NCERT Class 6 Civics Chapter 9 - Urban Livelihoods

Chapter 9 - Urban Livelihoods

Question 1: Read and discuss the following description of the living conditions of workers who come to the labour chowk.
Most workers that we find at the labour chowk cannot afford permanent accommodation and so sleep on pavements near the chowk, or they pay Rs 6 a night for a bed at a nearby night shelter run by the Municipal Corporation. To compensate for the lack of security, local tea and cigarette shops function as banks, moneylenders and safety lockers, all rolled into one. Most workers leave their tools at these shops for the night for safekeeping, and pass on any extra money to them. The shopkeepers keep the money safely and also offer loans to labourers in need.
Source: Aman Sethi, Hindu On-line
Answer:
• Their living conditions are very poor - without any access to basic facilities like sanitation, drinking water.
• Due to lack of basic facilities, they will be prone to many diseases.
• As they live in poverty, they cannot access medical facilities.
• They have don’t have permanent jobs.
• They don’t have access to education and they will continue living in poverty.

Question 2: Complete the following table and discuss how their work is different:

Answer:

Name	Place of work	Earnings	Security of work	Benefits received	Work on their own or employed
Bachchu Manjhi	Road	Rs 100 a day	No security	No benefits	Work on his own
Harpreet Vandana	Showroom	Flexible	Their job is secured	They are planning to buy a flat and car.	Work on their own
Nirmala	Garment factory	Rs. 80 a day	No security	She can earn extra money by working late.	Employed
Sudha	Company office	She gets regular salary.	Her job is secured	Holidays, medical facilities	Employed

Question 3: In what ways is a permanent and regular job different from a casual job? Discuss.
Answer:
• In a permanent and regular job an employee gets a regular salary every month.
• Besides, a regular salary he gets other benefits such as savings for old age, holidays, medical facilities for his family, etc. Thus, his job is secured.
• But casual workers avail no job security.
• If workers complain about their pay or working conditions, they are asked to leave.
• They are also expected to work very long hours.
• They don’t get other benefits like permanent employees.

Question 4: What benefits does Sudha get along with her salary?
Answer:
• She gets a regular salary every month and is a permanent worker with the company. She can expect her job to continue for a long period of time.
• Being a permanent worker she also gets other benefits such as the following:
• Savings for old age: A part of her salary is kept in a fund with the government. She will earn interest on these savings. When she retires from this job she will get this money and she can then live on that.
• Holidays: She gets off on Sundays and national holidays. She also gets some days as annual leave.

Question 5: Fill in the following table to show the services provided by people in the markets which you visit frequently.

Answer:

Name of the shop or office	Nature of the service provided
Street Beatz	Clothes for men, women and children
Keshav Reddy	Sweets, Cakes etc
Ratnadeep	Fruits, Vegetables and other groceries stores
L V Prasad Eye Institute	Eyesight checking, making spectacles etc
State Bank of India	Provides security and growth to money