The correct answer is Option 1: Defence
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Defence: This statement is Correct. Countries with low levels of human development often allocate a disproportionately large share of their limited public budget to defence and national security. This is frequently driven by internal conflicts, border disputes, or political instability, which in turn diverts vital resources away from essential public services.
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Social sectors: This statement is Incorrect. By definition, countries with low human development rankings (indicated by low education, health, and income indicators) struggle with under-investment in social sectors such as education, healthcare, and sanitation. These nations often lack the fiscal capacity or the policy prioritization required to adequately fund the infrastructure needed to improve their human development index.
NCERT: The places with low levels of human development tend to spend more on defence rather than social sectors. This shows that these countries tend to be located in areas of political instability and have not been able to initiate accelerated economic development. |
