Social Science [2 Mark Questions]

Paddy fields require large quantities of water for irrigation. Water also provides favorable environment for the rice strains to grow, as well as for discouraging the growth of many species of weeds.

The economy of India is based on planning through its five year plans developed and executed by the Planning Commission of India.

He borrows seeds and fertilizers as loan from a trader. To return his loan, he had to sell his paddy to this trader at lower price. Therefore, Shekhar is not able to go the town market to get better price for his paddy.

Quite many villagers have no availability of electricity and use lanterns for light. There is no regular water supply and village folks fetch water from wells and rivers. Cow dung cakes and timber is used as fuel for cooking which is quite polluting. Moreover, at times there is no work in the fields. All this results in forced migration to cities and towns, high debts to money lenders, etc.

In the event of failure of monsoon rains, the marginal farmer is unable to pay off the loan taken from the local money lender, often called the Malik to whom he pledged his land to get a loan. So, the farmer now works at the Malik?s farm to pay off the loan and get his land back.

Primary occupations involve extraction of raw materials from the earth, e.g., farming, mining; secondary occupations are those in which products are made from the raw materials obtained, e.g., weaving, textile industry, and tertiary occupations are those in which people sell products and offer services, e.g.,banking, healthcare.

The term bank ordinally applied to an institution which recieves deposits of money or of credit and which seeks profits through the extension or sale of its own credit.

Seventy five percent of our population lives in villages. Agriculture is the main occupation. Most of the villages are at a distance from cities. The houses of our villages are mostly made of mud, have thatched roofs and keep cattle at home. Some villages, lack proper medical aid.

With the meagre resources that they have, they have to face the various odds of life. They are unable to save money for other things or to meet emergencies. They have little resources to educate their children and find it hard to survive. Many of the male villagers are forced to leave their houses to find work in towns or cities for even their basic necessities.

Making baskets, utensils, pots, bricks bullock-carts etc.
Teaching.
Washing clothes.
Weaving.
Repairing cycle.

Malik’s own many acres of land and employ labourers, use expensive machinery and buy good quality seeds and fertilizers for better farming. Marginal farmers called kisaan owns a few acres of land. Landless farmers have no land of their own, and work on other people's land as labourers.

The major cause of poverty among India’s rural people is lack of access to productive assets and financial resources. High level of illiteracy and lack of adequate health facilities are also responsible for the poor staying poor in rural India.

These people are Thulasi, Sekar and Ramalingam.
Thulasi is the poorest among them. It is because she has no land of her own. She works on Ramalingam’s field and earns Rs. 40 per day. Although she is not satisfied with her wages, yet she continues her work in Ramalingam’s field because of the fact that she can depend on him.

Yes, there are self-help programmes available for the fishing community. The programmes make sure that at least one member in each family should be engaged in a profession. It also facilitates training in tailoring, nursing, driving, education, handicrafts and repair of electronic gadgets.

The agricultural productivity can be raised by providing the proper marketing facilities, provisions of better irrigational facilities, reduction of population burden on land, development of cottage and small scale industries and encouraging cooperative farming.

Due to non-existence of farmland, people mostly make a living by nonfarming activities like making pots, weaving baskets and making bricks in kilns. People are involved in activities like barbers, weavers, mechanics, blacksmiths, nursing, construction activity, washermen and so on.

I would say that it is better to take a loan from bank for this purpose than to go to a moneylender. Money lenders usually charge high rate of interest which pushes the borrowers in great hardships.

Government can provide assistance to farmers like Sekar. Interest-free loan or loan at the lowest rate can help him. Seeds, fertilizers and pesticides can also be provided to him on subsidised rate.

In rural areas, very few and only big farmers are able to survive and lead a quality life. Most of the marginal farmers and landless farmers lie in abject poverty. Only 20 percent farmers are rich and sell their produce in the market at a time when they can get a better price. This activity is called hoarding. Life for poor people is tough in rural areas.

No, this is not a fair situation. There should be a ceiling of land. It will help everyone to have some land where one can earn one’s livelihood. Opportunity should be equal for all. Primary education should be made compulsory. Efforts should be made to promote education among the poor. It will help them know their rights and other awareness.