Poverty as a Challenge – Very Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 9 Social Science – Economics
Chapter 3: Poverty as a Challenge
CBSE Board Examinations Focus:
Very short answer type questions strictly based on NCERT Class 9 Economics Chapter 3 – definitions, key terms, causes of poverty, poverty estimates, vulnerable groups, interstate and global comparisons, and anti-poverty measures.
The following 50 Very Short Answer Type Questions with Answers are designed strictly as per the NCERT Class 9 Economics textbook. They are ideal for CBSE Class 9 exam revision and quick practice for 1-mark and 2-mark questions.
Topic 1: Overview – Poverty as a Challenge
Q1.What is poverty in simple terms?
Ans.Poverty is a situation in which a person cannot meet basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, education and health care.
Q2.Why is poverty called a challenge?
Ans.Poverty is called a challenge because it affects a large number of people and blocks overall economic and social development.
Q3.Name two basic needs that the poor often fail to achieve.
Ans.Two basic needs are proper food and safe shelter.
Q4.Mention any one social indicator of poverty.
Ans.One social indicator of poverty is low level of literacy or schooling.
Q5.Which chapter of NCERT Class 9 Economics deals with poverty?
Ans.Chapter 3, titled “Poverty as a Challenge”, deals with poverty.
Q6.Give any one feature of poverty highlighted in the chapter.
Ans.One feature is that the poor suffer from multiple deprivations like hunger, illiteracy and poor health at the same time.
Topic 2: Two Typical Types / Cases of Poverty
Q7.What do the two typical cases in the chapter represent?
Ans.They represent rural and urban poverty through real-life examples of poor families.
Q8.Which sector do most rural poor depend on for their livelihood?
Ans.Most rural poor depend on agriculture and agricultural labour for their livelihood.
Q9.Where do many urban poor usually live?
Ans.Many urban poor live in slums, on pavements or in overcrowded, kutcha houses.
Q10.Give one common problem faced by both rural and urban poor.
Ans.Both face the problem of insecure employment and irregular income.
Q11.How is the life of rural poor shown in the chapter?
Ans.The rural poor are shown as landless labourers or small farmers with low wages, debts and lack of basic facilities.
Q12.How is the life of urban poor shown in the chapter?
Ans.The urban poor are shown as casual workers like rickshaw pullers, vendors or domestic workers living in slums.
Topic 3: Poverty Estimates and the Poverty Line
Q13.What is meant by the poverty line?
Ans.The poverty line is the minimum level of income or consumption required to meet basic needs.
Q14.Who are considered poor according to the poverty line?
Ans.People whose income or consumption is below the poverty line are considered poor.
Q15.Which organisation conducts large sample surveys of consumption in India?
Ans.The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducts large sample surveys of consumption.
Q16.What does the head count ratio measure?
Ans.The head count ratio measures the percentage of people living below the poverty line.
Q17.Earlier, the poverty line in India was linked mainly to which requirement?
Ans.Earlier, it was mainly linked to minimum calorie requirement for food.
Q18.Why is the poverty line different for rural and urban areas?
Ans.It is different because the cost of living and consumption patterns differ in rural and urban areas.
Q19.Name any one item included in minimum consumption expenditure besides food.
Ans.One such item is expenditure on clothing. (Others: fuel, education, health)
Q20.What has been the general trend of poverty in India over the years?
Ans.The general trend is that the percentage of people below the poverty line has declined over the years.
Topic 4: Vulnerable Groups and Poverty
Q21.What are vulnerable groups in the context of poverty?
Ans.Vulnerable groups are those sections of society that face a higher risk of poverty than others.
Q22.Name any two social groups that are most vulnerable to poverty in India.
Ans.Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are most vulnerable to poverty.
Q23.Which type of workers are more vulnerable to poverty?
Ans.Casual labourers and landless agricultural labourers are more vulnerable to poverty.
Q24.Within a poor family, which members are most affected by poverty?
Ans.Women, children and the elderly are most affected by poverty within a poor family.
Q25.Why are children considered vulnerable to poverty?
Ans.Because they suffer from malnutrition, lack of education and may be forced into child labour.
Q26.Give one reason why women are more vulnerable to poverty.
Ans.Women often get lower wages than men and have less control over household resources.
Q27.How does social discrimination make groups vulnerable to poverty?
Ans.Social discrimination denies equal access to education, jobs and assets, pushing such groups into poverty.
Topic 5: Interstate Disparities in Poverty
Q28.What are interstate disparities in poverty?
Ans.Interstate disparities in poverty are differences in poverty levels among various states of India.
Q29.Mention any one factor responsible for lower poverty in some states.
Ans.Higher economic growth and better development of agriculture and industries reduce poverty in some states.
Q30.How do public facilities help reduce poverty in a state?
Ans.Good public facilities like schools, health centres and roads improve opportunities and incomes, reducing poverty.
Q31.Why does poor implementation of programmes keep poverty high in some states?
Ans.Because the benefits do not reach the target groups, leaving the poor without real support or opportunities.
Q32.Give one example of a policy step that can reduce interstate poverty differences.
Ans.Greater investment in backward states in education, health and infrastructure can reduce interstate poverty differences.
Topic 6: Global Poverty Scenario
Q33.Is poverty only an Indian problem?
Ans.No, poverty is a global problem faced by many developing countries in the world.
Q34.Which international institution commonly measures global poverty?
Ans.The World Bank commonly measures and reports on global poverty levels.
Q35.Name any one region of the world where poverty is still very high.
Ans.Poverty is still very high in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Q36.What has been the general global trend in poverty in recent decades?
Ans.The general trend is a decline in the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, though numbers remain large.
Q37.Which global goals include the reduction of poverty?
Ans.The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include poverty reduction.
Topic 7: Major Causes of Poverty in India
Q38.How did colonial rule contribute to poverty in India?
Ans.Colonial rule destroyed traditional industries and exploited Indian resources, leaving the economy weak and poor.
Q39.Name any one economic cause of poverty in India.
Ans.Low economic growth for many years after independence is an economic cause of poverty.
Q40.How does unemployment lead to poverty?
Ans.Unemployment reduces income and forces people to live without basic necessities, leading to poverty.
Q41.How does high population growth affect poverty?
Ans.High population growth increases pressure on resources and jobs, lowering per capita income and increasing poverty.
Q42.What is the effect of unequal distribution of land on poverty?
Ans.Unequal distribution of land leaves many families landless or with tiny plots, keeping their incomes very low.
Q43.Give one social cause of poverty.
Ans.The caste system and social discrimination are important social causes of poverty.
Q44.How does lack of education keep people in poverty?
Ans.Lack of education reduces skills and job opportunities, so people remain in low-paid, unskilled work and poverty continues.
Topic 8: Anti-Poverty Measures and Programmes
Q45.What are the two main strategies adopted by the government to reduce poverty?
Ans.The two main strategies are economic growth and targeted anti-poverty programmes.
Q46.How does economic growth help in reducing poverty?
Ans.Economic growth creates more jobs and raises incomes, helping people move above the poverty line.
Q47.What is the main aim of employment generation programmes?
Ans.The main aim is to provide wage employment to the poor so that they can earn a minimum income.
Q48.How does the Public Distribution System (PDS) help the poor?
Ans.The PDS provides essential food grains and some other items to poor families at subsidised prices.
Topic 9: The Challenges Ahead
Q49.Why is reduction of poverty still a major challenge for India?
Ans.Because the absolute number of poor people is still large and many are just above the poverty line and vulnerable.
Q50.What is the long-term goal regarding poverty in India?
Ans.The long-term goal is to eliminate poverty and ensure a life of dignity, security and opportunities for all citizens.