NCERT RESOURCES & DEVELOPMENT

NCERT RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT

CLASS X

GEOGRAPHY

CHAPTER 01

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

Q.1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:

(i) Which of the following types of resource is iron-ore?

(a) Renewable (b) Biotic (c) Flow (d) Non-renewable

Ans. (d) Non-renewable

(ii) Under which of the following types of resource can tidal energy be put?

(a) Replenishable (b) Human-made (c) Abiotic (d) Non-recyclable

Ans. (a) Replenishable

(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

Ans. (c) Over-irrigation

(iv) Which of the following types of soil is found in the river deltas of the Eastern Coast?

(a) Black soil (b) Laterite soil (c) Red soil (d) Alluvial soil

Ans. (d) Alluvial soil

(v) In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practiced?

(a) Punjab (b) Plains of Uttar Pradesh

(c) Haryana (d) Uttarakhand

Ans. (d) Uttarakhand

Q.2. Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) Which soil is ideal for growing cotton?

Ans. Black soil is ideal for growing cotton and so it is also known as black cotton soil/Regur Soil..

(ii) Name three states having black soil.

Ans. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are three states having black soil.

Q.3. What are Biotic and abiotic resources, Give some examples.

                                                     OR

Classify resources on the basis of origin. Explain them in brief along with examples.

Ans. On the basis of origin, resources can be classified into biotic and abiotic resources.

Biotic resources are substances obtained from living beings. They include flora, i.e.,

vegetation, fauna, i.e., birds, fishes, domestic and wild life as well as human beings. Everything

within the biosphere, which has some utility for man, is a biotic resource.

Abiotic resources are composed of non-living substances. They include air, water, land or soil,

rocks and minerals in the earth’s crust. They occur as solid, liquid or gaseous materials on the

earth and its atmosphere.

Q.4. Explain the land use pattern of India and why has land under forest not increased much

since 1960–61. What is the impact of the decrease of land under permanent pastures?

Ans. The total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq. km. Land use data are available for only

93 per cent of the total area because land use reporting for most of the north-eastern states

except Assam have not been fully done and the areas of Jammu and Kashmir under occupation

of our neighbouring countries could not be surveyed. The present land use pattern shows :

(i) Forests – 22.57 percent much below the desired 33 percent as outlined in the National

Forest Policy of 1952.

(ii) Land not available for cultivation

(a) Barren and wasteland – 6.29 percent

(b) Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g., buildings, roads, factories, etc. 7.92 percent of total area

(iii) Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land)

(a) Permanent pastures and grazing land has decreased to 3.45 %

(b) Area under miscellaneous tree crops, groves (not included in net sown area) 1.10%

(c) Culturable wasteland (left uncultivated for more than five agricultural years) 4.41%

(iv) Fallow lands.

(a) Current fallows (left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year) 7.03 percent

(b) Other than current fallow 3.82 percent

(v) Net Sown Area 43.41 percent but the pattern varies greatly from state to state.

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.

Industrialization and urbanization also decreased the forest area. Afforestation due to the

concern of ecological balance led to marginal expansion from 18.11 per cent in 1960–61

to 22.57 percent in 2002–03 but it is much below the desired 33 percent of geographical

area as outlined in the National Forest Policy.

The decrease of land under permanent pastures have grave impact. If grazing or pasture

lands decrease, rearing of animals and livestock becomes difficult as there is less grazing

land to feed the animals. This affects progress in livestock rearing and brings down

production of the animal husbandry sector. It also decreases alternative sources of income

for the farmers.

Q.5. Suggest measures of Soil Conservation in hilly and mountainous areas.

Ans. In hilly and mountainous areas the following measures can control soil erosion and help in soil

conservation.

Contour ploughing or ploughing along the contour lines of a highland can decelerate the flow

of water down the slopes.

Terrace cultivation or cutting of steps around the slopes to provide land for agriculture also

checks downhill flow of water and controls soil erosion, e.g., as in Western and Central

Himalayan region.

Afforestation or planting of trees in the hilly regions can help in soil conservation.

Q.6. How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?

Ans. Technical and economic development involves more utilisation and exploitation of resources

for the purpose of present development. According to Gandhiji, the greedy and selfish

individuals and exploitative nature of modern technology are the root cause for resource

depletion at global level. The history of colonization reveals that it was primarily the higher

level of technological development of the colonizing countries that helped them to exploit

resources of other regions and establish their supremacy over the colonies.

Economic development takes place through more and proper utilization of available resources

for the purpose of advancement of present generation. Technical development makes the

resources accessible and usable and aids in further exploitation as well as creation of new

resources. As a whole, more and more of the natural endowments are put to use. With economic development the capacity of accessing or consuming of resources by the people

increases and technical development makes further resources available at their disposal.

Hence, technical and economic development lead to more and more consumption of resources.

Q.7. Which is the most widely spread and important soil of India? State any six characteristics

of this type of soil.

Ans. Alluvial soil is the most fertile, widely spread and important soil of India.

The six main characteristics of this soil type are :

(i) Alluvial soil is riverine soil, transported and deposited by rivers. So they are also called

transported soil.

(ii) Alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt and clay. They are coarse in upper

reaches of the river valley and finest at the deltas.

(iii) Alluvial is very fertile and regions with alluvial soil are agriculturally most productive and

densely populated.

(iv) They mostly contain adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime.

(v) According to their age alluvial soil is divided into new alluvium or khadar which is fine,

sandy and fertile and older alluvium or bangar which is clayey, dark in colour, contains

kankar nodules and is less fertile.

(vi) Alluvial soil forms the Northern Plains. The soil has been deposited by the three great

Himalayan river systems – the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. They are also found

in the Eastern Coastal Plains, mainly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the

Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.

This rich soil is ideal for growth of paddy, wheat, sugarcane and other cereals and pulses.

Q.8. What does the term ‘sustainable economic development’ mean? How can we eradicate

irrational consumption and over-utilization of resources?

Ans. Sustainable economic 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.

We can eradicate irrational consumption and over-utilization of resources through conservation

of resources. Irrational consumption and over-exploitation of resources lead to many socioeconomic

and environmental problems. To overcome these problems and to preserve resources

for our future generation as well, proper management and conservation of resources is

essential.

Q.9. What is resource planning? Give three phases of resource planning.?

Ans. Resource planning is proper and judicious planning of resources. Three processes are involved.

Resources are put to use according to availability and needs for development of the Economy.

The three processes are :-

(a) Identification and inventory of resources across various regions of the country. It involves

surveying, mapping, qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the

resources.

(b) Evolving a planning structure, endowed with appropriate technological skill and

institutional set up for implementing resource development plans.

(c) Synchroning the resource development with overall national development plans.

Q.10. Explain the role of human in resource development.?

Ans. Human is at the centre of resource development. Actually all resources become resource only

only when they are put to use by humans. It is human who makes natural things usable with

help of technology. Had no technology been there, development would not have been possible.

There are regions where natural resources are in abundance but regions not developed for

example Africa. But if human are developed they make the region developed with technology,

for example, Japan.