Page 2 - Sub Topic5-LN

percent are dependent on secondary and 20 percent are on tertiary sectors.

• There has been an occupational shift in favour of secondary and tertiary
sectors. People are moving towards secondary and tertiary sectors because of
growing industrialisation and urbanization in recent times.

Health

• Health is an important component of population composition, which affects the
process of development.

• There has been a significant improvement in health conditions in India. Death
rates have declined from 25 per 1000 population in 1951 to 7.2 per 1000 in 2011
and life expectancy at birth has increased from 36.7 years in 1951 to 67.9 years in
2012.

• The improvement is due to:
→ Improvement in public health due to several steps taken by the government .
→ Prevention of infectious diseases
→ Application of modern medical practices in diagnosis and treatment of ailments.
→ Sanitation facilities have been improved.

• Health is still a major concern for India because:
→ The per capita calorie consumption is much below the recommended levels and
malnutrition afflicts a large percentage of our population.
→ Safe drinking water and basic sanitation amenities are available to only one-
third of the rural population.