Resources and Development Test - 7

Arid soils range from red to brown in colour. They are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature. In some areas the salt content is very high and common salt is obtained by evaporating the water. Due to the dry climate, high temperature, evaporation is faster and the soil lacks humus and moisture. Arid soils dominate the deserts and xeric shrublands, which occupy about one third of the Earth's land surface. Arid soils have a very low concentration of organic matter, reflecting the paucity of vegetative production on these dry soils. Water deficiency is the major defining characteristic of arid soils. 

National Resources: Technically, all the resources belong to the nation. The country has legal powers to acquire even private property for public good. Urban Development Authorities get empowered by the government to acquire land. All the minerals,water resources, forests, wildlife, land within the political boundaries and oceanic area upto 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast termed as territorial water and resources therein belong to the nation.

Sheet erosion occurs as a shallow 'sheet' of water flowing over the ground surface, resulting in the removal of a uniform layer of soil from the soil surface. It can be a very effective erosive process because it can cover large areas of sloping land and go unnoticed for quite some time.

Terrace or Step farming is a downward sloped section which has been fragmented into series of consecutive flat surfaces. These surfaces are used in vegetation and cultivation of vegetables, crops or flowers. Terrace farming is the most relevant and efficient way of farming for hilly regions such as Uttarakhand state.

Sustainable economic development means ‘development should take place without damaging the environment, and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of the future generations. Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development. Sustainable development has emerged as the guiding principle for long-term global development.  It contains within it two key concepts: (i) The concept of 'needs', in particular, the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and (ii) The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.

India has land under a variety of relief features, namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands. About 43 per cent of the land area is plain, which provides facilities for agriculture and industry. Northern plain lies between the great northern mountain and peninsular plateau. It is formed by the three major rivers – Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra and their tributary rivers. This plain covers the area of Indian states Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, West Bengal, Assam. The plain is very fertile as it is formed by deposition of rivers. It is the source of major food grains in India. Northern Plain is divided into three sections- Punjab Plains, Ganges Plains and Brahmaputra Plains.

India has land under a variety of relief features, namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands. About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region. It possesses rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and Forests. Peninsular Plateau lies south of northern plain. The shape of this plateau is similar to a triangle whose base lies on the southern edge of the northern plain and Kanyakumari is the apex. Peninsular Plateau can be divided into two sections: (i) Central Highland: It is situated to the north of Narmada river. The plateau consists of Malwa Plateau, Chotanagpur Plateau, Meghalaya Plateau, Vidhya Range, Satpura Range and the Aravali Range. The highest peak here is Guru Shikhar and (ii) Deccan Plateau: It is bounded by the Satpura Range in the north, the Eastern Ghats in the east and the Western Ghats in the west. Rivers of Deccan Plateau (Kaveri, Godavari, Krishna) flows from West to East. Deccan Plateau consists of Andhra Plateau, Karnataka Plateau and Maharashtra Plateau.

India has land under a variety of relief features, namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands. About 27 per cent of the area of the country is the plateau region. It possesses rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and Forests. The plateau is suitable for the cultivation of cotton; home to rich mineral resources & a source to generate hydroelectric power. For example, the Deccan plateau is densely inhabited. It has fertile soil and  grows various crops, mostly cotton. It is also affluent with minerals. Major mineral ores seen in this area are mica and iron ore in the Chhota Nagpur plateau. 

Resource planning is the judicious use of resources. Resource planning becomes more important in a country like India, where resources are not distributed properly. Resources can contribute in proper development only with a good planning keeping the technology, skills and institution in mind. Resource Planning in India is one of the most important goals right from its first Five Years Plan. Resource planning is a complex process which involves:

1. identification and inventory of resources across the regions of the country. This involves surveying, mapping and qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources.
2. Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up for implementing resource development plans.
3. Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.

The seminal contribution with respect to resource conservation at the global level was made by the Brundtland Commission Report, 1987. The term sustainable development was coined in the paper Our Common Future, released by the Brundtland Commission. The UN General Assemblyrealized that there was a heavy deterioration of the human environment and natural resources. To rally countries to work and pursue sustainable development together, the UN decided to establish the Brundtland Commission.