Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
Page No: 1
Name of Chapter
Resources an Development
Forest and Wildlife Resources
Water Resources
Agriculture
Minerals and Energy Resources
Manufacturing Industries
Lifeline of National Economy
Page No.
01
04
06
08
11
13
17
Anything available in the environment and can be used to satisfy the needs of human being is
called as resource, e.g. water, land, air, minerals, wildlife etc.
Leaching is a process which takes place in high temperature and rainfall area. In this process
minerals of the soil are dissolved into the rainwater and they move down in the soil. Laterite soil is
formed by this process.
Black soil is also called as regur soil.
Manganese nodules are extracted from Indian Ocean.
Full form of UNCED is United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
Rajasthan has abundant solar and wind energy potential.
Earth Summit was held in Rio de Jeniro [Brazil] in 1992.
The book written by Schumacher is Small is Beautiful.
Black soil is formed by weathering of lava rocks.
Red soil is formed by weathering of igneous rocks. It looks red due to iron-oxide.
Land degraded by gully erosion in Chambal River basin is called Ravines or Bad Land.
Page No: 2
1. Potential Resources: Resources which are found in an area but not have been utilized. For
example, Rajasthan and Gujurat has enough potential to produce solar energy due to cloudless
sky and more temperature.
2. Developed Resources: When resources found in a region are surveyed by engineer and their
quality and quantity are determine for utilization, it is called developed resource. Technology and
capital help in development of resources.
3. Stock Resources: Material found in our environment can satisfy many of our need but they are not
used because of lack of appropriate technology. For example, water has hydrogen, a good source
of energy, but due appropriate technology water is not being used as fuel.
4. Reserve Resources: Reserve is those parts of stock which can be utilized using existing
technology. But these resources are not being used and they have been left for future generation.
They are called reserve.
Sustainable Development: Development without damaging the environment is called as sustainable
development. This development meets the demands of present generation as well as future generations.
Earth Summit and Agenda 21: Earth Summit is an international conference on environment. It was
held in Rio de Jeniro [Brazil] in 1992. In the conference leaders of the words discussed about sustainable
development and they adopted 21 points policy which is called Agenda 21.
Resource Planning and Its Steps
Resource planning is method to use the resources in optimum way so that maximum benefit should reach
to maximum people. Resource planning also means avoiding wastage, misuse and overuse of resources.
There are three steps for resource planning.
a) Identification and inventory of resources by surveying and mapping
b) Evolving a planning structure to use the resources with appropriate technology
c) Matching resource development plan with national development plan
Need and Methods of Conservation of Resources
Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi said that There is enough for everybodys need and not for
anybodys greed. We should conserve resources for following reasons.
a) Resources are not found everywhere. They are unevenly distributed.
b) Resources are limited. Many of the resources are non-renewable.
c) Resources should be conserved for reducing all kinds of pollution.
d) Resources are also conserved for sustainable development.
e) Conservation is needed to protect natural heritage.
Methods or measurements for resource conservation are as under:
a) Wastage, misuse and overuse of resources should be avoided.
b) Renewable resources should be used more e.g. solar energy, wind energy etc.
c) Older technology should be replaced with newer, modern and efficient technology.
d) Awareness should be created among the people.
e) Govt. should pass strict laws for establishment and location of industries.
f) Used items should be recycled using new technology.
Land Use and Its Category
Land is used for various purposes in a country. India has vast land resource. Total area of our country is
about 3.28 million sq. km. India ranks 7th in the world in term of size. But most of parts are covered by
either mountain or plateau. India has only 43% plain where agriculture is possible. Mountains are good
sources of biotic resources where varieties of minerals are found in the plateau. There are 5 categories
under land use.
1. Forest
2. Land not available for cultivation
3. Other uncultivated land
4. Fallow land
5. Net sown area
Page No: 3
Land not available for cultivation includes barren land, waste land and land which is used for
building, roads, parks, factories etc.
Fallow land is that land which is left uncultivated by the farmer. Farmer leaves some land to give
rest to the land. Lands are also left fallow due low rainfall, lack of capital or seeds etc. Fallow land
for one or less than one year is called Current Fallow. If land is left fallow for more than one but less
than five years it is called as Other Fallow land.
Net sown area is the actual land on which agriculture is done. Some parts of net sown area is used
more than one time in a single agricultural season. When this land is added with net sown area, it is
called gross sown area or gross cropped area.
Page No: 4
India is very rich in biological diversity. There are variety of plants and animals found in our
country.
India has nearly 8% of the total number of species found in the world.
About 81,000 species of fauna [animals] and 47,000 species of flora [plants] are found in India.
India is famous for rhino, elephant, tiger, lion, monkey, snakes, peacock etc.
Page No: 5
Many species of plants and animals are under threat due to over exploitation by the human being.
International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] has classified the species into following category:
a) Normal Species: There is no threat to these species, their population is sufficient in the
environment.
b) Rare Species: Species with small population is called rare. They are rarely seen in the forest.
Example Himalayan brown bear, wild Asiatic buffalo, desert fox etc.
c) Vulnerable Species: Population of these species decreases to such an extent that they may
become endangered. Example blue sheep, Asiatic elephant etc.
d) Endangered Species: Population of these species become so small that they come under danger of
extinction. If negative factors continue, they may become extinction. Example Indian rhino,
black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass etc.
e) Extinct Species: These species are not found anywhere in the world. They have gone from our
earth for forever. Example Asiatic Cheetah, pink head duck etc.
Reasons for Depletion of Biodiversity [Flora and Fauna]
Human activities are mainly responsible for depletion of biodiversity. Followings are the reasons or causes
behind loss of flora and fauna.
a) Deforestation, illegal cutting of trees, and forest fire
b) Hunting and poaching of wild animals for skin, tusk, bone etc.
c) Construction of dam, road, railways in the forest
d) Pollution and global warming leading to climatic change
e) Increasing human population pressure on the forest resources
Methods or Measures to Conserve Biodiversity
a) Deforestation should be totally stopped. Instead, trees should be planted on degraded land and
on land where was forest earlier.
b) People should start movement against tree cutting such as Chipko Movement.
c) Vanmahotsava and similar kind of events should be celebrated to conserve forest.
d) Mass media, e.g. TV, radio, newspapers etc, should used for creating awareness.
e) Govt. should pass and implement [Indian Wildlife [Protection] Act 1972] strict laws against
illegal cutting of trees, hunting and poaching.
f) Various project like Project Tiger; Project Rhine etc should be started.
g) More National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserve should be identified.
h) There should be frequent survey and census to count population of different species found in the
forest.
Role of Community [local people] in Conserving Forest and Wildlife
Community or local people are very helpful in conserving biodiversity i.e. plants and animals. Many
communities live in the forest. Forest is home of many traditional people.
a) In Rajasthan, local people came forward to stop mining activities to protect Sariska Tiger Reserve.
b) People of Alwar District of Rajasthan have declared 1200 hectares of land as Bhairodev Dakav
Sonchuri in which they dont allow hunting.
c) In Jharkhand, Munda tribe worship Mahua and Kadamb trees and they protect them from cutting.
d) Famous Chipko Movement in Himalaya was started by local community only. Beej Bachao Andolan
and Navdanya movements have also been started in Himalaya.
e) Joint Forest Management [JFM] stated in India is good method of involving local community in
forest conservation.
Types of Forests in India
a) Reserved Forests: These forests are earmarked only for production of timber. Grazing of animals
and cultivation of crops are not allowed in these forests. About 54% forests are grouped under
reserved forests.
b) Protected Forests: These forests are protected from further depletion. Right of grazing and
cultivation is allowed with certain restriction. About 29% forests come under protected forests.
c) Unclassed Forests: There is no restriction in these forests. These forests belong to government
and private individuals. About 16% forests are unclassed forests.
Page No: 6
About 33% land must be under forest for ecological balance. But, only 23% land is under forest in
India. Distribution of forest in India is not uniform.
Andman and Nicobar has about 87% [Highest] land under forest while in Haryana only 4% land is
under forest which lowest in India.
Most of the north-eastern states like Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh etc. have
more 60% land under forest.
But in Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and J & K have less than 10% land under
forest.
Southern states have moderately covered with forest. About 20-30% land is under forest in these
states.
Dam: It is a concrete wall constructed across the river to stop the river water. The storage of
water behind the dam is called reservoir.
Perennial River: A river having water throughout the year is called Perennial River. Their water
source is melting glaciers, e.g. Ganga, Brahmaputra etc.
Reservoir: Large collection of river water just behind the dam is called reservoir.
Annual rainfall in India is about 117 cm. Cherapunji receives highest rainfall in the world.
India has many perennial rivers e.g. Ganga, Yamuna, Indus, Brahamputra etc. Seasonal rivers of
southern India e.g. Godawari, Krishna, Kauveri, Narmada etc are also good source of water.
India has long seacoast. It is more than 6000 km. Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean
surround southern India from three sides.
India is also rich in groundwater resources. There are many natural and man-made lakes, ponds,
hydraulic structures etc found in our country.
Page No: 7
Watershed Development:
Page No: 8
An area drained by an tributary is called watershed. All round development of this area is called watershed
development. Sukhmajri Village in Haryana is the best example of watershed development. Attempt made
under watershed development are:
Conservation of soil and moisture,
Afforestation and forest upgradation,
Water harvesting,
Development of horticulture
Pasture development
Supply of drinking water
CHAPTER 4: AGRICULTURE
Important Terms
Indian agriculture is subsistence in nature. It means produce is consumed by the farmer itself.
Agriculture is dependent on monsoon rain. Only 1/3 rd net sown is under irrigation.
Consumption of chemical fertilizer, HYV seeds, pesticide etc is very low.
Size of agriculture fields is very small.
Machines and modern farm implements are used only in small area.
Food crops [rice, wheat] are more important than commercial crops.
There are poor banking and insurance facility available to the farmers.
Period
Important Crops
Kharif
Rabi
Zaid
Page No: 9
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Commercial Farming
Commercial farming is done for market,
trade and commerce.
It is done where population pressure on
the land is low.
Agricultural fields are bigger in size.
Consumption of chemical fertilizers, HYV
seeds, pesticides etc is high.
Modern
machines
e.g.
tractors,
harvesters, combine etc. are used.
Wheat, cotton, sugarcane, tea, coffee
are important crops.
Plantation Agriculture
1.
Wetland Farming
It is practiced in high rainfall and well
Page No: 10
2.
3.
4.
irrigated area.
It is practiced in north, north-east and
some part of Western Ghat.
This agriculture faces the problems of
flood.
Important crops of this farming are rice,
jute and sugarcane.
Commercial Agriculture
1. Agriculture is done for trade and
commerce.
2. More importance is given to cash crops
like tea, coffee, spices, sugarcane and
cotton.
3. Modern machines are used in various
activities of agriculture.
4. It is done on large size fields.
5. There is huge capital investment on
machinery, fertilizers, labours etc.
Page No: 11
a) Indian farmers will have access to internal market. They can sell their produce at international
prices.
b) Capital investment from foreign countries will develop the Indian agriculture.
c) Globalization will bring competitiveness among farmers which will lead to commercialization of
Indian agriculture.
d) Indian farmers can also use modern technology and machineries which are now used only in
foreign countries.
e) Globalization will also help in biotechnology and genetic engineering in India.
Negative Impact of Globalization
a) Multinational Companies [MNCs] of developed countries will exploit our farmers as Indian farmers
are poor and illiterate.
b) Small farmers of India cannot compete with farmers of developed nations.
c) Indian farmers may not get the international buyers as quality of our crops is not as per the
international standard.
d) Due to globalization, Indian farmers will try to grow more cash crops and there will be shortage of
food in our country.
Page No: 12
Meaning: Minerals are natural substance which has certain physical and chemical properties like colour,
hardness, texture, crystals etc. Minerals are very important as most of the things we use in our lives are
made of one or other minerals. Minerals are mined from earth surface. There are about 2000 types of
minerals identified so far but few of them are very important like iron, cooper, mineral oil, bauxite etc.
Minerals can be classified as under:
1] Metallic Minerals: Metals are obtained from them.
a) Ferrous [Contain Iron]: Iron Ore, Manganese, Nickel, Cobalt
b) Non-Ferrous [No Iron]: Copper, Lead, Tin, Bauxite
c) Precious [Costly]: Gold, Silver, Platinum
2] Non-Metallic Minerals: Metals are not obtained from them.
Mica, Salt, Potash, Limestone, Marble, Sandstone
3] Energy Minerals: These minerals provide us energy.
Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas
Mode of Occurrence [Where are minerals found?]
Minerals are found in the earth surface [crust]. They are extracted by mining activities. Minerals take
millions of year to form; therefore they are called as non-renewable resource.
h) In the veins and lodes of igneous rock and metamorphic rock important metallic minerals are
found like cooper, zinc, tin, lead etc.
i) Energy minerals such as coal, petroleum and natural gas are found in the beds and layers of
sedimentary rocks.
j) Alluvial deposits [also called as placer deposits] contain very precious minerals like gold, silver, tin,
platinum etc.
k) Ocean water also contains many minerals like salt, magnesium, bromide etc.
l) Weathered materials of the rocks contain bauxite [aluminum].
Iron Ore, Its Types and Distribution
It is a ferrous mineral and backbone of any economy. Industrial development of any country depends on
availability of iron ore. Iron is used in making from needle to big ship. India is rich in good quality of iron
ore. There are four types of iron ore.
a) Magnetite [Contains 70-80% Iron Best Quality]
b) Hematite [Contains 50-60% Iron]
c) Siderite
d) Limonite
Iron ore found in the peninsular plateau of India.
a) Orissa-Jharkhand Belt: Iron ore is mined from Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Singbhum, Gua and
Noamundi Districts.
b) Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur Belt: Good quality hematite ore are found from Bastar and Durg districts.
Iron ore is exported to Japan and Korea.
c) Bellary-Chtradurga-Chikmaglur Belt: This belt is in Karnataka. Iron ore mined from Kudremukh
[Largest deposit in the world]. Ore is exported to USA and Europe.
d) Maharastra-Goa Belt: Goa and Ratnagiri are important mining place of iron ore.
Coal, Its Types and Distribution
Coal is a type of fossil fuel and the most important source of energy in our country. Coal is formed by
burial of plants and animals in the rocks for million of years. Coal is used for generating thermal electricity
and for smelting iron ore. Coal in India is found mainly in Gondwana Rocks series of river Damodar,
Mahanadi, Godawari etc. There are four types of coal as per carbon content.
a) Anthracite [Best Quality]
b) Bituminous [Mainly found in India]
c) Lignite [Low grade coal found in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu]
d) Peat
Page No: 13
Gondwana coal is found in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Important mining centres are Raniganj, Jharia,
Dhanbad, Bokaro. River valleys of Damodar, Mahanadi, Son, Wardha have many mining centres. Tertiary
coal [new coal] is found in north-eastern part of the country like Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh.
Difference between Conventional and Non-Conventional Energy Sources
Conventional Source
1. These energy sources are being used since
a long time, hence they are called
conventional source.
2. Wood, coal, petroleum and gas are
conventional sources of energy.
3. These sources are non-renewable. They will
finish one day.
4. Use of these sources pollutes the
enrolments. They are not eco-friendly.
Non-Conventional Source
1. These sources are new and modern,
therefore called as non-conventional
source.
2. Wind, tides, solar, biogas are nonconventional sources of energy.
3. These sources renewable and can be
used for longer period.
4. They are eco-friendly and clean
sources of energy.
Non-Metallic Minerals
1. These minerals do not contain metals.
Sheet and wire can be made from them.
2. Sandstone, limestone, marble etc. are
example.
3. These minerals are generally found in
sedimentary rocks.
4. These minerals are used generally in
construction and building.
5. They are not so hard and do not shine.
6. When hit, they break into pieces.
Non-Commercial Energy
1. Non-commercial energy sources are
cheaper.
2. They are pure and keep the
environment clean.
3. They are abundant [unlimited] in nature.
4. It is mainly used in rural areas.
5. Cowdung,
charcoal,
firewood,
agricultural waste are its example.
Page No: 14
d) Power saving devices should be used. Modern technology which consume less energy and give
more output should be adopted [like CFL Bulb].
e) Non-conventional sources of energy like solar, wind, tidal, geothermal energy should be used in
the place of coal, petroleum and gas.
CHAPTER 6: MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
Important Terms
Manufacturing: Processing of raw material to make another valuable product in large quantity is
called as manufacturing.
Light Industries: Industries which uses light raw material and produces light goods are called as
light industries e.g. electric fans, bulb, button, toys etc.
Integrated Steel Plants: It is a large steel plant which handle everything under one complex
from smelting, rolling and shaping of steel. Ex Durgapur, Bokaro, Jamshedpur etc.
Page No: 15
Raw Materials
Source of Energy
Source of Water
Availability of Capital and Finance
5.
6.
7.
8.
Demand in Market
Skilled Labourers and Workers
Banking and Insurance
Transport and Communication
It is an agro-based and the oldest industry in India. First cotton mill was established in 1854 in
Mumbai. At present, it the largest industry in our country. There are about 1600 cotton textile
mills in our country.
Cotton textile mills are mainly concentrated in Maharastra and Gujarat due to favourable
conditions. Important centres are Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Suar, Rajkot etc. Other centres are
Agra, Kanpur, Hugli, Chennai, Madurai etc.
Cotton textile is produced by three methods in India: a) Handloom, b) Power-looms and c) Mills
Cotton textile industry involves ginning, spinning, weaving, dyeing, designing, tailoring and
packaging to produce readymade garments.
India export yarn and readymade garments to USA, Japan, UK, France, Nepal, Sri Lanka etc.
Cotton textile industries are facing many problems such as: a) scarcity of good quality cotton, b)
main cotton growing area went to Pakistan, c) old machinery, d) erratic power supply, e) low
productivity of labour, f) tough competition from synthetic fibers.
Page No: 16
This industry is called as basic industry because it provide raw material to many other industries
such as machine an tools, transport equipment, construction material etc. It is also called as
heavy industry because raw materials [iron ore, coal, limestone] are bulky in nature.
Iron ore mixed with limestone is smelted in the blast furnace using coking coal to produce pig
iron. The ratio of iron ore, limestone and coking coal used in 4:2:1.
Pig iron is mixed with manganese, chromium and nickel which make it more stronger steel.
Most of the steel plants are located in Chotanagpur region due to its favourable conditions. At
present there are 10 integrated iron and steel plants and many small and mini plants. Important
integrated steel plants are Jamshedpur, Durgapur, Bokaro, Bhilai, Burnpur etc.
India produces about 33 million tons of steel every year even though per capita consumption of
steel is very low i.e. 32 kg. It is low because India has low economic and industrial development.
Today steel industries in India are facing many problems: a) High cost of production, b) Limited
availability of coking coal, c) Low productivity of labour, d) Irregular supply of energy, e) Raw
materials are found in a certain pocket of India only, f) Poor infrastructure like transport and
communication etc.
India is largest producer of raw jute and jute goods. There are about 70 jute mills in our country.
First jute mill was setup in Rishra [Kolkata] in 1859. Most of the jute mills are located along Hugli
River in West Bengal due to favourable condition.
Jute is used in making rope, bags, carpets etc. Bihar, UP, Assam and Tripura also have jute miils.
Jute industries are facing problems like: a) main jute producing area went to Bangladesh, b) high
production cost, c) declining demand of jute in international market, d) tough competition from
synthetic fiber industry.
Page No: 17
There are 69 jute mills located in a 2 km broad belt along Hooghly River. This area provides many
favourable conditions required for this industry.
a) Raw jute is available for West Bengal. West Bengal is the largest producer of jute.
b) Coal for energy is brought from nearby Raniganj Coalfields.
c) Hooghly River provides water for washing and cleaning jute.
d) Warm and humid climate is very favourable for cultivation of jute and jute industry.
e) Kolkata is a metro city which provides capital and market.
f) Hooghly River also provides cheap water transport.
Sugar industry is shifting from northern to southern India. Why?
Earlier UP and Bihar were the main producer of sugarcane. Therefore, most of the sugar mills were
located in these two states only. But now, sugar mills are shifting towards Maharastra and Karnataka
because of following reasons.
a) Per hectare production of sugarcane is higher in southern India. Black soil is quite suitable for
cultivation of sugarcane.
b) Sucrose content in the sugarcane is higher in Maharastra and Karnataka. It means more sugar can
be produced for less sugarcane.
c) Mills and machines are new in southern states. New and modern machines increase the
productivity.
d) Crushing season for sugarcane is longer in southern states.
e) Cooperative sugar mills are running successfully in southern states.
Industrial Pollution and Environmental Degradation
a) Air pollution is caused by the emission of CO2, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur Dioxide etc. Chimneys of
the industries produce heat leading to Global Warming and Green House Effect. Use of CFC in
various industrial products depletes ozone layer which filters ultraviolet rays of the sun.
b) Dumping of organic and inorganic industrial waste into water bodies pollute the water. Industries
which produce paper, pulp, chemical, leather, acids, dyes, fertilizers etc generate lots of toxic
waste which kills the aquatic life.
c) High intensity sound generated by running machines, siren, drilling, fans etc leads to noise
pollution. It causes irritation, hearing impairment, heart attack etc. among the nearby people.
d) Mining activity to get raw material for industries also degrade the environment. Land degradation,
deforestation, soil erosion, water logging etc. of result of mining activities.
Measurement [Methods] for Controlling Environmental Pollution and Degradation
a)
b)
c)
d)
Transport: Movement of people and goods from one place to another place is called transport.
Modes of transport are: a) Land [Road, Rail, Pipeline], b) Water [Inland, Oceanic] and c) Air
[Domestic, International]
Communication: Transfer of idea, message, and information from one place to another place is
called communication. Modes of communication are TV, radio, cellphone, newspaper, magazines,
internet. Communication has two types: a) Print Media [Newspaper, Magazines] and b) Electronic
Media [TV, Radio, Internet].
Page No: 18
Harbour: It is an area of sea which provides safe entrance to ships. It also protects ships from
waves and storms.
Port: It is a point on the coast which provides facility of anchoring of ship. It also provide facilities
like loading and unloading, berth, cold storage. A port is connected with its hinterland. Seaports
help in international trade and commerce.
Hinterland: It is an area which serves port for international trade. For example, Maharastra, M P,
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana are hinterland for Mumbai seaport. Various things produced in these
states are exported through Mumbai port.
Express Highway: These are 6 lanes best quality of roads. They have been constructed to connect
important cities of India and to provide fast traffic from one place to other place.
International Trade: Exchange of goods and services between two or more countries is called
international trade.
Golden Quadrilateral road connect north with south and east with west. It connects Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. It is 6 lanes good quality super express highway. It total length is
5846 km.
East West Corridor connects Silchar [Assam] with Porbandar [Gujurat]. It connects Guwahati,
Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Jhansi and Rajkot.
North South Corridor connects Srinagar [J & K] with Kanyakumari. It connects Delhi, Agra,
Nagpur, Hydrabad and Bangalore.
Density of road is lowest in Jammu and Kashmir. It is only 10 km for 100 sq. km. area. Density of
road is low in this state because this is a hilly state with very low populaton.
Highest road density is found in Kerala. It is about 375 km. for 100 sq. km. area.
Longest pipeline in India is H-B-J Pipeline [Hazira-Bijapur-Jagddishpur]. It is about 1700 km. long.
Indian railway is divided into 16 railway zones.
NH 1 connects Delhi and Amritsar.
NH 2 connects Delhi and Kolkata. It is also called as Grand Truck Road.
NH 3 connects Mumbai and Agra.
NH 7 connects Varanasi and Kanyakumari. It is longest in India.
India has one of the largest road networks in the world. Total road length in India is about 2.3
million km. There are various types of road in India.
Golden Quadrilateral: It is a 6 lane super highway. This connects four mega cities of our country
i.e Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. East-West Corridor connects Silchar [Assam] with
Porbandar [Gujarat]. North-South Corridor connects Srinagar [J & K] with Kanyakumari [Tamil
Nadu].
National Highways: These roads are most important in India. National Highways are constructed
by CPWD. Important National Highways are NH-1, NH-2, NH-7 etc. These highways connects
important cities, railways stations, port, mining areas, capital towns etc.
State Highways: These roads connect state capital with district headquarters. They are
constructed by SPWD [State Public Work Dept.].
District Roads: These roads are found in rural areas. They connect district headquarter with village
and blocks.
Other Roads: It includes village roads. They are mainly non-metalled roads. Many roads have
been constructed under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.
Border Roads: Border Roads are constructed by Border Road Organisation [BRO]. These roads are
constructed along the borders which are used to connect isolated parts with main country. These
roads are very important from strategic point of view.
f)
g)
h)
i)
Page No: 19
Indian railway is about 150 years old. First rail was started in 1853 between Mumbai and Thane.
It connects State Capital with Capital of India. It also connects major towns and cities, tourist
places, mining centers, seaports, airports etc.
There are about more than 7,000 stations on 63,000 km. long railway tract.
Indian railway is divided into 16 zones for proper administration.
Railways in India have three gauge system:
a) Broad Gauge
[1.676 m]
b) Meter Gauge
[1.0 m]
c) Narrow Gauge
[0.762 and 0.610 m].
There are various types of train running in India such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Mail and Express,
Local and Special Trains which carry passengers.
About 80% of freight [goods] and 70% of passenger traffic is carried by railways.
Konkan Railways is built in Western Ghat Mountain. It is an example of best railway engineering in
India. It has hundred of tunnels and bridges.
There is marked improvement in Indian railways. They are: a) Computerised Reservation System,
b) Waiting Room Facilities on Stations, c) Catering Facility, d) Electrification of Tracks, e) UniGauge System [Conversion of all gauges into broad gauge], f) Replacement of Steam Engine with
Electric Engine, g) Special Trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi, Summer Special etc.
Pipelines are used to transport gas and liquid materials such as mineral or refined oil, natural gas,
water or even milk. Solid items can also be transported after making it slurry.
Pipelines are found from oil producing centers to oil refinery plants and from oil refinery plants to
the market [city].
Minerals oil from upper Assam is transported to Barauni and Allahabad oil refinery through
pipeline.
Pipeline from Salaya to Jalandhar via Mathura and Delhi is also very important pipeline.
The longest pipeline in India is H-B-J pipeline which connect Hazia, Bijapur and Jagdishpur. It is
about 1700 km. long.
Advantage of Pipeline Transportation
Pipeline is best for transportation of gas and liquid materials e.g. oil, natural gas, water and milk.
Construction of pipeline is cheaper than road and railways.
Pipeline can be constructed in forest, swampy area, hills and desert. It can also be laid down
under river and ocean water.
Pipeline can ensure regular, quick and on-demand supply of liquid and gaseous materials.
Pipelines can be operated at low energy cost and it does not pollute environment.
Water transportation is cheapest among all mode of transportation because there is no need to
construct any route.
They are cheaper for transporting bulky and heavy raw materials.
Page No: 20
India has many perennial and seasonal rivers which offer transport facility. India has about 14,500
km long inland navigation waterways.
India also has long sea coast on which there are many ports like Mumbai, Goa, Kochhi, Chennai,
Vishakhapatnam, Haldia etc.
India has three National Waterways:
o National Waterways 1 Ganga
1620 km.
Allahabad Haldia
o National Waterways 2 Brahmaputra
891 km.
Sadiya Dhubri
o National Waterways 3 West Coast Canal
205 km.
Kollam - Kottapuram
There are some problems in using waterways like: a) Peninsular rivers are seasonal, b) Many
rivers make waterfalls in their course, c) Water transportation is slowest among all transport
modes, d) Construction of dams and barrage also blocks waterways, e) Many rivers flow in
uninhabited area, f) Indian coast are shallow and we have less natural ports.
It is fastest and most comfortable mode of transport. It can cover long distance within hours.
River, hills, forest, oceans etc. do not come in the way of air transport.
Air transport play very important role in rescue operation during natural disasters like flood and
earthquake.
It also connects isolated and far away places with main stream of the country. It is best for northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir.
In India, domestic service is provided by Indian Airlines. It covers major cities of India and
neighboring countries. International air transport service is provided by Air India.
Pawanhans provides helicopter facility. Private companies like Sahara, Kingfisher are also
operating air transportation in India.
Problems: a) Air transport is very costly and not suited for common people, b) Construction of
airport needs huge capital and technology, c) Airports cannot be constructed everywhere.
Mass Communication
a) Mass Communication takes place among
many people at a time. Many persons can
interact with each other.
b) Means of mass communication are TV, radio,
magazines, newspapers, internet, films etc.
c) Mass communication includes print media
and electronic media.
Meaning of Trade: Exchange of goods and services among people is called as trade. In other words,
buying and selling goods and services is called trade. The place where trade takes place is called as
market or trading center. Trade takes place because all parts of world do not have same resources
and they do not produce same commodity. Higher amount of trade indicate higher economic
development of a country.
Page No: 21
Balance of Payment: The ratio between value of export and import is called balance of payment. If
export is higher than import, it is called favourable balance of payment. If import is higher than
export, it is called negative balance of payment.
Export from India: Petroleum products, engineering goods, gems and jewellery, computer software,
chemical products and agricultural products are exported by India to other countries.
Import to India: Petroleum, pearls and precious stones, coal, inorganic chemicals, fertilizers,
electronic consumer durables are imported by India from other countries.