Karnataka 1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

1st PUC Economics Infrastructure Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Choose the correct answers (each question carries 1 mark)

Question 1.
Which state in India is popularly known as “God’s Own Country”?
(a) Kerala
(b) Kashmir
(c) Goa
(d) Himachal Pradesh
Answer:
(a) Kerala

Question 2.
Which state has achieved excellence in information technology?
(a) Rajasthan
(b) West Bengal
(c) Tamilnadu
(d) Karnataka
Answer:
(d) Karnataka

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

II. Fill in the blanks (each question carries 1 mark)

Question 1.
Infrastructure facilities can be classified into ________ types.
Answer:
Two

Question 2.
Indian system of medicine includes _______ systems.
Answer:
Six

III. Answer the following question in a word/sentence (each question carries 1 mark)

Question 1.
Mention the states that have achieved prosperity in agriculture and horticulture.
Answer:
The states which have achieved prosperity in Agriculture and Horticulture are Punjab. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Question 2.
Identify the state which has achieved excellence in literacy.
Answer:
Kerala has achieved excellence in literacy.

Question 3.
Write anyone industrially most advanced state in India.
Answer:
Maharashtra and Gujaral are industrially the most advanced states in India.

Question 4.
Why Bengaluru city attracts many multinational companies!
Answer:
Bengaluru city attracts man multinational companies because they provide world-class communication facilities, access to skilled workers, and a cosmopolitan atmosphere and work culture.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 5.
What is infrastructure?
Answer:
Infrastructure is a network of physical facilities and public services which act as an important base for the economic and social development of the country.

IV. Answer the following questions in four sentences (each question carries 2 marks)

Question 1.
How infrastructure facilities have been classified? (N-2018)
Answer:
Infrastructural facilities are classified into two categories viz.

Economic Infrastructure and Social Infrastructure

The economic infrastructural facilities are associated with energy, transportation, communication, banking, insurance, etc., which directly contribute towards economic development.

The social infrastructural facilities are associated with education, health, housing, sanitation, drinking water, which indirectly contribute to economic development.

Question 2.
What is the meaning of health?
Answer:
Health refers to the absence of diseases and the ability to realize one’s potential. It is the yardstick of one’s well-being. Health is the holistic process related to the overall growth and development of a nation.

The main indicators of health are the infant mortality index, maternal mortality index, life expectancy index, and crude birth and death rates.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 3.
Which are the Economic Infrastructures?
Answer:
The economic infrastructural facilities are those which directly contribute towards economic development. The main economic infrastructures are energy, transportation, communication, banking, insurance, warehouse, etc.

Question 4.
Which are the social infrastructures?
Answer:
The social infrastructural facilities are those which indirectly contribute to economic development. The social infrastructural facilities are education, health, housing, sanitation, drinking water, library, which indirectly contribute to economic development.

Question 5.
How does infrastructure help the modern economy?
Answer:
The infrastructure helps tire modem economy as follows:

  • It supports the system for the efficient working of the industrial sector.
  • It encourages the speedy development of the agricultural sector.

Agriculture and industry’ largely depend on infrastructure. Transportation of seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and produce using modem roadways, railways, and shipping facilities helps in the development of agriculture which leads to the development of the economy.

Question 6.
What is the meaning of the global burden of diseases?
Answer:
The global burden of diseases is an indicator used by experts to gauge the number of people dying prematurely because of a particular disease and the number of years spent by the people in a state of disability owing to disease, during a given period of time.

In India, more than half of the global burden of disease is accounted for by communicable diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and tuberculosis. Every year around 5 lakh children die of waterborne diseases.

Question 7.
Which are the health indicators?
Answer:
The main health indicators are as follows:

  • Infant mortality rate
  • Maternal mortality rate
  • Life expectancy level
  • Nutrition level
  • Incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Question 8.
Which are the components of Indian systems of medicine?
Answer:
The components of Indian systems of medicine (AYUSH) are as follows:

  • Ayurveda.
  • Yoga
  • Unani
  • Siddha
  • Naturopathy
  • Homeopathy.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 9.
Why do we need energy?
Answer:
Energy is one of the physical infrastructural facilities used as power in industries, agriculture, housing, etc.

Energy is a critical aspect of the development process of a nation. It is very essential for industries. It is also used on a large scale in agriculture and related areas like the production and transportation of fertilizers, pesticides, and farm equipment. It is required in houses for cooking, household lighting, and heating.

V. Answer the following questions in twelve sentences (each question carries 4 marks)

Question 1.
Explain the role of infrastructure in the development of a modern economy.
Answer:
Hie infrastructure helps the modem economy as follows:

  • It supports the system for efficient working of the industrial sector
  • It encourages the speedy development of the agricultural sector.

Agriculture and other industries largely depend on infrastructure. Transportation of seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and the product using modem roadways, railways, and shipping facilities help in the development of agriculture which leads to the development of an economy:

  • Infrastructure contributes to the economic development of a country both by increasing the productivity of the factors of production and improving the quality of life of its people.
  • Improvements in water supply and sanitation have a large impact on reducing morbidity i.e., being prone to illness, from major waterborne diseases and reducing the severity of the disease when it occurs.
  • transport and communication also influence health care facilities.

Question 2.
Briefly explain the state of infrastructure in rural India.
Answer:
The majority of people in India live in rural areas. In spite of so much technological progress in the world, rural women are still using bio-fuels like agricultural waste, dried dung, and firewood to meet their energy requirements. They have to walk long distances to bring fuel, water, and other basic needs.

According to the latest estimates, in moral India, only 56% of households have electricity connections and 43% still use kerosene. About 90% of rural households use bio-fuels for cooking. Tap water availability is limited to only 24 % of moral households. About 76 % of the population drinks water from open sources like wells, tanks, ponds, lakes, rivers, canals, etc. Access to improved sanitation in moral areas only 20 %.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 3.
Explain the consumption pattern of commercial energy in India.
Answer:
In India, commercial energy consumption makes up about 65% of the total energy consumed. This includes coal with 55% of shares which is the largest one. Coal is followed by petroleum products at 31%, natural gas at 11%, hydroelectricity at 3%.

The non-commercial energy sources consisting of firewood, cow dung, and agricultural wastes account for 30% of the total energy consumption.

In the sectoral pattern of consumption of commercial energy, the transport sector was the largest consumer of commercial energy. But now, there is a fall in the share of the transport sector and the share of the industrial sector is increasing. The share of petroleum and natural gas is the highest among all commercial energy consumption.

Question 4.
Write a short note on power/electricity in India.
Answer:
Energy is one of the basic infrastructures which is very essential for the economic development of a country. It is indispensable for industries, used on a large scale in agriculture and related areas like production and transportation of fertilizers, pesticides, and farm equipment. It is required in houses for cooking, household lighting, and heating.

The sources of energy can be classified as follows.
(a) Commercial sources of energy and Non-commercial sources of energy:
Commercial sources of energy are the energy sources that are bought and sold. For example, coal, petroleum, and electricity.

Non-commercial sources of energy are the sources that are freely available in nature or forests. For example, firewood, agricultural waste, and dried dung.

(b) Conventional and non-conventional energy sources:
The conventional sources of energy are the traditional sources of energy used for a long period of time. They consist of coal, petroleum, electricity, firewood, agricultural waste, etc.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

The non-conventional sources of energy are modem sources of energy which include solar energy, wind energy, and tidal power. Being a tropical country, India has almost unlimited potential for producing these types of energy, if suitable cost-effective techniques are adopted.

(c) Consumption pattern of commercial energy:
In India, commercial energy consumption makes up about 65% of the total energy consumed. This includes coal with 55% of shares which is the largest one. Coal is followed by petroleum products at 31%. natural gas at 11%, hydroelectricity at 3%.

The non-commercial energy sources consisting of firewood, cow dung, and agricultural wastes account for 30% of the total energy consumption.

In the sectoral pattern of consumption of commercial energy, the die transport sector was the largest consumer of commercial energy. But now, there is a fall in the share of the transport sector and the share of the industrial sector is increasing. The share of petroleum and natural gas is the highest among all commercial energy consumption.

Question 5.
Explain the state of health infrastructure in India. (Board Paper)
Answer:
From the time of independence, the Government of India has taken many steps to build vast health infrastructure and manpower at different levels.

They are as follows:

  1. At the village level, single-physician clinics popularly known as Primary Health Centres are established. Apart from regular medical treatments, They mainly focus on Infant Immunization, Anti epidemic drives, Birth – Control programs, and pregnancy-related care both prenatal and postnatal
  2. The government has given licenses to voluntary agencies and the private sector to establish hospitals, pharmacy, and nursing colleges manned by trained professionals and para-medical professionals.
  3. Increase in the number of hospitals from 9300 to 43,300 and hospital beds from 1.2 million to 7.2 million by 2000.
  4. The private sector is playing a predominant role in medical education and training, medical technology and diagnostics, manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals, hospital construction, and provision of medical services.
  5. Due to the dying liberalization policy of the Government of India, many non-resident Indians and industrial and pharmaceutical companies have set up state-of-art super-specialty hospitals to attract India’s rich and medical tourists.
  6. The Indian systems of medicine include six systems viz., Ayurveda, yoga, Unani, Siddha, naturopathy, and homeopathy (AYUSH). There are 3,000 ISM hospitals, 23,000 dispensaries, and about 6,00,000 registered practitioners in India.

But, one of the studies reveals that India has about 17% of the world’s population but it bears just 20% of the global burden of diseases (GBD).

In India, more than 50% of GBD is accounted for communicable diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and tuberculosis. Every year about 5,00,000 children die due to waterborne diseases.

It is also reported that only 38% of primary health centers have the required number of medical practitioners and only 30% of PHCs have the requisite medicines.

The people living in rural areas do not have sufficient medical infrastructure. There are only 0.36 hospitals for every lakh people in rural areas and in urban areas it is 3.6 for every lakh population.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 6.
Write a short note on private health infrastructure in India.
Answer:
Nowadays, the private sector has been playing a dominant role in medical education and training, medical technology and diagnostics, the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals, hospital construction, and the provision of medical services.

  • More than 70% of the hospitals in India are run by the private sector
  • The private sector controls nearly two-fifth of beds available in hospitals
  • Nearly 60% of dispensaries are run by the private sector
  • The private sector provides healthcare for 80% of outpatients and 46% of in-patients
  • Due to the liberalization policy of the Government of India, many non-resident Indians and industrial and pharmaceutical companies have set up state-of-art super-specialty hospitals to attract India’s rich and medical tourists.

Question 7.
Write a short note on women’s health in India. (S-2018) (N-2018)
Answer:
Women constitute about 50% of the total population in India. They suffer many disadvantages as compared to men in the areas of education, participation in economic activities, and health care.

The decline in the child sex ratio in the country from 927 in 2001 to 914 in 2011, points to the growing incidence of female foeticide in the country. Close to 3 lakh girls under the age of 15 are not only married but have already borne children at least once. More than 50 % of married women between the age group of 15 to 49 have anemia and nutritional anemia caused by iron deficiency, which has contributed to 19% of maternal deaths. Frequent abortions are also a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in India.

VI. Answer the following questions in twenty sentences (each question carries 6 marks)

Question 1.
Write a critical appraisal of the indicators of health and health infrastructure.
Answer:
The health status of a country can be assessed through indicators such as infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, life expectancy, and nutrition levels along with the incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Some scholars argue that there is greater scope for the role of government in the health sector. For instance, the expenditure on the health sector in India is just 4.7% of the total gross domestic product. This is very low when compared to other countries.

India has about 17% of the world’s population but it bears a frightening 20% of the global burden of diseases. The global burden of diseases indicates that the number of people dying prematurely due to a particular disease as well as the number of years spent by them in a state of disability owing to that disease.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

In India, more than 50% of global burden disease is accounted for by communicable diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and tuberculosis. Every year around five lakh children die of water bone diseases. The danger of AIDS is also looming large. Malnutrition and inadequate supply of vaccines lead to the death of 2.2 million children every year.

At present, less than 20% of the population utilizes public health facilities. One study has pointed out that only 39% of the primary health centers have the required number of doctors and only 30% of primary health centers have sufficient stock of medicines.

The status of rural and urban health infrastructure is as follows:
(a) About 70% of India’s population lives in rural areas but only 1/5* of hospitals located in rural areas. Rural India has only about half the number of dispensaries. Out of 7 lakh beds, about 11% are available in rural areas.

(b) The people living in rural areas do not have sufficient medical infrastructure. There one only 0.36 hospitals for even’ one lakh people in rural areas, and in urban areas it is 3.6 for every one lakh population.

(c) The primary health centers located in rural areas do not have X-ray or blood testing facilities, but in cities, every hospital has such facilities as basic infrastructure.

(d) In rural areas, about 24% of people do not have access to proper health care.

(e) There is a severe shortage of doctors in rural areas. Many doctors even are leaving the country, for better monetary benefits and man}- others are joining private hospitals in urban areas.

(f) The rural population has no access to any specialized medical care like gynecology, pediatrics (children specialists), anesthesia, and obstetrics.

(g) The poorest 20% of Indians living in both urban and rural areas spend 12% of their income on health care.

In India, there is a division between the urban and rural healthcare infrastructure. If it is ignored, there will be a risk of destabilizing the socio-economic system of our country. In order to provide basic healthcare to the entire population of the country, accessibility and affordability need to be integrated into India’s infrastructure in the health sector.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 2.
Explain the status of power/electricity in India. What are the challenges in the power sector?
Answer:
Power is the most visible form of energy, which is often identified with progress in modem civilization: It is a critical component of infrastructure that determines the economic development of a country.

The power/electricity is produced in the form of hydroelectricity, thermal power, nuclear energy as conventional sources. The non-conventional power sector includes wind power, tidal energy, and solar energy.

In India, about 70% of the total power comes from thermal sources. Hydel and wind power accounted for 28% while nuclear power accounted only for 2%.

India’s energy policy encourages two energy sources viz., hydel and wind power sources.
This is mainly because they do not rely on fossil fuels and avoid carbon emissions.

Atomic energy is an important source of power. At present, nuclear energy accounts for only 2% of total energy consumption, against a global average of 13%.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Challenges in the power sector in India: India is facing a severe shortage of electricity. The challenges that India’s power sector faces today are as follows

  • Under-utilization of installed capacity
  • The State Electricity Boards are incurring losses
  • Lack of investment from the private sector
  • General public unrest due to high power rates and power cuts
  • Shortage of raw materials and coal supplies to produce thermal energy
  • A portion of power is lost in transmission.

Measures to ensure an increase in the supply of electricity:
The intensive economic development and population growth have increased the demand for energy in India.

The following steps should be taken to ensure an additional supply of electricity to meet the increasing demand:

  • Increasing public investment in the energy sector
  • Better research and development efforts should be made
  • Exploration of technological innovation
  • Use of renewable energy sources of energy.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

Question 3.
Explain the state of infrastructure in India.
Answer:
Since independence, the government has been solely responsible for developing the country’s infrastructure. But it was found that the government’s investment in infrastructure was inadequate. Nowadays, the private sector by itself and also in joint partnership with the public sector has started playing a very important role in infrastructure development.

The majority of people in India live in rural areas. In spite of so much technological progress in the world, rural women are still using bio-fuels like agricultural waste, dried dung, and firewood to meet their energy requirements. They have to walk long distances to bring fuel, water, and other basic needs.

According to the latest estimates, in rural India, only 56% of households have an electricity connection and 43% still use kerosene. About 90% of rural households use bio-fuels for cooking. Tap water availability is limited to only 24% of rural households. About 76% of the population drinks water from open sources like wells, tanks, ponds, lakes, rivers, canals, etc. Access to improved sanitation in rural areas was only 20%.

Though it is widely understood that infrastructure is the foundation of development, India is yet to wake up to the call. India invests only 34% of its gross domestic product on infrastructure, which is far below that of China.

Economists have projected that India will become the third biggest economy in the world a few decades from now if India boosts infrastructural development. In any country, as the income rises, the composition of infrastructure requirements changes significantly. Infrastructure services like irrigation, transport, and power are more important. As economies mature and most of their basic consumption demands are met, the share of agriculture in the economy shrinks, and more service-related infrastructure is required.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank Chapter 8 Infrastructure

VII. Project-oriented question (5 Marks)

Question 1.
Name any ten power generating stations in India.
Answer:

  • Sharavathi Hydro Power Station
  • Kalindi Project
  • Shivanasamudrarn Hydro Power Station
  • Bhakra-Nangal Hydel Power Project
  • Kosi project
  • Raichur Thermal Power Station
  • Kaiga Atomic Power Station
  • Ranaprathapsagar Power Station
  • Tarapur Power Station
  • Kalapakkam Power Station
  • Tungabhadra Hydel Power Station.

1st PUC Economics Question Bank with Answers

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