3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not
increased much since 1960-61?
(ii) How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of
resources?
Answers
Answer:
1. Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, land meant for pasture and grazing, and waste land. The rest is waste land, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation. The land under forest has not increased since 1960–61 because in the post-independence era demand for more land to expand agriculture, mainly after Green Revolution, developmental works and infrastructural facilities, led to clearance of forests areas. Industrialization and urbanization also decreased the forest area. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.
2. Technical and economic development have led to more consumption of resources on account of various factors such as: Technological development provides sophisticated equipment. As a result, production increases ultimately leading to consumption of more resources. Technological development also leads to economic development. When the economic condition of a country rises, the needs of people also rise. It again results into more consumption of resources.
Economic development provides favorable environment for the development of latest technologies. It helps to make or convert various materials found around us into resources. Finally, it results into the consumption of new available resources too.