CBSE Class 11 Economics Infrastructure Assignment Set 01

Point to remember

* Infrastruture refers to all such activities, services and facilities, which are needed to provide different kinds of services in an economy.

* It contributes to economic development of a country both by raising the productivity of factors of production and improving the quality of life of its people.

* It provides supporting services in the main areas of industrial and agricultural production, domestic and foreign trade and commerce.

Importance of infrastructure

* Raises productivity

* Provides employment

* Induces foreign investments

* Raises ability ot work

* Facilitates out sourcing

* Raises economic development

* Raises size of the market

The state of infrastructure in India

* India invests only 5 percent of its GDP on infrastructure, which is far below that of china and indonesia.

* With government, private sector in joint partnership with the public sector is also playing on very important role in the infracture development.

* India needs to develop its infrastructure specially in the area of rural energy requirement, water, basic amenties and senitation.

Energy :

Energy is an important input for most of the production processes and consumption activities.

Importance of infrastructure

* Raises productivity

* Provides employment

* Induces foreign investments

* Raises ability ot work

* Facilitates out sourcing

* Raises economic development

* Raises size of the market

01 MARK QUESTIONS.

Question 1. What is the meaning of non-conventional sources of energy?
Answer: Non-conventional sources of energy are renewable resources of energy such as biomass, solar energy, wind energy, and tidal energy.
In simple words: These are clean, renewable energy sources that do not get depleted over time.

Exam Tip: Remember to quote examples like solar and wind energy when defining non-conventional sources.

Question 2. What do you mean by transmission and distribution losses?
Answer: Transmission and distribution losses refer to the losses that occur at the time of transmission and distribution of power because of technical reasons, pilferage, or theft.
In simple words: Energy lost during transport from power plants to consumers due to technical faults or power theft.

Exam Tip: Highlight both technical reasons and theft as the primary causes.

Question 3. What are the indicators of health status of a country.
Answer: The health status is normally measured in terms of life expectancy at birth, infant mortality rate, birth rate, death rate, along with the incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
In simple words: Statistical measures used to judge the overall health and well-being of a population.

Exam Tip: List at least three clear indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality rate, and disease incidence.

Question 4. Mention one advantage of infrastructure.
Answer: Infrastructure increases the productivity of the factors of production.
In simple words: It helps businesses and workers produce more goods and services efficiently.

Exam Tip: Keep the answer concise by focusing on productivity enhancement.

Question 5. What is global burden of disease?
Answer: Global burden of disease (GBD) is an indicator used by experts to measure 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 the disease.
In simple words: A measure of total health loss caused by premature death and disability worldwide.

Exam Tip: Mention both premature deaths and years lived with disability for a complete definition.

Question 6. Name the six systems of Indian medicine.
Answer: The six systems of Indian medicine are Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Naturopathy, and Homeopathy.
In simple words: Traditional and alternative healing systems practiced in India (collectively known as AYUSH plus Homeopathy).

Exam Tip: Use the acronym AYUSH to easily recall the first five systems.

Question 7. What is mordibidy?
Answer: Morbidity means proneness to fall ill.
In simple words: The condition of suffering from a disease or medical condition.

Exam Tip: Do not confuse morbidity (illness) with mortality (death).

Question 8. What does plant load factor measure?
Answer: Plant load factor measures the operational efficiency of thermal power plants.
In simple words: It tells us how efficiently a power plant is utilizing its maximum capacity.

Exam Tip: Connect plant load factor directly to thermal power plant efficiency.

Question 9. Why do state electricity boards suffer losses?
Answer: State electricity boards suffer losses due to transmission and distribution losses, theft of electricity, wrong pricing, and other inefficiencies.
 

Exam Tip: Mention power theft and under-pricing of electricity as key operational challenges.

Question 10. What do you mean by intant mortality rate?
Answer: Infant mortality rate refers to the number of deaths of infants before reaching the age of one per 1,000 live births during that year.
In simple words: The number of babies who die before their first birthday out of every 1,000 born alive.

Exam Tip: Always specify the denominator as per 1,000 live births.

Question 11. What are the three basic sources of generating power?
Answer: Coal, oil, and water are three basic sources of generation of power.
In simple words: Fossil fuels and water resources used to produce electricity.

Exam Tip: List coal, oil, and water clearly as foundational power generation sources.

Question 12. What do you mean by economic infrastructure.
Answer: Economic infrastructure directly supports the economic system. It helps the economic system from inside.
In simple words: Facilities like transport, energy, and communication that directly boost economic production and distribution.

Exam Tip: Distinguish economic infrastructure from social infrastructure by emphasizing its direct link to production.

Question 13. Name the state lagging behind in health care system?
Answer: Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
In simple words: States in India that face major challenges and lag behind in public health indicators.

Exam Tip: Memorize these key BIMARU-related states known for lagging health indices.

Question 14. Why investors are relactant to invest in tidal energy projects?
Answer: Tidal energy has high capital cost and low running cost. As a result, a tidal power scheme may not produce returns for years. Thus, investors are reluctant to invest in such projects.
In simple words: High initial investment and very slow financial returns discourage private investors.

Exam Tip: Use the economic terms high capital cost and delayed returns in your answer.

Question 15. what types of fuels are used by rural women in India?
Answer: Rural women are still using bio-fuels such as crop residues, dung, and fuel wood to meet their energy requirement.
In simple words: Traditional biomass fuels gathered locally for cooking and heating.

Exam Tip: Give examples like crop residues and dried dung to demonstrate rural energy realities.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION (3-4 MARKS)

Question 1. What do you mean by mordibidy ? What are the factors affecting it.?
Answer: Morbidity refers to the state of being unhealthy for a particular disease or situation, or simply the proneness to fall ill. Factors affecting morbidity include lack of clean drinking water, poor sanitation, malnutrition, inadequate healthcare access, and low levels of health awareness.
In simple words: Morbidity measures illness rates in a population, which worsen due to poor living conditions and hygiene.

Exam Tip: Define the term first, then list 3 to 4 environmental and socio-economic factors.

Question 2. Differentialt between commercial and non- commercial sources of energy.
Answer: Commercial sources of energy are those sources that are available in the market at a price, such as coal, petroleum, and electricity. They are exhaustible (except hydro power) and used mainly for commercial and industrial purposes. Non-commercial sources of energy are those that are freely available in nature, such as firewood, agricultural waste, and dried dung. They are largely traditional and used mainly for domestic purposes in rural areas.
In simple words: Commercial energy is bought and sold in markets (like electricity and coal), while non-commercial energy is gathered freely from nature (like firewood and dung).

Exam Tip: Present the difference based on market availability, pricing, and examples.

Question 3. Explain the two categories, into which infrastructure is divided how are both interdependent?
Answer: Infrastructure is broadly divided into two categories: (1) Economic infrastructure, which includes elements directly linked to economic production and distribution such as energy, transport, and communication. (2) Social infrastructure, which includes elements related to the social development of a country such as education, health, and housing. Both are deeply interdependent. Economic growth generated by economic infrastructure requires a healthy, educated workforce supplied by social infrastructure. Conversely, better health and education require financial resources and advanced technologies generated through economic infrastructure.
In simple words: Economic infrastructure builds wealth and production, while social infrastructure builds human capital. Both support each other for overall national development.

Exam Tip: Clearly define both types and explain their two-way dependency to score full marks.

Question 4. How do infrastructure facilities boost production?
Answer: Infrastructure facilities boost production in several ways: 
1. Power and energy provide the vital operational input required to run machinery in industries and agriculture.
2. Transport and communication networks reduce transit time, connect producers to markets, and facilitate the smooth movement of raw materials and finished goods.
3. Irrigation and watershed management enhance agricultural yields.
4. Social infrastructure (education and health) improves the efficiency, skill set, and productivity of human capital.
In simple words: Infrastructure provides the backbone of power, transport, and skilled labor needed to manufacture and distribute goods efficiently.

Exam Tip: Categorize your points under energy, transport, and human capital.

Question 5. What are the three basic sources of generating power? Explain.
Answer: The three basic sources of generating power are: 
1. Thermal Power: Generated using fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas (accounting for the major share of power generation).
2. Hydro Power: Generated by harnessing the energy of flowing or falling water through dams.
3. Nuclear Power: Generated by using nuclear energy (splitting of radioactive elements like uranium) to produce electricity.
In simple words: Electricity is primarily generated using heat from coal/gas (thermal), force of water (hydro), or nuclear reactions (nuclear).

Exam Tip: Briefly explain the mechanism behind thermal, hydro, and nuclear power generation.

Question 6. Write a short note on the alternative systems of health care in India?
Answer: The alternative systems of health care in India are collectively referred to under the umbrella of AYUSH, which stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy. These systems utilize natural herbs, lifestyle modifications, yoga postures, and traditional remedies. They are gaining popularity because they are relatively affordable, have minimal side effects, and rely on indigenous knowledge, making them crucial for augmenting rural healthcare delivery.
In simple words: Traditional Indian medical systems offer low-cost, natural, and accessible healthcare alternatives alongside modern medicine.

Exam Tip: Expand the AYUSH acronym correctly and emphasize affordability and minimal side effects.

Question 7. What do you mean by primary and secondary sources of energy?
Answer: Primary sources of energy are those that are found in raw, unrefined form in nature and are used directly or as inputs to generate secondary energy. Examples include coal, crude oil, natural gas, and uranium. Secondary sources of energy are derived or converted from primary sources through industrial processing. Examples include electricity generated from coal or hydro plants, and refined petroleum products like petrol and diesel.
In simple words: Primary energy comes straight from nature (like raw coal), while secondary energy is transformed from primary sources (like electricity or petrol).

Exam Tip: Use electricity and petroleum products as prime examples of secondary energy.

Question 8. How does infrastructure contribute to the economic development of economy.
Answer: Infrastructure contributes to economic development by raising agricultural and industrial productivity, facilitating domestic and foreign trade, generating employment opportunities, inducing foreign investments, and enhancing the overall quality of life. It lowers transaction costs and integrates isolated regional markets into a unified national market.
In simple words: Good infrastructure creates jobs, boosts business efficiency, attracts investments, and drives overall economic growth.

Exam Tip: Mention both production enhancement and market expansion as key contributions.

Question 9. How has the consumption pattern of energy changed over the year?
Answer: Over the years, India has witnessed a shift from non-commercial energy sources (such as firewood, agricultural waste, and dung) towards commercial energy sources (such as coal, oil, and electricity). At present, commercial energy accounts for about 65 percent of total energy consumption in India, with coal holding the largest share, followed by oil, natural gas, and hydro energy. However, rural areas still rely heavily on traditional non-commercial fuels.
In simple words: India's energy use has shifted more towards commercial sources like coal and electricity, though rural households still use traditional biomass.

Exam Tip: Quote the approximate share of commercial energy consumption (around 65 percent) to strengthen your answer.

Question 10. How can we increase the effectiveness of healthcare programme?
Answer: The effectiveness of healthcare programmes can be increased by: 
1. Expanding public health infrastructure and ensuring equitable access in rural and remote areas.
2. Increasing government expenditure on health (as a percentage of GDP).
3. Involving NGOs and local community participation to create health awareness.
4. Regulating private healthcare providers to prevent malpractices.
5. Integrating the Indian Systems of Medicine (AYUSH) into mainstream healthcare delivery.
In simple words: By investing more money, building rural clinics, involving local communities, and strictly regulating private doctors.

Question 1. How does infrastcture play an important role in the social and economic development of our economy?
Answer: Infrastructure is the support system on which the socio-economic development of a country depends. Its role can be examined under two main heads: 
1. Economic Development: Infrastructure directly and indirectly supports production and distribution. Power, transport, and communication systems lower production costs, expand market size, encourage foreign investments, and raise the productivity of labor and capital.
2. Social Development: Social infrastructure, comprising education, health, housing, and civic amenities, improves the quality of human life. Good health and education transform ordinary citizens into productive human capital, reduce poverty, lower infant mortality rates, and ensure inclusive growth.
In simple words: Infrastructure acts as the foundation of progress by boosting business productivity (economic) and improving people's health and education (social).

Exam Tip: Structure your answer clearly by dividing it into economic contributions and social contributions.

Question 2. What problems are being faced by power sector in India?
Answer: The power sector in India is plagued by several critical problems: 
1. Insufficient Installed Capacity: The growth in electricity generation capacity has failed to keep pace with the rapidly growing demand from agriculture, industry, and households.
2. Under-utilization of Capacity: Many power plants operate below their optimal capacity due to shortages of raw materials like coal and operational inefficiencies.
3. Transmission and Distribution Losses: A massive percentage of generated power is lost during transmission due to faulty wiring, technical flaws, and widespread power theft.
4. Financial Losses of SEBs: State Electricity Boards (SEBs) incur huge financial losses due to under-pricing of electricity, free power supply to certain sectors, and massive theft.
5. Uncertain Private Sector Role and Public Unrest: Private investors face regulatory bottlenecks, and fuel supply shortages often trigger public unrest.
In simple words: India's power sector suffers from power shortages, transmission losses, electricity theft, and heavy financial losses in state electricity boards.

Question 3. What is the three- tier system of health infrastructure in India?
Answer: India has built a three-tier rural health infrastructure system to deliver healthcare services efficiently across villages and towns: 
1. Primary Tier: Consists of Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs). They are managed by paramedical staff and doctors and cater to backward and rural populations.
2. Secondary Tier: Comprises smaller district hospitals and health centers equipped with better medical facilities, X-ray units, and surgeons to handle cases referred from the primary tier.
3. Tertiary Tier: Consists of advanced multi-specialty hospitals, medical college hospitals, and regional institutes equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical equipment to handle complex, critical health cases.
In simple words: A stepped healthcare system ranging from local village clinics (primary) to district hospitals (secondary) and advanced medical institutes (tertiary).

Exam Tip: Clearly delineate Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary levels with their respective functions.

Question 4. What are the measures taken to cope up with challenges facing the health sector?
Answer: To overcome challenges in the health sector, the government and policymakers have initiated several measures: 
1. Expanding Public Health Infrastructure: Increasing the number of hospitals, PHCs, and community health centers in rural and underserved areas.
2. Increasing Public Expenditure: Raising budgetary allocations for healthcare to make medical services more accessible.
3. Promoting Alternative Systems: Encouraging the AYUSH systems (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) as cost-effective remedies.
4. Community Participation and NGOs: Involving non-governmental organizations and local communities in spreading health awareness and sanitation drives.
5. Regulating Private Sector: Establishing regulatory standards to ensure affordable and ethical treatment in private hospitals.
In simple words: Steps include building more hospitals, increasing health budgets, promoting traditional medicine, and involving NGOs.

Exam Tip: Highlight both government policy measures and community-level interventions.

Question 5. Solar energy, wind power and power produced from tides are going to be future sources of energy. What are their comparative merits and demerits?
Answer: Comparative merits and demerits of solar, wind, and tidal energy are: 
1. Merits: 
- They are clean, renewable, and eco-friendly, producing negligible carbon emissions.
- They are inexhaustible and freely available in nature.
- They reduce dependence on depleting fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.
2. Demerits: 
- High initial capital installation cost.
- Generation is intermittent and weather-dependent (e.g., solar needs sunlight, wind needs strong air currents).
- Technological limitations and low commercial scale-up in early stages.
In simple words: Merits: Clean, endless, and green energy. Demerits: Expensive to set up and dependent on weather conditions.

Exam Tip: Divide your answer clearly into merits and demerits for scoring well.

Question 6. How can we increase the effectivenes of health care programmes?S
Answer: The effectiveness of healthcare programmes can be enhanced through a multi-pronged approach: 
1. Universal Healthcare Access: Ensuring affordable healthcare services reach rural, tribal, and economically weaker sections.
2. Health Education and Sanitation: Promoting personal hygiene, safe drinking water, and sanitation awareness to prevent water-borne and communicable diseases.
3. Strengthening Primary Health Care: Upgrading Primary Health Centres (PHCs) with adequate medical staff, medicines, and diagnostic tools.
4. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): Collaborating with regulated private healthcare providers and NGOs to bridge service delivery gaps.
5. Mainstreaming AYUSH: Integrating traditional Indian medical systems into national health delivery frameworks.
In simple words: Making healthcare affordable, improving village clinics, promoting hygiene, and involving NGOs will make health programs successful.

Exam Tip: Emphasize rural outreach and preventive healthcare measures.

Question 7. Discuss the reforms which have been initiated recently to meet the energy crisis in India?
Answer: To tackle the energy crisis, India has initiated several structural and policy reforms: 
1. Encouraging Private Sector Participation: Opening up power generation, transmission, and distribution to private investors to bring in capital and efficiency.
2. Promotion of Renewable Energy: Launching large-scale solar and wind energy programmes and setting ambitious renewable capacity targets.
3. Energy Conservation Measures: Promoting the use of energy-efficient appliances such as LEDs and CFLs, and establishing National Grids.
4. Reducing Transmission Losses: Upgrading power grids, fixing faulty meters, and cracking down on electricity theft.
5. Decentralized Energy Production: Encouraging biogas generation programmes in rural areas to reduce reliance on traditional biomass.
In simple words: India is fighting the energy crisis by inviting private companies, boosting solar and wind power, saving electricity, and stopping power theft.

Exam Tip: Mention private participation, renewable energy promotion, and loss reduction as key reform areas.

Question 8. What are the main characteristics of health of the people of our country?
Answer: The main characteristics of health indicators in India reveal a mixed picture: 
1. Improvement in Life Expectancy: Life expectancy at birth has risen significantly over the decades due to better medical interventions.
2. Decline in Mortality Rates: Infant mortality rates and crude death rates have shown a steady downward trend.
3. Persistence of Communicable Diseases: Diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and water-borne infections continue to affect a large population.
4. Regional and Class Disparities: There is a wide gap in health status and medical access between rural and urban areas, as well as between rich and poor.
5. Women's Health Concerns: Rising cases of female foeticide, maternal mortality, and malnutrition among women remain major areas of concern.
In simple words: While life expectancy has improved and death rates have fallen, India still faces regional health gaps, poverty-related diseases, and women's health challenges.

Exam Tip: Balance your answer by highlighting both achievements (higher life expectancy) and persistent challenges (rural-urban disparities).

Question 9. How does infrastructure contribute to development of a country? Explain.
Answer: Infrastructure contributes to national development by acting as the driving engine for both economic and social advancement: 
1. Industrial and Agricultural Growth: Reliable supply of power, irrigation, and transport enables farmers and factories to scale up production.
2. Employment Generation: Construction and maintenance of infrastructure projects create millions of jobs.
3. Expansion of Markets: Transport and communication networks integrate regional markets, facilitating smooth domestic and foreign trade.
4. Human Capital Formation: Social infrastructure (schools and hospitals) builds a healthy, skilled, and educated workforce.
5. Investment Catalyst: Sound infrastructure induces foreign and domestic investments by reducing business operational risks.
In simple words: Infrastructure helps a country grow by creating jobs, improving farming and industry, building human skills, and attracting investments.

Question 10. What is the contribution of NGOs in health care in India?
Answer: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a vital supplementary role in India's healthcare system: 
1. Spreading Health Awareness: NGOs organize community camps to educate people on hygiene, sanitation, disease prevention, and maternal care.
2. Reaching Remote Areas: They operate mobile clinics and community health centers in remote, hilly, and tribal regions where government machinery is weak.
3. Disease Control Campaigns: NGOs actively participate in national health campaigns against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, polio, and malnutrition.
4. Rehabilitation and Support: They provide counseling, rehabilitation, and support services for vulnerable groups, differently-abled individuals, and mental health patients.
In simple words: NGOs help bridge gaps in the healthcare system by spreading health awareness, running rural clinics, and supporting disease eradication campaigns.

Exam Tip: Emphasize grassroots awareness and remote area reach when explaining NGO contributions.