Public provision refers to those goods and services financed through the budget and:

Correct option is A

The Correct Answer is A: can be used without any direct payment.

Explanation:
Public provision means that essential goods and services such as education, healthcare, roads, and sanitation are funded by the government through tax revenues and are provided free or at a subsidized cost to the public.

Key Points:

• These services are non-excludable and often non-rivalrous, meaning they can be used by anyone without preventing others from using them.
• Examples include public schools, government hospitals, free vaccination programs, and subsidized food distribution schemes.
• The goal is to ensure equitable access to basic services, especially for economically weaker sections.
• Government policies like Right to Education (RTE) and Public Distribution System (PDS) are based on this concept.

Additional Information:

• Public goods are different from private goods, which require direct payment for access.
• Some public services (like railways or electricity) may have a nominal fee, but they are still partly funded by the government.
• Digital platforms for government services (e-governance) do not replace public provision, as access remains open to all.