India Resources and Their Development: BSEM Class 10 Social Science

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Get notes, solutions, summary, questions and answers, and pdf of the chapter India Resources and Their Development, which is part of BSEM/BoSEM Class 10 Social Science (chapter 1). However, the notes should only be treated as references, and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.

Summary

The chapter looks into the significance of resources, their diverse types, and the critical need for resource planning and sustainable development in India. It emphasizes the interconnected relationship between human beings, natural resources, and the environment.

Understanding Resources: Resources encompass everything in our environment that can be utilized to fulfill human needs and desires. They are not merely gifts of nature but become valuable through human intervention and technological advancements. Resources are classified based on various factors:

• Origin: Natural resources (biotic and abiotic), human resources (people with skills and knowledge), and man-made resources (tools and infrastructure).
• Exhaustibility: Renewable resources (replenishable, like solar energy) and non-renewable resources (exhaustible, like coal).
• Ownership: Individual, community, national, and international resources.
• Development Status: Potential (undiscovered), developed (surveyed and quantified), stock (available but not utilized), and reserves (exploitable with current technology).

Resource Development and Planning: Resource development involves utilizing resources through technological advancements and institutional changes. However, indiscriminate use of resources leads to ecological problems like pollution and resource depletion. Therefore, resource planning is crucial for sustainable development, ensuring the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is particularly important in a diverse country like India where resource distribution is uneven.

Focus on Land and Soil Resources: The chapter highlights land and soil as essential natural resources. Land is used for various purposes, including agriculture, industry, and settlements. Different categories of land use exist, such as forests, barren lands, pastures, and net sown area. Understanding land use patterns helps us analyze changes and their impact on the environment and the economy.

Soil, the foundation of agriculture, is formed through a slow process of weathering and decomposition. India has diverse soil types, including alluvial, black, red, laterite, arid, and mountain soils, each with unique characteristics and fertility levels. Soil erosion, caused by natural forces and human activities like deforestation and overgrazing, poses a significant threat. Soil conservation measures like afforestation and sustainable agricultural practices are crucial to protect this vital resource.

Land Degradation and Conservation: Land degradation, a serious environmental issue, reduces the quality and productivity of land. It is caused by various factors, including deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and improper waste disposal. The Indian government has implemented several measures to combat land degradation, such as afforestation programs, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and regulating mining activities.

Key Takeaways:

• Resources are vital for human survival and development, and their responsible management is crucial for sustainable development.
• India is endowed with diverse natural resources but faces challenges in their distribution and sustainable utilization.
• Land and soil are essential resources facing threats from degradation, necessitating conservation efforts.
• Resource planning, technological advancements, and community participation are essential for managing resources effectively.
• Individual actions and awareness play a crucial role in promoting resource conservation and environmental sustainability.

Textual questions and answers

Choose the correct answer

(i) Which of the followig is a renewable resource?

Answer: (b) Forest

(ii) Under which of the following resource types, can wildlife be put ?

Answer: (b) Replenishable

(iii) The largest share of land in India is occupied by

Answer: (c) plains

(iv) Which of the following soil types is connected with ‘Kankar’ ?

Answer: (a) Alluvial

(v) Which of the following causes land degradation in Punjab and Haryana ?

Answer: (b) Over-irrigation.

Answer the following questions briefly

(i) Which factor is mainly responsible for the transformation of resources ?

Answer: Human beings are mainly responsible for the transformation of resources.

(ii) Why has resource planning become essential in a country ?

Answer: Resources must be used wisely for survival and development of the human race. Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development for which a resource planning is essential.

(iii) Why are regur soils capable of sustaining moisture sufficiently for a long time ?

Answer: They are generally clayey, deep and impermeable and are capable of sustaining moisture for sufficiently long time.

(iv) What is Regolith ?

Answer: The process of weathering and agents of erosion such as change of temperature, running water, wind, glacier etc, break rocks into small pieces and convert them into fine inorganic materials. These materials are termed as Regolith.

(v) Why is share of net-sown area decreasing in recent years in India ?

Answer: The increased pressure on agricultural lands from non-agricultural activities such as infrastructural constructions results in the decline of the net-sown area.

(vi) What factor is responsible for degradation of land in Jharkhand ?

Answer: Deforestation due to mining is responsible for land degradation in Jharkhand.

Distinguish between

(i) Natural and Human resources.

Answer: Natural resources are the gifts of nature which are useful for making the life of human beings comfortable and worth living. They include natural vegetation, soil, water, air, minerals and even rocks. Human resources are human beings who are made valuable through education, training, experience, etc. so that they may become capable of making use of other resources effectively.

(ii) Biotic and Abiotic resources.

Answer: The biotic resources are those living things found in biosphere which include forests, animals, birds, marinelife and human beings. Abiotic resources, on the other hand, are those non-living things of the environment like land, soils, rocks and minerals.

(iii) Geographical area and Reporting area of landuse.

Answer: India has a total geographical area of 32,87,263 sq. kms. However, as per land revenue record, only 93 per cent of the country’s total area is available for use in different categories of landuse. This is because of the fact that most of the states in the north-eastern region except Assam do not maintain fully the land records. Moreover, some areas in Jammu and Kashmir have also not been surveyed.

Answer the questions in about 40 words

(i) What is the difference between developed and potential resources ?

Answer: Potential resources are the resources found in a region but have not been put to proper utilisation. Developed resources are the resources which have been surveyed and determined their quality and quantity for utilisation. But, their development depends on technology and level of their feasibility.

(ii) What are the factors that determine for the utilisation of resources in the economic development of a country ?

Answer: The availability of resources is of great importance at the initial stage of economic development of a region. But, the economic activities of a country begin actually when the real utilisation of resources is started.

(iii) How should we conserve resources ?

Answer: Resources must be used wisely for survival and development of the human race i.e. sustainable existence of all life forms. Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development for which a resource planning is essential.

(iv) What are the main causes of soil erosion ?

Answer: Soil erosion is the removal of the earth’s soil cover by the forces of nature and human activities. It is caused by natural agents like running water, glacier, wind etc.

(v) Suggest three measures that will help to protect land from degradation.

Answer: (i) Taking up of afforestation programmes at different levels.

(ii) Setting up of shelter belts by planting trees across the wind direction particularly in drier parts.

(iii) Proper management of wastelands.

(iv) Control of mining activities, quarrying and over-grazing.

(v) Proper discharge of industrial effluents and scientific disposal of urban and other human wastes.

Answer the questions in about 150 words

(i) Explain the fertility of the different soil types of India.

Answer: Alluvial soils are found in the entire northern plains (Indus-Ganga-Brahmaputra plains). They also extend through a narrow belt in Rajasthan and Gujarat. In the south, alluvial soils are found in deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri. They are very fertile and form the foundation of Indian agriculture. Various proportions of sand, silt, clay, potash and lime constitute them, but they are deficient in phosphoric, nitrogenous and organic contents.

Regur or Black soils occur particularly in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, They are typical of Deccan Plateau and are black in colour. The parent rock (basaltic) materials and the climatic conditions of the region are responsible for the formation of the soils. They are generally clayey, deep and impermeable and are capable of sustaining moisture for sufficiently long time. They have rich content of calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime but the phosphoric content is poor. Since they are best suited for the cultivation of cotton, these soils are also known as Black cotton soils.

Red and Yellow soils are found in the dry areas of the Peninsular India. They include Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, south western Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand. They are also found in the north eastern states. Red soils are reddish in colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline rocks under poor rainfall condition. But, in higher rainfall areas, they occur in hydrated form and look yellow. They are deficient in nitrogenous, phosphoric and organic matter and hence are less fertile.

(ii) Write an account of the different steps to be taken up for a proper resource planning.

Answer: Resource planning must be conducted for achieving sustainable development in the 21st Century by adopting ‘the Agenda 21 of the Rio Convention 1992.’

The Agenda 21 is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development which took place at Rio de Janerio, Brazil. It is an agenda to combat environmental damage, poverty, disease through global co-operation on common interests, mutual needs and shared responsibilities. The major objective of ‘the Agenda 21’ is that every local government should draw its own local Agenda to protect the environment.

Resource planning offers a number of advantages in the process of economic development of a country. It has a great importance in a country like India which has enormous diversity in the availability of resources. In India, there are regions which are rich in certain types of resources but are deficient in other resources. Again, there are regions which are considered to be self-sufficient on one hand but are absent in vital resources on the other. For example, states like Gujarat and Rajasthan have rich potentials of wind and solar energy but lack in water resources. Again, there are abundant water power potentials in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur but these states are deficient in infrastructural developments.

(iii) Explain the changing patterns of landuse in India that takes place in recent years.

Answer: The landuse pattern in the country is changing with time. There are three categories of landuse which have undergone increases while four have registered declines. Share of area under forest, area under non-agricultural uses and current fallow lands shows an increase.

The reasons for such an increase are as follows –

(i) Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area. But, there was an actual increase in the forest cover of the country. Because, it was considered essential for maintenance of the ecological balance.

(ii) Due to the changing structure of Indian economy, the area under non-agricultural land use is increasing. India’s economy is increasingly depending on the contribution from industrial and service sectors which are related with infrastructural facilities.

(iii) The trend of current fallow fluctuates over years depending upon the variablility of rainfall and cropping cycle. Hence, the reason for such an increase cannot be explained in detail.

On the other hand, the following categories of landuse have registered a decline due to certain factors –

(i) The wastelands and culturable wastelands have witnessed a decline over time. This is due to the increasing pressure on land both from the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.

(ii) The share of land under pasture and grazing land has also been decreased due to illegal encroachment of common pasture lands by expansion of cultivation.

(iii) The decline in net-sown area is a recent phenomenon that started in the late nineties. The increased pressure on agricultural lands from non-agricultural activities such as infrastructural constructions results in the decline of the net-sown area.

Give the appropriate term

(a) Natural endowment that includes things like land, water, rocks, and minerals.

Answer: Abiotic resources

(b) Plantation of trees on a large scale to prevent soil erosion.

Answer: Afforestation

(c) Soils that constitute the great plains of India.

Answer: Alluvial soils

(d) The typical soil of the Deccan plateau.

Answer: Regur soils

(e) Soils that have been intensely leached.

Answer: Laterite soils

Extra MCQs

1. What does the term “resources” refer to in the context of the environment?

A. Elements that are readily available for consumption
B. Components of the environment that fulfill human needs and desires
C. Naturally occurring substances that can be exploited
D. Raw materials used in industrial processes

Answer: B. Components of the environment that fulfill human needs and desires

2. What is the essential factor that transforms materials into resources?

A. Technological advancements
B. Economic feasibility
C. Human intervention and utilization
D. Cultural acceptability

Answer: C. Human intervention and utilization

3. Which category of resources encompasses living components of the environment like forests and animals?

A. Abiotic resources
B. Biotic resources
C. Non-renewable resources
D. Man-made resources

Answer: B. Biotic resources

4. What are resources that can be replenished or reproduced through natural processes called?

A. Non-renewable resources
B. Recyclable resources
C. Renewable resources
D. Stock resources

Answer: C. Renewable resources

5. Which type of resource includes assets owned by individuals, such as houses and farmlands?

A. Community resources
B. National resources
C. International resources
D. Individual resources

Answer: D. Individual resources

6. What are resources that are accessible to all members of a community, such as playgrounds and public parks?

A. Individual resources
B. Community resources
C. National resources
D. International resources

Answer: B. Community resources

7. What are resources located within a country’s political boundaries and territorial waters, including forests and minerals?

A. Individual resources
B. Community resources
C. National resources
D. International resources

Answer: C. National resources

8. Which type of resources require international cooperation for utilization, such as those found in the open ocean beyond exclusive economic zones?

A. Individual resources
B. Community resources
C. National resources
D. International resources

Answer: D. International resources

9. What term describes resources that have the potential to meet human needs but lack the technology for utilization?

A. Potential resources
B. Developed resources
C. Stock resources
D. Reserve resources

Answer: C. Stock resources

10. What are resources that can be profitably utilized with current technology and are reserved for future requirements?

A. Potential resources
B. Developed resources
C. Stock resources
D. Reserve resources

Answer: D. Reserve resources

11. What does the term “resource development” refer to?

A. The discovery of new resources
B. The process of utilizing resources in the environment
C. The advancement of technology for resource utilization
D. The sustainable management of resources

Answer: C. The advancement of technology for resource utilization

12. What is a significant challenge associated with resource development?

A. The depletion of resources beyond their replenishment capacity
B. The unequal distribution of resources among individuals and nations
C. The lack of technological advancements for resource utilization
D. The cultural barriers to resource development

Answer: A. The depletion of resources beyond their replenishment capacity

13. What is the primary objective of resource planning?

A. To ensure the equitable distribution of resources
B. To promote economic growth and development
C. To achieve sustainable development and resource utilization
D. To prevent environmental degradation and resource depletion

Answer: C. To achieve sustainable development and resource utilization

14. What does “sustainable development” mean in the context of resource utilization?

A. Development that prioritizes economic growth over environmental concerns
B. Development that meets present needs without compromising future generations
C. Development that focuses on technological advancements for resource extraction
D. Development that ensures equitable access to resources for all individuals

Answer: B. Development that meets present needs without compromising future generations

15. What is the significance of the “Agenda 21” in relation to resource planning?

A. It is a global agreement on sustainable development and environmental protection
B. It is a set of guidelines for resource extraction and utilization
C. It is a framework for international cooperation on resource management
D. It is a plan for addressing poverty and disease through resource development

Answer: A. It is a global agreement on sustainable development and environmental protection

16. Why is resource planning particularly important in a country like India?

A. India has a rapidly growing population and increasing resource demands
B. India faces significant challenges of poverty and inequality
C. India possesses a diverse range of resources with uneven distribution
D. India has a rich cultural heritage that emphasizes environmental conservation

Answer: C. India possesses a diverse range of resources with uneven distribution

17. What are the three main landform types that constitute India’s land resources?

A. Mountains, plateaus, and plains
B. Hills, valleys, and coastal areas
C. Deserts, forests, and grasslands
D. Rivers, lakes, and wetlands

Answer: A. Mountains, plateaus, and plains

18. Which landform type in India is known for its rich mineral reserves, fossil fuels, and forests?

A. Mountains
B. Plateaus
C. Plains
D. Deserts

Answer: B. Plateaus

19. What percentage of India’s land is categorized as plains, providing facilities for agriculture and industry?

A. 30%
B. 27%
C. 43%
D. 10%

Answer: C. 43%

20. What is the term for the area identified and demarcated by the government for forest growth?

A. Forest cover
B. Reserved forests
C. Protected forests
D. Wildlife sanctuaries

Answer: B. Reserved forests

21. Which category of land use includes areas utilized for industries, roads, settlements, and infrastructure development?

A. Land put to non-agricultural uses
B. Barren and wastelands
C. Area under permanent pastures
D. Culturable wastelands

Answer: A. Land put to non-agricultural uses

22. What are lands that cannot be cultivated with available technology due to factors like hilly terrain or deserts?

A. Barren and wastelands
B. Culturable wastelands
C. Current fallows
D. Net sown area

Answer: A. Barren and wastelands

23. Which category of land use includes community grazing fields in rural areas?

A. Area under permanent pastures
B. Area under tree crops and groves
C. Culturable wastelands
D. Current fallows

Answer: A. Area under permanent pastures

24. What are lands that have been left uncultivated for more than five years and require reclamation practices for cultivation?

A. Barren and wastelands
B. Culturable wastelands
C. Current fallows
D. Fallow other than current fallows

Answer: B. Culturable wastelands

25. What is the term for lands left uncultivated for one agricultural year or less to replenish fertility?

A. Barren and wastelands
B. Culturable wastelands
C. Current fallows
D. Fallow other than current fallows

Answer: C. Current fallows

26. What is the term for the physical extent of land where crops are sown and harvested?

A. Barren and wastelands
B. Culturable wastelands
C. Current fallows
D. Net sown area

Answer: D. Net sown area

27. What is the upper layer of the Earth’s crust, essential for plant growth and supporting various organisms?

A. Bedrock
B. Regolith
C. Soil
D. Humus

Answer: C. Soil

28. What is the process that breaks down rocks into fine inorganic materials, contributing to soil formation?

A. Erosion
B. Weathering
C. Decomposition
D. Leaching

Answer: B. Weathering

29. What is the term for the fine inorganic materials produced by weathering, which are mixed with organic matter to form soil?

A. Bedrock
B. Regolith
C. Soil
D. Humus

Answer: B. Regolith

30. What is the organic matter in soil, formed by the decomposition of plant and animal residues?

A. Bedrock
B. Regolith
C. Soil
D. Humus

Answer: D. Humus

31. Which soil type is found in the northern plains of India and is known for its fertility and suitability for agriculture?

A. Alluvial soils
B. Regur soils
C. Red and yellow soils
D. Laterite soils

Answer: A. Alluvial soils

32. What are the calcarious concretions found in alluvial soils, used for whitewashing houses in rural areas?

A. Kankars
B. Laterite
C. Loess
D. Humus

Answer: A. Kankars

33. Which soil type is predominantly found in the Deccan Plateau and is ideal for cotton cultivation?

A. Alluvial soils
B. Regur soils
C. Red and yellow soils
D. Laterite soils

Answer: B. Regur soils

34. What are the soils found in dry areas of peninsular India, typically reddish or yellowish in color due to iron content?

A. Alluvial soils
B. Regur soils
C. Red and yellow soils
D. Laterite soils

Answer: C. Red and yellow soils

35. Which soil type is formed in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall, characterized by low humus content and supporting scrub vegetation?

A. Alluvial soils
B. Regur soils
C. Red and yellow soils
D. Laterite soils

Answer: D. Laterite soils

36. What are the soils found in western Rajasthan and southern Punjab, often sandy in texture and saline in nature?

A. Alluvial soils
B. Regur soils
C. Red and yellow soils
D. Arid or desert soils

Answer: D. Arid or desert soils

37. Which soil type is found in hilly and mountainous areas with rainforests, varying in texture and fertility with altitude?

A. Alluvial soils
B. Regur soils
C. Red and yellow soils
D. Mountain or forest soils

Answer: D. Mountain or forest soils

38. What is the removal of soil cover by natural forces and human activities called?

A. Soil formation
B. Soil conservation
C. Soil erosion
D. Soil degradation

Answer: C. Soil erosion

39. What type of erosion is caused by running water in rainy areas, creating channels or gullies?

A. Gully erosion
B. Sheet erosion
C. Wind erosion
D. Glacier erosion

Answer: A. Gully erosion

40. What is the term for the process of transforming arid or semi-arid lands into deserts?

A. Gully erosion
B. Desertification
C. Wind erosion
D. Glacier erosion

Answer: B. Desertification

41. What are some measures taken by the Indian government to conserve soil and prevent erosion?

A. Afforestation programs, shelter belts, strip cropping, and terrace cultivation
B. Industrial development, urbanization, and agricultural expansion
C. Mining activities, quarrying, and overgrazing
D. Deforestation and conversion of forest land for other uses

Answer: A. Afforestation programs, shelter belts, strip cropping, and terrace cultivation

42. What is the estimated total area of degraded land in India, affected by erosion, deforestation, and other factors?

A. 13 million hectares
B. 56 million hectares
C. 130 million hectares
D. 328 million hectares

Answer: C. 130 million hectares

43. What is the primary cause of land degradation in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra?

A. Overgrazing
B. Over-irrigation
C. Mining activities
D. Industrial pollution

Answer: A. Overgrazing

44. Which states in India experience land degradation due to over-irrigation, leading to soil salinity and waterlogging?

A. Punjab and Haryana
B. Gujarat and Rajasthan
C. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh
D. Kerala and Tamil Nadu

Answer: A. Punjab and Haryana

45. What is the main factor contributing to land degradation in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha?

A. Overgrazing
B. Over-irrigation
C. Mining activities
D. Industrial pollution

Answer: C. Mining activities

46. What human activities can contribute to land degradation by releasing harmful substances into the soil?

A. Afforestation and reforestation
B. Discharge of industrial effluents and disposal of urban wastes
C. Organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices
D. Soil conservation measures like contour plowing and terracing

Answer: B. Discharge of industrial effluents and disposal of urban wastes

47. What is the practice of planting trees on a large scale to combat soil erosion and promote land conservation?

A. Deforestation
B. Afforestation
C. Overgrazing
D. Mining

Answer: B. Afforestation

48. What are the fertile soils that cover the vast plains of India, formed by alluvial deposits from rivers?

A. Regur soils
B. Laterite soils
C. Arid soils
D. Alluvial soils

Answer: D. Alluvial soils

49. What is the dominant soil type of the Deccan Plateau, known for its black color and suitability for cotton cultivation?

A. Regur soils
B. Laterite soils
C. Arid soils
D. Alluvial soils

Answer: A. Regur soils

50. What are the soils formed in regions with high rainfall and temperature, characterized by intense leaching and low fertility?

A. Regur soils
B. Laterite soils
C. Arid soils
D. Alluvial soils

Answer: B. Laterite soils