The Gist of NCERT - Geography

44 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

Surface Water Resources about one-third of the total area in the coun-
try, have 60 per cent of the total surface wa-
There are four major sources of surface ter resource. Much of the annual water flow
water. These are rivers, lakes, ponds, and in south Indian rivers like the Godavari, the
tanks. In the country, there are about 10,360 Krishna, and the Kaveri has been harnessed,
rivers and their tributaries longer than 1.6 but it is yet to be done in the Brahmaputra
km each. The mean annual flow in all the and the Ganga basins.
river basins in India is estimated to be 1,869
cubic km. However, due to topographical, Groundwater Resources
hydrological and other constraints, only
about 690 cubic km (32 per cent) of the avail- The total replenishable groundwater
able surface water can be utilized. Water flow resources in the country are about 432 km.
in a river depends on size of its catchment Table shows that the Ganga and the
area or river basin and rainfall within its Brahmaputra basins, have about 46 per cent
catchment area. Given that precipitation is of the total replenishable groundwater re-
relatively high in the catchment areas of the sources. The level of groundwater utilization
Ganga, the Brahmaputra and the Barak riv- is relatively high in the river basins lying in
ers, these rivers, although account for only north-western region and parts of south In-
dia.

Basinwise Ground water Potential and Utilization in India (Cubic Km/Year)

S.No. Name of Basin Total Replenishable Level of
Ground water Resources Utilization (%) Groundwater
1.
2. Brahmani with Baltarni 4.05 8.45
3. Brahmaputra 26.55 3.37
4. Chambal Composite 7.19 40.09
5. Kaveri 12.3 55.33
6. Ganga 170.99 33.52
7. Godavari 40.65 19.53
8. Indus 26.49 77.71
9. Krishna 26.41 30.39
10. Kuchchh and Saurashtra Including Luni 11.23 51.14
11. Chennai and South Tamil Nadu 18.22 57.68
12. Mahanadi 16.46 6.95
13. Meghna (Barak & Others) 8.52 3.94
14. Narmada 10.83 21.74
15. Northeast Composite 18.84 17.2
16. Pennar 4.93 36.6
17. Subarnarekha 1.82 9.57
18. Tapi 8.27 33.05
Western Ghat 17.69 22.88

Total 431.42 31.97

Soils 45

The groundwater utilization is very high Demand of Water for Irrigation
in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan,
and Tamil Nadu. However, there are States In agriculture, water is mainly used for
like Chhatisgarh, Orissa, Kerala, etc., which irrigation. Irrigation is needed because of
utilize only a small proportion of their spatiotemporal variability in rainfall in the
groundwater potentials. States like Gujarat, country. The large tracts of the country are
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tripura and deficient in rainfall and are drought prone.
Maharashtra are utilizing their ground water North-Western India and Deccan plateau
resources at a moderate rate. If the present constitute such areas. Winter and summer
trend continues, the demands for water seasons are more or less dry in most part of
would need the supplies. And such situation, the country. Provisions of irrigation makes
will be detrimental to development, and can multiple cropping possible. It has also been
cause social upheaval and disruptions. found that irrigated lands have higher
agricultural productivity than un-irrigated
Water Demand and Utilization India has land. Further, the high yielding varieties of
traditionally been an agrarian economy, and crops need regular moisture supply, which
about two-third of its population have been is made possible only by a developed
dependent on agriculture. Hence, irrigation systems. In fact, this is why that
development of irrigation to increase green revolution strategy of agriculture
agricultural production has been assigned a development in the country has largely been
very high priority in the Five Year Plans, and successful in Punjab, Haryana and western
multipurpose river valleys projects like the Uttar Pradesh.
Bhakra-Nangal, Hirakund, Damodar, Valley,
Nagarjuna Sagar, Indira Gandhi Canal In Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar
Project, etc. have been taken up. In fact, India’s Pradesh more than 85 per cent of their net
water demand at present is dominated by sown area is under irrigation. Wheat and rice
irrigational needs. are grown mainly with the help of irrigation
in these states. Of the total net irrigated area
Agriculture accounts for most the sur- 76.1 per cent in Punjab and 51.3 per cent in
face and ground water utilization, it accounts Haryana are irrigated through wells and tube
for 89 per cent of the surface water and 92 wells. This shows that these states utilize
per cent of the groundwater utilization. While large proportion of their ground water
the share of industrial sector is limited to 2 potential which has resulted in ground water
per cent of the surface water utilization and depletion in these states. The share of area
5 per cent of the ground-water, the share of irrigated through wells and tube wells is also
domestic sector is higher (9 per cent) in sur- very high in the states given in table.
face water utilization as compared to
groundwater. The share of agricultural sec- The over-use of ground water resources
tor in total water utilization is much higher has led to decline in ground water table in
than other sectors. However, is future, with these states. In fact, over withdrawals in
development, the shares of industrial and some states like Rajasthan, and Maharashtra
domestic sectors in the country are likely to has increased fluoride concentration in
increase. ground-water, and this practice has led to
increase in concentration of arsenic in parts

















54 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

overwhelming majority of population in Wheat: Wheat is the second most
India. Though, it is considered to be a crop important cereal crop in India after rice. India
of tropical humid areas, it has about 3,000 produces about 12 per cent of total wheat
varieties which are grown in different agro- production of world. It is primarily a crop of
climatic regions. These are successfully grown temperate zone. Hence, its cultivation in India
from sea level to about 2,000 m altitude and is done during winter i.e. rabi season. About
from humid areas in eastern India to dry but 85 per cent of total area under this crop is
irrigated areas of Punjab, Haryana, western concentrated in north and central regions of
U.P. and northern Rajasthan. In southern the country i.e. Indo-Gangetic Plain, Malwa
states and West Bengal the climatic Plateau and Himalayas up to 2,700 m altitude.
conditions allow the cultivation of two or Being a rabi crop, it is mostly grown under
three crops of rice in an agricultural year. In irrigated conditions. But it is rainfed crop in
West Bengal farmers grow three crops of rice Himalayan highlands and parts of Malwa
called ‘aus’, ‘aman’ and ‘boro’. But in plateau in Madhya Pradesh. About 14 per
Himalayas and northwestern parts of the cent of the total cropped area in the country
country, it is grown as a Kharif crop during is under wheat cultivation. Uttar Pradesh,
southwest Monsoon season. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya
Pradesh are five leading wheat producing
India contributes 22 per cent of rice states. The yield level of wheat is very high
production in the world and ranks second (above 4,000 k.g. per ha) in Punjab and
after China. About one-fourth of the total Haryana whereas, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan
cropped area in the country is under rice and Bihar have moderate yields. The states
cultivation. West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar like Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Jammu and Kashmir growing wheat under
were five leading rice producing states in the rainfed conditions have low yield.
country in 2002-03. The yield level of rice is
high in Punjab, Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh, Jowar: The coarse cereals together
West Bengal and Kerala. In the first four of occupy about 16.50 per cent of total cropped
these states almost the entire land under rice area in the country. Among these, jowar or
cultivation is irrigated. Punjab and Haryana sorghum alone accounts for about 5.3 per cent
are not traditional rice growing areas. Rice of total cropped area. It is main food crop in
cultivation in the irrigated areas of Punjab semi-arid areas of central and southern India.
and Haryana was introduced in 1970s Maharashtra alone produces more than half
following the Green Revolution. Generally of the total jowar production of the country.
improved varieties of seed, relatively high Other leading producer states of jowar are
usage of fertilizers and pesticides and lower Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra
levels of susceptibility of the crop to pests Pradesh. It is sown in both Kharif and rabi
due to dry climatic conditions are responsible seasons in southern states. But it is a Kharif
for higher yield of rice in this region. The crop in northern India where it is mostly
yield of this crop is very low in rainfed areas grown as a fodder crop. South of Vindhyachal
of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa. it is a rainfed crop and its yield level is very
low in this region.

Land use and Agriculture 55

Bajra: Bajra is sown in hot and dry lands of Deccan and central plateaus and
climatic conditions in northwestern and northwestern parts of the country. Pulses
western parts of the country. It is a hardy occupy about 11 per cent of the total cropped
crop which resists frequent dry spells and area in the country. Being the rainfed crops
drought in this region. It is cultivated alone of dry lands, the yields of pulses are low and
as well as part of mixed cropping. This coarse fluctuate from year to year. Grain and tur
cereal occupies about 5.2 per cent of total are the main pulses cultivated in India.
cropped area in the country. Leading
producers of bajra are the states of Grain: Grain is cultivated in subtropical
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, areas. It is mostly a rainfed crop cultivated
Rajasthan and Haryana. Being a rainfed crop, during rabi season in central, western and
the yield level of this crop is low in Rajasthan northwestern parts of the country. Just one
and fluctuates a lot from year to year. Yield or two light showers or irrigations are
of this crop has increased during recent years required to grow this crop successfully. It has
in Haryana and Gujarat due to introduction been displaced from the cropping pattern by
of drought resistant varieties and expansion wheat in Haryana, Punjab and northern
of irrigation under it. Rajasthan following the green revolution. At
present, grain covers only about 2.8 per cent
Maize: Maize is a food as well as fodder of the total cropped area in the country.
crop grown under semi-arid climatic Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
conditions and over inferior soils. This crop Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan
occupies only about 3.6 per cent of total are the main producers of this pulse crop. The
cropped area. Maize cultivation is not yield of this crop continues to be low and
concentrated in any specific region. It is sown fluctuates from year to year even in irrigated
all over India except eastern and north- areas.
eastern regions. The leading producers of
maize are the states of Madhya Pradesh, Tur (Arhar): Tus is the second important
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and pulse crop in the country. It is also known as
Uttar Pradesh. Yield level of maize is higher red grain or pigeon pea. It is cultivated over
than other coarse cereals. It is high in marginal lands and under rainfed conditions
southern states and declines towards central in the dry areas of central and southern states
parts. of the country. This crop occupies only about
2 per cent of total cropped area of India.
Pulses: Pulses are a very important Maharashtra alone contributed about one-
ingredient of vegetarian food as these are rich third of the total production of tur. Other
sources of proteins. These are legume crops leading producer states are Uttar Pradesh,
which increase the natural fertility of soils Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Per
through nitrogen fixation. India is a leading hectare output of this crop is very low and
producer of pulses and accounts for about its performance is inconsistent.
one-fifth of the total production of pulses in
the world. The cultivation of pulses in the Oilseeds: The oilseeds are produced for
country is largely concentrated in the dry extracting edible oils. Dry lands of Malwa
plateau, Marathwada, Gujarat, Rajasthan,

56 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

Telangana and Rayalseema region of Andhra sunflowere are other important oilseeds
Pradesh and Karnataka plateau are oilseeds grown in India. Soyabean is mostly grown
growing regions of India. These crops in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. These
together occupy about 14 per cent of total two states together produce about 90 per cent
cropped area in the country. Groundnut, of total output of soyabean in the country.
rapeseed and mustard, soyabean and Sunflower cultivation is concentrated in
sunflower are the main oilseed crops grown Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and adjoining
in India. areas of Maharashtra. It is a minor crop in
northern parts of the country where its yield
Groundnut: India produces about 17 is high due to irrigation.
per cent the total of groundnut production
in the world. It is largely a rainfed kharif crop Fibre Crops: These crops provide us
of dry lands. But in southern India, it is fibre for preparing cloth, bags, sacks and a
cultivated during rabi season as well. It number of other items. Cotton and jute are
covers about 3.6 per cent of total cropped two main fibre crops grown in India.
area in the country. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra Cotton: Cotton is a tropical crop grown
are the leading producers. Yield of in kharif season in semi-arid areas of the
groundnut is comparatively high in Tamil country. India lost a large proportion of
Nadu where it is partly irrigated. But its yield cotton growing area to Pakistan during
is low in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. partition. However, its acreage has increased
considerably during the last 50 years. India
Rapeseed and Mustard: Rapeseed and grows both short staple (Indian) cotton as
mustard comprise several oilseeds as rai, well as long staple (American) cotton called
sarson, toria and taramira. These are ‘narma’ in north-western parts of the
subtropical crops cultivated during rabi country. Cotton requires clear sky during
season in north-western and central parts of flowering stage.
India. These are frost sensitive crops and
their yields fluctuate from year to year. But India ranks fourth in the world in the
with the expansion of irrigation and production of cotton after China. U.S.A. and
improvement in seed technology; their yields Pakistan and accounts for about 8.3 per cent
have improved and stabilized to some extend. of production of cotton in the world. Cotton
About two-third of the cultivated area under occupies about 4.7 per cent of total cropped
these crops is irrigated. These oilseeds area in the country. There are three cotton
together occupy only 2.5 per cent of total growing areas, i.e. parts of Punjab, Haryana
cropped area in the country. Rajasthan and northern Rajasthan in north-west,
contributes about one-third production while Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west and
other leading producers are Uttar Pradesh, plateaus of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and
Haryana, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. Tamil Nadu in South. Leading producers of
Yields of these crops are comparatively high this crop are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra
in Haryana and Rajasthan. Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Per hectare
output of cotton is high under irrigated
Other Oilseeds: Soyabean and conditions in north-western region of the

Land use and Agriculture 57

country. Its yield is very low in Maharashtra Tea: Tea is a plantation crop used as
where it is grown under rainfed conditions. beverage. Black tea leaves are fermented
whereas green tea leaves are unfermented.
Jute: Jute is used for making coarse Tea leaves are fermented whereas green tea
cloth, bags, sacks and decorative items. It is leaves are unfermented. Tea leaves have rich
a cash crop in West Bengal and adjoining content of caffeine and tannin. It is an
eastern parts of the country. India lost large indigenous crop of hills in northern China. It
jute growing areas to East Pakistan is grown over undulating topography of hilly
(Bangladesh) during partition. At present, areas and well drained soils in humid and
India produces about three-fifth of jute sub-humid tropics and sub-tropics. In India,
production of the world. West Bengal tea plantation started in 1840s in Brahmaputra
accounts for about three-fourth of the valley of Assam which still is a major tea
production in the country. Bihar and Assam growing area in the country. Later on, its
are other jute growing areas. Being plantation was introduced in the sub-
concentrated only in a few states, this crop Himalayan region of West Bengal (Darjeeling,
accounts for only about 0.5 per cent total Jalpaiguri and Cooch districts). Tea is also
cropped area in the country. cultivated on the lower slopes of Nilgiri and
Cardamom hills in Western Ghats. India is a
Other Crops: Sugarcane, tea and coffee leading producer of tea and accounts for
are other important crops grown in India. about 28 per cent of total production in the
world. India’s share in the international
Sugarcane: Sugarcane is a crop of market of tea has declined substantially. At
tropical areas. Under rainfed conditions, it present, it ranks third among tea exporting
is cultivated in sub-humid and humid countries in the world after Sri Lanka and
climates. But it is largely an irrigated crop in China. Assam accounts for about 53.2 per cent
India. In Indo-Gangetic plain, its cultivation of the total cropped area and contributes
is largely concentrated in Uttar Pradesh. more than half of total production of tea in
Sugarcane growing area in western India is the country. West Bengal and Tamil Nadu
spread over Maharashtra and Gujarat. In are the other leading producers of tea.
southern India, it is cultivated in irrigated
tracts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Coffee: Coffee is a tropical plantation
Pradesh. crop. Its seeds are roasted, ground and are
used for preparing a beverage. There are
India is the second largest producer of three varieties of coffee i.e. Arabica, robusta
sugarcane after Brazil. It accounts for about and liberica. India mostly grows superior
23 per cent of the world production of quality coffee, Arabica, which is in great
sugarcane. But it occupies only 2.4 per cent demand in great demand in International
of total cropped are in the country. Uttar market. But India produces only about 4.3
Pradesh produces about two-fifth of per cent coffee of the world and ranks sixth
sugarcane of the country. Maharashtra, after Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and Mexico. Coffee is cultivated in the
are other leading producers of this crop
where yield level of sugarcane is high. Its
yield is low in northern India.

58 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

highlands of Western Ghats in Karnataka, overcome this problem, Intensive
Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka alone Agricultural District Programme (IADP) and
accounts for more than two third of total Intensive Agricultural Area Programme
production of coffee in the country. (IAAP) were launched. But two consecutive
droughts during mid-1960s resulted in food
Agricultural Development in India: crisis in the country. Consequently, the food
grains were imported from other countries.
Agriculture continues to be an important
sector Indian economy. In 2001 about 53 per New seed varieties of wheat (Mexico)
cent population of the country was dependent and rice (Philippines) known as high yielding
on it. The importance of agricultural sector varieties (HYVs) were available for
in India can be gauged from the fact that cultivation by mid-1960s. India took
about 57 per cent of its land is devoted to advantage of this and introduced package
crop cultivation, whereas, in the world, the technology comprising HYVs, along with
corresponding share is only about 12 per cent. chemical fertilizers in irrigated areas of
In spite of this, there is tremendous pressure Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh,
on agricultural land in India, which is Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Assured supply
reflected from the fact that the land-human of soil moisture through irrigation was a
ratio in the country is only 0.31 ha which is basic pre-requisite for the success of this new
almost of that of the world as a whole (0.59 agricultural technology. This strategy of
ha). Despite various constrains, Indian agricultural development paid dividends
agriculture has marched a long way since instantly and increased the food grains
Independence. production at very fast rate. This spurt of
agricultural growth came to be known as
Strategy of Development: Indian ‘Green Revolution’.
agricultural economy was largely subsistence
in nature before Independence It had dismal This also gave fillip to the development
performance in the first half of twentieth of a large number of agro-inputs, agro-
century. This period witnessed severe processing industries and small-scale indus-
droughts and famines. During portion about tries. This strategy of agricultural develop-
one-third of the irrigated land in undivided ment made the country self-reliant in food
India went to Pakistan. This reduced the grain production. But green revolution was
proportion of irrigated area in Independent initially confined to irrigated areas only. This
India. After Independence, the immediate led to regional disparities in agricultural de-
goal of the Government was to increase food velopment in the country till the seventies,
grains production by (i) switching over from after which the technology spread to the East-
cash crops to food crops; (ii) intensification ern and Central parts of the country.
of cropping over already cultivated land; and
(iii) increasing cultivated area by bringing The Planning Commission of India
cultivable and fallow land under plough. focused its attention on the problems of
Initially, this strategy helped in increasing agriculture in rainfed areas in 1980s. It
food grains production. But agricultural initiated agro-climatic planning in 1988 to
production stagnated during late 1950s. To induce regionally balanced agricultural
development in the country. It also

Land use and Agriculture 59

emphasized the need for diversification of 1950-51 to 2000-01. Over these 50
agriculture and harnessing of resources for years, are irrigated more than once
development of dairy farming, poultry, in an agricultural year has increased
horticulture, livestock rearing and from 1.71 to 20.46 million ha.
aquaculture.
• Modern agricultural technology has
Initiation of the policy of liberalization diffused very fast in various areas
and free market economy in 1990s is likely of the country. Consumption of
to influence the course of development of chemical fertilizers has increased by
Indian agriculture. Lack of development of 15 times since mid-sixties. In 2001-
rural infrastructure, withdrawal of subsidies 02, per hectare consumption of
and price support, and impediments in chemical fertilizers in India was 91
availing of the rural credits may lead to inter- kg which was equal to its average
regional and inter-personal disparities in consumption in the world (90 kg).
rural areas. But in the irrigated areas of Punjab
and Haryana, the consumption of
Growth of chemical fertilizers per unit area is
Agricultural Output and Technology three to four times higher than that
of the national average. Since the
There has been a significant increase in high yielding varieties are highly
agricultural output and improvement in susceptible to pests and diseases, the
technology during the last fifty years. use of pesticides has increased
significantly since 1960s.
• Production and yield of many crops
such as rice and wheat has increased Problems of Indian Agriculture: Yet,
at an impressive rate. Among the there are some problems which are common
other crops, the production of and range from physical constraints to
sugarcane, oilseeds and cotton has institutional hindrances. A detailed
also increased appreciably. India discussion on these problems follows:
ranks first in the production of
pulses, tea, jute, cattle and milk. It is Dependence on Erratic Monsoon:
the second largest producer of rice, Irrigation covers and about 33 per cent of the
wheat, groundnut, sugarcane and cultivated area in India. The crop production
vegetables. in rest of the cultivated land directly depends
on rainfall.
• Expansion of irrigation has played a
very crucial role in enhancing Low productivity: The yield of the
agricultural output in the country. It crops in the country is low in comparison to
provided basis for introduction of the international level. The vast rainfed areas
modern agricultural technology such of the country, particularly drylands which
as high yielding varieties of seeds, mostly grow coarse cereals, pulses and
chemical fertilizers, pesticides and oilseeds have very low yields.
farm machinery. The net irrigated
area in the country has increased Constraints of Financial Resources and
from 20.85 million ha over the period Indebtedness: The inputs of modern

60 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

agriculture are very expensive. Crop failures Lack of Commercialization: Most of the
and low returns from agriculture have forced small and marginal farmers grow food grains,
them to fall in the trap of indebtedness. which are meant for their own family
consumption. Modernization and
Lack of Land Reforms: After commercialization of agriculture have
independence, land reforms were accorded however, taken place in the irrigated areas.
priority, but these reforms were not
implemented effectively due to lack of strong Vast Under-employment: In these
political will. areas, there is a seasonal unemployment
ranging from 4 to 8 months. Even in the
Small Farm Size and Fragmentation of cropping season work is not available
Landholding: There are a large number of throughout, as agricultural operations are not
marginal and small farmers in the country. labour intensive.
More than 60 per cent of the ownership
holdings have a size smaller than one (ha). Degradation of Cultivable Land: One
Furthermore, about 40 per cent of the farmers of the serious problems that arises out of
have operational holding size smaller than faulty strategy of irrigation and agricultural
0.5 hectare (ha). The average size of land development is degradation of land
holding is shrinking further under increasing resources.
population pressure.

Gist of NCERT
General Science

ISBN: 9789351720188
Book Code: F20

















Mineral and Energy Resources 69

materials, thus, minimizing the cost of Damodar Valley Corporation.
transporting weight losing raw material. This
plant has a unique locational advantage, as it Other Steel Plants: New steel plants
receives coal from Jharia (Jharkhand) and iron which were set up in the Fourth Plan period
ore from Sundargarh and Kendujhar. The are away from the main raw material sources.
Hirakud project supplies power for the All the three plants are located in South India.
electric furnaces and water is obtained from The Vizag Steel Plant, in Vishakhapatnam in
the Koel and Sankh rivers. Andhra Pradesh is the first port based plant
which started operating in 1992. Its port
Bhilai Steel Plant location is of advantage.

The Bhilai Steel Plant was established The Vijaynagar Steel Plant at Hospet in
with Russian collaboration in Durg District Karnataka was developed using indigenous
of Chhattisgarh and started production in technology. This uses local iron ore and
1959. The iron ore comes from Dalli-Rajhara limestone. The Salem Steel Plant in Tamil
mine, coal comes from Korba and Kargali coal Nadu was commissioned in 1982.
fields. The water comes from the
Tanduladam and the power from the Korba Apart from these major steel plants,
Thermal Power Station. This plant also lies there are more than 206 units located in
on the Kolkata-Mumbai railway route. The different parts of country. Most of these use
bulk of the steel produced goes to the scrap iron as their main raw material, and
Hindustan Shipyard at Vishakhapatnam. process it in electric furnaces.

Durgapur Steel Plant: Durgapur Steel The Cotton Textile Industry
Plant, in West Bengal, was set up in
collaboration with the government of the In 1854, the first modern cotton mill was
United Kingdom and started production in established in Mumbai. This city had several
1962. This plant lies in Raniganj and Jharia advantages as a cotton textile manufacturing
coal belt and gets iron ore from Noamundi. centre. It was very close to the cotton
Durgapur lies on the main Kolkata-Delhi producing areas of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
railway route. Hydel power and water is Raw cotton used to be brought to Mumbai
obtained from the Damodar Valley port to be transported to England. Therefore,
Corporation (DVC). cotton was available in Mumbai city itself,
Moreover, Mumbai even then was the
Bokaro Steel Plant: This steel plant was financial centre and the capital needed to
set up in 1964 at Bokaro with Russian start an industry was available there. As a
collaboration. This plant was set up on the large town, providing employment
principle of transportation cost minimization opportunities attracted labour in large
by creating Bokaro-Rourkela combine. It numbers. Hence, cheap and abundant labour
receives iron ore from the Rourkela region too was available locally. The machinery
and the wagons on return take coal to required for a cotton textile mill could be
Rourkela. Other raw materials come to directly imported from England.
Bokaro from within a radius of about 350 km. Subsequently, two more mills, the Shahpur
Water and Hydel power is supplied by the Mill and the Calico Mill were established in
Ahmedabad. By 1947, the number of mills in

70 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

India went up to 423 but the scenario changed Mumbai and Ahmedabad in the second half
after partition, and this industry suffered a of the nineteenth century, the cotton textile
major recession. This was due to the fact that industry expanded very rapidly. The number
the most of the good quality cotton growing of units increased dramatically. The Swadeshi
areas had gone to West Pakistan and India movement gave a major impetus to the
was left with 409 mills and only 29 per cent industry as there was a call for boycotting
of the cotton producing area. all British made goods in favour of Indian
goods. After 1921, with the development of
After Independence, this industry the railway network other cotton textile
gradually recovered and eventually centres expanded rapidly. In southern India,
flourished. In 1998, India had 1782 mills; of mills were set up at Coimbatore, Madurai
which, 192 mills were in the public sector and and Bangalore. In central India, Nagpur,
151 mills in the cooperative sector. The largest Indore, Solapur and Vadodra became cotton
number, that is, 1,439 mills were in the private textile centres. Cotton textile mills were set
sector. up at Kanpur based on local investment. Mills
were also set up at Kolkata due to its port
The cotton textile industry in India can facilities. The development of hydro-
be broadly divided into two sectors, the electricity also favoured the location of the
organized sector and the decentralized cotton textile mills away from the cotton
sector. The decentralized sector includes producing areas. The rapid development of
cloth produced in handlooms (including this industry in Tamil Nadu is the result of
Khadi) and power looms. The production of the abundant availability of hydel power for
the organized sector has drastically fallen the mills. Lower labour costs at centres like
from 81 per cent in the mid-twentieth century Ujjain, Bharuch, Agra, Hathras, Coimbatore
to only about 6 per cent in 2000. At present, and Tirunelveli also caused industries to be
the power looms on the decentralized sector located away from cotton producing areas.
produce more than 59 per cent and the hand
loom sector produces about 19 per cent of all Thus, the cotton textile industry is
cotton cloth produced in the country. located in almost every state in India, where
one or more of the locational factors have
Cotton is a “pure” raw material which been favourable. The importance of raw
does not lose weight in the manufacturing materials has given way to market or to a
process, so other factors, like, power to drive cheaper local labour force or it may be the
the looms, labour, capital or market may availability of power.
determine the location of the industry. At
present the trend is to locate the industry at Presently, the major centres of the cotton
or close to markets, as it is the market that textile industry are Ahmedabad, Bhiwandi,
decides what kind of cloth is to be produced. Solapur, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Indore and
Also the market for the finished produces is Ujjain. All these centres are the traditional
extremely variable, therefore, it becomes centres and are located close to the cotton
important to locate the mills close to the producing regions. Maharashtra, Gujarat and
market. Tamil Nadu are the leading cotton producing

After the first mills were set up in

Mineral and Energy Resources 71

states. West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, is located in the cotton producing Telengana
Karnataka, and Punjab are the other region, where most of the mills are spinning
important cotton textile producers. mills producing yarn. The important centres
are Hyderabad, Secundrabad, Warangal and
Tamil Nadu has the largest number of Guntur.
mills and most of them produce yarn rather
than cloth. Coimbatore has emerged as the In Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur is the largest
most important centre with nearly half the centre. Some of the other important centres
mills located there. Chennai, Madurai, are Modinagar, Hathras, Saharanpur, Agra
Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Thanjavur, and Lucknow. In West Bengal, the cotton
Ramanathapuram and Salem are the other mills are located in the Hugli region. Howrah,
important centres. In Karnataka, the cotton Serampur, Kolkata and Shyamnagar are the
textile industry has developed in the cotton important centres. Production of cotton cloth
producing areas in the north-eastern part of increased almost five times from 1950-51 to
the state. Davangere, Hubli, Bellary, Mysore 1999-2000. Cotton textile has been facing
and Bangalore are important centres. In tough competition from synthetic cloth.
Andhra Pradesh, the cotton textile industry

INDIAN POLITY
For

Civil Services
Preliminary Examinations

ISBN: 9789381362310
Book Code: A14, ` 350

8

72 Gist of NCERT

SUGAR INDUSTRY

The sugar industry is the second most Maharashtra has emerged as a leading
important agro-based industry in the sugar producer in the country and produces
country. India is the largest producer of both more than one-third of the total production
sugarcane and cane sugar and contributes of the sugar in the country. There are 119
about 8 per cent of the total sugar production sugar mills in the state in a narrow belt
in the world. Besides, khandasari and gur or extending from Manmad in the north to
jaggery are also prepared from sugarcane. Kolhapur in the south. There are 87 mills in
This industry provides employment for more the cooperative sector.
than 4 lakh persons directly and a large
number of farmers indirectly. Sugar industry Uttar Pradesh is the second largest
is a seasonal industry because of the producer of sugar. The sugar factories are
seasonality of raw materials. concentrated in two belts- the Ganga-Yamuna
doab and the taria region. The major sugar
Development of the industry on mod- producing centres in the Ganga- Yamuna
ern lines dates back to 1903, when a sugar doab are Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut,
mill was started in Bihar. Subsequently, sugar Ghaziabad, Baghpat and Bulandshehr
mills were started in other parts of Bihar and districts; while Kheri Lakhimpur, Basti,
Uttar Pradesh. In 1950-51, 139 factories were Gonda, Gorakhpur, Bahraich are important
in operation producing 11.34 lakh tones of sugar producing districts in the Tarai region.
sugar. The number of sugar factories rose to
506 and production to 176,99 lakh tones in In Tamil Nadu, sugar factories are
2000-01. located in Coimbatore, Vellore,
Tiruvanamalai, Villupuram and
Location of the Sugar Industry Tiruchchirappalli districts. Belgaum, Bellary,
Mandya, Shimoga, Bijapur, and Chitradurg
Sugarcane is a weight-losing crop. The districts are the major producers in
ratio of sugar to sugarcane varies between 9 Karnataka. The industry is distributed in the
to 12 per cent depending on its variety. Its coastal regions i.e. East Godawari, West
sucrose content begins to dry during haulage Godavari, Vishakhapatnam districts and
after it has been harvested from the field. Nizamabad, and Medak districts of
Better recovery of sugar is dependent upon Telangana alongwith Chittoor district of
its being crushed within 24 hours of its Rayalseema.
harvesting. Sugar factories hence, are located
within the cane producing regions. The other States which produce sugar

Sugar Industry 73

are Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh Petrochemical Corporation Limited (IPCL),
and Gujarat. Saran, Champaran, a public sector undertaking. It is responsible
Muzaffarnagar, Siwan, Darbhanga, and Gaya for the manufacture and distribution of the
are the important sugarcane producing dis- various petrochemicals like polymers,
tricts in Bihar. The relative significance of chemicals, fibres and fibre intermediates.
Punjab has declined, although Gurdaspur, Second is the Petrofils Cooperative Limited
Jalandhar, Sangarur, Patiala and Amrtisar are (PCL), a joint venture of the Government of
major sugar producers. In Haryana, sugar India and Weaver’s Cooperative Societies. It
factories are located in Yamuna Nagar, produces polyester filament yarn and nylon
Rohtak, Hissar and Faridabad districts. Sugar chips at its two plants located at Vadodara
industry is comparatively new in Gujarat. and Naldhari in Gujarat. Third is the Central
Sugar mills are located in the cane growing Institute of Plastic Engineering and
tracts of Surat, Junagarh, Rajkot, Amreli, Technology (CIPET), involved in imparting
Valsad and Bhavnagar districts. training in petrochemical industry.

Petrochemical Industries Polymers are made from ethylene and
propylene. These materials are obtained in
This group of industries has been the process of refining crude oil. Polymers
growing very fast in India. A variety of are used as raw materials in the plastic
products come under this category of industry. Among polymers, polyethylene is
industries. In 1960s, demand for organic a widely used thermoplastic. Plastic is first
chemicals increased so fast that it became covered into sheets, power, resin and pellets,
difficult to meet this demand. At that time. and then used in manufacturing plastic
Petroleum refining industry expanded products. Plastic products are preferred
rapidly. Many items are derived from crude because of their strength, water and chemical
petroleum, which provide raw materials for resistance and low prices. Production of
many new industries; these are collectively plastic polymers started in India in the late
known as petrochemical industries. This fifties and the early sixties using other organic
group of industries is divided into four sub- chemicals. The National Organic Chemicals
groups; (i) polymers, (ii) synthetic fibres, (iii) Industries Limited (NOCIL), established in
elastomers, and (iv) surfactant intermediate. private sector in 1961, started the first
Mumbai is the hub of the petrochemical naphtha based chemical industry in Mumbai.
industries. Cracker units are also located in Later, several other companies were formed.
Auraiya (Uttar Pradesh), Jamnagar, The plants located at Mumbai, Barauni,
Gandhinagar, and Hajira (Gujarat), Mettur, Pimpri and Rishra are major
Nagothane, Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), Haldia producers of plastic materials.
(West Bengal) and Vishakhapatnam (Andha
Pradesh). About 75 per cent of these units are in
small scale sector. The industry also uses
Three organizations are working in the recycled plastics, which constitutes about 30
petrochemical sector under the administrative per cent of the total production.
control of the Department of Chemicals and
Petrochemicals. First is the Indian Synthetic fibres are widely used in the

74 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

manufacturing of fabrics because of their quality certification. A majority of the
inherent strength, durability, wash ability, multinational companies operating in the area
and resistance to shrinkage. Industries of information technology have either
manufacturing nylon and polyester yarns are software development centres or research
located at Kota, Pimpri, Mumbai, Modinagar, development centres in India. However, in
Pune, Ujjain, Nagpur and Udhna. Acrylic the hardware development sector, India is
staple fibre is manufactured at Kota and yet to make any remarkable achievements.
Vadodara.
A major impact of this growth has been
Though plastics have becomes on employment creation, which is almost
inseparable items in our daily use and they doubled every year.
have affected our life style. But due to its
non-biodegradable quality it has emerged as Liberalization, Privatization, Globalization
the greatest threat to our environment. (LPG) and Industrial Development in India
Hence, use of plastic is being discouraged in
different states of India. The new Industrial Policy was
announced in 1991. The major objectives of
Knowledge based Industries this policy were to build on the gains already
made, correct the distortions or weaknesses
The advancement in information that have crept in, maintain a sustained
technology has had a profound influence on growth in productivity and gainful
the country’s economy. The Information employment and attain international
Technology (IT) revolution opened up new competitiveness.
possibilities of economic and social
transformation. The IT and IT enabled Within this policy, measures initiated
business process outsourcing (ITESBPO) are: (1) abolition of industrial licensing, (2)
services continue to be on a robust growth free entry to foreign (technology, (3) foreign
path. Indian software industry has emerged investment policy, (4) access to capital
as one of the fastest growing sectors in the market, (5) open trade, (6) abolition of
economy. Exports of the Indian software and phased manufacturing programme, and (7)
services sector were Rs. 78,230 crore in 2004- liberalized industrial location programme.
05 which is approximately 30-32 per cent The policy has three main dimensions:
increase from the previous year. The software privatization and globalization.
industry has surpassed electronic hardware
production. The Indian government has The industrial licensing system has been
created a number of software parks in the abolished for all except six industries related
country. to security, strategic or environmental
concerns. At the same time, the number of
The IT software and services industry industries reserved for public sector since
account for almost 2 per cent of India’s GDP. 1956 have been reduced from 17 to 4.
India’s software industry has achieved a Industries related to atomic energy
remarkable distinction for providing quality substances specified in the schedule of the
products. A large number of Indian software Department of Atomic Energy as well as
companies have acquired international Railways have remained under the public
sector. The government also have decided

Sugar Industry 75

to offer a part of the shareholdings in the Globalization means integrating the
public enterprises to financial institutions, economy of the country with the world
general public and workers. The threshold economy. Under this process, goods and
limits of assets have been scrapped and no services along with capital, labour and
industry required prior approval for resources can move freely from one nation
investing in the delicensed sector. They only to another. The thrust of globalization has
need to submit a memorandum in the been to increase the domestic and external
prescribed format. competition through extensive application of
market mechanism and facilitating dynamic
In the new industrial policy, Foreign relationship with the foreign investors and
Direct Investment (FDI) has been seen as a suppliers of technology. In Indian context,
supplement to the domestic investment for this implies: (1) opening of the economy to
achieving a higher level of economic foreign direct investment by providing
development. FDI benefits the domestic facilities to foreign companies to invest in
industry as well as the consumers by different fields of economies activity in India;
providing technological upgradation, access (2) removing restrictions and obstacles to the
to global managerial skills and practices, entry of multinational companies in India; (3)
optimum use of natural and human allowing Indian companies to enter into
resources, etc. Keeping all this in mind, foreign collaboration in India and also
foreign investment has been liberalized and encouraging them to set up joint ventures
the government has permitted access to an abroad; (4) carrying out massive import
automic route for Foreign Direct Investment. liberalization programs by switching over
The government has also announced changes from quantitative restrictions to tariffs in the
in the industrial location policies. Industries first place and then bringing down the level
are discouraged in or very close to large cities of import duties considerably; and (5) instead
due to environmental reasons. of a set of export in incentives, opting for
exchange rate adjustments for promoting
The industrial policy has been export.
liberalized to attract private investor both
domestic and multinationals. New sectors Industrial Region and Districts
like, mining, telecommunication, highway
construction and management have been Major Industrial Regions (8)
thrown open to private companies. In spite
of all these concessions, Foreign Direct 1. Mumbai-Pune Region,
Investment has not been up to the expectation.
There has been a big gap between approved 2. Hugli Region,
and actual foreign direct investment, even
though the numbers of foreign collaborations 3. Bangalore-Tamil Nadu Region,
are increasing. Larger parts of this investment
have gone to domestic appliances, finance, 4. Gujarat Region,
services, electronics and electrical equipment,
and food and dairy products. 5. Chotanagpur Region,

6. Vishakhapatnam-Guntur Region,

7. Gurgaon-Delhi-Meerut Region and

8. Kollam-Tiruvantapuram Region.

















84 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

airports including 11 international, 86 In addition, Pawan Hans Limited mainly
domestic and 29 civil enclaves at defence air provides helicopter services to petroleum
fields. sector and for tourism.

The air transport in India is managed Oil and Gas Pipelines: Pipelines are the
by two corporations, Air India and Indian most convenient and efficient mode of
Airlines after nationalization. Now many transporting liquids and gasses over long
private companies have also started distances. Even solids can also be transported
passenger services. by pipelines after converting them into
slurry. Oil India Limited (OIL) under the
History of Indian Airlines administrative set up of the Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas is engaged in the
1911 - Air transport in India was exploration, production and transportation
launched between Allahabad and of crude oil and natural gas. It was
Naini. incorporated in 1959 as a company. Asia’s
first cross country pipeline covering a
1947 - Air transport was provided by distance of 1,157 km was constructed by OIL
four major companies namely from Naharkatiya oilfield in Assam to
Indian National Airways. Tata Barauni refinery to Bihar. It was further
Sons Limited, Air Services of extended up to Kanpur in 1966. Another
India and Deccan Airways. extensive network of pipeline has been
constructed in the western region of India of
1951 - Four more companies joined the which Ankleshwar-Koyali, Mumbai High-
services, Bharat Airways, Koyali and Hazira-Vijapur-Jagdishpur (HVJ)
Himalayan Aviation Limited, are most important. Recently, a 1256 km long
Airways India and Kalinga pipeline connecting Salaya (Gujarat) with
Airlines. Mathura (U.P.) has been constructed. It
supplies crude oil from Gujarat to Punjab
1953 - Air transport was nationalized (Jalandhar) via Mathura. OIL is in the process
and two Corporations. Air India of constructing of 660 km long pipeline from
International and Indian Airlines Numaligarh to Siliguri.
were formed. Now Indian
Airlines is known as ‘Indian’. Communication Networks: Human
beings have evolved different methods of
Air India: Air India provides communication over time. In earlier times,
International Air Services for both passengers the messages were delivered by beating the
and cargo traffic. It connects all the continents drum or hollow tree trunks, giving
of the world through its services. In 2005, it indications through smoke or fire or with the
carried 12.2 million passengers and 4.8 lakh help of fast runners. Horses, camels, dogs,
metric tonnes of cargo. About 52 per cent of birds and other animals were also used to
the total air traffic was handled only at send messages. Initially, the means of
Mumbai and Delhi airports. In 2005, domestic communication were also the means of
movement involved 24.3 million passengers
and 20 lakh metric tonnes of cargo. Pawan
Hans is the helicopter service operating in
hilly areas and is widely used by tourists in
north-eastern sector.

Transport and Communication 85

transportation. Invention of post office, Mass Communication System
telegraph, printing press, telephone, satellite,
etc. has made the communication much faster Radio: Radio broadcasting started in
and easier. Development in the field of science India in 1923 by the Radio Club of Bombay.
and technology has significantly contributed Since then, it gained immense popularity and
in bringing about revolution in the field of changed the socio cultural the life of people.
communication. Within no time, it made a place in every
household of the country. Government took
People use different modes of this opportunity and brought this popular
communication to convey the messages. On mode of communication under its control in
the basis of scale and quality, the mode of 1930 under the Indian Broadcasting System.
communication can be divided into following It was changed to All India Radio in 1936 and
categories: to Akashwani in 1957.

Personal Communication System: All India Radio broadcasts a variety of
Among all the personal communication sys- programmes related to information,
tem internet is the most effective and ad- education and entertainment. Special news
vanced one. It is widely used in urban areas. bulletins are also broadcast at specific
It enables the user to establish direct contact occasions like session of parliament and state
through e-mail to get access to the world of legislatures.
knowledge and information. It is increasingly
used for e-commerce and carrying out money Television (T.V.): Television
transactions. The internet is like a huge cen- broadcasting has emerged as the most
tral warehouse of data, with detailed infor- effective audio-visual medium for
mation on various items. The network disseminating information and educating
through internet and e-mail provides an ef- masses. Initially, the T.V. services were
ficient access to information at a compara- limited only to the National Capital where it
tively low cost. It enables us with the basic began in 1959. After 1972, several other
facilities of direct communication. centres became operational. In 1976, TV was
delinked from All India Radio (AIR) and got
Three types of Indian Railway on the a separate identity as Doordarshan (DD).
basis of breadth of Rails After INSAT-IA (National Television- DD1)
became operational, Common National
1. Broad guage- distance --- two rails Programmes (CNP) were started for the
1.616 mts total length of Broad entire network and its services were
guage in India. extended to the backward and remote rural
areas.
2. Meter guage- Distance between two
rail in one meter. Total length of Satellite Communication: Satellites are
meter ganage in India is 13,290 km, mode of communication in themselves as well
account 21.02% of total length of as they regulate the use of other means of
country. communication. However, use of satellite in
getting a continuous and synoptic view of
3. Narrow gauge- Distance between larger area has made satellite communication
two rail is 0.762 mts/0.610 mts. Total
length is 3,124 km, accounts 4,49%
of total length.

86 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

very vital for the country, due to the International Trade

economic and strategic reasons. Satellite The exchange of goods among people,
states and countries is referred to as trade.
images can be used for the weather forecast, The market is the place where such exchanges
take place. Trade between two countries is
monitoring of natural calamities, surveillance called international trade. It may take place
of border areas, etc. On the basis of through sea, air or land routes. While local
trade is carried in cities, towns and villages,
configuration and purposes, satellite system state level trade is carried between two or
more states. Advancement of international
in India can be grouped into two: Indian trade of a country is an index to its economic
prosperity. It is, therefore, considered the
National Satellite System (INSAT) and Indian economic barometer for a country.

Remote Sensing Satellite System (IRS). As the resources are space bound, no
country can survive without international
The INSAT, which was established in trade. Export and import are the components
of trade. The balance of trade of a country is
1983, is a multipurpose satellite system for the difference between its export and import.
When the value of export exceeds the value
telecommunication, meteorological of imports, it is called a favourable balance
of trade. On the contrary, if the value of
observation and for various other data and imports exceeds the value of exports, it is
termed as unvfavourable balance of trade.
programmes.
India has trade relations with all the
The IRS satellite system became major trading blocks and all geographical
regions of the world. Among the
operational with the launching of IRS-IA in commodities of export, whose share has been
increasing over the last few year till 2004-05
March 1988 from Vaikanour in Russia. India are agriculture and allied products (2.53 per
cent), ores and minerals (9.12 per cent), gems
has also developed her own Launching and jewellery (26.75 per cent) and chemical
and allied products (24.45 per cent),
Vehicle PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle). engineering goods (35.63 per cent) and
petroleum products (86.12 per cent).
These satellites collect data in several spectral
Table: India’sMajor Trading Partner’s
bands and transmit them to the ground
Percentage share in total trade
stations for various uses. The National (Export + Import)

Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) at

Hyderabad provides facilities for acquisition

of data and its processing. These are very

useful in the management of natural

resources.

Region Imports

2003-04 2004-05

West Europe 85,88 1,08,71
85
East Europe 43 8,32

CIS and Baltic states 5,79 1,70,28
16,80
Asia and Oceania 1,24,76 40,20
8,55
Africa 14,69

America 31,82

Latin American Countries 5,35 Country 2000-01 2003-04

Source : India 2006 U.S.A. 13.0 10.3
U.K. 5.7 3.7

Transport and Communication 87

Belgium 4.6 3.7 reduction in import duties, de-licensing and
change from process to product patents.
Germany 3.9 3.5
Asia and Oceania accounted for 47.41
Japan 3.8 2.7 per cent of India’s export followed by West
Europe (23.80 per cent) and America (20.42).
Switzerland 3.8 3.3 Similarly, India’s imports were highest from
Asia and Oceania (35.40 per cent) followed
Hong Kong 3.7 2.8 by West Europe (22.60 per cent) and America
(8.36 per cent) in 2004-05.
U.A.E. 3.4 6.2
The U.S.A. is India’s largest trading
China 2.5 6.4 partner and the most trading partner and the
most important destination of India’s export.
Singapore 2.5 3.4 Other countries in order of significance
include the U.K., Belgium, Germany, Japan,
Malaysia 1.9 1.7 Switzerland, Hong Kong, the U.A.E., China,
Singapore and Malaysia.
Total 48.6 47.7
Most of India’s foreign trade is carried
Source : Economic Survey 2005-06 through sea and air routes. However, a small
portion is also carried through land route to
The commodities imported to India neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan,
include petroleum and petroleum products Bangladesh and Pakistan.
(41.87 per cent), pearls and precious stones
(29.26 per cent), inorganic chemicals (29.39 Ports
per cent), coal, coke and briquettes (94.17 per
cent), machinery (12.56 per cent). Bulk Today Indian ports are handling large
imports as a group registered a growth volumes of domestic as well as overseas
accounting for 39.09 per cent of total imports. trade. Most of the ports are equipped with
This group includes fertilizers (67.01 per modern infrastructure. Previously the
cent), cereals (25.23 per cent), edible oils (7.94 development and modernization was the
per cent) and newsprint (5.51 per cent). responsibility of the government agencies,
International trade has under gone a sea but considering the increase in function and
change in the last fifteen years. Exchange of need to bring these ports at par with the
commodities and goods have been international ports, private entrepreneurs
superseded by the exchange of information have been invited for the modernization of
and knowledge. India has emerged as a ports in India. The capacity of Indian ports
software giant at the international level and increased from 20 million tonnes of cargo
it is earning large foreign exchange through handling in 1951 to more than 500 million
the export of information technology. tonnes at present.

Direction of Trade Kandla Port situated at the head of Gulf
of Kuchchh has been developed as a major
India has trade relations with most of port to cater to the needs of western and
the countries and major trading blocks of the north western parts of the country and also
world.

India aims to double its share in the
international trade within the next five years.
It has already started adopting suitable
measures such as import liberalization,

88 Gist of NCERT (Geography)

to reduce the pressure at Mumbai port. The yarn, granite stone, molasses, etc. Karnataka
port is specially designed to receive large is the major hinterland for this port.
quantities of petroleum and petroleum
products and fertilizer. The offshore terminal Kochchi Port situated at the head of
at Vadinar has been developed to reduce the Vembanad Kayal, popularly known as the
pressure at Kandla port. “Queen of the Arabian Sea,” is also a natural
harbor. This port has an advantageous
Demarcation of the boundary of the location being close to the Suez-Colombo
hinterland would be difficult as it is not fixed route. It caters to the needs of Kerala,
over space. In most of the cases, hinterland southern- Karnataka and south western Tamil
of one port may overlap with that of the Nadu.
other.
Kolkata Port is located on the Hulgi
Mumbai is a natural harbor and the river, 128 km inland from the Bay of Bengal.
biggest port of the country. The port is Like the Mumbai port, this port was also
situated closer to the general routes from the developed by the British. Kolkata had the
countries of Middle East, Mediterranean initial advantage of being the capital of British
countries, North Africa, North America and India. The port has lost its significance
Europe where the major share of country’s considerably on account of the diversion of
overseas trade is carried out. The port is 20 exports to the other ports such as
km long and 6-10 km wide with 54 berths Vishakhapatnam, Paradwip and its satellite
and has the country’s largest oil terminal. port, Haldia.
M.P., Maharashtra, Gujarat, U.P. and parts
of Rajasthan constitute the main hinterlands Kolkata port is also confronted with the
of Mumbai ports. problem of silt accumulation in the Hugli
river which provides a link to the sea. Its
Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva hinterland covers U.P, Bihar, Jharkhand,
was developed as a satellite port to relieve West Bengal, Sikkim and the north-eastern
the pressure at the Mumbai port. It is the states. Apart from this, it also extends ports
largest container port in India. facilities to our neighbouring land-locked
countries such as Nepal and Bhutan.
Marmagao Port, situated at the entrance
of the Zuari estuary, is a natural harbor in Haldia Port is located 105 km
Goa. It gained significance after its downstream from Kolkata. It has been
remodeling in 1961 to handle iron-ore exports constructed to reduce the congestion at
to Japan. Construction of Konkan railway has Kolkata port. It handles bulk cargo like iron
considerably extended the hinterland of this ore, coal, petroleum, petroleum products and
port. Karnataka, Goa, Southern Maharashtra fertilizers, jute, jute products, cotton and
constitutes its hinterland. cotton yarn, etc.

New Mangalore Port is located in the Paradwip Port is situated in the
state of Karnataka and caters to the needs of Mahanadi delta, about 100 km from Cuttack.
the export of iron-ore and iron-concentrates. It has the deepest harbor specially suited to
It also handles fertilizers, petroleum handle very large vessels. It has been
products, edible oils, coffee, tea, wood pulp, developed mainly to handle large-scale

Transport and Communication 89

export of iron-ore. Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Foreign tourist’s arrivals in the country
Jharkhand are the parts of its hinterland. witnessed an increase of 23.5 per cent during
the year 2004 as against the year 2003, thus
Visakhapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh contributing Rs. 21,828 crore of foreign
is a land-locked harbor, connected to the sea exchange. Over 2.6 million foreign tourists
by a channel cut through solid rock and sand. visit India every year. More than 15 million
An outer harbor has been developed for people are directly engaged in the tourism
handling iron-ore, petroleum and general industry. Tourism also promotes national
cargo. Andhra Pradesh is the main hinterland integration, provides support to local
for this port. handicrafts and cultural pursuits. It also helps
in the development of international
Chennai Port is one of the oldest ports understanding about our culture and
on the eastern coast. It is an artificial harbor heritage. Foreign tourists visit India for
built in 1859. It is not much suitable for large heritage tourism, eco tourism, adventure
ships because of the shallow waters near the tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism
coast. Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry are its and business tourism.
hinterland. Ennore, a newly developed port
in Tamil Nadu, has been constructed 25 km Rajasthan, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and
north of Chennai to relieve the pressure at temple towns of south India are important
Chennai port. Tuticorin Port was also destinations of foreign tourists in India.
developed to relieve the pressure of Chennai There is vast potential of tourism
port. It deals with a variety of cargo including development in the north-eastern states and
coal, salt, food grains, edible oils, sugar, the interior parts of Himalayas, but due to
chemical and petroleum products. strategic reasons these have not been
encouraged so far. However, there lies a
Tourism as a Trade bright future ahead for this upcoming
industry.
Tourism in India has grown
substantially over the last three decades.

GEOGRAPHY
For

Civil Services
Preliminary Examinations

ISBN: 9789381362303
Book Code: A15, ` 315

10

90 Gist of NCERT

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

Our Solar system consists of eight years, it is 8.311 minutes of a year. Out of the
planets. The nine planet 2003 UB313 has also eight planets, mercury, venus, earth and mars
been recently sighted. The nebula from which
our Solar system is supposed to have been are called as the inner planets as the lie
formed, started its collapse and core between the sun and the belt of asteroids the
formation some time 5-5.6 billion ago and the
planets formed about 4.6 billion years ago. other five planets are called the outer planets.
Our solar system consists of the sun (the star),
8 planets, 63 moons, millions of smaller Alternatively, the first four are called
bodies like asteroids and comets and huge Terrestrial, meaning earth-like as they are
quantity of dust-grains and gases.
made up of rock and metals, and have
A light year is a measure of distance and relatively high densities. The rest five are
not of time. Light travels at a speed of 300,00
km/second. Considering this, the distances called Jovian or Gas Giant planets. Jovian
the light will travel in one year is taken to be means Jupiter-like. Most of them are much
one light year. This equals to 9.461x1012 km.
The mean distance between the sun and the larger than the terrestrial planets and have
earth is 149,598,000 km. In terms of light
thick atmosphere, mostly of helium and
hydrogen. All the planets were formed in the

same period sometime about 4.6 billion years
ago. Some data regarding our solar system

are given in the box below.

The Solar System

Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune

Distance 0.387 0.723 1.000 1.524 5.203 9.539 19.182 30.058

Density 5.44 5.245 5.517 3.945 1.33 0.70 1.17 1.66

Radius# 0.383 0.949 1.000 0.533 11.19 9.460 4.11 3.88

Satellites 0 0 1 2 16 about 18 about 17 8

* Distance from the sun is astronomical unit i.e. average mean distance of the earth is

149,598,000 km = 1

@ Density in gm / cm3

# Radius : Equatorial radius 6378.137 km = 1

Our Solar System 91

The Moon impact’ or what is described as “the big splat”.

The moon is the only natural satellite of A body of the size of one to three times that
of mars collided into the earth sometime
the earth. Like the origin of the earth, there
have been attempts to explain how the moon shortly after the earth was formed. It blasted
a large part of the earth into space. This
was formed. In 1838, Sir George Darwin
suggested that initially, the earth and the portion of blasted material then continued
to orbit the earth and eventually formed into
moon formed a single rapidly rotating body.
The whole mass became a dumb-bell-shaped the present moon about 4.44 billion years ago.

body and eventually it broke. It was also Development of Lithosphere

suggested that the material forming the moon The earth was mostly in a volatile state
was separated from what we have at present during its primordial stage. Due to gradual
the depression occupied by the Pacific Ocean.
increase in density the temperature inside has
However, the present scientists do not accept increased. As a result the material inside

either of the explanations. It is now generally started getting separated depending on their
believed that the formation of moon, as a densities. This allowed heavier materials (like
satellite of the earth, is an outcome of ‘giant
iron) to sink towards

the centre of the

Geological Time Scale earth and the lighter

Eons Era Period Epoch Are/Years Life/Major Extents ones to move
Quaternary Holocene 0 - 10.000 Modern Man
Plestocene 10.000-2 million Home Saptens towards the surface.

Catnozoic Tertiary Pitocene 2 -5 million Early Human Ancestor With passage of time
(From 65 Miocene 5 - 24 million Ape : Flowering Plants
million years and Trees it cooled further and
to the Oligocene 24 - 37 Ma Anthropoid Ape
Eocene 37 - 68 million Rabbits and Hare solidified and
present Palaeocene 57 - 65 million Small Mammals:
times) Rats - Mice condensed into a

Mesozoic Cretaceous 65 - 144 million Extinction of Dinosaurs smaller size. This
65-245 Jurassic 144-208 million Age of Dinosaurs
million Triassic 208 - 245 million Frogs and turtles later led to the
Mammals
Permtan 245 - 286 million development of the
Palaeozotc
245-570 Carboniferous 286-360 million Repttle dominate-replace outer surface in the
million
Devonian 360-408 million amphibtans form of a crust.
Stlurtan 408-438 million First Reptiles:
Vertebrates: Coal beds During the
Ordovtctan 438-505 million Amphibtans
Cambrtan 505-570 million formation of the
First trace of life on land:
Plants moon, due to the
first Fish
No terrestrial Life: giant impact, the

Marine Invertebrate earth was further

Proterozoic 570-2,500 million heated up. It is
Soft-bodied arthropods
Archean 2,500-3,800 million through the process

Pre 3,800-4,800 million Blue green Algae: of differentiation
Cambratan 570 million
Hadean - Untcellular bacteria that the earth
-4,800 Oceans and Continents
million form-Ocean and forming material got
Atmosphere are rich in
Origin of
the Carbon dioxide

5,000 million Origin of separated into
sun