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Poverty and unemployment

Economics

Useful for: UPSC Civil Services, OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, OSSC Economics, OSSSC Govt TGT Arts, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB TGT Arts

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Overview

Poverty and hunger are addressed through food security, nutrition programmes and protection of vulnerable groups, measured by income and multidimensional indices.

Key points

Poverty lines were estimated by the Tendulkar and Rangarajan committees; NITI Aayog publishes a national Multidimensional Poverty Index.
ICDS (1975) provides nutrition and early care through anganwadis.
The mid-day meal scheme became PM POSHAN in 2021; POSHAN Abhiyaan (2018) targets malnutrition.
One Nation One Ration Card allows portability of food entitlements for migrants.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 protects children; the Forest Rights Act (2006) protects forest dwellers.
Stunting, wasting and anaemia remain major nutrition challenges.

Explanation

Hidden hunger refers to micronutrient deficiency.
Fortification of rice, salt and oil is used to address deficiencies.
Social protection for informal workers is expanding (e-Shram registration).
Data quality affects measurement debates.
Women’s education is strongly linked to child nutrition.

Step by step

Identify the concept, law or fact asked.
Recall the definition, formula, example or year.
Apply it and eliminate mismatched options.

Examples

Q: "Despite food security laws, malnutrition persists. Why?" → Causes (diet quality, sanitation, care practices); programmes; gaps; solutions.
Q: "Discuss multidimensional poverty in India." → Concept; indicators; trends; policy.
Q: "Evaluate measures for migrant workers’ welfare." → ONORC; e-Shram; gaps.

Traps and advanced points

Trap: Equating food security with nutrition security.
Trap: Wrong scheme years.
Trap: Ignoring sanitation and care.

Quick revision

Tendulkar, Rangarajan; NITI MPI.
ICDS 1975; PM POSHAN 2021; POSHAN Abhiyaan 2018.
ONORC; JJ Act 2015; FRA 2006.

Practice MCQs

From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Poverty, Hunger & Vulnerable Sections is correct?
1. Poverty, Hunger & Vulnerable Sections is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
2. Poverty, Hunger & Vulnerable Sections has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.
3. Poverty and hunger reflect income, prices, nutrition, assets, shocks, discrimination and service access.
4. One welfare programme can remove every dimension of poverty and vulnerability.
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Answer: (c) Poverty and hunger reflect income, prices, nutrition, assets, shocks, discrimination and service access.. Poverty and hunger reflect income, prices, nutrition, assets, shocks, discrimination and service access.
Consider the following statements on Poverty, Hunger & Vulnerable Sections, focusing on definition and scope: 1. Poverty and hunger reflect income, prices, nutrition, assets, shocks, discrimination and service access. 2. One welfare programme can remove every dimension of poverty and vulnerability. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer: (a) 1 only. Statement 1 is correct; Statement 2 is a common misconception.
With reference to Poverty, Hunger & Vulnerable Sections (definition and scope), consider the following statements: 1. One welfare programme can remove every dimension of poverty and vulnerability. 2. Targeting can reduce fiscal cost but creates inclusion/exclusion trade-offs. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer: (b) 2 only. Only statement 2 is correct.
ICDS, providing nutrition through anganwadis, began in —
1. 1975
2. 1995
3. 2005
4. 2018
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Answer: (a) 1975. 1975.
The mid-day meal scheme was renamed in 2021 as —
1. Poshan Tracker
2. Annapurna
3. POSHAN Abhiyaan
4. PM POSHAN
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Answer: (d) PM POSHAN. PM POSHAN.
POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched in —
1. 2015
2. 2018
3. 2021
4. 2010
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Answer: (b) 2018. 2018.
One Nation One Ration Card mainly helps —
1. farmers get loans
2. students get scholarships
3. traders pay GST
4. migrants access food entitlements
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Answer: (d) migrants access food entitlements. Portability of rations.
Poverty lines in India were estimated by the Tendulkar and —
1. Rangarajan committees
2. Sarkaria committees
3. Kothari commissions
4. Punchhi committees
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Answer: (a) Rangarajan committees. Expert groups.
A national Multidimensional Poverty Index is published by —
1. NITI Aayog
2. SEBI
3. CAG
4. RBI
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Answer: (a) NITI Aayog. NITI Aayog.
Low height for age in children is called —
1. wasting
2. stunting
3. obesity
4. anaemia
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Answer: (b) stunting. Stunting reflects chronic undernutrition.