Notes of Ch 3 Water Resources

Topics in the Chapter

• Water
→ Some facts and Figures
• Dams
• Multi-purpose river projects

→ Objectives of multi-purpose river projects

→ Disadvantages of Multi-purpose river projects

→ Movements against Multi-purpose river projects

• Rainwater Harvesting

→ How Tankas works

Water

• Water is a renewable resource

• Three-fourth of the earth’s surface is covered with water but only a small proportion of
it accounts for freshwater fit for use.
some facts and Figures

• 96.5 percent of the total volume of world’s water is estimated to exist as oceans and
only 2.5 per cent as freshwater.

• India receives nearly 4 percent of the global precipitation and ranks 133 in the world in
terms of water availability per person per annum.

• By 2025, it is predicted that large parts of India will join countries or regions having
absolute water scarcity.

Water Scarcity and need for water conservation and management

• The lack su icient water as compared to its demand in a region is known as Water
Scarcity.

• Causes of Water Scarcity are:

→ over-exploitation

→ excessive use and unequal access to water among di erent social groups.

→ Large population

Dams • A dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the
flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment.
Multi-purpose river projects

• Multi-purpose river projects large dams that serve several purposes in addition to
impounding the water of a river and used later to irrigate agricultural fields. For example,
the Sutluj-Beas river basin, the Bhakra–Nangal project etc.

Advantages of multi-purpose river projects are:

→ Electricity generation

→ Irrigation

→ Water supply for domestic and industrial uses

→ Flood control

→ Recreation

→ Inland navigation

→ Fish breeding

Disadvantages of Multi-purpose river projects are:

→ It a ects the natural flow of river causing poor sediment flow and excessive
sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir.
→ It destroys the habitats for the rivers’ aquatic life.
→ It submerges the existing vegetation and soil if created on the floodplains.
→ It displaces the local people of the place where it is created.
→ These are unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of excessive rainfall.
→ These projects induced earthquakes, caused water- borne diseases and pests and
pollution resulting from excessive use of water.

Movements against Mult-purpose river projects

• These projects cause of many new social movements like the ‘Narmada Bachao
Andolan’ and the ‘Tehri Dam Andolan’ etc.
→ This is due to the large-scale displacement of local communities.
• Inter-state water disputes are also becoming common with regard to sharing the costs
and benefits of the multi-purpose project.

Rainwater Harvesting
• Rainwater Harvesting refers to the practice of storing and using of rainwater from the
surface on which it falls.

• In hill and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the ‘guls’ or ‘kuls’
of the Western Himalayas for agriculture.• In Rajasthan, ‘Rooftop rain water harvesting’
was commonly practised to store drinking water.
• In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate their
fields.

• In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into rain fed storage
structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the soil.

• In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, almost all the houses traditionally had
underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water.

• How Tankas works:

→ Tankas were connected to the sloping roofs of the houses through a pipe.
→ Rain falling on the rooftops would travel down the pipe and was stored in these
underground ‘tankas’.

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. Mention any four main objectives of multipurpose river valley projects. Name any two
Multipurpose Projects of India.

Answer Four main objectives of multipurpose river valley projects are-

• For irrigational activities.

• To generate hydroelectricity.

• To control flood.

• For recreation

Two multipurpose projects are Bhakhra nagal project and Hirakud project.

2. Why did Jawaharlal Nehru proclaim the dams as the “temples of modern India”?
Explain any three reasons.

Answer Jawaharlal Nehru proclaimed the dams as the “temples of modern India”
because:

• It would integrate development of agriculture and the village economy.

• Provide hydroelectricity for houses and industries.

• They eliminate or reduce flooding.

3. What does the Qualitative scarcity of water mean?

Answer Qualitative scarcity of water means bad Quality of water due to industrial waste
and impurities due to chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture which
makes water hazardous for human use.

4. Explain how water become a renewable resources?

Answer Water cycle continues through the steps of evaporation, condensation and
Precipitation. Thus, it become a renewable resources.

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. How have intensive industrialization and urbanization posed a great pressure on

existing fresh water resources in India. Explain.

Answer • Large scale industrialisation and urbanisation have posed a great pressure on
existing fresh water resources as many multinational companies are being set up in
India who are the heavy consumers of water for processing, discharge of e luents and
as an energy resource.

• Hydroelectricity produced for industrial units have not only posed a great threat to the
availability of fresh water resources but also contributed to bad quality of water with
large growing number of urban centres and population.

• Modern lifestyle of the urban people has created more demand for water both for
domestic purposes and increased consumption of energy.

• In housing colonies to meet the needs of population, water resources are over-
exploited resulting in depletion of ground water resources.

• Fresh water needs to be protected from industrial pollution and wastage of water in
cities.

2. Explain any three reasons responsible for water scarcity in India?

OR

Water is available in abundance in India even then scarcity of water is experienced in

major parts of the country. Explain it with four examples.

Answer• The availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to
the variations in seasonal and annual precipitation.

• Over-exploitation, excessive use and unequal access to water among di erent social
groups.

• Water scarcity may be an outcome of large and growing population and consequent
greater demands for water. A large population means more water to produce more food.
Hence, to facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over
exploited to expand irrigated areas for dry-season agriculture.

• Most farmers have their own wells and tubewells in their farms for irrigation to
increase their production. But it may lead to falling groundwater levels, adversely
a ecting water availability and food security of the people. Thus, inspite of abundant
water there is water scarcity.

Notes of Ch 4 Agriculture

Topics in the Chapter

• Introduction
• Types of Farming
• Cropping Pattern
• Major Crops
• Food Crops other than Grains
• Non-Food Crops
• Technological and Institutional Reforms

• Contribution of agriculture to the national economy, employment and output

• Food Security

• Impact of Globalisation on Agriculture

Introduction

• India is an agriculturally important country as two-thirds of its population is engaged

in agricultural activities.

Types of Farming

• There are various types of farming systems in di erent parts of India are:

→ Primitive Subsistence Farming: It is a ‘slash and burn’ agriculture. It is done with the
help of primitive tools like hoe, dao and digging sticks, and family/community labour.
The farming depends upon monsoon, natural fertility of the soil and suitability of other
environmental conditions to the crops grown.
→ Intensive Subsistence Farming: This type of farming is labour-intensive farming, where
high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation are used for obtaining higher
[Link] method is commonly done where less land holding is available.

→ Commercial Farming: This type of farming is done using higher doses of modern
inputs, e.g. high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and
pesticides in order to obtain higher productivity.

• Plantation is also a type of commercial farming.

→ In this type of farming, a single crop is grown on a large area.

Cropping Pattern

• India has three cropping seasons

→ Rabi - Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in
summer from April to June. Important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and
mustard.

→ Kharif - Kharif crops are grown with the onset of monsoon in di erent parts of the
country and these are harvested in September-October. Important crops grown during
this season are paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur (arhar), moong, urad, cotton, jute,
groundnut and soyabean.

→ Zaid - In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is a short season during the
summer months known as the Zaid season. Important crops grown are watermelon,
muskmelon, cucumber,vegetables and fodder crops.

Major Crops

• Major crops grown in India are rice, wheat, millets, pulses, tea, co ee, sugarcane, oil
seeds, cotton and jute, etc.

• Rice:

→ Staple food crop

→ Our country is the second largest producer of rice in the world after China.

→ It is a kharif crop which requires high temperature, (above 25°C) and high humidity
with annual rainfall above 100 cm.

→ It is grown in the plains of north and north-eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic
regions.

• Wheat:

→ The second most important cereal crop.

→ It is the main food crop, in north and north-western part of the country.

→ This rabi crop requires a cool growing season with 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall and a
bright sunshine at the time of ripening.

→ Wheat growing regions are the Ganga-Satluj plains in the north- west and black soil
region of the Deccan.

• Millets:
→ Jowar, bajra and ragi are the important millets grown in India.

→ These have very high nutritional value.

• Pulses:

→ India is the largest producer as well as the consumer of pulses in the world.

→ Major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.

→ These need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
→ Major producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Food Crops other than Grains

• Sugarcane:

→ It is a tropical as well as a subtropical crop.

→ It grows well in hot and humid climate with a temperature of 21°C to 27°C and an
annual rainfall between 75 cm. and 100 cm.

→ Major producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.

• Oil Seeds:

→ The oil seeds covers approximately 12 percent of the total cropped area of the
country.

→ These are used as cooking mediums as well as used as raw material in the production
of soap, cosmetics and ointments.

• Tea:

→ Tea cultivation is an example of plantation agriculture.

→ It is an important beverage crop introduced in India initially by the British.

→ It requires warm and moist frost-free climate with frequent showers all through the
year.

→ Major producing states are Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, West
Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

• Co ee:

→ Indian co ee is known in the world for its good quality.

→ Its cultivation is confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

• Horticulture Crops:

→ India is a producer of tropical as well as temperate fruits.

→ India produces about 13 percent of the world’s vegetables.

Non-Food Crops

• Rubber:

→ It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions, it is also grown in tropical and
sub-tropical areas.

→ It requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm. and
temperature above 25°C.

→ It is mainly grown in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar islands
and Garo hills of Meghalaya.

• Fibre Crops:

→ Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are the four major fibre crops grown in India.

→ Rearing of silk worms for the production of silk fibre is known as sericulture.

• Cotton:

→ It is a kharif crop grows well in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan
plateau.

→ It requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days and bright
sun-shine for its growth.

→ Major producing states are – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka,

Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

• Jute:

→ It grows well on well-drained fertile soils in the flood plains where soils are renewed
every year.

→ Major jute-producing states West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Meghalaya.

→ It is used in making gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets and other artefacts.

Technological and Institutional Reforms

• More than 60 percent of India's population depends on agriculture.

• After independence, major institutional reforms such as Collectivisation,

consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given
priority.

• In 1960s and 1970s, technical reforms such as Green Revolution and White
Revolution also introduced to improved the condition of agriculture.
• In 1980s and 1990s, various provisions for crop insurance, establishment of Grameen
banks, cooperative societies and banks for providing loan facilities to the farmers at
lower rates of interest.
• Kissan Credit Card (KCC), Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS) are some other
schemes introduced by the Government of India for the benefit of the farmers.

• Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers were introduced on
the radio and television.

• Minimum support price, remunerative and procurement prices for important crops to
check the exploitation of farmers by speculators and middlemen.

Contribution of agriculture to the national economy, employment and output

• In 2010-11 about 52 percent of the total workforce of India was employed by the farm
sector.

• India's GDP growth rate is increasing over the years but it is not generating su icient
employment opportunities in the country.

Food Security

• The government designed national food security system to ensure the food security to
every citizen:

→ It consists of two components

(a) bu er stock and

(b) public distribution system (PDS)

• Food Corporation of India (FCI) is responsible for procuring and stocking foodgrains,
whereas distribution is ensured by public distribution system (PDS).

• PDS is a programme which provides food grains and other essential commodities at
subsidised prices in rural and urban areas.

• The primary objective of national food security are:

→ Ensure availability of foodgrains to the common people at an a ordable price.

→ The poor should have access to food.

→ Growth in agriculture production

→ Fixing the support price for procurement of wheat and rice, to maintain their stocks.

Impact of Globalisation on Agriculture

• Globalisation is present at the time of colonisation.

→ During the British period, cotton was exported to Britain as a raw material for their
textile industries.

• After 1990, the farmers in India have been exposed to new challenges under
globalisation.

→ The agricultural products of India are not able to compete with the developed
countries because of the highly subsidised agriculture in those countries.

• Genetic engineering is revolutionising the agricultural production now a days.

• Organic farming is also in fashion these days because it is practised without factory
made chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides. Hence, it does not a ect
environment in a negative manner.

• Indian farmers should diversify their cropping pattern from cereals to high-value crops
which will increase incomes and reduce environmental degradation simultaneously.

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. Which are the two main cropping seasons in India? Mention their growing and
harvesting periods.

Answer The two main cropping seasons are Rabi and Kharif:

• Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer
from April to June.

• Kharif crops are sown with the onset of monsoon in di erent parts of the country and
harvested in September-October.

2. What are the growing conditions required for the main staple food crop of India?
Mention the main growing regions.

Answer Growing conditions required for rice:

• High temperature (above 25°C required. It is a Kharif crop.

• High humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.

• Main growing regions are northern plains, north-eastern India, Costal areas, deltaic
plains and river valleys.

3. Explain any two geographical conditions required for the cultivation of pulses. Name
any two important pulses producing states.

OR

Why the pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops? Name any two major
pulse producing states?
Answer Pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops because:

• Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.

• Being leguminous crops, all these crops help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen
from the air.

• Major pulse producing states are Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

4. Give an account of oilseeds in India. Which state is the largest producer of

groundnut?

Answer Importance:

• These are edible and used as cooking medium.

• Used as raw material in production of soap, cosmetics and ointment.

• India is the largest producer.

Gujarat was the largest producer of Groundnut in India.

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. Describe the institutional and technical changes introduced in the field of agriculture
in India in the recent years.

Answer • Land reforms: Collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and

abolition of zamindari.

• Agricultural reforms: Green revolution and White revolution.

• Land development programmes: Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood,
cyclone etc., establishment of Grameen banks, Cooperative societies and banks for
providing loans.

• Issuing of Kissan Credit Card and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, etc.

• Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers on radio and TV.

2. Define plantation agriculture. Explain any four characteristics of plantation

agriculture.

Answer Plantation Agriculture: It is a type of commercial farming practised in tropical

and sub-tropical regions. It was introduced by the British in India.

Characteristics:

• A single crop is grown over large area.

• It is capital intensive and done with migrant labour.

• All produce is used as raw material in industries such as tea, co ee, rubber,
sugarcane, banana, etc.

• Plantation has interface of agriculture and industry both.

3. Explain Rubber cultivation in India under the following heads:

(i) Importance

(ii) Geographical conditions

(iii) Producing states.

Answer (i) Importance:

Many industries depend upon Rubber as their raw material especially transport
industry.

(ii) Geographical condition

• It is an equatorial crop, but under special conditions it is also grown in tropical and
subtropical areas.

• It requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature
above 25°C.

(iii) Rubber producing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands and Garo hills of Meghalaya.

Notes of Ch 5 Minerals and Energy Resources

Topics in the Chapter

• Minerals
• Mode of Occurrence of Minerals
• Classification of Minerals
→ Metallic minerals
♠ Ferrous minerals
♠ Non-Ferrous minerals
→ Non-Metallic minerals
• Conservation of Minerals
• Energy Resources
• Conservation sources of Energy
• Non-Conventional Sources of Energy
• Conservation of Resorces
Minerals
• Mineral as a “homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal
structure.
• These are found in varied forms in nature, ranging from the hardest diamond to the
softest talc.
Mode of Occurrence of Minerals

• Minerals are usually found in 'ores'.

→ The accumulation of any mineral mixed with other elements is called ore.

• Minerals generally occur in these forms:

→ In igneous and metamorphic rocks minerals may occur in the cracks, crevices, faults
or joints. The smaller occurrences are called veins and the larger are called lodes.
Example: tin, copper, zinc and lead etc.

→ In sedimentary rocks, a number of minerals occur in beds or layers. Example: Coal,

iron, gypsum, potash salt, sodium salt etc.

→ Minerals also found in the decomposition of surface rocks, and the removal of soluble
constituents, leaving a residual mass of weathered material containing ores. Example:
Bauxite.

→ Minerals may occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills
known as ‘placer deposits’. Example: Gold, silver, tin and platinum etc.

→ The ocean waters contain vast quantities of minerals. Example: Common salt,
magnesium and

bromine etc.

Classification of Minerals

• Minerals can be classified into three types:

→ Metallic Minerals
→ Non-Metallic Minerals
→ Energy Minerals

Metallic Minerals

• These minerals contain metals.

• These are of three types:

→ Ferrous minerals
♠ These minerals contain iron.
♠ It accounts for about three- fourths of the total value of the production of metallic
minerals.
♠ They provide a strong base for the development of metallurgical industries.

Iron Ore
• It is the basic mineral and the backbone of industrial development.
• Magnetite is the finest iron ore with a very high content of iron up to 70 percent.
• Hematite ore is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of the quantity used,
but has a slightly lower iron content than magnetite. (50-60 percent).
• India is rich in good quality iron ores.
• The major iron ore belts in India are:
→ Odisha-Jharkhand belt
→ Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra
→ Bellary-Chitradurga-Chikmaglur-Tumkur belt in Karnataka
→ Maharashtra-Goa belt in Goa and Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

Manganese
• It is mainly used in the manufacturing of steel and ferro-manganese alloy.
• It is also used in manufacturing bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.
• Orissa is the largest producer of manganese ores in India.

→ Non-Ferrous Minerals

♠ These minerals do not contain iron.

♠ They play role in a number of metallurgical, engineering and electrical industries.
♠ Example of Non-ferrous minerals includes copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and gold.

Copper
• It is malleable, ductile and a good conductor, therefore, copper is mainly used in
electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries.
• The Balaghat mines in Madhya Pradesh, Khetri mines in Rajasthan and Singhbhum
district of Jharkhand are leading producers of copper.

Bauxite
• It is a clay-like substance from which alumina and later aluminium is obtained.
• Aluminium is an important metal because it combines the strength of metals such as
iron, with extreme lightness and also with good conductivity and great malleability.
• In India, mainly found in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and the plateau region of
Bilaspur-Katni.
Non-Metallic Minerals

• These minerals do not contain metal.

Mica
• It is a mineral made up of a series of plates or leaves.
• It can be clear, black, green, red yellow or brown.
• Mica is one of the most indispensable minerals used in electric and electronic
industries due to its excellent di-electric strength, low power loss factor, insulating
properties and resistance to high voltage,
• Leading producer are northern edge of the Chota Nagpur plateau. Koderma Gaya –
Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand.
• Also produce in Ajmer, Rajasthan. Nellore mica belt of Andhra Pradesh.

Limestone
• Limestone is found in association with rocks composed of calcium carbonates or
calcium and magnesium carbonates.
• It is the basic raw material for the cement industry and essential for smelting iron ore
in the blast furnace.

Conservation of Minerals

Why to conserve minerals?

• Mineral deposits are present in very less quantity in the world i.e. one per cent of the
earth’s crust.

• The geological processes of mineral formation are so slow while the consumttion rate
is very fast therefore, mineral resources are finite and non-renewable.

• So, we have to conserve minerals so that it is available for future generation.

How to conserve minerals?

• A joint e ort has to be made in order to use our mineral resources in a planned and
sustainable manner.
• Improved technologies need to be constantly evolved to allow use of low grade ores at
low costs.
• Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes.
Energy Resources
• Energy is needed to cook, to provide light and heat, to propel vehicles and to drive
machinery in industries.

• It can be generated from fuel minerals like coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium and
from electricity.
• Energy resources can be classified as
→ Conventional sources: include firewood, cattle dung cake, coal, petroleum, natural
gas and electricity
→ Non-conventional sources: include solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas and atomic
energy.

Conventional sources of Energy

• Coal
→ It is the most abundantly available fossil fuel.
→ It is used for power generation, to supply energy to industry as well as for domestic
needs.

→ Coal is formed due the compression of plant material over millions of years.

→ There are various types of coals (on the degrees of compression and the depth and
time of burial):
♠ Peat: Low carbon and high moisture contents and low heating capacity.

♠ Lignite: Low grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content.
♠ Bituminous: Buried deep and subjected to increased temperatures. Most popular
coal in commercial
use.
♠ Anthracite: Highest quality hard coal.

→ In India, coal occurs in Gondwana and tertiary rock stages.

→ The major resources of Gondwana coal are located in

♠ Damodar valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand).
♠ Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro
♠ The Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys.
→ Tertiary coals occur in the north eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh and Nagaland.

• Petroleum
→ It provides fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for
manufacturing industries.
→ Petroleum refineries act as a “nodal industry” for synthetic textile, fertiliser and
numerous chemical industries.

→ About 63 per cent of India’s petroleum production is from Mumbai High, 18 per cent
from Gujarat and 16 per cent from Assam.

• Natural Gas

→ It is used as a source of energy as well as an industrial raw material in the

petrochemical industry.
→ It is considered an environment friendly fuel because of low carbon dioxide
emissions.
→ Natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna- Godavari basin, Mumbai High and
allied fields, Gulf of Cambay. Andaman and Nicobar islands.

• Electricity
→ It has a wide range of applications in today’s world.
→ Electricity is generated mainly in two ways:
♠ by running water which drives hydro turbines to generate hydro electricity
♠ by burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas to drive turbines to
produce thermal power.

→ Hydro electricity is generated by fast flowing water

♠ It is a renewable resource.
♠ Multi-purpose projects like the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley corporation, the Kopili
Hydel Project etc. produce hydro electricity.

→ Thermal electricity is generated by using coal, petroleum and natural gas.

♠ The thermal power stations use non-renewable fossil fuels for generating electricity.

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

• Nuclear or Atomic Energy

→ It is obtained by altering the structure of atoms.

→ It is used to generate electric power.

→ Uranium and Thorium are available in Jharkhand and the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan.

→ The Monazite sands of Kerala is also rich in Thorium.

• Solar Energy
→ India is a tropical country, therefore it has enormous possibilities of tapping solar
energy.
→ Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity.
→ Solar energy is fast becoming popular in rural and remote areas which help in
minimising the dependence of rural households on firewood and dung cakes that will
contribute to environmental conservation and adequate supply of manure in
agriculture.

• Wind Power
→ India has great potential of wind power.
→ Largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu from Nagarcoil to Madurai.
→ Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra and Lakshadweep have
important wind farms.
→ Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well known for e ective use of wind energy in the country.

• Biogas
→ Shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste are used to produce biogas for
domestic consumption in rural areas.
→ Biogas plants using cattle dung are known as ‘Gobar gas plants’ in rural India.
→ Biogas provide twin benefits to the farmer in the form of energy and improved quality
of manure.

• Tidal Energy
→ Oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity.
→ In India the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kuchchh in Gujarat on the western coast
and Gangetic delta in Sunderban regions of West Bengal provide ideal conditions for
utilising tidal energy.

• Geo Thermal Energy

→ The heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior of the Earth is
called Geo thermal Energy.

→ Groundwater in high tempratures area absorbs heat from the rocks and becomes hot.

♠ It is so hot that when it rises to the earth’s surface, it turns into steam.

♠ This steam is used to drive turbines and generate electricity.

→ Two experimental projects have been set up in India to utilize geothermal energy:

♠ Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh

♠ Puga Valley, Ladakh.

Conservation of Resources

• Energy is a basic requirement for economic development.

• There is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development.

• There are two ways for adopting the path of sustainable development of energy:

→ Promotion of energy conservation

→ increased use of renewable energy sources

• Some steps in this direction are:

→ Using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles

→ Switching o electricity when not in use

→ Using power-saving devices

→ Using non-conventional sources of energy.

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. How is mining activity hazardous? Explain.

Answer The mining activity is injurious to the health of the miners and environment as:

• The dust and noxious fumes inhaled by miners make them vulnerable to pulmonary
diseases.

• The risk of collapsing mine roofs.

• Inundation and fires in coalmines are a constant threat to miners.

2. Name the non-metallic mineral which can split easily into thin sheets. Mention its
uses.

Answer Mica is the non-metallic mineral which can be split easily into thin sheets. Mica
is used in:

• Mica is used in electric and electronic industries due to its excellent di-electric
strength, low power loss factor, insulating properties and resistance to high voltage.

• Plastic industry also uses mica as an extender and filler.

3. What are ‘placer deposits’? Give examples of minerals found in such deposits.

Answer • Certain minerals may occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and
base of hills. These deposits are called ‘placer deposits’.
• They generally contain minerals which are not corroded by water.

• Gold, silver, tin and platinum are examples of some important minerals found in
‘placer deposits’.

4. Name the mineral ore from which aluminium is extracted? Why is it gaining
importance? Give its distribution in India.

Answer Bauxite.

• Aluminium is gaining importance because of its extreme lightness, good conductivity

and great malleability. It combines the strength of metals such as Iron.

• It is mainly found in Amarkantak Plateau, Maikal Hills and the plateau region of
Bilaspur-Katni. Koraput district in Odisha has large deposits. Odisha is the largest
bauxite producing state. Others are Gujarat, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

5. What are the uses of copper? Name the two leading copper producing states of India.

Answer

Uses of copper:

• In manufacturing electrical cables.

• In electronic industries.

• In chemical industries.

The two leading copper producing states of India are Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. Highlight the importance of petroleum. Explain the occurrence of petroleum in India.

Answer Importance of Petroleum:

• Petroleum is the major energy source in India.

• Provides fuel for heat and lighting.

• Provides lubricant for machinery.

• Provides raw material for a number of manufacturing industries.

• Petroleum refineries act as nodal industry for synthetic, textile, fertilizer and chemical
industries.

Its occurrence:

• Most of the petroleum occurrences in India are associated with anticlines and fault
traps.
• In regions of folding, anticline or domes, it occurs where oil is trapped in the crest of
the upfold

• Petroleum is also found in fault traps between porous and non-porous rocks.

2. Explain the importance of conservation of minerals. Highlight any three measures to

conserve them.

OR

Why is conservation of mineral resources essential? Explain any three methods to

conserve them.

Answer

Reasons for Conservation:

• The strong dependence of industry and agriculture upon minerals.

• The process of mineral formation is slow.

• They are non-renewable.

Methods to conserve:

• Minerals should be used in a planned and sustainable manner.

• Improved technology needs to be constantly evolved to allow use of low grade ore at
low cost.

• Recycling of metals using scrap metals.

• Wastage in the mining and processing should be minimised.

High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS):

1. There is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development. Give

two broad measures for it. As concerned citizens, how can you help to conserve
energy?

Answer Twin planks/measures:

• Promotion of energy conservation.

• Increased use of renewable energy sources. As concerned citizens we can do our bit
by:

• Using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles.

• Switching o electricity when not in use.

• Using power–saving devices. • Using non-conventional sources of energy.

2. “Minerals are indispensible part of our lives’. Support the statement with examples.

Answer Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives:

• Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to a towering building or a big ship, all are
made from minerals.

• The railway lines and the tarmac (paving) of the roads, our implements and machinery
too are made from minerals.

• Cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes are manufactured from minerals and run on power
resources derived from the earth.

• Even the food that we eat contains minerals.

• In all stages of development, human beings have used minerals for their livelihood,
decoration, festivities, religious and ceremonial rites.

Notes of Ch 6 Manufacturing Industries

Introduction

• Production of goods in large quantities after processing from raw materials to more
valuable products is called manufacturing.

• Manufacturing industries fall in the secondary sector.

→ The economic strength of a country is measured by the development of

manufacturing industries.

Importance of Manufacturing

• Manufacturing sector is considered as the backbone of development in general and

economic
development because:
→ It help in modernising agriculture, which forms the backbone of our economy. Also,
reduce the heavy dependence of people on agricultural income by providing them jobs
in secondary and tertiary sectors.

→ It helps in eradication of unemployment and poverty from the country.

→ Export of manufactured goods brings foreign exchange.

→ It helps in transforming raw materials into a wide variety of furnished goods of higher
value.

Agriculture and Industry

• Agriculture and industry are dependent on each other.

→ Industries gives a major boost to agriculture by raising its productivity by providing

their tools and products such as fertilisers etc.
→ Industry depends on agriculture for raw materials and sell their products such as
irrigation pumps, fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides, plastic and PVC pipes, machines
and tools, etc. to the farmers.

Contribution of Industry to National Economy

• The contribution of Industry in the GDP is very low in India as compared to East Asian
economies.

• The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) has been set up by the
government to take appropriate policy measures to improve the productivity of
manufacturing sector.

Industrial Location

• Industrial locations are influenced by the availability of raw material, labour, capital,
power and market.

• After an industrial activity starts, urbanisation follows.

• Cities provide markets and also provide services such as banking, insurance,
transport, labour, consultants and financial advice, etc. to the industry.

• Many industries tend to come together to make use of the advantages o ered by the
urban centres known as agglomeration economies.

Classification of Industry

• On the basis of source of raw materials used:

→ Agro based
→ Mineral based

• According to their main role:

→ Basic or key industries which supply their products or raw materials to manufacture
other goods e.g. iron and steel and copper smelting.
→ Consumer industries that produce goods for direct use by consumers – sugar,
toothpaste.

• On the basis of capital investment:

→ Small scale industry: Such industry which requires the maximum investment up to
rupees one crore. It employs a small number of labourers.
→ Large scale indutsry: If investment is more than one crore on any industry then it is
known as a large scale industry.
• On the basis of ownership:
→ Public sector: Industries which are owned and operated by government agencies –
BHEL, SAIL etc.
→ Private sector: Industries owned and operated by individuals or a group of individuals
–TISCO, Bajaj Auto Ltd., Dabur Industries.

→ Joint sector: Industries which are jointly run by the state and individuals or a group of
individuals. Oil India Ltd. (OIL) is jointly owned by public and private sector.
→ Cooperative sector: Industries are owned and operated by the producers or suppliers
of raw materials, workers or both.

• Based on the bulk and weight of raw material and finished goods:
→ Heavy industries such as iron and steel
→ Light industries that use light raw materials and produce light goods such as electrical
industries.

Agro Based Industries

• Cotton, jute, silk, woollen textiles, sugar and edible oil, etc. industries are based on
agricultural raw materials.

Textile Industry

• It contributes 4 percent towards GDP.

• It is the only industry in the country, which is self-reliant and complete in the value
chain i.e., from raw material to the highest value added products.

• It is the second-largest employment generating sector in India after agriculture

(directly employing 35 million persons.)

Cotton Textiles
• India producing cotton textiles since ancient times with hand spinning and handloom
weaving techniques.

• After the 18th century, powerlooms came into use and traditional industries su ered a
setback.

• The first successful textile mill was established in Mumbai in 1854.

→ In the early years, the cotton textile industry was concentrated in the cotton growing
belt of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

♠ This was due to Availability of raw cotton, market, transport including accessible port
facilities, labour, moist climate, etc.
→ Spinning continues to be centralised in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu however
weaving is highly decentralised to provide scope for incorporating traditional skills and
designs of weaving in cotton, silk, zari, embroidery, etc.

→ India has world class production in spinning, but weaving supplies low quality of
fabric as it cannot use much of the high quality yarn produced in the country.

→ India exports yarn to Japan.

→ The country also export cotton goods to U.S.A., U.K., Russia, France, East European
countries, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and African countries.

→ India has the second largest installed capacity of spindles (tool used in spinning) in
the world, after China.

→ India have a large share in the world trade of cotton yarn, about one-fourth of the total
trade.

♠ However, our trade in garments is only 4 percent of the world’s total.

Problems that Cotton textiles industry facing nowadays:

→ Irregular supply of eletricity

→ Old and outdated machinery
→ Low output of labour

→ Tough competition with the synthetic fibre industry

Jute Textiles

→ India is the largest producer of raw jute and jute goods.

→ Most of the jute mills in India are located in West Bengal, mainly along the banks of
the Hugli river.

♠ The first jute mill was set up near Kolkata in 1859 at Rishra.

→ Factors responsible for their location in the Hugli basin are:

♠ Presence of the jute producing areas

♠ Inexpensive water transport

♠ Supported by a good network of railways, roadways and waterways to facilitate

movement of raw material to the mills

♠ Abundant water for processing raw jute

♠ Cheap labour from West Bengal and adjoining states of Bihar, Orissa and Uttar
Pradesh.

♠ Kolkata as a large urban centre provides banking, insurance and port facilities for
export of jute goods.

→ Challenges faced by the jute industry:

♠ The sti competition in the international market from synthetic substitutes and from
other competitors like Bangladesh, Brazil, Philippines, Egypt and Thailand.

National Jute Policy 2005

→ National Jute Policy was formulated in 2005 with the objective of increasing
productivity, improving quality, ensuring good prices to the jute farmers and enhancing
the yield per hectare.

Sugar Industry

→ India is the second largest producer of sugar in the world and first largest producer
of gur and khandsari.

→ In 2010-11 there were over 662 sugar mills in the country spread over Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar,Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat along with
Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

♠ Sixty percent mills are in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

→ In recent years, mills are shifting to the southern and western states, especially in
Maharashtra because

♠ The cane produced here has a higher sucrose content.

♠ The cooler climate also ensures a longer crushing season.

♠ The cooperatives are more successful in these states.

Mineral based Industries

• Industries that use minerals and metals as raw materials are called mineral based
industries.

Iron and Steel Industry

→ The iron and steel Industry is the basic industry as it provides all types of machinery to
run all the other industries.
→ Steel is needed to manufacture a variety of engineering goods, construction material,
defence, medical, telephonic, scientific equipment and a variety of consumer goods.
♠ Production and consumption of steel is often regarded as the index of a country’s
development.

→ India ranked 4th among the world unrefined steel producers and largest producer of
sponge iron.

→ China is the largest producer of steel and also the world’s largest consumer of steel.
→ In 2004, India was the largest exporter of steel

Why Iron and steel is a heavy industry?

→ Because all the raw materials, as well as finished goods, are heavy and bulky entailing
heavy transportation costs.

→ Chotanagpur plateau region has the maximum concentration of iron and steel
industries.
→ India not able to perform to its full potential in production of iron and steel because:
♠ High costs and limited availability of coking coal
♠ Lower productivity of labour
♠ Irregular supply of energy
♠ Poor infrastructure
→ Liberalisation and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) have given a boost to the industry
with the e orts of private entrepreneurs.
Aluminium Smelting
→ Second most important metallurgical industry in India.
→ The raw material used in the smelters is called Bauxite.
♠ It is a very bulky, dark reddish coloured rock.
→ It is light, resistant to corrosion, a good conductor of heat, mallable and becomes
strong when it is mixed with other metals.

♠ Used to manufacture aircraft, utensils and wires.

→ It has gained popularity as a substitute for steel, copper, zinc and lead in a number of
industries.→ are located in Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Chemical Industries

→ The Chemical industry in India is fast growing and diversifying.

→ It contributes approximately 3 percent of the GDP.

→ It is the third largest industry in Asia and twelfth largest in the world in term of its size.

→ It comprises both large and small scale manufacturing units.

→ Organic and inorganic sectors of Chemical industry are rapidly growing.

♠ Organic chemicals include petrochemicals (used for manufacturing of synthetic
fibers, synthetic rubber, plastics, dye-stu s, drugs and pharmaceuticals).

♠ Inorganic chemicals include sulphuric acid (used to manufacture fertilisers, synthetic

fibres, plastics, adhesives, paints, dye-stu s), nitric acid, alkalies, soda ash (used to
make glass, soaps and detergents, paper) and caustic soda.

Fertiliser Industry

→ Mainly centred around the production of nitrogenous fertilisers (mainly urea),

phosphatic fertilisers and ammonium phosphate (DAP) and complex fertilisers which
have a combination of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), and potash (K).

→ India is the third largest producer of nitrogenous fertilisers.

→ The fertiliser industry in India:

♠ 57 fertiliser units for nitrogenous and complex nitrogenous fertilisers.

♠ 29 for urea

♠ 9 for producing ammonium sulphate

♠ 68 other small units produce single superphosphate.

→ Main states having this industry are: Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, U.P., Punjab and Kerala.

♠ Other significant producers are Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar,

Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, Goa, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

Cement Industry

→ Cement is used for construction activity such as building houses, factories, bridges,
roads, airports, dams and for other commercial establishments.

→ This industry requires bulky and heavy raw materials like limestone, silica, alumina
and gypsum.

→ The industry has strategically located plants in Gujarat.

→ The first cement plant was set up in Chennai in 1904.

→ Decontrol of price and distribution since 1989 and other policy reforms led the
cement industry to make rapidstrides in capacity, process, technology and production.

→ This industry is doing well in terms of production as well as export.

Automobile Industry

→ This industry provides vehicles for quick transport of good services and passengers.

→ The industry had experienced rapid growth in last 15 years.

→ Foreign Direct Investment brought in new technology and aligned the industry with
global developments.

→ The Automobile industry in India:

♠ 15 manufacturers of passenger cars and multi-utility vehicles

♠ 9 of commercial vehicles

♠ 14 of the two and three-wheelers.

Information Technology and Electronics Industry

→ The electronics industry covers a wide range of products from transistor sets to
television,telephones, cellular telecom, pagers, telephone exchange, radars,
computers and many other equipments required by the telecommunication industry.

→ Bangalore is considered as the electronic capital of India.

♠ Other important centres for electronic goods are Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune,
Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Coimbatore.

→ The major IT industry concentration is at Bangalore, Noida, Mumbai, Chennai,

Hyderabad and Pune.

→ The IT industry has employed a mass number of people.

→ This industry has been a major foreign exchange earner in the last two or three years
because of its fast growing Business Processes Outsourcing (BPO) sector.

Industrial Pollution and Environmental Degradation

• The growth of industries contribute significantly to India’s economic growth and

development but also causes serious problem, the increase in pollution of land, water,
air, noise and resulting degradation of the environment.

• Industries are responsible for four types of pollution:

(a) Air

(b) Water

(c) Land

(d) Noise
• Air pollution: It is caused by the presence of high proportion of undesirable gases,
such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.
♠ Smoke is emitted by chemical and paper factories, brick kilns, refineries and smelting
plants, and burning of fossil fuels in big and small factories that ignore pollution norms.
♠ It adversely a ects human health, animals, plants, buildings and the atmosphere as a
whole.

→ Water Pollution: It is caused by organic and inorganic industrial wastes and a luents
discharged into rivers.

♠ Fly ash, phospo- gypsum and iron and steel slags are the major solid wastes in India.

→ Thermal pollution: It occurs when hot water from factories and thermal plants is
drained into rivers and ponds before cooling.

→ Noise pollution: Industrial and construction activities, machinery, factory equipment,

generators,
saws and pneumatic and electric drills also make a lot of noise.

♠ It causes hearing impairment, increased heart rate and blood pressure among other
physiological e ects.

Control of Environmental Degradation

• Some suggestion to reduce the industrial pollution of fresh water are:

→ Minimising use water for processing by reusing and recycling it in two or more
successive stages

→ Harvesting of rainwater to meet water requirements

→ Treating hot water and e luents before releasing them in rivers and ponds.

• Measures to control air pollution:

→ Particulate matter in the air can be reduced by fitting smoke stacks to factories with
electrostatic
precipitators, fabric filters, scrubbers and inertial separators.
→ Smoke can be reduced by using oil or gas instead of coal in factories.

• Measures to control noise pollution:

→ Machinery and equipment can be used and generators should be fitted with silencers.

→ Noise absorbing material may be used apart from personal use of earplugs and
earphones.

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. Describe the importance of manufacturing sector in countries like India.

OR

“The economic strength of a country is measured by the development of manufacturing

industries”. Justify this statement with examples.

Answer• Manufacturing industries help in modernizing agriculture;

• They also reduce the heavy dependence of people on agricultural income by providing
them jobs.

• Industrial development reduces unemployment and poverty:

• It also brings down regional disparities.

2. Define the term manufacturing. Classify industries on the basis of source of raw
materials used.

Answer Definition: “Production of goods in large quantities after processing from raw
materials to more valuable products is called manufacturing”. Classification:

• Agro-based: Cotton, wool, jute, silk textile, etc.

• Mineral-based: Iron, steel, cement etc.

3. ”Agriculture gives boost to the industrial sector.” Support the statement with
arguments.

OR

“Agriculture and industry are not exclusive of each other. They move hand in hand.”
Justify this statement with examples.

Answer The agro-industries in India have given a major boost to agriculture -

• Agro-based industries have given a boost to agriculture by raising its productivity.

• Agro-based industries depend on the agriculture for their raw materials such as
cotton, sugarcane, jute etc.

• Agriculture depends on industries for products such as irrigation pumps, fertilizers,

insecticides, pesticides, machines and tools, etc.

• Industrial development helps agriculture in increasing their production and make

production processes very e icient.
4. Explain any three factors which were responsible for the concentration of cotton
textile industry in Maharashtra and Gujarat in early years.

Answer

• Availability of raw cotton.

• Ready markets are available.

• Well-developed means of transportation.

5. Why is cotton textile industry the largest industry in India today? Give any three
resons.

Answer • Cotton textile industry contributes 14 percent of the total industrial

production.

• It provides employment to 35 million persons directly – the second largest after

agriculture.

• It earns foreign exchange of about 24.6 percent (4 percent of GDP).

6. Why in recent years the sugar mills have shifted to southern and western states?

Answer

• The cane produced in western states has higher sucrose content.

• The cooler climate also ensures a longer crushing season.

• The cooperatives are more successful in these states.

7. Describe any three major problems faced by the weaving and processing sectors in
cotton textile industry.

Answer

Problems of cotton textile Industry are:

• Although production has increased, it is still not enough and imports are needed.

• Erratic power supply and outdated machinery.

• Low output of labour.

• Sti competition from synthetic fabrics.

8. Mention the various measures taken by the government to boost the production of
jute goods.

Answer Various steps taken by the government to boost the production of Jute are:
• In 2005, National Jute Policy was formulated with the objective of increasing
productivity.

• Improvement of quality.

• Ensuring good prices to the jute farmers and enhancing the yield per hectare.

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. Explain any five factors a ecting the location of a industry.

Answer The factors a ecting the location of an industry:

• Availability of raw material.

• Availability of cheap labour.

• Availability of capital and bank facilities.

• Availability of power and other infrastructure.

• Proximity to markets.

• Availability of adequate and swift means of transport.

2. Mention the major drawbacks and problems of cotton textile industry in India.

Answer Cotton textile industry in India su ers from some problems:

• India has world class production and quality in spinning, but weaving supplies low
quality of fabric

because they are fragmented small units. This mismatch is major drawback.

• Many of our spinners export cotton yarn while apparel/garment manufactures have to
import fabric.

• Although we the production of staple cotton has increased but we still need to import
good quality staple cotton.

• Cotton textile industries face the problem of erratic Power supply which decreases the
labour productivity.

• Machinery needs to be upgraded in the weaving and processing sectors in particular.

• Output of labour is low due to poor machines and power supply.

Notes of Ch 7 Lifelines of National Economy

Introduction
• The pace of development of a country depends upon the production of goods and
services as well as their movement over space.
• Movement of goods and services can be over three important domains of our earth:
→ Land,
→ Water
→ Air

• There are five transport systems in India:

→ Roadways

→ Railways
→ Airways
→ Waterways
→ Pipelines
• With the development in science and technology, the area of influence of trade and
transport increased.

Transport
Roadways
• India has one of the largest road networks in the world, totaling to about 2.3 million km
at present.

• Advantages of roadways over railways:

→ Construction cost of roads is much lower than that of railway lines,
→ Roads can traverse comparatively more dissected and undulating topography
→ Roads can negotiate higher gradients of slopes and as such can traverse mountains
such as the
Himalayas.
→ Road transport is economical in transportation of few persons and relatively smaller
amount of goods over short distances.
→ It also provides door-to-door service, thus the cost of loading and unloading is much
lower,
→ Road transport is also used as a feeder to other modes of transport such as they
provide a link between railway stations, air and sea ports.
• Roads are categorised into six classes:
→ Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways: The project was launched by the government
to link Delhi-Kolkata- Chennai-Mumbai and Delhi by six-lane Super Highways. The
major objective of these Super Highways is to reduce the time and distance between
the mega cities of India. These highway
projects are being implemented by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

→ National Highways: These are the primary road systems and are laid and maintained
by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

→ State Highways: Roads linking a state capital with di erent district headquarters are
known as State Highways. These are constructed and maintained by the State Public
Works Department (PWD) in State and Union Territories.

→ District Roads: These roads connect the district headquarters with other places of the
district. These roads are maintained by the Zila Parishad.

→ Other Roads: Rural roads, which link rural areas and villages with towns, are classified
under this category.

→ Border Roads: Border Roads Organisation constructs and maintains roads in the
bordering areas of the country. This organisation was established in 1960 for the
development of the roads of strategic
importance in the northern and north- eastern border areas.

• Classification of Roads on the basis of the type of material used for their construction:

→ Metalled roads: These roads may be made of cement, concrete or even bitumen of
coal.

→ Unmetalled roads: Roads made up of mud and gravel which are generally found in the
rural areas.

Road Density

• The length of road per 100 sq. km of area is known as Road Density.

• Density of all roads varies from only 10.04 km in Jammu and Kashmir to 532.27 km in
Uttar Pradesh.

• The national average of 125.02 km.

• Problems of Road Transportation:

→ About half of the roads are unmetalled which limits their usage during the rainy
season.
→ The National Highways are inadequate too.
→ The roadways are highly congested in cities.
→ Most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.
Railways

• Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India.

• It makes possible to conduct multifarious activities like business, sightseeing,

pilgrimage along with transportation of goods over longer distances.

• The Indian Railway have a network of 7,133 stations spread over a route length of
64,460 km with a fleet of 9,213 locomotives, 53,220 passenger service vehicles, 6,493
other coach vehicles and 2,29,381 wagons as on March 2011.

• The Indian Railway is now reorganised into 16 zones.

• The distribution pattern of the Railway network in the country has been largely
influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors.

• The railways have become more important in our national economy than all other
means of transport put together.

• Problems in Railway Transportation:

→ Many passengers travel without tickets.
→ Thefts and damaging of railway property has not yet stopped completely.
→ People stop the trains, pull the chain unnecessarily and this causes heavy damage to
the railway.

Pipelines

• Pipeline transport network is new in India.

• These are used for transporting crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil
and natural gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories and big thermal power plants.

• There are three important networks of pipeline transportation in the country.

→ From oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), via Guwahati, Barauni and
Allahabad. It has branches from Barauni to Haldia, via Rajbandh, Rajbandh to
Maurigram and Guwahati to Siliguri.

→ From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab, via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi and
Sonipat. It has branches to connect Koyali (near Vadodara, Gujarat) Chakshu and other
places.→ Gas pipeline from Hazira in Gujarat connects Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh, via
Vijaipur in Madhya Pradesh. It has branches to Kota in Rajasthan, Shahajahanpur,
Babrala and other places in Uttar Pradesh.
Waterways

• Waterways are the cheapest means of transport.

→ They are most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods.

→ It is a fuel-e icient and environment friendly mode of transport.

• India has inland navigation waterways of 14,500 km in length.

• Waterways that have been declared as the National Waterways by the Government
are:

→ The Ganga river between Allahabad and Haldia (1620 km)-N.W. No.1

→ The Brahmaputra river between Sadiya and Dhubri (891 km)-N.W. No.2

→ The West-Coast Canal in Kerala (Kottapurma-Kollam, Udyogamandal and

Champakkara canals-205 km) – N.W. No.3

→ Specified stretches of Godavari and Krishna rivers along with Kakinada Puducherry
stretch of canals (1078 km) – N.W. No.4

→ Specified stretches of river Brahmani along with Matai river, delta channels of
Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers and East Coast Canal (588 km) – N.W. No.5.

• India’s trade with foreign countries is carried from the ports located along the coast.

• 95 percent of the country’s trade volume (68 percent in terms of value) is moved by
sea.

Major Sea Ports

• India has a long coastline of 7,516.6 km with 12 major and 187, notified minor or
intermediate ports.

• The major ports handle 95 per cent of India’s foreign trade.

• Mumbai is the biggest port with a spacious natural and well-sheltered harbour.

Sea Ports in India

Ports on the western coast

• Kandla port

• Mumbai port

• The Jawaharlal Nehru port

• Marmagao port
• New Mangalore port

Ports on the eastern coast

• Tuticorin port

• Chennai port

• Vishakhapatnam port

• Paradwip port

• Kollkata port

• Haldia port

Airways

• Airways fastest, most comfortable and prestigious mode of transport.

→ It can cover very di icult terrains like high mountains, dreary deserts, dense forests
and also long oceanic stretches with great ease.

• The air transport was nationalised in 1953.

• Indian Airlines, Alliance Air, private scheduled airlines and non- scheduled operators
provide domestic air services.
• Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. provides helicopter services to Oil and Natural Gas
Commission in its o shore operations, to inaccessible areas and di icult terrains.

• There are two types of airports in India:

→ International
→ Domestic

Communication
• The means of communication are of two types:
→ Personal communication: It includes postcards, letters, telegrams, telephones and
emails.
→ Mass communication: It includes magazines, newspapers, radio, television, press
and films.

• Personal written communications: Indian postal network is the largest in the world.
→ First–class mail: They are airlifted between stations covering both land and air. Cards
and envelopes.
→ Second–class mail: They are carried by surface mail, covering land and water
transport. Book
packets, registered newspapers and periodicals.
• India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia.

• Mass communication provides entertainment and creates awareness among people

about various national programmes and policies.

→ Radio: All India Radio (Akashwani) broadcasts a variety of programmes in national,

regional and local languages for various categories of people, spread over di erent
parts of the country.

→ Television: Doordarshan, the national television channel of India, is one of the largest
terrestrial networks in the world.

→ Magazines: India publishes a large number of newspapers and periodicals annually.

→ Films: India is the largest producer of feature films in the world.

International Trade

• Trade: The exchange of goods among people, states and countries is referred to as
trade.

• Market: The market is the place where such exchanges take place.

• International Trade: Trade between two countries is called international trade.

→ It may take place through sea, air or land routes.

• Balance of trade: The balance of trade of a country is the di erence between its export
and import.

• Favourable balance of trade: When the value of export exceeds the value ofimports, it
is called a favourable balance of trade.

• Unfavourable balance of trade: When the value of imports exceeds the value of
exports, it is called unfavourable balance of trade.

Tourism as a Trade
• Foreign tourist’s arrivals in the country witnessed an increase of 11.8 per cent during
the year 2010 as against the year 2009, contributing Rs 64,889 crore of foreign exchange
in 2010.

• More than 15 million people are directly engaged in the tourism industry.

Importance of Tourism
• Tourism promotes national integration, provides support to local handicrafts and
cultural pursuits.

• It also helps in the development of international understanding about our culture and
heritage.

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. Describe the rural roads in India?

Answer • Rural roads link ruler areas and villages with towns.

• These roads received special impetus under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak
Yojna.

• Special provisions are made so that every village in the country is linked to a major
town in the country by an all season motorable road.

2. What are Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways? Mention any two objectives of this
project. The North-South and East-West Corridors join which terminal cities.

Answer • The Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways is a major road development

project linking Delhi – Kolkata – Chennai – Mumbai and Delhi by six-lane
superhighways.

• The two major objectives of these Super Highways projects are to reduce the time and
distance between the megacities of India.

• The North-South Corridors linking Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) and Kanyakumari
(Tamil Nadu) and East-West Corridor connecting Silchar (Assam) and Porbandar
(Gujarat).

3. Elaborate any three advantages of railways in India.

Answer Advantages of railways in India are:

• The road transport is cheaper than railway transport.

• It is suitable because it carries goods to other destination without re-handling any

through the quickest route. It can provide door to door service.

• Road transport is more flexible than railways as it has no fixed route or time.

4. Explain any four advantages of pipeline transportation.

Answer The four advantages of pipeline transportation are:

• Both solid (when converted into slurry) liquid and gases can be transported through
pipelines
• Initial cost of laying pipelines is high but subsequent running costs are minimum.

• Trans-shipment of losses and delays are minimum.

• It is economical to transport petroleum, natural gas, fertilizers to interior places.

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. What is the importance of transport? Mention the various means of transport

available in India.

Answer Importance of Transport:

• Connects the people.

• Sense of belonging in the people living at far places.

• Helpful for business activities.

• Helpful in the period of crisis.

Means of transport:

• Roadways

• Railways

• Pipelines

• Waterways

• Airways.

2. What is the significance of ‘Border Roads’? Explain.

Answer• Border road organization was established in 1960.

• This organization develops the roads of strategic importance in the North and the East
border areas.

• These roads have improved accessibility in areas of di icult terrain.

• These roads have enabled the economy to develop in the border areas.