1. Poverty

1.1 Definition

• Lack of means to satisfy basic needs (food, clothing, shelter).

1.2 Types of Poverty

• Relative Poverty:
  • Comparative; measures inequality.
  • Uses comparison between individuals/groups.
  • Criteria differ for developed vs. developing countries.
  • Assesses distribution of national income (e.g., per capita income).
  • Measured using the Lorenz Curve.
• Absolute Poverty:
  • Inability to meet basic requirements for survival.
  • Poverty line determined based on these needs.

1.3 Calculation

• Based on family (5 people considered).
• Observes expenditure/consumption, not income.
• Head Count Method
• Global: World Bank ( $2.15/day), UN (MPI - Multidimensional Poverty Index).

1.4 India Specific Measurement

• Calorie Consumption: (Rural: 2400, Urban: 2100) (Controversial).
• Methods:
  • URP (Uniform Reference Period): Expenditure on food items in the last 30 days.
  • MRP (Mixed Reference Period): Expenditure on clothing, shoes, education, health (annual).
  • MMRP (Modified Mixed Reference Period): 7-day, 30-day, and 365-day recall periods.

1.5 Historical Context (India)

• Dadabhai Naoroji: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India - highlighted the economic exploitation by the British.
• National Planning Committee (1938, Nehru): Recognized food, clothing, and housing as basic needs.
• Bombay Plan/Tata-Birla Plan (1944): Defined poverty line as ₹75 per person per year.

1.6 Causes of Poverty

• Lack of education/employment.
• Social backwardness.
• Population explosion.
• Dependence on agriculture (monsoon).
• Lack of healthcare/social security/skills.
• Corruption.

1.7 Poverty Alleviation Theories

• Trickle-Down Theory:
  • Advocated by Jagdish Bhagwati and Arvind Panagariya.
  • Focus on economic growth through infrastructure and reforms to attract investment.
  • Believes growth will "trickle down" to benefit the poor.
• Direct Redressal:
  • Advocated by Amartya Sen.
  • Direct assistance programs (e.g., DBT, MGNREGA).

2. Unemployment

2.1 Definition

• Labor force (15-65) willing and able to work but unable to find employment.
  • Labor Force: 15 to 65 years willing and able to work.
  • Workforce: Labor force with employment.

2.2 Types of Unemployment

• Basic Types:
  • Voluntary: Choose not to work at prevailing wages.
  • Involuntary: Willing to work, even at lower wages, but cannot find a job.
• Rural Unemployment:
  • Direct: Cannot find work even at low wages (involuntary).
  • Disguised: Employed, but marginal productivity is zero.
  • Seasonal: Employment available only during specific seasons.
• Urban Unemployment:
  • Frictional: Temporary unemployment during job transitions.
  • Cyclical: Due to economic cycles (recessions, imbalances in demand/supply).
  • Underemployment: Working at a job below skill level or desired hours.
  • Educated: Unemployment among educated youth due to education system flaws/lack of opportunities.
  • Structural: Due to fundamental shifts in the economy's structure.
  • Technical: Arising from technological advancements (automation, etc.).

2.3 Effects of Unemployment

• Wasted human resources.
• Increased costs of living, reduced savings/investment.
• Increased poverty/migration.
• Frustration/crime.
• Naxalism/Terrorism

2.4 Reasons for Unemployment

• Rapid population growth.
• Slow employment generation.
• Lack of MSME development.
• Agricultural backwardness/Monsoon dependence.
• Jobless Growth: GDP growth without corresponding employment growth (automation).
• Reduction in public services.
• Low skill levels.
• Poor entrepreneurship.

2.5 Measures to Combat Unemployment

• Increase production, control population growth, encourage savings.
• Promote MSMEs, self-employment, food processing industries.
• Increase exports, support cooperative industries.
• Skill development (demand-based training).
• Educational reforms (emphasize vocational training).
• Government schemes: PM Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana, Skill India, MNREGA, PM Svanidhi, etc.

3. Drug Addiction

3.1 Definition

• Habitual use of chemical substances (drugs) that have negative psychological/physiological effects.

3.2 Types of Drugs

• Natural (Tobacco, Cannabis, Opium).
• Artificial (Alcohol, Cocaine, Heroin, Smack).

3.3 Types of Narcotics (6)

1. Alcohol: Depressant, Legal.
2. Sedatives/Depressants: Suppress CNS (Tranquilizers, Barbiturates).
3. Stimulants: Activate CNS (Caffeine, Cocaine, Amphetamine).
4. Narcotics: (Morphine, Opium, Ganja)
5. Hallucinogens: Distort Sensation (LSD)
6. Nicotine: (Tobacco, Cigarettes)

3.4 Current Situation (Data)

• 190 million drug users worldwide.
• Increasing rate of drug use and deaths.
• Global drug trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry.
• India is a major producer of legal opium.

3.5 Reasons for Drug Abuse

• Location between the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan/Pakistan) and Golden Triangle (Myanmar).
• Influence of Western ideologies.
• Social acceptability.
• Perceived as a fashion symbol/stress reliever.
• Terror funding.

3.6 Effects of Drug Addiction

• Reduced cognitive abilities.
• Increased crime/accidents.
• Depression/suicide.
• Physical health problems.
• Poverty.
• Negative impact on children/social status.
• Terror financing.

3.7 Challenges in Curbing Drug Use

• Legal availability of some drugs.
• Inadequate rehab centers.
• Social acceptance.
• Interstate drug trafficking.
• Politician/smuggler nexus.

3.8 Government Efforts (India)

• NDPS Act (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act).
• Border Security Force (BSF) monitoring.
• Railway search operations.
• De-addiction centers.

3.9 Rajasthan Government Efforts

• Directorate of Drug Free Rajasthan.
• Anti-Narcotics Task Force.
• Late Guru Sharan Chhabra Public Awareness Campaign (against intoxicants).
• Navjeevan Yojana (rehabilitation for families involved in illegal liquor manufacturing).
• Operation Clean Sweep.
• Rajasthan Anti-Drug Abuse Prevention Fund

3.10 International Efforts

• UN Conventions: Narcotic Drugs (1961), Psychotropic Substances (1971), Transnational Organized Crime (2000).
• Monitoring by Interpol.
• Maritime patrol operations.

3.11 Other Efforts

• Strict enforcement of NDPS Act.
• Enhanced police efficiency.
• International cooperation.
• Public awareness campaigns.
• Community-level monitoring.

3.12 Conclusion

• Realizing the dream of a drug-free India, coordination between agencies, and upholding Article 47 (State's duty to promote public health and prohibit intoxicating substances).