Resources and Development

Resources are everything in our environment that can satisfy our needs, provided they are technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable. This chapter classifies resources by origin (biotic and abiotic), exhaustibility (renewable and non-renewable), ownership (individual, community, national and international) and status of development (potential, developed, stock and reserves). It explains why indiscriminate use has caused depletion and global ecological crises, and how sustainable development and resource planning, first stressed at the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit through Agenda 21, can meet present needs without harming future generations. Land is a basic resource. India's relief is about 43% plains, 30% mountains and 27% plateaus. You will study land use patterns, land degradation caused by mining, overgrazing, deforestation and over-irrigation, and conservation measures. The chapter then covers the major soil types of India: alluvial, black, red and yellow, laterite, arid and forest soils. You will learn where each is found, its properties and crops, and how soil erosion by gullies, sheet wash and wind can be controlled by contour ploughing, terracing, strip cropping and shelter belts.

Detailed Worksheet: Resources and Development Section A - Definitions (10 marks) 1. What is a resource? State the three conditions that make something a resource. (2 marks) 2. Distinguish between stock and reserves with one example each. (2 marks) 3. What is sustainable development? (2 marks) 4. What is 'regur' soil? Why is it suitable for cotton? (2 marks) 5. What is meant by net sown area and gross cropped area? (2 marks) Section B - Calculations and Applications (15 marks) 6. India's total geographical area is about 328.7 million hectares. Using the illustrative data, net sown area 140 million ha, forests 72 million ha, barren and wasteland 17 million ha, area under non-agricultural uses 26 million ha. Calculate each as a percentage of the total area, correct to one decimal place. (3 marks) 7. According to the National Forest Policy of 1952, 33% of the geographical area should be under forest. If India's forest area is about 22% of 328.7 million ha, calculate the actual forest area and the additional area needed to reach the target. (3 marks) 8. India's relief is about 43% plains, 30% mountains and 27% plateaus. Calculate the area under each in million hectares, using a total of 328.7 million ha. Explain one advantage of each landform. (3 marks) 9. A farmer has 6 hectares. Sheet erosion removes about 2 mm of topsoil each year. If the topsoil is 30 cm deep, how many years will it take to lose all of it? Suggest two measures to stop this erosion. (3 marks) 10. The illustrative net sown area is 82% in Punjab, 79% in Haryana and 8% in Arunachal Pradesh. Explain the reasons for these differences. If Punjab's area is 50.4 lakh ha, calculate its net sown area. (3 marks) Section C - Diagrams (10 marks) 11. Draw an outline map of India and mark the regions of alluvial soil, black soil, red and yellow soil, and laterite soil. (4 marks) 12. Draw a flowchart showing the classification of resources on the basis of origin, exhaustibility, ownership and status of development. (3 marks) 13. Draw labelled sketches showing contour ploughing, terrace farming and strip cropping. (3 marks) Section D - Analysis and Higher-order Thinking (15 marks) 14. 'There is enough for everybody's need and not for anybody's greed.' Explain Gandhiji's view and relate it to resource conservation and sustainable development. (5 marks) 15. Why is resource planning important in a country like India? Explain the three steps of resource planning with examples of regions rich in some resources but poor in others. (5 marks) 16. Explain the causes of land degradation in different parts of India and suggest suitable measures to solve the problem. (5 marks) Instructions: Time allowed 2 hours. Attempt all sections. Use India's real land-use and relief data where asked. Draw maps and sketches neatly with labels.