the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in states such as Bihar, Odisha (formerly Orissa), Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra experienced some of the highest levels of poverty. Several factors contributed to the high poverty rates among Scheduled Tribes in these states during the 1990s:

Geographical Isolation: Many ST communities resided in remote areas, limiting their access to essential services and economic opportunities. Limited Access to Education and Healthcare: Educational and healthcare facilities were often inadequate or inaccessible, hindering human capital development. Economic Marginalization: Dependence on traditional livelihoods, coupled with limited integration into the broader economy, exacerbated economic vulnerabilities.

Explanation

In India Persons Below Poverty Line(BPL) is classified based on entitlement of a prescribed food basket measured in calorie and then converted into monetary terms for easy implementation into policies and programmes. The Planning Commission constituted a task force under the chairmanship of YK Alagh in 1979 to construct a poverty line for rural and urban areas on the basis of nutritional requirements and related consumption expenditure. The expert group under Suresh Tendulkar in 2009 also followed the calorie approach based on a consumption basket but added health and education along the calorie consumption basket. Another Expert group was constituted in 2014 under C Rangarajan also followed a calorie approach but suggested adding clothing, house rent, conveyance and education, and a behaviorally determined level of other non-food expenses.