Give reasons for the slow growth and re-emergence of poverty in Pakistan.
The following are the main reasons for the slow growth and re-emergence of poverty in Pakistan:
1. Greater Dependency on Public Sector Enterprises: The main cause behind the slow economic growth in Pakistan is the greater dependence on Public Sector Enterprises. Pakistan relied largely on the policy of protection by assigning central roles to the Public Sector Enterprises. The operational inefficiencies of Public Sector Enterprises along with the misallocation of scarce resources resulted in dormant economic growth rate.
2. Traditional Agricultural Practices: The agricultural practices in Pakistan relied heavily on traditional methods and the vagaries of climatic conditions resulting in low productivity. Consequently, the agricultural sector was not able to flourish to the extent it was thought of.
3. Undeveloped Manufacturing Sector: The major portion of the foreign exchange earnings of Pakistan was in the form of remittances from Pakistani workers in the Middle-east and exports of highly volatile agricultural products. This can be regarded as one of the reasons for the slow economic growth. This is because the inflow of foreign exchange in the form of remittances substituted the need for development of the manufacturing sector to earn foreign exchange by exporting manufactured goods.
4. Increasing Dependence on Foreign Loans: There was an increasing dependence on foreign loans for meeting t foreign exchange requirements. Pakistan faced increasing difficulty in repaying these loans along with the mounting interest obligations in the years of agricultural failure. The increasing burden of huge foreign loans impeded the economic growth prospects of Pakistan.
5. Lack of Political Stability: The lack of political stability demanded huge public expenditure for maintaining law and order in the country. This huge public expenditure acted as a drain on the country's economic resources.
6. Insufficient Foreign Investment: Pakistan also failed to attract sufficient foreign investment due to lack of political stability, low degree of international credibility and lack of well developed infrastructure.
Compare and contrast the development of India, China and Pakistan with respect to some salient human development indicators.
Define the liberty indicator. Give some examples of liberty indicators.
Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
What are the various means by which countries are trying to strengthen their own domestic economies?
Comment on the growth rate trends witnessed in China and India in the last two decades.
Explain the Great Leap Forward campaign of China as initiated in 1958.
Group the following features pertaining to the economies of India, China and Pakistan under three heads
• One-child norm
• Low fertility rate
• High degree of urbanisation
• Mixed economy
• Very high fertility rate
• Large population
• High density of population
• Growth due to manufacturing sector
• Growth due to service sector.
What similar developmental strategies have India and Pakistan followed for their respective developmental paths?
Mention the salient demographic indicators of China, Pakistan and India.
Fill in the blanks
(a) First Five Year Plan of ________________ commenced in the year 1956. (Pakistan/China)
(b) Maternal mortality rate is high in _____________. (China/Pakistan)
(c) Proportion of people below poverty line is more in __________. (India/Pakistan)
(d) Reforms in ______________ were introduced in 1978. (China/Pakistan)
What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies?
What are the two major sources of human capital in a country?
What do you mean by rural development? Bring out the key issues in rural development.
Define a plan?
Who is a worker?
Explain the term ‘infrastructure’.
What is meant by environment?
Why were reforms introduced in India?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period?
Which is regarded as the defining year to mark the demographic transition from its first to the second decisive stage?
What is the significance of ‘energy’? Differentiate between commercial and non-commercial sources of energy.
Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development.
What was the two-fold motive behind the systematic de-industrialisation affected by the British in pre-independent India?
Do you think that in the last 50 years, employment generated in the country is commensurate with the growth of GDP in India? How?
In your view, is it essential for the government to regulate the fee structure in education and health care institutions? If so, why?
What are the indicators of educational achievement in a country?
India has certain advantages which makes it a favourite outsourcing destination. What are these advantages?
What are the functions of the environment?
What are the two major sources of human capital in a country?