CBSE Class 10 Geography: Resources And Development (Chapter 1)

What are Resources? Definition and Classification

At its core, anything that can be used to satisfy our needs is a resource. However, this simple definition hides a complex interplay. For something to be considered a resource, it must be technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable. Human beings themselves are crucial components of resources, as they transform materials available in our environment into resources and use them. This means resources are not merely "gifts of nature" but are products of human interaction with nature through technology and institutions.

Classification of Resources:

Resources can be classified in various ways, helping us understand their nature and potential:

1. On the Basis of Origin:

• Biotic Resources: These are obtained from the biosphere and have life. Examples include human beings, flora (plants), fauna (animals), fisheries, and livestock.
• Abiotic Resources: These are non-living things. Examples include rocks, metals, and water.

1. On the Basis of Exhaustibility:

• Renewable Resources: These resources can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical, or mechanical processes. Examples include solar and wind energy, water, forests, and wildlife. Some renewable resources, like water, can be overused or polluted, which limits their renewal.
• Non-renewable Resources: These occur over a very long geological time frame. Minerals and fossil fuels are examples of such resources. They take millions of years to form, and once depleted, they cannot be replenished in a human timescale.

1. On the Basis of Ownership:

• Individual Resources: These are privately owned by individuals. Examples include plots, houses, and plantations owned by farmers.
• Community-Owned Resources: These are accessible to all members of the community. Examples include grazing grounds, burial grounds, village ponds, and public parks.
• National Resources: Technically, all resources within the political boundaries of a nation belong to the nation. This includes all minerals, water resources, forests, wildlife, land within political boundaries, and oceanic areas up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast. Railways, roads, and canals are also examples.
• International Resources: These are resources beyond the exclusive economic zone (200 nautical miles) of any nation. No individual country can utilise these without the concurrence of international institutions.

1. On the Basis of the Status of Development:

• Potential Resources: Resources which are found in a region but have not been utilised. For example, Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous potential for the development of wind and solar energy, but so far, these have not been developed adequately.
• Developed Resources: Resources which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined for utilisation. The development of resources depends on technology and the level of their feasibility.
• Stock: Materials in the environment which have the potential to satisfy human needs but human beings do not have the appropriate technology to access these. For example, water is a compound of two inflammable gases (hydrogen and oxygen), which can be used as a rich source of energy, but we do not have the technical 'know-how' to use them for this purpose.
• Reserves: These are the subset of the stock, which can be put into use with existing technical 'know-how' but their use has not been started. They can be used for meeting future requirements. For example, river water can be used for generating hydroelectric power, but currently, it is being utilized only to a limited extent.

Resource Planning in India: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Identification and Inventory of Resources — This first stage involves surveying, mapping, and qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources present across different regions of the country. This helps in understanding what resources are available and where they are located.
2. Evolving a Planning Structure — Once resources are identified, a planning structure is evolved. This involves framing appropriate technology, skill, and institutional set-up for implementing resource development plans. This step ensures that we have the means to effectively utilise identified resources.
3. Matching Resource Development Plans with National Development Plans — The final stage involves integrating resource development plans with overall national development plans. This ensures that the utilisation of resources aligns with the broader economic and social goals of the country, promoting balanced regional development and sustainable growth.

Land Resources and Their Conservation

Land is a crucial natural resource, supporting natural vegetation, wildlife, human life, economic activities, transport, and communication systems. However, land is a finite resource, meaning its availability is limited. Therefore, it is imperative to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning.

Land Utilisation Categories in India:

In India, land is categorised based on its use:

• Forests: Areas covered by forests.
• Land not available for cultivation: Includes barren and wasteland (rocky, arid, desert areas) and land put to non-agricultural uses (buildings, roads, factories).
• Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land): Includes permanent pastures and grazing lands, land under miscellaneous tree crops and groves (not included in Net Sown Area), and culturable wasteland (left uncultivated for more than five agricultural years).
• Fallow lands: Includes current fallow (left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year) and other than current fallow (left uncultivated for 1 to 5 agricultural years).
• Net Sown Area: Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as Gross Cropped Area. This is the actual area where crops are grown.

Land Degradation and Conservation Measures:

Unfortunately, continuous use of land over a long period without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it has resulted in land degradation. Some causes include deforestation, overgrazing, mining, over-irrigation, and industrial effluent discharge. Consequences include soil erosion, desertification, and loss of fertility.

Conservation Measures:

1. Afforestation and proper management of grazing: Planting more trees and controlling grazing can prevent soil erosion.
2. Shelterbelts of plants: Planting rows of trees to break the force of the wind.
3. Stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes: Helps to control desertification.
4. Proper management of waste lands: Reclaiming and managing barren lands.
5. Control of mining activities: Regulating mining to minimise environmental damage.
6. Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes: Treating industrial waste before discharge to prevent water and soil pollution.

Exam Tip: Mastering Resource Classification Nuances

When answering questions about resource classification, ensure you differentiate clearly between similar-sounding categories. For instance, the distinction between Stock and Reserves is a common point of confusion for students. Remember:

• Stock: We don't have the technology to access or utilise it, even though it has potential to satisfy needs (e.g., hydrogen in water for energy).
• Reserves: We have the technology, but we haven't started using it fully or have reserved it for future needs (e.g., river water for hydroelectric power).

Similarly, when discussing renewable resources, remember that even these can be degraded or overused (e.g., groundwater, forests), making them less effective or unusable. Always provide relevant examples for each category to illustrate your understanding and score better marks in your CBSE Class 10 Social Science board exams.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: What is a resource? Explain the interrelationship between nature, technology, and institutions in the development of resources. A: Step 1: Define resource as anything available in our environment that can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible, and culturally acceptable. Step 2: Explain that humans interact with nature through technology to create institutions. Nature provides the raw materials, technology transforms these materials, and institutions facilitate their use and development. This three-way interaction is essential for any substance to be classified and utilised as a resource. Final answer: Resources are functionally defined by human interaction with nature. Humans use technology to process natural materials and establish institutions to manage and develop these resources, showcasing an interdependent relationship crucial for development.
• Q: Classify resources based on their exhaustibility and provide two examples for each type. A: Step 1: Identify the two main categories based on exhaustibility: Renewable Resources and Non-renewable Resources. Step 2: Define Renewable Resources as those that can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical, or mechanical processes. Provide examples like solar energy and wind energy. Step 3: Define Non-renewable Resources as those that take millions of years to form and cannot be replenished in a short period once exhausted. Provide examples like minerals (e.g., coal, iron ore) and fossil fuels (e.g., petroleum). Final answer: Resources are classified as Renewable (e.g., solar energy, wind energy) which can be replenished, and Non-renewable (e.g., minerals, fossil fuels) which take geological time to form and are finite.
• Q: Explain the three main steps involved in resource planning in India. A: Step 1: Outline the first step as 'Identification and inventory of resources', which involves surveying, mapping, and estimation of resources across regions. Step 2: Describe the second step as 'Evolving a planning structure', which includes developing appropriate technology, skills, and institutional setups for resource development. Step 3: Detail the third step as 'Matching resource development plans with overall national development plans' to ensure balanced development and alignment with national goals. Final answer: Resource planning in India involves three steps: identifying and inventorying resources, evolving a technological and institutional planning structure, and finally, integrating these resource development plans with broader national development strategies.
• Q: Discuss any three major causes of land degradation in India and suggest one measure for each to conserve land. A: Step 1: Identify deforestation as a major cause. Suggest afforestation as a conservation measure. Step 2: Point out overgrazing as another significant cause. Propose proper management of grazing lands as a measure. Step 3: Highlight mining as a cause. Recommend controlled mining activities and reclamation of mining sites as a conservation measure. Final answer: Major causes of land degradation in India include deforestation (measure: afforestation), overgrazing (measure: proper grazing land management), and mining (measure: controlled mining and reclamation). Other causes like over-irrigation or industrial waste also contribute, requiring careful water management and proper waste disposal.

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