LIFELINES OF NATIONAL ECONOMY

The means of transport and communication are called the lifelines of a country and its economy.
The world is developing very fast and means of communication play a vital role in the developement of the
world.
1. These help to transfer better technology from one country to other or from one place to other.
2. Means of communication help the traders to have links with other traders and means of transport provide
essential product.
3. Means of communication act like nervous system in the human body.
4. Means of transportation carry common people from one place to another.
5. They maintain the balance of demand and supply in the economy.
6. These play a very vital role in the defence of a country.
7. They have shortened the distances between various places.

Roadways have an edge over railways due to following features :

1. Road require less investment as compared to railway.
2. These can be built at higher altitudes and at any place.
3. Maintenance cost is also low.
4. Road transportation has the merit of offering personal services.
5. Extension of agriculture is possible only through road transportation.
6. It is easy and is within the reach of common man.
7. Road transport is used as a feeder to other mades of transport i.e. they act as a link between railway stations,
ports & airports.
 Problems of Indian Roads :
1. The road network is inadequate in India as compared to demand and volume of traffic.
2. The condition of most of the roads is very poor these become muddy during the rainy season.
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 3. They are highly congested in cities.
4. Most of the highways lack side amenities like telephone booth, police station etc.
1. Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways :
The super highways have been planned to meet the requirement of fast movement of traffic.
The government has launched a major road development project linking Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai
and Delhi by six lane super high ways. The North-South corridors linking Sri-Nagar (Jammu & Kashmir)
and Kanyakumari (Tamil-Nadu), and East-West corridor connecting Silcher (Assam) and Porbander
(Gujarat) are part of this project.
 Major Objective :
To reduce the time and distance between the mega cities. “ Implemented by - National Highway Authority
of India”.
2. National Highways :
The main roads which are constructed and maintained by the Central Public Works Department
(C.P.W.D.) are known as National Highways. They correct one state with another and are of national
importance.
Main features :
1. The National Highways maintain the availability of essential product.
2. The state to state trade is possible because of National Highways.
3. All the essential products are transported through these roads.
3. State Highways :
1. These are constructed and maintained by the state government.
2. State highways join the state capitals with district head quarters and other important towns.
3. The total length of state highways in India is 4 lakh km approx.
4. These also contribute in the development of states.
4. District Road :
1. These roads link the district centres with the major roads.
2. Their total length is nearly 6 lakh km.
3. These roads are maintained by Zila Parishad.
5. Village Roads :
1. These connect the villages with the neighbouring towns and cities.
2. These play a very vital role in the development of villages.
3. These help the farmers to take their products to cities and district head quarters.
4. These roads received impetus under the pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.
6. Border Roads :
The Border roads organisation was established in 1960 for the development of roads of strategic importance
in the northern and north eastern border areas. These roads have improved accessibility in areas of deficient
terrain& have helped in the economic development of these areas.

 Major Problems of Indian Railways :

1. Most of the tracks are very old.
2. Many passengers travel without tickets.
3. People pull chains unnecessarily which cause heavy loss to the railways.
4. Frequent accidents also cause great loss to the railway.
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 5. Airways is also giving it a tough competition.
 Main factors which influence the Railway Network :
(1) Physiographic
(2) Economic and Administrative

 Physiographic Factors :
1. The level land of the great plains have favoured the development of Railways.
2. The flood plain of Bihar and Assam and the rugged topography of the Himalayan region have led to very
few Railways lines.
3. The sandy desert of Rajasthan and hilly tracts of Sahayadri are unfavourable for the development of
Railways.
 Economic Factors :
1. Rich agriculture and greater industrial activity on the great plains have favoured the development of
Railways.
2. Capital of India New Delhi is also located in Northern plain.
 Importance of Railways :
1. It carry most of the long distance passengers traffic and 80 % of the total freight of the country.
2. It provide employment to a large number of people in the country.
3. Iron and steel industry solely depends upon the Railways.
4. It play a significant role in the integration of the country by bringing different peoples and regions
together.
5. They carry big chunks of goods from the place of production to the part and vice versa.

Pipelines are a convenient mode of transport for mineral oil & natural gas.
 Advantages of pipeline transportation :
1. Transportation through pipe lines rules out delay and transportation.
2. Though initial cost of laying pipelines is high but running cost is very low.
3. It maintain continuous supply of gas and oil.
4. The pipes can be laid through difficult terrains as well as under sea.
 Important networks of pipeline Transportation :
1. From oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur (U.P.) Via Guwahati, Barauni and Allahabad. It has branches
from Brauni to Haldia, via Rajbandh, Rajbandh to Maurigram and Guwahati to Silgur.
2. From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi and Sonipat. It has
branches to connect Koyali.
3. Gas pipeline from Hazira in Gujarat connect Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh via Bijapur in Madhya Pradesh.
It has Branches to Kota in Rajasthan, Shahajahanpur, Sabrala and other places in Uttar Pradesh.
4. Pipelines between Mumbai high and Mumbai, Pune.

 Importance of Water ways :

1. It is most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods.
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 2. It is a fuel efficient and environment friendly mode of transport.
3. The element of wear and tear is very less.
4. More than 95 % of the country’s trade volume is moved by the sea.
5. With the development of National Waterways it has become main source of transportation for the natural
trade.

 Inland water ways :

 National water ways :
1. The Ganga river, between Allahabad and Haldia (1620 km)
2. The Brahmputra river, between Sadiya and Dhubri. (891 km).
3. The West-Coast canal, between Kollam and Kottayam in Kerala. (168 km)
4. The Champakara canal (14 km) and Udyogmandal canal in Kerala (22 km)

India has about 7516 km long coast line having 12 major & 181 medium & miner sea parts.
On the Western Coast :
1. Kandla :
It is Kuchchh district of Gujarat. This was the first port developed soon after the independence of India. It
caters to the convenient handling of exports and imports of highly productive granary and industrial belt
stretching across the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and
Gujarat.
2. Mumbai :
It is the biggest port with a spacious natural and well sheltered harbour.
3. Jawaharlal Nehru Port :
The port at Nehru Sheva was planned with a view to decongest mumbai port and serve as hub port for this
region.
4. Marmagao Port (Goa) :
It is the premier iron ore exporting port of the country. This ports accounts for about 50 % of India’s iron ore
export.
5. New Mangalore :
The port is located in Karnataka. It caters to the export of iron ore concentrates from Kudremumh mines.
6. Kochi :
It is the extreme south-western port, located at the entrance of lagoon with a natural harbour.
On the Eastern Coast :
7. Tuticorin :
The port is in Tamil Nadu. This port has a natural harbour and rich hinterland. It has a flourishing trade
handling of a large variety of cargoes to Srilanka & Maldives.
8. Chennai :
It is one of the oldest artifical port of the country. It is ranked next to Mumbai in terms of the volume of trade
and cargo.
9. Vishakhapatnam :
It is the deepest land locked and well protected port. This port was originally, conceived as an outlet for iron
ore exports.
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 10. Paradip :
The port is located in Orissa, specialises in the export of iron ore.
11. Kolkata :
It is an inland riverine port. This port serves a very large and rich hinterland of Ganga Brahamputra basin. It
is a tidal port. So it requires constant dredging of Hoogly.
12. Haldia :
It is in West Bengal. It was development as a subsidiary port, in order to relieve growing pressure on the
Kolkata port.

 Advantages of air ways :

1. It is the fastest means of transport and save time.
2. It can cover very difficult terrains like high mountains, desert, thick forests and long stretches of seas
with great ease.
3. It also help in increasing the trade especially that of perishable product.
4. It reduce pressure on roads and railways.
5. It was Nationalised in 1953.

There are basically two types of means of communication :

1. Personal communication.
2. Mass communication.
1. Personal communication :
1. Personal messages are exchanged.
2. These can be used by individual for his personal activity.
3. Telephone, Mobile, Postal services, post cards etc are the main sources of personal communication.
2. Mass communication :
1. One person can communicate with several people at the same time.
2. They can be used by the government to create awareness among the people about various national
programmes.
3. Radio, T.V., Newspaper etc are the main source of mass communication.

1. It is the largest in theIndian Postal System world.

2. It handles parcles as well as personal written communication.
3. Cards and envelopes are considered first class mail and are airlifted between stations covering both land
and air.
4. The second class mail includes the book packets, registered newspaper and periodicals.

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 5. Six mail channels have been introduced recently. They are called Rajdhani channel, Metro channel,
Green Channel Business channel, Bulk mail channel and Periodical channel.

1. India has one of the largest Telecom network in Asia.

2. With the opening of Telecom sector to private investment this has become fast growing sector of Indian
economy.
3. By the end of 2004-05, India was the 10th largest telecom network in the world measured in terms of
number of phones.

 Trade :
The exchange of goods and services among people states and countries is reffered as trade.
 Market :
It is the place where exchange of goods take place.
 International Trade :
Trade between two countries is called international trade. Trade take place through sea, air or land.
 Importance of Trade :
1. No country can survive without international trade because resources are space bound.
2. Advancement of international trade of a country leads to its economic prosperity.
3. We earn much of our foreign exchange which is required for importing many essential goods.
4. Exports and imports are the two compounds of trade.
 Balance of Triade : The difference between exports & imports is known as balance of trade.
 Favourable balance of trade :
If the value of exports of any country is more than the value of imports. It is called a favourable balance of
trade.
 Unfavorable balance of trade :
The value of imports is more than the value of exports, it is called an unfavorable balance of trade.
India has trade relations with all the trading blocks of the world most of the commodities exported from India
consists of both row material and manufactured goods which fetches less income. commodities imported are
mostly petroleum, gold, chemicals etc, which the mostly costly. Thus the overall balance of trade is
unfavorable.

GLOSSARY
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1. Balance of Trade : Relation between Nation’s exports and imports.
2. Balance of Payment : It is a comprehensive record of economic transactions of the residents of a country with
the rest of world during a given period of time.
3. Exports : When a nation sends its home manufactured products to outside countries these are called exports.
4. Foreign exchange : It is the exchange of currency of one country with the currency of another country.
5. Favourable balance of Trade : It is a situation in which value of export is more than imports.
6. Harbour : It is a deep cost of sea which provides shelters to the sea going vessels.
7. Golden quadrilateral : It is a network of roads which connects Delhi, Mumbai, chennai and Kolkata.
8. Imports : When citizen of a country consume the products of other countries these are known as imports.
9. International Trade : Trade carried between various nations to exchange their goods.
10. Mass communication : The means of communication through which one can communicate with several people
at the same time.
11. National Highway : These are broad roads connecting many states and capitals.
12. Transport : It is an act of carrying goods or passengers from one place to another.
13. Unfavourable balance of Trade : It is a situation in which value of imports is more than exports.

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 EXERCISE

(A) Market (B) Trade

(C) International Trade
Q.1 Name any four means of mass
communication.

Q.2 What is a transport ?

Q.3 What are express ways ? Q.1 What are super Highways ? Name any two
roads which have been constructed under this
Q.4 What are National Highway ?
project.
Q.5 Why do the great plains of India have dense
Q.2 What is the main objective behind the Super
network of railway ?
Highways ? Which agency is responsible for
Q.6 Name any four water ways of India. building these raods ?
Q.7 What do you mean by favourable balance of Q.3 What are National Highways ? What is their
trade ? Is India’s trade favourable ? importance ?
Q.8 Name a tidal port ? Q.4 Mention any four features of the Border
Q.9 Name the extreme stations which are Roads.
connected by the East-West corridor. Q.5 Distinguish between metalled road and
Q.10 Name the institution which implements the unmetalled roads.
Super Highways. Q.6 What are major problems of Indian roads ?
Q.11 Name the extreme cities which are connected Q.7 What is the importance of ports for the Indian
by the NHI. economy ?
Q.12 What is the density of a road ? Q.8 Mention any four features of the telecom
Q.13 Name any two inland waterways. Network of India.

Q.14 Name any four ports of east coast. Q.9 “Transport routes are called the basic arteries
of our economy”. Support the statement with
Q.15 Define the term ‘port’.
four examples.
Q.16 What are considered the first class mail ?
Q.10 How do physiographic and economic factors
Q.17 What are considered the second class mail ?
influence the distribution pattern of Indian
Q.18 Why mail channels have been introduced ? railways network ?

Q.19 What do you mean by balance of trade ? Q.11 What are rural roads? Name and explain a
Yojana which has been launched by the
Q.20 Define the following : government to provide impetus to these
roads.
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Q.12 Explain, why is air transport preferred in Q.10 Name any four sea ports of India. Also
north-eastern states of India.
mention one feature of each.
Q.13 What do you mean by the density of the
roads ? Name the state with :
(i) Highest density of roads
Q.1 National Highway-8 connects -
(ii) Lowest density of roads.
(A) Delhi-Bangalore (B) Chennai-Kolkata
Q.14 What is a railway gauge ? Write three types (C) Delhi-Mumbai (D) Mumbai-Chennai
of railway gauges.
Q.2 Indian railways are divided into ..........
Q.15 State three points regarding the importance zones -
of pipelines in transportation.
(A) 20 (B) 9 (C) 16 (D) 18

Q.3 The longest pipeline connects -

(A) Hazira to Kanpur
Q.1 What is the importance of roads in India ?
(B) Salaya to Jalandhar
Explain any four major problems faced by
road transportation. (C) Hazira to Jagdishpur
(D) Koyali to Haldia
Q.2 Explain the importance of means
communication in modern times. How are Q.4 The total length of Inland navigation

personal communication different from mass waterways of India is -

communication. (A) 3700 km (B) 14500 km

Q.3 Compare and contrast roads and railways as (C) 7500 km (D) 14000 km

means of transport ? Q.5 India’s international trade mainly takes place

Q.4 Why are means of transport and through -

communication essential requirements of (A) Railways (B) Seas and oceans

human life ? (C) Airways (D) Roadways

Q.5 Explain the importance of air transport in Q.6 Who maintains and lays the National
India. Highways ?

Q.6 Explain any six qualitative improvements (A) CPWD (B) SPWD

made in Indian Railways. (C) Both (D) None of these

Q.7 Explain any four advantages of pipeline Q.7 Who maintains and lays the state highways ?
transportation. Name any two important (A) SPWD (B) BRO
networks of pipe line transportation in India. (C) CPWD (D) All of these
Q.8 What is importance of tourism ?
Q.8 Who maintains the border roads ?
Q.9 How can the different mass communication
(A) BRO (B) SPWD
media educate the people ?
(C) NHI (D) CPWD
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Q.9 What is the total route length of the Indian (C) Silchar, Srinagar
railways ? (D) Mumbai, Kolkata
(A) 68221 (B) 65221 Q.17 What is NHAI ?
(C) 60221 (D) 63221 (A) National Highway Association of India
Q.10 Which is the cheapest means of transport ? (B) National Highway Authority of India
(A) Airways (B) Water ways (C) Natural Highway Authority of India
(C) Roadways (D) Railways (D) National Airways of India
Q.11 What is the length of the coast line of India - Q.18 Which of the following highway is known as
(A) 7516.6 km (B) 8516.6 km Sher Shah Suri Marg ?

(C) 6516.6 km (D) 9516.6 km (A) National Highway No. 1

Q.12 Name an important port located near Tropic (B) National Highway No.2

of Cancer - (C) National Highway No. 3

(A) Kandla (B) Mumbai (D) National Highway No.4
(C) Kolkata (D) Chennai Q.19 Which of the following roads received special

Q.13 Name the premier iron ore exporting port of impectus under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen

the country - Sadak Yojana ?

(A) Marmagao (B) New Mangalore (A) District Roads

(C) Paradip (D) None of these (B) National Highways

(C) State Highways

Q.14 Name the deepest land locked port -
(A) Kolkata (D) Other Roads

(B) Chennai Q.20 The Indian railway network runs on multiple

gauge operations i.e.,………, ……… and
(C) Mumbai
……….
(D) Vishakhapatnam
(A) Wide gauge, metro gauge and narrow
Q.15 What are considered the first class mail -
gauge
(A) Cards
(B) Broad gauge, narrow gauge and medium
(B) Registered
gauge
(C) Envelops
(C) Broad gauge, narrow gauge and small
(D) None of these gauge
Q.16 East-West corridor connects …………..and (D) Broad gauge, metro gauge and narrow
……… gauge
(A) Silchar, Porbander

(B) Silchar, Kanyakmari

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Q.21 Which of the following was the first port to (C) The President
be developed after independence to ease the (D) The Central Board of Secondary
volume of trade on the Mumbai port ? Education
(A) Marmagao

(B) Kochi

(C) Kandla Q.25 Match the following :

(D) Vishakhapatnam (a) Marmagao 1. Karnataka

(b) Tuticorin 2. Orissa

(c) Paradip 3. Tamil Nadu

Q.22 Which of the following is a tidal port ? (d) New Mangalore 4. Goa
(A) Kandla A B C D
(B) Mumbai
(A) 4 3 2 1
(C) New Mangalore
(B) 1 2 4 3
(D) Vishakhapatnam
(C) 2 3 4 1
Q.23 ………. means of transport is preferred in the
(D) 4 2 1 3
North-Eastern states –
Q.26 Which of the following is a major commodity
(A) Railways
imported by India ?
(B) Waterways
(A) Gems and Jewellery
(C) Airways
(B) Petroleum and petroleum products
(D) Roadways
(C) Cereals
Q.24 ……….. is the authority to certify both Indian
(D) Newsprint
and foreign films –

(A) The Central Board of Film Certification

(B) The Parliament

ANSWER KEY

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