Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Economics

Chapter

Indian Economic Development: Poverty

Question:
Which of the following is the correct way to arrive at the "Jail cost of living"- given by Dadabhai Naoroji?
Options:
the one-third population consisted of children and half of they consumed very little while the other half consumed half of the adult diet. (1/6)(Nil) + (1/6)(Half) + (2/3)(Full) = (3/4) (Full).
the one-fourth population consisted of children and half of they consumed very little while the other half consumed half of the adult diet. (1/6)(Nil) + (1/6)(Half) + (2/3)(Full) = (3/4) (Full).
the one-tenth population consisted of children and half of they consumed very little while the other half consumed half of the adult diet. (1/6)(Nil) + (1/6)(Half) + (2/3)(Full) = (3/4) (Full).
the one-fifth population consisted of children and half of they consumed very little while the other half consumed half of the adult diet. (1/6)(Nil) + (1/6)(Half) + (2/3)(Full) = (3/4) (Full).
Correct Answer:
the one-third population consisted of children and half of they consumed very little while the other half consumed half of the adult diet. (1/6)(Nil) + (1/6)(Half) + (2/3)(Full) = (3/4) (Full).
Explanation:
In pre-independent India, Dadabhai Naoroji was the first to discuss the concept of a Poverty Line. He used the menu for a prisoner and used appropriate prevailing prices to arrive at what may be called ‘jail cost of living’. However, only adults stay in jail whereas, in an actual society, there are children too. He, therefore, appropriately adjusted this cost of living to arrive at the poverty line For this adjustment, he assumed that one-third population consisted of children and half of they consumed very little while the other half consumed half of the adult diet. (1/6)(Nil) + (1/6)(Half) + (2/3)(Full) = (3/4) (Full). The weighted average of consumption of the three segments gives the average poverty line, which comes out to be three-fourth of the adult jail cost of living.