Resources and Development explains how natural materials become useful resources through human skill, technology and institutions. These solutions help Class 10 students answer NCERT exercise questions with clear points for CBSE 2026 Social Science exams.
Class 10 Geography Chapter 1, Resources and Development, builds the base for understanding land, soil, resource planning and sustainable development in India. The chapter is important for CBSE 2026 school exams because it includes direct MCQs, short-answer questions and long-answer questions from the NCERT exercise. These NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Contemporary India Chapter 1 answers follow the Contemporary India-II textbook and keep each answer exam-ready. Students can use them to revise resource classification, land use pattern, soil types, soil erosion and conservation methods with accurate points from the chapter.
Key Takeaways
- Resource: Anything available in the environment becomes a resource when it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable.
- Sustainable development: Development should happen without damaging the environment or reducing future needs.
- Land use: India has plains, mountains, plateaus and islands, with plains covering about 43% of the land area.
- Soil conservation: Contour ploughing, terrace farming, strip cropping and shelter belts reduce soil erosion.
NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Contemporary India Chapter 1 Structure 2026
| Exercise Type |
Topic Covered |
Question Count |
| Multiple Choice Questions |
Land degradation, terrace farming, black soil |
3 |
| Short Answers |
Black soil, alluvial soil, soil erosion control |
3 |
| Long Answers |
Land use pattern, resource consumption |
2 |
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Geography Chapter 1 Exercise
The NCERT exercise of Resources and Development checks factual recall, map-based understanding and explanation skills. These answers are written in a direct format for Class 10 CBSE Geography preparation.
Q1. Multiple Choice Questions
(i) Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab?
(a) Intensive cultivation
(b) Deforestation
(c) Over irrigation
(d) Overgrazing
Answer: (c) Over irrigation
Explanation: In Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, over-irrigation causes waterlogging. This increases salinity and alkalinity in the soil.
(ii) In which one of the following states is terrace cultivation practised?
(a) Punjab
(b) Plains of Uttar Pradesh
(c) Haryana
(d) Uttarakhand
Answer: (d) Uttarakhand
Explanation: Terrace cultivation is practised in hilly areas. It reduces the speed of water flow on slopes and checks soil erosion.
(iii) In which of the following states black soil is predominantly found?
(a) Uttar Pradesh
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Rajasthan
(d) Jharkhand
Answer: (b) Maharashtra
Explanation: Black soil is found in the Deccan Trap region. It covers large parts of Maharashtra and is suitable for cotton cultivation.
Class 10 Geography Chapter 1 Resources and Development Short Answers
The 30-word questions usually ask for direct features, examples or conservation methods. Keep the answer precise and include textbook terms.
Q2(i). Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in it.
Answer: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have black soil. Cotton is mainly grown in black soil.
Explanation: Black soil is also called regur soil. It is clayey, moisture-retentive and rich in lime, calcium carbonate, magnesium and potash.
Q2(ii). What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast? Give three main features of this type of soil.
Answer: Alluvial soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast.
Three features are:
- It is deposited by rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
- It contains sand, silt and clay in different proportions.
- It is fertile and supports crops like paddy, sugarcane, wheat and pulses.
Explanation: Alluvial soil is the most widely spread and important soil in India.
Q2(iii). What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
Answer: Soil erosion in hilly areas can be controlled through contour ploughing, terrace farming and afforestation.
Explanation: Contour ploughing slows water flow along slopes. Terrace farming cuts slopes into steps and reduces runoff. Afforestation binds soil with plant roots.
Resources and Development Class 10 Long Answers
The 120-word answers need clear explanation with examples from India. Use cause, effect and textbook keywords to score well.
Q3(i). Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?
Answer: Land in India is used for forests, cultivation, grazing, fallow land, non-agricultural uses and wasteland. Net sown area is the land on which crops are grown and harvested. Land used for buildings, roads, factories and settlements is counted under non-agricultural use. Other uncultivated land includes permanent pastures, grazing land and culturable wasteland.
The land use pattern depends on physical factors like relief, climate and soil type. It also depends on human factors like population density, technology and culture.
Forest land has not increased much since 1960-61 because population growth has increased pressure on land. Agriculture, settlements, industries, mining, roads and railways have expanded. Many forest areas are also used by communities living near forests for livelihood needs. India’s forest area remains lower than the desired 33% of geographical area.
Q3(ii). How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?
Answer: Technical and economic development have increased the consumption of resources by expanding industries, transport, urbanisation and modern lifestyles. Better technology allows humans to extract minerals, fossil fuels, forests and water resources at a faster rate. Machines, mining equipment, irrigation systems and transport networks have made resource use easier.
Economic development also raises demand for houses, roads, factories, electricity, vehicles and consumer goods. This increases the use of land, minerals, coal, petroleum, water and forests. Industrial growth produces more goods, but it also creates more pressure on natural resources.
The chapter explains that resources support development only when they are used with proper technology, institutions and planning. Irrational consumption and overuse lead to land degradation, pollution and ecological crises.
NCERT Solutions Class 10 Contemporary India II Chapter 1 Activity Answers
The activity section builds application-based understanding. These answers can be used for classroom discussion, notebook work and project preparation.
Q4(i). Natural endowments in the form of land, water, vegetation and minerals.
Answer: Resources
Explanation: Natural endowments become resources when humans use technology and institutions to transform them.
Q4(ii). A type of non-renewable resource.
Answer: Minerals
Explanation: Minerals take millions of years to form and cannot be quickly replaced after use.
Q4(iii). Soil with high water retaining capacity.
Answer: Black soil
Explanation: Black soil is clayey and can hold moisture for a long time.
Q4(iv). Intensively leached soils of the monsoon climate.
Answer: Laterite soil
Explanation: Laterite soil forms in areas with alternate wet and dry seasons and heavy rainfall.
Q4(v). Plantation of trees on a large scale to check soil erosion.
Answer: Afforestation
Explanation: Trees hold soil together and reduce the force of wind and water erosion.
Q4(vi). The Great Plains of India are made up of these soils.
Answer: Alluvial soils
Explanation: The northern plains are made of alluvial deposits brought by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems.
Class 10 Social Science Resources and Development NCERT Solutions: Important Concepts
Resources are classified by origin, exhaustibility, ownership and development status. This classification helps students connect examples with textbook definitions.
Classification of Resources
| Basis |
Types |
Example |
| Origin |
Biotic and abiotic |
Forests, minerals |
| Exhaustibility |
Renewable and non-renewable |
Solar energy, coal |
| Ownership |
Individual, community, national, international |
Private land, oceanic resources |
Resource Planning in India
Resource planning means identifying resources, preparing a development structure and matching plans with national development goals.
India needs resource planning because resources are unevenly distributed. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are rich in minerals. Rajasthan has strong solar and wind energy potential. Arunachal Pradesh has abundant water resources but limited infrastructure.
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development means using resources in the present without harming the needs of future generations.
The 1992 Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro focused on environmental protection and socio-economic development. Agenda 21 was adopted to promote sustainable development through global cooperation.
Resources and Development Class 10 Soil Types
India has different soils because relief, climate, vegetation, parent rock and time vary across regions. Soil type decides the crops, fertility and land use of an area.
Alluvial Soil
Alluvial soil is the most widespread and fertile soil in India. It is found in the northern plains and eastern coastal deltas.
It supports crops like paddy, wheat, sugarcane and pulses. Old alluvial soil is called Bangar, and new alluvial soil is called Khadar.
Black Soil
Black soil is also called regur soil. It is found in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and parts of the Deccan Plateau.
It is suitable for cotton because it has high moisture-retaining capacity. It is rich in lime, calcium carbonate, magnesium and potash.
Red and Yellow Soil
Red and yellow soils form on crystalline igneous rocks in low rainfall regions. Their red colour comes from iron diffusion.
They are found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, the Deccan Plateau and the Western Ghats piedmont zone.
Laterite Soil
Laterite soil develops in tropical and subtropical climates with alternate wet and dry seasons. Heavy rainfall causes intense leaching in this soil.
It is useful for tea, coffee and cashew nut after proper soil conservation measures.
Arid Soil
Arid soil is sandy, saline and low in humus. It is found in dry regions such as western Rajasthan.
With proper irrigation, arid soil can become cultivable.
Forest Soil
Forest soil is found in hilly and mountainous areas. Its texture changes according to slope and altitude.
It is loamy and silty in valley sides, but coarse-grained on upper slopes.
NCERT Class 10 Geography Chapter 1 Solutions for Soil Erosion
Soil erosion means removal of the top soil cover by wind, water, glaciers or human activity. It reduces soil fertility and damages agricultural land.
Main Types of Soil Erosion
Gully erosion happens when running water cuts deep channels in clayey soil. Such land becomes unfit for cultivation and is called bad land or ravines in the Chambal basin.
Sheet erosion happens when water flows as a sheet over large areas and removes the topsoil.
Wind erosion happens when loose soil is blown away from flat or sloping land.
Soil Conservation Methods
Contour ploughing reduces water flow down slopes. Terrace farming checks erosion in hilly regions. Strip cropping reduces wind force across fields. Shelter belts stabilise sand dunes and protect soil in western India.
Afforestation and proper grazing management also reduce land degradation.
Useful Links for NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Contemporary India Chapter 1