Comparative Development Experience of India with its Neighbours NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Indian Economic Development

Comparative Development Experience of India with its Neighbours NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Indian Economic Development

NCERT TEXTUAL QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

Q. 1 Why are regional and economic groupings formed?

Ans.

To boost their economies, countries around the world are joining together to form different regional and global economic groups like SAARC, the European Union, ASEAN, G-8, G-20, and BRICS. These groups allow nations to speak together on shared problems and protect their common interests. One important goal of these regional economic groups is to encourage trade between countries. Additionally, another aim of forming these groups is to help maintain peace and stability among their member countries.

Q. 2. What are the various means by which countries are trying to strengthen their own domestic economies?

Ans.

Countries are exploring different ways to boost their own economies:

(i) Many countries are creating regional and economic groups, like SAARC, the European Union, G-8, G-20, and ASEAN, to help strengthen their economies together.

(ii) Countries are also making economic reforms. They are reducing government control over businesses, allowing more freedom for economic activities.

(iii) Additionally, countries are opening up their economies to the world through globalization.

Q. 3. What similar development strategies have India and Pakistan followed for their respective development paths?

Ans.

The similarities in the development strategies of India and Pakistan can be put into simple points:

1. Both countries have used a mixed economic system where both the government and private businesses play a role.
2. They both started their development journeys at the same time after gaining independence in 1947.
3. Their planning for development was similar. India launched its first Five-Year Plan in 1951, while Pakistan followed with its plan in 1956.
4. Both nations focused on building a strong public sector and increasing spending on social programs.
5. Until the 1980s, India and Pakistan had similar rates of economic growth and incomes per person.
6. Both countries introduced economic reforms around the same time, with India starting in 1991 and Pakistan in 1988, to improve their economies.

Q. 4. Explain the Great Leap Forward campaign of China as initiated in 1958.

Ans.

In 1958, Mao Zedong started a program called The Great Leap Forward (GLF) to help modernize China’s economy.

• The goal of this campaign was to change the farming-based economy into a modern one by quickly building up industries.

• People were encouraged to create small factories right in their own backyards.

• In the countryside, large farming groups called communes were formed. In these communes, people worked together to farm the land.

• By 1958, there were about 26,000 communes, which included nearly all the farming population.

However, the GLF faced many challenges. A terrible drought hit China, leading to the death of around 30 million people.

Q. 5. China’s rapid industrial growth can be traced back to its reforms in 1978. Do you agree? Elucidate.

Ans.

Yes, I agree with the given statement. The present day fast industrial growth in China can be traced back to the reforms introduced in phases in 1978. China introduced reforms in phases.

• In the beginning, changes were made in the agriculture, foreign trade, and investment areas. For agriculture, large communal lands were split into smaller sections. Each family got a plot to use, but they didn’t own it. They could keep all the money they made from the land after paying the necessary taxes.

• Later on, changes also happened in the industrial sector. Private companies and local businesses, which are run by community members, were allowed to make and sell goods. During this time, government-owned companies, known as State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), had to compete with these new businesses.

• The reform process introduced a system called dual pricing. This meant that prices were set in two different ways: (a) Farmers and factories had to buy and sell certain amounts of goods based on prices set by the government; (b) For all other transactions, they could buy and sell at market prices.

• To encourage foreign investors, special economic zones were created.

Q. 6. Describe the path of developmental initiatives taken by Pakistan for its economic development.

Ans.

The journey of Pakistan’s efforts to boost its economy can be explained in simple terms as follows:

(1) Mixed Economic System:

Pakistan decided to use a mixed economy to help its economic growth. This means combining different methods of managing the economy.

(2) Introduction of Various Policies:

In the late 1950s and 1960s, Pakistan created several policies to help local industries grow. These policies offered protection to businesses making consumer goods by controlling imports of similar products.

(3) Green Revolution:

In agriculture, the Green Revolution brought new farming techniques and increased government spending on infrastructure. This led to a significant rise in food grain production and changed how farming was done in the country.

(4) Role of the Public Sector in the Early 1970s:

In the early 1970s, the government took control of many capital goods industries. This was a key step in shaping the economy.

(5) Role of the Private Sector in the Late 1970s:

Then in the late 1970s, the government changed its approach by promoting privatization. They encouraged private businesses and provided various incentives, creating an environment that attracted new investments.

(6) Financial Support During the Late 1970s:

During this time, Pakistan also received financial help from Western countries and money sent back home by Pakistanis working in the Middle East. This financial aid supported economic growth.

(7) Reforms:

In 1988, Pakistan started implementing reforms aimed at improving the economy.

Q. 7. What is the important implication of the ‘one child norm’ in China?

Ans.

The One-Child Policy in China, implemented in 1979, had significant social and economic implications. It led to a rapidly aging population, a shrinking workforce, and gender imbalances due to a cultural preference for male children. The policy also contributed to labor shortages and rising elder care burdens. Though it was relaxed in 2015, its long-term effects continue to shape China’s demographics, economy, and social structure.

Q. 8. Mention the salient demographic indicators of China, Pakistan and India.

Ans.

Select Demographic Indicator,2017 – 18

Country	Estimated Population in Millions	Annual Growth of Population	Density (per Sq. Km)	Sex Ratio	Fertility Rate	Urbanisation
India	1352	1.03	455	924	2.2	34
China	1393	0.46	148	949	1.7	59
Pakistan	212	2.05	275	943	3.6	37

Population:-

India has the highest population, followed by China. Pakistan has the least population.

Annual Growth Rate of Population:-

India has the growth rate of population of 1%, while China has lowest growth rate of 0.46%. Pakistan has the better growth rate of 2.05% compared to both the countries.

Population Density:-

India has the highest population of density of 455 per sq. km, Pakistan has 275 per sq. km density. Pakistan has the lowest population density of 275 per sq. km.

Sex Ratio:-

It is the ratio of female per 1000 male. China has slightly better sex ratio of 949. India has the lowest of 924 and Pakistan has 943.

Fertility Rate:-

China has the lowest fertility rate of 1.7 as compared to both countries. Pakistan has the highest fertility rate of 3.6. and India has 2.2. High fertility rate is the cause of population explosion

Urbanisation:-

China is more urbanised than India and Pakistan. The high rate of urbanisation depicts a better quality of living. It also tells about economic stability and the development of the service/tertiary sector in China.

Q. 9. Compare and contrast India and China’s sectoral contribution towards GVA/GDP. What does it indicate?

Ans.

Sectoral Share of GVA (%) in 2018-19

Q. 10. Mention the various indicators of human development.

Ans.

The indicators of human development are:

(i) Life Expectancy

(ii) Infant Mortality Rate

(iii) Maternal Mortality Rate

(iv) Mean years of Schooling

(v) Percentage of the population below the poverty line

(vi) GDP per capita

(vii) Percentage of the population having access to improved sanitation

(viii) Percentage of the population having access to improved water sources.

(ix) Percentage of the population undernourished

Q. 11. Define the liberty indicator. Give some examples of liberty indicators.

Ans.

Liberty indicators are measures that show how much civil and political freedom people have in a country. They help us understand how involved citizens can be in making decisions that affect their lives. Here are a couple of examples:

1. How well the independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law are protected by the Constitution.
2. How the Constitution protects the rights of citizens.

Q. 12. Evaluate the various factors that led to the rapid growth in economic development in China.

Ans.

(i) Reforms Introduced in China:

The rapid industrial growth in China can be traced back to the reforms that started in stages in 1978. Initially, the country focused on improving agriculture, foreign trade, and investment. In agriculture, large commune lands were divided into smaller plots, which were given to individual households for use (but not full ownership). These households were allowed to keep all the money they made from their land after paying certain taxes.

Later on, the focus shifted to reforming the industrial sector. The government allowed private companies and local collective enterprises (owned and operated by local communities) to produce goods. This meant that state-owned companies, which were previously the only producers, had to compete with these new businesses.

(ii) Dual Pricing in the Reforms Process:

The reform process also included something called dual pricing. This meant that prices were set in two different ways:

(a) Farmers and factories had to buy and sell certain amounts of products and materials at prices set by the government.

(b) For other sales and purchases, they could buy and sell at market prices.

(iii) Special Economic Zones (SEZ):

To make the country more attractive to foreign investors, special economic zones were created.

Q. 13. Group the following features pertaining to the economies of India, China and Pakistan under three heads

1. One-child norm
2. Low fertility rate
3. High degree of urbanisation
4. Mixed economy
5. very high fertility rate
6. Large population
7. High density of population
8. Growth due to manufacturing sector
9. Growth due to service sector

Ans.

(1) China
(2) China
(3) Pakistan and China
(4) India and Pakistan
(5) Pakistan
(6) India and China
(7) India
(8) China
(9) India and Pakistan

Q. 14. Give reasons for the slow growth and re-emergence of poverty in Pakistan.

Ans.

The reasons for the slowdown in growth and the rise of poverty in Pakistan’s economy are:

(i) The growth in agriculture and food supply depended too much on having good harvests, rather than on a stable system of improving farming techniques. This meant that during years with good crops, the economy did well, but when crops failed, the economy struggled, showing signs of stagnation or decline.

(ii) Having foreign exchange is very important for any country, and it’s better to build up foreign exchange reserves by exporting manufactured goods. In Pakistan, however, most of the money from foreign exchange came from remittances sent home by Pakistani workers in the Middle East and from selling unstable agricultural products.

(iii) There has been an increasing reliance on foreign loans, while at the same time, it has become harder to pay those loans back.

Q. 15. Compare and contrast the development of India, China, and Pakistan with respect to some salient human development indicators.

Ans.

Some Selected Indicators of Human Development, 2017 – 2019

Item	India	China	Pakistan
Human Development Index (Value)	0.645	0.761	0.557
Rank (based on HDI)	130	87	154
Life Expectancy at Birth (Years)	69.7	76.9	67.3
Mean years of Schooling (% aged 15 and above)	6.5	8.1	5.2
Gross National Income per capita (PPP US$)	6,681	16.057	5.005
Percentage of People Living Below Poverty Line (National)	21.9	1.7	24.3
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000 live births)	29.9	7.4	57.2
Maternal Mortality Rate (per 1 lakh births)	133	29	140
Population using at least basic Sanitation (%)	60	75	60
Population using at least basic drinking Water Source (%)	93	96	91
Percentage of Undernourished Children	37.9	8.1	37.6

The following are indicators of human development:

1. GDP per Capita
2. Life Expectancy
3. Infant Mortality Rate
4. Adult Literacy Rate
5. Percentage of the population below the poverty line
6. Percentage of the population having access to improved water resources
7. Percentage of the population having access to improved sanitation

Human Development is a way to measure how well people are doing in terms of important things like food, shelter, education, and health. A high Human Development Index (HDI) means that people and countries are growing and improving in all these areas. For example, China is ranked 87st in HDI, India is at 130th, and Pakistan is in the 154th spot.

China’s economy is stronger because it has a higher GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per person. Additionally, the country has managed its population growth, which helps its economy grow even more. All these reasons contribute to an increase in GDP.

Q. 16. Comment on the growth rate trends witnessed in China and India in the last two decades.

Ans.

Q. 17. Fill in the blanks

(a) First Five Year Plan of __________ commenced in the year 1956. (Pakistan/China)

(b) Maternal Mortality rate is high in __________ . (China/Pakistan)

(c) Proportion of people poverty line is more in __________ . (India/Pakistan)

(d) Reforms in _________ were introduced in 1978. (China/Pakistan)

Ans.

(a) Pakistan,

(b) Pakistan,

(c) India,

(d) China.