RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT – NOTES

1) Resource
 Everything available in our environment that can satisfy our needs while being
technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable.
 Eg: Land, water, minerals, forest, wildlife etc.
 Interdependence of Nature, Technology and Institutions:
o Nature – Provides resources like land, water, minerals, forests etc., which are the
base of human survival and development.
o Technology – Acts as a tool to explore, develop and use resources efficiently, but
misuse may cause over-exploitation.
o Institutions – Governments, communities and laws regulate resource use,
distribution and conservation for fairness.
o Interdependence – Nature supplies raw materials, technology converts them, and
institutions regulate their use; all ensure sustainable development.
 Classification of Resources:

2) Development of Resources
 Resources are important because:
1. Help humans survive
2. Maintain the quality of life
 Problems due to overuse of resources:
1. Depletion of resources to satisfy the greed of some individuals
2. Division of societies into rich and poor due to unequal distribution
3. Ecological crises – global warming, O3 depletion, environmental pollution
 Sustainable Development: Developing while not harming the environment and also
keeping in mind the need of future generations.
 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED)/International Earth Summit – Rio de Janeiro, June 1992:
o Reason: Environmental protection and socio-economic development of all.
o Treaty: Declaration on Global Climatic Change and Biological Diversity
 o Aftermath: Global Forest Principles and Agenda 21
o Agenda 21:
 Aim- Achieve global sustainable development
 Every local govt to draw its own agenda 21
 Stop- Environmental damage, poverty and diseases
 Method- Global co-operation due to common interests

3) Resource Planning
 Importance:
o Prevent overuse of resources by some individuals
o Sustain the quality of life
o Maintain global peace

 The process of identifying, developing, and using resources efficiently and sustainably
to meet human needs and achieve national development goals.
 Due to a very diverse terrain in India, resource planning is required.
 Eg:
o Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, MP: +Minerals +Coal
o Arunachal Pradesh: +Water -Infra
o Rajasthan: +Solar and Wind Energy -Water
o Ladakh: +Rich Culture -Connectivity -Water -Infra -Vital Minerals

4) Resource Planning in India

 Involves:
o Identifying location, quantity and quality of resources
o Creating a planning structure equipped with tech, skill and institutions
o Matching resource developmental plans with national developmental plans
 Availability of Resources, technology and institutions are all imp factors for development
of resources; none can be replaced or skipped. Reason:
o India was colonised due to its high number of resources while it lacked
technology and institutions.
o The colonisers lacked resources while having plenty of tech and institutions.
 Conservation of Resources:
o Gandhi’s View: “There is enough for everybody’s need but not for anybody’s
greed.”
o Balanced use of resources to protect environment and ensure equality.
o Methods:

 Avoid overuse.
 Recycle and reuse.
 Equitable distribution.
 Use alternative energy sources (solar, wind, biogas).

5) Land Resources
 Land itself is a very important natural resource.
  It has finite magnitude, it can’t be increased or decreased hence it is to be judiciously
used.
 India’s relief features:
o Plain (43%): Agriculture and Industry.
o Mountains (30%): Rivers, tourism and ecological aspects.
o Plateau (27%): Minerals, forest fuels and forests.
o Islands

6) Land Utilization
 Reason for utilization of land:
o Forests
o Uncultivable Land:
 Barren and waste land.
 Buildings, roads and factories.
o Cultivable Land (Not Cultivated):
 Permanent pastures and grazing land.
 Land under miscellaneous tree crops
 Culturable Waste Land: Left Uncultivated for 5+ years.
 Other than Current Fallow: Left Uncultivated for 1 to 5 years.
 Current Fallow: Left Uncultivated for >1 year.
o Net sown area- Area cultivated at least once a year.
o Grass cropped area- Area sown more than once + net sown area in a year.

7) Land Degradation
 Cause:
o Lack of appropriate measures
o Continuous using of land since a long time
o Human activities
 Human Activities:

No. Activity Causes States

1 Mining Deep scars in land and over burdening  Deforestation  Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh,
2 Deforestation Land Degradation MP, Odisha
3 Overirrigation Water Logging  Increase salinity and alkalinity in soil Punjab, Haryana, UP
4 Overgrazing Causes land degradation Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Maharashtra
5 Grinding of Limestone, Calcite and Soapstone Dust  Settles on top layer of soil  Reduce infiltration
6 Industrial effluents Pollute land and water

 Solution:
1. Afforestation
2. Proper management of grazing
3. Planting shelter belts of plants
4. Stabilizing sand dunes by planting thorny bushes
5. Waste land management
6. Control of mining activities
7. Proper discharge of industrial effluents and waste after treatment
8) Soil as a Resource
 Most important natural renewable resource. Reason:
o Medium of plant growth
o Supports different types of living organisms
 Important factors in formation:
o Relief
o Parent rock/Bed rock
o Climate
o Vegetation
o Time
o Changing Temperature
o Activities of Running water
o Wind
o Activities of decomposers
o Chemical and organic changes
 Soil Table:

9) Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

 Soil Erosion: Denudation of soil cover and subsequent washing down. Causes:
o Wind, air, water
o Human Activities – Overgrazing, overirrigation, deforestation
o Defective farming methods
o Ploughing in a wrong way makes channels for water to flow faster
 Soil formation and erosion are continuous balanced process where soil erosion has
increased due to human activities.
 Types:
o Gully Erosion: Running water cuts in deep channels called gullies in clayey
soil and the land becomes bad land
o Ravines (Chambal): Above defined bad lands.
o Sheet Erosion: Washing away of top layer of the soil due to flowing water.
o Wind Erosion: Wind blowing loose soil off.

 Preventive Measures:

1. Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along contour lines to decelerate the flow of water
down the slopes.
2. Terrace Cultivation: Steps cut out on slopes to reduce erosion in mountains.
3. Strip Cropping: Growing alternating strips of different crops (e.g., cereals with
grasses/legumes) to reduce soil erosion by wind and water.
4. Afforestation: Planting trees on barren land to create a forest, helping in soil
conservation, reducing erosion, and maintaining ecological balance.
5. Shelter Belts: Rows of trees or tall plants planted along farmland boundaries to
reduce wind speed, protect soil from erosion, and safeguard crops.