Mobilising surplus agricultural labour: With agriculture described as over-manned, reducing the number of agriculturists would raise their purchasing power, stimulate demand for new goods, and any resulting manpower shortages in production would be met by labour released from agriculture; which statement is best supported?
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AEmployment in production is inherently more fruitful than employment in agriculture.
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BIndia's economy is poor primarily due to mismanaged manpower mobilisation.
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CShifting labour from agriculture to industry would unequivocally uplift living standards.
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DThe industrial sector is labour-deficient while the agricultural sector is over-manned in our country.
Answer
Correct Answer: The industrial sector is labour-deficient while the agricultural sector is over-manned in our country.
Explanation
Given data
- Agriculture is over-manned.
- Fewer agriculturists would raise purchasing power per agriculturist.
- Increased demand would require more production manpower, to be supplied by surplus labour moving from agriculture.
Concept/Approach (labour reallocation)The passage traces a virtuous cycle: reduce surplus in agriculture → higher incomes → new demand → labour needed in production → move surplus labour.
Step-by-Step reasoning1) Over-manning in agriculture implies underutilisation there.2) Demand growth creates labour needs elsewhere (industry/services).3) Therefore, relative to agriculture, other sectors are labour-deficient; reallocation is implied.
Verification/Alternative checkOptions claiming absolute superiority of production jobs or monocausal explanations for economic weakness are not established by the text; the supported claim is the relative surplus/deficit of labour.
Final AnswerThe industrial sector is labour-deficient while the agricultural sector is over-manned in our country.