Resources and Development Question Answers: NCERT Class 10 Social Science - Contemporary India – II

(i) d) Non-renewable
Iron ore are environmental resources that cannot be replenished.

(ii) a) Replenishable
Tidal energy is a replenishable energy. It is used over and over again. They are inexhaustible resources and quality is vast and unlimited.

(iii) c) Over irrigation
Over irrigation is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab due to waterlogging leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil.

(iv) d) Uttarakhand
Hilly areas use this method of cultivation. The farmers cut steps on the slopes of the mountains and use the land to grow crops.

(v) b) Maharashtra
Black soils are derivatives of trapped lave. These are found mostly in the Deccan plateau and the Malwa Plateau, where there is both moderate rainfall and underlying basaltic rock. This soil is best suitable for growing cotton.

i) Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh.
Some of the major crops grown on the black soils are cotton, wheat, jowar, linseed, Virginia tobacco, sunflower and millets. Rice and sugarcane are equally important where irrigation facilities are available large varieties of vegetables and fruits are also successfully grown on the Iblack soils.

ii) Alluvial soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast.

The three main features of alluvial soil area:

   a) Silk, clay, gravel and sand the main constituents of alluvial soil.
   b) Alluvial soils are very fertile. Sugarcane wheat and paddy are the main crops grown in this soil.
   c) According to age, the alluvial soil is classified as Bangar (old alluvial) and Khadar (new alluvial).

iii) Steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas are:
        a) Contour ploughing : This refers to ploughing along contour lines.
        b) The Making use of Terrace farming technique by cutting the rock layers to reduce the flow of rivers.
        c) Plugging of gullies to prevent gully erosion.

iv) 

i) In India, the land is primarily used for agriculture, forest, grazing and other activities like housing, roads and industries. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas. The pattern of the net sown area varies from one state to another state depending upon the climate and soil types. According to the recent data, about 54% of the total land area is cultivable or fallow about 80% of the total area in Punjab and Haryana is used for cultivation while in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman Nicobar Islands, It is even less than 10%, forest is covered in India is about 22%.

The increased use of land for agricultural activities industrialisation, urbanisation and improper uses of forest land has degraded the available land area and has made conservation of forest difficult. Increasing population and subsequent increase in demand for resources resulted in the degradation of forest The land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.

ii) Various factors are responsible for technical and economic development leading to more consumption of resources.

1. Economic development raised people's demands and the technological advancement led to greater exploitation of resources to meet their demands.
2. In colonial times, imperial powers would use their technological and economic superiority to establish control over other countries and thereby gain access to the latter's resources, Now, one country's resources became accessible to the citizens of its colonial ruler too, leading to increased consumption.
3. Technological development led to efficient machinery. As a result, production increased ultimately leading to the consumption of more resources.
4. Improved medical and health resources led to increased population which in turn resulted in increased consumption of resources.

 (i) Resources

(ii) Minerals

(iii) Black

(iv) Laterite

(v) Afforestation

(vi) Alluvia