Resources and Development Geography Chapter 1 Class X Social Science Note

 

Resources and Development

PPT Note 

Concept and Sub-Concept Areas

1. The Framework of Resources

   • Functional Definition and Essential Components

   • The Interactive Relationship: Nature, Technology, and Institutions

2. Classification of Resources

   • By Origin: Biotic and Abiotic

   • By Exhaustibility: Renewable and Non-renewable

   • By Ownership: Individual, Community, National, and International

   • By Status of Development: Potential, Developed Stock, and Reserves

3. Sustainable Development and Global Initiatives

   • Problems arising from Indiscriminate Use

   • The Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit (1992) and Agenda 21

4. Resource Planning and Conservation

   • Complexity and Process of Planning in India

   • The Role of Technology and Historical Context

   • Gandhian Philosophy on Resource Conservation

5. Land Resources in India

   • Relief Features and Land Utilization Categories

   • Changing Land Use Patterns and the National Forest Policy

6. Land Degradation and Remedial Measures

   • Regional Causes: Mining, Overgrazing, and Over-irrigation

   • Strategies for Conservation

7. Soil as a Living System

   • Factors of Soil Formation and the Soil Profile

   • Comprehensive Classification of Indian Soils

8. Soil Erosion and Technical Conservation

   • Types of Erosion: Gully, Sheet, and Wind

   • Farming Techniques for Conservation

1. The Framework of Resources

A resource is defined as anything in the environment that satisfies human needs, provided it meets three critical criteria: it must be technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable. Resources are not simply free gifts of nature but are a function of human activities.

• Interactive Relationship: Human beings transform environmental materials into resources through an interactive triangle involving Nature, Technology, and Institutions.

2. Classification of Resources

Resources are categorized to facilitate better management and study:

• Origin: Biotic (living organisms like flora/fauna) and Abiotic (non-living things like rocks/metals).

• Exhaustibility: Renewable (can be replenished, e.g., solar, wind) and Non-renewable (take millions of years to form and cannot be easily replaced, e.g., fossil fuels).

• Ownership:

  • Individual: Private property (e.g., farm plots).

  • Community: Accessible to all members (e.g., grazing grounds).

  • National: All resources within political boundaries and up to 12 nautical miles into the sea.

  • International: Oceanic resources beyond 200 nautical miles, regulated by international institutions.

• Status of Development:

  • Potential: Found in a region but not fully utilized (e.g., solar power in Rajasthan).

  • Developed: Surveyed for quality and quantity for immediate use.

  • Stock: Materials that could satisfy needs but currently lack the technology to be extracted.

  • Reserves: A subset of "stock" that can be used with existing technology but is kept for future needs.

3. Sustainable Development and Global Initiatives

Indiscriminate use of resources has led to their depletion to satisfy individual greed, wealth accumulation in few hands, and global ecological crises like global warming and land degradation.

• Sustainable Development: Development that does not damage the environment and meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

• Rio Earth Summit (1992): The first International Earth Summit where leaders signed the Declaration on Global Climatic Change.

• Agenda 21: An agenda adopted at Rio to achieve global sustainable development by combating environmental damage, poverty, and disease through international cooperation.

4. Resource Planning and Conservation

Planning is essential in a diverse country like India, where some regions (like Jharkhand) are rich in minerals but lack infrastructure, while others (like Ladakh) have rich heritage but lack vital minerals.

• Process in India: Involves identification and inventory (surveying/mapping), evolving a structure with proper technology and skills, and matching regional plans with national goals.

• Gandhian View: Gandhiji identified "the greedy and selfish individuals" and the "exploitative nature of modern technology" as the root causes of global resource depletion. He famously stated, "There is enough for everybody's need and not for any body's greed".

5. Land Resources in India

Land is a finite asset supporting all life and economic systems.

• Relief Features: 43% Plains (agriculture/industry), 30% Mountains (perennial rivers/tourism), and 27% Plateaus (minerals/forests).

• Utilization: Categories include forests, barren land, permanent pastures, and the Net Sown Area (NSA).

• Forest Cover: The National Forest Policy (1952) set a desired goal of 33% forest cover for ecological balance, though the current reality remains lower.

6. Land Degradation and Remedial Measures

Over 95% of basic human needs are met by land, yet human activities have severely degraded it.

• Causes: Mining (Jharkhand/Odisha), overgrazing (Gujarat/Maharashtra), and over-irrigation (Punjab/Haryana) leading to soil salinity and alkalinity.

• Solutions: Afforestation, stabilization of sand dunes with thorny bushes, and proper treatment of industrial effluents.

7. Soil as a Living System

Soil takes millions of years to form and is influenced by relief, parent rock, climate, and biological factors.

• Major Soil Types in India:

  • Alluvial: Most widespread; deposited by the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra. Contains potash and lime, ideal for sugarcane and wheat.

  • Black (Regur): Ideal for cotton; found in the Deccan Trap (lava-based). Known for high moisture retention.

  • Red and Yellow: Red due to iron diffusion in crystalline rocks; yellow when hydrated.

  • Laterite: Formed by intense leaching in heavy rain areas; acidic and low in nutrients but good for tea, coffee, and cashew nuts.

  • Arid: Sandy, saline, and lacking in humus; can be cultivable with proper irrigation (e.g., Western Rajasthan).

  • Forest: Found in mountainous regions; loamy in valleys but acidic in snow-covered areas.

8. Soil Erosion and Technical Conservation

Soil erosion occurs when topsoil is washed or blown away.

• Types: Gully erosion (deep channels cut by running water), sheet erosion (top layer washed away over large areas), and wind erosion.

• Conservation Methods:

  • Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along contour lines to slow water flow.

  • Terrace Farming: Cutting steps into slopes to restrict erosion (common in the Himalayas).

  • Strip Cropping: Growing strips of grass between crops to break wind force.

  • Shelter Belts: Planting rows of trees to stabilize sand dunes in deserts.

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EXERCISE

1. Multiple Choice Questions

• (i) Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab?
• Answer: (c) Over irrigation
• (ii) In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practised?
• Answer: (d) Uttarakhand (Terrace farming is common in hilly areas like the Himalayas)
• (iii) In which of the following states is black soil predominantly found?
• Answer: (b) Maharashtra

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2. Short Answer Questions (About 30 Words)

• (i) Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in it.
• Answer: The three states where black soil is predominantly found are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. This soil is ideal for growing cotton, which is why it is also known as "black cotton soil".
• (ii) What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast? Give three main features of this type of soil.
• Answer: Alluvial soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri). Three main features include:
1. It is highly fertile and contains adequate proportions of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime.
2. It consists of varying proportions of sand, silt, and clay.
3. It can be classified by age into old alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar).
• (iii) What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
• Answer: Key steps include:

1. Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along contour lines to decelerate water flow.
2. Terrace Farming: Cutting out steps on slopes to restrict erosion.
3. Afforestation: Planting trees to bind the soil.

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3. Long Answer Questions (About 120 Words)

• (i) Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?
• Answer: India's land use is determined by physical factors like topography and climate, and human factors like population density. About 43% of the land is plains (used for agriculture), 30% is mountains, and 27% is plateaus. Despite the National Forest Policy (1952) aiming for 33% forest cover for ecological balance, the actual area has increased only marginally. This is due to several factors:
1. Industrialization and Urbanization: Increasing demand for land for roads, settlements, and factories.
2. Agricultural Expansion: To feed a growing population, more land is brought under cultivation.
3. Degradation: Continuous use without conservation has led to land being termed "waste land".
• (ii) How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?
• Answer: Technical and economic development are deeply linked to increased resource consumption in several ways:

1. Exploitation: Higher technology levels allow countries to better access and exploit resources that were previously unreachable.
2. Transformation: Technology helps transform raw environmental materials into usable resources, increasing their demand.
3. Economic Growth: Economic development leads to higher standards of living, which in turn leads to "mass production" and greater consumption of energy and minerals.
4. Institutional Setup: The creation of advanced institutions facilitates faster economic development, further accelerating resource utilization.

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4. Puzzle/Hidden Answers

• (i) Natural endowments (land, water, etc.): Resources
• (ii) A type of non-renewable resource: Minerals
• (iii) Soil with high water retaining capacity: Black Soil
• (iv) Intensively leached soils of monsoon climate: Laterite
• (v) Plantation of trees on a large scale: Afforestation
• (vi) Soils making up the Great Plains: Alluvial

 

NOTE 2

Class-X : Geography

Chapter- 1 : Resources and Development

 

Topics in the Chapter

• Resources
• Classification of Resources
→ On the basis of origin

→ On the Basis of Exhaustibility
→ On the Basis of Ownership
→ On the Basis of the Status of Development

• Development of Resources

• Resource Planning

• Land Resources

→ Land Resources in India

• Land Use Pattern in India

• Land Degradation and Conservation measures

• Soil as a Resource

• Classification of Soils

→ Alluvial Soils

→ Black Soil

→ Red and Yellow Soils

→ Laterite Soils

→ Arid Soils

→ Forest Soils

• Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

Resources

 

• 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 ‘Resource’.

 

Classification of Resources

 

• The resources can be classified as:

→ On the basis of origin – biotic and abiotic

→ On the basis of exhaustibility – renewable and non-renewable

→ On the basis of ownership – individual, community, national and international

→ On the basis of status of development – potential, developed stock and reserves.

 

On the Basis of Origin

 

• Biotic Resources: These are obtained from biosphere and have life such as human beings, flora and fauna, fisheries, livestock etc.

 

• Abiotic Resources: All those things which are composed of non-living things are called abiotic resources. For example, rocks and metals.

 

On the Basis of Exhaustibility

 

• Renewable Resources: The resources which can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical or mechanical processes are known as renewable resources. For example, solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc.

 

• Non-Renewable Resources: The resources once consumed cannot be replaced are known as non-renewable resources. These resources take millions of years in their formation.For example: Oil, Coal etc.

 

On the Basis of Ownership

 

• Individual Resources: The resources owned privately by individuals are called Individual resources. For example: Plot, houses etc. owned by a person.

 

• Community Owned Resources: The resources which are accessible to all the members of the community. For example: Public parks, picnic spots owned by a community.

 

• National Resources: The resources which come under nation are known as National Resources. Technically, all the resources belong to the nation.

 

• International Resources: The resources lying beyond 200 kms of Exclusive Economic Zone in the oceans are called International Resources. No one can use these resources without the permission of international institutions.

 

On the Basis of the Status of Development

 

• Potential Resources: Resources which are found in a region, but have not been utilised. For example: the regions Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous potential for the development of wind and solar energy.

• Developed Resources: Resources which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined for utilisation.

 

• Stock: The resources that have been surveyed, but cannot be used due a lack of technology. For example: water is a compound of two inflammable gases; hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used as a rich source of energy but we don't have technical know-how to use them.

• Reserves: The resources that have been surveyed and we can use them with present technology but their use has not been started are known as Reserves. For example: the water in the dams, forests etc.

Development of Resources

• Resources are vital for human survival.

 

• It was believed that resources are free gifts of nature so, human beings used them indiscriminately and this has led to the following major problems:

→  Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of few individuals.

→ Accumulation of resources in few hands which divides the society into rich and poor.

→ Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises such as, global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land degradation.

 

• For a sustained quality of life and global peace, an equitable distribution of resources has
become essential.

 

• For using resources judiciously, we need to adopt sustainable economic 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.

 

Resource Planning

 

• Resource planning is a complex process which involves :

(i) 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. 

(ii) Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up for implementing resource development plans.

(iii) Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.

 

Land Resources

• Land is a natural resource of utmost importance.
→ It supports natural vegetation, wild life, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems.

 

• Land is present in limited size so we must use them effectively.

 

Land Resources in India

 

• About 43 percent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry. 

 

• About 30 percent of the total surface area of the country are mountains which ensure perennial flow of some rivers and provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects.

 

• About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region that possesses rich reserves

of minerals, fossil fuels and forests.

Land Use Pattern in India

 

• The use of land is determined by: 

→ Physical factors such as topography, climate, soil types

→ Human factors such as population density, technological capability and culture and traditions etc.

 

• 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.

→ Also, some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.

 

Land Degradation and Conservation measures

 

• Human activities such as deforestation, over grazing, mining and quarrying contributed in land degradation.

 

• Measures to control land degradation:

→ Afforestation

→ Planting of shelter belts of plants

→ control on over grazing

→ stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes 

→ Proper management of waste lands

→ control of mining activities

 

Soil as a Resource

 

• Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. 

 

• It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth.

 

Classification of Soils

 

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

 

• Alluvial Soils:

→ Entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil.

→ Also found in the eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.

→ Fertile soil therefore, fit for agriculture purpose.

→ Regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated.

→ Rich in potash, phosphoric acid and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops.

 

• Black Soil:

→ Black in colour and are also known as regur soils.

→ Ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil.

→ Found in the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh also along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.

→ Made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. 

→ Well-known for their capacity to hold moisture.

→ Rich in calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime.

 

• Red and Yellow Soils:

→ Found in the areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau. 

→ Also found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats. 

→ Develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.

 

• Laterite Soils:

→ Develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall.
→ Found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and the hilly areas of Odisha and Assam.

 

→ Suitable for cultivation with adequate doses of manures and fertilizers.

→ Low Humus content because decomposers, like bacteria, get destroyed due to high temperature.

 

• Arid Soils:

→ Found in the western parts of Rajasthan.

→ After proper irrigation these soils become cultivable.

→ Lacks humus and moisture because dry climate, high temperature make evaporation faster.

→ Salt content is very high and common salt is obtained by evaporating the water.

 

• Forest Soils:

→ Found in the hilly and mountainous areas where sufficient rain forests are available.

→ Feature differs based on location. 

→ Loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes.

→ Silt in the lower parts of the valleys particularly on the river terraces and alluvial fans are fertile.

 

Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

 

• Natural ways of Soil erosion: Wind, glacier and water lead to soil erosion.

 

• Human activities: Deforestation, over-grazing, construction and mining etc., contributes in soil erosion.

 

• Measures to control Soil erosion:

→ Strip cropping

→ Planting shelter belts

→ In the hilly areas, using contour ploughing and terrace farming.