Infrastructure refers to the support system of the economic and social development of a country. Imagine life in the absence of the meaning of transport and communication; imagine life in the absence of educational institutes, hospitals, and nursing; imagine life in the absence of electricity or oil and diesel. The absence of these things would only drive as to the primitive age when production was just for substance. Production activity did not yield a surplus for growth and development.
Infrastructure refers to the support system of economic and social development of a country without which economic growth and social development would only remain primitive.
It also refers to the support system of economic and social development of a country, without which economic growth and social development are not possible. Economic infrastructure elements of a support system like power, transport, and communication serve as a driving force for production activity in the economy. Social infrastructure refers to such elements of a support system as schools, colleges, and hospitals, which serve as a driving force for the country's social development.
Economic and social infrastructure
Infrastructure is broadly categorized as:
1. Economic infrastructure, and
2. Social infrastructure.
Following is a brief description of these concepts:
1. Economic infrastructure: economic infrastructure refers to such elements of a support system as power transport and communication, which serve as a driving force for production activity in the economy.
Abundant availability of power supply accelerates the pace of production activity; evident means of transport would facilitate the movement of goods from producer to the consumer, abundant means of communication and facility exchange, and so on.
In the absence of economic infrastructure, it is virtually impossible to develop an efficient system of growth and development.
2. Social infrastructure: Social infrastructure refers to such elements of a support system schools, colleges, hospitals, and nursing homes which serve as a driving force for the social development of a country; social development refers to human resource development. It occurs when there is a healthy and efficient workforce in the country.
While economic infrastructure accelerates the process of growth, commerce social infrastructure accelerates the process of human development. Indeed, economic growth is incomplete without human development. Accordingly, economic and social infrastructure are complementary to each other; one reinforces the other.
State of Infrastructure in India
Studying the state of interest structure in India, we focus on energy as a key component of economic infrastructure and health as a key component of social infrastructure.
A. Energy (a key component of economic infrastructure)
Energy is the most important component of economic infrastructure. It is the lifeline of production activity across all sectors of the economy. In the primary sector, energy is a critical input to operate tube Wells and tractors. In the secondary sector, energy is a critical input to operate machines, the hub of production activity. In the territory sector, energy is a crucial input to operate computers with the help of the service sector.
B. Health (the key component of social infrastructure)
Health means the sound physical and mental state of the individual. It does not simply mean the absence of disease.
Good health employees the following:
i. Increase in overall efficiency to handle difficult tasks,
ii. Increase in productivity of labor, and
iii. Increase in mental abilities.
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