Contents

1.   Unemployment in India                                                    1-20

   1.1  Introduction                                                                             1

   1.2  Unemployment and Labour Force                                           2

   1.3  Types of Unemployment                                                          3

   1.4  Nature of unemployment in Less Developed Countries           6

   1.5  Measurement of Unemployment/Employment                         7

   1.6  Employment Trends in India                                                     8

   1.7  Causes for Rising Unemployment in India Since 1951           11

   1.8  Evil Effects of Unemployment: Economic and Social             14

   1.9  Programmes to Generate Employment and        
Alleviate Poverty                                                                   14

1.10  Key Inter-state Comparisons of Employment Performance            18

1.11  Broad Impact of Job Creation Schemes                                  19

1.12  Conclusion                                                                               19

2.   Poverty in India                                                               21-34

   2.1  Introduction                                                                             21

   2.2  Relative and Absolute Poverty                                                22

   2.3  Poverty Line in India                                                                23

   2.4  Causes of Poverty                                                                   27

   2.5  Poverty Alleviation Programmes                                             29

   2.6  Government Measures During Five Year Plans                      32

   2.7  Conclusion                                                                               33

3.   Trends and Structure of National Income                  35-52

   3.1  Introduction                                                                              35

   3.2  Estimation of National Income In India                                    36

   3.3  Composition of National Income                                              37

   3.4  Problems in Estimation of National Income                             40

   3.5  Trends in Growth of Gross National Income (GNI)
and Net National Income (NNI) Since 1950-51                      41

   3.6  Causes of Slow Growth of National Income                            48

   3.7  Limitations of GDP Concept                                                    49

4.   Inequalities in Distribution of  Income in India       53-66

   4.1  Introduction                                                                              53

   4.2  Inequalities in Distribution of Income                                       54

   4.3  Extent of Inequalities of Income and Wealth                            55

   4.4  Measurement of Income Inequality                                          57

   4.5  Factors Affecting Inequalities                                                   59

   4.6  Inequality Reduction                                                                 61

   4.7  Regional Imbalances                                                                64

   4.8  Conclusion                                                                                66

5.   Labour Welfare and Social Security in India             67-76

   5.1  Industrial Labour and its Features                                             67

   5.2  Trade Union Movement and its Evolution                                  68

   5.3  Industrial Disputes in India                                                         70

   5.4  Social Security Measures in India                                              72

   5.5  Labour Reforms                                                                         74

6.   Infrastructure in India                                                 77-126

   6.1  Introduction                                                                                78

   6.2  Role of Infrastructure in Economic Development                       78

   6.3  Transport Sector                                                                         79

   6.4  Principal Modes of Transportation                                             87

   6.5  Communication Sector in India                                                114

   6.6  Energy Resources                                                                    116

   6.7  Energy Crisis                                                                            118

   6.8  Conclusion                                                                               125

7.   Irrigation in India                                                       127-134

   7.1  Development of Irrigation                                                         127

   7.2  Sources of Irrigation in India                                                    128

   7.3  Irrigation Potential                                                                    130

   7.4  Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)                   131

   7.5  Better Utilisation of Irrigation Capacity                                    131

   7.6  Improvement in Water Use Efficiency                                      132

   7.7  Irrigation Policy                                                                         132

8.   Social Infrastructure: Issues and Trends                135-148

   8.1  Introduction                                                                               135

   8.2  Major Sectors of Social Infrastructure                                       136

   8.3  Trends in Social Sector Expenditure in Recent Years               137

   8.4  Issues in Health Infrastructure                                                   138

   8.5  Trends Health Infrastructure                                                      139

   8.6  Issues and Trends in Education Infrastructure                          143

9.   Human Development in India                                   149-160

   9.1  Concept  and Importance of Human Development                    150

   9.2  Goals of Human Development Set by
UN-Millenium Summit                                                              151

   9.3  Measurement of Human Development
(Human Development Indicators)                                            152

   9.4  Human Development in Indian States                                       155

   9.5  Gender Discrimination and Women Empowerment                   159

   9.6  Challenges Ahead                                                                      160

10. Sustainable Development                                          161-172

10.1  Introduction                                                                                 161

10.2  Meaning of Sustainable Development                                        163

10.3  Relevance of Environment for Sustainable
Development                                                                            165

10.4  Environmental Challenges                                                          167

10.5  India’s Approach for Sustainable
Development in 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17)                       168

10.6  Challenges and Way Forward                                                     171

11. Economic Reforms                                                       173-196

11.1  Introduction                                                                                 174

11.2  Rationale of Economic Reforms                                                 174

11.3  Objectives of New Economic Policy (NEP)                                 177

11.4  Main Components of NEP                                                          178

11.5  Appraisal of Economic Reforms in India                                     182

11.6  Special Economic Zones                                                            186

11.7  Need for Second Generation Reforms                                       195

12. Disinvestment in India                                               197-204

12.1  Introduction                                                                               197

12.2  Privatisation: Meaning and Objectives                                     198

12.3  Evolution of Disinvestment Policy in India                                200

12.4  Rationale and Objectives of Disinvestment                              201

12.5  Critique of Disinvestment                                                         202

12.6  Progress and Methods of Disinvestment                                 203

12.7  Conclusion                                                                               203

13. India and World Trade Organisation                       205-212

13.1  WTO—Objectives, Functions and Scope                                205

13.2  Impacts of WTO on Indian Economy                                       210

14. Foreign Direct Investment                                        213-224

14.1  Introduction                                                                             213

14.2  Foreign Capital—Concept and Components                          214

14.3  Role of Foreign Capital in Economic Development                215

14.4  Government’s Policy Towards Foreign Capital                       216

14.5  Flow of Foreign Private Capital                                              218

14.6  Multinational Corporations (MNCs)                                        219

14.7  Conclusion                                                                             223