Resources and Development

Resources:

- Resources are elements in our environment that satisfy our needs and are technologically
accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable.
- They can be classified based on origin (biotic and abiotic), exhaustibility (renewable and non-
renewable), ownership (individual, community, national, international), and status of
development (potential, developed stock, reserves).
- Resource planning is crucial for sustainable development and should consider ecological
impacts and future generations' needs.

Land Resources:

- Land is a vital natural resource that supports vegetation, wildlife, human life, economic
activities, and infrastructure.
- Land utilization includes forests, barren/wasteland, non-agricultural use, fallow land,
uncultivated land, and net sown area.
- Land degradation results from overuse and misuse, leading to problems like deforestation,
overgrazing, and industrial pollution.
- Conservation measures include afforestation, planting shelter belts, stabilizing sand dunes,
proper wasteland management, controlling mining, and managing industrial effluents.

Soil Resources:

- Soil is a renewable natural resource vital for plant growth and life on Earth.
- Soil formation is influenced by parent rock, climate, vegetation, time, and biological and
chemical processes.
- India has various soil types, including alluvial, black, red and yellow, laterite, arid, and forest
soils.
Types of Soils in India:

Alluvial Soils:
- Found in the entire northern plains and eastern coastal plains, particularly in deltas of rivers
like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.
- Fertile soil suitable for agriculture, rich in potash, phosphoric acid, and lime.
- Ideal for crops like sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and other cereals and pulses.
- Intensively cultivated and densely populated regions.

Black Soil (Regur):

- Known as black cotton soil due to its black color.
- Found in plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and
along Godavari and Krishna valleys.
- Composed of extremely fine clayey material.
- Known for its moisture-retaining capacity.
- Rich in calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash, and lime.
- Ideal for growing cotton.

Red and Yellow Soils:

- Found in areas with 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 color due to iron diffusion in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.

Laterite Soils:
- Develop in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall.
- Found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and hilly areas of Odisha and
Assam.
- Suitable for cultivation with adequate manures and fertilizers.
- Low humus content due to destruction of decomposers (bacteria) from high temperature.

Arid Soils:
- Found in western parts of Rajasthan.
- Become cultivable with proper irrigation.
- Lacks humus and moisture due to dry climate and high temperature, leading to rapid
evaporation.
- High salt content; common salt obtained by evaporating water.

Forest Soils:
- Found in hilly and mountainous areas with sufficient rainforests.
- Features vary by location.
- Loamy and silty in valley sides, coarse-grained in upper slopes.
- Sil in lower parts of valleys, especially on river terraces and alluvial fans, is fertile.

Soil Erosion
- Soil erosion is caused by natural factors (wind, water, glaciers) and human activities
(deforestation, overgrazing). It results in the loss of fertile topsoil.
- Soil conservation methods include contour ploughing, terrace cultivation, strip cropping, and
planting shelter belts.

Forest and Wildlife Resources

Flora and Fauna in India:

- India is rich in biological diversity, with various forest and wildlife resources.
- Classification based on IUCN categories includes:
- Normal species (e.g., cattle, sal, pine).
- Endangered species (e.g., black buck, Indian rhino).
 - Vulnerable species (e.g., Asiatic elephant).
- Rare species (e.g., Himalayan brown bear).
- Endemic species (e.g., Andaman teal).
- Extinct species (e.g., Asiatic cheetah).

Negative Factors Depleting Flora and Fauna:

- Excessive consumption of natural resources.

- Expansion of railways, agriculture, forestry, and mining.
- Large-scale development projects.
- Unequal resource access and consumption.
- Differential environmental responsibility.

Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India:

- Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act implemented in 1972.

- All-India list of protected species published.
- Various projects to protect specific animals.
- Inclusion of many species under the Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986.
- Plants added to the list in 1991.

Types and Distribution of Forest and Wildlife Resources:

- Owned and managed by the government.

- Categories include:
- Reserved forests (more than half of forest land).
- Protected forests (one-third of forest area).
- Unclassed forests (owned by government and private individuals).
- Reserved and protected forests are also called permanent forests, mainly for timber and
protection.
- Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under permanent forests.

Community and Conservation:

- Conservation efforts by common people:

- Villagers in Sariska Tiger Reserve fought against mining.
- Villagers in Alwar, Rajasthan declared 1,200 hectares of forest as "Sonchuri" and established
rules against hunting.
- Chipko movement resisted deforestation in the Himalayas.
- Community afforestation.
- Beej Bachao Andolan and Navdanya promote sustainable agriculture.
- Joint Forest Management (JFM) involves local communities in forest management and
restoration.
Water Resources

Water:

- Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is covered with water, but only a small fraction is
freshwater.
- Water is a renewable resource.

Water Scarcity and Conservation:

- Water scarcity arises from over-exploitation, excessive use, and unequal access.
- Over-exploitation for dry-season agriculture is a cause of water scarcity.
- Poor water quality exacerbates scarcity.
- Water conservation is essential to safeguard health, food security, ecosystems, and
livelihoods.

Multi-Purpose River Projects and Integrated Water Resources Management:

- Ancient hydraulic structures, like dams, were used for water conservation.
- Dams have various uses, including irrigation, electricity generation, water supply, flood control,
recreation, and fish breeding.
- Dam construction impacts natural river flow, aquatic habitats, and local communities.
- Dams can lead to habitat degradation, migration challenges for aquatic fauna, and
submergence of vegetation.
- Some large dams have faced opposition due to their environmental and social impacts.

Rainwater Harvesting:

- Rainwater harvesting collects rainfall for future use.

- Methods vary by region:
- Diversion channels like 'guls' in the Western Himalayas.
- Rooftop rainwater harvesting for drinking water, especially in Rajasthan.
- Inundation channels in Bengal floodplains.
- Rain-fed storage structures like 'khadins' and 'Johads' in arid regions.
- Tankas in Rajasthan for storing rainwater and cooling rooms.
- Tamil Nadu mandates rooftop rainwater harvesting for all houses.
Agriculture

Types of Farming:

- Primitive Subsistence Farming:

- Also known as 'slash and burn' agriculture.
- Farmers clear land patches and grow cereals and food crops.
- Shift to new patches as soil fertility declines.
- Mostly depends on monsoons.

- Intensive Subsistence Farming:

- Practiced in densely populated areas.
- Labor-intensive with high biochemical inputs and irrigation.

- Commercial Farming:
- Utilizes modern inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
- Includes plantation farming (large-scale, single-crop cultivation).
- Examples: tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana.

Cropping Pattern:

- India has three cropping seasons: Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid.

- Each season corresponds to specific sowing and harvesting times.
- Important crops vary by season and include wheat, rice, millets, pulses, and more.

Major Crops in India:

Rice:
- Most important Kharif crop in India.
- India is the second-largest rice producer globally, after China.
- Requires high temperature (25°C and above), high humidity, and annual rainfall of around 100
cm.
- Four major regions for rice cultivation: Plains of North India, Plains of North-Eastern India,
Coastal areas, and Deltaic regions.
- Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, and Rajasthan are known for irrigated rice production.

Wheat:
- Second most important cereal crop in India.
- Main food crop.
- Requires a cool and moist growing season, bright sunshine during ripening, rainfall of 50 to 75
cm distributed evenly, and loamy soil.
- Wheat growing zones: Ganga-Sutlej plains in the North-West and Black soil region of the
Deccan.
- Major wheat-producing states: Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

Jowar (Sorghum):
- Third most important food crop in terms of area and production.
- Kharif crop, rainfed, grown in moist areas.
- Major producing states: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Millets:
- Coarse grains with high nutritional value, important for poor people.
- Types include Ragi, Jowar, and Bajra.
- Ragi: Leading producer Karnataka, followed by Tamil Nadu.
- Jowar: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
- Bajra: Grows well on sandy and shallow black soils, major producer Rajasthan, followed by
Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Haryana.

Maize:
- Kharif crop, requires temperature between 21°C to 27°C, moderate rainfall of 50-100 cm,
grows well in old alluvial soils.
- Used as both food and fodder.
- Increasing production due to modern inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation.
- Major maize-producing states: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra
Pradesh, and Telangana.

Sugarcane:
- India is the second-largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil.
- Requires a tropical to subtropical climate, temperature between 21°C to 27°C, annual rainfall
between 75 cm and 100 cm.
- Main source of sugar, gur (jaggery), khandsari, and molasses.
- Major sugarcane-producing states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana.

Oilseeds:
- India is the largest producer of oilseeds globally, covering 12% of the total cropped area.
- Major oilseeds produced: Groundnut, mustard, coconut, sesamum (til), soyabean, castor-
seeds, linseed, sunflower, and cotton-seeds.
- Used for cooking and industrial purposes (soap, cosmetics, ointments).

Tea:
- Grows well in tropical and subtropical climates.
- Requires deep, fertile, well-drained soil with abundant rainfall and a frost-free climate.
- Labour-intensive industry.
- Major tea-producing states: Assam, Darjeeling, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
Coffee:
- Important beverage crop in South India.
- India produces 4% of the world's coffee.
- Major states: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu (Nilgiri hills).

Cotton:
- Mainly produced in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
- Requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days, bright sunshine, black
cotton soil.
- Major cotton-producing states: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Jute:
- Known as the golden fiber.
- Mainly grown in West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam.
- Requires high temperature, well-drained fertile soils in flood plains.
- Used for making gunny bags, ropes, mats, carpets, and more.

Rubber:
- Produced in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Garo Hills of
Meghalaya.
- Requires hot and humid climate, high rainfall (200 cm), and temperature above 25°C.
- Used in manufacturing auto and cycle tires and tubes.

Technological and Institutional Reforms:

- Initiatives like the Green Revolution and White Revolution.

- Government schemes like Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance
Scheme (PAIS).
- Weather forecasts, agricultural programs on radio/TV.
- Minimum support prices for crops.
- Agricultural research, veterinary services, and more.

Contribution of Agriculture:

- Agriculture employs over 60% of India's population.

- The share of agriculture in GDP is declining.
- Various government initiatives aim to improve Indian agriculture.