NCERT Textbook: Economic Activities Around Us | Social Studies (SST) Class 6 PDF Download

 Page 1


195
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
CHAPTER
14
 
Monetary 
value: Value 
of something 
that can be 
measured 
in terms of 
money.
Economic Activities 
Around Us
The root of prosperity is economic activity, the lack of it 
brings material distress. The absence of fruitful economic 
activity endangers both current prosperity and future growth.
— Kau?ilya’s Arthashastra
Introduction
In Chapter 13, we learnt about two types of activities – 
economic and non- economic. Activities that create monetary 
value are called economic activities. We also learnt about 
the importance of non-economic activities. To understand 
these activities better we will learn how economic activities 
are classified and what differentiates them in this chapter.
1. How are economic activities 
classified?
2. What differentiates these  
activities to be grouped into 
sectors?
3. How are the three sectors  
interconnected?
The Big 
Questions
14_100724_v8 .indd   195 14_100724_v8 .indd   195 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
Page 2


195
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
CHAPTER
14
 
Monetary 
value: Value 
of something 
that can be 
measured 
in terms of 
money.
Economic Activities 
Around Us
The root of prosperity is economic activity, the lack of it 
brings material distress. The absence of fruitful economic 
activity endangers both current prosperity and future growth.
— Kau?ilya’s Arthashastra
Introduction
In Chapter 13, we learnt about two types of activities – 
economic and non- economic. Activities that create monetary 
value are called economic activities. We also learnt about 
the importance of non-economic activities. To understand 
these activities better we will learn how economic activities 
are classified and what differentiates them in this chapter.
1. How are economic activities 
classified?
2. What differentiates these  
activities to be grouped into 
sectors?
3. How are the three sectors  
interconnected?
The Big 
Questions
14_100724_v8 .indd   195 14_100724_v8 .indd   195 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
196
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Economic Life Around Us
Over the decades, the number of economic activities has 
increased tremendously. For example, earlier most people 
were involved in activities such as agriculture, livestock 
rearing, production of tools, pottery and weaving cloth. 
As societies progressed, the number of economic activities 
through which people earn their livelihoods increased 
vastly.
Today, there are diverse economic activities such as 
manufacturing computers, mobile phones and drones; 
working in banks, schools and hotels; driving various types 
of vehicles for transportation; making furniture; tailoring 
clothes using machines; creating software; repairing 
refrigerators and washing machines; etc. Classifying all 
these activities helps us to understand how they function 
and the links they have with each other.
The Classification of Economic Activities 
into Economic Sectors
Some economic activities share similar characteristics and 
based on this, they can be grouped together or classified 
into broader groups called economic sectors. The three 
main types of economic sectors are primary, secondary and 
tertiary economic sectors.
The illustration on the facing page maps out the broad 
activities under these categories. 
A. Primary activities
Those economic activities in which people are directly 
dependent on nature to produce goods are known as 
primary activities or primary sector economic activities. 
Primary sector:   
The group of activities that involves extraction of raw materials directly from 
nature such as farming, fishing, forestry, etc.
Economic 
Sectors:  
Broad 
groups that 
include 
various 
activities 
that help 
with the 
economic 
prosperity  
of a nation.
14_100724_v8 .indd   196 14_100724_v8 .indd   196 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
Page 3


195
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
CHAPTER
14
 
Monetary 
value: Value 
of something 
that can be 
measured 
in terms of 
money.
Economic Activities 
Around Us
The root of prosperity is economic activity, the lack of it 
brings material distress. The absence of fruitful economic 
activity endangers both current prosperity and future growth.
— Kau?ilya’s Arthashastra
Introduction
In Chapter 13, we learnt about two types of activities – 
economic and non- economic. Activities that create monetary 
value are called economic activities. We also learnt about 
the importance of non-economic activities. To understand 
these activities better we will learn how economic activities 
are classified and what differentiates them in this chapter.
1. How are economic activities 
classified?
2. What differentiates these  
activities to be grouped into 
sectors?
3. How are the three sectors  
interconnected?
The Big 
Questions
14_100724_v8 .indd   195 14_100724_v8 .indd   195 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
196
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Economic Life Around Us
Over the decades, the number of economic activities has 
increased tremendously. For example, earlier most people 
were involved in activities such as agriculture, livestock 
rearing, production of tools, pottery and weaving cloth. 
As societies progressed, the number of economic activities 
through which people earn their livelihoods increased 
vastly.
Today, there are diverse economic activities such as 
manufacturing computers, mobile phones and drones; 
working in banks, schools and hotels; driving various types 
of vehicles for transportation; making furniture; tailoring 
clothes using machines; creating software; repairing 
refrigerators and washing machines; etc. Classifying all 
these activities helps us to understand how they function 
and the links they have with each other.
The Classification of Economic Activities 
into Economic Sectors
Some economic activities share similar characteristics and 
based on this, they can be grouped together or classified 
into broader groups called economic sectors. The three 
main types of economic sectors are primary, secondary and 
tertiary economic sectors.
The illustration on the facing page maps out the broad 
activities under these categories. 
A. Primary activities
Those economic activities in which people are directly 
dependent on nature to produce goods are known as 
primary activities or primary sector economic activities. 
Primary sector:   
The group of activities that involves extraction of raw materials directly from 
nature such as farming, fishing, forestry, etc.
Economic 
Sectors:  
Broad 
groups that 
include 
various 
activities 
that help 
with the 
economic 
prosperity  
of a nation.
14_100724_v8 .indd   196 14_100724_v8 .indd   196 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
197
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
Classification of economic activities  
into economic sectors
Primary sector
Agriculture
Mining
Fishing
Raising livestock
Forestry
Tertiary sector
Healthcare
Trade and logistics
Communication
Banking
Transportation
Secondary sector
Construction
Manufacturing
Water supply
Solar power
Electricity production
14_100724_v8 .indd   197 14_100724_v8 .indd   197 11-Jul-24   4:29:29 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:29 PM
Page 4


195
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
CHAPTER
14
 
Monetary 
value: Value 
of something 
that can be 
measured 
in terms of 
money.
Economic Activities 
Around Us
The root of prosperity is economic activity, the lack of it 
brings material distress. The absence of fruitful economic 
activity endangers both current prosperity and future growth.
— Kau?ilya’s Arthashastra
Introduction
In Chapter 13, we learnt about two types of activities – 
economic and non- economic. Activities that create monetary 
value are called economic activities. We also learnt about 
the importance of non-economic activities. To understand 
these activities better we will learn how economic activities 
are classified and what differentiates them in this chapter.
1. How are economic activities 
classified?
2. What differentiates these  
activities to be grouped into 
sectors?
3. How are the three sectors  
interconnected?
The Big 
Questions
14_100724_v8 .indd   195 14_100724_v8 .indd   195 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
196
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Economic Life Around Us
Over the decades, the number of economic activities has 
increased tremendously. For example, earlier most people 
were involved in activities such as agriculture, livestock 
rearing, production of tools, pottery and weaving cloth. 
As societies progressed, the number of economic activities 
through which people earn their livelihoods increased 
vastly.
Today, there are diverse economic activities such as 
manufacturing computers, mobile phones and drones; 
working in banks, schools and hotels; driving various types 
of vehicles for transportation; making furniture; tailoring 
clothes using machines; creating software; repairing 
refrigerators and washing machines; etc. Classifying all 
these activities helps us to understand how they function 
and the links they have with each other.
The Classification of Economic Activities 
into Economic Sectors
Some economic activities share similar characteristics and 
based on this, they can be grouped together or classified 
into broader groups called economic sectors. The three 
main types of economic sectors are primary, secondary and 
tertiary economic sectors.
The illustration on the facing page maps out the broad 
activities under these categories. 
A. Primary activities
Those economic activities in which people are directly 
dependent on nature to produce goods are known as 
primary activities or primary sector economic activities. 
Primary sector:   
The group of activities that involves extraction of raw materials directly from 
nature such as farming, fishing, forestry, etc.
Economic 
Sectors:  
Broad 
groups that 
include 
various 
activities 
that help 
with the 
economic 
prosperity  
of a nation.
14_100724_v8 .indd   196 14_100724_v8 .indd   196 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
197
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
Classification of economic activities  
into economic sectors
Primary sector
Agriculture
Mining
Fishing
Raising livestock
Forestry
Tertiary sector
Healthcare
Trade and logistics
Communication
Banking
Transportation
Secondary sector
Construction
Manufacturing
Water supply
Solar power
Electricity production
14_100724_v8 .indd   197 14_100724_v8 .indd   197 11-Jul-24   4:29:29 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:29 PM
198
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Economic Life Around Us
For example, work involving cultivation of grains and 
vegetables from agricultural farms, collecting wood from 
the forests, extracting coal from mines, fish from fisheries, 
eggs from poultry farms, etc., are all primary sector 
economic activities. 
The most common primary activities are agriculture, 
mining, fishing, raising livestock, forestry, etc. Below are 
some of the types of activities within the primary sectors.
Raising livestock
Greenhouse farming  Mining
Forestry Fish farming (fishery)
14_100724_v8 .indd   198 14_100724_v8 .indd   198 11-Jul-24   4:29:33 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:33 PM
Page 5


195
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
CHAPTER
14
 
Monetary 
value: Value 
of something 
that can be 
measured 
in terms of 
money.
Economic Activities 
Around Us
The root of prosperity is economic activity, the lack of it 
brings material distress. The absence of fruitful economic 
activity endangers both current prosperity and future growth.
— Kau?ilya’s Arthashastra
Introduction
In Chapter 13, we learnt about two types of activities – 
economic and non- economic. Activities that create monetary 
value are called economic activities. We also learnt about 
the importance of non-economic activities. To understand 
these activities better we will learn how economic activities 
are classified and what differentiates them in this chapter.
1. How are economic activities 
classified?
2. What differentiates these  
activities to be grouped into 
sectors?
3. How are the three sectors  
interconnected?
The Big 
Questions
14_100724_v8 .indd   195 14_100724_v8 .indd   195 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
196
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Economic Life Around Us
Over the decades, the number of economic activities has 
increased tremendously. For example, earlier most people 
were involved in activities such as agriculture, livestock 
rearing, production of tools, pottery and weaving cloth. 
As societies progressed, the number of economic activities 
through which people earn their livelihoods increased 
vastly.
Today, there are diverse economic activities such as 
manufacturing computers, mobile phones and drones; 
working in banks, schools and hotels; driving various types 
of vehicles for transportation; making furniture; tailoring 
clothes using machines; creating software; repairing 
refrigerators and washing machines; etc. Classifying all 
these activities helps us to understand how they function 
and the links they have with each other.
The Classification of Economic Activities 
into Economic Sectors
Some economic activities share similar characteristics and 
based on this, they can be grouped together or classified 
into broader groups called economic sectors. The three 
main types of economic sectors are primary, secondary and 
tertiary economic sectors.
The illustration on the facing page maps out the broad 
activities under these categories. 
A. Primary activities
Those economic activities in which people are directly 
dependent on nature to produce goods are known as 
primary activities or primary sector economic activities. 
Primary sector:   
The group of activities that involves extraction of raw materials directly from 
nature such as farming, fishing, forestry, etc.
Economic 
Sectors:  
Broad 
groups that 
include 
various 
activities 
that help 
with the 
economic 
prosperity  
of a nation.
14_100724_v8 .indd   196 14_100724_v8 .indd   196 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:18 PM
197
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
Classification of economic activities  
into economic sectors
Primary sector
Agriculture
Mining
Fishing
Raising livestock
Forestry
Tertiary sector
Healthcare
Trade and logistics
Communication
Banking
Transportation
Secondary sector
Construction
Manufacturing
Water supply
Solar power
Electricity production
14_100724_v8 .indd   197 14_100724_v8 .indd   197 11-Jul-24   4:29:29 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:29 PM
198
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Economic Life Around Us
For example, work involving cultivation of grains and 
vegetables from agricultural farms, collecting wood from 
the forests, extracting coal from mines, fish from fisheries, 
eggs from poultry farms, etc., are all primary sector 
economic activities. 
The most common primary activities are agriculture, 
mining, fishing, raising livestock, forestry, etc. Below are 
some of the types of activities within the primary sectors.
Raising livestock
Greenhouse farming  Mining
Forestry Fish farming (fishery)
14_100724_v8 .indd   198 14_100724_v8 .indd   198 11-Jul-24   4:29:33 PM 11-Jul-24   4:29:33 PM
199
14 ? Economic Activities Around Us
THINK ABOUT IT
Can you think of any primary activities that you may have 
seen in the past? What are the natural resources used 
in these activities? Name two of them and discuss your 
experiences with your classmates.
1.
2.
B. Secondary activities
Economic activities in which people are dependent on 
outputs of the primary sector and transform them to 
produce goods are known as secondary activities or 
secondary sector economic activities. The secondary sector 
includes the construction of buildings, roads, etc., and 
providing utilities like water, electricity, gas and other such 
necessities. It also includes the manufacturing of products 
in factories and production units to process raw material 
from the primary sector into some other form that can be 
further sold or consumed. Some examples of secondary 
sector activities include the processing of grains obtained 
from agricultural fields to make flour in mills, extraction of 
oil from groundnut and processing of tea leaves to derive 
tea. Similarly, wood from the forest is converted into 
furniture and paper, cotton is used to make clothes, and 
steel from iron ore is used to make automobiles like cars, 
trucks, etc.
Automobile factory Textile factory
Secondary 
sector:   
The group 
of activities 
that involves 
processing of 
raw materials 
derived from 
primary sector 
into products 
for sale or    
consumption.
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