Chapter 7: Public Facilities
What are Public Facilities?
Public facilities are essential facilities that need to be provided for everyone, as they are crucial for a decent standard of living. Once provided, their benefits can be shared by many people. For example, 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. Healthcare, sanitation, electricity, public transport, schools and colleges are all examples of public facilities.
The Government's Role
The most important characteristic of a public facility is that its benefit can be shared by many people. Since private companies operate for profit, they are unlikely to provide public facilities. Therefore, the primary responsibility of providing these facilities to the people lies with the government. The government gets money for this from the taxes it collects from citizens. It is expected to plan and provide these facilities and ensure they reach all people in an equitable manner.
Water and the People of Chennai
Water is essential for life and for good health. However, there is great inequality in its availability. The burden of shortfalls in water supply falls mostly on the poor. The middle class, when faced with water shortages, are able to cope through a variety of private means such as digging borewells, buying water from tankers and using bottled water for drinking. But the poor lack these options and suffer the most. The Constitution of India recognises the Right to Water as being a part of the Right to Life under Article 21. This means that it is the right of every person, whether rich or poor, to have sufficient amounts of water to fulfil his/her daily needs at a price that he/she can afford.
In Search of Alternatives
While the government is responsible for providing public facilities, the actual work can sometimes be contracted to private companies. However, the ultimate responsibility remains with the government to ensure that the facility is accessible and affordable to all. Some successful government water schemes, for example, have shown that it is possible to provide universal access to water at affordable rates.
Exercise Questions and Answers
1. Why do you think the government must assume the overall responsibility for public facilities even when it gets private companies to do part of the job?
The government must assume overall responsibility because the primary motive of private companies is profit, not the welfare of all citizens. Public facilities are essential rights and must be affordable and accessible to everyone, including the poor. The government's role is to ensure this universal access and quality, which a private company might compromise in pursuit of profit. Therefore, even if a private company is involved, the government must regulate its prices, monitor its functioning, and ensure it serves all sections of society equitably.
2. Look at the data on water and sanitation. Do you think the access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a situation that is acceptable?
No, the situation is not acceptable. The data shows that while a large percentage of the population has access to water, the access to 'safe' drinking water is much lower. The situation with sanitation is even worse, with less than half the population having access to proper sanitation facilities. This is unacceptable because lack of access to safe water and sanitation is a violation of the Right to Life and leads to a high incidence of water-borne diseases, causing immense suffering and death, especially among the poor.
3. Why are most of the private hospitals and private schools located in major cities and not in towns or rural areas?
Private hospitals and schools are businesses that operate for profit. They are located in major cities because urban areas have a higher concentration of affluent people who can afford their expensive services. In contrast, people in towns and rural areas have lower purchasing power, making them a less profitable market for private companies. This is precisely why the government's role in providing quality education and healthcare in rural areas is so critical.
4. Do you think the distribution of public facilities in our country is adequate and fair? Give an example of your own to explain.
No, the distribution of public facilities is neither adequate nor fair. There is a significant gap between urban and rural areas, and between the rich and the poor. For example, in many cities, affluent colonies have a 24/7 piped water supply, well-maintained parks, and regular garbage collection. In contrast, nearby slums and unauthorised colonies struggle with infrequent water supply from tankers, have no proper sanitation or drainage, and garbage is rarely collected, leading to unhygienic conditions. This clearly shows an unfair and inadequate distribution of essential services.
5. Take some of the public facilities in your area, such as water, electricity, etc. Is there scope for improvement? What in your opinion should be done? Complete the table.
This requires a personal survey. Here is a sample response:
Public Facility: Water
What is available? Piped water available for 2-3 hours daily.
How can it be improved? Supply should be for longer durations. Water quality needs to be regularly tested and pipelines should be maintained to prevent leakages.
What should be done? The municipal corporation should invest in upgrading the water supply infrastructure and set up a system for regular maintenance and quality checks.
Public Facility: Electricity
What is available? Supply is mostly regular but there are frequent unscheduled power cuts, especially during summer.
How can it be improved? The power infrastructure needs to be upgraded to handle peak loads. A better system for reporting and addressing faults is needed.
What should be done? The electricity distribution company should invest in new transformers and maintenance. A 24/7 helpline for consumers should be made more efficient.
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