Resources and Development

The chapter states that in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, over irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to water logging, which increases salinity and alkalinity in the soil.

The chapter says terrace cultivation is practiced in the Western and central Himalayas. Among the given options, Uttarakhand is the correct state.

The chapter says black soil is typical of the Deccan trap region and covers parts of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Among the options, Maharashtra is correct.

The chapter states that black soil is found in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh among other regions, and it is ideal for growing cotton. So three states can be named as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the main crop is cotton.

The river deltas of the eastern coast have alluvial soil. Three main features are:
1. It is very fertile.
2. It contains adequate amounts of potash, phosphoric acid and lime.
3. It is made up of varying proportions of sand, silt and clay.

To control soil erosion in hilly areas, the chapter suggests:
- Contour ploughing to slow the flow of water down slopes.
- Terrace cultivation to reduce erosion on slopes.
- Strip cropping to break the force of wind.
- Shelter belts or rows of trees.
It also helps to control deforestation and overgrazing.

The land use pattern in India is determined by both physical factors such as topography, climate and soil types, and human factors such as population density, technological capability, culture and traditions. The chapter says land is used for forests, land not available for cultivation, other uncultivated land, fallow lands, and net sown area.

The land under forests has not increased much since 1960-61 because the chapter shows that the increase has been only marginal. This is due to continued pressure of population, demand for land for agriculture, industry, roads, settlements and other non-agricultural uses, and continuous use and degradation of land. Also, forest area in India is still far below the desired 33 per cent of the geographical area.

Technical development and economic development have increased the demand for resources. When technology improves, humans can transform more materials from nature into usable resources. Economic development increases production, transport, industry and consumption, so more land, minerals, water, fuel and forests are used.

The chapter also explains that many people once thought resources were free gifts of nature, so they were used indiscriminately. This led to depletion of resources, accumulation in a few hands, and environmental problems like global warming, ozone layer depletion, pollution and land degradation. Thus, technical and economic development can lead to more consumption of resources unless they are planned and conserved properly.