Do you think that in the last 50 years, employment generated in the country is commensurate with the growth of GDP in India? How?
Economic growth implies growth in the GDP, i.e. growth in the aggregate output produced during an accounting period within the domestic territory of an economy. The increased output level is achieved by generating more employment opportunities and through employing better technology. During the recent past, India has witnessed jobless economic growth that raised the aggregate output level without the proportionate rise in the employment opportunities and, consequently, unemployment continued to exist. The reason is that the rise in GDP is caused by employing modern and improved technology that substituted labour for machines. This failed to generate new employment opportunities in the industrial and the tertiary sectors. Thus, the industrial and the tertiary sectors failed to absorb the excess labour from the agricultural sector. As a result, disguised unemployment in the agricultural sector continued along with low levels of productivity and massive poverty. In addition to this, MNCs that played an important role in India's economic growth provided employment only to the educated and specialised workforce. These MNCs aimed at achieving higher output levels by employing better technology rather than generating greater employment opportunities. Thus, employment generated in the country does not commensurate with the growth of GDP in India.
Find the odd man out (i) owner of a saloon (ii) a cobbler (iii) a cashier in Mother Dairy (iv) a tuition master (v) transport operator (vi) construction worker.
Why are regular salaried employees more in urban areas than in rural areas?
Why are less women found in regular salaried employment?
Compared to urban women, more rural women are found working. Why?
Analyse the recent trends in sectoral distribution of workforce in India.
Define worker-population ratio.
The following table shows distribution of workforce in India for the year 1972-73. Analyse it and give reasons for the nature of workforce distribution. You will notice that the data is pertaining to the situation in India 30 years ago!
Place of Residence | Workforce (in millions) | ||
Male | Female | Total | |
Rural Urban |
125 32 |
69 7 |
195 39 |
An establishment with four hired workers is known as (formal/informal) sector establishment.
Is it necessary to generate employment in the formal sector rather than in the informal sector? Why?
Who is a casual wage labourer?
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?
Explain the term ‘infrastructure’.
What is meant by environment?
Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
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?
Discuss the main drawbacks of our health care system.
Discuss economic reforms in India in the light of social justice and welfare.
Critically appraise some of the shortfalls of the industrial policy pursued by the British colonial administration.
Compare and contrast the development of India, China and Pakistan with respect to some salient human development indicators.
Do you think various measures taken by the government to improve agricultural marketing are sufficient? Discuss.
What is organic farming and how does it promote sustainable development?
What is marketable surplus?
Why was the public sector given a leading role in industrial development during the planning period?
Why are employment generation programmes important in poverty alleviation in India?
India has abundant natural resources —substantiate the statement.