\nFor example, health, education and housing.<\/td>\n | For example, energy, transport and communication.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Question 12. \nWhat is the state of rural infrastructure in India? (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nState of infrastructure in rural India can be understood from the following points<\/p>\n \n- Inspite of the technological progress, women of rural India are still using bio-fuels to meet their daily energy requirements. About 90% of the rural households use bio-fuels for cooking.<\/li>\n
- The Census 2001 shows that in rural India, only 56% households have an electricity connection and 43% still use kerosene.<\/li>\n
- Tap water availability is limited to only 24% rural households. About 76% of the population drinks water from open resources such as wells, ponds etc. Women go long distances to fetch water for their basic needs.<\/li>\n
- Access to improved sanitation in rural areas was only 20%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n Question 13. \nExplain the two categories into which infrastructure is divided. How are both interdependent? (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nInfrastructure is broadly categorised into: \n(i) Social infrastructure: It refers to the core elements of society which serve as a foundation for the process of social development of a country. It contributes to economic processes indirectly and from outside the system of production and distribution, e.g. Educational institutions, hospitals, sanitary conditions, housing facilities etc. Social infrastructure promotes social well-being.<\/p>\n (ii) Economic infrastructure: It refers to all such elements of economic change which serve as a foundation for the process of economic growth. They help in the process of production directly, e.g. Transportation, communication, energy\/ power etc. Quality of economic infrastructure can be improved by improving social infrastructure. Thus, these infrastructures support each other. Hence, they both are interdependent.<\/p>\n Question 14. \nHow do infrastructure facilities boost production? (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nInfrastructural facilities increase production of a country both by increasing the productivity of the factors of production and improving the quality of life of its people. \nInfrastructure plays a major role in raising the productivity in all the three sectors, viz. primary, secondary and the ternary sector.<\/p>\n \n- Productivity in primary sector is increased because irrigation facilities have reduced the dependence on monsoons.<\/li>\n
- Productivity in the secondary sector has increased due to the improvements made in the energy sector.<\/li>\n
- Productivity in the tertiary sector has increased due to the improvements made in the means of transportation and communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Also, social infrastructure increases the quality of life of workers, thereby increasing their efficiency. Healthcare centres, educational institutions and other such facilities develop the skills of the workers, which increases their ability and efficiency to work. Thus, we can conclude that infrastructure boosts production.<\/p>\n Question 15. \nInfrastructure contributes to the economic development of a country. Do you agree? Explain. (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nInfrastructure and economic development go hand-in-hand. Infrastructure contributes to the economic development of a country in the following ways<\/p>\n \n- Impact on productivity Infrastructure plays a major role in the raising productivity of all the three sectors, viz. primary, secondary and the tertiary sector.<\/li>\n
- Induces investment Infrastmcture induces investment. A well developed infrastmcture attracts foreign investors which opens new investment avenues and gives birth to profitable ventures.<\/li>\n
- Generates linkages in production Getter means of transport and communication and a robust system of banking and finance generates better inter-industrial linkages. It is a situation when expansion of one industry facilitates the expansion of the other.<\/li>\n
- Enhances size of the market Infrastructure enhances the size of the market by providing better transportation and warehousing facilities. These facilities enable large scale production of goods and services which further help a business to capture more markets.<\/li>\n
- Enhances ability to work Social infrastructure improves the quality of life of workers, thereby increasing their efficiency. Healthcare centres, educational institutions and other such facilities develop the skills of the workers, which increases their ability and efficiency to work.<\/li>\n
- Facilitates outsourcing India is emerging to be a global destination for all kinds of outsourcing. For example, call centres, study centres, medical transcription and such other services, owing largely to its sound system of social and economic infrastructure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Question 16. \nInvestors are reluctant to invest in tidal energy projects. Why? \nAnswer: \nTidal energy has high capital cost i.e., installation cost. As a result, a tidal power sheme may not produce returns for years. Thus, investors are reluctant to invest in much projects.<\/p>\n Question 17. \nWhy are State Electricity Boards (SEBs) suffering losses? \nAnswer: \nSEBs suffer losses due to transmission and distribution, theft of electricity, wrong pricing of electricity and other inefficiencies. The distribution of free electricity to farmers is another reason for their losses.<\/p>\n Question 18. \nEnumerate the various non-commercial sources of energy. \nAnswer: \nThe sources of energy that are usually available free of cost from nature, are referred to as non-commercial sources of energy. For example, firewood, agricultural waste and dried dung.<\/p>\n Question 19. \nState the types of conventional sources of energy. \nAnswer: \nThere are two types of conventional sources of energy These are as follows<\/p>\n \n- Commeitial Sources<\/li>\n
- Non-commercial Sources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Question 20. \nWhich sector is the largest consumer of commercial energy? \nAnswer: \nThe industrial sector is the largest consumer of commercial energy.<\/p>\n Question 21. \nWhich is the most important source of electricity generation in India? \nAnswer: \nThermal sources are the most important for electricity generation in India.<\/p>\n Question 22. \nExplain the importance of natural gas as a new resource? \nAnswer: \nNatural gas is a commercial source of energy. Liquified gas is used as cooking gas. It is also used in thermal plants as fuel. Natural gas is likely to play a major role in bridging the gap between demand and supply of liquid hydrocarbon in future. At present, it is being used as a feed stock for core sector industries like fertilisers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Question 23. \nDescribe three sources of energy which are mostly used in India for commercial purposes in factories. \nAnswer: \nThe three sources of energy mostly used in India for commercial purposes in factories are<\/p>\n \n- Electricity: It is the most useful and convenient source of energy in India. There are three main sources of electricity i.e., thermal, hydro and atomic power.<\/li>\n
- Petroleum: It is one of the important source of energy in India. India produces about 3 lakh tonnes of petrol against the demand of 34 lakh tonnes. The country imports 31 lakh tonnes.<\/li>\n
- Coal: It is primary source of energy and accounts for 54% of total energy consumption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Question 24. \nExplain the importance of grid for transmission of electricity. \nAnswer: \nPrimary sources for electricity power are unevenly distributed and the generation plants are also unevenly located. Thus, bulky transmission of electric power over long distances becomes necessary. We require grid to synchronise power generation with transmission and distribution of electricity. Grid facilitates economising and increasing reliability. Grid avoids overloading of transmission lines, frequent breakdowns and loss of surplus power.<\/p>\n Question 25. \nCan non-conventional energy be developed in future? \nAnswer: \nIn the recent past, the Government of India has accorded high priority to the development of non-conventional energy sources which include biogas, solar energy, wind energy, geo-thermal energy, etc. Efforts are being made to develop technology to use non-conventional energy. \nThere are about 210 sites where wind can be used for generating electricity. Solar energy is also being used through the use of solar cooker. Tidal energy can also be used to generate electricity.<\/p>\n Question 26. \nWhat are the three basic sources of generating power? (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nThe three basic sources of generating power are<\/p>\n \n- Thermal power like coal.<\/li>\n
- Hydel (Hydro) and wind power.<\/li>\n
- Nuclear power or atomic energy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Question 27. \nWhat do you mean by transmission and distribution losses? How can they be reduced? (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nTransmission and distribution losses refer to the losses that occur in transmission of electricity between the sources of supply and points of distribution. These losses occur due to the inherent resistance and transformation inefficiencies in the electrical conductors (conducting wires, etc) and distribution transformers respectively. In most of the states of our country, it is more than 20%. These losses can be reduced by using high quality wires of appropriate resistance and proper positioning of transformers.<\/p>\n Question 28. \nHow are the rates of consumption of energy and economic growth connected? (NCERT) \nAnswer: \nRate of consumption of energy is directly related to the rate of economic growth as studies have revealed that in order to have 8% GDP growth rate per annum, power supply needs to grow at around 12% annually. This reveals that the demand for power is higher than the GDP growth rate.<\/p>\n Question 29. \nWhat do you understand by primary and secondary sources of energy? \nAnswer: \nPrimary sources They are the sources which do not require any transformation before their use. They are directly used e.g. coal, lignite, petroleum, gas, etc. Secondary sources The sources which involve transformation process before final use are referred to secondary sources e.g. transforming inputs of coal energy into electricity.<\/p>\n Question 30. \nWhy is nuclear power considered to be the best option? \nAnswer: \nNuclear power is best option for generating electric power. This can be stated from the following points<\/p>\n |