Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?
Answers
Answer:
Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, pasture and grazing land, and wasteland. Wasteland includes rocky, arid and desert areas and land used for non-agricultural purposes like housing, roads, industry, etc. According to recent data available, the percentage of net sown area (NSA) in India is about 54% of the total reporting area (if, the other than current fallow lands is included). . 22.5% is covered by forests, and 3.45% is used for grazing. The rest is a wasteland, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation. Improper use of forest land has led to land degradation and made conservation of forests difficult. Human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, mining, quarrying, etc have contributed to the slow growth rate of forests. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.
Answer:
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.