Welcome to Edumaterial Scholar! This blog post covers Class 10 Geography Chapter 1 – Resource and Development with comprehensive, line-by-line notes based on the latest NCERT textbook. Whether you're preparing for your exams or doing a quick last-minute revision, these concise and well-structured notes will help you grasp key concepts easily. Designed for clarity and speed, this resource ensures you're fully prepared and confident for your Social Science exam.
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Also Read: Top 31 Most Important MCQs on Resource and Development Part 1– Class 10 Geography | CBSE 2025
Resource and Development class 10 summary
Definition of 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 things available in our environment is transformed into a resource?
- 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.
Classification of resources
(a) On the basis of origin – biotic and abiotic
(b) On the basis of exhaustibility – renewable and non-renewable
(c) On the basis of ownership – individual, community, national and international
(d) On the basis of status of development – potential,
developed stock and reserves.
Development of Resources
Resources are vital for human survival as well as for maintaining the quality of life.
It was believed that resources are free gifts of nature. As a result, human beings used them indiscriminately
Major problems caused due to indiscriminate use of resources:
- Depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of a few individuals.
- Accumulation of resources in the hands of few, which, in turn, divided the society into two segments i.e. rich and poor.
- Led to global ecological crises such as, global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land degradation.
Rio de Janerio Earth Summit
- Held in June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with 100+ heads of states.
- Aimed at tackling environmental protection and socio-economic development globally.
- Leaders signed Declaration on Global Climatic Change and Biological Diversity.
- Endorsed the Global Forest Principles.
- Adopted Agenda 21 for Sustainable Development in the 21st century.
- Agenda 21: A declaration by world leaders at UNCED.
- Focus: Global sustainable development.
- Seeks to combat environmental damage, poverty, and disease through global cooperation.
- Promotes shared responsibilities and mutual needs.
- Encourages every local government to draft its own local Agenda 21.
Uneven Distribution of Resources
There are many regions in our country that are rich in resources but these are included in economically backward regions. On the contrary there are some regions which have a poor resource base but they are economically developed.
- Resource-rich but deficient regions: Some areas have plenty of one type of resource but lack others.
- Self-sufficient regions: Few regions have balanced availability of resources.
- Resource-deficient regions: Some areas face acute shortage of vital resources.
- Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh: Rich in minerals and coal deposits
- Arunachal Pradesh: Abundance of water resources, lacks infrastructural development
- Rajasthan: Rich in solar and wind energy, lacks water resources
- Ladakh: Rich cultural heritage, but lacks water, infrastructure, and vital minerals
Resource Planning in India
Why Resource Planning is essential?
- It is necessary for the sustainable existence of all life forms.
- A widely accepted strategy for the judicious use of resources.
- Particularly important in a country like India, which has diverse availability of resources.
- Ensures equitable distribution of resources across regions.
- Mere availability of resources is not enough; technological development and strong institutions are also required for actual development.
Resource planning involves the following steps:
- Identification and inventory of resources, which involves surveying, mapping and quantitative as well as qualitative estimation and measurement of resources.
- Implementation of resource development plans, which involves creating a planning structure equipped with appropriate technology, skill and institutional setup.
- Matching resource development plan with overall national development plans.
- India has made concerted efforts for achieving the goals of resource planning right from the First Five Year Plan launched after Independence.
Conservation of Resources
Why it is important?
- Resources are vital for any developmental activity.
- But irrational consumption and over-utilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems.
How to prevent?
- To prevent such issues, resource conservation at local, national, and global levels is essential.
There is enough for everybody’s need and not for any body’s greed.
In the above quotation of Gandhi ji, he placed the greedy and selfish individuals and exploitative nature of modern technology as the root cause for resource depletion at the global level.
How this statement is relevant to development?
This statement is relevant because resources and development are closely connected. For development to be sustainable, we must use resources wisely. The Earth has enough to meet everyone's needs, but not greed. If we overuse or misuse resources, it can lead to environmental damage and shortages in the future. So, we should maintain a balance between using and conserving resources for long-term development.
Global Contribution to Resource Conservation
- 1968: Club of Rome systematically advocated resource conservation for the first time.
- 1974: Schumacher reintroduced Gandhian philosophy in his book "Small is Beautiful".
- 1987: Brundtland Commission Report introduced the concept of Sustainable Development.
- The report was later published as "Our Common Future".
- 1992: Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro further emphasized resource conservation at the global level.
Land Resources
Importance: It supports natural vegetation, wild life, human life, economic activities, transport and communication systems.
Key Features
India has a diverse land relief including mountains, plateaus, plains, and islands.
43% of India's land is plain, suitable for agriculture and industry.
30% of the land is mountainous, supporting perennial rivers, tourism, and ecological balance.
27% of the land is plateau, rich in minerals, fossil fuels, and forests.
Land Utilisation
Land Resources are used for the following purposes
Land use pattern
The use of land is determined by
Physical Factors: Topography, soil types. climate
Human Factors: population density, technological capability and culture and traditions
Total geographical area of India is 3.28 million sq km.
Land use data is available for only 93 per cent of the total geographical area.
Reasons:
The land use reporting for most of the north-east states except Assam has not been done fully.
Some areas of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan and China have also not been surveyed.
Key points from the above pie chart
- The land under permanent pasture has decreased.
- Most of the other than the current fallow lands are either of poor quality or the cost of cultivation of such land is very high. Hence, these lands are cultivated once or twice in about two to three years and if these are included in the net sown area then the percentage of NSA in India comes to about 54 per cent of the total reporting area.
- The pattern of net sown area varies greatly from one state to another. It is over 80 per cent of the total area in Punjab and Haryana and less than 10 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman Nicobar Islands.
- Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952).
- A part of the land is termed as waste land and land put to other non-agricultural uses. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas and land put to other non-agricultural uses includes settlements, roads, railways, industry etc.
Land Degradation
Definition: Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation.
Causes
- Deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and quarrying are major human activities causing degradation.
- Mining leaves deep scars and over-burdening; seen in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, MP, Odisha.
- Overgrazing is common in Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Maharashtra.
- Over-irrigation in Punjab, Haryana, western UP leads to waterlogging, causing salinity and alkalinity in soil.
- Grinding of minerals for cement and ceramic industries releases dust, which blocks infiltration of water.
- Industrial effluents and waste are major pollutants of land and water in many areas.
Also Read: Top 31 Most Important MCQs on Resource and Development Part 1– Class 10 Geography | CBSE 2025
Conservation techniques
- Afforestation.
- Proper management of grazing.
- Stabilisation of sand dunes by planting thorny bushes.
- Planting Shelter Belts.
- Proper treatment of industrial wastes before releasing or proper treatment and disposal of wastes.
- Controlling mining activities.
Soil As A Resource
- Soil is a renewable natural resource and a medium for plant growth.
- It supports various living organisms and is considered a living system.
- Soil formation takes millions of years to develop just a few centimeters in depth.
- Factors responsible for soil formation include:
- Relief, parent rock, climate, vegetation, organisms, and time.
- Natural forces like temperature changes, running water, wind, glaciers, and decomposers contribute to soil formation.
- Chemical and organic changes in the soil are also important.
- Soil is made up of organic matter (humus) and inorganic materials.
- Based on factors like formation, colour, texture, thickness, age, and chemical/physical properties, Indian soils are classified into different types.
Classification of Soil
Alluvial Soil
- Most widely spread and important soil type in India.
- Entire Northern Plains are made up of alluvial soil.
- Deposited by three major Himalayan rivers: Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra.
- Present in eastern coastal plains, especially in deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri.
- Composed of sand, silt, and clay in varying proportions.
- Soil particles are coarser near the break of slope and finer in the river valleys.
- Coarse alluvial soils common in piedmont plains like Duars, Chos, and Terai.
- Based on age, alluvial soil is classified into:
- Bangar (old alluvial) – contains more kanker nodules, less fertile.
- Khadar (new alluvial) – finer particles, more fertile.
- Rich in potash, phosphoric acid, and lime.
- Suitable for growing sugarcane, paddy, wheat, cereals, and pulses.
- Highly fertile, hence areas with alluvial soil are intensively cultivated and densely populated.
- In drier areas, the soil is alkaline but can become productive with proper treatment and irrigation.
Black Soil
- Black in color, also known as regur soils or black cotton soil.
- Ideal for growing cotton.
- Formation influenced by climatic conditions and parent rock material.
- Commonly found in the Deccan Trap (Basalt) region, formed by lava flows.
- Covers plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, extending into the Godavari and Krishna valleys.
- Composed of extremely fine, clayey material.
- Known for its ability to retain moisture.
- Rich in nutrients like calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash, and lime.
- Poor in phosphoric content.
- Develops deep cracks during hot weather, aiding in soil aeration.
- Sticky when wet, making it difficult to work with unless tilled immediately after the first shower or during the pre-monsoon period.
Red and Yellow Soil
- Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas with low rainfall.
- Found in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau.
- Also present in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain, and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats.
- Red color develops due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.
- Appears yellow when in a hydrated form.
Laterite Soil
- Derived from the Latin word ‘later’ meaning brick.
- Develops under tropical and subtropical climates with alternate wet and dry seasons.
- Formed due to intense leaching from heavy rains.
- Acidic (pH < 6.0), and generally deficient in plant nutrients.
- Found mainly in southern states, Western Ghats region, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, and North-East regions.
- Supports deciduous and evergreen forests, humus-rich in such areas; humus-poor in sparse vegetation and semi-arid environments.
- Prone to erosion and degradation, especially in certain landscape positions.
- Useful for growing tea and coffee after adopting proper soil conservation techniques (e.g., in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu).
- Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala are suitable for crops like cashew nut.
Arid Soil
- Color ranges from red to brown.
- Sandy in texture and saline in nature.
- In some areas, salt content is very high, and common salt is obtained by evaporating water.
- Due to dry climate and high temperatures, evaporation is faster, and the soil lacks humus and moisture.
- Lower horizons contain Kankar (due to high calcium content).
- Kankar layer in bottom horizons restricts water infiltration.
- With proper irrigation, arid soils can become cultivable, as seen in western Rajasthan.
Forest Soil
- Found in hilly and mountainous areas with sufficient rainfall.
- Soil texture varies depending on the mountain environment:
- Loamy and silty in valley sides.
- Coarse-grained in upper slopes.
- In snow-covered Himalayas, the soils undergo denudation, are acidic, and have low humus content.
- Soils in lower valleys, especially on river terraces and alluvial fans, are fertile.
Soil Erosion
Soil erosion is the removal of topsoil by natural forces like wind and water or human activities.
Causes
- Caused by deforestation, over-grazing, construction, mining, and defective farming methods.
- Natural causes include wind, water, and glaciers.
- Wrong ploughing (up and down the slope) creates channels for water flow, accelerating erosion.
Types of Soil Erosion
- Gully erosion: Running water cuts through clayey soils, forming deep channels (e.g., ravines in Chambal basin).
- Sheet erosion: Water flows as a sheet and washes away topsoil.
- Wind erosion: Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land.
Soil Conservation
- Contour ploughing: Ploughing along contour lines to slow down water flow.
- Terrace farming: Cutting steps on slopes to restrict erosion (common in western and central Himalayas).
- Strip cropping: Leaving strips of grass between crops to reduce wind force.
- Shelter belts: Planting rows of trees to block wind and stabilise sand dunes (used in western India).
