Highlight the salient features of India’s pre-independence occupational structure.
The occupational structure that refers to the distribution of population engaged in different occupations, showed no variation throughout the British rule. The following are the salient features of India's pre-independence occupational structure:
1. Agriculture: The Prime Occupation: Under the colonial rule, India was basically an agrarian economy, employing nearly 85% of its population. As India had massive poverty during colonial rule, so a large proportion of the population was engaged in the agricultural sector to earn their subsistence. But due to the prevalence of the Zamindari system, the agricultural sector lacked investment and, thereby, its growth was highly constrained. Thus, in other words, despite employing a significant proportion of the population, the growth of the agriculture sector was meager.
2. Industry: The Bleak Occupation: Apart from agriculture, a small proportion of the population was employed in the manufacturing sector. Nearly 10% of the total workforce was engaged in the manufacturing and industrial sector. This was due to the stiff competition that the Indian industries faced from the machine made cheap goods from Britain. Further, the lack of investment, initiatives and the unfavourable tariff structure constrained the industrial sector. Thus, the Indian industrial sector failed to contribute significantly to India's GDP.
3. Unbalanced Growth: The three sectors of Indian economy, i.e. agricultural, industrial and tertiary sector were unequally developed. While the agricultural sector was relatively developed, whereas, the other two sectors were at their infant stage. In addition, there was regional variation in the occupational structure of India. While on the one hand, states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Bombay experienced a fall in the agricultural work force on the other hand states like Orissa, Rajasthan and Punjab experienced a rise in the agricultural workforce.
Indicate the volume and direction of trade at the time of independence.
Critically appraise some of the shortfalls of the industrial policy pursued by the British colonial administration.
What do you understand by the drain of Indian wealth during the colonial period?
When was India’s first official census operation undertaken?
Name some modern industries which were in operation in our country at the time of independence?
Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period?
What were the main causes of India’s agricultural stagnation during the colonial period?
Give a quantitative appraisal of India’s demographic profile during the colonial period.
What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies?
Were there any positive contributions made by the British in India? Discuss.
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 are regional and economic groupings formed?
Why were reforms introduced in India?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
What are the indicators of educational achievement in a country?
How has women’s health become a matter of great concern?
Give reasons for the slow growth and re-emergence of poverty in Pakistan.
What are the various means by which countries are trying to strengthen their own domestic economies?
Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
What are the various non-commercial sources of energy?
The three dimensional attack on poverty adopted by the govern-ment has not succeded in poverty alleviation in India. Comment.
Is there any relationship between unemployment and poverty? Explain.
What are the two major sources of human capital in a country?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
What programmes has the government adopted to help the elderly people and poor and destitute women?