Telangana SCERT 8th Class Social Guide Telangana 17th Lesson Understanding Poverty Textbook Questions and Answers.
TS 8th Class Social 17th Lesson Questions and Answers – Understanding Poverty
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Question 1.
Which of the following statement/statements in the context of poverty as chronic hunger is true? (Conceptual understanding)
a. having food only once a day
Answer:
This statement is true.
b. having food below the required calorie
Answer:
This statement is true.
c. person driving the harvester and person ploughing the field require same calorie of food
Answer:
This is not true.
Person ploughing the field needs more calories.
d. person ploughing the field requires more calories than shop owner
Answer:
This statement is true.
e. hunger also affects the person’s immune system
Answer:
This statement is true.
Question 2.
Identify the major reasons by poverty described in the chapter. (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- Agricultural operations began to change in rural areas like coming of tractors. So non-farm workers’ works like carpentry were reduced as there was no demand for traditional tools and implements.
- To meet farming operations, farmers had to take loans at high costs. Repayment was difficult, more so when the crops failed.
- In the urban areas, daily wages are very less.
- Dependence on agriculture: Agricultural production is low leading to poverty.
- Due to the failure of crops, the number of days of agricultural work reduced leading to unemployment and hunger.
- POS is not functioning effectively.
Question 3.
What have been the major features of programmes like MNREGA and PDS? Which aspects of poverty do they try to address? Why are ration shops necessary? (Reflection on contemporary issues and questioning)
Answer:
Features of the programme MNREGA:
- Protection of livelihoods in rural areas.
- This act provides 100 days of assured employment every year to every rural household.
- And adult member willing to do unskilled manual work and who is looking for work must be given work by government.
- Minimum wages are paid.
Features of the programme PDS:
- Government distributes food grains, sugar, pulses, kerosene oil through ration shops.
- Prices at the ration shops are lower than market price.
- The government buys food grains from farmers and supplies to the ration shops.
Role of MNREGA and PDS:
- Ensuring protection of Livelihoods in rural areas.
- Ensuring essential items to people at lower price.
Both the programmes are frying to solve chronic hunger and caloric deficiency.
Ration Shops: They distribute food grains and other essential items at lower prices than the prices in the market. Ration shops solve undernourishment and ensures ‘Right to food’,
Question 4.
Read the first two paragraphs under the titletmThe Struggle towards ‘The Right to Life’” of pages 201 and 202 and comment on them. (Reading the text (given), understanding and interpretation)
The new policy on POS has bren at the center of much debate. We know that about 4 out of 5 people in the rural areas consume less than the minimum required calories. And yet, not even 3 out of 10 families in the rural areas in India possessed BPL and Antyodaya cards, as per the National Sample Survey of 2004. Thus, a large number of people who earlier benefited him the PDS were no longer covered by it. Many families of landless labourers did not have BPL cards. IMaereas, there were some reports of well-off families
with BPL cards.
There arr other contradictions too in the new PDS (Public Distribution System) Policy. The government of India often lias huge piles of food stocks (i.e.foodgrains that it bought from farmers). Where have been times when foodgrains rot in godowns and are eaten by rats. Since the ration shops sell foodgrains at a fair price only to BPL, Antyodaya, and Annapurna card holders, there are unsold stocks at the ration shop too. And yet, there is a feeling that we are not able to provide food to all.
Answer:
The Public Distribution System failed in meeting the needs of ‘Below Poverty Line” people. It is to sorry to note that though 80% people (4 out of 5 people) consume less than the minimum required calories, they do not possess BPL and Antyodaya cards. On the other hand, rich people who are above poverty line have Antyodaya cards. This shows lack of proper vigilance in the distribution system.
One more sad thing to note is that huge piles of food grains are lying in F.C.I. godown being eaten by rats though many lakhs of people are starving without food.
Question 5.
Write a letter to your District Collector on conduction of P.D.S programme in your village.
Answer:
Gorja,
10.6.2017
To
The Collector
Khammam District.
Sir,
The P.D.S programme in our village is very discouraging. The fair price shop dealers are not at all displaying the position of the stocks. He is not at all opening the shop during day hours. There are complaints that there are discrepancies in weights also. Often he is avoiding distribution of stocks telling one reason or other.
Please look into the matter and do needful,
Yours faithfully,
G. Bujji Babu,
S/o Subbaiah,
Illandu (Md),
Gorla.
Project
Visit the ration shop in your neighborhood and look for the following:’ (information Skills)
When does the ration shop open?
What are the items sold at the ration shop?
Do you find the system of different cardholders?
Can you compare the prices of rice and sugar from the ration shop (for families below poverty line) with the prices at any other grocery store? (Important Ask for the ordinary variety rates at the grocery shop.)
Answer:
1. Ration shop timings are 8 am to 12 noon and evening 4 pm to 8 pm. Sunday is holiday.
2. Rice, Wheat, Sugar, Kerosene Oil, palm Oil, Pukes etc.
3. Pink card holders and white card holders.
4.
| Items | Ration Shop Price (1 kilo) | Market Price (1 kilo) |
| Rice Sugar Palm Oil Kerosene |
₹ 1.00 ₹ 14.00₹ 40.00₹ 1 litre – ₹ 15.00 |
₹ 15.40p
₹ 30.00 ₹ 55.00 |
Intext Questions
Textbook Page No.194
Question 1.
In what way, was Ramachari’s livelihood related to agriculture in the village’ (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- Ramachari used to make tools and implements for the farmers in village.
- Though he was not a farmer, his well-being depended on the farming activities of ‘village.
Question 2.
Do you think the hardships that the family face were because of: (Conceptual understanding)
(a) Ramachari’s lack of awareness and effort (OR)
(b) the livelihood situation in the village.
Answer:
b. Because of the livelihood situation in the village.
Question 3.
What do you think can he done so that Ramachari and his family get two square meals a day? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- Farming should be made profitable by increasing its production.
- If farmers get good income from land, they place orders to Ramachari.
- With the increase in agricultural productions farmers replace tools, creating demand for Ramacharis implements. Ramachari and his family will get two square meals a day.
Question 4.
How would you describe the exchange between Ramachari and the farmers in the village? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- Ramachari used to make tools and implements for the farmers in village,
- Farmers paid his services. with paddy. Payment was not in cash, it was in kind. It can be described as barter system’.
Question 5.
How many kilograms of paddy would Ramachari retain for the family in normal years? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
Ramachari would retain 1350 to 1400 kgs paddy for the family.
Question 6.
Can we consider Rs. 8000 a year sufficient to cover the family’s expenses (other than food grains)? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
No.₹ 8000 a year j not sufficient to cover family’s expenses, if he has no BPL card. But Ramachari managed to take care of his family with ₹ 8000 a year,
Question 7.
Discuss what is common about Chandraiah’s and Ramachari’s lives. (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- Both Chandraiah and Ramachari are not taking sufficient calories of food needed for their growth.
- Both are from rural backgrounds.
- Both fell sick because of lack of nutritious diet.
Text Book Page No: 195
Question 8.
What is the average calorie intake of persons in the top quarter in the country? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
Calorie intake of persons in the top quarter in the country is 2521.
Question 9.
By what percentage does the calorie intake of persons in the bottom quarter fall short of the daily calorie standard? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- National calorie standard is 2400 kcal per day in rural areas.
- According to Sample Survey bottom quarter person is consuming 1624 kcal. A person in bottom quarter falls short by 776 K.cal (2400-1624 K.cal) that is less than 32% less.
Question 10.
Why do you think the calorie intake of the people are so low? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- People with very low income can spend very little.
- In urban and rural areas calorie consumption is declining as unemployment is increasing.
- Chronic hunger is widespread in India. Many people cannot afford enough food every day due to poverty and loss of livelihood.
Text Book Page No. 197
Activity:
Question 11.
One way to find out if adults are undernourished is to calculate what Nutrition Scientists call Body Mass Index (BMI). This is easy to calculate. Take the weight of the person in Kgs. Then take the height in meters. Divide the weight by the square of the height. If this Figure is less than 18.5 then the person would be considered undernourished, However, if this BMI is more than 18.5 then a person is overweight. Do remember that this criterion is not applicable to growing children.
Let each student in the class find out the weight and height of three adult persons of different economic backgrounds like office workers, servants, business person etc. Collect the data from all the students and make a combined table. Calculate their BMI.
Answer:
Student Activity:
| Height cm | Weight kg. | BMI |
| 200 | 100 | 25 |
| 300 | 100 | 11.1 |
| 260 | 85 | 12.5 |
| 180 | 90 | 27.7 |
BMI 18.5 (less than) Less than required weight
BMI 18.5 – 25 Average weight
BMI 25 – 30 Overweight
BMI = \(\frac{\text { weight(in kgs) }}{\text { (height })^2(\text { in mts) }} \)
If the figure is less than 18.5, the person is undernourished, If BMI is more than 25, then a person is overweight.
1) BMI = \(\frac{\mathrm{wt}}{(\mathrm{ht})^2} \frac{100 \mathrm{Kg}}{(2)^2 \mathrm{mt}}=\frac{100}{4} \) = 25 Person is overweight.
2) BMI = \(\frac{100}{(3)^2} \frac{100}{9}\) = 11.1. Person is undernourished.
Question 12.
Do you find any relationship between economic background of person and his /her nutritional status? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
There is relationship between economic background of a person and his / her nutritional status.
National Sample Survey (2004) tells that as the income arid spending increases, the calorie intake rises thereby increasing nutritional status.
Question 13.
Can you write a few lines on each? Why is it important? You could give examples from your own context.
Timely provision of seed, fertiliser, pesticides by the government such that the farmer does not have to depend on middlemen? traders. The government mus ensure that these products are of standard quality and reasonably priced. (Appreciation and Sensitivity)
Answer:
1. The financial ability of farmers is very weak and poor. Unless government supports the farmers they will be in trap of middlemen. It is the government to look after the welfare of the farmer as agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Timely supply of seeds and fertilizers and pesticides help the farmers and in turn the economy.
2. Small irrigation projects:
Water is important in agriculture. Major irrigation projects are not viable with their maintenance costs. By constructing small irrigation projects, which are less expensive, more land can be brought into irrigation. There is no threat of earthquakes which is a problem posed by major dams.
3. Timely availability of bank loans at reasonable interest rate: The major problem of farmers is availability of finance. As agriculture is a gamble of monsoon, farmers are forced to take money for high rate of interests from money lenders which is not at all feasible. Timely availability of bank loans at reasonable interest rates enable the farmers to minimise their agriculture expenditure.
4. Outlets or marketing the crops at a faix price for producers:
The Major problem farmers can not store the crop for a long time. Providing a fair price helps farmers to continue agriculture.
5. Development of roads, transport systems in the countryside:
The farmer can transport his crop to the place where there is good price if the roads and transport system are developed. l-le can procure seeds and fertilisers also. As per a survey, the Indian farmers are selling their crops, particularly fruits at a low price because of lack of transport system.
6. Assistance to farmers in case of crop failure:
The agriculture is a gamble with monsoon. Right from procuring the seeds. sowing to final crop, the farmers are victims of nature. After facing severe hurdles in raising the crops, in the last stage, the crops are hit by cyclones or bad weather. Unless government helps the farmers, they cannot recover and will be at a fatal blow.
Textbook Page No. 199
- water conservation and water harvesting
- drought proofing (including afforestation and tree plantation)
- provisions of irrigation facilities to land owned by households belonging to the SCs and STs
- renovation of traditional water bodies including desilting of tanks
Question 14.
With the help of your teacher, find out what the above works (given in italics) mean.
(Reading the text (given), understanding and interpretation)
Answer:
1. Water conservation and water harvesting:
Government undertakes works of water conservation and rainwater harvesting methods to save the rain water and use to increase agricultural production and make the food grain prices affordable to many.
2. Through afforestation and tree plantation, government wants to increase agricultural production and livelihood security of farmers in rain-fed areas.
3. To provide irrigation facility to lands and improve the income of weaker sections and achieve economic equality.
4. Realization for rehabilitation and restoration of irrigation tanks with farmers participation for the growth of agriculture.
Question 15.
Plan a visit to one of the sites in your village 1 town where you can see public works in progress. Record your conversations. (Information skills)
Answer:
A visit to the village ‘Guntupalli, Mylavaram mandai was made to see public works that are in progress. Under MNRF.GA, adult members of village are given the work of renovation of traditional water bodies. Nearly 20 workers are involved in it which takes 10 days for its completion. The contractor said the next work is widening of the village roads.
Question 16.
Why do you think the MNREGA places priority on provision of irrigation facility to land owned by households belonging to the SCs and STs’ (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
MNREGA places priority on provision of irrigation facility to land owned by households belonging to the SCs and STs because:
- SC and ST households cannot afford to use groundwater resources due to economic reasons.
- Through this provision agricultural growth, production increase thereby increasing their standard of living and reducing inequality.
Question 17.
Why MNREGA is treated as a major breakthrough towards protection of rural livelihoods? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- Most of the people like small farmers, labourers, non-farm workers depend on agriculture. When agriculture stagnates, they suffer for livelihood.
- There are long stretches of lean season when no work is available on the fields.
- When the crops fail due to floods or any calamity, the number of days for agricultural work further reduces.
- Then, large-scale migration happens, distress and hunger strike. So to reduce poverty, MNREGA was passed. It was a major breakthrough towards protection of livelihoods in rural areas.
Textbook Page No. 202
Question 18.
Do you think that cash transfer scheme is an alternative to the PDS? (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
- The government felt that the interference of middlemen in present existing Public Distribution System is a major drawback. Due to interference of middlemen in PDS, though government is spending crores of rupees for providing the basic necessities, they are not reaching the aimed sections of people.
- Now, in the cash transfer scheme, the cash is deposited directly in the beneficiary’s bank accounts.
- The beneficiaries can purchase the needed food grains and essential items from the cash, hence no middlemen.
- Surely the cash transfer scheme is a better system provided a good vigilance in implementation.
Question 19.
Do you think the poor will be served better now with new policy? Prmiide reasons in favour of your answer. (Conceptual understanding)
Answer:
Yes. ‘the poor are served better now with new policy.
1. Through cash transfer scheme, poor get their share of money directly.
2. Wastage of Government expenditure can be controlled.
3. The govt subsidies reach the people directly.
Question 20.
Could you suggest some more ways of improving the PDS? (Reflection on contemporary issues and questioning,)
Answer:
- Ration shops should be opened regularly.
- Adulteration of food grains should be checked.
- If the ration shop owners are found selling foodgrains to other shops, his dealership should be cancelled.
- PDS is working well in Kerala. A.P and Tamilnadu, other states should take inspiration from the above.
- To recognize the poorest of the poor, surveys have to be conducted.
Question 21.
Ration shops are also called fair-price shops. Can you guess why? (Appreciation and Sensitivity)
Answer:
It is because government is selling food grains and other essential items through ration shops at a fair price. Prices at the ration shops are meant to be lower than the prices in the market.
Reading the Text (given), understanding and interpretation
A. “The’ new policy on PDS has been at the center of much debate. We know that about 4 out of 5 people in the rural areas consume less than the minimum required calories. And yet, not even 3 out of 10 families in the rural areas in India possessed BPL and Autyodaya cards, as per the National Sample Survey of 2004. Thus, a large number of people who earlier benefited front the PDS were no longer covered by it. Many families of landless labourers did not have BPL cards. Vvhereas, there were some reports of well-off families with BPL cards.”
Read the above passage and answer the following question.
What are the contradictions do you find in the new PDS policy?
Answer:
- The government of India often has huge piles of food stocks. There haw been times when Ioodgrains rot in godowns and are eaten by rats.
- The ration shops sell foodgrains at a fair price only to BPL. Antyodaya and Annapurna card holders there are unsold stocks at the ration shop too.
B. What is even more distributing is that over the years, the calorie consumption of the poorest has been declining. when compared to the 1980s, while our country as a whole seems to have apparently become more prosperous and we have many more goods and services than were available earlier. But the poorest hunger has increased. They actually consume less calories today than say 25 years back!
Read the above passage and answer the following question.
Why poverty? How can it be eliminated?
Answer:
The most important contributor to poverty, as you would have guessed by now, is the lack of regular employment. In the absence of employment opportunities, people lack the purchasing power to fulfill their basic needs. Chronic hunger is one of the fallouts of this lack of minimum purchasing power.
C. The most important contributor to poverty, as you would have guessed by now, is the lack of regular employment. In the absence of employment opportunities, people lack the purchasing Power to fulfill their basic needs. Chronic hunger is one of the fall outs of this lack of minimum Purchasing Power.
Read the above passage and answer the following question.
What are the reasons for poverty?
Answer:
Reasons for poverty are
- Lack of regular employment leads to lack of purchasing power of basic needs which results in chronic hunger.
- Non-farm workers are losing livelihoods as there is no demand for traditional tools and implements.
- More than 50% of people depend upon agriculture. Because of variety of problems crops failed leading to farmers’ distress.
- There are long stretches of lean season when practically no work is available on the fields.
- Acts like MNREGA, PDS are not implemented effectively.
Information Skills
Question 1.
Study the graph given below and answer the questions that follow:
a) In which recent year foodgrain stock with the government was maximum?
Answer:
In July 2002, food grain stock with the government was maximum. The stock of wheat and rice with FC! in this year was 63 million tonnes.
b) What is the minimum buffer stock norm for the FCI?
Answer:
The minimum buffer stock norm for the FCI is 24.3 million tonnes.
c) Why were the FCI granaries overflowing with food grains?
Answer:
FCI granaries were overflowing with food grains because of the improper Public Distribution System. The price of the granaries was under revision. It took a long time. Though PDS contributed to an increase in food grain production and provided income security to farmers in certain regions, it caused overflowing of granaries in FO godowns where grains are rotting away and being eaten by rats.
Question 2.
Study the graph given below and answer the questions that follow:
Source Economic Survey 2001-02. Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
a) Identify the three states where the poverty ratio is the highest.
Answer:
Odissa, Bihar, and Madhva Pradesh.
b) Identify the three states where poverty ratio is the lowest.
Answer:
Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh
Question 3.
One persons weight is 70 kgs., height 2 mts. Is he undernourished or not.
Answer:
BMI = \(\frac{w t}{(\text { height })^2}=\frac{70}{(2)^2}=\frac{70}{4}\) = 17.5
If the BMI is less than 18.5, person is considered as undernourished.
Question 4.
why should be ‘calorie intake requirement high for rural people.
Answer:
In rural areas, manual work is more intense, so calorie intake should be high.
Question 5.
Why did MNREGA introduce compulsory social audits. (C.U.)
Answer:
- The benefit of the schemes go to those who yield power and to thy contractors, whereas the poor receive much less than what is officially claimed.
- To reduce this corruption social audits are made compulsory in MNREGA.
One Mark Questions
Question 1.
Expand MNREGA?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Limplovrnent Guarantee Act.
Question 2.
What does meant by ‘Social audit?
Answer:
An inspection of government which deals with the fair price shops.
Question 3.
Which article of Indian Constitution included Right to life’
Answer:
Article 21.
Question 4.
How much percentage of people in India depend on agriculture?
Answer:
50%
Question 5.
What do we need to move muscles?
Answer:
Energy.
Question 6.
How can we measure energy?
Answer:
We measure energy in kilocalories.
Question 7.
What is related to undernourishment?
Answer:
Chronic hunger and calorie de(icinc’.
Question 8.
When did the ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’ passed?
Answer:
2005.
Question 9.
Expand P.D.S.?
Answer:
Public Distribution System.
Question 10.
Who was the author of ‘Arthashastra’?
Answer:
Kautilya.
Objective Type Questions
Question 1.
Farmers paid for Ramachari’s services with ( )
A) Paddy
B) Money
C) Clothes
D) Copper coins
Answer:
B) Money
Question 2.
Energy we get from the food we eat is measured in ( )
A) Kilograms
B) Meters
C) Kilo Calories
D) Liters
Answer:
C) Kilo Calories
Question 3.
The calorie intake requirement for a rural person ( )
A) 2400
B) 2000
C) 2100
D) 2300
Answer:
A) 2400
Question 4.
The calorie intake requirement for an urban person is ( )
A) 2000
B) 1900
C) 2100
D) 2150
Answer:
C) 2100
Question 5.
In India ……………….. % of people in rural areas are undernourished ( )
A) 75%
B) 90%
C) 60%
D) 80%
Answer:
D) 80%
Question 6.
Undernourishment makes it hard ( )
A) to study
B) to work
C) perform activities
D) all the above
Answer:
D) all the above
Question 7.
The Indian Constitution refers to the right to work under ( )
A) Fundamental Rights
B) Fundamental Duties
C) Directive Principles
D) judiciary
Answer:
A) Fundamental Rights
Question 8.
The number of days agricultural labourers get work in a year ( )
A) 100 to 120 days
B) 120 to 180 days
C) 180 to 200 days
D) 200 to 220 days
Answer:
D) 200 to 220 days
Question 9.
PDS is working well in the following ( )
A) Kerala
B) A.P.
C) Tamil Nadu
D) All the above
Answer:
D) All the above
Question 10.
The Right to life is enshrined in ( )
A) Article 40
B) Article 41
C) Article 21
D) Article 20
Answer:
C) Article 21
Question 11.
The Indian Constitution refers to the right to work under the ……………. of state policy. ( )
A) fundamental rights
B) directive principles
C) preamble
D) fundamental duties
Answer:
B) directive principles
Question 12.
The people who have ………………… cards, will get food grains at a lowest price. ( )
A) White
B) Adhaar
C) Pink
D) Antyodaya
Answer:
D) Antyodaya
Question 13.
Openness in all transatlons is called ………………… .
A) Transparency
B) Accountability
C) Addiction
D) Corruption
Answer:
A) Transparency
Question 14.
Find the correct statement. ( )
i) Article 21 – Right of life
ii) Article 41 – Right of work
iii) Adults nutrition – B.M.I.
iv) Social Audit – Checking of public accounts
A) i, iv
B) iii, i
C) ii, iii
D) All of these
Answer:
D) All of these
Question 15.
P.D.S. system is successfully working in ………………. states of India ( )
A) Northern
B) Southern
C) Eastern
D) Western
Answer:
B) Southern