Resource and Development

What are resources?

:
Everything available in Om environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provide, it
is technologically accessible economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as
'Resource'

Interdependent relationship between nature, technology and institution

The process of transformation of things available in the environments involves an
interactive relationship between nature, technology and institution
Humans interact with nature through technology
Humans create institution to accelerate their economic development

What is the role of humans in resource development

Human beings are at the centre of resource development
Resources become resources only when they are but to use by humans.
It is humans who make natural things usable with the help of technology. Without
technology development wouldn't be possible.
Ex: Africa has abundance of resources but it is not desolates but of humans use them
the region with technology like Japan become developed

Classification of resources
On the basis of origin
Biotic: they are obtained from the biosphere Abiotic: all the things that are
and have life such as human beings, flora composed of non living things. Ex:
and fauna, fisheries, livestock, etc. rocks and metals

On the basis of exchaustibiletij

Renewable/Replenishable: The resources that Non renewable: they occur over a very
be can be reproduced by physical chemical or long geological time and cannot be
mechanical processes. Ex: solar and wind replenished easily, taking million years to
energy, forests, etc. They can be divided do form. Ex:fossil fuels and minerals. They
colinuous/flore & biological divided into recyclable like metals and non
recyclable like fossil fuels
On the basis of ownership
Individual resources: these are privately Community owned resources: resources
owned by individuals. Ex: plantations, that are accessible to all the members
ponds, etc. of the community. Ex: public parks,
playgrounds, etc.

National resources: Technically, all the International resources: there are

resources belong to the nation. The international institutions which
country mas legal powers to acquire even regulate resources. The ocecenie
private property for public good. Urban resources beyond 200 nautical miles
development authorities get empowered by of the exclusive economic zone
the government to acquire land. All the belong to open ocean and no
individual country can utilize these
mineral, water resources, forests, wildlife, without the concurrence of
land within the political boundaries and international institutions
oceans areas upto 12 nautic miles
(22.2 km) from the coast termed as
territorial water and resources there's
belongs to the nation

On the basis of the status of development

Potential resources: resources that are Developed resources: resourced
found in a region, but have not been Which are surveyed and their quality and
utilised. Ex: the western ports of India quantity have been determines for
like Rajasthan have potential for utilisation. This defends on the technology
development of solar energies, but so and the level of feasibility. Ex:
for it has not been developed properly hydroelectricity.

Stock: materials in environment Reserves are the subset of stock, that

which have the potential to satisfy can be put into use with the help of
human needs, but humans don't have existing technical ‘know how’ but then
the appropriate technology to uses have not started. This can be
access these. For example: used for meeting future requirements.
extraction of hydrogen from water
Ex: use of riverwater hydroelectricity
Problems caused due lo Indiscriminate use of resources by human
beings
. .
③
⑤ Defection of resources for satisfying the greed of a few selfish individuals
⑧ Accumulation of resources in few hands, Which in tern, had led to social segregation
into rich and poor. The society is divided into two segments, i.e. haves and have
nots
⑤ Indiscriminate and uncontrollable exploitation of resources Without consideration for the
future have led to grave ecological problems like global warming, ozone layer depletion,
environmental pollution and land degradation.
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Sustainable development
⑤$③
Development that takes places without damaging the environment, and development in the
present that does not compromise with he needs of the future generation

Earth summit
8) In June 1992, more than 100 heads of states met in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, for the
first international earth summit. The summit was convened for addressing urgent problems
of environmental protection and socio-economie development at the global level
8
...
The assembled leaders signed the declaration on Global climatic change and biological diversity.
⑧ The rio convention enclosed the global Forest Principles and adopted agenda 21 for achieving
sustainable development in the 21st century
)
8
Agenda 21
It aims at achieving global sustainable development.
It is an agenda to combat environmental damage, poverty, disease through
global cooperation on common interests, mutual needs and shared responsibilities
One major objectives of agenda 21 is that every local government should
draw its along local agenda 21
Resource planning
S

Meaning: Resource planning is proper and judicious planning of resources

-
Need for resource planning: an equitable distribution of resources has become essential
for a sustained quality of life and global peace. If the present trend of resource
depletion by few individuals and countries, continues, the future of our planet is in
danger. Therefore, resource planning is essential for sustainable existence of all forms
of life. Sustainable assistance is a component of sustainable development
Steps involved in resource planning
Identification of resources across country by mapping, surveying and preparation
of inventory of resources through their quantitative and qualitative estimation
and measurement
Develop a planning structure for resource development, ticking into account
technology, skill and infrastructure available for implementing the plans
Matching the resource development plans. This involves systematic planning of
exploitation of resources

Role of technology in resource depletion

Technical and economic development involves more utilisation and exploitation of
resources for the purpose of present development.
According to Gandhiji, the greedy and selfish individuals and exploitative nature of
modern technology are the root cause for resource depletion at global level.
The history of colonisation reveals that it was primarily the higher level of technological
development of the colonising countries that helped them to exploit resources of other
regions and establish their supremacy over the colonies.
Economic development takes place through more and proper utilisation of available
resources for the purpose of advancement of present generation. Technical
development makes the resources accessible and usable and aids in further exploitation
as well as creation of new resources. As a whole, more and more of the natural
endowments are put to use.
With economic development the capacity of accessing or consuming of resources by the
people increases and technical development makes further resources available at their
disposal. Hence, technical and economic development lead to more and more
consumption of resources.
Need for resource planning in India
Resource planning is important in a country like India, which has enormous diversity in
the availability of resources. While some regions are rich in certain types of resources,
..

they may be deficient in some other types of resources.

Ex: a mineral-rich region may be poor in infrastructure or may be socio- culturally
backward and included in economically backward regions. Some regions are self-sufficient
in terms of availability of resources, while, on the other hand, there are regions that
face an acute shortage of resources.
Thus, for proper development, distribution, sharing and utilisation of resources, taking into
consideration the technology, quality of human resources and historical experiences of the
people, resource planning is essential for development.
Efforts by gov.: India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource
planning right from the First Five Year Plan launched after Independence

Why is conservation of resources necessary

(i) Resources are vital for any developmental activity but irrational consumption and
overutilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems. To
overcome these problems, resource conservation at various level is important.

(ii) If resources are not conserved at this point of time, then our future generations will
be left with no resources at all. So it is very important to think for conservation of
resources.

Gandhi's viewpoint on resource conservation

⑧
⑧. According to the Gandhiji’s views on resources conservation,there is enough for
everybody’s need and not for anybody’s greed. He placed the greedy and selfish individuals
and exploitative nature of modern technology as the root cause for depletion at global
level. He was against mass production and he insisted on production by masses.
Efforts of resource conservation at international level:

At the international level, Subsequently, in 1974, Gandhian Another significant

the Club of Rome philosophy was once again contribution was made at
advocated resource presented by Schumacher in his the Earth Summit at Rio
conservation for the first book Small is Beautiful. de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992
time in a more systematic
way in 1968.

The seminal contribution with respect to resource conservation at the global level was made
by the Brundtland Commission Report, 1987. The report included the concept of sustainable
development and advocated it as a mean for resource conservation, which was then publish in
a book entitled Our Common Future

Land resources
8.
8
land is a natural resource of utmost importance. It supports natural vegetation, wild
life, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems.

Distribution of Land Resources:

③ India has land under a variety of relief features, namely;
About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture
and industry.
Mountains account for 30 per cent of the total surface area of the country and
ensure perennial flow of some rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological
aspects.
About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau
 Land Utilisation
Land resources are used for the following purposes:
1. Forests: Land where forests are available.
2. Land not available for cultivation
(a) Barren and waste land (not under any use/ unfit for use)
(b) Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g. buildings, roads, factories, etc.
3. Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land: land left uncultivated to regain its
fertility)
(a) Permanent pastures and grazing land,
(b) Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net sown area),
(c) Cultruable waste land (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years).
4. Fallow lands
(a) Current fallow-(left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year)
(b) Other than current fallow-(left uncultivated for the past 1 to 5 agricultural years).
5. Net sown area: Area sown in a year.

Gross crop area: Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus
net sown area is known as gross cropped area.

Land use paern in India

8.
8 The use of land is determined both by the following factors:
Y
Physical factors: such as topography, climate, soil types
Human factors such as population density, technological capability and culture and
traditions etc.
8
⑧. . .
Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km. Land use data, however, is available
only for 93 per cent of the total geographical area because the land use reporting for
most of the north-east states except Assam has not been done fully. Moreover, some areas
of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.
 Comparing land use categories
⑧ The land under permanent pasture has also decreased. 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.
Hence, these lands are cultivated once or twice in about two to three years and if these
are included in the net sown area then the percentage of NSA in India comes to about 54
per cent of the total reporting area.
8.
⑧
The pattern of net sown area varies greatly from one state to another.
>
It is over 80 per cent of the total area in Punjab and Haryana
less than 10 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman Nicobar
Islands.
Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical

·
area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952).
8
Waste land: A part of the land is termed as waste land and land put to other non-
agricultural uses. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas and land put to other
non-agricultural uses includes settlements, roads, railways, industry etc.
Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures
to conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation. This, in turn, has serious
repercussions on society and the environment.

·
Land Degradation
Some human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying too have
contributed significantly in land degradation:
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 Odisha
deforestation due to mining have caused severe land degradation. In states like Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the main reasons for
land degradation.
.
⑧ Over irrigation: In the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation
is responsible for land degradation due to water logging leading to increase in salinity and
alkalinity in the soil.
B
The mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and
soapstone for ceramic 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.
③
In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and
water pollution in many parts of the country.
Conservation methods/ measures
There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation:
8.
⑧
Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent.
8
Planting of shelter belts of plants, control on over grazing, stabilization of sand dunes
by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation in arid
areas.
8 Proper management of waste lands, 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.

Soil Resources

Factors controlling the formationof soil:

Relief, nature of parent rock or bedrock, climate, vegetation and other forms of life,
especially decomposers, and time are important factors in the formation of soil.

Weathering of the parent rocks due to climatic factors like change of temperature, wind
and frost action and rainfall and natural forces like action of running water, wind, glaciers
etc., lead to disintegration of rocks. This leads to the formation of soil. The four most
important factors of soil formation are thus :

(i) Relief determines the nature of weathering and erosion.

(ii) Climate determines the rate and factor of denudation of the rocks and influences
weathering and erosion.

(ii ) Nature of the parent rock determines the colour, texture and mineral content of the
soil.

(iv)Time determines maturity of the soil, usually it takes millions of years to form soil upto
few cms in depth.
 Soil Erosion: The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is
described as soil erosion.

Factors of Soil erosion:

Natural factors: Running water, Wind and Glacier.

Human factors:
(a) Deforestation :- Due to heavy deforestation, soil erosion is increasing.
(b) Overgrazing :- In many regions people still practise grazing of cattle, goats and sheap.
Gradually this leads to soil erosion.
(C ) Mining: During mining the digging and extraction of minerals also caused soil erosion.
(d) Extensive agriculture: over irrigation leads to water logging and causes soil erosion.

Gully erosion: The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep
channels known as gullies.
The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land. In the Chambal basin
such lands are called ravines.

Sheet erosion: Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope. In
such cases the top soil is washed away. This is known as sheet erosion.

Wind erosion: Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion.
Measures of soil conservation

In hilly and mountainous areas.

In hilly and mountainous areas the following measures can control soil erosion and
help in soil conservation.

Contour ploughing or ploughing along the contour lines of a highland can decelerate
the flow of water down the slopes.
Terrace cultivation or cutting of steps around the slopes to provide land for
agriculture also checks downhill flow of water and controls soil erosion, e.g., as in
Western and Central Himalayan region.
Afforestation or planting of trees in the hilly regions can help in soil conservation.

In Desert/ coastal areas:

Shelter belts: Planting lines of trees to create shelter also works in a similar way.
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.

In Plain areas:
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.