Question

What are non economic activities?

Answer 1

Activities which are undertaken to satisfy social, religious cultural and sentimental require­ments are called non-economic activities. The object of these activities is not to earn monetary gain or reward.

People engage in non-economic activities for reasons of love, sympathy, religion, patriotism, etc. For example, a mother looks after her children, a student donates blood, an old man goes to temple daily, a rich man donates money to Prime Minister Relief Fund; a young man helps a blind girl cross the road, etc.

It is the object of any activity that distinguishes between economic and non-economic activities. The primary objective of economic activities is to earn livelihood and create wealth.

On the other hand, the main objective of non-economic activities is to get some sort of social, cultural, religious or recreational satisfaction.

The output of economic activities can be measured in terms of money e.g., the salary of a teacher, the fee of a doctor and the profits of a businessman. But the result of non-economic activities cannot be measured in terms of money.

The same activity may be economic as well as non-economic. For example, a nurse attend­ing a patient in a hospital is an economic activity as the nurse works for a salary.

But when the same nurse attends to her sick mother at home it is a non-economic activity because the object is not to earn money.

Thus, the activity of the same person may be economic at one-time or place and non-economic at another time or place. The dividing line is not the activity or the person who is doing it but the objective for which it is undertaken.

Thus, non-economic activities are undertaken due to the following considerations:

(i) Love and affection - for example taking dinner with the family, cooking food for family.

(ii) Personal satisfaction - For example meditating in a park.

(iii) Physical needs - for example morning walk by a person.

(iv) Religious obligation - for example praying in a temple.

(v) Social obligations - for example helping victims of an accident, flood or earthquake.

(vi) Patriotism - donating blood for injured army men.

Answer 2

Economic Activities :-

These activities give an income in return.

These are done to earn a livelihood.

For Example :- People going for work in factories ,farm , banks, hospitals,schools,etc.

Non Economic Activites :-

These activities do not give any income in return.

These are done out of compassion ,love and care.

For Example:- Doing social work, helping the poor, going to temple etc.