1

1) Resource: - Everything

available in our environment

that is used to satisfy human

needs is called a resource. For

example minerals water soil

etc. and name the metal

obtained from it.

2) Continuous Resources: - If
the resources are available
always on a place it is called
continuous resource.
Continuous resources are
those that will virtually
always exist. They include
solar energy, rainfall, wind
and wave action.

3) Flow Resource: - If the

resources are available during
a particular time on a place it
is called flow. It does not
remain in one location and
moves about because of
natural actions in the physical
environment. Therefore, it
must be used when and
where it occurs. For Example
running water, solar
radiation, wind, and tides.
 2

4) Agenda 21: - It is the

declaration signed by world
leaders in 1992 at the United
Nations Conference on
Environment and
Development (UNCED), which
took place at Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. It aims at achieving
global sustainable
development. One major
objective of the Agenda 21 is
that every local government
should draw its own local
Agenda 21.
 3

Q. 1 What is the role of human in resource development? Or

Do you think that resources are the free gift of nature as you mean by many with arguments. Or
Explain the role of humans in resource development? (NCERT Page No. 1) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Resources are a function of
human activities.
2) Human beings interact with
nature through technology
and create institutions to
accelerate their economic
development.
3) Human beings transfer
materials available in our
environment into resource
and use them. For example
river is a natural substance
and it becomes resource when
its water is used for irrigation
or power generation.

Q. 2 Give the difference between followings:

a) Biotic and abiotic resources. (NCERT Page No. 1 & 2) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

They are usually obtained from the lithosphere,

1. These are obtained from biosphere.
atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
All those things which are composed of non-
2. They have life are capable of reproduction.
living things are called abiotic resources.
3. Human beings, flora and fauna, fisheries, Water, air, soil, sunlight, and minerals rocks and
livestock etc. are the examples. metals etc. are the examples.
 4
b) Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources. (NCERT Page No. 1 & 2) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

The resources which can be renewed or reproduced

These occur over a very long geological
by physical, chemical or mechanical processes
time. These resources take millions of
within short span of time are known as renewable
years in their formation.
or replenishable resources.
On the basis of the availability on a particular place,
the renewable resource may further be divided into On the basis of usability these resources
continuous or flow. (If they available always on a can be divided into recyclable like
place it is called continue, if they available during a metals and non- recyclable like fossil
particular time on a place it is called flow) fuels.
The Solar and wind energy, water, forests and Minerals and fossil fuels, natural gas etc.
wildlife, etc. are examples of such resources. are examples of such resources.

Q. 3 Classify the Resources:-

a) On the basis of Ownership. (NCERT Page No. 1 & 2 ) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

1) Individual Resources: -
These are also owned/
managed/ run/ controlled by
privately by individuals.
Plantation, pasture lands,
ponds, water in wells etc. are
some of the examples of
resources ownership by
individuals.
 5

2) Community Owned

Resources: - These are also

owned/ managed/ run/
controlled by all the members
of the community. Resources
like grazing grounds, burial
grounds and village ponds in
rural areas and public parks,
picnic spots and playgrounds
in urban areas etc. some of the
examples of these resources.

3) National Resources: -
Technically, all the resources
belong to the nation as the
country has legal powers to
acquire even private property
for public good. 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
and resources therein belong
to the nation.

4) International Resources: -
There are international
institutions which regulate
some resources. The oceanic
resources beyond 200 nautical
miles of the Exclusive
Economic Zone belong to open
ocean and no individual
country can utilise these
without the concurrence of
international institutions.
 6
b) On the Basis of state of Development. (NCERT Page No. 1, 2 & 3) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Potential Resources: -
Resources which are found in
a region, but have not been
developed. For example, the
western parts of India
particularly Rajasthan and
Gujarat have enormous
potential for the development
of wind and solar energy, but
so far these have not been
utilised properly.

2) Developed Resources: -

Resources which are surveyed

and their quality and quantity

have been determined for

utilisation. The development

of resources depends on

technology and level of their

feasibility.

3) Stock: - It includes the

materials in the environment
which have the potential to
satisfy human needs but not
utilized due to lack of
appropriate technology. For
example, water is a
compound of two gases;
hydrogen and oxygen.
Hydrogen can be used as a
rich source of energy. But we
do not have advanced
technical ‘know-how’ to use it
for this purpose.
 7

4) Reserves: - They are the

subset of the stock, which can
be put into use with the help
of existing technical ‘know-
how’ but their use has not
been started. These can be
used for meeting future
requirements. For e.g. river
water can be used for
generating hydroelectric
power but presently, it is
being utilised only to a limited
extent.

Q. 4 Why do weed need to develop the Resources? (NCERT Page No. 3) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

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

2) Accumulation of resources in
few hands, which, in turn,
divided the society into two
segments i.e. haves and have
nots or rich and poor.
3) Indiscriminate exploitation of
resources has led to global
ecological crises such as,
global warming, ozone layer
depletion, environmental
pollution and land
degradation.
4) 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 a few individuals and
countries continues, the future of our planet is in danger.

Q. 5 ‘Planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources’. Explain. Or
‘Planning of resources is very important in a country like India’. Analyse the statement. Or
Give the importance of resource planning in India. Or
In India, there are regions which are rich in certain types of resources but are deficient in others. Explain
the statement. (NCERT Page No. 4) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

1) The states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are rich in minerals and coal deposits but
lacks in economic development.
 8
2) Arunachal Pradesh has
abundance of water
resources but lacks in
infrastructural development.
3) The state of Rajasthan is very
well endowed with solar and
wind energy but lacks in
water resources.
4) The cold desert of Ladakh is
relatively isolated from the
rest of the country. It has very
rich cultural heritage but it is
deficient in water,
infrastructure and some
important minerals.
Q. 6 What is resource planning? Mention the steps of resource planning in India. Or
Resource planning is a complex process. Mention the three steps/stages involved in resource planning
in India. (NCERT Page No. 4) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Identification: - This means
identification and inventory
of resources across the
regions of the country. This
involves surveying, mapping
and qualitative and
quantitative estimation and
measurement of the
resources.

2) Evolving a Planning

Structure: - This can be done

with appropriate technology,

skill and institutional set up

for implementing resource

development plans.
 9

3) Matching: - This process

involves matching the

resource development plans

with overall national

development plans.

Q. 7 What is the importance of natural resources? (NCERT Page No. 4) (3)

 Answer Key Points: -
1) Resources are used to satisfy
human needs.
2) Resources are the base of
economic development for
example water, fossil fuels,
solar energy etc. is required
for power generation.
3) Resources are vital for human
survival as well as
maintaining the quality of life.
4) Land is a natural source which
supports natural vegetation,
wildlife, human life and all
economic activities.
5) Water is another natural
resource essential for human, plant and wildlife.

Q. 8 Why is there a need to conserve the resources? What was Gandhiji’s opinion regarding the
conservation of resources. Or
‘Irrational consumption and over-utilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental
problems’. How? Or
Why should we use natural resources properly and judiciously? Or
What is the importance of natural resources? Why is it necessary to conserve them? Or
Resources are vital for any developmental activity? Explain the statement. Or
“There is enough for everybody’s need and not for any body’s greed.” Who said the statement and why?
(NCERT Page No. 4 & 5) (5)
 Answer Key Points: -
 10

1) Limited Availability: - The

total volume of workable
mineral deposits is very low
i.e. 1% of the Earth's crust.
Most of the sources have
limited supply as compared to
the demand for example
supply of the fossil fuels and
minerals.

2) Increasing Costs with

Increasing Population: - Rich
mineral deposits are our
country's extremely valuable
but short-lived possessions.
Increasing demands with
increasing population leads to
continue extraction of
minerals which have created
pressure on natural resources.

3) Long Time to Form: - Most of

the sources are non-

renewable and non-

replenishable resources as

they take millions of years to

be formed.
 11

4) To Overcome Socio-
Economic Problems: - Loss of
resources has an adverse
impact on forest dependent
communities who directly
depend on various
components of the forest and
wildlife of food, drink,
medicine and culture etc.

5) Sustainable Development: -

We have to conserve resources

for sustainable development.

It include carefully use of

natural resources by keeping

in mind the needs of future

generations.

6) Industrial Development: -
Most of the industries are
dependent on different types
of mineral materials as raw
materials and source of
energy, so for a proper
industrial development we
need resources.
 12

7) To Control Over Pollution: -

Over utilisation of natural

resources can lead to

environmental pollution e.g.

overuse of fossil fuels are the

major factor responsible for

global warming.

Q. 9 ‘Land is the utmost important natural resource.’ Analyse the statement. (NCERT Page No. 5) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) All human economic activities

are performed on land.

2) It supports natural vegetation

and wildlife.

3) Most of the minerals are

formed in land.

4) It is used for transport and

communication.

Q. 10 India has land under a variety of relief features. Analyse the statement. (NCERT Page No. 5) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) About 43% of land area is
plain, which provides facilities
for agriculture and industry.
2) Mountains account for 30%
(10.6 % Mountains 18.5% Hills)
of the total surface area of the
country and provide water to
make them perennial rivers
and provide facilities for
tourism and help in ecological
balance.
3) About 27% of the area of the
country is the plateau region
which is rich reserves of the
 13
minerals, fossil fuels and forests.

Q. 11 Give the land utilisation under different purposes in India. (NCERT Page No. 5) (5)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Forests: - Area dominated by
trees is called forest.
According to the 2019 report
about 21% area of India is
under forests.
2) Land not Available For
Cultivation: - It has two
categories:
(a)Barren and waste land
(b) Land put to non-
agricultural uses, e.g.
buildings, roads, factories, etc.
3) Other Uncultivated Land
(Excluding Fallow Land): - It
has three categories:
(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: - It is divided
into two categories:
(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 used
for cultivation is called net
sown area.
6) Gross Cropped Area: - Area
sown more than once in an
agricultural year plus net sown
area is known as gross
cropped area.

Q. 12 How are we able to feed our huge cattle population on the pasture land and what are the
consequences of it? (NCERT Page No. 6) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
 14
1) Cattle population is fed on
decreased area of pasture
lands by deforestation to
acquire new pastures and
utilising modern technology to
procure animal feed.
2) The consequences of
decreased pasture lands are
the increasing strains placed
upon farmers practicing
animal husbandry, declining
productivity of cattle and
diversion of forest lands for
grazing.

Q. 13 How over irrigation and mining lead to land degradation? Which states of India face this problem? Or
Human activities have contributed significantly in land degradation. Explain by giving examples. Or
Explain major human activities which are mainly responsible for land degradation in India. Give
suggestions to check land degradation. Or
Give the distribution of land degradation in India. (NCERT Page No. 6 & 7) (5)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Over irrigation leads to
waterlogging which leads to
increase in salinity and
alkalinity in the soil. It is a
major issue in Punjab, Haryana
and Uttar Pradesh.
2) In states like Jharkhand,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh
and Odisha deforestation due
to mining have caused severe
land degradation.
3) In states like Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
and Maharashtra overgrazing
is one of the main reasons for
land degradation.
4) 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.
5) It prevented the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land.

 Measures/ Suggestions to Check Land Degradation: -

 More and more trees should be planted.
 Industrial effluents should be properly disposed before discharge.
 15
 Waste water should not be dumped before proper treatment.
 Mining Activities should be under control.
 Illegal mining should be stopped.

Q. 14 Explain the major factors which are responsible for the formation of soil. Or
Explain any three factors responsible for the formation of soil. (NCERT Page No. 7 & 8) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Relief, parent rock or bedrock,

climate, vegetation and other

forms of life and time are

important factors in the

formation of soil.

2) Various forces of nature such

as change in temperature,

actions of running water, wind

and glaciers, activities of

decomposers, etc. contribute to the formation of soil.

3) Chemical and organic changes which take place in the soil are equally important.

4) Vegetation affects the rate of humus formation.

Q. 15 Give the main features of Alluvial soil. (NCERT Page No. 8 & 10) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Introduction: - These soils are
made up of the materials
deposited by rivers.
2) Texture/ Composition: -
These soils consist of various
proportions of sand, silt and
clay.
3) Quality/ Specialisation: -
These are one of the most
fertile soils of the world. These
also support nearly half of the
Indian population.
4) Uses/ Importance: - These soils 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.
 16

5) Areas: - In India, these soils

are found in the Indo-Gangatic

plains, the eastern coastal

plains mainly in the deltas of

the Mahanadi, the Godavari,

the Krishna and the Kaveri

rivers. These are also

extended in Rajasthan and

Gujarat through a narrow

corridor.

Q. 16 Give the main features of Black soil. (NCERT Page No. 8 & 10) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Introduction: - These soils are

made up of weathering of lava

and called ‘Regur’ soil. The

colour of the soil ranges from

deep black to grey.

2) Texture/ Composition: - The

black soils are made up of

extremely fine i.e. clayey

material.

3) Quality/ Specialisation: - They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture and best for the

cultivation of cotton and called black cotton soil.

 17
4) Uses/ importance: - They are
rich in soil nutrients, such as
calcium carbonate,
magnesium, potash and lime
which are ideal for the growth
of wheat, groundnut, chillies,
tobacco and jowar.
5) Areas: - They cover the

plateaus of Maharashtra,

Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya

Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and

extend in the south east

direction along the Godavari

and the Krishna valleys.

Q. 17 Give the differences between the features of Khadar soil and Bhangar soil. (NCERT Page No. 8) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

It is lowland composed of old It is a highland compressed of old

1. Definition
alluvium. alluvium.
It is flooded almost every year and It is always about the level of the flood
2. Deposition
new alluvium is deposited. plains.
It is often characterised by clay soil It often contains calcareous deposits
3. Characteristic
which is very fertile. locally known as kankar.
4. Use It is best for Intensive agriculture. It is not much suited for cultivation.
5. Sub-name It is called ‘bet’ in Punjab. It is known as ‘Dhaya’ in Punjab.
 18
Q. 18 Give the differences between the features of Red & Yellow soil and Laterite soil.
(NCERT Page No. 10) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

Laterite has been derived from the Latin

Red soil is formed due to
Introduction / word ‘later’ which means brick. It is
1 weathering of igneous and
Composition formed by the leaching process in the
metamorphic rocks
heavy rainfall areas of tropical India.
It is highly porous and less fertile It is less fertile, only grass grows on it in
2 Quality
but where it is deep it is fertile. abundance.
3 Texture It is less crystalline. It is crystalline.
It is red in colour due to the It is red in colour due to little clay and
4 Specialisation
presence of iron in it. much gravel of red sand-stones.
They occur in parts of Tamil Nadu, It is found in hills of the Deccan,
5 Areas Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Assam and
and Jharkhand. Meghalaya.

Q. 19 Give the differences between the features of Arid soil and Forest soil. (NCERT Page No. 10 & 11) (3)
 Answer Key Points: -

These soils are found in the areas These soils are found in the hilly and
1 Introduction having low to very low rainfall and mountainous areas where sufficient rain
moderate to high temperature. forests are available.

They are generally sandy in The soils texture varies according to the
2 Texture texture and saline in nature. mountain environment where they are
formed.

Due to the dry climate and high In the high mountain areas due to low
Quality/ temperature, the soil lacks humus humus content they are less fertile but in
3
Specialisation and moisture thus it is less fertile. the lower parts of the valleys, they are
 19
most fertile.

The lower horizons of the soil are They are loamy and silty in valley sides and
4 Composition occupied by Kankar because of the coarse grained in the upper slopes.
increasing calcium content.

They are found in the parts of Mountain Soils in India are mostly found
Gujarat, parts of Madhya Pradesh in the Himalayan regions, Sikkim, Assam,
5 Areas
and western Rajasthan. Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir and also
in the Peninsula, Eastern Ghats and the
summits of Sahyadris.

Q. 20 Explain the different types of Soil Erosion prevailing in India. (NCERT Page No. 11) (5)
 Answer Key Points: -
 Erosion by water: -

1) Sheet Erosion: - Sometimes

the top layer of soil over large

areas is washed away as a

sheet by water flows. This is

known as sheet erosion.

 20

2) Rill Erosion: - It is the first

stage of erosion, in which

small finger like features (less

than three inches) are formed

due to running water.

3) Gulley Erosion: - It is the

second stage of rill erosion.

When the erosion continues

and rills become deeper and

wider up to 12 inches and

convert them into channels.

This is called gully erosion.

 Erosion by Wind: -
The wind erosion is the
removal of soil particles by the
force and kinetic energy of the
wind. Wind is a powerful
agent of erosion in arid and
semi-arid areas with little
rainfall. The wind erosion is
very dangerous type of
erosion because due to wind
most of the deserts of the
world have started expanding.
 21
Q. 21 Explain different methods of Soil Conservation suitable to Indian condition. Or
Explain the measures of Soil Conservation. (NCERT Page No. 11) (5)
 Answer Key Points: -
1) Crop Rotation: - In many
parts of India, a particular
crop is sown in the same field
year after year. This takes
away certain nutrients from
the soil making it infertile.
Rotation of crops helps to
conserve soil fertility as
different crops make different
demands on the soil.

2) Contour Ploughing: -

Ploughing along the contour

lines can decelerate the flow

of water down the slopes. This

is called contour ploughing.

3) Strip Cropping: - Crops may

be cultivated by making strips,
parallel to one another. This
breaks up the force of wind
and water. This also helps in
increasing water absorption
by the soil by slowing down
run off.
 22
4) Terracing and Contour

Bunding: - Terracing and

contour bunding across the
hill slopes is a very effective
and one of the oldest methods
of soil conservation. Hill slope
is cut into a number of
terraces having horizontal top
and steep slopes on the back
and front. Contour bunding
involves the construction of
banks along the contours.

5) Shelter Belts: - A barrier of

trees and shrubs that provides

protection (as for crops) from

wind and storm are planted in

lines is called shelter belts. It

is most effective in

mountainous and desert

areas.

6) Settled Agriculture: -
Shifting cultivation leads to
soil erosion and
environmental degradation.
This method is mainly used by
tribal. Efforts should be made
to persuade tribals to adopt
settled agriculture instead of
shifting cultivation.
 23

Q. 1. Identify at least two resources from each category.

 Answer: - Resource categories and their examples are given below: -

1 Origin Biotic Abiotic Trees, birds Metals, rocks

2 Exhaustibility Renewable Non-renewable Solar energy, wind energy Fossil fuels, minerals
Individual Community owned Land, house Public parks, playgrounds Railway
3 Ownership
National International roads Oceans, polar regions
Nuclear energy, tidal energy Petroleum,
Status of Potential Developed Stock and
4 minerals Water for generating electricity,
development reserve
forests

Q. 2. Do you know that India has got the right to mine manganese nodules from the bed of the Indian
Ocean from that area which lies beyond the exclusive economic zone? Identify some other resources
which are international in nature.
 Answer: - Minerals and oil in the polar regions of the earth are other resources which are
international in nature.

Q. 3. Prepare a list of stock and reserve, resources that you are familiar with from your local area.
 Answer: - Stock items include water (from which hydrogen and oxygen can be derived as rich
sources of energy) is available locally in abundance. The local river water can be harnessed for
generating hydroelectricity by constructing a dam. This is a reserve resource.

Q. 4. Imagine, if the oil supply gets exhausted day, how would this affect life style?
 Answer: - Our life style will be affected as given below: -
a) We will travel to school/office/home by walking, on a bicycle or by a battery operated vehicle.
b) Transportation of materials and goods will be done by bullock-carts, horse-carts or battery operated
trucks whose batteries are charged by solar energy.
c) All work will slow down to the pace which was common in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Q. 5. Plan a survey in your colony/village to investigate people's attitude towards recycling of the
domestic/agricultural wastes. Ask questions about
a) What do they think about resources they use?
b) What is their opinion about the wastes and its utilization?
c) Collage your results.
 Answer: -
(However, ensure that the people surveyed are living in different areas and of different economic
strata (businessmen, employed persons, domestic servants, etc.) so that you get a balanced result.

Q. 6. Prepare a list of resources found in your state and also identify the resources that are important but
deficit in your state.
 24
 Answer: - A number of minerals are found in our state. Some of them are Potassium, Calcium,
Sodium, Coal, Petroleum, Iron ore etc. But all these are not available in abundant quantity. We
have a deficit of coal and bauxite.

Q. 7. What resources are being developed in your surroundings by the community/village

panchayats/ward level communities with the help of community participation?
 Answer: - Biomass energy, bio-gas, water (by digging well), Solar energy (by setting up solar
panels) etc. are developed in our surroundings by the community village panchayats/ ward level
communities with community participation.

Q. 8. Can you name some resource rich but economically backward regions and some resource poor but
economically developed regions? Give reasons for such a situation.
 Answer: -
 Jharkhand state is rich in mineral resources. though, it is economically backward because : -
1) It was originally mostly populated by tribals who were uneducated.
2) Due to the rocky terrain, there is very little agricultural land.
3) Lack of industrial development in earlier times compared with the rest of India.

 The Mumbai region of Maharashtra state is poor in natural resources, but is highly
economically developed due to the following reasons: -
1) It is the commercial hub of India with the maximum amount of local, national and international trade
transactions taking place in India.
2) It has a large number of industries established from a number of years.
3) It has a very efficient transportation system for people and materials.
4) The people living and working there are well-educated and earning the maximum compared to any
other area in India.

Q. 9. Try to do a comparison between the two pie charts in figure below given for land use and find out
why the net sown area and the land under forests have changed from 1960-61 to 2002-03 very
marginally.
 Answer: -
From 1960-61 to 2002-03, the net sown area has reduced from 45.26% to 43.41% and land under forests
has increased from 18.11% to 22.57%. The reason is that area under non-agricultural use has increased
by about 3% from 4.95% in 1960-61 to 7.92% in 2002-03. This consists of buildings roads, etc. due to
increasing urbanization. Also current fallow land has increased from 3.75% to 7.03%, causing reduction
in net sown area.

Q. 10. Find out reasons for the low proportion of net sown area in these states.
 Answer: -
Net sown area in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur is low mainly due to the hilly and rocky
terrain. They are also largely covered by dense forests, which will need to be cut to develop agriculture.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are covered by dense tropical forests and so net sown area is low.
 25

1. Multiple choice questions.

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

(ii) Under which of the following type of resource can tidal energy be put?
(a) Replenishable (b) Human-made (c) Abiotic (d) Non-recyclable

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

(iv) In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practised?

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

(v) In which of the following states is black soil found?

(a) Jammu and Kashmir (b) Gujarat (c) Rajasthan (d) Jharkhand

2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

1) Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in it.
2) What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast?
3) What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
4) What are the biotic and abiotic resources? Give some examples.
 Answers: -
1) Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are states having black soil.
2) Cotton is mainly grown in black soil.
3) Alluvial Soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast.
4) In hilly areas, soil erosion can be controlled by ploughing across contour-lines, making use of terrace
farming techniques and using strips of grasses to check soil erosion by wind and water.

3. 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?
 Answer: -
1) Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, land meant for pasture
and grazing, and waste land.
2) Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas, and land used for other non-agricultural purposes
such as housing, roads and industry.
3) According to the recent data, about 54% of the total land area is cultivable or fallow, 22.78% is
covered by forests, and 3.38% is used for grazing.
4) The rest is waste land, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.
5) The land under forest has not increased since 1960–61 because in the post-independence era demand
for more land to expand agriculture, mainly after Green Revolution, developmental works and
infrastructural facilities, led to clearance of forests areas.
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6) Industrialisation and urbanisation also decreased the forest area. Thus, land under forest has
increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.

2) How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?
 Answer: -
→ Technological development provides sophisticated equipments. As a result, production increases
ultimately leading to consumption of more resources.
→ Technological development also leads to economic development. When the economic condition of a
country rises, the needs of people also rise. It again results into more consumption of resources.
→ Economic development provides favourable environment for the development of latest
technologies. It helps to make or convert various materials found around us into resources. Finally, it
results into the consumption of new available resources too.

Solve the puzzle by following your search horizontally and vertically to find the hidden answers.
1) Natural endowments in the form of land, water, vegetation and minerals.
2) A type of non-renewable resource.
3) Soil with high water retaining capacity.
4) Intensively leached soils of the monsoon climate.
5) Plantation of trees on a large scale to check soil erosion.
6) The Great Plains of India are made up of these soils.
 Answer: -
1) Resources 2) Minerals 3) Black 4) Laterite 5) Afforestation 6) Alluvial