Resources And Development

Hello students, welcome to today's geography lesson. I am so happy to be here with you to learn about Chapter 1: Resources and Development. This is a very important chapter that will help you understand how our country uses its resources and what we can do to conserve them for future generations. So let's begin our journey together.

Now students, let me ask you something. Can you identify and name the various items used in making life comfortable in our villages and towns? Just think about your own homes and your village or city. What are the things that make your life comfortable? Perhaps the house you live in, the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the water you drink, the electricity that lights your home, the roads you travel on, the books you read, the phone you might use. Now think about what materials are used to make these things. The house is made of bricks, cement, sand, and perhaps steel. Your clothes are made of cotton or synthetic fibers. The food comes from farms. The water comes from rivers, wells, or taps connected to water supply. The electricity is generated from coal, water, or solar energy. So you see, everything around us comes from our environment.

Now students, let me give you a very important definition. Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable can be termed as a 'Resource'. This is a very crucial definition, so let me explain it in detail. When we say something is a resource, it must satisfy three conditions. First, it should be technologically accessible, which means we must have the technology to use it. For example, the sun's energy has always been there, but only recently we have developed technology to use solar panels to generate electricity. Second, it should be economically feasible, which means it should not cost too much to extract and use. Third, it should be culturally acceptable, which means the society should be willing to use it. For instance, in some communities, certain practices might not be acceptable even if they are technologically possible and economically viable.

Now students, let me tell you about how resources are created. The process of transformation of things available in our environment involves an interactive relationship between nature, technology, and institutions. Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their economic development. This means that resources are not simply given to us by nature. They are created through the interaction of three important factors. Nature provides the basic materials, like land, water, minerals, and so on. Technology helps us to transform these materials into useful things. And institutions, like governments, schools, and businesses, help to organize and manage the use of these resources. So you see, resources are a result of the combined efforts of nature, technology, and human institutions.

Now students, I want you to think about something. Do you think that resources are free gifts of nature as is assumed by many? Many people think that resources are like gifts that nature gives us freely. But this is not true. Resources are a function of human activities. Human beings themselves are essential components of resources. They transform material available in our environment into resources and use them. This means that without human effort, without technology, without institutions, the things in our environment remain just materials, not resources. For example, petroleum was present in the earth for millions of years, but it became a resource only when humans developed the technology to extract and refine it. Similarly, the internet existed as a concept, but it became a resource only when humans developed the technology to make it accessible to everyone.

Now let me explain how resources can be classified. These resources can be classified in the following ways. First, on the basis of origin, resources can be biotic and abiotic. Biotic resources are those that come from living things, like plants, animals, and forests. Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living things, like minerals, rocks, water, and air. Second, on the basis of exhaustibility, resources can be renewable and non-renewable. Renewable resources are those that can be replenished or regenerated naturally within a short period of time, like solar energy, wind energy, and water. Non-renewable resources are those that take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished once used, like coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Third, on the basis of ownership, resources can be individual, community, national, and international. Individual resources are owned by individuals, like your house or your personal belongings. Community resources are owned by a community, like a village pond or a community forest. National resources are owned by the nation, like the minerals in the ground or the forests in national parks. International resources are owned by multiple countries, like the oceans or outer space. Fourth, on the basis of status of development, resources can be potential, developed stock, and reserves. Potential resources are those that have been identified but not yet used, like the solar energy in the Thar Desert. Developed stock are those that have been used and can be used again, like recycled materials. Reserves are those that can be used in the future with existing technology, like the coal deposits in Jharkhand.

Now students, let me talk about why resources are so important for us. Resources are vital for human survival as well as for maintaining the quality of life. It was believed that resources are free gifts of nature. As a result, human beings used them indiscriminately and this has led to some major problems. First, depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of a few individuals. This means that some rich people or powerful companies have been using more than their fair share of resources, leaving less for others. Second, accumulation of resources in few hands, which, in turn, divided the society into two segments, that is, haves and have nots, or rich and poor. When a few people control most of the resources, it creates inequality in society. Third, indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution, and land degradation. These are serious problems that affect all of us and future generations.

Now students, let me ask you to do an activity. Imagine if the oil supply gets exhausted one day, how would this affect our lifestyle? Think about it. Oil is used in many things. We use petrol and diesel for our cars, buses, and trains. Oil is used to generate electricity in many places. Oil is used to make plastics, which are used in countless products. Even the fertilizers used in agriculture are made from oil. So if oil runs out, our entire way of life would change dramatically. We would need to find alternative sources of energy for transportation and electricity. The cost of many products would increase. Jobs in the oil industry would be lost. This is why it is so important to use our resources wisely and to develop alternative sources of energy.

Now let me tell you about another important concept called Sustainable Development. 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. This is a very important idea. It means that we should use our resources in such a way that we meet our needs today, but we also leave enough resources for our children and grandchildren to meet their needs. We cannot just use up everything and leave nothing for the future. This is what sustainable development is all about.

Now students, let me tell you about an important event in history. In June 1992, more than 100 heads of states met in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, for the first International Earth Summit. This was a very important meeting because it brought together leaders from all over the world to discuss how to protect our environment while also promoting economic development. The Summit was convened for addressing urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development at the global level. The assembled leaders signed the Declaration on Global Climatic Change and Biological Diversity. The Rio Convention endorsed the global Forest Principles and adopted Agenda 21 for achieving Sustainable Development in the 21st century. Agenda 21 is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which took place at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It aims at achieving global sustainable development. It is an agenda to combat environmental damage, poverty, and disease through global cooperation on common interests, mutual needs, and shared responsibilities. One major objective of the Agenda 21 is that every local government should draw its own local Agenda 21. This means that each city, town, and village should also plan how to develop sustainably.

Now students, let me explain why equitable distribution of resources has become so important. 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. This means that if rich countries and rich people continue to use more than their fair share of resources, while poor countries and poor people struggle to meet their basic needs, it will lead to conflicts and problems for everyone. We need to share resources more fairly if we want peace and prosperity for all.

Now let me tell you about Resource Planning. Planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources. It has importance in a country like India, which has enormous diversity in the availability 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 terms of the availability of resources and there are some regions which have acute shortage of some vital resources. For example, the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh are rich in minerals and coal deposits. Arunachal Pradesh has abundance of water resources but lacks in infrastructural development. The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with solar and wind energy but lacks in water resources. 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 vital minerals. This calls for balanced resource planning at the national, state, regional, and local levels.

Now students, let me ask you to find out what resources are being developed in your surroundings by the community, village panchayats, or ward level communities with the help of community participation. I want you to look around your own village or neighborhood and see what projects are being undertaken to develop resources. Perhaps there is a check dam being built, or trees being planted, or a water supply project being implemented. Talk to your parents and elders to find out about these initiatives.

Can you name some resource rich but economically backward regions and some resource poor but economically developed regions? Give reasons for such a situation. Let me help you with this. Resource rich but economically backward regions include places like the tribal regions of central India, which are rich in minerals and forests but have not developed economically due to lack of infrastructure, education, and proper governance. Resource poor but economically developed regions include places like Singapore, which has very few natural resources but has developed economically through trade, technology, and human skills. Another example is Japan, which has limited natural resources but has become an economic powerhouse through technology and manufacturing. The reason for this is that resources alone do not guarantee development. You need technology, skilled people, good governance, and proper institutions to develop resources effectively.

Now let me tell you something interesting from history. The history of colonisation reveals that rich resources in colonies were the main attractions for the foreign invaders. It was primarily the higher level of technological development of the colonising countries that helped them to exploit resources of other regions and establish their supremacy over the colonies. Therefore, resources can contribute to development only when they are accompanied by appropriate technological development and institutional changes. India has experienced all this in different phases of colonisation. Therefore, in India, development, in general, and resource development in particular does not only involve the availability of resources, but also the technology, quality of human resources, and the historical experiences of the people.

Now let me explain Resource Planning in India. Resource planning is a complex process which involves three main steps. First, 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. This means we need to find out what resources we have, where they are located, how much we have, and what quality they are. Second, evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill, and institutional set up for implementing resource development plans. This means we need to create organizations and systems that can effectively develop and manage resources. Third, matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans. This means we need to make sure that our resource development plans fit with our overall goals for the country's development.

India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource planning right from the First Five Year Plan launched after independence. The availability of resources is a necessary condition for the development of any region, but mere availability of resources in the absence of corresponding changes in technology and institutions cannot ensure development. This is a very important point. Just having resources is not enough. We need the technology to use them and the institutions to manage them properly.

Now let me tell you about the Conservation of Resources. Resources are vital for any developmental activity. But irrational consumption and over-utilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems. To overcome these problems, resource conservation at various levels is important. This had been the main concern of the leaders and thinkers in the past. For example, Gandhiji was very apt in voicing his concern about resource conservation in these words: "There is enough for everybody's need and not for anybody's greed." He placed 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 to replace it with the production by the masses. This means Gandhi ji believed that resources should be used to meet everyone's basic needs, not to satisfy the unlimited wants of a few greedy people.

At the international level, the Club of Rome advocated resource conservation for the first time in a more systematic way in 1968. Subsequently, in 1974, Gandhian philosophy was once again presented by Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful. The seminal contribution with respect to resource conservation at the global level was made by the Brundtland Commission Report, 1987. This report introduced the concept of Sustainable Development and advocated it as a means for resource conservation, which was subsequently published in a book entitled Our Common Future. Another significant contribution was made at the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992, which we discussed earlier.

Now students, let us move on to a new topic. Let us learn about Land Resources. 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. However, land is an asset of a finite magnitude, therefore, it is important to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning. This means that land is limited. We cannot create more land. So we need to use it very carefully and wisely.

Now let me tell you about the land features of India. India has land under a variety of relief features, namely mountains, plateaus, plains, and islands. About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry. Mountains account for 30 per cent of the total surface area of the country and ensure perennial flow of some rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects. About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region. It possesses rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels, and forests. So you see, India has a great variety of landforms, each with its own importance.

Now let me explain Land Utilisation. Land resources are used for the following purposes. First, Forests. Second, Land not available for cultivation, which includes barren and waste land, and land put to non-agricultural uses like buildings, roads, factories, and so on. Third, Other uncultivated land, excluding fallow land, which includes permanent pastures and grazing land, land under miscellaneous tree crops and groves not included in net sown area, and culturable waste land left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years. Fourth, Fallow lands, which include current fallow left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year, and other than current fallow left uncultivated for the past 1 to 5 agricultural years. Fifth, Net sown area, which is the physical extent of land on which crops are sown and harvested. Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area. This is an important concept. When a piece of land is sown more than once in a year, it is counted more than once in the gross cropped area, but only once in the net sown area.

Now let me tell you about the Land Use Pattern in India. The use of land is determined both by physical factors such as topography, climate, soil types as well as human factors such as population density, technological capability, and culture and traditions. Let me give you the data for land use in India. For the year 1960-61, the reporting area was 100 per cent. Forest was 18.11 per cent. Barren and unculturable waste land was 12.01 per cent. Area under non-agricultural uses was 4.95 per cent. Permanent pasture and grazing land was 4.71 per cent. Area under miscellaneous tree crops and groves was 1.50 per cent. Culturable waste land was 6.23 per cent. Fallow other than current fallow was 3.50 per cent. Current fallow was 3.73 per cent. Net sown area was 45.26 per cent.

Now for the year 2019-20, the data is as follows. Forest is 23.41 per cent. Barren and unculturable waste land is 5.40 per cent. Area under non-agricultural uses is 9.06 per cent. Permanent pasture and grazing land is 3.42 per cent. Area under miscellaneous tree crops and groves is 1.02 per cent. Culturable waste land is 3.90 per cent. Fallow other than current fallow is 3.67 per cent. Current fallow is 4.49 per cent. Net sown area is 45.64 per cent.

Now students, let me explain this data. Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million square kilometers. Land use data, however, is available only for 93 per cent of the total geographical area because the land use reporting for most of the north-east states except Assam has not been done fully. Moreover, some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.

Now there is an activity for you. Try to do a comparison between the two sets of data given for land use and find out why the net sown area and the land under forests have changed from 1960-61 to 2019-20 very marginally. The land under permanent pasture has also decreased. How are we able to feed our huge cattle population on this pasture land and what are the consequences of it? Most of the other than the current fallow lands are either of 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 and if these are included in the net sown area then the percentage of NSA in India comes to about 54 per cent of the total reporting area.

The pattern of net sown area varies greatly from one state to another. It is over 80 per cent of the total area in Punjab and Haryana and less than 10 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Andaman Nicobar Islands. Find out reasons for the low proportion of net sown area in these states. This could be because these states have more forests, hills, and mountains, which are not suitable for cultivation.

Now students, let me tell you about forests. Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy 1952. It was considered essential for maintenance of the ecological balance. The livelihood of millions of people who live on the fringes of these forests depends upon it. A part of the land is termed as waste land and land put to other non-agricultural uses. Waste land includes rocky, arid, and desert areas and land put to other non-agricultural uses includes settlements, roads, railways, industry, and so on. Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation. This, in turn, has serious repercussions on society and the environment.

Now let me explain Land Degradation and Conservation Measures. We have shared our land with the past generations and will have to do so with the future generations too. Ninety-five per cent of our basic needs for food, shelter, and clothing are obtained from land. Human activities have not only brought about degradation of land but have also aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to land.

Some human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining, and quarrying too have contributed significantly in land degradation. Mining sites are abandoned after excavation work is complete leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening. In states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, deforestation due to mining have caused severe land degradation. In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation. In the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging leading to 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 in the atmosphere. It retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land. In recent years, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water pollution in many parts of the country.

There are many ways to solve the problems of land degradation. Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to some extent. Planting of shelter belts of plants, control on over grazing, stabilization of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes are some of the methods to check land degradation in arid areas. Proper management of waste lands, control of mining activities, proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial and suburban areas.

Now students, let us learn about Soil as a Resource. Soil is the most important natural resource. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth. The soil is a living system. It takes millions of years to form soil up to a few centimeters in depth. Relief, parent rock or bed rock, climate, vegetation, and other forms of life and time are important factors in the formation of soil. Various forces of nature such as change in temperature, actions of running water, wind and glaciers, activities of decomposers, and so on, contribute to the formation of soil. Chemical and organic changes which take place in the soil are equally important. Soil also consists of organic humus and inorganic materials.

On the basis of the factors responsible for soil formation, colour, thickness, texture, age, chemical and physical properties, the soils of India are classified in different types.

Now let me explain the Classification of Soils. India has varied relief features, landforms, climatic realms, and vegetation types. These have contributed in the development of various types of soils.

First, let us learn about Alluvial Soils. This is the most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. These have been deposited by three important Himalayan river systems, the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra. These soils also extend in Rajasthan and Gujarat through a narrow corridor. Alluvial soil is also found in the eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, and the Kaveri rivers.

The alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt, and clay. As we move inlands towards the river valleys, soil particles appear somewhat bigger in size. In the upper reaches of the river valley, that is, near the place of the break of slope, the soils are coarse. Such soils are more common in piedmont plains such as Duars, Chos, and Terai.

The Bangar soil has higher concentration of kanker nodules than the Khadar. Bangar has more fine particles and is more fertile than Khadar. Khadar is deposited in the flood plains, is more porous, but is less fertile than Bangar.

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Alluvial soils as a whole are very fertile. Mostly 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. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated. Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline and can be productive after proper treatment and irrigation.

Now let us learn about Black Soil. These soils are black in colour and are also known as regur soils. Black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil. It is believed that climatic condition along with the parent rock material are the important factors for the formation of black soil. This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap region, which is also called Basalt, spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows. 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.

The black soils are made up of extremely fine, that is, clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture. In addition, they are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash, and lime. These soils are generally poor in phosphoric contents. They develop deep cracks during hot weather, which 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.

Now let us learn about Red and Yellow Soils. Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau. Yellow and red soils are also found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain, and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats. 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.

Now let us learn about Laterite Soil. Laterite has been derived from the Latin word later, which means brick. The laterite soil develops under tropical and subtropical climate with alternate wet and dry season. This soil is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain. Lateritic soils are mostly deep to very deep, acidic, generally deficient in plant nutrients, and occur mostly in southern states, Western Ghats region of Maharashtra, Odisha, some parts of West Bengal, and North-east regions. Where these soils support deciduous and evergreen forests, it is humus rich, but under sparse vegetation and in semi-arid environment, it is generally humus poor. They are prone to erosion and degradation due to their position on the landscape. After adopting appropriate soil conservation techniques particularly in the hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, this soil is very useful for growing tea and coffee. Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala are more suitable for crops like cashew nut.

Now let us learn about Arid Soils. Arid soils range from red to brown in colour. They are 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. Due to the dry climate, high temperature, evaporation is faster, and the soil lacks humus and moisture. The lower horizons of the soil are occupied by Kankar because of the increasing calcium content downwards. The Kankar layer formations in the bottom horizons restrict the infiltration of water. After proper irrigation these soils become cultivable as has been in the case of western Rajasthan.

Now let us learn about Forest Soils. These soils are found in the hilly and mountainous areas where sufficient rain forests are available. The soils texture varies according to the mountain environment where they are formed. They are loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes. In the snow covered areas of Himalayas, these soils experience denudation and 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.

Now students, let me explain Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation. The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is described as soil erosion. The processes of soil formation and erosion go on simultaneously and generally there is a balance between the two. Sometimes, this balance is disturbed due to human activities like deforestation, over-grazing, construction, and mining, while natural forces like wind, glacier, and water lead to soil erosion. The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels as gullies. The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land. In the Chambal basin such lands are called ravines. Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope. In such cases the top soil is washed away. This is known as sheet erosion. Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land, known as wind erosion. Soil erosion is also caused due to defective methods of farming. Ploughing in a wrong way, that is, up and down the slope form channels for the quick flow of water leading to soil erosion.

Now let me tell you about some measures to control soil erosion. Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. This is called contour ploughing. Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion. Western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming. Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind. This method is known as strip cropping. Planting lines of trees to create shelter also works in a similar way. Rows of such trees are called shelter belts. These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and in stabilizing the desert in western India.

Now students, let us solve the exercises together. Let me start with the multiple choice questions.

Question 1: Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab? The options are (a) Intensive cultivation, (b) Deforestation, (c) Over irrigation, (d) Overgrazing. The correct answer is (c) Over irrigation. In Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil. This is a major problem in these states where farmers use too much water for irrigation, which leads to the water table rising and bringing salts to the surface, making the soil alkaline and unsuitable for cultivation.

Question 2: In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practiced? The options are (a) Punjab, (b) Plains of Uttar Pradesh, (c) Haryana, (d) Uttarakhand. The correct answer is (d) Uttarakhand. Terrace cultivation is practiced in hilly and mountainous areas like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and other hill states. In terrace cultivation, steps are cut out on the slopes to create flat surfaces for cultivation, which helps to reduce soil erosion and retain water.

Question 3: In which of the following states black soil is predominantly found? The options are (a) Uttar Pradesh, (b) Maharashtra, (c) Rajasthan, (d) Jharkhand. The correct answer is (b) Maharashtra. Black soil is typically found in the Deccan trap region, which includes Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Now let me answer the short answer questions.

The five regions having black soil are Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The crop mainly grown in black soil is cotton. Black soil is also known as black cotton soil because it is ideal for growing cotton. Other crops grown in black soil include sugarcane, wheat, and jowar. Note that black soil also extends along the Godavari and Krishna valleys.

Question 2: What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast? Give three main features of this type of soil. The soil found in the river deltas of the eastern coast is alluvial soil. The three main features of alluvial soil are: first, it is very fertile and contains adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime. Second, it is deposited by rivers and consists of sand, silt, and clay in varying proportions. Third, it is ideal for the growth of crops like paddy, wheat, and sugarcane, and supports dense population.

Question 3: What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas? The steps that can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas are: first, terrace cultivation, where steps are cut out on the slopes to create flat surfaces. Second, contour ploughing, where ploughing is done along the contour lines to reduce the speed of water flow. Third, afforestation, planting trees and vegetation to hold the soil together. Fourth, construction of check dams and bunds to control the flow of water. Fifth, using shelter belts or strip cropping to break the force of wind and water.

Now let me answer the long answer questions.

Question 1: Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61? Let me explain this in detail. The land use pattern in India refers to how the total geographical area of the country is being used for different purposes. According to the data, the net sown area has remained almost constant at around 45 to 46 per cent from 1960-61 to 2019-20. The forest area has increased from 18.11 per cent in 1960-61 to 23.41 per cent in 2019-20. However, this increase is still far below the desired 33 per cent outlined in the National Forest Policy 1952. The reason why the land under forest has not increased more significantly is because most of the land that could potentially be converted to forest is already being used for other purposes. Most of the lands other than current fallow are either of 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. Population growth, need for agricultural land, and industrial development have also limited the expansion of forest cover. The government has been making efforts to increase forest cover through various afforestation programs, but competing demands for land have constrained this expansion.

Question 2: How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources? Let me explain this. Technical and economic development have led to more consumption of resources in several ways. First, with the development of new technologies, we have been able to extract and use resources that were previously inaccessible. For example, with modern drilling technology, we can extract petroleum from deep sea beds and shale formations. Second, economic development has led to higher standards of living, which means people want more goods and services, leading to increased consumption of resources. Third, industrialization and urbanization have led to massive consumption of resources like coal, iron ore, and water. Fourth, the development of transportation and communication infrastructure has increased the mobility of goods and people, leading to more consumption of fuel. Fifth, the growth of the consumer culture and advertising has encouraged people to buy more products, leading to more resource consumption. However, this increased consumption has also led to problems like resource depletion, pollution, and climate change, which is why we need to focus on sustainable development and resource conservation.

Now students, let me also help you with the project and activity questions.

For the project on consumption and conservation of resources in your locality, I want you to first identify the different resources used in your locality, such as water, electricity, fuel, building materials, and so on. Then, find out how these resources are being consumed and whether there are any conservation measures being taken. You can interview your family members, neighbors, and local officials to gather information. Also, suggest ways in which resources can be conserved in your locality.

For the class discussion on how to conserve various resources used in your school, I want you to think about the resources used in your school, such as electricity, water, paper, furniture, and so on. Then, discuss ways in which these resources can be conserved. For example, turning off lights and fans when not in use, using water wisely, recycling paper, and taking care of school property.

For the activity on imagining if oil supplies get exhausted, we already discussed this earlier. Just remember that oil is used in many things, from transportation to manufacturing, so its exhaustion would have a huge impact on our lifestyle. We would need to find alternative sources of energy and change many of our daily habits.

Now let me help you solve the puzzle. The puzzle asks you to search horizontally and vertically to find the hidden answers. Let me go through each clue.

The first clue is: Natural endowments in the form of land, water, vegetation, and minerals. The answer is RESOURCES. If you look at the puzzle, you can find the word RESOURCES written in the grid. S-F-G-S-F-O-B-R-O-M-S-U-A-P-J, Q-G-A-F-F-O-R-E-S-T-A-T-I-O-N, and so on. Yes, you can find RESOURCES in the first row.

The second clue is: A type of non-renewable resource. The answer is MINERALS. You can find MINERALS in the grid. T-G-H-M-I-N-E-R-A-L-S-A-X-M-W.

The third clue is: Soil with high water retaining capacity. The answer is BLACK SOIL or REGUR. You can find BLACK SOIL in the grid. Actually, looking at the grid, you can find BLACK SOIL. B-L-A-C-K-S-O-I-L.

The fourth clue is: Intensively leached soils of the monsoon climate. The answer is LATERITE. You can find LATERITE in the grid. L-A-T-E-R-I-T-E.

The fifth clue is: Plantation of trees on a large scale to check soil erosion. The answer is AFFORESTATION. You can find AFFORESTATION in the grid. Q-G-A-F-F-O-R-E-S-T-A-T-I-O-N.

The sixth clue is: The Great Plains of India are made up of these soils. The answer is ALLUVIAL. You can find ALLUVIAL in the grid. Actually, looking at the grid, you can find ALLUVIAL. A-L-L-U-V-I-A-L.

Now students, let me give you a complete summary of everything we have learned in this chapter.

In this chapter, we learned about Resources and Development. We started by understanding what a resource is. Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable can be termed as a resource. We learned that resources are not free gifts of nature but are created through the interaction of nature, technology, and institutions.

We learned about the classification of resources on the basis of origin into biotic and abiotic, on the basis of exhaustibility into renewable and non-renewable, on the basis of ownership into individual, community, national, and international, and on the basis of status of development into potential, developed stock, and reserves.

We learned about the problems caused by indiscriminate use of resources, including depletion of resources, accumulation of resources in few hands, and global ecological crises like global warming and ozone layer depletion.

We learned about Sustainable Development, which 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 learned about the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992 and Agenda 21.

We learned about Resource Planning, which is important for a country like India with enormous diversity in the availability of resources. We learned about the steps involved in resource planning: identification and inventory of resources, evolving a planning structure, and matching with overall national development plans.

We learned about the Conservation of Resources and the contributions of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, the Club of Rome, Schumacher, and the Brundtland Commission.

We learned about Land Resources, including the land use pattern in India, the different categories of land use, and the data showing changes from 1960-61 to 2019-20. We learned about land degradation and conservation measures.

We learned about Soil as a Resource, including the factors that form soil and the different types of soils in India: Alluvial, Black, Red and Yellow, Laterite, Arid, and Forest soils. We learned about the characteristics of each type of soil and where they are found in India.

We learned about Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation, including the causes of soil erosion and measures to control it like contour ploughing, terrace cultivation, strip cropping, and shelter belts.

We solved all the exercises, including multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions. We also solved the puzzle with the hidden words.

Students, this is a very important chapter that teaches us about the need to use our resources wisely and sustainably. Remember, there is enough for everybody's need, but not for anybody's greed. We must all do our part to conserve our resources for ourselves and for future generations.

Thank you for listening to this lesson. I hope you have understood all the concepts clearly. Keep studying and stay curious about the world around you. Good luck!