RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT (2024-2025)

TOPIC 1: Introduction
1. What is a Resource? Give two examples.
Ans. a resource is anything that is available in nature which we can use to satisfy
our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and
culturally acceptable. Ex: land and soil
2. Classify resources on the Basis of Origin.
i. Biotic resource: resources which are living and obtained from biosphere
ii. Abiotic resources: resources which are non-living and obtained from outside
biosphere
3. Humans interact with nature through technology and create
institutions to accelerate the economic development.
4. Assertion (A): Biotic resources are those things which are obtained
from biosphere and have life.
Reason (R): Resources are vital for survival of human beings as well
as maintaining quality of life.
a) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the
correct explanation of Assertion (A).
b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is not
the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
c) Assertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false.
d) Assertion (A) is false but Reason (R) is true.
5. Explain the interdependent relationship between nature, technology and
institutions.
Ans. Humans and resources connect nature, technology and institutions. That is to
say, humans collect resources from nature with the help of technology and create
institutions to accelerate development of these resources
6. Classify Resources based on Status of Development
i. Potential: resources which are being used, but not to their full potential
ii. Developed: resources which are being used to their full potential
iii. Stock: resources which are available in nature, but aren’t being used due to
lack of technology
iv. Reserve: resources available in nature, but which aren’t being used to
conserve them for use by future generations
7. Explain the resources based on the ownership
i. Personal: resources owned by a single private individual
ii. Communal: resources which are owned collectively by the entire public of
an area
iii. National: resources owned by the government of a single country
iv. International: resources collectively owned by the entire world
8. Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable resources.
 Renewable Non-renewable
Resources which take less duration Resources which take longer duration
(lower than a human lifetime) to (higher than a human lifetime) to
renew renew
Ex: water, plants Coal, Petroleum
9. Do you think that resources are free-gifts of nature as is assumed by
many? Justify your answer with any three suitable arguments
Ans. no, resources should not be seen as green gifts of nature. If they are seen in
such a way, the following problems will arise:
 Resources will get depleted if continue using them to satisfy the greed of
few individuals
 Resources will be accumulated in the hands of few, which would divide
society into 2 groups: the rich and the poor
 Indiscriminate exploitation of resources will lead to global ecological crises
such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and
land degradation
10. Explain the role of humans in resource development.
Ans. human beings themselves are essential components of resources. They
transform material available in our environment into resources which are usable
TOPIC 2: Development of Resources
1. Define sustainable Development.
Ans. sustainable development is development which neither damages nature nor
compromises needs of future generations
2. List out the importance of Agenda 21.
 Agenda 21 is a declaration signed by the world leaders are the 1992 United
nations conference on environment and development (UNCED)
 It aims at achieving global sustainable development through combating
environmental damage. Poverty and disease through cooperation on
common interest, mutual needs and shared responsibilities.
 A major objective of agenda 21 is that every local government should draw
up its own local agenda 21 which deals with local sustainable development
3. The First International Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro

TOPIC 3: Resource Planning-Planning in India

1. Assertion (A): Resources planning is an easy process in India
Reason (R): Resource planning involves planning structure,
identification and inventory of resources across the region.
a) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the
correct explanation of Assertion (A).
b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is not the
correct explanation of Assertion (A).
c) Assertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false.
 d) Assertion (A) is false and Reason (R) is true.
2. India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource planning
right from the First Five Year Plan launched after Independence
3. Which of the following statement is not correct with reference to
distribution of resources:
a. The states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are
rich in minerals and coal deposits.
b. Arunachal Pradesh lacks in water resources.
c. The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with solar and wind
energy but lacks in water resources.
d. The cold desert of Ladakh has very rich cultural heritage
4. Why is Resource Planning essential in India?
 Resource planning is the widely accepted strategy of judicious use of
resources
 It is important in a country like India which has enormous diversity in
availability of resources.
 That is to say, some regions are rich in some resources, while lack other,
whereas it is the exact opposite in other regions
 Another peculiar case in India is that regions which have resources are
economically backward and lack the technology to use them, whereas
economically developed regions lack resources
5. How are resources linked to colonization?
 Rich natural resources of colonies were the main attraction for foreign
invaders
 Technological development of the colonizing countries helped them to
exploit resources of colonized regions
 Thus, we can interpret from this that availability or resources as well as
technology and quality of human resources are needed for economic
development
6. Explain the stages involved in planning.
i. Identification and inventory of resources across regions in the country.
This involves surveying, mapping and quantitative and qualitative
estimation and measurement or resources
ii. Evolving a planning structure combined with appropriate technology,
skill and institutional structure and institutional set up for implementing
resources development plans.
iii. Matching the resource development plans with overall national
development plans
TOPIC 4: Conservation of Resources
1. “There is enough for everybody's need and not for anybody’s greed”
Statement was given by M. K. Gandhi
2. Gandhian philosophy was once again presented by Schumacher in his
book small is beautiful
3. Which year did the following events take place:

i. Club of Rome advocates for resource conservation: 1968

ii. Earth summit at Rio de Jamario: 1992
iii. Schumacher re-presents Gandhian philosophy through his book
small is beautiful: 1974
iv. Publishing of Brundtland commission report: 1987
4. The Brundtland report introduced the concept of ‘sustainable
development’ through the book Our common future
5. What is the importance of natural resources? Why is it necessary to
conserve them?
 Natural resources are vital components of all developmental
activities
 Over utilization and irrational consumption may lead to socio-
eceonic and environmental problems. To overcome these problems,
resource conservation is required
6. What was Gandhiji’s quote on industrial production of goods?

Ans Gandhiji was against mass production and wanted to replace it with
production by the masses
Topic 5: Land Resources-Land Utilization-Land Use Pattern in
India
7. Differentiate Net sown area and gross cropped year

Net sown area Gross cropped area

The physical extent on which crops Area sown more than once in an
are sown and harvested agricultural area plus net sown area
Only includes area sown at least Includes net sown area along with
once extra area sown after a harvest
Doesn’t depend on how much times Depends om how many times a
a piece of land is cultivated piece of land is cultivated
8. Name any two states which have less than 10% percentage of Net Area
sown.
Ans. Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur
9. Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired percentage of
geographical area.
 The forest cover for a country should ideally be 33% of total
 geographical area for maintenance of ecological balance
 However, in our country, only 23.3% of the area is covered by
forests, which means, not only is pollution increasing, but also the
livelihoods of people depending of forest is also being threatened
10. “Land is a natural resource of utmost importance” Support the
statement.
Ans. We live on land, we perform our economic activities on land and we
use it in different ways. Thus, land is a natural resource of utmost
importance. It supports natural vegetation, wild life, human life, economic
activities, transport and communication systems
11. Explain Land utilization.

Ans. land resources are used for the following purposes:

i. Forests
ii. Land not available for cultivation
(a) Barren and waste land
(b) Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g. buildings, roads, factories,
etc.
iii. Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land)
(a) Permanent pastures and grazing land,
(b) Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net
sown area),
(c) Culturable waste land (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural
years).
iv. 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).
v. Net sown area and gross cropped area
12. Illustrate the land-use pattern in India.

 Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million square kilometers,

however, only 93% of this area is reportable as parts of North Eastern
India and Jammu and Kashmir are unavailable for surveying
 The use of this land is determined both by physical factors
(topography, climate, soil type) as well as Human factors (Population
density and cultural factors)
  Most of India is used for agricultural purposes. However, this defers
from more than 80% in Haryana and Punjab to less than 10% in
Andaman and Manipur
 The forest cover of India is 23.3%, which is less than the ideal 33%,
but still an improvement from contemporary India
 The pasture land has decreased, which is a negative
 The current fallow has increased, while wastelands and other fallow
have decreased which are both positives.
Topic 6: Land Degradation and Conservation Measures
13. In Which of the following states, deforestation due to mining is the
prime cause for land degradation
a) Odisha, Gujarat
b) Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh
c) Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh
d) Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat
14. Name any two states where over grazing is responsible for land
degradation.
Ans, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat
15. State the most concerned factor for deforestation in Madhya Pradesh.

Ans. Mining and Overgrazing

16. How is over irrigation responsible for land degradation? Which states
of India face this problem?
 Overirrigation causes water lodging, leading to increase in alkalinity
and salinity in soil, leading to degradation
 This is a common cause of land degradation in the states of Haryana,
western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab
17. “Human activities are mainly responsible for land degradation in
India”. Support the statement.
i. Deforestation, overgrazing and expansion of mining and quarrying
operations have contributed to land degradation
ii. Due to mining and quarrying, certain long-lasting scars are left on
land which cause land degradation
iii. Mineral processing is also responsible for land degradation. For
example, limestone grinding for cement generates a lot of dust which
makes soil lose its water holding capacity
iv. Dumpage of industrial effluents has also caused land degradation in
many areas
v. Over irrigation causes soil to become alkaline ad saline, causing
degradation
18. List measures which can be taken to conserve land

i. Afforestation and proper management of lands

ii. Discharge of industrial wastes after proper treatment
iii. Control over mining activities
iv. Planting of shelter belts in arid areas
v. Control on overgrazing
vi. Managing waste lands
Topic 7: Soil as a Resource
19. What are the main factors affecting the formation of soil?

Nas. Relied, parent rock, climate, vegetation, living organism,

temperature, action of running eater, wind, glacial activity, decomposition,
chemical and organic changes are factors affecting soil formation
20. Describe in detail about alluvial soil.

 It is mostly found in river valleys of the Northern Plains (Indus,

Ganga, Brahmaputra), parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, in Eastern
coastal plains, especially in the deltas of Peninsular rivers
(Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri).
 It is made up of silt, sand and clay. It is rich in nutrients like potash,
phosphoric acid and lime.
 It is suitable for growing paddy, wheat, sugarcane and other cereal
and pulse crops.
 It more common in the piedmont plains that are at the foothills such
as Duars, Chos and Terai.
 On the basis of age, it can be categorized as Bangar (old alluvial)
and Khadar (new alluvial), Bangar soil is coarse but Khadar soil has
fine particles and is more fertile. Bangår contains Kankar nodules.
 Alluvial soil in the drier areas is more alkaline and need fertilizers
and good irrigation.
 The particles of this soil is bigger towards the river valleys and this
soil is coarse in upper reaches of valley
21. Explain in detail about black Soil.

 It is found in the Deccan trap (Basalt) region and is made up of lava

flows.
 Iry covers the plateau areas of Saurashtra, Maharashtra, Malwa,
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and also lies along the valleys of the
 Godavari and Krishna rivers.
 It is made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material and suitable for
growing cotton.
 It is rich in nutrients like calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate,
potash and lime, but is poor in phosphoric content.
 It develops deep cracks during the hot summer, which helps in
aeration of the soil. It becomes sticky (due to their capacity to hold
moisture retention) when wet and becomes difficult to be tilled.
22. Briefly explain about red and yellow soil.

 It is red in colour due to diffusion of iron particle into crystalline and

metamorphic rocks in low rainfall areas of the Deccan plateau (Eastern
and Southern parts).
 It turns yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.
 It is found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Southern parts of Middle
Ganga Plain and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats.
23. Explain about Laterite soil in detail

 It is formed in areas of high temperature and heavy rainfall resulting

in intense leaching' due to heavy rains.
 It supports deciduous, evergreen forests as it is rich in humus.
However, at some places it is poor in humus due to semi-arid
environment.
 It is found mostly in Western Ghats region of Maharashtra, Odisha,
some parts of West Bengal and North-East regions
 It is more acidic with pH < 6.0 and deficient in plant nutrients.
 It can be made cultivable with adequate amounts of manure and
chemical fertilizers.
 In hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, tea and coffee is
grown in this soil.
 Red laterite soil is found in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh
and it is suitable for growing cashew nuts.
24. What are arid and forest soils?

Arid Soil:
 It is sandy in texture, red to brown in color and saline in nature.
 It lacks humus and moisture due to dry climate, high temperature and
faster rate of evaporation.
 It can be useful for cultivation only with suitable irrigation methods
as in case of Western Rajasthan.
  Kakar are found in the lower horizons of this soil. It is due to
increasing calcium content downwards, which restrict the infiltration
of water.

Forest Soils
 It varies in texture from loamy and silty in valley sides to coarse
grained in the upper slopes.

 Due to lack of forest cover in the snow covered area of Himalayas, it

is acidic with low humus content due to denudation.
 It is found in lower parts of valleys particularly on the river terraces

Topic 8: Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

25. What is soil erosion? Illustrate the major types of soil erosion
prevailing in India.
Ans. the removal of the top layer of soil is called soil erosion.it is caused
due to the following reasons
i. wind erosion: removal of topsoil due to harsh winds. Also causes
desertification, i.e., spread of sands from desserts to other areas
ii. Sheet erosion: removal of a large surface of top soil when water
flows through
iii. Gully erosion: occurs when water flows through clayey soil, forming
deep channels and transforming it into wastelands
iv. Bad agricultural activities such as unscientific ploughing,
overirrigation and overgrazing
v. Human activities such as mining and deforestation
26. Why is conservation of soil essential?

Nas. Soil is used for various purposes such as farming, building, resource
gathering, etc. not only this, it provides us with oxygen in the form of
harboring trees. Without soil none of these are possible and humanity will
dies. Thus, to prevent this, we must conserve soil
27. List out methods of soil conservation.

Ans. Strip cropping, Shelter belts, Contour ploughing, Terrace farming,

controlled overgrazing, afforestation