RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

1A. Why do we need to develop our resources?

Ans: Resources are vital for human survival as well as for maintaining the quality of
life. It was believed that resources are free gifts of nature. As a result, human beings
used them indiscriminately and this has led to the following major problems:

I. Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of few individuals.

II. Accumulation of resources in few hands, which, in turn, divided the society
into two segments i.e. haves and have not or rich and poor.
III. Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises
such as, global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and
land degradation.

Q1B: Why is resource planning important in country like India?

Ans: Resource Planning in India is important in a country like India because

(a) There is enormous diversity in the availability of resources.

(b) There are regions which are rich in certain types of resources and deficient in
other resources

Q1C. When and why was the Rio-de-Janero Earth summit held ?

Ans. 1992 Rio-de-Janeiro (Brazil) Earth summit To achieve sustainable development

in order to combat environment damage, poverty and disease, it laid emphasis on
global cooperation mutual needs and shared responsibilities

Q1D. Classify resources on the basis of ownership into four categories.

Mention the main feature of each.

a) Individual resources: Owned privately by individual. Example houses

pasture etc.

b) Community Owned resources : accessible to all the members of the

Community. Example : Playground park etc.

c) National resources : within the political boundaries of the country.

Example : Minerals, forests etc.

d) International resources : The oceanic resources beyond 200 Km. of the

Exclusive Economic Zone belonging to international institutions.
1E.Draw a G.O to explain the types of resources.

Resouces

Natural Human

Renewable Non renewable

Continous
eg:wind Non-
Recyclable recyclabale Structures
eg: metals eg:Fossil and
fuels Institutions Quantity and
Quality

Biological

Natural Wildlife
Vegetation
.Q2: Mention the most satisfactory feature of land use pattern of our country?

Ans: The most satisfactory feature of land use pattern of our country is the Barren
and Waste land has reduced from 12.01% (1960-61) to 6.29% (2002-03).

Q3: Which is the most unsatisfactory feature of our land use pattern?

Ans: Land under forests has changed marginally. Forest area is 22.54% which is far
lower than the desired 33% as outlined in the National Forest Policy(1952).

Q4: Why has the land under forest not increased much since1960-61?

Ans: Large scale development projects, industrialization and urbanization as well as

agricultural expansion have widely reduced forest cover in various parts of our
country. Though afforestation and social forestry measures have been adopted, it
has lead to only a marginal increase in the forest area.

Q5: Distinguish between Bangar and Khadar soil?

Bangar Soil Khadar Soil

1. It is an old alluvial soil.
2. It is found away from the rivers
3. It is less Fertile.
4. It has high concentration of kankars
nodules
and is coarse
5. It is dark in colour
1. It is a newer alluvial soil.
2. It is found close to rivers valleys
3. It is more Fertile
4. It has fine particles and is quite
smooth
5. It is light in colour

Q6:DEFINE THE FOLLOWING TERMS:

Ans A)RESOURCE-everything available in our environment which can be used to

satisfy our needs ,provided ,it is technologically accessible,economically feasible and
culturally acceptable can be termed as resource.

b)SOIL EROSION-the denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is
described as soil erosion.

c)BADLAND-the running water, cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep
channels as gullies .the land thus becomes unfit for cultivation ,is known as badland.

Q7:EXPLAIN THE HUMAN ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR LAND

DEGRADATION IN INDIA?

Ans Some human activities which contributed significantly in land degradation in our
country are following

1. MINING AND DEFORESTATION-Mining sites are abandoned after excavation

work is complete leaving deep scars and traces of over burdening .In states like
Jharkhand .Chhattisgarh ,Madhya Pradesh and Orissa deforestation due to mining
have caused severe land degradation.

2 OVERGRAZING: Due to overgrazing grasses are uprooted and land is exposed to

soil erosion .In states like Gujarat ,Rajasthan ,Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation .

3.OVER IRRIGATION: it is responsible for land degradation due to water logging

leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil .in the states of Punjab
,Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh over irrigation is the main cause of land
degradation.

4:MINERAL PROCESSING: The mineral proccessing like grinding of limestone for

cement industry generate huge quantity of dust in the atmosphere.it retards the
process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land .

5.INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS :industrial effluents as waste .which are discharged

without treatment, have become a major source of land and water pollution in many
parts of the country.

Q8:WHAT ARE THE MEASURES TAKEN TO CONTROL LAND DEGRADATION

IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF INDIA?

Ans.Measures taken to control land degradation in different regions of india are

following:

1.AFFORESTRATION AND PROPER MANAGEMENT OF GRAZING-it can help to

some extent .it helps in binding the soil and reduces the chances of occurence of.

2.PLANTING OF SHELTER BELTS OF PLANTS ,CONTROL ON OVER

GRAZING.

3.STABILISATION OF SAND DUNES BY GROWING THORNY BUHES are the

suitable measures taken in arid and semi arid regions. They help in binding the soil
with the roots and also reduce the speed of wind.

4.PROPER MANAGEMENT OF WASTE LANDS,CONTROL OF MINING

ACTIVITIES ,PROPER DISCHARGE AND DISPOSAL INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS
AND WASTES after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial
and sub urban areas.

Q9:HOW HAVE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LED TO MORE

CONSUMPTION OF RESOURCES?

Ans. Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to
accelerate their economic development in this process they often consume
resources more in quantity which cause depletion of resources .as more
technological development occurs ,there is increased need of input and utilization of
resources .for example, more factories providing employment to more people is a
necessity .for the factory ,land and metal (for machines)are used. For this mining of
minerals increases causing land degradation and depletion of mineral resources of a
certain area. As technical or technological development is closely linked to economic
development we can say that both of these have led to more consumption of
resources.

Q10:SUGGEST METHODS TO CONTROL SOIL EROSION.

Ans Methods are as follows:

1.CONTOUR PLOUGHING-ploughing in a wrong way i.e. and down the slope form
channels for the quick flow of water leading to soil erosion ,whereas ploughing along
the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes .this helps in
controlling soil erosion.

2. TERRACE CULTIVATION-steps can be cut on the slopes making terraces

.terrace farming restricts the speed of running water and controls soil erosion
.western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming.

3. STRIP CROPPING-large fields can be divided into strips .strips of grass are left to
grow between the crops .this breaks up the force of the wind. This method is known
as strip cropping.

4.SHELTER BELT-planting lines of trees to create shelter also helps in breaking up

of the force of the wind .rows of such trees are called shelter belts .These shelter
belts have contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and in
stabilizing the desert in western India.

What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in hilly areas ?

Ans. Explain the following points in detail.

1) Terracing on hilly area

2) Buildings Dams on hilly areas

3) Afforestation

Q11:EXPLAIN BLACK SOIL UNDER THE FOLLOWING HEADS

A)FORMATION B)DISTRIBUTION C)NUTRIENTS D)OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

Ans The black soil is black in colour and is also known as regur soil.
a) Formation-it is believed that climatic conditions along with the parent rock
material are the important factors for the formation of black soil. It is made of lava
flows.

b)Distribution-this type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (basalt )region spread
over northwest Deccan plateau .it covers the plateaus of Maharashtra , Saurashtra,
malwa , Madhya Pradesh ,Chhattisgarh and extend in the southeast direction along
the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.

c) Nutrients-it is rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash

and lime. It is generally poor in phosphoric contents.

d)Other characteristics-black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as
black cotton soil.

It is made up of extremely fine clayey material and is well known for its capacity to
hold water.

It develops deep cracks during hot weather which helps in the proper aeration of the
soil .it is sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless tilled immediately after the
first shower or during the pre monsoon period.

Q12:GIVE A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE LAND USE PATTERN IN INDIA.

Ans .The total area of India is 3.28 million sq.km. according to the land use data
,records are available only for about 93%of the total area .the land is used for
following purposes:

1. Net sown area-43.41%area of the total reporting area is in this category. The
pattern of NSA varies greatly one state to another .it is over 80%of the total area in
Punjab and Haryana and less than 10%in Arunachal Pradesh ,Mizoram , Manipur
and Andaman and Nicobar islands.

2. Fallow land-fallow other than the current fallow land is 3.82%of the total reported
area. These lands are cultivated once or twice in about two to three years as either
these are of poor quality or the cost of cultivation of such land is very high. If these
are included in the NSA then the %of NSA in India comes to about 54%of the total
reporting area.

3. Permanent pasture-the land under permanent pasture has decreased in last few
decades .it is quite difficult for the farmers to feed huge cattle .population on this
pasture land and it has affected the production of milk and other animal products

4. Forest area -forest area in our country is far lower than the desired 33%of the
geographical area, as it was outlined in the national forest policy (1952).in our
country 22.57%of the total reported area is under forest. It was considered essential
to have one third of the total area under forests for the maintenance of the ecological
balance. The livelihood of the millions of people who live on the fringes of these
forests depends upon it.

5. Land not available for cultivation.

Barren waste land- it includes rocky, arid and desert areas. Land under this category
reduced

from 12.01% to 6.29% which is the most satisfactory feature of our land use pattern.

b. Land put to other non-agricultural uses- it includes settlements, roads, railways,

industry etc. It increased from 4.95% to 7.29% in last few decades due to increasing
population, industrialization and urbanization.

Q13:What are the problems associated with indiscriminate use of resources?

How can it be solved?

Ans. Resources are vital for human survival as well as for maintaining the quality of
life. It was believed that resources are the free gifts of nature . as a result, human
beings used them indiscriminately and this has led to the following major problems:

a. Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of few individuals.

b. Accumulation of resources in few hands, which in turn, divided the society into rich
and poor.

c. Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises such as

global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land degradation.

d. SOLUTION: an equitable distribution of resources has become essential for a

sustained quality of life and global peace. Resource planning is essential for
sustainable existence of all forms of life.

Q14: Distinguish between biotic and abiotic resources.

BIOTIC RESOURCES ABIOTIC RESOURCES

These are obtained from biosphere i.e. These are obtained from biosphere i.e.
living resources. living resources.
Some of these resources are renewable They are non- renewable but some are
recycled.

Eg: flora and fauna Eg: rocks, minerals, air and water

Q15: Distinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources.

RENEWABLE RESOURCES NON-RENEWABLE

RESOURCES
Resources which can be renewed or Resources which cannot be renewed or
reproduced by physical, chemical and reproduced.
mechanical
processes
They get renewed over a short period of They occur over a very long geological
time. period (millions of years).

They are unlimited and are not They are limited in their availability and
exhausted are exhausted

These are further divided into continuous These are divided into recyclable and
or flow and biological. non recyclable.

Eg: water, wind , forest, wildlife, solar Eg: minerals and fossil fuels.
energy.

Q16: distinguish between individual resources and national resources.

INDIVIDUAL RESOURCES NATIONAL RESOURCES

These are owned by individuals privately These resources belong to the nation

Many farmers own land which is allotted
to the government against the payment
of revenue.
The country has legal powers to acquire
even
private property for public good. At times
roads and canals are constructed by
acquiring
the private property.

In villages these are the people with land
ownership but many are landless. In
urban areas people own plots, houses,
ponds, water wells etc.
Urban Development Authorities get
empowered by the govt. to acquire land.
All minerals , water, forests, wildlife, land
within the political boundaries and
territorial water belong to the nation.

Q17: Name four broad types of soils found in India. Mention the two
characteristics of a soil which are most important and widespread.

A: four major types of soil found in India are

a. Alluvial soil

b. Black soil

c. Red and yellow soil

d. Laterite soil

Alluvial soil is the most important and widespread soil in India.

Two characteristics of alluvial soil:

a. This soil is formed by deposition of materials brought down by rivers

b. It is highly fertile. It is rich in potash, phosphoric acid and lime.

Q18: State the diverse relief features of India and mention one significance of
each.

A: India has diverse relief features namely mountains, plateaus and plains.

PLAINS: about 43% of the land is plains which is agriculturally and industrially

productive.

MOUNTAINS: mountains account for 30% of the total area and are the source of
many

perennial rivers, promote tourism and development of horticulture.

PLATEAUS: about 27% of the land area of the country are the plateaus which are
the storehouse of minerals, forest and fossil fuels. They form the backbone of the
country’s economy in promoting the development of industries.

Q19’ Resources are the functions of human beings’ Justify the statement

Ans The process of transformation of t he resources available in our environment

involves an interdependent relationship between nature, technology and institutions.
Human beings interact with nature through A The process of transformation of things
available in our environment involves an interdependent technology and create
institutions to accelerate their economic development .Human beings themselves are
essential components of resources .They transform the material available in our
environment into resources and use them.

Q20 ‘Resource planning is a complex process’. Justify OR Explain three

important stages involved in the process of resource planning.

Ans Resource planning is a complex process which involves-:

i)Identification and inventory of resources across the regions of the country. This
involves surveying ,mapping and qualitative and quantitative estimation and
measurement of the resources.

ii)Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology,skill and

institutional set up for implementing resource development plans.
iii)Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans

Q21 Write important features of laterite soil .

Ansi) The laterite soil develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall.

ii)This is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain.

iii)Humus content is low due to micro-organisms particularly the decomposers ,like

bacteria, get destroyed due to high temperature

iv)Laterite soils are suitable for cultivation with adequate doses of manures and
fertilizers.

Q22 Describe the characteristics of arid soils.

Ans i) Arid soils range from red to brown in colour.

ii) They are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature.

iii)Due to the dry climate, high temperature, evaporation is faster and the soil lacks
humus and moisture.

iv) The lower horizons of the soil are occupied by Kankar because of the increasing
calcium content downwards. The kankar layer formations in the bottom horizons
restricts the infiltrations of water.

v)After proper irrigation these soils become cultivable as has been in the case of
Rajasthan.

Q23Write important features of Red and Yellow soils

Ans i) Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall.

ii)These soils develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline igneous
and metamphoric rocks.

iii)It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form

iv) These soils are found in parts of Orissa ,Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the
middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats.

Q24. What is regursoil ? Write its two features. Mention any two regions where
regur soil is found.

Ans. Regur soil – Black Soil

Features
1) made up extremely fine
2) have good capacity to hold moisture.
3) develop deep cracks during hot weather.
4) rich in calcium carbonate, potash and lime

Regions
1) Maharashtra – Malwa Plateau
2) Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh Plateau

Q25. What type of soil is found in river deltas of the eastern coast ? Give three
main features of this type of soil.

Ans. Alluvial Soil

1) Most important soil

2) Such a soil is the result of deposits of river.

3) Very fertile soil.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Coal, iron ore, petroleum, diesel etc. are the examples of

a) Biotic resources b) Abiotic resources

c) Renewable resources d) Non Renewable resources

2. Which one of the following term is used to identify the old and new alluvial
respectively ?

a) Khadas & Tarai b) Tarai & Bangar

c) Bangar & Khadar d) Tarai & Duars

3. Which one of the following soil is the best for cotton cultivation ?

a) Red soil b) Black soil

c) Laterite soil d) Alluvial soil

4. How much percentage of forest area in the country according to the National
Forest Policy.

a) 33% b) 37% c) 27% d) 31%

5. Which type of soil develops due to high temperature and evaporation ?

a) Arid Soil b) Forest Soil c) Black Soil d) Red Soil

6. Which one of the following resources can be acquired by the Nation ?

a) Potential resources b) International resources

c) National resources d) Public resources

7. Which one of the following is responsible for sheet erosion ?

a) Underground water b) Wind c) Glacier d) Water

8. Which one of the following method is used to break up the force of wind?

a) Shelter belt b) Strip Cropping

c) Contour ploughing d) Terrace farming

9 Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Madhya
Pradesh ?

a) Mining b) Overgrazing
c) Deforestation d) Over Irrigation

10. Which one of the following statements refers to the sustainable

development ?

a) Overall development of various resources

b) Development should take place without damaging the environment.
c) Economic development of people.
d) Development that meets the desires of the members of all communities.

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