 I am here to discuss with you on topic Introduction to Infrastructure. Learning outcomes of today's session, at the end of this session students will be able to define and classify infrastructure. They will be able to explain basic concepts related to infrastructure. Let us see what is infrastructure. The infrastructure is nothing but structures, systems or facilities which serve the country, remember, and they also help to improve economy of country, which are the elements or which are the structures which are under infrastructure. Those are technical structures such as highways, bridges, tunnels, water supply, sewers, electrical network, telecommunications systems, and systems such as education, health, etc. also come under infrastructure. So, these are the elements of infrastructure you can see. Now let us see definition of infrastructure. Friends, there is no single definition for the term infrastructure. There are variety of definitions. Let us see one by one then. First is, infrastructure is the underlying foundation or basic framework as of a system or organization. This is first definition. Now, second definition, it is the basic system and services that a country uses in order to work effectively, remember. Third one, the installations that form the basis for any operation or system. This is one more definition. And the last one, physical components of connected systems, providing threats and facilities essential to support, sustain or improve social living conditions. These are the definitions of the term infrastructure. So in a nutshell, what it is? It is a basic framework, remember, which helps development of country, nation. Now what is importance of infrastructure? Importance of infrastructure is to hold, remember. First one, it is instrumental in promoting economic growth and in development of nation. And second one, it plays important role in elevating poverty, remember. And also improving living standards of citizens of country. These are the importance of infrastructure. Now let us see classification of infrastructure. Classification of infrastructure can be like this. First, economic infrastructure and second, social infrastructure. So infrastructure can be divided into two parts, economic and social. And the economic infrastructure, which are the elements coming, energy sectors are there. Transportation, communication, all those which increase productivity of country, nation come under economic infrastructure. Social infrastructure under this education, health, all these sectors will come, which improve social standards of citizens under this particular category. Remember friends, there is one more classification of infrastructure, hard infrastructure or physical infrastructure and soft infrastructure. Now what is hard infrastructure? The large physical networks necessary for the functioning of a modern industrial nation, all these will come under this particular category. Bridges are there, roads are there, railways, telecommunication towers, all these come under hard or physical infrastructure. Here we can see the examples. Under transportation infrastructure category, examples are roads, bridges, airports, etc. All these are examples of hard infrastructure. Under water and sanitation, water supply systems are there. Energy infrastructure dams are there, power plants are there. Communication infrastructure, telephone networks are there. Under housing and recreational structures, swimming pools are there. All these are hard infrastructures. Now what are soft infrastructures? Soft infrastructures are those institutions required to maintain the economy, health, cultural and social standards of country. So examples are financial systems, educational systems, healthcare systems, system of government, law enforcement, emergency services. So all these systems come under soft infrastructure. These are very important part of infrastructure, systems which govern the nation. Now let us see some characteristics of infrastructure. These characteristics which are attributed to infrastructure can be enlisted like this. First, infrastructures are those facilities which are generally available to large groups of people, remember, like roads, bridges, right. Then infrastructure helps deliver essential services for the functioning of an organization or society, correct, this is important. Then infrastructure helps achieve social and economic objectives, okay. This is very purpose of infrastructure. Then infrastructure is the base upon which society and its activities rest, right. These are all examples of infrastructure which already we have seen. Now infrastructure-wise contribution to development of society, country, that can be seen. Under transportation infrastructure, how it develops or how it helps developing economy of country or economic growth of nation. By faster access to destinations that will increase the productivity, how it will help in poverty elevation, more reliable access to market and pressure goods can be sold at lower-western levels due to that, right. What are supply schemes, what are supply and sanitation? Construction of facilities which promotes economic growth, then poverty elevation improved health, right, will result in reduction of health-redated spending, telecommunication, improved access and transfer of data will increase the productivity. Then increased access to information will improve ability to make decisions, right. Then energy, reliable and abundant power will help in improving industrial growth, right and create jobs. Poverty elevation 24 hours electricity will improve the production of agriculture sector, industrial sector, etc. Now let us see aspects of infrastructure development. Then we will see the country is developed infrastructurally well, when provision of good transportation facilities are there, provision of well-planned water supply distribution system is done, provision of proper drainage system is there, electric power, telecommunication facilities, then playgrounds are there, landscaping is there, then water resource projects like dams can also etc., science and technology development is there. All these are aspects of infrastructure development of country, remember. Now friends, let us pause a while here, stop our video, here are two review questions for you. These are MCQ type, write their answers neatly. Question number one, infrastructure in the form of water supply and sanitation can help in poverty elevation by, here are four options, write your correct answer. Then question number two, state whether the following assertions are true or false. First is infrastructure is instrumental in promoting economic growth. Second is the institutions which are required to maintain the economy, health, cultural and social standards of country are referred to as hard infrastructure. So you have to find which assertion is true and which is false. Come on, write your answers neatly. Here are the answers. Question number one, B is the correct option, means improved health, water supply and sanitation will help, poverty elevation by improved health of people. Then in second question, first assertion is true, first assertion which is it, infrastructure is instrumental in promoting economic growth, this is correct. Second assumption is false, what should be the true sentence, the institutions which are required to maintain economy, health, cultural and social standards are referred to as soft infrastructure, not hard infrastructure, it is soft infrastructure. Then this is summary, whatever we have studied. So how effects of infrastructure facilities are there on the country, society, improvement in the defense system of the country resulting in peace of the country is there. Effect of industries and increase in industrial production is there, good road networks are serving affected people during natural calamities, earthquake floods and droughts is there. New information and communication technologies promoting education, social and cultural advances is possible. Growth of gross domestic product, GDP of the country which is very important is possible. So all these points can be summarized like this. So infrastructure is very helpful in development of any society, any nation. Now, these are the references for today's session, go through this, thank you.