Test: Poverty as a Challenge (Term II)

Solution: Social scientists use different types of indicators to understand poverty. The most commonly used indicators relate to the levels of income of people and their consumption of goods. Poverty is also observed using other social indicators like lack of education, healthcare, sanitation and safe drinking water.

There are many visible facets of poverty, including disposable income and literacy levels. In the Lao PDR, poverty can also be measured by the type of material - grass, wood, bamboo, corrugated zinc or tiles - used to construct house roofs.

Solution: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) specifies daily calorie requirements for each person. The ICMR sets up an advisory committee that decides the amount of nutrition an individual of various age groups requires.

I) The government of India has allotted a calorie intake or nutritional content of 2400 calories per day for people living in rural areas in India.

II) According to the nutritional guidelines in India, the calorie requirement of 2100 calories is accredited to the people living in urban areas due to the lesser amount of physical activities per day.

III) A large-framed male who seeks to lose weight is usually recommended a 2200 calorie meal plan per day and the average male’s calorie requirement in India is 2500 calories.

the requirement per person living in rural areas per day is 2400 calories.

Hence, ICMR advises 2400 Kcal for people living in rural areas and 2100 Kcal for those residing in urban areas. The rural population are allotted higher calorie content due to the excessive physical activity these populations engage themselves in.

Solution:

Solution: The Government of India has launched several anti-poverty programmes like the Prime Minister Rozgar Yojna, Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna which are aimed at generating self-employment opportunities in rural areas.

Solution: The accepted aver age calorie requirement in India is 2,400 calories per person per day in rural areas and 2,100 calories per person per day in urban areas.

Solution: The National Food for Work Programme(NFWP), 2004 was launched by minister of rural development, central government on 14 November 2004 in 150 of the most backward districts of India with the objective of generating supplementary wage employment.

Solution: Poverty is about not having enough money to meet basic needs including food, clothing and shelter. The World Bank Organization describes poverty in this way: “Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor.

Solution: The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Many believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation.

Solution: Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are the three poorest states in India with their people living below the poverty line being 47, 42 and 37 per cent respectively.

Solution:

Solution: A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level falls below a given “minimum level” necessary to fulfill basic needs. While determining the poverty line in India, a minimum level of food requirement, clothing, footwear, fuel and light, educational and medical requirement etc.

Solution: The poverty line is estimated periodically (normally every five years) by conducting sample surveys. These surveys are carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO).