Why do Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh prosper in agriculture and horticulture? Why are Maharashtra and Gujarat industrially more advanced than others? How come Kerala, popularly known as ‘God’s own country’, has excelled in literacy, health care and sanitation and also attracts tourists in such large numbers? Why does Karnataka’s information technology industry attracts world attention? It is all because these states have better infrastructure in the areas they excel than other states of India. Some have better irrigation facilities. Others have better transportation facilities, or are located near ports which makes raw materials required for various manufacturing industries easily accessible. Cities like Bengaluru in Karnataka attract many multinational companies because they provide world-class communication facilities. All these support structures, which facilitate development of a country, constitute its infrastructure.

Match the following.

Description of Infrastructure              % of Rural Households Having Access (2011 census)

1.  Electricity connection                         A. 56

2.  Use of Bio Fuels for cooking              B. 85

3.  Tap Water                                         C. 31

4.  Improved Sanitation                         D. 30                     

1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-D

The correct answer is Option 1: 1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-D

Description of Infrastructure              % of Rural Households Having Access (2011 census)

1.  Electricity connection                         A. 56

2.  Use of Bio Fuels for cooking              B. 85

3.  Tap Water                                         C. 31

4.  Improved Sanitation                         D. 30     

"A majority of our people live in rural areas. Despite so much technical progress in the world, rural women are still using bio-fuels such as crop residues, dung and fuel wood to meet their energy requirement. They walk long dis tances to fetch fuel, water and other basic needs. The census 2011 shows that in rural India only 56 per cent households have an electricity connection and 43 per cent still use kerosene. About 85 per cent of the rural households use bio-fuels for cooking. Tap water availability is limited to only 31 per cent rural households. About 69 per cent of the population drinks water from open sources such as wells, tanks, ponds, lakes, rivers, canals, etc. Access to improved sanitation in rural areas was only 30 per cent. "