CBSE
Notes Class 10 Economics Chapter 2 – Sectors of the Indian Economy
Sectors of Economic Activities
Sector defines a large segment of the economy in
which businesses share the same or a related product or service.
- When
we produce goods by extraction and collection of natural resources, it is
known as the primary sector. E.g., Farming, forestry, hunting,
fishing and mining.
- The secondary
sector covers activities in which natural products are changed
into other forms through ways of manufacturing. It is the next step after
the primary. Some manufacturing processes are required here. It is also
called the industrial sector. For example, using cotton fibre from the
plant, we spin yarn and weave cloth. Using sugarcane as raw material, we
make sugar or gur.
- The tertiary
sector includes activities that help in the development of the
primary and secondary sectors. These activities, by themselves, do not
produce a good, but they are an aid or support for the production process.
It is also called the service sector. Example: Teachers, doctors,
washermen, barbers, cobblers, lawyers, call centres, software companies,
etc.
Comparing the 3 Sectors
The value of final goods and services produced in each
sector during a particular year provides the total production of the sector for
that year. The sum of production in the three sectors gives the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of a country. GDP is the value of all final
goods and services produced within a country during a particular year. It shows
how big the economy is. In India, the task of measuring GDP is undertaken by a
central government ministry.
The graph below shows the production of goods and services
in the three sectors.
In the year 2013-14, the tertiary sector emerged as the
largest producing sector in India, replacing the primary sector. The tertiary
sector has become important in India because of the following reasons:
- Services
such as hospitals, educational institutions, post and telegraph services,
police stations, courts, village administrative offices, municipal
corporations, defence, transport, banks, insurance companies, etc., are
considered basic services and are necessary for all people.
- The
development of agriculture and industry leads to the development of
services such as transport, trade, storage, etc.
- With
the rise in the income of people, they start demanding more services like
eating out, tourism, shopping, private hospitals, private schools,
professional training, etc.
- Over
the past decade, certain new services based on information and
communication technology have become important and essential.
Where are Most People Employed?
|
Primary
Sector |
Secondary
Sector |
Tertiary
Sector |
|
More
than half of the workers in India are working in the primary sector, mainly
in agriculture. |
These
sectors employ less than half the people as compared to the primary sector. |
|
|
It
contributes to only a quarter of the GDP. |
These
sectors produce four-fifths of the product. |
|
How to Create More Employment?
Employment can be given to people by identifying, promoting
and locating industries and services in semi-rural areas. Every state or region
has the potential for increasing the income and employment for people in that
area. It can be done by tourism, or regional craft industry, or new services
like IT. A study conducted by the Planning Commission (known as NITI Aayog)
estimates that nearly 20 lakh jobs can be created in the education sector
alone.
The central government in India made a law implementing the
Right to Work in about 625 districts of India, which is called the Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005.
Under MGNREGA 2005, all those who are able to and are in need of work in rural
areas are guaranteed 100 days of employment in a year by the government. If the
government fails in its duty to provide employment, it will give unemployment
allowances to the people.
Division of Sectors as Organised and Unorganised
|
Organised
Sector |
Unorganised
Sector |
|
It is a
sector where the employment terms are fixed and regular, and the employees
get assured work. |
The
unorganised sector is characterised by small and scattered units, which are
largely outside the control of the government. |
|
They
are registered by the government and have to follow its rules and
regulations, which are given in various laws such as the Factories Act,
Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Gratuity Act, Shops and Establishments Act,
etc. |
There
are rules and regulations but these are not followed since they are not
registered with the government. |
|
The job
is regular and has fixed working hours. If people work more, they get paid
for the overtime by the employer. |
Jobs
are low-paid and often not regular. |
|
Workers
enjoy the security of employment. |
Employment
is not secure. People can be asked to leave without any reason. |
|
People
working in the organised sector get several other benefits from the
employers, such as paid leave, payment during holidays, provident fund,
gratuity, etc. |
There
is no provision for overtime, paid leave, holidays, leave due to sickness,
etc. |
|
People
get medical benefits. The factory manager has to ensure facilities like
drinking water and a safe working environment. When they retire, these
workers get pensions as well. |
There
are no such facilities in the unorganised sector. |
|
Examples
of the organised sectors are Government employees, registered industrial
workers, Anganwadi workers, village health workers, etc. |
Examples
of the unorganised sectors are Shopkeeping, Farming, Domestic works,
Labouring, Rickshaw pulling, etc. |
How to Protect Workers in Unorganised Sector?
There is a need for protection and support of the workers in
the unorganised sector. Here are a few points which will help in doing so.
- The
government can fix the minimum wage rate and working hours.
- The
government can provide cheap loans to self-employed people.
- Government
can provide cheap and affordable basic services like education, health,
food to these workers.
- The
government can frame new laws which can provide provisions for overtime,
paid leave, leave due to sickness, etc.
Sectors in Term of Ownership: Public and Private Sectors
|
Public
Sector |
Private
Sector |
|
In the
public sector, the government owns most of the assets and provides all the
services. |
In the
private sector, ownership of assets and delivery of services is in the hands
of private individuals or companies. |
|
Railways
or post office is an example of the public sector. |
Companies
like Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO) or Reliance Industries
Limited (RIL) are privately owned companies. |
|
The
purpose of the public sector is not just to earn profits. Its main aim is
public welfare. |
Activities
in the private sector are guided by the motive to earn profits. |
Responsibilities of Government
There are a large number of activities which are the primary
responsibility of the government. Here, we have listed a few of them:
- Government
raises money through taxes and other ways to meet expenses on the services
rendered by it.
- Governments
have to undertake heavy spending such as the construction of roads,
bridges, railways, harbours, generating electricity, providing irrigation
through dams, etc. Also, it has to ensure that these facilities are
available for everyone.
- There
are some activities which the government has to support to encourage the
private sector to continue their production or business.
- The
government in India buys wheat and rice from farmers at a ‘fair price’ and
sells them at a lower price to consumers through ration shops. In this
way, it supports both farmers and consumers.
- Running
proper schools and providing quality education, health and education
facilities for all are some of the duties of the government.
- The
government also needs to pay attention to aspects of human development
such as the availability of safe drinking water, housing facilities for
the poor, food and nutrition, and taking care of the poorest and most
ignored regions of the country.

