NCERT SOLUTIONS-Public Facilities--Class 8-Social Science

 NCERT SOLUTIONS

Chapter-Public Facilities

Class -8
Subject-Social Science

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1. Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world?

Answer:

1. Water is a basic need: Water is essential for survival, and it is considered a public good that should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it.

2. High costs: Private companies operate to earn profits, so they often charge high prices for water. This makes water unaffordable for many people, especially the poor.

3. Fair access: Governments aim to ensure equitable access to water for all citizens, whereas private companies may prioritize wealthier areas and ignore rural or poor regions.

4. Public accountability: Governments are responsible for citizens' welfare and are held accountable for providing public facilities like water. Private companies, however, may not focus on fairness.

5. Global examples of failure: In some countries, like Bolivia, privatization led to steep price increases and protests, forcing governments to take back water supply from private hands.

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2. Do you think water in Chennai is available and affordable by all? Discuss.

Answer: 

1. Rich areas get more water: Wealthy neighborhoods like Anna Nagar get regular municipal water. They can also afford private tankers and borewells when water is scarce.

2. Middle-class areas struggle: Residents in Mylapore face water shortages and must spend money on tankers or purification systems. This adds to their monthly expenses.

3. Poor areas face extreme scarcity: People in slums, like Padma in Saidapet, rely on shared taps that provide water for limited hours. In summer, the situation becomes worse, and families must wait for hours for water.

4. High costs: Bottled water and tankers are expensive and not affordable for poor families.

5. Unequal system: Access to water depends on a person’s financial status, creating an unfair system where the wealthy enjoy better facilities, and the poor struggle for basic needs.

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3. How is the sale of water by farmers to water dealers in Chennai affecting the local people? Do you think local people can object to such exploitation of groundwater? Can the government do anything in this regard?

Answer: 

1. Depletes groundwater: Over-extraction of groundwater for selling lowers the water table, leaving little water for local farmers and villagers.

2. Reduces farming output: Farmers who sell water cannot irrigate their fields, which affects agriculture and food supply in the area.

3. Scarcity for locals: Villagers lose access to safe drinking water because groundwater is diverted to cities.

4. Exploitation: Private companies profit at the cost of rural communities, creating an imbalance in water access.

Yes, because groundwater is a shared natural resource, and its overuse harms everyone.

Government's role:

1. Regulate water usage: Introduce laws limiting groundwater extraction.

2. Promote conservation: Encourage rainwater harvesting and recharge groundwater levels.

3. Ensure fair distribution: Monitor private water companies to prevent exploitation and ensure access for local communities.

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4. Why are most of the private hospitals and private schools located in major cities and not in towns or rural areas?

Answer: 

1. Higher demand in cities: Cities have larger populations that can afford private services.

2. Profitability: Private institutions are businesses, and urban areas offer better opportunities to make profits. People in rural areas often cannot afford their high fees.

3. Better infrastructure: Cities have better roads, electricity, and internet connections, making it easier to run schools and hospitals.

4. Availability of staff: Doctors, teachers, and other professionals prefer working in cities due to better salaries and career opportunities.

5. Lower investment in rural areas: Setting up schools and hospitals in rural areas is expensive and less profitable because of poor infrastructure and low population density.

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5. Do you think the distribution of public facilities in our country is adequate and fair? Give an example of your own to explain.

Answer: 

     1. Urban areas get better services: Cities and wealthier neighborhoods have better access to 

          public facilities like water, electricity, and transportation compared to rural areas or slums.

• Example: In Chennai, areas like Anna Nagar get regular water supply, while slum residents rely on shared taps with limited hours of availability.

• 2. Rural areas lack facilities: Villages often lack proper healthcare, sanitation, and schools. For example, rural households are more likely to lack access to safe drinking water and electricity.
• 3. Inequality within cities: Even within cities, rich neighborhoods have better roads, streetlights, and parks, while slums are neglected.
• 4. Government efforts are insufficient: Public services do not reach everyone equally, leaving the poor and marginalized without basic amenities.
• 5. Need for equity: The government must invest more in rural areas and underserved urban neighborhoods to ensure fair distribution of public facilities

7. Are the above public facilities shared equally by all the people in your area? Elaborate.

• Wealthy areas often have 24-hour water supply through private pipelines or borewells.

• In poorer areas, people rely on shared taps or tankers that come irregularly.

• Rich neighborhoods face fewer power cuts and have backup systems like generators.

• Villages and slum areas face frequent electricity shortages.

• Children in rich families attend private schools with better resources.

• Government schools, mostly attended by poor children, often have fewer teachers and inadequate infrastructure.

• Rich families visit private hospitals for quality treatment.

• Poor families must use overcrowded government hospitals that lack equipment and staff.

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8. Data on some of the public facilities are collected as part of the Census. Discuss with your teacher when and how the Census is conducted.

• The Census is conducted over several months. The most recent one was planned for 2021 but got delayed.

1. Household visits: Census officers visit every house to collect information.

1. Questions asked: They ask about family size, age, education, jobs, housing, access to water, electricity, and sanitation.

1. Data collected: The information is organized into a report to guide the government in planning resources.

• It helps the government understand what people need.

• It ensures that resources like water, schools, and hospitals are planned based on the population’s requirements.

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9. Private educational institutions – schools, colleges, universities, technical and vocational training institutes are coming up in our country in a big way. On the other hand, educational institutes run by the government are becoming relatively less important. What do you think would be the impact of this? Discuss.

• Private schools are expensive and mostly serve rich families.

• Poor families rely on government schools, which may lack resources and teachers, creating inequality.

• As more people prefer private schools, government schools lose funding and importance. This makes it harder for poor children to get a good education.

• Private schools are usually in cities, so rural students have fewer opportunities for quality education.

• Middle-class families feel pressured to send their children to private schools, spending more than they can afford.

• The government should improve the quality of public schools by providing better facilities, trained teachers, and modern equipment.

• There should be rules to make private schools affordable and ensure that they follow fair practices.

• Both public and private institutions should work together to make education accessible for everyone.

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