🔹 What Are Resources?
- 🔸 Resources are all natural, human-made, or human resources that are used to satisfy human needs and wants.
- 🔸 A substance becomes a resource only when it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable.
- 🔸 Examples: Water, minerals, forests, solar energy, roads, and machinery.
🔹 Types of Resources
🔸 On the Basis of Origin
- 🔹 Biotic Resources: Derived from the biosphere (living organisms).
- Example: Humans, flora, fauna, fisheries.
- 🔹 Abiotic Resources: Composed of non-living elements.
- Example: Rocks, minerals, metals.
🔸 On the Basis of Exhaustibility
- 🔹 Renewable Resources:
- Can be replenished naturally.
- Example: Solar energy, wind energy, forests.
- 🔹 Non-renewable Resources:
- Formed over millions of years and are finite.
- Example: Coal, petroleum, natural gas.
🔸 On the Basis of Ownership
- 🔹 Individual Resources: Owned by individuals.
- Example: Farmland, house property.
- 🔹 Community Resources: Used by all members of the community.
- Example: Public parks, grazing grounds.
- 🔹 National Resources: Belong to the nation.
- Example: Railways, rivers, forests.
- 🔹 International Resources: Controlled by international institutions.
- Example: Oceanic resources beyond 200 nautical miles.
🔸 On the Basis of Development
- 🔹 Potential Resources:
- Exist in a region but are not yet utilized.
- Example: Wind energy in Rajasthan, solar energy in Gujarat.
- 🔹 Developed Resources:
- Resources that are surveyed and ready for use.
- Example: Coal reserves, hydroelectric potential.
- 🔹 Stock:
- Known resources that cannot be used due to lack of technology.
- Example: Water as hydrogen and oxygen.
- 🔹 Reserves:
- Part of stock that is available for use with existing technology.
- Example: River water stored in dams.
🔹 Resource Planning in India
- 🔸 Resource planning is the process of identifying, distributing, and managing resources to ensure their optimal use.
- 🔸 It involves three stages:
- 🔹 Identification and inventory of resources.
- 🔹 Planning and developing structures and technology.
- 🔹 Matching resource development plans with national development plans.
🔹 Importance of Resource Planning
- 🔸 India has a diverse range of resources, but they are unevenly distributed.
- 🔸 Overuse and indiscriminate exploitation of resources have led to:
- 🔹 Depletion of resources.
- 🔹 Environmental degradation.
- 🔸 Proper planning ensures sustainable development and equitable distribution.
🔹 Conservation of Resources
- 🔸 Resource conservation means using resources wisely without depleting them.
- 🔸 First initiated by Gandhiji, who believed:
“There is enough for everybody’s need but not for anybody’s greed.” - 🔸 Conservation is essential for:
- 🔹 Future generations.
- 🔹 Preventing resource scarcity.
- 🔹 Maintaining ecological balance.
🔹 Land Resources in India
🔸 Importance of Land
- 🔹 Land is a natural resource of utmost importance.
- 🔹 It supports natural vegetation, wildlife, human life, and economic activities.
🔸 Land Use Pattern in India (Latest trends)
- 🔹 Net sown area: 45%
- 🔹 Forests: 22.5%
- 🔹 Barren and waste land: 6%
- 🔹 Non-agricultural uses: 8%
- 🔹 Fallow land: 7.5%
- 🔹 Permanent pastures: 3.5%
🔸 Factors Affecting Land Use
- 🔹 Physical factors: Topography, soil, climate, rainfall.
- 🔹 Human factors: Population density, culture, technology.
🔹 Land Degradation and Conservation
🔸 Causes of Land Degradation
- 🔹 Deforestation.
- 🔹 Overgrazing by animals.
- 🔹 Mining activities.
- 🔹 Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides.
- 🔹 Industrial waste disposal.
🔸 Measures to Conserve Land
- 🔹 Afforestation and reforestation.
- 🔹 Controlled grazing.
- 🔹 Proper waste disposal.
- 🔹 Contour ploughing and terrace farming in hilly areas.
- 🔹 Use of organic farming techniques.
🔹 Soil as a Resource
🔸 Soil Formation
- 🔹 Formed through the process of weathering of rocks.
- 🔹 Factors influencing soil formation:
- Parent rock, climate, relief, flora and fauna, and time.
🔸 Soil Profile
- 🔹 Different layers or horizons found in a vertical section of soil.
🔹 Types of Soils in India
🔸 Alluvial Soil
- 🔹 Most fertile soil.
- 🔹 Found in Indo-Gangetic plains.
- 🔹 Ideal for crops like paddy, wheat, and sugarcane.
🔸 Black Soil
- 🔹 Also known as Regur soil.
- 🔹 Ideal for cotton cultivation.
- 🔹 Found in Deccan plateau.
🔸 Red and Yellow Soil
- 🔹 Found in low rainfall areas.
- 🔹 Less fertile due to lack of humus.
🔸 Laterite Soil
- 🔹 Found in high rainfall areas.
- 🔹 Rich in iron oxide, poor in fertility.
🔸 Arid Soil
- 🔹 Found in Rajasthan.
- 🔹 High salt content, sandy texture.
🔸 Forest Soil
- 🔹 Found in mountainous regions.
- 🔹 Rich in organic matter, good for horticulture.
🔹 Soil Erosion and Conservation
🔸 Soil Erosion
- 🔹 The removal of topsoil by wind, water, or human activity.
- 🔹 Types:
- 🔹 Sheet erosion: Uniform removal.
- 🔹 Gully erosion: Creates deep ditches.
- 🔹 Wind erosion: Blows away topsoil in dry areas.
🔸 Causes
- 🔹 Deforestation.
- 🔹 Overgrazing.
- 🔹 Shifting cultivation.
- 🔹 Improper farming practices.
🔸 Soil Conservation Techniques
- 🔹 Terrace farming in hills.
- 🔹 Strip cropping in dry regions.
- 🔹 Contour ploughing to reduce run-off.
- 🔹 Shelter belts (rows of trees to block wind).
- 🔹 Afforestation and grass planting.
🔹 Sustainable Development
- 🔸 Sustainable development ensures economic growth without damaging the environment.
- 🔸 Principles include:
- 🔹 Minimizing resource waste.
- 🔹 Promoting renewable energy.
- 🔹 Recycling and reusing resources.
- 🔹 Balancing needs of present and future generations.
🔹 Government Initiatives for Conservation
- 🔹 National Wastelands Development Board: Restores degraded lands.
- 🔹 Soil Conservation Programs: Implemented in various states.
- 🔹 Afforestation Drives: Encouraging tree plantation.
- 🔹 Watershed Development Projects: Manage water and soil.
🔹 Case Studies and Examples
- 🔸 Rajasthan:
- Successful use of strip cropping and shelter belts.
- 🔸 Cherrapunji (Meghalaya):
- Despite heavy rainfall, deforestation has led to soil erosion.
- 🔸 Punjab and Haryana:
- Overuse of chemical fertilizers causing land degradation.
- 🔸 Western Ghats:
- Laterite soils conserved through terrace farming.
🔹 Key Terms for Revision
- 🔹 Resource Planning
- 🔹 Sustainable Development
- 🔹 Soil Profile
- 🔹 Land Degradation
- 🔹 Afforestation
- 🔹 Terrace Farming
- 🔹 Contour Ploughing
- 🔹 Renewable Resources
- 🔹 Non-Renewable Resources