Chapter 1: Resources and Development
v Definition of a resource: 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’.
v The process of transformation of things available in our
environment involves an inter- dependent relationship between
nature, technology and institutions. Human beings interact with
nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their
economic development
v Importance OF Resources.
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.
v Classification of Resources.
The resources can be classified as:
• On the basis of origin:
Origin:
Biotic Resources: Abiotic Resources:
These are obtained from biosphere All those things which are composed
and have life such as human beings, of non-living things are called abiotic
flora and fauna, fisheries, livestock resources. For example, rocks and
etc. metals.
• On the Basis of Exhaustibility
Exhaustibility
Renewable Resources: Non-Renewable Resources:
The resources which can be renewed These occur over a very long
or reproduced by physical, chemical geological time. Minerals and
or mechanical processes are known as fossil fuels are examples of such
renewable or replenishable resources. resources. These resources take
For example, solar and wind energy, millions of years in their
water, forests and wildlife, etc. The formation. Some of the
renewable resource may further be resources like metals are
divided into continuous or flow recyclable and some like fossil
fuels cannot be recycled and get
exhausted with their use.
• On the Basis of Ownership:
Ownership:
International
Individual Resources:
Resources: These There are
Community Owned
are also owned international
Resources: National
privately by institutions
individuals. the resources which Resources: The which regulate
are accessible to all resources which some resources.
For example : plot, come under the
the members of the The oceanic
houses,etc. nation are known as
community. resources
national resources. beyond 200 km
For example : public
All the minerals, of the Exclusive
parks, Picnic spots
water resources, Economic Zone
owned by the
forests, wildlife, belong to open
community.
land within the ocean and no
political boundaries individual
and oceanic area country can
upto 12 nautical utilize these
miles (19.2 km) without the
from the coast concurrence of
termed as territorial international
water and resources institutions.
therein belong to the
nation
• On the Basis of the Status of Development:
The Status of Development
Potential Resources:
Stock: Material
Resources which are
Developed found in our Reserves are the subset
found in a region, but
Resources: environment, that of the stock, which can
have not been utilized.
Resources which can satisfy many be put into use with the
For example, the western
are surveyed and of our needs , but help of existing
parts of India particularly
their quality and they are not used technical ‘know-how’
Rajasthan and Gujarat
quantity have because of lack of but their use has not
have enormous potential
been determined appropriate been started. These can
for the development of
for utilization. technology. For be used for meeting
wind and solar energy,
The development example : For future requirements.
but so far these have not
of resources example, water is River water can be used
been developed properly
depends on a compound of for generating
technology and two inflammable hydroelectric power but
level of their gases; hydrogen presently, it is being
feasibility. and oxygen, which utilised only to a limited
can be used as a extent. Thus, the water
rich source of in the dams, forests etc.
energy. But we do is a reserve which can be
not have the used in the future.
required technical
‘know-how’ to use
them for this
purpose. Hence, it
can be considered
as stock.
v DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES
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 the following major problems.
• Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of few individuals.
• 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.
• Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global
ecological crises such as, global warming, ozone layer depletion,
environmental pollution and land degradation.
• 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. Therefore, resource planning
is essential for sustainable existence of all forms of life.
Sustainable existence is a component of 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.’
v Earth’s summit and Agenda 21
• Earths summit is an international conference on
Environment. It was held at Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit,
1992.
• The Summit was convened for addressing urgent problems
of environmental protection and socioeconomic development
at the global level.
• The Rio Convention endorsed the global Forest Principles
and adopted Agenda 21 for achieving Sustainable
Development in the 21st century.
• Agenda 21: It aims at achieving global sustainable
development. It is an agenda to combat environmental
damage, poverty, disease through global co-operation 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.
v Resource planning and its steps.
• Need for 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.
• Resource Planning in India.
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.
• 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 may hinder development. There are many regions in
our country that are rich in resources but these are included in
economically backward regions. On the contrary there are some
regions which have a poor resource base but they are economically
developed.
v Conservation of Resources:
Why Conservation?
• Resources are vital for any developmental activity. But irrational
consumption and over-utilization of resources may lead to socio-
economic and environmental problems.
• To overcome these problems, resource conservation at various
levels is important.
v How Conservation?
Methods or measurement for resource conservation are as
follows:
• Wastage, misuse and overuse of resources should be avoided.
• Renewable resources should be in use. Eg Solar energy, wind
energy etc.
• Older technology should be replaced with newer , modern and
efficient technology.
• Awareness should be created among the people.
• Govt should pass strict laws for establishment and location of
industries
• Used items should be recycled using new technology.
v LAND RESOURCES
• 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.
• 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.
• There are 5 categories under land use.
1. Forests
2. Land not available for cultivation
(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)
(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
(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 sown more than once in an agricultural year
plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area.
• 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 etc.
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 etc.
• Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km Land use
data, however, is available only for 93 per cent of the total 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.
• 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.
• 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
v Land Degradation and its causes
• Continuous use of land over a long period of time without
taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it, has
resulted in land degradation.
• Causes of 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
Orissa 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.
• Ways to solve the problems of land degradation.
• Afforestation and proper management of grazing
• 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.
• 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.
v 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. The soil is a living system. It takes millions
of years to form soil upto a few cm in depth.
• Factors affecting soil formation:
a) Parent rock – It determines the colour, texture, and mineral
contents in soil.
b) Climate ( rainfall and temperature) – It determines rate of
weathering and erosion of rocks.
c) Topography (Slope) : On higher land , thin layer of soil is found
, while in the lower valley thick deposition of alluvium is found.
d) Vegetation ( Plants and trees) – They add organic matter (
Humus) to the soil.
e) Time – Older soil are generally more fertile than newer soil.
• 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. Chemical and organic changes
which take place in the soil are equally important.
v Types of soils.
Ø Alluvial Soils :
• The most widely spread and important soil.
• 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.
• In the upper reaches of the river valley i.e. 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.
• soils are also described on the basis of their age.
• According to their age alluvial soils can be classified as old
alluvial (Bangar) and new alluvial (Khadar). The bangar soil
has higher concentration of kanker nodules than the Khadar. It
has more fine particles and is more fertile than the bangar.
• 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.
Ø 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 conditions 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 (Basalt) region
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 i.e. 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.
Ø 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 Orissa,
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.
Ø Laterite Soil
• Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘later’ which
means brick.
• The laterite soil develops in areas with high temperature and
heavy rainfall. This is the result of intense leaching due to
heavy rain.
• Humus content of the soil is low because most of the micro
organisms, particularly the decomposers, like bacteria, get
destroyed due to high temperature.
• Laterite soils are suitable for cultivation with adequate doses
of manures and fertilizers. These soils are mainly found in
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and the
hilly areas of Orissa and Assam.
• 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.
Ø 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.
Ø 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.
v Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation
• Soil Erosion : 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
• Reasons of soil erosion.
• Deforestation – cutting down of trees and forests
• Torrential rainfall
• Overgrazing by cattle
• 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 i.e. up and down the slope form
channels for the quick flow of water leading to soil erosion.
• Measures to check 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.
