Explain the two categories into which infrastructure is divided. How are both interdependent?
Infrastructure is broadly classified under two categories:
a. Economic infrastructure
b. Social infrastructure
Economic Infrastructure Refers to the elements of economic change that aid in the process of production and distribution. It improves the quality of economic resources and, thus, raises the productivity of the economy as a whole. In this way, it serves as a support system to economic growth. Energy, transportation, communication, banking and financial institutions are some of the examples of economic infrastructure. Greater the economic infrastructure, greater will be the production and more generation of employment opportunities. Thus, expenditure incurred on the economic infrastructure can be regarded as a necessary condition for economic growth. Social Infrastructure refers to all those facilities and institutions that enhance the quality of human capital. Educational institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, housing facilities etc. are some of the examples of social infrastructures. The availability of such infrastructures raises the human productivity, thereby, improves the quality of standard of living.
Unlike economic infrastructure, social infrastructure indirectly increases the productivity and production of goods and services. For example, availability of better health care and medical facilities enable a perennial supply of healthy workforce that in turn is reflected in the form of increased production levels. Both economic and social infrastructures are interdependent on and complementary to each other. While economic infrastructure fosters economic growth, social infrastructure enhances the quality of standard of living and thereby leads to the welfare of the economy as a whole. The combined effect of these two infrastructures contributes to the prosperity of the economy. The economic growth attained with the help of economic infrastructure is imperfect without t human development which is attained by means of social infrastructure. Thus, one infrastructure supports the other.
Infrastructure contributes to the economic development of a country. Do you agree? Explain.
Discuss the main drawbacks of our health care system.
What are the various non-commercial sources of energy?
What is the significance of ‘energy’? Differentiate between commercial and non-commercial sources of energy.
What is the state of rural infrastructure in India?
How do infrastructure facilities boost production?
What is a ‘global burden of disease’?
Describe the meaning of public health. Discuss the major public health measures undertaken by the state in recent years to control diseases.
How are the rates of consumption of energy and economic growth connected?
What problems are being faced by the power sector in India?
What was the focus of the economic policies pursued by the colonial government in India? What were the impacts of these policies?
What are the two major sources of human capital in a country?
What do you mean by rural development? Bring out the key issues in rural development.
Define a plan?
Who is a worker?
What is meant by environment?
Why are regional and economic groupings formed?
Why were reforms introduced in India?
Why calorie-based norm is not adequate to identify the poor?
Name some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the colonial period?
The traditional handicrafts industries were ruined under the British rule. Do you agree with this view? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Why has the industrial sector performed poorly in the reform period?
Victor is able to get work only for two hours in a day. Rest of the day, he is looking for work. Is he unemployed? Why? What kind of jobs could persons like Victor be doing?
What factors contribute to human capital formation?
How can creation of income earning assets address the problem of poverty?
While subsidies encourage farmers to use new technology, they are a huge burden on government finances. Discuss the usefulness of subsidies in the light of this fact.
What is marketable surplus?
Why are less women found in regular salaried employment?
What are the functions of the environment?
The following table shows distribution of workforce in India for the year 1972-73. Analyse it and give reasons for the nature of workforce distribution. You will notice that the data is pertaining to the situation in India 30 years ago!
Place of Residence | Workforce (in millions) | ||
Male | Female | Total | |
Rural Urban |
125 32 |
69 7 |
195 39 |