Infrastructure -Energy and Health
Infrastructure refers to basic permanent installations which are necessary for development. These are means of irrigation, means of communication, transportation, Basic Industries, schools and hospitals etc.
It is divided into two categories.
Social and Economic
Economic Infrastructure includes power sector, Industries, means of communication etc.These provide Tools
Social infrastructure includes education, health, Housing etc.These provide the skills to work upon tools.
Relevance of infrastructure-
Infrastructure contributes to economics development of a country by increasing productivity and improving the living standard of people.
In the absence of inadequate infrastructure facilities health sector is adversely affected.
Infrastructure in India
Government investment on infrastructure is inadequate despite of so much technical progress in the world; especially in rural areas people were not able to get basic things.
Tap water availability is limited to only 24 per cent.
76 percent drink water from open sources like wells, tanks, canals, etc.
India invests only 5 percent of its GDP on infrastructure.
Energy-
Energy is essential for industries, agriculture as well as houses.
There are commercial and non commercial sources of energy.
Commercial sources are coal, petroleum etc as they are bought for sold. They are exhaustible.
Non-commercial sources are firewood, dried dung etc which are found in nature. They are renewable.
Consumption pattern of commercial energy-
Commercial energy consumption makes 65% to total energy consumed in India.
The largest share is of coal 55%, then oil 31 %, natural Gas 11% and hydro energy 3%.
A non-commercial source of energy consumption is 35 percent.
Out of which agricultural waste account for 30 percent of total energy consumption.
Power
Power is the most important component of infrastructure as it determines the economic development of a country. The growth rate of demand is higher than the GDP growth rate. If we want GDP to grow at the rate 8% percent per annum then power supply need to grow 12% annually.
Challenges in power sector-
Electricity generated is not consumed entirely by ultimate consumed by power station auxiliaries. Some challenges that India’s power station faces are.
1. Electricity generated is not sufficient. It is unable to meet the growing demand. Power station has to generate 1, 00,000 Mw a year, but it is able to generate only 20,000 MW a year.
2. SEB’s incur losses which exceeds Rs 500 billion due to transmission and distribution losses.
3. Electricity is stolen in different areas scholars say that distribution of electricity to farmers is main reason for loss.
4. Public unrest due to high power tariff.
5. Shortage of raw materials and coal suppliers more public investments.
Better research, exploration, technological innovation and use of renewable sources can ensure additional supply of electricity.
Health-
Health is not only the absence of disease but the ability to realize one's potential.
Health infrastructure includes hospital, beds, equipment required in hospital.
Some policy makers envisaged that all the people should able to secure medical facilities that is curative, medical treatment during illness, preventive taking safety measures to be saved from disease and spreading social awareness about health.
State of health infrastructure-
India has build up a vast health infrastructure. There has been an expansion in health services. No. of hospital and dispensaries increased from 9,300 to 43,300 and beds from 1.2 to 7.2 million.
Expansion of health infrastructure has resulted into root out of small pox, guinea worms, polio and leprosy.
Indian system of medicine-
It includes six system-Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani , Siddha, Naturopathy, and Homeopathy (Ayush).
Indicator of health and health infrastructure- a critical appraisal-
Health status of country can be assessed thought indicators such as infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, life expectancy etc.
Expenditure on health sector is 1.4 per cent of total GDP which is very low.
India has about 17 % of world's population and it bears 20% of Global burden of disease.
GBD includes communicable diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, tuberculosis.
Urban-Rural and poor-rich divide
70 percent of India population lives in rural areas people living in rural areas do not have proper health facilities compared to urban areas, as in rural areas there is one hospital for 3 lakh population and in urban there is one hospital for 25 thousand population.
Villagers have no specialized medical care for pediatrics, gynecology, anesthesia, and obstetrics.
Women's health.
women health across the country has become a matter of great concern by growing incidence of female feticides, 3 lakh girls under age of 15 are not only married but have already born child at least once.
More than 50 % of women have anemia and nutritional
Abortions are also the reason of maternal morbidity.
If we want to lower down the rate of diseases then proper education, health infrastructure and awareness on health and hygiene should be provided. The main aim is to help the people in moving towards a better quality of life.
