Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Sectors K II - PMD
Sectors K II - PMD
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CHAPTER 2
SECTORS
OF THE INDIAN ECONOMY
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spin yarn and weave cloth. Using
at different
We begin by looking sugarcane as a raw material, we make
ities.
kind of economic activ sugar or gur. We convert earth into
bricks and use bricks to make houses
There are many activities that are and buildings. Since this sector
undertaken by directly using gradually became associated with the
natural resources. Take, for different kinds of industries that came
Primary example, the cultivation of cotton. It
(Agriculture) up, it is also called as industrial sector.
takes place within a crop season. For
Sector the growth of the cotton plant, we After primary and secondary, there
depend mainly, but not entirely, is a third category of activities that falls
on natural factors like rainfall, under tertiary sector and is different
sunshine and climate. The product from the above two. These are
of this activity, cotton, is a natural activities that help in the development
product. Similarly, in the case of an of the primary and secondary sectors.
activity like dairy, we are dependent These activities, by themselves, do not
on the biological process of produce a good but they are an aid
the animals and availability or a support for the production
Tertiary
(Service) of fodder etc. The product process. For example, goods that are
Sector here, milk, also is a natural produced in the primary or secondary
product. Similarly, minerals sector would need to be transported
and ores are also natural by trucks or trains and then sold in
products. When we produce wholesale and retail shops. At times,
a good by exploiting natural it may be necessary to store these in
produces resources, it is an activity of godowns. We also may need to talk to
natural others over telephone or send letters
the primary sector. Why
goods (communication) or borrow money
primary? This is because it
forms the base for all from banks (banking) to help
other products that we production and trade. Transport,
subsequently make. Since storage, communication, banking,
most of the natural trade are some examples of tertiary
helps to develop products we get are from activities. Since these activities
Secondary other sectors generate services rather than goods,
agriculture, dairy, fishing,
(Industrial) the tertiary sector is also called the
forestry, this sector is also
Sector
called agriculture and related service sector.
sector. Service sector also includes some
The secondary sector covers essential services that may not directly
activities in which natural products help in the production of goods. For
are changed into other forms through example, we require teachers, doctors,
ways of manufacturing that we and those who provide personal
associate with industrial activity. It is services such as washermen, barbers,
the next step after primary. The cobblers, lawyers, and people to do
product is not produced by nature administrative and accounting works.
but has to be made and therefore In recent times, certain new services
some process of manufacturing is based on information technology such
produces essential. This could be in a factory, a as internet cafe, ATM booths, call
manufactured centres, software companies etc have
goods workshop or at home. For example,
using cotton fibre from the plant, we become important.
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t categories,
, th ou gh , ar e grouped into three differen
Economic activities ples.
terdepen de nt . Le t us look at some exam
are highly in
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COMPARING THE THREE SECTORS
The various production activities in the primary, secondary
and tertiary sectors produce a very large number of goods
and services. Also, the three sectors have a large number of
people working in them to produce these goods and services.
The next step, therefore, is to see how much goods and services
are produced and how many people work in each sector. In
an economy there could be one or more sectors which are
dominant in terms of total production and employment, while
other sectors are relatively small in size.
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separately is therefore not correct Over a long time (more than
because then we would be counting hundred years), and especially
the value of the same things a number because new methods of
of times. First as wheat, then as flour manufacturing were introduced,
and finally as biscuits. factories came up and started
The value of final goods and expanding. Those people who had
services produced in each sector earlier worked on farms now began
during a particular year provides to work in factories in large numbers.
the total production of the sector They were forced to do so as you read
for that year. And the sum of in history chapters. People began to
production in the three sectors gives use many more goods that were
what is called the Gross Domestic produced in factories at cheap rates.
Product (GDP) of a country. It is the Secondary sector gradually became
value of all final goods and services the most important in total production
produced within a country during a and employment. Hence, over time, a
particular year. GDP shows how big shift had taken place. This means that
the economy is. the importance of the sectors had
changed.
In India, the mammoth task of
measuring GDP is undertaken by a In the past 100 years, there has
central government ministry. This been a further shift from secondary to
Ministry, with the help of various tertiary sector in developed countries.
government departments of all the The service sector has become the most
Indian states and union territories, important in terms of total production.
collects information relating to total Most of the working people are also
volume of goods and services and their employed in the service sector. This is
prices and then estimates the GDP. the general pattern observed in
developed countries.
Historical Change in Sectors
What is the total production and
Generally, it has been noted from the
employment in the three sectors in
histories of many, now developed,
India? Over the years have there been
countries that at initial stages of
changes similar to the pattern
development, primary sector was the
observed for the developed countries?
most important sector of economic
We shall see in the next section.
activity.
As the methods of farming
changed and agriculture sector began LET’S WORK THESE OUT
to prosper, it produced much more
food than before. Many people could 1. What does the history of developed countries indicate
now take up other activities. There about the shifts that have taken place between sectors?
were increasing number of craft- 2. Correct and arrange the important aspects for calculating
persons and traders. Buying and GDP from this Jumble.
selling activities increased many times. To count goods and services we add the numbers that
Besides, there were also transporters, are produced. We count all those that were produced in
administrators, army etc. However, at the last five years. Since we shouldn’t leave out anything
this stage, most of the goods produced we add up all these goods and services.
were natural products from the 3. Discuss with your teacher how you could calculate the
primary sector and most people were total value of a good or service by using the method of
also employed in this sector. value added at each stage.
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PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY
SECTORS IN INDIA
Graph 1 shows the
production of goods and Graph 1 : GDP by Primary, Secondary and
services in the three sectors. Tertiary Sectors
This is shown for two years,
1973-74 and 2013-14. We
have used the data for these
two years because the data
are comparable and
authentic. You can see how
the total production has
grown over the forty years.
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transport, trade, storage and the like,
as we have already seen. Greater the Graph 2 : Share of Sectors in GDP (%)
development of the primary and
secondary sectors, more would be the
demand for such services.
Third, as income levels rise, certain
sections of people start demanding
many more services like eating out,
tourism, shopping, private hospitals,
private schools, professional training
etc. You can see this change quite
sharply in cities, especially in big cities.
Fourth, over the past decade or so,
certain new services such as
those based on information and
communication technology have A remarkable fact about India is
become important and essential. The that while there has been a change
production of these services has been in the share of the three sectors in
rising rapidly. In Chapter 4, we shall GDP, a similar shift has not taken
see examples of these new services place in employment. Graph 3
and the reasons for their expansion. shows the share of employment in
the three sectors in 1977-78 and
However, you must remember that
2017-18. T h e p r i m a r y s e c t o r
not all of the service sector is growing
continues to be the largest
equally well. Service sector in India
employer even now.
employs many different kinds of
people. At one end there are a limited
number of services that employ highly
Graph 3 : Share of Sectors in Employment (%)
skilled and educated workers. At the
other end, there are a very large
number of workers engaged in
services such as small shopkeepers,
repair persons, transport persons,
etc. These people barely manage to
earn a living and yet they perform
these services because no alternative
opportunities for work are available
to them. Hence, only a part of this
sector is growing in importance. You
shall read more about this in the next
section.
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though industrial output or the underemployment is hidden in
production of goods went up by contrast to someone who does not
more than nine times during the have a job and is clearly visible as
period, employment in the industry unemployed. Hence, it is also
went up by around three times. The called disguised unemployment.
same applies to the tertiary sector
as well. While production in the Now, supposing a landlord,
service sector rose by 14 times, Sukhram, comes and hires one or
employment in the service sector two members of the family to work
rose around five times. on his land. Laxmi’s family is now
able to earn some extra income
As a result, more than half of the through wages. Since you do not
workers in the country are working need five people to look after that
in the primary sector, mainly in small plot, two people moving out
agriculture, producing only about does not affect production on their
one sixth of the GDP. In contrast to farm. In the above example, two
this, the secondary and tertiary people may move to work in a
sectors produce the rest of the factory. Once again the earnings of
produce whereas they employ less the family would increase and they
about half the people. Does this mean
would also continue to produce as
that the workers in agriculture
much from their land.
are not producing as much as
they could? There are lakhs of farmers like
Laxmi in India. This means that even
What it means is that there
if we remove a lot of people from
are more people in agriculture than
agricultural sector and provide them
is necessary. So, even if you move
with proper work elsewhere,
a few people out, production will
agricultural production will not
not be affected. In other words,
suffer. The incomes of the people who
workers in the agricultural sector are
underemployed. take up other work would increase
the total family income.
For instance, take the case of a
small farmer, Laxmi, owning about This underemployment can also
two hectares of unirrigated land happen in other sectors. For
dependent only on rain and example there are thousands of
growing crops, like jowar and arhar. casual workers in the service
All five members of her family work sector in urban areas who search
in the plot throughout the year. for daily employment. They are
Why? They have nowhere else to go employed as painters, plumbers,
for work. You will see that everyone repair persons and others doing
is working, none remains idle, but odd jobs. Many of them don’t find
in actual fact, their labour effort work everyday. Similarly, we see
gets divided. Each one is doing other people of the service sector
some work but no one is fully on the street pushing a cart or
employed. This is the situation of selling something where they may
underemployment, where people spend the whole day but earn
are apparently working but all very little. They are doing this
of them are made to work less work because they do not have
than their potential. This kind of better opportunities.
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LET’S WORK THESE OUT
1. Complete the table using the data given in Graphs 2 and 3 and answer the question
that follows. Ignore if data are not available for some years.
Share in employment
What are the changes that you observe in the primary sector over a span of forty
years?
2. Choose the correct answer:
Underemployment occurs when people
(i) do not want to work
(ii) are working in a lazy manner
(iii) are working less than what they are capable of doing
(iv) are not paid for their work
3. Compare and contrast the changes in India with the pattern that was observed for
developed countries. What kind of changes between sectors were desired but did
not happen in India?
4. Why should we be worried about underemployment?
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application and harvesting). So, two interest. If the local bank gives her
more members of the family can be credit at a reasonable rate of interest,
employed in her own field. Now she will be able to buy all these in time
suppose a new dam is constructed and cultivate her land. This means that
and canals are dug to irrigate many along with water, we also need to
such farms. This could lead to a lot of provide cheap agricultural credit to the
employment generation within the farmers for farming to improve. We will
agricultural sector itself reducing the look at some of these needs in Chapter
problem of underemployment. 3, Money and Credit.
Now, suppose Laxmi and other Another way by which we can
farmers produce much more than tackle this problem is to identify,
before. They would also need to sell some promote and locate industries and
of this. For this they may be required to services in semi-rural areas where a
transport their products to a nearby large number of people may be
town. If the government invests some employed. For instance, suppose
money in transportation and storage of many farmers decide to grow arhar
crops, or makes better rural roads so and chickpea (pulse crops). Setting
that mini-trucks reach everywhere up a dal mill to procure and process
several farmers like Laxmi, who now these and sell in the cities is one such
have access to water, can continue to example. Opening a cold storage could
grow and sell these crops. This activity give an opportunity for farmers to
can provide productive employment to store their products like potatoes and
not just farmers but also others such as onions and sell them when the price
those in services like transport or trade. is good. In villages near forest areas,
we can start honey collection centres
Laxmi’s need is not confined to
where farmers can come and sell wild
water alone. To cultivate the land, she
honey. It is also possible to set up
also needs seeds, fertilisers,
industries that process vegetables and
agricultural equipment and pumpsets
agricultural produce like potato,
to draw water. Being a poor farmer,
sweet potato, rice, wheat, tomato,
she cannot afford many of these. So,
fruits, which can be sold in outside
she will have to borrow money from
Gur Making in markets. This will provide
Haryana moneylenders and pay a high rate of
employment in industries located in
semi-rural areas and not necessarily
in large urban centres.
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many of them may be working as
child labourers. If these children are
to attend schools, we will require more
buildings, more teachers and other
staff. A study conducted by the
erstwhile Planning Commission (now
known as NITI Aayog) estimates that
nearly 20 lakh jobs can be created in
the education sector alone. Similarly,
if we are to improve the health
situation, we need many more doctors,
nurses, health workers etc. to work
in rural areas. These are some ways
by which jobs would be created and
we would also be able to address the
important aspects of development
talked about in Chapter 1.
Every state or region has potential
for increasing the income and
employment for people in that area.
It could be tourism, or regional craft
industry, or new services like IT. Some in about 625 districts of India. It is
of these would require proper called Mahatma Gandhi National
planning and support from the Rural Employment Guarantee Act
government. For example, the same 2005 (MGNREGA 2005). Under
study by the Planning Commission MGNREGA 2005, all those who are
says that if tourism as a sector is
able to, and are in need of, work in
improved, every year we can give
rural areas are guaranteed 100 days
additional employment to more than
35 lakh people. of employment in a year by the
government. If the government fails in
We must realise that some of the its duty to provide employment, it will
suggestions discussed above would
give unemployment allowances to the
take a long time to implement. For the
people. The types of work that would
short-term, we need some quick
measures. Recognising this, the in future help to increase the
central government in India made a production from land will be given
law implementing the Right to Work preference under the Act.
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DIVISION OF SECTORS AS ORGANISED AND
UNORGANISED
Let us examine another way of classifying activities in the economy. This looks
at the way people are employed. What are their conditions of work? Are there
any rules and regulations that are followed as regards their employment?
Ka n ta
nds her office from
Kanta works in an office. She atte
s her salary regularly
9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. She get
ition to the salary,
at the end of every month. In add
as per the rules laid
she also gets provident fund
also gets medical and
down by the government. She
s not go to office on
other allowances. Kanta doe
y. When she joined
Sundays. This is a paid holida
tment letter stating
work, she was given an appoin
work.
all the terms and conditions of
Kamal
Kamal is Kanta’s neighbour.
He is a
da ily wa ge lab our er in a
nea rby
grocery shop. He goes to the
shop at
7:30 in the morning and works
till 8:00
p.m. in the evening. He gets
no other
allowances apart from his wa
ges. He
is not paid for the days he doe
s not
work. He has therefore no leave
or paid
holidays. Nor was he given any
formal
let ter say ing tha t he ha
s bee n
employed in the shop. He can be
asked
to leave anytime by his emplo
yer.
differences in
Do you see the
s of w or k
th e co n d it io n organised because it has some formal
and Kamal?
between Kanta processes and procedures. Some of
these people may not be employed by
Kanta works in the organised anyone but may work on their own
sector. Organised sector covers those
but they too have to register
enterprises or places of work where
themselves with the government and
the terms of employment are regular
follow the rules and regulations.
and therefore, people have assured
work. They are registered by the Workers in the organised sector
government and have to follow its enjoy security of employment. They
rules and regulations which are are expected to work only a fixed
given in various laws such as the number of hours. If they work more,
Factories Act, Minimum Wages Act, they have to be paid overtime by the
Payment of Gratuity Act, Shops and employer. They also get several other
Establishments Act etc. It is called benefits from the employers. What are
30 U NDERST ANDING E CONOMIC D EVEL
NDERSTANDING OPMENT
EVELOPMENT
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these benefits? They get paid leave, low-paid and often not regular. There
payment during holidays, provident is no provision for overtime, paid
fund, gratuity etc. They are supposed leave, holidays, leave due to sickness
to get medical benefits and, under the etc. Employment is not secure. People
laws, the factory manager has to can be asked to leave without any
ensure facilities like drinking water reason. When there is less work, such
and a safe working environment. as during some seasons, some people
When they retire, these workers get may be asked to leave. A lot also
pensions as well. depends on the whims of the
In contrast, Kamal works in the employer. This sector includes a large
unorganised sector. The unorganised number of people who are employed
sector is characterised by small and on their own doing small jobs such
scattered units which are largely as selling on the street or doing repair
outside the control of the government. work. Similarly, farmers work on their
There are rules and regulations but own and hire labourers as and when
these are not followed. Jobs here are they require.
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How to Protect Workers in Who are these vulnerable people
the Unorganised Sector? who need protection? In the rural
areas, the unorganised sector mostly
The organised sector offers jobs that
comprises of landless agricultural
are the most sought-after. But the
labourers, small and marginal
employment opportunities in the
farmers, sharecroppers and artisans
organised sector have been expanding
(such as weavers, blacksmiths,
very slowly. It is also common to find
carpenters and goldsmiths). Nearly
many organised sector enterprises in
80 per cent of rural households in
the unorganised sector. They adopt
India are in small and marginal
such strategies to evade taxes and
farmer category. These farmers need
refuse to follow laws that protect
to be supported through adequate
labourers. As a result, a large number
facility for timely delivery of seeds,
of workers are forced to enter the
agricultural inputs, credit, storage
unorganised sector jobs, which pay a
facilities and marketing outlets.
very low salary. They are often
exploited and not paid a fair wage. In the urban areas, unorganised
Their earnings are low and not sector comprises mainly of workers in
regular. These jobs are not secure and small-scale industry, casual workers
have no other benefits. in construction, trade and transport
etc., and those who work as street
Since the 1990s, it is also common
vendors, head load workers, garment
to see a large number of workers
makers, rag pickers etc. Small-scale
losing their jobs in the organised
industry also needs government’s
sector. These workers are forced to
support for procuring raw material
take up jobs in the unorganised
and marketing of output. The casual
sector with low earnings. Hence,
workers in both rural and urban
besides the need for more work, there
areas need to be protected.
is also a need for protection and
support of the workers in the We also find that majority of
unorganised sector. workers from scheduled castes, tribes
and backward communities
find themselves in the
unorganised sector. Besides
getting the irregular and low
paid work, these workers also
face social discrimination.
Protection and support to
the unorganised sector
workers is thus necessary
for both economic and
social development.
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LET’S RECALL
With so many activities taking place around us, one needs to use the
process of classification to think in a useful manner. The criterion for
classification could be many depending on what we desire to find out.
The process of classification helps to analyse a situation.
In dividing the economic activities into three sectors — primary,
secondary, tertiary — the criterion used was the ‘nature of activity’. On
the basis of this classification, we were able to analyse the pattern of total
production and employment in India. Similarly, we divided the economic
activities into organised and unorganised and used the classification to
look at employment in the two sectors.
What was the most important conclusion that was derived from the
classification exercises? What were the problems and solutions that were
indicated? Can you summarise the information in the following table?
TABLE 2.4 CLASSIFYING ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
Sector Criteria used Most important Problems indicated and
conclusion how they can be tackled
Primary, Nature
Secondary, of activity
Tertiary
Organised,
Unorganised
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of the private sector. Also, collecting government has to bear some of the
money from thousands of people who cost. In this way, the government
use these facilities is not easy. Even if supports both farmers and
they do provide these things they consumers.
would charge a high rate for their
use. Examples are construction of There are a large number of
roads, bridges, railways, harbours, activities which are the primary
generating electricity, providing responsibility of the government. The
irrigation through dams etc. Thus, government must spend on these.
governments have to undertake such Providing health and education
heavy spending and ensure that facilities for all is one example. We have
these facilities are available for discussed some of these issues in the
everyone. first chapter. Running proper schools
and providing quality education,
There are some activities, which particularly elementary education, is
the government has to support. The the duty of the government. India’s size
private sector may not continue their of illiterate population is one of the
production or business unless
largest in the world.
government encourages it. For
example, selling electricity at the cost Similarly, we know that nearly half
of generation may push up the costs of India’s children are malnourished
of production of goods in many and a quarter of them are critically ill.
industries. Many units, especially We have read about Infant Mortality
small-scale units, might have to shut Rates. The infant mortality rate of
down. Government here steps in by Odisha (40) or Madhya Pradesh (48)
producing and supplying electricity is higher than some of the poorest
at rates which these industries can regions of the world. Government
afford. Government has to bear part also needs to pay attention to aspects
of the cost. of human development such as
Similarly, the Government in India availability of safe drinking water,
buys wheat and rice from farmers at housing facilities for the poor and food
a ‘fair price’. This it stores in its and nutrition. It is also the duty of
godowns and sells at a lower price to the government to take care of the
consumers through ration shops. You poorest and most ignored regions of
have read about this in the chapter the country through increased
on Food Security in Class IX. The spending in such areas.
SUMMING UP
In this chapter we have looked at ways of what all can be done for increasing
classifying economic activities into some employment opportunities in the country.
meaningful groups. One way of doing this Another classification is to consider whether
is to examine whether the activity relates to people are working in organised or
the primary, secondary or tertiary sectors. unorganised sectors. Most people are
The data for India, for the last thirty years, working in the unorganised sectors and
shows that while goods and services protection is necessary for them. We also
produced in the tertiary sector contribute looked at the difference between private and
the most to GDP, the employment remains public activities, and why it is important for
in the primary sector. We have also seen public activities to focus on certain areas.
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EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks using the correct option given in the bracket:
(i) Employment in the service sector _________ increased to the same extent
as production. (has / has not)
(ii) Workers in the _________ sector do not produce goods.
(tertiary / agricultural)
(iii) Most of the workers in the _________ sector enjoy job security.
(organised / unorganised)
(iv) A _________ proportion of labourers in India are working in the unorganised
sector. (large / small)
(v) Cotton is a _________ product and cloth is a _________ product.
[natural /manufactured]
(vi) The activities in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors are_________
[independent / interdependent]
(c) GDP is the total value of _________ produced during a particular year.
(i) all goods and services
(ii) all final goods and services
(iii) all intermediate goods and services
(iv) all intermediate and final goods and services
(i) 20 to 30
(ii) 30 to 40
(iii) 50 to 60
(iv) 60 to 70
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3. Match the following:
Problems faced by farming sector Some possible measures
1. Unirrigated land (a) Setting up agro-based mills
2. Low prices for crops (b) Cooperative marketing societies
3. Debt burden (c) Procurement of food grains by government
4. No job in the off season (d) Construction of canals by the government
5. Compelled to sell their grains to (e) Banks to provide credit with low interest
the local traders soon after harvest
36 U
UNDERST ANDING E
ANDING
NDERSTANDING
NDERSTANDING
NDERST CONOMIC D
ECONOMIC DEVEL OPMENT
EVELOPMENT
EVEL OPMENT
EVELOPMENT
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13. Service sector in India employs two different kinds of people. Who are these?
14. Workers are exploited in the unorganised sector. Do you agree with this view?
Give reasons in support of your answer.
15. How are the activities in the economy classified on the basis of employment
conditions?
16. Compare the employment conditions prevailing in the organised and unorganised
sectors.
17. Explain the objective of implementing the NREGA 2005.
18. Using examples from your area compare and contrast that activities and functions
of private and public sectors.
19. Discuss and fill the following table giving one example each from your area.
20. Give a few examples of public sector activities and explain why the government
has taken them up.
21. Explain how public sector contributes to the economic development of a nation.
22. The workers in the unorganised sector need protection on the following issues :
wages, safety and health. Explain with examples.
23. A study in Ahmedabad found that out of 15,00,000 workers in the city, 11,00,000
worked in the unorganised sector. The total income of the city in this year
(1997-1998) was Rs 60,000 million. Out of this Rs 32,000 million was generated
in the organised sector. Present this data as a table. What kind of ways should
be thought of for generating more employment in the city?
24. The following table gives the GDP in Rupees (Crores) by the three sectors:
(i) Calculate the share of the three sectors in GDP for 2000 and 2013.
(ii) Show the data as a bar diagram similar to Graph 2 in the chapter.
(iii) What conclusions can we draw from the bar graph?
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