Q1. What are public facilities?

A1. Services and infrastructure provided for public use by the government or community.

Q2. Give two examples of public facilities.

A2. Examples: public schools and primary health centres.

Q3. Why are public facilities important?

A3. They ensure health, education and basic needs for all, reducing inequality.

Q4. Who usually provides public facilities?

A4. The government (local, state or central) often provides and manages them.

Q5. Name three basic public services mentioned in the chapter.

A5. Healthcare, education and sanitation (clean water and toilets).

Q6. What does public healthcare include?

A6. Health centres, vaccination, maternal care and disease prevention programmes.

Q7. What are primary health centres (PHCs)?

A7. Local clinics that provide basic healthcare close to where people live.

Q8. What services are included under public education?

A8. Government schools, adult literacy and vocational training centres.

Q9. Why is sanitation a public facility?

A9. It prevents diseases, protects health and supports dignity in public life.

Q10. How does public transport serve communities?

A10. It connects people to jobs, schools and markets at affordable cost.

Q11. What is the government’s role regarding public facilities?

A11. To plan, finance, provide, regulate and monitor public services.

Q12. What does it mean to regulate public services?

A12. Setting standards, rules and checking quality of services provided.

Q13. Which levels of government share responsibilities for facilities?

A13. Local bodies, state governments and the central government share duties.

Q14. What is a budget in relation to public facilities?

A14. A plan of government spending that includes money for public services.

Q15. Why must governments monitor public facilities?

A15. To ensure services reach people, maintain quality and fix problems quickly.

Q16. What does availability mean for a public facility?

A16. That the facility exists in a place (e.g., a school in the village).

Q17. Define accessibility in the context of public services.

A17. People can use the service considering distance, cost and social barriers.

Q18. What does quality of service refer to?

A18. How well a service works — trained staff, correct medicines, good teaching, etc.

Q19. Name a barrier that prevents access to facilities.

A19. Distance to the facility, social discrimination or lack of money for transport.

Q20. How can poor quality of services affect people?

A20. It reduces trust, wastes resources and fails to improve health or learning.

Q21. What problem can lack of sanitation cause in schools?

A21. Children (especially girls) may miss school due to no toilets or privacy.

Q22. Why are medicines sometimes unavailable at health centres?

A22. Due to poor supply chains, inadequate budgets or weak monitoring.

Q23. How does lack of electricity affect learning?

A23. Students cannot study after dark and schools cannot use electronic resources.

Q24. What is the effect of long distances to clinics?

A24. People delay or avoid seeking care, increasing disease and mortality risks.

Q25. Why might some groups be left out of services?

A25. Because of social discrimination, lack of information or remote location.

Q26. How can local communities help improve public facilities?

A26. By monitoring services, forming committees and raising concerns with authorities.

Q27. What is community monitoring?

A27. Local people check and report on the availability and quality of services.

Q28. Give one example of technology used to improve services.

A28. Mobile health units, online records or digital attendance for teachers.

Q29. How do NGOs support public facilities?

A29. By running programmes, providing resources and helping with awareness and training.

Q30. What is a grievance mechanism?

A30. A system where people can complain if services are poor or not delivered.

Q31. Why is planning important for public services?

A31. It helps identify gaps, allocate resources and prioritise underserved areas.

Q32. What is the role of budgets in service delivery?

A32. Budgets provide the money needed to build and run facilities and pay staff.

Q33. What is meant by 'targeted support'?

A33. Special programmes or subsidies aimed at helping the poor or disadvantaged groups.

Q34. How does training staff improve services?

A34. Trained staff provide better care, teaching and management of facilities.

Q35. Why is transparency important in public services?

A35. It reduces corruption and ensures people know what services they should get.

Q36. Give one visible sign of good public facilities in a village.

A36. A functioning school with regular teacher attendance and basic classroom materials.

Q37. How does better health service improve livelihoods?

A37. Healthy people miss less work and can earn more, benefiting families and communities.

Q38. How does clean water benefit school children?

A38. It reduces water-borne diseases, improving attendance and learning outcomes.

Q39. What is one long-term benefit of good public education?

A39. It increases skills and job opportunities, helping reduce poverty over time.

Q40. How does public transport help poor households?

A40. It lowers travel cost to work and markets, increasing access to income sources.

Q41. What are three words to remember about public services?

A41. Availability, Accessibility, Quality.

Q42. What simple action can citizens do to improve services?

A42. Report problems, attend local meetings and join monitoring committees.

Q43. Mention one reason some schools are empty despite being built.

A43. Lack of teachers, or families send children to work instead of school.

Q44. How can technology help rural health care?

A44. Telemedicine and digital records connect remote patients to doctors and resources.

Q45. What can local schools do to improve sanitation?

A45. Build separate toilets, provide water and run hygiene awareness sessions.

Q46. What is a social audit?

A46. A process where the public checks and verifies delivery of services and schemes.

Q47. Give one tip to answer exam questions on public facilities.

A47. Use definitions, give examples and mention simple solutions like community monitoring.

Q48. Why include examples in answers?

A48. Examples make answers concrete and show understanding of real-life application.

Q49. What is one measure to improve transparency?

A49. Publicly displaying records of funds, supplies and attendance at facilities.

Q50. How do good public facilities influence society?

A50. They improve health, education and livelihoods, promoting equality and development.