RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

What are Resources

• Everything available in our environment which can satisfy our needs, provided, it is
technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as
‘Resource’.

How are Resources Classified

Resources can be classified in the following ways
1) On the basis of origin – biotic and abiotic
2) On the basis of exhaustibility – renewable and non-renewable
3) On the basis of ownership – individual, community, national and international
4) On the basis of status of development – potential, developed stock and reserves.

On the Basis of Origin

1. Biotic Resources:
• These resources are obtained from biosphere and have life
• Eg: Human beings, flora and fauna, fisheries, livestock etc.
2. Abiotic Resources:
• All those things which are non-living are called abiotic resources.
• Eg: rocks and metals.
On the Basis of Exhaustibility
1. Renewable Resources:
• The resources which can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical or mechanical
processes are known as renewable resources.
• Eg: solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc.
• They can be further classified into Continuous and Flow
2. Non-Renewable Resources:
• Those resources which cannot be reproduced are called Non renewable resources.
• These resources take millions of years to form again.
• Eg: Minerals and fossil fuels
• They can be further classified into Recyclable and Non Recyclable

On the Basis of Ownership

1. Individual Resources:
• Those resources that are owned by individuals called as Individual resources.
• Eg: Rural area – Farm land, tractor, farm well, houses
Urban area – Houses, property, car
2. Community Owned Resources:
• There are resources which are used by all the members of the community.
• Eg: Rural area - grazing grounds, burial grounds, village ponds, common well
Urban area - public parks, picnic spots, playgrounds.
3. National Resources:
• Technically, all the resources belong to the nation.
• The country has legal powers to acquire even private property for public good.
• Urban Development Authorities is empowered by the government to acquire land.
• Other things like roads, canals, railways considered as National resources
• All the minerals, water resources, forests, wildlife, land within the political boundaries
and oceanic area up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast termed as territorial
water also belongs to Nation
4. International Resources:
• There are international institutions which regulate some resources.
• Eg: Oceanic resources beyond 200 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone belong
to open ocean. No individual country can utilise these without the approval of
international institutions.
• India has got the right to mine manganese nodules from the bed of the Indian Ocean
from that area which is beyond the exclusive economic zone.

On the Basis of the Status of Development

1. Potential Resources:
• Resources which are found in a region, but not been utilised, are called as potential
resources.
• Eg: Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous wind and solar energy, but so far these have
not been used.
2. Developed Resources:
• Resources which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined are
called as Developed resources.
3. Stock:
• Those resources which can satisfy human needs but humans do not have the appropriate
technology to access them are termed as stock.
4. Reserves:
• Reserves are the subset of the stock
• These resources can be used with the help of existing technology but their use has not
been started.
• These are reserved for meeting future requirements.

Explain the major problem caused by indiscriminate use of Resources

• Humans using the resources indiscriminately and this has led to the major problems.
i. Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of a few individuals.
ii. Accumulation of resources in few hands, which let to the division of society into two -
haves and have nots (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.

Why is sustainable existence/ sustainable development essential?

• An equal distribution of resources is essential for a sustained quality of life and global peace.
• If the present trend of resource depletion by a few individuals and few countries continues,
the future of our planet is in danger.
• Therefore, sustainable existence is essential for all forms of life.
What is Sustainable development?
• Sustainable development means ‘development should take place without damaging the
environment, and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of the
future generations.’

Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, 1992

• In June 1992, more than 100 leaders from different countries met in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, for
the first International Earth Summit.
• It was addressing about the urgent problems of environmental protection and socioeconomic
development at the global level.
• They signed the Declaration on Global Climatic Change and Biological Diversity and adopted
Agenda 21 for achieving Sustainable Development in the 21st century.

• Agenda 21 & Its objective

• It is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• It aims was to combat environmental damage, poverty, disease through global co-
operation on common interests, mutual needs and shared responsibilities.

What Gandhi said about Resource conservation?

• Gandhi said about resource conservation as “There is enough for everybody’s need and not for
any body’s greed.”
• He said the greedy and selfish individuals and exploitative nature of modern technology as the
root cause for resource depletion at the global level.
• He was against mass production and wanted the production done by the masses.
One Mark Facts:
i. 1968 - Club of Rome – first to advocated resource conservation.
ii. 1974 - Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful presented Gandhian philosophy
iii. 1987 - Brundtland Commission Report - contribution to resource conservation at the global
level. This report introduced the concept of ‘Sustainable Development’ published in a book,
Our Common Future.
iv. 1992 - Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – adopted Agenda 21

Why is Resource Planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources? (OR)
Why is Resource Planning essential/important for the country like India? (OR)
Why is balanced resource planning at the National, State and Local levels required
• Resource planning is important in a country like India with enormous diversity of resources.
• There are regions which are rich in certain types of resources but are deficient in some other
resources.
• There are some regions which can be considered self sufficient in certain resources and some
regions which have acute shortage of certain resources.
• Eg: states of JK, CH & MP are rich in minerals and coal deposits.
AR have enormous water resources but lacks in infrastructure where as RJ have
enormous solar and wind energy but lacks in water resources.
Cold desert of Ladakh have very rich cultural heritage but deficient in water,
infrastructure and some important minerals.
• This is why, balanced resource planning at the national, state and local levels is required.
Resource Planning in India is a complex process – Explain (OR) How is resource planning
done in India?
• Resource Planning in India is a complex process which involves :
i. Identification and inventory of resources.
This involves surveying, mapping and qualitative and quantitative estimation and
measurement of the resources.
ii. Evolving a planning structure with appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up.
iii. Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.

Mere availability of resources in the absence of appropriate technology and institutions may
hinder development – Explain (OR) Resources can contribute to development only when
they are accompanied by appropriate technology and institutional setup - Justify
• There are many regions in our country that are rich in resources but economically backward
regions and there are some regions which have poor resources but economically developed.
• The history of colonisation shows that the higher level of technological development of the
colonising countries, helped them to exploit resources in the colonies with their supremacy.
• Therefore, resources can contribute to development only when they are accompanied by
appropriate technology and institutional changes.
• Therefore, in India, development does not only involve in the availability of resources, but also
the technology and quality of human resources.

Factors that determine the Land usage in India -

Physical factors - topography, climate, soil types
Human factors - population density, technological capability, culture and traditions
Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km.
Area not surveyed - most of the north-east states except Assam (meaning Assam is surveyed),
some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China

Land Distribution in India

i. Plains 43% - Used for Agriculture and Industries
ii. Mountains 30% - Source for perennial rivers and tourism
iii. Plateau 27% - Rich in mineral, fossil and forest resources

Explain about the Land utilisation in India?

Land resources are used for the following purposes:
1. Forests
2. Land not available for cultivation
i. Barren and waste land
ii. Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g. buildings, roads, factories, etc.
3. Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land)
i. Permanent pastures and grazing land
ii. Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net sown area)
iii. Cultruable waste land (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years)
4. Fallow lands
i. Current fallow-(left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year)
ii. Other than current fallow-(left uncultivated for the past 1 to 5 agricultural years)
5. Net sown Area
i. Area sown more than once in an agricultural year + net sown area is known as gross
cropped area.
Explain about the Net Sown Area
• Most of the other than the current fallow lands are either 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
• If these are included in the net sown area then the percentage of NSA in India comes to about
54% of the total reporting area.
• The pattern of net sown area 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 and Andaman Nicobar Islands.

What is National Forest Policy? Why is it essential?

• National Forest Policy is adopted in 1952.
• According to it, 33% of geographical area should be under forest cover.
• It was considered essential for
 maintenance of the ecological balance.
 The livelihood of millions of tribal groups depends upon it.
What is Land Degradation? How are Land degradation caused?
• Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to
conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation.
• Human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying caused severe land
degradation.
• JK, CH, MP, OD – Deforestation due to mining caused severe land degradation.
Mining sites always leave deep scars and traces on land.
• GJ, RJ, MP, MH - Overgrazing is the main reasons for land degradation.
• PJ, HR, Western UP - Over irrigation is the main reason land degradation
It let to water logging and increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil.
• The mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and
soapstone for ceramic industry generate huge quantity of dust which slow down the process of
infiltration of water into the soil
• Industrial effluents also a major source of land and water pollution

How can we Conserve Land degradation? (OR) Suggest some steps to conserver
Land degradation
Some important ways to conserver land are
a) Afforestation
b) Proper management of grazing & control on over grazing
c) Planting of shelter belts of plants
d) Stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes
e) Proper management of waste lands
f) Control of mining activities
g) Treating industrial effluents and wastes before the disposal to reduce the toxicity
What are the factors that causes Soil Formation
• Relief, parent rock or bed rock, climate, vegetation and other various forces of nature such as
change in temperature, actions of running water, wind and glaciers, activities of decomposers,
chemical and organic changes etc. contribute to the formation of soil.
• On the basis of the factors responsible for soil formation, colour, thickness, texture, age,
chemical and physical properties of the soil varies.

Classification of Soils in India

Alluvial Soil Laterite Soil
Black Soil Arid Soil
Red and Yellow Soil Forest and Mountain Soil

Distinguish between Bangar and Khadar

Bangar Khadar
a. These are old alluvial soil a. These are new alluvial soil
b. It has higher Kanker nodules b. It has lower Kanker nodules
c. it has less fine particle c. It has more fine particle
d. It is less fertile than Khadar d. It is more fertile than Bangar
Alluvial Soil:
• Significance:
 The most widely spread and important soil.
 Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely
populated.
• Found in
 the entire northern plains - deposited by three important Himalayan river systems– the
Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
 extend in Rajasthan and Gujarat through a narrow corridor.
 in the eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the
Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.
• Texture:
 consists of various proportions of sand, silt and clay.
 Towards the inland of the river valley, soil particles appear some what bigger in size.
 In the upper reach of the river valley the soils are coarse. Such soils are more common in
piedmont plains such as Duars, Chos and Terai.
• Types:
 Based on their age, classified as old alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar).
• Nutrient and Mineral present:
 Alluvial soils as a whole are very fertile.
 Have adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime
 Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline and can be productive after proper treatment
and irrigation.
• Crops grown:
 ideal for sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops.
Black Soil :
• Significance:
 These soils are black in colour and are also known as regur soils.
 Ideal for growing cotton, hence called as black cotton soil.
 Climatic condition along with the parent rock material are the important factors for the
formation of black soil.
• Found in:
 This type of soil is typical in the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan
plateau and is made up of lava flows.
 It covers the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh
 Extend in the south east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.
• Texture:
 Made of extremely fine clayey material.
 Well-known for their capacity to hold moisture.
 They develop deep cracks during hot weather. This helps in the proper aeration of the soil.
 These soils are sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless tilled immediately after the
first shower or during the pre-monsoon period.
• Nutrient and Mineral present:
 Rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime.
 Poor in phosphoric contents.
Red and Yellow Soils
• Found in:
 Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and
southern parts of the Deccan plateau.
 Also found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain and
along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats.
• Texture:
 These soils develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and
metamorphic rocks.
 It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.

Arid Soils
• Texture:
 Color - range from red to brown
 Generally sandy in texture and saline in nature.
 In some areas the salt content is very high and common salt is obtained by evaporating
the water.
• Nutrient and Minerals present:
 Due to the dry climate, high temperature, evaporation is faster and the soil lacks humus
and moisture.
 At the lower horizons of the soil, Kankar layer is formed because of the increasing calcium
content downwards. This, restrict the infiltration of water.
• After proper irrigation, these soils become cultivable in western Rajasthan.
Laterite Soil
• Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘later’ which means brick.
• Found in :
 Develop in the region of tropical and subtropical climate with alternate wet and dry
season.
 This soil is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain.
 Found in southern states, Western Ghats region of Maharashtra, Odisha, some parts of
West Bengal and North-east regions.
 They are prone to erosion and degradation due to their position on the landscape
• Nutrient and Mineral present:
 They are mostly deep to very deep, acidic (pH<6.0)
 Deficient in plant nutrients
 In the region of deciduous and evergreen forests, it is rich in humus where as in semi-arid
region, it is poor in humus
• Crops grown:
 in the hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - After adopting appropriate soil
conservation techniques, these soil used for growing tea and coffee.
 in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala - Red laterite soils are more suitable for crops
like cashew nut.
Forest Soils
• Found in:
 hilly and mountainous areas where sufficient rain forests are available.
• Texture:
 Texture varies according to the mountain environment
 They are loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes.
 In the snow covered areas of Himalayas, they are acidic with low humus content.
 The soils found in the lower parts of the valleys particularly on the river terraces and
alluvial fans are fertile.

Soil Erosion
• The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is reffered as soil erosion.
• Gullies or Gully Erosion:
• The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels called as gullies.
• Sheet Erosion:
• Water flows as a sheet over large areas down the slope and wash away the top soil This is
known as sheet erosion.
• Wind Erosion:
• Wind blows away the loose soil on the top surface of the land is known as wind erosion.
• Soil erosion is also caused due to defective methods of farming. Ploughing up and down in the
slope let to the quick flow of water causing soil erosion.
• The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land. In the Chambal basin such
lands are called ravines.
Soil Conservation Methods
• In Hilly area:
• Contour Ploughing:
• Ploughing up and down in the slope let to the quick flow of water causing soil
erosion.
• Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes.
This is called contour ploughing.
• Terrace Farming:
• Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces.
• Terrace cultivation restricts erosion.
• Western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming.
• Grasslands and Plains
• Strip Cropping
• Large fields can be divided into strips and grass are left to grow in these strips
between the crops.
• This breaks up the force of the wind.
• This method is known as strip cropping.
• In Desert region
• Shelter Belts:
• Planting lines of trees to create shelter also breaks up the force of wind.
• They are called as shelter belts.
• These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilisation of sand dunes in
western desert region.
Facts for One Mark
I. The village of Sukhomajri and the district of Jhabua have shown that it is possible to reverse
land degradation.
II. With people being made the decision-makers by the Madhya Pradesh government, 2.9
million hectares or about 1% of India’s land area, are being greened.

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

Multiple choice questions.

1. Which one of the following type of resource is iron ore?
(a) Renewable (c) Flow (b) Biotic (d) Non-renewable

2. Under which of the following type of resource tidal energy cannot be put?
(a) Replenishable (c) Abiotic (b) Human-made (d) Non-recyclable

3. Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab?
(a) Intensive cultivation (c) Over irrigation (b) Deforestation (d) Overgrazing

4. In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practised?

(a) Punjab (c) Haryana (b) Plains of Uttar Pradesh (d) Uttarakhand

5. In which of the following states black soil is predominantly found?

(a) Jammu and Kashmir (c) Rajasthan (b) Maharashtra (d) Jharkhand
Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
1. Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in it. Pg: 13
2. What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast? Give three main
features of this type of soil. Pg: 12
3. What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas? Pg: 17
4. What are the biotic and abiotic resources? Give some examples. Pg: 1

Answer the following questions in about 120 words.

1. Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much
since 1960-61?
2. How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?