Infrastructure contributes to the economic development of a country. Do you agree? Explain.
Yes, infrastructure acts as a support system for production activity in the economy and, thereby, contributes to economic development. The following points will further explain the role of infrastructure in the economic development of a country:
i. Infrastructure Increases Productivity: Infrastructure-social and economic facilitates production. The availability of quality infrastructure guarantees increase in production and productivity. Infrastructure ensures easy movement of goods and raw materials,thereby, reducing inefficiencies and leading to efficient utilisation of scarce resources and eliminating wastages.
ii. Infrastructure Encourages Investment: Infrastructure provides an environment conducive to investment. Lack of facilities discourage investment. For example, an investor will not invest in absence of basic infrastructure such as transport and communication.
iii. Infrastructure Generates Linkages in Production: Infrastructure promotes economic development by way of various linkages- forward and backward linkages. In other words, infrastructure provides scope for expansion of one industry due to the expansion of the other by way of forward and backward linkages. The process of economic growth becomes a dynamic process in the presence of sufficient infrastructure facilities. This can be explained with the help of a forward linkage. For example, if irrigation facilities boost agricultural production, then the related industries that depend on agriculture for the supply of raw materials simultaneously experience increased production.
iv. Infrastructure Enhances Size of the Market: Infrastructure widens the size of the market. The fast and cost-effective movement of raw materials and finished goods in bulk enables a producer to offer his products across the country and even across international boundaries.
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 a ‘global burden of disease’?
How do infrastructure facilities boost production?
What is the state of rural infrastructure in India?
Describe the meaning of public health. Discuss the major public health measures undertaken by the state in recent years to control diseases.
How has women’s health become a matter of great concern?
Explain the two categories into which infrastructure is divided. How are both interdependent?
How are the rates of consumption of energy and economic growth connected?
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?
Is it necessary to generate employment in the formal sector rather than in the informal sector? Why?
Compared to urban women, more rural women are found working. Why?
Why and how was the private sector regulated under the IPR 1956?
Those public sector undertakings which are making profits should be privatised. Do you agree with this view? Why?
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 |
Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development.
Why are tariffs imposed?
What do you understand by devaluation of rupee?
Explain the Great Leap Forward campaign of China as initiated in 1958.
Critically evaluate the role of the rural banking system in the process of rural development in India.