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CHAPTER- 1 RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

******1.What are resources?

Everything available in our environment, which can be used to satisfy our needs if
it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable, is
termed as resource.

2. Examine the interdependent relationship among nature, technology and

institutions in the economic development. [In the resource transformation]

a) Human beings are the essential components of resources.

b) Human beings interact with nature through technology and create

institutions to accelerate economic development.

c) They transform material available in our environment in to resources by using

technology and use them.

3. Distinguish between biotic and abiotic resources. (On the basis of origin)

a) Biotic resources are normally obtained from the biosphere and have life such as
human beings, flora and fauna, fisheries, livestock etc.

b) All those things which are composed of non- living things are called abiotic
resources. Examlpes: rocks and metals.

4. Distinguish between renewable and non renewable resources. (On the basis
of exhaustibility)

a) Renewable resources: The resources which can be renewed or reproduced by

physical, chemical or mechanical processes are known as renewable or
replenishable resources.

Examples: Solar and wind energy, water, forest and wild life
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The renewable resources may be further be divided into continuous or

flow.
b) Non renewable resources occur over a very long geological time.
These resources take millions of years in their formation.
Examples: Minerals and fossil fuels.
Some of the resources like metals are recyclable and some like fossil fuels
cannot be recycled and get exhausted with their use.

5. How are resources classified on the basis of origin?

a) Biotic resources b) Abiotic resources

6. How are resources classified on the basis of exhaustibility?

a) Renewable resources b) Non renewable resources

7. How are resources classified on the basis of ownership?

a .Individual resources: These are owned privately by individuals.

Many farmers own land which is allotted to them by government against the
payment of revenue.

Village people own land and cattle whereas urban people own plots, flats or
other property. Plantation, pasture lands, ponds, water in the wells are individual
resources.

b) Community owned resources: These are resources accessible to all the

members of the community. Grazing grounds, burial grounds, village ponds,
public parks, play grounds, picnic spots etc are community owned resources.

c. National Resources: All the minerals, water resources, forests, wild life, all the
resources within the political boundaries and oceanic area up to 12 nautical
miles from the coast belong to national resources.

Roads canals, railways and properties of public character belong to national

resources.
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Technically, all the resources belong to the nation. The country has the legal
powers to acquire even private property for public good. Urban Development
Authority get empowered by the government to acquire land.

d.International resources: The oceanic resources beyond 200 nautical miles of

the Exclusive Economic Zone belong to international resources.

No individual or country can claim it. There are international institutions to

regulate these resources.

8. How are resources classified based on the status of development?

a) Potential resources: Resources, which are found in a region, but have not
been utilized, are potential resources.

Ex. The western parts of India particularly Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous
potential for the development for the development of wind and solar energy, but
so far these have not been developed properly.

b) Developed resources: These are the resources surveyed; quality and quantity
have been determined for utilization.

c.Stock: Resources in the environment which have the potential to satisfy

human needs but human beings do not have the appropriate technology to an
access these come under this category.

Eg: Water is a compound of two inflammable gases; hydrogen and oxygen, which
can be used as a rich source of energy.But we do not have the required technical
‘know-how to use them for this purpose.

d) Reserves: These are the subset of stock and can be put into use with the help
of existing technical know-how but their use has not been started. These can
be used to meet our future requirements.

Eg: water in the dams, forests etc. is a reserve which can be used in the future.
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******* 9. What are the major problems developed out of exploiting resources
indiscriminately? (State any three effects of indiscriminate exploitation of
resources.)

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

b) Accumulation of resources in few hands, which in turn divided the society in to

rich and poor.

c) It has led to ecological crisis such as global warming, ozone layer depletion,
environmental pollution and land degradation.

********10. What is sustainable development?

The development that takes place without damaging the environment, and not
compromising with the needs of the future generations.

11. What is resource planning? Why is it essential?

i) Resource planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious

use of resources.
ii) An equitable distribution of resources has become essential for a
sustained quality of life and global peace.
iii) If the present trend of resources depletion by a few individuals
and countries continues, the future of the planet is in danger.
iv) Therefore resource planning is essential for sustainable existence
of all forms of life.
v) Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development.

******12 Examine the diversity in the availability of resources in India. Give

examples. Or Why is a balanced resource planning essential in India? ( Why is it
necessary for a balanced resource planning at the national ,state, regional and
local levels?)

a) There are regions in India which are rich in certain type of resources but are
deficient in some other resources.
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. b) The states of Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are rich in minerals
and coal deposits.

- c) Arunachal Pradesh has abundance of water resources but lacks in

infrastructural developments.

d) Rajasthan has a lot of solar and wind energy potential but lacks in water
resources.

e) The cold area of Ladakh has very rich cultural heritage but is deficient in water,
infrastructure and minerals.

13. What are the processes ( stages) involved in the resource planning?

i) Identification and inventory of resources across the regions of the country:

This involves surveying, mapping, qualitative and quantitative estimation, and

measurement of resources.

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

institutional setup for implementing resource development plans.

iii) Matching the resource development plans with overall national development
plans.

14. ‘Mere availability of resources will not bring economic development’. Give
reasons.

i) Along with the availability of resources corresponding changes in technology

and institutions are required for economic development.

ii) There are many regions in India that are rich in resources but are economically
backward. Some other areas have poor resources but they are economically
developed.
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iii) It was primarily the higher level of technological development of the

colonizing countries that helped them to exploit resources of other regions and
establish their supremacy over the colonies.

*******15. What was Gandhiji’s opinion about conservation (or over

exploitation) of resources?

i) Gandhiji said, ‘There is enough resources in India for every body’s need and not
for any body’s greed’.

ii) He placed the greedy and selfish individuals and exploitative nature of modern
technology as the root cause for resource depletion at the global level.

iii) He was against mass production and wanted to replace it with the production
by the masses.

16. Why is it important to use the available land with careful planning?

i) We live on land , perform all economic activities on land and use it for variety of
purposes.

ii) Land is a natural resource of utmost importance. It supports natural

vegetation, wild life, human life, transport and communication systems.

iii) 95% of our basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are obtained from land

iv) Land available is limited in quantity compared to the size of the population and
hence it requires careful planning.

17. Assess the land in India under important relief features.

i.Plains: About 43 % of the land is plain which provides facilities for agriculture
and industry.
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ii.Mountains: It accounts for 30 % of the land and ensure perennial flow of some
rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects.

iii.Plateau: About 27 % of the land is plateau. It possesses rich reserves of

minerals fossil fuels and forests.

18. Give two reasons why we are not able to utilize the total geographical area
of India.

i) The land use reporting for most of the north- eastern states except Assam has
not been done fully.

ii) Some areas of Jammu & Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have not
been surveyed.

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19. What is the land utilization pattern in India?

Total area of land in India is 3.28 million sq.km., but only 93 % is available for use.
i)The Net sown area in India is 46.24 % in 2008-09.

ii) The Forest share in the land use pattern is 22.78% in 2008-09

iii) Area under non agricultural use is 5.57 % in 2008-09

iv) Permanent pastures and grazing land is 3.38 % only.

v) Culturable Waste land is 4.17% in 2008-09.

vi) Fallow Land : The share of the current fallow land is 4.76 % in 2008-09. Fallow
other than current fallow is 3.37.

20. What are the features of the land use pattern in India?

The use of land is determined by physical factors such as topography, climate, soil
types as well as human factors such as population density, technological
capability and culture and traditions.

The land under permanent pastures has also decreased.

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Most of the other than the current fallow lands are either of poor quality or the
cost of cultivation of such land is very high.

About 54 % of the total land area is under cultivation in India.

The pattern of net sown are varies greatly from 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 etc.

Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33% of geographical area.

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*******21. What is land degradation? Explain any three causes for land
degradation.

Land degradation is the process of losing the fertility and productivity of land and
turning it unfit for proper use.

Deforestation, careless management of forests, overgrazing by animals, soil

erosion, surface mining and industrial effluents cause land degradation.

At present there are about 130 million hectares of degraded land in India .28 % of
it belongs to forest degraded area, 56 % water eroded area, 10 % wind eroded
area and the rest 6% is affected by saline and alkaline deposits.

22. State two natural and human activities that lead to land degradation.

a. Natural : Soil erosion, land slides, torrential rain

b. Human : Mining and industry.

23. How does surface mining and industry lead to land degradation?

a. The mining sites are abandoned after excavation is completed.

c. The mineral processing, like grinding of limestone for cement industry and
calcite and soapstone for ceramic industry generates heavy quantity of dust n the
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atmosphere. It retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it
settles down on the land.

d. The industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and
water pollution in many parts of the country.

*********24.What are the reasons for the land degradation in the following
states?

a) Jharkhnd, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa: Deforestation due to

mining.
b) Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra: Overgrazing.
c) Punjab, Haryana and western part of Uttar Pradesh: Irrigation.

*****25 What measures can be adopted for preventing land degradation?

a) Afforestation and proper management of grazing.

b) Planting of shelterbelts of plants.

c) Control on over grazing.

d) Stabilization of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes

e) Proper management of wasteland and control of mining activities,

Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after

treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban

areas.

26. What are soils? How are they formed? Or ( Describe the factors that
contribute to the formation and fertility to the soil.)

i.Loose and fragmented uppermost layer of the earth’s crust, which is useful for
plants, is called soil.

ii.Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. It is the medium of plant
growth and supports different types of living organisms on earth.
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iii.It consists of both organic and inorganic substances.

iv.The factors that contribute the formation of soil are relief, parent rock, climate,

vegetation and other forms of life etc.

v. Various forces of nature such as change in temperature, action of running

water, wind and glaciers, activities of decomposers etc. contribute to the
formation of soil.

27. Describe the characteristics of alluvial soil. (What type of soil is found in the
river deltas of the eastern coasts? Give three main features of this type of soil.
Or Which is the most widely spread and important soil in India? )

a) Alluvial soil is the most widely spread and important soil in India.

b) It consists of various proportions of sand, silt and clay.

c) As we move inlands towards the valley soil particles appear somewhat bigger in
size. In the upper reaches of the river valley the soil are coarse. Such soils are
common in piedmont plains such as Duars, Chos and Terai.

d) Alluvial soil as a whole are very fertile. Mostly these soil contain adequate
proportion of potash , phosphoric acid and lime which are ideal for the growth of
sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops.

f) Alluvial soil is divided into Bhangar and Khadar according to their age.

28. Differentiate between Bhangar and Khadar.

i)The Bangar soil has higher concentration of kanker nodules than the Khadar.

ii.Bhangar is older alluvium and is found away from rivers and Khadar is new
alluvium found closer to the rivers.

iii.Bhangar is clayey and dark while Khadar is sandy and light in colour.

iv.Bhangar is less fertile compared to Khadar.

Khadar is renewed frequently in the flood plain.

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29. What are the characteristics of Black soil? ( Regur soil )

a) It is good for cultivation of cotton and also known as cotton soil or regur soil.

b) This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap(Basalt) region and is made up of
lava flows

c) The black soils are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium,
potash and lime.

d) It has the ability to retain moisture.

e) On drying these soil develops large and deep cracks and becomes sticky when
wet.

30. Describe the major features of Red soil. Where is it found?

a. Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the
eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau.

b. These soil develop a reddish colour due to the diffusion of iron in crystalline
and metamorphic rocks.

c.It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.

d. These soils are found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Southern parts of the
middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont zone of the western ghats.

31. What are Laterite soils? What are its features?

a. Laterite has been derivide from the latin word later which means brck.

These soils develop in areas of high temperature and heavy rainfall. This is the
result of intense leaching due to heavy rain.

c.Humus content of the soil is low because most of the micro organisms
particularly the decomposers like bacteria get destroyed due to high temperature.
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After adopting appropriate soil conservation techniques particularly in the hilly

areas of Karnataka, Kerala and tamil nadu , this soil is very useful for growing tea
and coffee.

Red laterite soils in taml nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Keral aremore suitable for
crops like cashew nut.

32. What are arid (desert) soils?

a. These are the soils found in the arid areas of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.

b) Ard soils range from red to brown in colour. They are generally sandy in texture
and salne n nature.

c. Due to the dry climate, high temperature , evaporation is faster and the sol
lacks humus content.

d.The kankar layer formation in the bottom horizons restrict the infiltration of
water.

33. Describe the characteristics of forest (mountain) soil.

a. These soils are found in the mountainous areas where sufficient rain forests are
available.

d. They are loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes.

e. In the snow covered areas of Himalayas these soils experience denudation and
are acidic with low humus content.

36. What is meant by soil erosion? How is it caused?

The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down s described as
soil erosion.

Soil erosion is caused by deforestation, over grazing, construction and mining etc.

Natural forces like wind, glacier and water also lead to soil erosion.

34.What is gullies?
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The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels as
gullies.

35. What are ravines?

Due to the Gully erosion , the land becomes unfit for cultivatin and is known as
bad land.

In the Chambal basin such lands are called ravines.

36. Expalan sheet erosion and wind?

a) When water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope, top soil is washed
away. It is known as sheet erosion.

b. Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion.

***********37. Suggest a few measures of controlling soil erosion.

a) Contour ploughing: Ploughing along the contour lines is known as contour

Ploughing, which reduces the flow of water. (hilly areas)

b) Terrace farming: Steps can be cut out on the slops making terraces. It restricts
soil erosion in hilly areas. (Western and central Himalayas)

c) 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.

d) Shelter belts: Planting lines of trees reduce wind force and stream flow. Rows
of such trees are called shelter belts.

Shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and
in stabilizing the desert in western India.

38. How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of
resources?
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i) It was primarily the higher level of technological development of the colonizing

countries that helped them to exploit resources of other regions and establish
their supremacy over the colonies.

ii) Technical development led to mechanization and over exploitation of

resources.

. ii)Economic development increases the standard of living of the people. It helps

them to enjoy a number of facilities and use more resources.

39. Prove by giving examples that the pattern of net sown area varies greatly
from one state to another.

Net sown area in Punjab and Haryana is over 80 % and in Arunachal Pradesh,
Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman and Nicobar Islands it is less than 10 %

40. What is the importance of resources? Why is it necessary to conserve them?

Resources are vital for any developmental activity. Economic development of a

country is depended on the availability of resources.

Resources are in limited quantity. Most of them are non renewable. Irrational
consumption and over-utilization of resources may lead to socio-economic and
environmental problems.

To overcome these problems, resource conservation at various levels is

important. It helps in the sustainable development.

Additional Questions

01. On what grounds are soils classified?

. Soils are classified based on colour, thickness, texture, age, chemical and
physical properties.

02. What is the main purpose of resources?

to satisfy basic needs of mankind

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03. What was the aim of Rio de Janeiro Summit?

Achieve global sustainable development

04. Name four ecological crisis:

global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land

degradation.

05. What were the two aims of first earth summit?

Environmental protection and economic development

06. Name two river valleys in South India where black soil is found.

Godavari valley and Krishna valley

7. What do you mean by Deccan trap?

It is the plateau formed by deposition of Basalt lava.

8. Why are yellow soils yellow in colour?

Due to the presence of iron in hydrated form

9. Despite enormous potential solar power is not developed in Rajasthan and

Gujarat. Why ?

Due to lack of technology and demand

10. When and where was the first international earth submit held?

It was held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992

11. What is meant by Agenda 21?

i) It was the declaration signed by the world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development, which took place at Rio de Janeiro
in Brazil in 1992.
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ii) It was an agenda to combat environmental damage , poverty, diseases through

global cooperation on common interests mutual needs and shared responsibilities
in the 21st C.

iii) One major objective of the Agenda 21 is that every local government should
draw its own local Agenda 21.

12. Name any two books that advocate resource conservation.

‘Small is beautiful’ written by Schumacher and ‘Our Common future’

13. Name any two types of piedmont plains where alluvial soil is found.

Duars, Chos and Terai. ( any two)