Development | Easy and Detailed Notes for class 10th

Introduction:

“Every person wants something or the other for leading a good life.” What does it suggest? Does it say that the needs of every person are different but the ultimate goal is to attain a happy and healthy life. Of course yes. Since the circumstances around an individual differ, a person aspires for different goals. And when these goals are accomplished, development occurs. The same we are going to read about in this chapter.

Meaning of Development:

Any positive change in the individual’s life is development. It has different dimensions; economic, social and environmental. Or we can say, Development means improving people’s life in real ways, like better income, better health, better education, and a safer environment. It is not only about money, it is about overall well-being.

What Development Promises

– Different People, Different Goals

As we discussed above, people have different notions of development depending on their situation. For instance, the developmental goal of landless rural laborers will be more days of work and better wages (on priority basis). However, prosperous farmers from XYZ region will aspire for a high family income. Sometimes, these goals can be conflicting. For example: For industrialists, building dams can help in generating more electricity. Thus, construction of dams is development for them. In contrast, this notion of development is detrimental for the people who will get displaced and environmentalists who think it can cause harm to nature.

Here are two important aspects we learn about development:-

1. Different persons can have different developmental goals.
   • It is because everyone has different needs, priorities, and life situations.
2. What may be development for one, may not be development for the other. It may even be destructive for the other.

Note: Development mainly consists of two goals: income goals and non-income goals.

Income Goals :

• Different situations can result in different needs for development.
• However, one common thing in all those above given examples is ‘income‘.
• Income may be called by different names like salary, wages, or fees, but every individual needs money to live and fulfil basic needs.

Other Goals:

• Income is important for development, but it is not the only goal of life. People also want non-material things that improve their quality of life.
• For example: Equal treatment, freedom, security, and respect of others. (all these non-materialistic goals are equally important for development)

Thus, we can conclude that people look at a mix of goals for development.

National Development:

• National development means the ability of a nation to improve its standard of living.
• Just like different individuals have different goals for their own development, they can also have different ideas about national development.
  • For example : Some people measure national development using income, while others focus on basic facilities
• Therefore, people may use different ways to measure a nation’s development.

How to compare different states ?

In India, we compare the development of different states using many indicators, such as:

• Per Capita Income: It shows the average income of people in a state.
  • Per Capita Income = Total Income of the state ÷ Total Population
• Literacy rate: It tells us how many people aged 7 years and above can read and write.
• Net Attendance Ratio (NAR): It shows the percentage of children of a particular age group who are actually attending school.
• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): It shows the number of babies who die before completing one year.
  • IMR = (Deaths of infants below 1 year ÷ Live births) × 1000
• BMI (Body Mass Index): It shows whether people are healthy or undernourished.
  • BMI = Weight (kg) ÷ Height² (m²)
• Public Facilities : It shows the availability of electricity, safe drinking water, schools, and hospitals.
  • Example: PDS (Public Distribution System) provides food grains at low prices to help people meet basic needs.

Bihar: State with highest infant mortality and lowest net Attendance Ratio and Literacy Rate.
Kerala: State with lowest infant mortality and highest net Attendance Ratio and Literacy Rate.

Why Kerala has Low Infant Mortality Rate?
Kerala has a low infant mortality rate because it has better healthcare services, high literacy, and good maternal and child care facilities.

How to compare different countries?

We call some countries developed and others developing. It is due to some important characteristics which help in comparing all the countries in the world.

Income:

• For comparing countries, their income is considered to be one of the most important attributes. Hence, countries with higher income are developed and others are still developing.
• However, the total income cannot measure how much an average person in the country is likely to earn.
  • For Example: It is obvious that the total income of a country with a large population will be more than a small and less populated country.
• Hence, we compare the average income which is the total income of the country divided by its total population.
• The average income is also called per capita income.
• Note: The World Bank measures a country’s development mainly using per capita (average) income and classifies countries in its World Development Report.

Important to Note: India is a low middle-income country because its per capita income in 2023 was about US$ 10,030 per year.

Why middle east and some small countries are not called developed though rich?
Many Middle East and some small countries are rich mainly because of one source, like oil or gas, so their per capita income becomes very high. But a developed country is not decided only by income. It also needs high education, good health facilities, strong industries, and a high overall quality of life. Therefore, all developed countries are rich, but not all rich countries are developed.

Limitations of Per Capita Income:

• It shows only the average income, so it does not tell how equally income is distributed among people.
• It does not include non-income factors like education, health, and public facilities, which are important for development.

Other Criteria/ Goals :

Internationally, many countries measure national development not only through income but also through goals like better education, good health, public facilities, a clean environment, poverty reduction, and peace in society. These goals show the real quality of life of people.

Different ways to measure Development:

Income and Other Criteria:

Apart from income, people also want goals like security, respect, equal treatment, and freedom for a country’s development.
Also, to develop the country, the government must provide basic public facilities to all people. Now let us understand how public facilities help in development.

Public Facilities:

Access to the Basic health and educational facilities are key indicators which tell about the pace of country’s development. Thus, some states or countries are less developed than others.

• Students study better when the government opens schools nearby and gives proper support.
• Government hospitals can provide treatment at low cost, and vaccination programmes can protect people from diseases.
• Safe drinking water and sanitation can prevent illnesses, and missions like Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission can help families stay healthy.
• Roads and transport can improve travel and business, so people can reach schools, hospitals, and markets on time. (Additional info. points)

• Remember: ‘Money in your pocket cannot buy all the goods and services that you may need to live well’.
  • Even with money, we cannot ensure a pollution-free environment, because clean air and water need strict laws and responsible behaviour by people.
  • A person cannot “buy” a crime-free or terrorism-free area, because safety needs police and courts, and also public support where people promote peace, guide others towards the right path, and stop violence.
  • With money, we can buy food and medicines, but we cannot always avoid adulterated medicines and synthetic food.
  • Money can pay hospital fees, but it cannot stop infectious diseases like COVID-19, because controlling them needs public hospitals, vaccination, and people following health rules.
  • Moreover, money can give comfort, but it cannot buy true happiness and real friendships, because these come from good relationships and good values.

Sustainability Of Development:

Human being always try to level up his developmental goal. For this, he seek for new ways. However, development of a country can be sustained only through careful use of resources.

• Sustainable Development: Using resources in such a way that fulfil the present generation needs without exploiting all the resources and affecting the development process of future generations.
• Importance of Sustainability of Development :
  • It saves natural resources so development can continue in the future.
  • It reduces pollution because environmental harm affects everyone, not just one place.
  • Lastly, It protects the quality of life of present and future generations.

If you want to study in an easy way without losing the depth of the chapter, these notes are for you. These notes may feel a little detailed and slightly longer, but they are designed to give you complete clarity and full coverage in one place. The points are written in an exam-friendly way, so while reading, you also learn how to frame answers properly in the exam. These notes focus on strong concepts, smart revision, and answer-writing practice, making them one of the most helpful resources for Social Science. For the best experience, revise the mind maps and quick notes after finishing these notes to remember everything faster and score better.