Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?

Question

Answer

*About 45% of land is used as net sown area, i.e. for farming. About 22% of the land is under forest and the rest of the land is used for various purposes; like housing, recreation and industrial activities. Increasing population and subsequent increase in demand for resources is the main reason that forested land has not increased much during this period.

Answer

Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, land meant for pasture and grazing, and waste land. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas, and land used for other non-agricultural purposes such as housing, roads and industry. According to the recent data, about 54% of the total land area is cultivable or fallow, 22.5% is covered by forests, and 3.45% is used for grazing. The rest is waste land, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.

The land under forest has not increased since 1960–61 because in the post-independence era demand for more land to expand agriculture, mainly after Green Revolution, developmental works and infrastructural facilities, led to clearance of forests areas. Industrialization and urbanization also decreased the forest area. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.

Answer

Land Use Pattern in India:

India's land use pattern can be broadly classified into six categories:

1. Forests: Forests cover around 21% of the country's total land area. The forest cover is unevenly distributed in different states of India.

2. Agricultural Land: Agricultural land is the most dominant land use pattern in India, covering around 58% of the total land area. It is used for growing crops, vegetables, fruits, and other agricultural products.

3. Barren and Wasteland: This category includes deserts, rocky terrain, and other unproductive land, covering around 9% of the total land area.

4. Land under settlements: This category includes urban and rural settlements, covering around 3% of the total land area.

5. Land under water bodies: This category includes rivers, lakes, ponds, and other water bodies, covering around 4% of the total land area.

6. Miscellaneous Land: This category includes land used for mining, industries, and other purposes, covering around 5% of the total land area.

Why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?

1. Population Growth: The rapid population growth in India has put immense pressure on the forests, leading to deforestation and forest degradation.

2. Urbanization: The growing urbanization has led to the conversion of forest land into urban areas, leading to a decline in forest cover.

3. Agricultural Expansion: The expansion of agriculture has also led to the conversion of forest land into agricultural land, leading to a decline in forest cover.

4. Infrastructure Development: The development of infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and dams, has also led to the loss of forest cover.

5. Mining and Industrialization: The mining and industrialization activities have also led to the loss of forest cover, as they require large tracts of land.

6. Lack of Political Will: The lack of political will to conserve forests and promote afforestation has also contributed to the decline in forest cover.

7. Encroachments: The encroachments on forest land by local communities and timber mafia have also led to the decline in forest cover.

8. Forest Fires: The forest fires, both natural and man-made, have also led to the loss of forest cover in India.

Conclusion:

Despite various efforts to increase the forest cover in India, the land under forest cover has not increased much since 1960-61. The reasons for this include population growth, urbanization, agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, mining and industrialization, lack of political will, encroachments, and forest fires. To increase the forest cover in India, there is a need to address these issues and promote afforestation and conservation of forests.

Answer

The land under forest has not increased since 1960–61 because in the post-independence era demand for more land to expand agriculture, mainly after Green Revolution, developmental works and infrastructural facilities, led to clearance of forests areas. Industrialization and urbanization also decreased the forest area...

Similar Class 10 Doubts

Explain the land use pattern of india And why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960- 61?

Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increase much since 1960-61?

Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not interested much since 1960 and 1961?

Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increase much since 1960-1961?

Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increase much since 1960 - 1961 ? 10 - 20 words?

Top Courses for Class 10View all

Science Class 10

Social Studies (SST) Class 10

Mathematics (Maths) Class 10

English Grammar Advanced

English Grammar Basic

Top Courses for Class 10

Top Courses for Class 10

Suggested Free Tests

Related Content

About Class 10

Class 10 Study Material

Class 10 All Subjects

NCERT Textbook Solutions

Other Classes

Important Links

Company