Resources and Development Flashcards
Define a resource
Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided, it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as ‘Resource’.
How is nature, technology and institutions linked?
The process of transformation of things
available in our environment involves an
interactive relationship between nature,
technology and institutions. Human beings
interact with nature through technology and
create institutions to accelerate their
economic development.
Are resources free gifts of nature? Why or why not?
They are not. Resources are a function of
human activities. Human beings themselves
are essential components of resources. They
transform material available in our
environment into resources and use them.
On what all basis can we classify resources?
On the basis of origin, exhaustibility, ownership and status of development.
What are abiotic resources? Give examples.
All those things which are composed of non-living things are called abiotic resources. For example, rocks and metals.
Explain biotic resources with examples
These are obtained from biosphere and have life such as human beings, flora and fauna, fisheries, livestock
etc.
What are renewable resources? Give examples.
The resources which can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical or mechanical processes are known as renewable or replenishable resources. For example, solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc. The renewable resource may further be divided into continuous or flow.
What are non renewable resources? Give examples.
These occur over a very long geological time. Minerals and fossil fuels are examples of such resources. These resources take millions of years in their formation. Some of the resources like metals are recyclable and some like fossil fuels cannot be recycled and get exhausted with their use.
By what processes can renewable resources be renewed or reproduced?
They can be renewed or reproduced by physical chemical or mechanical processes.
Renewable resources may further be divided into ______ and _______
Continuous and flow
Give one example of a recyclable non renewable resource and a non recyclable non renewable resource.
Some of the resources like metals are recyclable but non renewable and some like fossil fuels cannot be recycled and are non renewable and get exhausted with their use.
What are the resources under resources categorized based on ownership?
Individual resources, community owned resources, national resources and international resources.
What are the resources under resources categorized based on origin?
Biotic and abiotic resources
Explain individual resources with an example
These resources are owned privately by individuals. Many farmers own land which is allotted to them by government against the payment of revenue. In villages
there are people with land ownership but there are many who are landless. Urban people own plots, houses and other property. Plantation, pasture lands, ponds, water in wells etc. are some of the examples of resources ownership by individuals
Explain community on resources with examples
There are resources which are accessible to all the members of the community. Village commons (grazing grounds, burial grounds, village ponds, etc.) public parks, picnic spots, playgrounds in urban areas are de facto accessible to all the people living there.
Explain national resources with an example
Technically, all the resources belong to the nation. The country has legal powers to acquire even private property for public good. You might have seen roads, canals, railways being constructed on fields owned by some individuals. 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 up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast termed as territorial water and resources therein belong to the nation.
What are International resources?
There are international institutions which regulate some resources. The oceanic resources beyond 200
nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone belong to open ocean and no individual country can utilise these without the concurrence of international institutions.
With organization of the government is responsible for acquiring land for public good?
Urban Development Authorities
How to determine if the area of a part of the ocean belongs to a particular country or not?
All oceanic area up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast termed as territorial water and resources
therein belong to the nation.
What exclusive access does India have from the Indian Ocean which does not belong in its national resource?
India has got the right to mine manganese nodules from the bed of the Indian Ocean from that area which lies beyond the exclusive economic zone.
What are the resources under resources categorized based on status of development?
Potential resources, developed resources, stock and reserves
What are potential resources? Give an example.
Resources which are found in a region, but have not been utilised. For example, the western parts of India
particularly Rajasthan and Gujarat have enormous potential for the development of wind and solar energy, but so far these have not been developed properly.
What are developed resources? Give an example.
Resources which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined for utilisation. The development of resources depends on technology and level of their feasibility
What is stock? Give an example.
Materials in the environment which have the potential to satisfy human needs but human beings do not have the appropriate technology to access these, are included among stock. For example, water is a compound of two gases; hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can be used as a rich source of energy. But we do not have advanced technical ‘know-how’ to use it for this purpose. Hence, it can be considered as
stock.
What are reserves? Give an example.
Reserves are the subset of the stock, which can be put into use with the help of existing technical ‘know-how’ but their use has not been started. These can be used for meeting future requirements. River water can be used for generating hydroelectric power but presently, it is being utilised only to a limited extent. Thus, the water in the dams, forests etc. is a reserve which can be used in the future.
Resources are vital for human ___(1)____ as well as for maintaining the quality of __(2)__. It was believed that resources are free gifts of ___(3)___. As a result, human beings used them indiscriminately and this has led to what major problems?
(1) survival
(2) life
(3) nature
• Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of a few individuals.
• Accumulation of resources in few hands, which, in turn, divided the society into two segments i.e. haves and have nots or rich and poor.
• Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has led to global ecological crises such as, global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land degradation.
Why is resource planning important?
An equitable distribution of resources has become essential for a sustained quality of life and global peace. If the present trend of resource depletion by a few individuals and countries continues, the future of our planet is in danger. Therefore, resource planning is essential for sustainable existence of all forms of life. Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development
What is sustainable development?
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.’
In __(1)___ 1992, more than __(2)__ heads of states met in _____(3)_______ in Brazil, for the first ________(4)________ Summit. The Summit was convened for addressing urgent problems of _______(5)________ and ________(6)_________ at the ___(7)____ level. The assembled leaders signed the Declaration on ______(8)________ and _____(9)_________. The Rio Convention endorsed the global Forest Principles and adopted ____(10)______ for achieving ______(11)_______ in the __(12)__ century.
(1) June
(2) 100
(3) Rio de Janeiro
(4) International Earth
(5) environmental protection
(6) socioeconomic development
(7) global
(8) Global Climatic Change
(9) Biological Diversity
(10) Agenda 21
(11) Sustainable Development
(12) 21st
Agenda 21
It is the declaration signed by world leaders in __(1)__ at the ________(2)_________, which took place at _____(3)_____, Brazil. It aims at achieving global _______(4)_______. It is an agenda to combat ____(5)____, __(6)__, __(7)__ through global co-operation on ____(8)____, ___(9)___ and _____(10)_____. One major objective of the Agenda 21 is that every _____(11)_____ should draw its own __(12)__Agenda 21.
(1) 1992
(2) United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
(3) Rio de Janeiro
(4) sustainable development
(5) environmental damage
(6) poverty
(7) disease
(8) common interests
(9) mutual needs
(10) shared responsibilities
(11) local government
(12) local
India has enormous _________ in availability of resources
diversity
States of ____(1)_____, ____(2)____and _____(3)_____are rich in minerals and _____(4)_____.
(1) Jharkhand
(2) Chhattisgarh
(3) Madhya Pradesh
(4) coal deposits
Arunachal Pradesh has abundance of ____(1)____ but lacks in ______(2)______.
(1) water resources
(2) infrastructural development
The state of Rajasthan is very well endowed with _______(1)_______ but lacks in ______(2)_______.
(1) solar and wind energy
(2) water resources
The cold desert of ___(1)___is relatively isolated from the rest of the country. It has a very rich ____(2)____ but it is deficient in __(3)__, ___(4)___and some ____(5)____.
(1) Ladakh
(2) cultural heritage
(3) water
(4) infrastructure
(5) vital minerals
The unequal distribution of resources in India calls for balanced resource planning at the ___(1)___, __(2)__, ___(3)___and __(4)__ levels.
(1) national
(2) state
(3) regional
(4) local
What are the three steps involved in resource planning?
(i) 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.
(ii) Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up for
implementing resource development plans.
(iii) Matching the resource development plans with
overall national development plans.
India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource planning right from the ___(1)___ Plan launched after ____(2)____.
(1) First Five Year
(2) Independence
Mere availability of resources in the absence of ___(1)___ and ___(2)___ may hinder ____(3)____ of a country.
(1) technology
(2) institutions
(3) development
During colonization, what mainly attracted the foreign invaders towards India?
It’s rich resources
What was the main reason of the colonizing countries that helped them to exploit resources of other regions and establish their supremacy over the colonies?
It was primarily the higher level of technological
development of the colonizing countries that helped them to exploit resources of other regions and establish their supremacy over the colonies.
Resources can contribute to development only when they are accompanied by appropriate _____(1)______ and____(2)____.
(1) technological development
(2) institutional changes
In India, development, in general, and resource development in particular does not only involve the availability of resources, but also the ____(1)____, ______(2)______ and the _____(3)_____ of the people.
(1) technology
(2) quality of human resources
(3) historical experiences
Irrational consumption and over-utilization
of resources may lead to ______(1)_______ and _________(2)___________.
(1) socio-economic
(2) environmental problems
What did Gandhi say about over consumption of resources?
“There is enough for everybody’s need and not for anybody’s greed.”
He placed the ___(1)___ and __(2)__ individuals and ____(3)____ nature of _____(4)_____ as the root cause for ______(5)_______ at the __(6)__ level. He was against _____(7)______ and wanted to replace it with the ____(8)____ by the ___(9)___.
(1) greedy
(2) selfish
(3) exploitative
(4) modern technology
(5) resource depletion
(6) global
(7) mass production
(8) production
(9) masses
At the international level, ______(1)______ advocated resource conservation for the first time in a more systematic way in (2).
(1) the Club of Rome
(2) 1968
Subsequently, in (1), Gandhian philosophy was once again presented by ___(2)___in his book _____(3)_____.
(1) 1974
(2) Schumacher
(3) Small is Beautiful
The seminal contribution with respect to resource
conservation at the global level was made by the _______(1)_______, (2). This report introduced the concept of ____(3)_____’ and advocated it as a means for resource conservation, which was subsequently published in a book entitled ______(4)_______.
(1) Brundtland Commission Report
(2) 1987
(3) Sustainable Development
(4) Our Common Future
Why is land important?
It supports natural vegetation, wild life, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems.
Why should we use land with careful measures?
Land is an asset of a finite magnitude, therefore, it is important to use the available land for various purposes with careful planning.
India’s land accounts for (1)% of plains, (2)% of plateaus and (3)% of mountains.
(1) 43
(2) 27
(3) 30
Why are plains (land) important?
It provides facilities for agriculture and industry.
Why are mountains important?
Mountains ensure perennial flow of some rivers, provide facilities for tourism and ecological aspects.
Why are plateaus important?
Plateaus possess rich reserves of minerals, fossil fuels and forests.
What are the 5 purposes by which land is divided?
- Forests
- Land not available for cultivation
- Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land)
- Fallow lands
- Net sown area
What comes under “Land not available for cultivation”?
(a) Barren and waste land
(b) Land put to non-agricultural uses, e.g. buildings, roads, factories, etc.
What comes under “Other uncultivated land (excluding fallow land)”?
(a) Permanent pastures and grazing land
(b) Land under miscellaneous tree crops groves (not included in net sown area)
(c) Culturable waste land (left uncultivated for more than 5 agricultural years)
What comes under “Fallow lands”?
(a) Current fallow-(left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year),
(b) Other than current fallow-(left uncultivated for the past 1 to 5 agricultural years).
What is net sown area? What is it also known as?
Area sown more than once in an agricultural year plus net sown area is known as gross cropped area.
The use of land is determined both by ___(1)___ factors such as ____(2)____, __(3)__, ____(4)____ as well as __(5)__ factors such as ______(6)_______, _________(7)___________ and __(8)__ and __(9)__ etc.
(1) physical
(2) topography
(3) climate
(4) soil types
(5) human
(6) population density
(7) technological capability
(8) culture
(9) tradition
What is the total geographical area of India?
3.28 million sq.km
Land use data, however, is available only for 93 per cent of the total geographical area. Why?
It is because the land use reporting for most of the north-east states except Assam has not been done fully. Moreover, some areas of Jammu and Kashmir
occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.
