Notes For All Chapters – History Class 9
Introduction
- This chapter talks about how life in India changed from 1961 to 2000 and beyond.
- The 20th and 21st centuries brought fast changes in human life.
- Things we couldn’t imagine before are now real, thanks to modernization.
Religion and Identity
- In ancient and medieval times, religion was a big part of a person’s identity (e.g., Hindu, Muslim, Christian, etc.).
- Modernization challenged all religions by bringing new ideas.
- Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar changed old thinking through the Indian Constitution.
- The Constitution says everyone is equal before the law.
- No discrimination is allowed based on religion, race, caste, gender, or birthplace.
- Rights include freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, forming groups, moving anywhere in India, and choosing any job.
- These rules weakened the caste system and stopped family-based jobs.
Examples of Change
Railways:
- During British rule, trains had four classes: first, second, inter, and third.
- Third-class passengers got poor treatment, showing India’s social divisions.
- In 1978, Madhu Dandawate ended the third class in the Railway Budget.
- Trains like Sinhagad Express (Pune-Mumbai) and Gitanjali Express (Mumbai-Kolkata) started with no class divisions.
Restaurants: Anyone can now enter restaurants, no matter their religion, caste, or gender. Signs outside welcome everyone.
Freedom of Expression
- Before independence, people couldn’t easily speak against rulers.
- After independence, citizens can protest government policies through newspapers, speeches, or other ways.
The Institution of the Family
- Before independence, India was famous for joint families (many generations living together).
- After globalization, nuclear families (just parents and kids) became more common.
Social Welfare
- The Constitution aims to make India a welfare state (a country that helps all citizens).
- Goals: Provide jobs, healthcare, education, and development for everyone.
- Challenges: Reduce inequalities (economic, social, educational, cultural) and help women, children, differently-abled, scheduled castes, tribes, and minorities.
- In 1964, the Ministry of Social Welfare was started to run programs for:
- Nutrition and child development.
- Social security and protection.
- Women’s welfare.
Scheduled Castes and Tribes
- In 1971, 22% of Indians were from scheduled castes and tribes.
- Laws gave them scholarships, seats in Parliament and State Assemblies, and reserved government jobs.
Public Health
- The Constitution says the government must improve living standards, nutrition, and health.
- The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare supports states in this work.
- Sixth Five-Year Plan aimed to bring health services to rural areas, tribals, and the poor.
- Recognized systems like Unani, Homoeopathy, Ayurveda, and Naturopathy along with Allopathy.
Key Achievements:
- 1962: First open heart surgery by Dr. N. Gopinath in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.
- Jaipur Foot: Dr. Pramod Sethi and craftsman Ramchandra Sharma invented this artificial leg.
- Helps differently-abled walk, run, climb, and work without shoes.
- Affordable and useful in water or rough areas.
- 1971: First kidney transplant by Dr. Johny and Dr. Mohan Rao in Vellore.
- 1978: First test-tube baby (Durga) by Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyaya in Kolkata.
Immunisation: Started to fight polio, measles, tetanus, TB, diphtheria, and whooping cough.
- Pulse Polio program (1995) controlled polio.
- Before 1978, 6 out of 10 babies died in their first year; this improved with vaccines.
Urbanisation
Urbanisation means more people living in cities.
Reasons:
- Growing population.
- Better jobs in cities, less in villages.
- Lower death rates and industrialization.
Problems: Cities get crowded; rural areas need jobs and facilities to balance this.
Rural Area
- Villages are small settlements of farmers near their fields.
- Features: Few houses surrounded by farmland; smaller places are called hamlets.
- Villages differ across India due to region and nature.
Post-Independence Rural Development
Goal: Improve villages through the Collective Development Scheme.
Plans:
- Better farming tools and irrigation.
- Education and land reform laws.
- More farm produce, transport, health, and schools.
Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and Zilla Parishads got more power to help.
Changing Economic Life
Before: Villages were self-sufficient; people farmed and shared produce with artisans.
Now:
- Rural areas focus on farming and related jobs.
- Urban areas focus on industries and services.
Rural Development Challenges
- In 1961, 82% of Indians lived in villages; in 1971, it was 80.01%.
- Villages provide food, raw materials, and labor to cities.
Challenges:
- Economic growth.
- Meeting social needs (water, health, education).
- Changing old thinking about society and culture.
Solutions: Speed up irrigation and land reforms.
Social Needs and Facilities
- Problems in villages: Lack of clean water, toilets, drainage, roads, electricity, and medical care.
- Education and recreation (like libraries) are also missing.
- Special focus is needed to fix these.
Collective Development Achievements (Maharashtra)
- Zilla Parishads started in 1962.
- Nutritious diet scheme in 1970-71.
- Rural Water Supply Scheme: Wells and piped water.
- By 1971, 1677 small dams built.
Rural Electrification
- Electricity helps farming (pumps), food storage, and studying.
- First Five-Year Plan: 3000 villages got electricity.
- By 1973: 1,38,646 villages electrified.
- 1966: Focus on pumps and borewells.
- 1969: Rural Electrification Corporation started.
- Co-operative societies began in states like Maharashtra.
Industrial Development
- Village Industries Planning Committee helped rural industries.
- By 1972, 1,06,000 people got jobs.
Education in Maharashtra
- Vidya Niketan schools started in Satara, Aurangabad, Nasik, and Chikhaldara for smart village students.
- Agriculture Universities opened in Rahuri, Akola, Parbhani, and Dapoli.
- UNESCO gave Maharashtra a prize in 1972 for spreading literacy.
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