Important Exam Questions: The Story of Village Palampur | Social Studies (SST) Class 9 PDF Download

Answer: The four factors of production are:

• Land: Natural resources like soil and water.
• Labour: Workers, including skilled and manual labourers.
• Physical Capital: Fixed (e.g., tools, machines) and working capital (e.g., raw materials, cash).
• Human Capital: Knowledge and enterprise to combine the other factors effectively.

Answer: Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.

Answer: Land is fixed in Palampur because there has been no increase in cultivable land since 1960, as all wastelands were converted by then, and no further land is available for expansion.

Answer: b) Overuse of chemical fertilizers

Answer: Electricity has transformed farming by powering tube wells, replacing traditional Persian wheels. This enables efficient irrigation, allowing farmers to cultivate multiple crops annually and increase yields.

Answer: The Green Revolution refers to the significant increase in food grain production since the 1960s due to high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, irrigation, and chemical fertilizers. In Palampur, it enabled farmers to grow three crops a year, but overuse of fertilizers has led to soil fertility loss.

Answer: Labour is provided by landless families or those with small plots. They are paid in cash, crops, or meals, with wages varying by region, crop, activity (e.g., sowing, harvesting), and duration (daily or yearly).

Answer: In Palampur, about one-third (150) of 450 families are landless, primarily Dalits. Of the remaining, 240 families own small plots (<2 hectares), and 60 families are medium or large farmers (>2 hectares, some >10 hectares).

Impact on Economic Status

• Landless Families: Rely on wages as farm labourers, earning low and variable income, leading to economic instability.
• Small Farmers: Cultivate their own land with family labour but have limited surplus due to small production, restricting their income.
• Medium and Large Farmers: Produce significant surplus, sell it in markets, and save earnings for capital, enabling investments in equipment, cattle, or businesses, improving their economic status.

Answer: In Palampur, farmers increase production on fixed land through:

• Multiple Cropping: Growing more than one crop annually on the same land, e.g., jowar and bajra (Kharif), potatoes (October–December), and wheat (Rabi).
• Modern Farming Methods: Using high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and improved irrigation (electric tube wells).
• Electricity: Powers tube wells, enabling efficient irrigation for multiple crops.
• Impact: These methods have increased yields, as seen in the Green Revolution, but overuse of fertilizers has depleted soil fertility, raising cultivation costs.
• Example: Farmers like Tejpal Singh use surplus earnings to invest in modern equipment, further boosting production.

Answer: b) Farming

Answer: Benefits are:

• Increased Production: The Green Revolution introduced HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, and irrigation, enabling Palampur farmers to grow three crops (e.g., wheat, potatoes) annually, achieving self-sufficiency in food grains.
• Multiple Cropping: Electricity-powered tube wells facilitated irrigation, supporting crops like jowar, bajra, and wheat.
• Economic Gains: Medium and large farmers sell surplus produce, earning income for savings and investments (e.g., Tejpal Singh’s tractor purchase).

Challenges are:

• Soil Degradation: Overuse of chemical fertilizers has reduced soil fertility, requiring more inputs and increasing costs.
• Groundwater Depletion: Continuous tube well irrigation has lowered the water table, threatening sustainability.
• Environmental Impact: Chemical fertilizers pollute water sources and kill soil microorganisms, reducing long-term soil health.

Answer: Non-farming activities in Palampur include:

• Dairy: Families raise buffaloes, feeding them jowar and bajra, and sell milk to Raiganj’s collection centres for transport to towns, providing regular income.
• Small-Scale Manufacturing: Less than 50 people engage in simple, home-based production using family labour, contributing to local employment.
• Shopkeeping: Traders buy goods (e.g., rice, wheat, soap) from city wholesale markets and sell them in village stores, meeting local needs.
• Transport: Vehicles like rickshaws, jeeps, and tractors transport goods and people between Palampur and Raiganj, generating income for drivers.

Contribution: These activities diversify income sources, reduce dependence on farming, and support economic growth by providing jobs and services, especially for landless families and small farmers.

Answer:

• Role of Capital: Capital is essential for farming, including fixed capital (e.g., tractors, tube wells) and working capital (e.g., seeds, fertilizers). It enables farmers to purchase inputs and improve productivity.
• Access to Capital: Access to capital determines productivity and economic status, with large farmers benefiting more due to their savings, while small farmers face financial strain.
• Small Farmers: Borrow from large farmers, moneylenders, or traders at high interest rates, often facing repayment difficulties due to low surplus.
• Medium and Large Farmers: Use savings from surplus produce sales to fund capital needs, such as buying equipment or setting up tube wells, ensuring financial stability.
• Example: Tejpal Singh uses earnings to buy another tractor and lend to others, while small farmers struggle with debt.

Answer: Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.

Answer: c) Tractors