Resources & Development Chapter Notes - Social Studies (SST) Class 10

Resources

Everything available in our environment that can be used to satisfy our needs, provided, it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable, can be termed as ‘Resource’. Human beings themselves are essential components of resources. They transform material available in the environment into resources and use them.

Classification of Resources

The resources can be classified as

1. On the Basis of Origin

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

(b) Abiotic Resources: All those things that are composed of non-living things are called abiotic resources. Example: rocks and metals.

2. On the Basis of Exhaustibility

(a) Renewable Resources: The resources that can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical, or mechanical processes are known as renewable resources. Example - solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc.

(b) Non-Renewable Resources: The resources that, once consumed, cannot be replaced are known as non-renewable resources. These resources take millions of years to form. Non-renewable resources are recyclable, such as metals and non-recyclable. Example - fuels.

Renewable and Non- Renewable Energy Sources

(a) Individual Resources: The resources owned privately by individuals are called Individual resources. For example, plots, houses, etc., owned by a person.

(b) Community Owned Resources: The resources that are accessible to all the members of the community. For example, Public parks and picnic spots owned by a community.

(c) National Resources: The resources that come under the nation are known as National Resources. Technically, all the resources belong to the nation.

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

(a) Potential Resources: Resources that are found in a region, but have not been utilized.

Example: The regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous potential for the development of wind and solar energy.

(b) Developed Resources: Resources that are surveyed, and their quality and quantity have been determined for utilization.

(c) Stock: Resources that have been surveyed, but cannot be used due to 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 the technical know-how to use them for this purpose.

(d) Reserves: Resources that have been surveyed and can be used with present technology but whose use has not been started are known as Reserves. 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:

(a) Depletion of resources to satisfy the greed of a few individuals.
(b) Accumulation of resources in a few hands divides society into rich and poor.
(c) 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. 
• To use 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 future generations.

Resource Planning

• Nature has blessed us with so many natural resources. And, to add it, humans have learned to develop the gifts of nature and create man-made resources. But none of these come for free. 
• Even though you might think that it occurs in nature, each of these resources will have to be developed, maintained, and conserved so our future generations can benefit from them, like we did. 
• Hence, resource planning is essential to bring about sustainable existence, which is a part of sustainable development. 
• Sustainable economic development refers to the ‘development of resources without causing any harm to the environment. Also, such development should not compromise with the needs of the future generations.’

Resource Planning in India

• So, how do we plan the resources and development of the same? India is a land of rich natural resources and diversely so. 
• However, while some regions are ahead in their resources and development, other regions lag behind. 
• For example, states like Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, are blessed with minerals and metal ores.
• However, they largely lack proper infrastructure and urban resources. In such cases, we need to consider resource planning at national, state, regional, and even local levels.
  Resource planning involves 3 steps.
• Identifying and documenting the available resources across different regions. This involves surveying, mapping and qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources.
• Designing a structured plan supported by innovation and technology.
• Matching the resources and development plans with those of the nation.

Land Resources

• Land is a natural resource of utmost importance. It supports natural vegetation, wildlife, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems.
• Land is present in limited size so we must use it effectively.

Land under Important Relief Features in India

• About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry.
• About 30 per cent of the total surface area of the country is mountainous which ensure the 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 Utilisation

Land resources are used for the following purposes:

• Forests
• Land not available for cultivation
• Barren and wasteland
• Land put to non-agricultural uses
• Fallow lands
• Other uncultivated lands (excluding fallow land)
• Net sown area

Land Use Pattern in India

• Physical factors such as topography, climate, soil types
• Human factors such as population density, technological capability and culture and traditions etc.

(2) 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 northeast states except Assam has not been done completely. Also, some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.

Land Degradation and Conservation Measures

(1) Human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, mining and quarrying contributed to land degradation.

(2) Measures to control land degradation:

• Afforestation
• Planting of shelter belts of plants
• Control on overgrazing
• Stabilization of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes
• Proper management of wastelands
• 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.

Factors responsible for Soil Formation

1. It takes millions of years to form few centimetres of soil.
2. Relief, parent rock, climate, vegetation are important factors for soil formation.
3. Change in temperature, actions of running water, wind and glaciers all contribute to soil formation.
4. Chemical and organic changes which take place in the soil are also important for soil formation.

Classification of Soils

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

1. 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.

Alluvial Soil

2. 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.

Black Soil

3. Red and Yellow Soils

Red Soil

• 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.

4. Laterite Soils

Laterite Soil

• 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.

5. 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.

Arid Soil

6. 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.

Forest Soil

Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

(a) Natural ways of Soil erosion: Wind, glaciers and water lead to soil erosion.

(b) Human activities: Deforestation, over-grazing, construction and mining etc., contributes to soil erosion.

(c) Different ways for Soil Conservation:

• Strip cropping
• Planting shelterbelts
• In the hilly areas, using contour ploughing and terrace farming.