Tag: public health and the government

China has the world's largest population of 1.4 billion. In recorded history, China was always the most populous country in the world. In 2100 BC, China's population was 4-5m almost 1/8th of the world's population at that time - 35m. In 1910 - China was close to 440m when the world's population was 1.7-1.8bn. Almost 25%.

Chronic hunger- When diet is persistently inadequate in terms of quantity or quality, it is called chronic hunger. Usually poor people suffer from chronic hunger because of their low income and as a result of their inability to buy food even for their survival.

Under Targeted Public Distribution System the following criteria are applied:-

1. Families having annual income up to Rs. 15,000 having been included in IRDP List of 1997-98.
2. None of the members of the family should be a doctor or a lawyer or an architect or a chartered accountant.
3. None of the members of the family should be a professional taxpayer, a sales taxpayer or an income taxpayer or eligible to pay such tax.
4. The family should not posses residential telephone.
5. The family should not possess four wheeler vehicle.
6. None of the family members should hold total two-hectare rainfed or one hectare semi-irrigated or 1/2 hectare irrigated (double in drought-prone talukas) land.

Poor and Poorest of the Poor people, i.e. BPL families whose total annual household income is below Rs. 25,985, based on an average household size of 5.3. Family Identity Cards (Ration Cards) have been issued to all the head of families with details of members of the family listed on the card in this category.

Public Facilities are facilities in the form of institutions that are accessed and utilised by public at large. Some facilities are provided either by Government or Private entity or both. Private companies provide schooling facilities and there are several educational institutions in India run by private companies. Long distance transportation facility for public, and Private Hospitals for medical facilities are also provided by private companies.

Public facilities are related to the basic needs of the people. So these facilities are provided by the government at the lower prices for the welfare of the people. It is the prime duty of the government to provide these facilities at a price which can be afforded by everyone.

The Government has the responsibility of providing 'Public Facilities' to all its citizens. The important characteristic of a public facility is that once it is provided, its benefits can be shared by many people. For instance, a school in the village will enable many children to get educated. Similarly, the supply of electricity to an area can be useful for many people. 

Government works for the welfare of people. In Democracy the structure of government is mostly Socialistic and welfare kind. The facilities that are available to the public at large and can be availed by everyone are called public facilities. The Government provides the facility of Healthcare, water, sanitation essentially to the public for preventing any kind of monopoly on them and making sure that no one is left behind is access to these facilities. These are less profitable and consume a huge amount of money.

The public facilities provided by government are the roads, banking services, electricity, drinking water, etc. But bottled drinking water is not provided by the government.