What is sustainable development?
Meeting the basic needs of all that requires distribution of resources is our moral responsibility. It becomes a moral obligation to hand over the earth to the future generation in good order. But, it is realised that if the resources (non renewable) are utilised fully then these will deplete so fast that it will not meet the production capacity of the future generation. The economic development achieved today in such a manner cannot be sustained for a long time as the production capacity of the future generations in absence of productive resources reduces. Therefore, sustainable development is the process of economic development that aims at meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of the future generations. Sustainable development maximises welfare of both present and future generations. In other words, it is that process of economic growth that is sustained over a long period of time without causing any fall in quality of life of the future generations.
What are the functions of the environment?
Highlight any two serious adverse environmental consequences of development in India. India’s environmental problems pose a dichotomy — they are poverty induced and, at the same time, due to affluence in living standards — is this true?
Explain the supply-demand reversal of environmental resources.
What happens when the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration?
India has abundant natural resources —substantiate the statement.
Give two instances of
(a) Overuse of environmental resources
(b) Misuse of environmental resources.
Is environmental crisis a recent phenomenon? If so, why?
Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development.
Identify six factors contributing to land degradation in India.
Two major environmental issues facing the world today are ____________ and _____________.
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’.
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?
The following table shows the population and worker population ratio for India in 1999-2000. Can you estimate the workforce (urban and total) for India?
Region | Estimates of Population (in crores) |
Worker Population Ratio |
Estimated No. of Workers (in crores) |
Rural Uraban Total |
71.88 28.52 100.40 |
41.9 33.7 39.5 |
71.88/100 x 41.9 = 30.12 ? ? |
Analyse the recent trends in sectoral distribution of workforce in India.
What are High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds?
What is the sectoral composition of an economy? Is it necessary that the service sector should contribute maximum to the GDP of an economy? Comment.
While subsidies encourage farmers to use new technology, they are a huge burden on government finances. Discuss the usefulness of subsidies in the light of this fact.
Are the following workers — a beggar, a thief, a smuggler, a gambler? Why?
Compared to urban women, more rural women are found working. Why?
An establishment with four hired workers is known as (formal/informal) sector establishment.
Does modernisation as a planning objective create contradiction in the light of employment generation? Explain.
Do you think outsourcing is good for India? Why are developed countries opposing it?