01-Jul-2018 - 1530253106 - 2 - Hints - Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture

GS Mains Test Series 2018
Answer Hints: Test No.2 www.iasscore.in
GEOGRAPHY, DISASTER MANAGEMENT

AND AGRICULTURE
Section - A
1. Discuss the major features of Tropical Rainforest Biomes. How Human activities
are impacting these biomes?
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Approach
1. Briefly discuss Tropical rainforest biomes (40 words)
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2. Discuss in detail about four main characteristics: very high annual rainfall, high average
temperatures, nutrient-poor soil, and high levels of biodiversity (80-100 words)
3. Environment and social impact of human activities. (60-80 words)
4. Way forward and Conclusion. (50 words)
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Hints:
“Rainforest” are some of the world’s wettest ecosystems. Tropical rainforests are found near the
equator, between the Tropic of Cancer (23°27’N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23°27’S).
A tropical rainforest biome has four main characteristics: very high annual rainfall, high average
temperatures, nutrientpoor soil, and high levels of biodiversity (species richness)
• Rainfall: Rainforests generally receive very high rainfall each year, although the exact amount
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varies withyears andamong different rainforests. For example, South America’s tropical
rainforests receive between 200 and 300 centimeters of rain in a typical year. Despite relatively
consistent rain in these ecosystems, there are distinct dry seasons in some rainforests. Wet
and dry seasons of tropical rainforests vary in their timing, duration and severity around the
globe. Tropical rainforests also have high humidity; about 88% during the wet season and
approximately 77% in the dry season.
• Temperature: The equator receives direct sunlight. This steady flow of radiation produces consistently
high temperatures throughout the year. A typical daytime temperature at any time of year in
tropical rainforests is 29°C (85°F), although temperatures can be much higher. In the majority of
tropical rainforests, there is only a 5°C (9°F) difference in temperature between the seasons.
• Soil Composition: Even after tremendous amount and diversity of foliage in tropical
rainforests, soils present are nutrientpoor as soil can’t retain nutrients for very long. The
heavy rains that occur in rainforests wash organic material from the soil. Although
decomposition occurs rapidly in the hot, moist conditions, many of the dead, fallen leaves
and other organic detritus are swept away before releasing all of their nutrients.
• In addition, rainwater seeps into the ground and leaches away nutrients. Nevertheless, the
high diversity of decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi accelerate the decomposition
process enough that the nutrients released by decomposition are taken up quickly by the
plants, instead of being stored in the soil.
Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture [1]
• Biodiversity: Tropical rainforests are areas of extremely high biodiversity compared to other
ecosystems. In the tropical rainforests of Borneo, scientists have documented more than
15,000 plant species, including 2,500 species of orchids. Biologists estimate that tropical
rainforests contain about 50% of the world’s terrestrial plant and animal species, yet they
encompass only about 6% of the world’s land area.
Human Activities impacting Rainforest Biomes:
• Deforestation: Rainforests once covered about 14% of the earths land surface; now they
cover approximately 6%. The issue and effects of deforestation is greatly affecting the most
biologically diverse biome in the world. Human activity and development in the tropical
rainforest has led to the depletion of habitat for many of the earth’s species.
• This continual process is due to the industries of mining, lumber, and agriculture. More and
more of the natural vegetation is being replaced with farmland because the fertility of the
soil depletes only a few years after it was originally cleared.
Environmental Impact:
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• Extinction- Many species and populations live in the tropical rainforest. Currently, the
world is losing 137 species a day due to deforestation, which totals up to 50,000 species
per year.
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• Habitat Loss The reason that causes organisms to disappear is the fact that they lose their
homes through deforestation. Territory conflicts occur, as well as a depletion of food supply.
• Poaching and hunting are a major issue in the tropical rainforest. Exotic creatures are being
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over hunted causing their populations to go into the danger zones and on the verge of
extinction.
• Soil Erosion When plants are removed, soil erosion occurs. Rain washes away nutrients in
the soil.
• Climate Change The tropical rainforest climate will be disrupted because it will turn into
a hot and dry area. This poses a hazard to the native species. Carbon dioxide is also released
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into the atmosphere, which is already a problem.

• Pollution- The ground, air, and water become polluted from mining.
Social Impact:
• Many indigenous people live in rainforests. When they lose their homes due to deforestation,
much culture is lost too as natural resources sustaining their way of life are taken away.
• Many of the medicines that are used today come from the rainforest. By destroying the
plants of the region, humans lose potential medicines that may help to cure diseases. Right
now, 121 prescription drugs use plants as a remedy. Along with the loss of plants, knowledge
of medicinal plants is lost as well. Scattered indigenous people will lose the ability to pass
on the information along the next generation.
• In addition to competition for land by companies, struggles over racial and ethnic rights will
also erupt.
Overexploitation of the rainforests natural resource have a highly damaging impact on the rainforest.
However, there are many ways we can help to save the rainforest. Reduce the resource consumption,
particularly wasteful one, like singleuse plastics, etc.through reuse andrecycle strategy; promotion
of organic foodsand reduction of pesticides and insecticides, etc.
[2] Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture
Supplementary Notes
Biodiversity
Tropical forests cover only twelve percent of the landarea of the Earth, yet they are home to between
50 and 90 percent of the world’s species. Because of tropical deforestation, at least one species is
disappearing every day. This rate of extinction is now 400 times faster than at any other period in
the history of the planet.
Medicines
Rainforests are a vital source of medicines. Today, less than 1 percent of the world’s tropical forest
plants have been tested for pharmaceutical properties, yet a quarter of all modern medicines came
originally from rainforests. Most were first discovered and used by indigenous people.
Food Diversity
Rainforests also offer a bounty of foods. Foods that we use today which originated in rainforests
include coffee, cocoa, many fruits and nuts, spices, rice, and other products such as rubber, gums,
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resins, dyes, tannins and cane. Of an estimated 75,000 edible plants found in nature, only 150 enter
world commerce and only 20 (mostly domesticated cereals) stand between human society and
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starvation. This makes modern agriculture extremely vulnerable to pests, diseases and changes in
climate. Genes from wild plants can be used to fortify modern varieties against this vulnerability.
Without rainforests, this opportunity is lost, as is the chance to develop entirely new food plants.
Climate
Tropical forests regulate global and regional climatesystems by acting as heat and water pumps.
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They release moisture into the atmosphere which returns to the ground as rain. When the forest is
cleared, the water cycle is disrupted, temperatures increase, droughts become common, and
eventually deserts may form. For example, the drought in the Sahelian belt (south of the Sahara
Desert), has been attributed to deforestation in West Africa. Estimates suggest that tropical
deforestation currently contributes at least 19% of greenhouse gas emissions. Tropical forests have
been described as “the lungs of the Earth”. However, in mature primary forest, storage and release
of carbon is in balance. Carbondioxide consumed during photosynthesis is equaled by that released
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when organic matter decays. A standing forest acts as a store or sink of carbon. On the other hand,
when forests are burned or logged and the debris left to decay, carbon dioxide is released into the
atmosphere.
Prevention of Flooding, Soil Loss and Siltation
Tropical rainforest soils are very old and have been impoverished by eons of high rainfall leaching
away their mineral nutrients. The forests have evolved to cope with this by rapidly recycling nutrients.
Forest litter, and the droppings and remains of animals are quickly decomposed, releasing nutrients
for uptake. Most nutrients are only available from this decomposing layer, so many rainforest trees
are shallowrooting and have buttresses for support.
Rainforests act like giant sponges, soaking up moisture, and then releasing it slowly. This moderates
the flow of rivers thus preventing flooding and ensures that rivers and creeks continue to flow
during periods of lower rainfall.
When the forest is cleared, rain falls directly onto the compacted soil, often resulting in serious soil
erosion, siltation and flooding. Major floods in southern Thailand, Bangladesh and the Philippines
have been attributed to forest clearance.
Once the nutrient recyclingsystem is broken down, the land can’t support human activities such as
cattle ranching for more than a few short years.
Tropical Rainforests are Absorbers of Carbon Dioxide
Scientists now say that the rainforest ecosystem in the Brazilian Amazon is a net absorber of Carbone
dioxide, and therefore helps to protect the earth against the greenhouse effect. This means that
primary forests may be more important as carbon sinks than either young secondary forests or
plantations. Over the past few years, the forest industry has argued that plantations are needed to
absorb carbon dioxide, and plantations are still being established in place of natural forests in countries
such as Indonesia and Chile.
2. India is slowly cleaving into two countries- a richer, older South and a poorer,
younger North. Critically analyze.
Approach
1. Provide the present demographic data (20-30words)
2. Contrast of north and south Indian demography. (60 words)
3. Analyze the statement and provide your assessment (60-80 words)
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4. Conclusion (20 words) OR
Hints:
Due to unique socioeconomic condition the demographic dividend of north and south India is
different. The fertility rate of whole India is 2.6 where as in south India it is below 2.
North Indian Scenario:
• North Indian states are underdeveloped as compared to south India. Due lack of infrastructure,
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health, education, and employment northern India is poorer than southern states.
• The per capita land holdings in the north is lower and people are mainly dependent upon
agriculture which is not much remunerative now
• Due to lack of education and awareness specially among women the family planning is
poor, consequently the fertility rate of north is higher than south
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• The government support via schemes like Janani suraksha yojana and improved institutional
delivery has raised the fertility rate of north India
South IndiaScenario:
• The southern states are more prosperous as compared to northern India due to
industrialization, urbanization and migration.
• The social capital like health, infrastructure, education, employment is far developed in
south India.
• Due to rising literacy and women emancipation there is better family planning, consequently
low fertility rate which is giving rise to elderly population.
• Medical, psychological support is minimal for more than 71% of elders living in villages.
Analysis of situation in north and south India:
On the basis of uniqueness of its geography, polity, and socioeconomic situations, north and south
are slowly cleaving.
Southern Indian states like Kerala & Tamil Nadu have gotten better in human capital parameters
like health,education, and employment. Operation of moreindustries insouthern states as compared

to north hasalso contributed in making people better off. But at the same time the fertility rate is
rapidly decreasing in south. Owing to increased awareness about family planning and education,
women in south have been able to take more matured decision regarding pregnancies. This has
made southern states richer with demographically presence of more ageing population.
While in north India apart from poverty, due deep rooted patriarchal system, along with lack of
industrialization and desired rate of women empowerment, family planning system is inadequate.
It has given rise to fertility rate ensuring more youth in north India.
Undeniably, it is one of the trends observed in Indian landscape now. However, this trend is likely
to change soon as fertility across India are falling, while it has happened little earlier in southern
peninsula, in, north also, it will soon catch up.
Supplementary Notes
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Appendix: Underdevelopment/Need Index based on Per Capita Net State Domestic
Product
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3. Critically examine the Malthus theory of population growth and discuss its
relevance in context of India?
Approach
1. Malthus theory of population growth (50-60 words)
2. Its criticism (50-60 words)
3. How much this theory applies to India (50 words)
Hints:
The Theory of Population is a theory of exponential population growth and arithmetic food supply
growth. Thomas Robert Malthus explained this in his essay on “Principle of Population.”
Major Elements of the Malthusian Theory:
• Population and Food Supply: Malthus theorized that populations grew in geometric
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progression, sequence of numbers where each term after the first is found by multiplying the
previous one OR
• He stated that food production increases in arithmetic progression, a sequence of numbers
such that the difference between the consecutive terms is constant.
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• Population Control: Malthus then argued that because there will be higher population than
the availability of food, many people will die from the shortage of food.
• He theorized that this correction will take place in the form of Positive Checks (or Natural
Checks) and Preventative Checks.
• He believed that natural forces will correct the imbalance between food supply and population
growth in the form of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes and manmade
actions such as wars and famines.
• To correct the imbalance, Malthus also suggested using preventative measures to control the
growth of the population. These measures include family planning, late marriages, and
celibacy.
Criticism of Malthusian Theory:
• Forecasts put forward by Malthus were not practical in its entirety. For example, in western
Europe, populations have grown (not at the rate Malthus predicted) and food production
has also risen
• Technological advancements, food production has dramatically increased over the past
century. Often, the food production rate has grown higher than the population growth rate.
• Malthus’ theory on food production constraints was largely based on the limited availability
of land. But due to globalization we can trade well and services for food, which increases
the amount of food a country can consume.
• Malthus did not provide calculations for the geometric growth of populations and the
arithmetic growth of food.
Its relevance in Indian context:
Since India is an over populated country and most of the features hinted at by Malthus are found
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here therefore its applicability to India can’t be overlooked.
• India’s population is rapidly increasing at a rate of 2.3% per annum
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• India is facing food shortage even today inspite of the fact that it has experienced Green
Revolution.
• Standard of living is another indicator. Indians have a poor standard of living as compared
to the people of other nations. About 39% of the people are below poverty line.
• Life expectancy is also poor in India. Average life of an Indian is around 65 years which is
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quite low as compared to other nations.

• Birth rate in India is as high as 30 per thousand. This is quite high. No other nation is facing
the problem of such a high birth rate. Preventive checks (family planning) are not much
popular.
• Death rate is also as high as 11 per thousand. It shows that natural calamities like floods,
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diseases, hunger and squalor are not under full control.

• Marriage is a universal phenomenon. Malthus recommended selfrestraints, celibacy, late
marriages etc. to control population. In India, early marriage is a social evil. Hence high
growth of population.
Although, Malthus theory has not turned out true in its entirety, primarily due to several factors
which has emerged only in recent times, yet the essentials of the theory have not lost its relevance
especially in case of India and other developing countries.
Supplementary Notes
Malthusian Trap
The trap is named after Thomas Malthus, who first identified it in 1798 in his Essay on the Principle
of Population. He states that:
• First, that food is necessary to the existence of man.
• Secondly, That the passion between the sexes is necessary and will remain nearly in its
present state.
Malthus argues that the power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to
produce subsistence for man.
The rate of population growth is much larger (exponential) compared to the food produce (linear).
Keeping the difference equal is essential for human existence. According to Malthusian Trap,
famines, droughts., are necessary way to keep both the things in balance.
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In the above graph, the point after which the population and food graph coincides, we can say that
food supplies are inefficient to meet the growing demands of increasing population
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But if the efficiency of food production is increased (let us say by Green Revolution) then, the gap
between the two entities are bridged.
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World economic history in one picture. Incomes rose sharply in

many countries after 1800 but declined in others.
The above graph gives a clearer understanding of Malthusian Trap. Till the 1800s, the income per
person almost remained a constant and follows a Malthusian Trap. But after the advent of Industrial
Revolution, food production increased which in turn lead to increase in population. We can say,
Malthusian Trap breaks after the 1800s.
4. Critics argue that organic farming is inefficient and requires more land than
conventional agriculture to yield the same amount of food. Do you agree? Critically
analyze the potential of organic farming in solving hunger problem and its
economic viability for farmers.
Approach
1. Briefly Define Organic farming (20 words)
2. Low productivity issues with organic farming (60 words)
3. Mention the potential of Organic farming (80 words)
4. Overall assessment (20 words)
Hints:
Organic Farming refers to alternative farming practice that relies on fertilizers of organic origin
such as compost, manure etc. In recent years, the concept has gained much traction due to the
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perceived environmental and health ill effects of traditional farming methods.
Despite many known benefits, the major argument against organic farming remains the considerably
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low yield. Land is limited whereas the population is growing at a faster pace. In order to ensure
food security, we need to focus on improving yields or adopting GM technologies that enhance
yield. Organic farming at the moment is also expensive. At a time, when food inflation is already
high, organic farming would exacerbate the problem.
The Potential of organic farming:
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• Although organic farming systems produce yields that average 1020% less than conventional
agriculture, they are more profitable and environmentally friendly
• Organic farming delivers equally or more nutritious foods that contain less or no pesticide
residues, and provide greater social benefits than their conventional counterparts
• Organic farms tend to have better soil quality and reduce soil erosion compared to their
conventional counterparts
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• Organic agriculture generally creates less soil and water pollution and lower greenhouse gas
emissions, and is more energy efficient
• Organic agriculture is also associated with greater biodiversity of plants, animals, insects and
microbes as well as genetic diversity.
Moreover, a research by IIM Ahmedabad on economics and efficiency of organic farming suggests
that there is ample scope to enhance the efficiency of organic farming and that the sector has
massive latent potential in developing countries like India.
The need today is to serve 7 billion mouths on the planet. Yield cannot be compromised. Land is
limited. We need to continue exploring ways in which the yield in organic farming increases as it
has a lot of associated benefits. Just as solar, which was once touted as economically unviable
technology, has now become the flavor of the season, organic farming also has that potential.
Supplementary Notes
Steps taken by the Government to promote organic farming in India
Government is promoting Organic farming through various schemes
1. National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF)
2. National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
3. Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
4. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
5. Network Project on Organic Farming of Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR).
In addition to this, Government is implementing a Cluster based programmeto encourage the farmer
for promoting organic farming called Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
Key features of PKVY
• Groups of farmers would be motivated to take up organic farming under Paramparagat
Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50acre land
to take up the organic farming under the scheme.
• In this way during three years 10,000 clusters will be formed covering 5.0 lakh acre areas
under organic farming. There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
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• Every farmer will be provided Rs. 20,000 per acre in three years for seed to harvesting of
crops and to transport produce to the market.
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• Organic farming will be promoted by using traditional resources and the organic products
will be linked with the market.
• It will increase domestic production and certification of organic produce by involving farmers
5. ‘Animal rearing is a key livelihood and risk mitigation strategy for tribals and
small and marginal farmers, particularly across the rainfed regions of India’.
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Substantiate; also discuss some strategies to realize the potential of this sector?
Approach
1. Briefly discuss the scope of the sector (40-50 words)
2. Bring out its significance for tribals and small and marginal farmers (50-60 words)
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3. Discuss steps that need to be taken to realize the potential of the sector (50-60 words)
Hints:
Livestock have been an integral component of India’s agricultural and rural economy. Livestock
contribute over 1/4th to the agricultural GDP and about 5% of the country’s GDP and engage
about 9% of the agricultural labor force. It has been growing faster than crop sector.
Its growth has special significance for small and marginal farmers, landless laborers and tribals and
farmers in rainfed areas as they are more dependent on it for supplementing incomes and generating
gainful employment.
• In India, livestock wealth is much more equitably distributed than wealth associated with
land. About 70 per cent of the livestock market in India is owned by 67 per cent of the
small and marginal farmers and by the landless. Thus, growth of the livestock sector
would reduce poverty more than growth of the crops sector.
• Distribution patterns of income and employment show that rural poverty is less in states
where livestock accounts for a sizeable share of agricultural income as well as employment.
• The small ruminants and poultry livestock provide livelihood support to the poor
underprivileged landless, and marginal farm households as their upkeep cost is low and are
source of milk, eggs and meat.
• Rainfed regions face uncertain and erratic weather conditions which negatively impact
crop productivity and wage labor in the agriculture sector. Animals are natural capital,
which can be easily reproduced to act as a living bank with offspring as interest, and an
insurance against income shocks of crop failure, natural calamities and climate change.
• Tribals have communitycontrolled lands which provide them large pastures for their animals.
Moreover, tribals are still engaged in subsistence agriculture. Thus, livestock is a good source
of income and support to them. In the light of immense potential of the sector in providing
inclusive economic growth to the rural folks, government has come up with several projects.
Yet, the sector has shown a decline in recent years.
Following steps can be taken to improve the potential of the sector:
• Livestock producers, including traditional pastoralists and smallholders, are both victims of
natural resource degradation and contributors to it. Corrective action related to environmental
protection, ecosystem services, community led interventions and through incentives for private
investment should be taken.
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• Improving livestockrelated technologies for livestock feed, breeding, processing, technical
manpower and infrastructure.
•
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Frequent outbreak of diseases and poor productivity should be tackled with improved focus
on animal health and outreach of veterinary services.
• Development of a better paying markets for livestock and commercialization of livestock.
• Livestock sector did not receive the policy and financial attention commensurate to its
contribution. Systematic implementation of loans and insurance schemes particularly in
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remote areas is needed.’
Supplementary Notes
National Livestock Mission
The National Livestock Mission (NLM) has commenced from 201415. The Mission is designed to
cover all the activities required to ensure quantitative and qualitative improvement in livestock
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production systems and capacity building of all stakeholders.

The Mission will cover everything germane to improvement of livestock productivity and support
projects and initiatives required for that purpose subject. This Mission is formulated with the objective
of sustainable development of livestock sector, focusing on improving availability of quality feed
and fodder. NLM is implemented in all States including Sikkim.
NLM has 4 submissions as follows:
• The Sub-Mission on Fodder and Feed Development will address the problems of scarcity
of animal feed resources, in order to give a push to the livestock sector making it a competitive
enterprise for India, and also to harness its export potential. The major objective is to reduce
the deficit to nil.
• Under Sub-Mission on Livestock Development, there are provisions for productivity
enhancement, entrepreneurship development and employment generation (bankable projects),
strengthening of infrastructure of state farms with respect to modernization, automation
and biosecurity, conservation of threatened breeds, minor livestock development, rural
slaughter houses, fallen animals and livestock insurance.
• Sub-Mission on Pig Development in North-Eastern Region: There has been persistent
demand from the North Eastern States seeking support for all round development of piggery
in the region. For the first time, under NLM a SubMission on Pig Development in North
Eastern Region is provided wherein Government of India would support the State Piggery
Farms, and importation of germplasm so that eventually the masses get the benefit as it is
linked to livelihood and contributes in providing proteinrich food in 8 States of the NER.
• Sub-Mission on Skill Development, Technology Transfer and Extension: The extension
machinery at field level for livestock activities is very weak. As a result, farmers are not able
to adopt the technologies developed by research institutions. The emergence of new
technologies and practices require linkages between stakeholders and this submission will
enable a wider outreach to the farmers. All the States, including NER States may avail the
benefits of the multiple components and the flexibility of choosing them under NLM for a
sustainable livestock development.
6. What is mass movement? Discuss its various types?
Approach
1. Define mass movements and its examples. (40 words)
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2. Types of mass movements. (80-100 words)
3. How to prevent hazards of mass movements and conclusion. (50 words)
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Hints:
Mass movement, often called mass wasting, is the downslope movement of a mass of surface
materials, such as soil, rock or mud. This mass movement typically occurs along hillsides and
mountains due to the influence of gravity and can happen very slowly or very quickly.
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Types of mass movements:

• Landslide: All types of mass movement of rock waste including soils and ice are collectively
called as landslides. They are variously classified on different bases, i.e. direction of movement,
type and rate of movement, nature of materials, presence or absence of lubrications.
• Slump: A slump is a downward and outward movement of rock or unconsolidated material
moving as a unit or series of units. Large blocks of material move suddenly downward and
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outward along a curved plane.

• Rockslide: Rockslides are the most catastrophic type of landslide. They involve a sudden
rapid slide of bedrock along planes of weakness.
• Debris Slide: A debris slide is a small sudden downslope movement of unconsolidated
material. This type of slide produces a hummocky surface of low relief.
• Mudflow: A mudflow is a mass of saturated rock particles of all sizes. This type of landslide
is caused by a sudden flood of water from a cloudburst in semiarid country or a sudden
thaw. The flood waters carry the soil and rocks from a large slope area and washes them
to a gulch or canyon. Then the water and debris move down the canyon and spread out
on the gentle slopes below.
• Earthflow: An earthflow is a downslope movement of soil which has been saturated with
water to the extent that the debris moves as a fluid. While flowing, either slowly or rapidly,
the mass generally remains covered by a blanket of vegetation. Typically, a steep scarp is
developed where the moving debris has pulled away from the upper slope. A hummocky
lobe forms at the toe or front of the earthflow.
• Talus: A talus slope is developed by an accumulation of rock fragments at the foot of a cliff
or ridge. Rock fragments break loose from the cliff above, roll down the slope and pile up
in a heap of rock rubble. Individual talus forms as a halfcone with the apex pointing
upwards. In most cases a series of half cones coalesce around the base of a mountain.
Mass movement has hazardous impact in nearby areas both economically and environmentally.
Mass movement control must be primarily preventive: e.g., mapping vulnerable zones, drawing up
a land use plan, banning building work or any modification of slopes, and protection in the form of
coppice forests. Landslide control calls for expertise and major funding in order to drain slide bed
planes and this is beyond the reach of small farmers. State investment in such measures are only
justified where vital structures are at risk: road networks, villages, dams, etc.
Supplementary Notes
Factors which results in mass movement:
• Weathering reduces the shearing strength of materials by physical and chemical changes
through granular disintegration, hydration and expansion, saturation and loss of compactness,
drying and cracking etc. Original rocks materials may be subject to mass wasting because
of their composition. For example, rocks and materials like schist, sand, gravel shale, soil etc.
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are easily sheared permitting fall, slide, flow, creep or subsidence.
• The texture and structure of materials may also be conducive to mass wasting because of
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their roundness or compaction.
• Movements may take place along the places of structural weakness such as bedding planes,
foliation, cleavage, fractures and Joints and faults.
• Changes in environmental conditions including climatic factors and vegetational cover may
result in masswasting, (less vegetation cover, more lose will be the soil and hence mass
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wasting also will be more).

• Slope gradient is, always an important factor. Thus, a complex of factors in usually involved
in mass wasting, resulting in a variety of mass movement.
• Water aids in the downslope movement of surface material in several ways. Water adds
weight to the soil; it fills pore spaces of slope material and it exerts pressure which tends to
push apart individual grains. This decreases the resistance of the material to movement
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• Apart from these earthquakes, increased overburden from structures, reduction of roots
holding the soil to bedrock, undercutting of the slope by excavation or erosion and weathering
by frost heave can trigger mass wasting.
• Soil erosion is a serious menace which adversely affects agricultural productivity and the
economy of the country as a whole. Although the process of soil erosion is imperceptibly
slow and it can scarcely be detected, the loss over periods of time is indeed very great.
• Two natural agents i.e., water and wind, are constantly at work indulging in soil erosion.
Thus, soil erosion takes form of water erosion and wind erosion.
Water Erosion:
• During heavy rains, water removes a lot of soil. Rain drops fall with an approximate speed
of 10 meters per second and wash away the top soil. The soils most readily detached by
raindrop splash erosion are sands and silt. Coarser particles are not shifted about as much
because of their greater volume and weight.
• Runoff water is responsible for much soil erosion, moving the soil particles by surface creep,
saltation and suspension. Water erosion consisting of rolling, gullying sheetwash and rain
peeling process is mainly confined to the mountains, hills and upper slopes of the piedmont
zone.
• If erosion continues unchecked for a sufficient time, numerous fingershaped grooves may
develop all over the area due to silt laden run off. The whole pattern resembles that of the
twigs, branches and trunk of a tree. This is called rill erosion.
• With further erosion of the soil, the rills may deepen and become enlarged and are ultimately
turned into gullies. The cutting of soil goes to immense size and volume and the entire area
may be turned into badland topography. When a gully bed cuts into the soil with an
immediate drop of 3 to 4 meters and gradually flattens out, a ravine is formed.
• The depth of a ravine may extend to 30 meters or even more. When the entire top sheet of
soil is carried away by water or by wind, leaving behind barren rock, it is called sheet
erosion. Sheet erosion is no less harmful than gully erosion.
• This type of erosion is more prominent on relatively steeper slopes, receiving heavy rainfall.
Sheet erosion is particularly harmful because it attacks the top soil relatively early and
renders the land almost unfit for cultivation. If one cubic meter of soil be lost from one
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hectare of land each week for a period of 30 years, the loss would amount to 15 cm from
the entire surface. OR
• It is not the total annual rainfall that is important, but rather how and when it comes. A
single heavy downpour continuing for a few hours may result in severe soil erosion, while
the same amount of rainfall fairly distributed over a longer period may cause little erosion
or even may be useful for protecting soil.
• The slope of the land is a potent factor in determining the velocity of water and the consequent
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soil erosion. Other things being equal, the steeper the slope the more rapidly does water run
down resulting in more soil erosion. Theoretically, if the rate of flow is doubled, the scouring
capacity is increased four times, the carrying capacity thirtytwo times and the size of the
particles carried sixtyfour times.
• In the coastal areas, tidal waves dash along the coast and cause heavy damage to soil. This
is called sea erosion. In the higher reaches of the Himalayan region, soil erosion on a large
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scale is caused by glaciers. This is called glacial erosion.
Wind Erosion:
• In arid and semiarid lands with little rainfall, the wind acts as a powerful agent of soil
erosion causing heavy loss to agricultural land. Winds blowing at considerable speed, remove
the fertile, arable, loose soils leaving behind a depression devoid of top soil.
• Wind erosion is accentuated when the soil is dry, weakly aggregated, devoid of vegetation
cover along with over grazing and the winds are strong. Even modest wind velocities can
keep individual particles of humus, clay and silt in suspension.
• Very fine, fine and medium sands are moved by wind in a succession of bounds and leaps,
known as saltation. Coarse sand is not usually airborne but rather is rolled along the soil
surface. This type of erosion is called surface creep.
• Very coarse sand (1.02.0 mm in diameter), gravels, peds and clods are too large to be rolled
by wind, so winderoded soils have surfaces covered with coarse fragments larger than 1.00
mm in diameter. This kind of arid soil surface is known as desert pavement.

7. Recently, India's Prime Minister has appealed for a "three-pillared" approach to
farming, which included crop farming, agro-forestry and animal husbandry.
Discuss what needs to be done to successfully implement this approach to bring
about farmer’s welfare.
Approach
1. Introduce by highlighting how crop diversification will lead to doubling farmers income
(50 words)
2. What are the challenges in this regard (50 words)
3. Mention about three pillared approach (60 words)
Hints:
The current government has targeted to double farmer’s income by 2022.On the field, farmers in
the country are reeling under multiple challenges such as drought, climate change, declining soil
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productivity etc. This has necessitated the need for diversifying farmer’s activities to allied farming
activities such as agro forestry and animalhusbandry.
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Agroforestry refers to a land use system which integrates trees and shrubs in rural farms and
landscapes thereby enhancing productivity, profitability, ecological sustainabilityand diversity.It
however suffers from following issues:
• Lack of permanent ownership of land
• Falls in the crack between agriculture and forestry. Thus, there is no adequate focus and
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associated funding issues

• The value and position of agro forestry products are not recognized to such a large degree
• There is a lack of marketing infrastructure, price discovery mechanism and post harvesting
processing technology
Similarly, animal husbandry suffers from following issues:
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• Huge amount of water and food resources required for animal’s sustenance
• FAO has observed that India still needs to invest more in state of the art processing technology
and establishing disease free zones for rearing animals
• Some of the state laws such as banning beef has had an adverse impact on the livelihood
of people dependent on this sector
This calls for the following steps to ensure the success of the three pillared approach:
• The threepillared message needs better adoption by public sector research, extension and
development agencies—which often work in mutually exclusive silos of crops and livestock
and typically reach out to farmers through independent, often uncoordinated channels.
• This type of compartmentalization can probably end if agricultural universities also adopt
a “farming systems” lens that is more aligned with the reality of farming households.
• Greater emphasis on an integrated approach and a sustained focus on market development
• The elements that can significantly enable agricultural development are technologies (including
appropriate innovations in market systems); extension and dissemination of technologies to
farmers; and access to financial services such as loans, savings, remittance and insurance—for
achieving higher agricultural productivity, livelihood diversification and improved food security.
• From a financing systems perspective, the newly licensed payments banks can be used to test
various digital services such as insurance, direct benefit transfer and savings for smallholders.
Measures can include providing funding for proofof concept, forprofit goods and services
and supporting digitization of financial transactions for key institutions to reduce transaction
costs and systems’ leakage
• Providing this initiative with the needed visibility will require a coalition of champions to
voice key issues. This can be done by convening a policy advisory group and by partnering
with domestic institutions to study the impact of poor land titling and tenancy laws and its
impact on smallholders and landless farmers, particularly women.
Supplementary Notes
Importance and Classification of Agro-Forestry
Importance of Agro-forestry:
1. Meeting the Needs of the Farmer: Agroforestry is primarily aimed at running the basic
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needs of food, fuel, fodder and timber besides, helping the farmer in increasing productivity
and sustainability of production, particularly from marginal agricultural land. There is global
crisis for energy and agro forestry provides and alternate sources of energy. Trees supply
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cheap sources of fuel wood. Fruits and timber yielding trees would help in enriching the diet
of rural people and in meeting the demand for timber.
2. Conserving Soil and Water: Agroforestry is an answer to the problem of soil and water
conservation. Annual loss of soil due to erosion is 16.4 t / ha/ year. Agroforestry achieving
– erosion control barrier and the cover approach. Trees species act as barrier of cover and
check run off water and suspended sediments. Species composition of grasses play and
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important role in controlling run off, soil loss and water infiltration. Integrating trees species
with grasses, thus, reduce soil and water loss. Deep rooted trees planted along the contours
and hedge with cover help in soil stabilization and reduction of land slide problems.
3. Maintain Ace of Soil Fertility: Maintaining soil organic matter, augment N fix nation and
promote efficient nutrient cycling green leaf manure etc. Leucaena is help in improving soil
fertility. Agro forestry can also be used to break the impermeable layer in certain soils.
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4. Controlling Stalinization and Water Logging: Deep rooted tree species assist in reclamation
of alkaline, shading effect retards evaporation. Flooded soils by penetrating improve the soil
layers. Some of the trees Prosopis juliflora and grass species (Diplachne fusca are found to
be tolerant to saline and alkaline condition.
5. Positive Environmental Impact: Moderation of microclimate in the vicinity of trees. Planting
rows of tress on the field boundaries has beneficial influence as wind breaks in protecting the
crops. Also maintain balance in Oxygen – CO2, atmosphere temperature and relative humidity.
6. Alternate Land use for Marginal and Degusted Lands: In arid and semiarid of India,
arable farming not a stable enterprise due to poor yields and uncertain of rainfall. Hence
alternate land use system like agro forestry in marginal lands. Trees and grasses use the off
season precipitation and also protect land from erosion.
Important multi – purpose trees species:
Crop production from the rain fed areas is not stable and hence these lands can be effectively
utilized for multipurpose tree production system. The land is utilized for planting various types of
trees, which provide multipurpose uses such as wood, leaves, fruit, pods, fodder, etc. These products
are very valuable and provide more income to farmers as compare with the income obtained from
arable faming.
The Characteristics Features of MPTs are:
1. High survival % age and easy establishment,
2. Fast growing,
3. Ability to fix atmospheric N,
4. Multiple uses such as firewood, timber, green manure, fodder and raw material for local
industry,
5. Wide acceptability by local people,
6. Produce nutritious and palatable foliage and
7. High cropping and pollarding capacity.
i) Tree for Fuel: The species chosen for fuel plantation have the capacity to survive, grow
fast and produce large volume of fuel wood. They are amenable for easy management
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with minimal skill.
ii) Fodder Trees: Various indigenous trees and shrubs have been identified sustainable for
fodder based on the palatability rating.
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iii) Green Manure Value: The foliage of some of the species can be pruned and used as
green leaf manure.
iv) Nitrogen Fixing Trees: The N fixing trees (NFTs) are getting attention in agro forestry
in agro forestry and silvi pastoral systems
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v) Woodlots: Woodlots are adopted on lands, which are too poor or not suitable for
profitable agriculture. Casurina equisetifolia is planted large woodlots in A.P. T.N,
Karnataka and Orissa. Eucalypts spp. And popular on farms lands is profitable in
Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and U.P in India.
Classifications of Agro- forestry System based on Various Approaches are Described Below:
A. Based on Structure:
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1. Agri silviculture: The land is used to produce both forest trees and agriculture crops
either simultaneously or alternatively.
2. Silvi pastoral system: In this system tress are managed to produced wood and fodder
grasses and for rearing of domestic animals.
3. Agri – silvi pastoral system: In this system combines agri silviculture and silvi pasture.
4. Multipurpose forestry production system: forest is managed to yield multiple product in
addition to wood. They are grown to yield fruits, fruits, leaves, honey, gum, and medicine.
This system is best suited for hill tribal.
B. Based on the Dominance of Components:
1. Silvo agriculture: The trees are the major component of land use and the agriculture
crops are integrated with then. E.g. shifting cultivation, taungya cultivation.
2. Agro silviculture: Agricultural component is the major one and trees are the secondary
e.g. Allay cropping.
3. Silvo pastoral system: Trees is the major component and pasture is secondary to allow
the animals for grazing.
4. Pastoral silviculture: pasture is the component and trees are secondary sometimes allowing
over grazing of forest beyond its carrying capacity.
5. Agro silvi pastoral system: Combination of crops, trees and pastures, e.g. home gardens
wherein trees, herbs, shrubs, climbers and grasses are grown on the same land.
6. Silvo agri pasture: Silviculture is the dominate component. Agriculture and pasture are
secondary.
8. India need significant focus in agriculture research through projects like TIGR2ESS
using multi-partner approach to deliver a second, more sustainable Green
Revolution. In this context, discuss TIGR2ESS project funded by Global Challenges
Research Fund (GCRF) by Research Councils UK in India.
Approach
1. Highlight sustainability issue in Agriculture (30-40 words)
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2. Elaborate on TIGR2ESS Project (40-60 words)
3. Major areas the project cover and its benefit (70-80 words)
4. Conclusion (30 words)
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Hints:
Agriculture in India is facing sustainability crisis owing to rampant droughts, floods, inadequate
irrigation infrastructure, stagnated productivity, soil degradation, debt burdened farmers, and
disguised employment. In this scenario, India hugely benefit from a project which delivers another
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successful and more sustainable Green Revolution. One such project is TIGR2ESS using multi partner
approach.
TIGR2ESS Project:
• It is a new, largescale, multipartner project that has just been awarded £6.9m funding from
the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) by Research Councils UK to address the
complex web of issues.
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• It draws together a formidable network of partners from research, industry, government and
NGOs in the UK and India.
• The project aims to define the requirements for a second, more sustainable Green Revolution,
and to deliver this through a suite of research programmes, training workshops and
educational activities.
• The funding forms part of the UK government’s Official Development Assistance commitment
and partners from both countries will work together, with over 22 new researchers funded
in both the UK and India.
Major Areas under Project:
The empowerment of women will be a key theme of this multifaceted project.
1. Food security and nutrition for families
• Providing Indian women skills and knowledge to contribute to improved food security
for their country, and better nutrition for their families.
• The UK–Indian partnership will set up ‘nutrition kitchens’ in Indian villages alongside
existing health centers to run monthly cooking classes and provide nutritionrelevant
education.
• In the field, workshops will educate female farmers to help them improve their farming
practices.
2. Increased farmer income
• In parallel, it will be looking for ways to increase the value of certain varieties of millet
crops which have a better nutrient balance and are more climateresilient than the
preferred staples like wheat, to raise family incomes.
3. Research and educate on farming practices
• TIGR2ESS will bring together science and social science to drive interventions that
actually work for Indian farmers and their communities.
• TIGR2ESS will include fundamental research addressing crop productivity and water
use in India and will identify appropriate crops and farming practices for different
climatic regions.
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• Workshops will educate female farmers to help them improve their farming practices.
4. Capacity building of farmers
•
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It also includes a capacitybuilding programme of researcher exchanges between the UK
and India to ensure skills development and build expertise for the long term.
5. Access to government services
• Recognizing that an increasing number of India’s smallholder farmers are women, we
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need to ensure that state resources and services, and knowledge, are equally accessible
to them.
While our increasing population is creating a growing demand for food, 25% of what we already
produce is going to waste. Add to this the changing climate affecting crop growing conditions,
rapid urbanization and the increasing demand for resourceintensive foods like meat – the net
result is a food system that’s increasingly under pressure.
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In this scenario, sustainability is a toplevel agenda which is engaging both global multinational
food producers and academics. The ultimate impact of TIGR2ESS will be to deliver sustainable
practices and improved food security, whilst promoting equal opportunities and enhancing nutrition
and health for rural communities across different regions and climatic zones in India.
Supplementary Notes
Problems of hunger and starvation continue to plague the country. No wonder, a big part of the
Indian population suffers from hunger. On the Global Hunger Index, India stands at the 97th
position. According to a report by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), onesixth of
the population is undernourished; 190 million people go hungry daily. About 30% children below
5 years of age are underweight. India accounts for 30% of neonatal deaths internationally, linked
to malnutrition. Perhaps, it is time for a second Green Revolution.
Women can propel India towards second green revolution provided they get opportunities and
adequate facilities.
The government through its various policies is providing opportunities to women such as organic
farming, selfemployment scheme and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
Women play an important role in the agrisector through labour supervision and participation in
postharvest operations.
As per the Food and Agriculture Organization, women’s contribution to Indian agriculture stands
at about 32 per cent.
Women are involved in 48 per cent agriculturerelated employment whereas 7.5 crore women are
playing a significant role in milk production and livestock management.
To strengthen women’s participation in agriculture and allied activities and to improve their access
to land, loans and other facilities, the government has policy provisions like joint leasing for both
domestic and agricultural land under National Policy for Farmers. The aim is to ensure that women
contribute effectively to agricultural production.
Therefore, proper structural, functional and institutional measures are being promoted to empower
women, to build their abilities and to increase their access to input technology and other agricultural
resources and various initiatives have been taken in this regard.
In 201617, 21 techniques related to women were evaluated and 2.56 lakh women were trained in
agriculturerelated fields like animal husbandry and poultry.
To ensure various beneficiaryoriented programmes reach them, the emphasis is on the formation
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of women selfhelp groups to connect them with microcredit through activities like capacity building.
9. Why fishing industry is well developed on the western coast of India than eastern
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coast? Discuss the recent steps taken by the Indian government for the growth
of this sector. Also discuss why commercial fishing is less developed in southern
hemisphere?
Approach
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1. Introduce with Mentioning India's geographical endowments and Indian fishing industry
in general (30 words)
2. List down reasons separately for eastern and western coast (50 words)
3. Provide multiple steps taken by the government (50 words)
4. Give reasons for more developed commercial farming in northern hemisphere (40 words)
Hints:
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8,118 km long coastline apart from inland water resources makes India a country with promising
fishing industry. Showing steady growth since independence, it is now the second largest fish
producing country in the world. It is also the second largest freshwater fish producer globally.
More developed in western coast- 70% of the country’s production happens in this area.
• Eastern coast
– Fishing near the coast is overexploited
– Coast water is disturbed and composition of fishes have also changed
– Faces more calamities
– Fishermen have to gofurther into the sea and stay there for week together following the
migration of fishes into deeper zone
• Western coast
– Continental shelf in Western Coast is wider thus more plankton and hence more fishes
– Oceanographic differences Monsoon driven upwelling in the western coast. As a result
of this upwelling there is greater production of fisheries.
– Commercial varieties like Prawns and Mackerel are mostly confined along western coast.
– Western states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka etc. are more developed than
eastern states such as WB, Odisha etc. thus more advanced methods of fishing are
deployed in western coast.
– Due to vicinity with the western countries from west coast more export market is available.
Steps taken by the government
In India, fishing within 12 nautical miles is a state subject. Area of EEZ i.e. beyond 12 nautical miles
is regulated by the Government of India.
Following steps have been taken by the central government to compliment state governments’ initiatives.
• Foreign fishing vessels are banned in Indian waters
• National Fisheries Action Plan-2020 Formulated for enhancing fish production and
productivity and to achieve the concept of Blue Revolution
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• Blue revolution scheme
– Aimed to increase the fish productivity up to 8% annual growth rate and to produce
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15 million tonnes of fish by 2020.
– “Letter of Permit” system implemented for fishing in the Indian E.E.Z has been evoked
• For promotion of tradition fishers in the Deep-Sea Fishing
– Government is providing 50% financial assistance.
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– traditional fishers have been exempted from the fishing ban implemented during monsoon
period in the EEZ
– use of LED lights/other artificial lights for fishing is completely banned
• 64% increase in budgetary allocation from 200914 to 201419 is observed.
• Fishery & Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund-
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– Constituted with a corpus 10,000 crore

– Through this, State Governments, Cooperatives and individual investors will get loans
at cheap rates for fisheries infrastructure.
• 21st November is celebrated as World Fishery Day by the government since 2014 2017
theme- “2022 ka hai sapnaa…... kisaan ki aay ho duguna – Sankalp se siddhi”
Commercial fishing less developed in southern hemisphere
Following ecological and geographical factors, works together in making commercial fishing viable
and profitable in Northern Hemisphere.
• Ocean Currents Contact of cold and warm currents supports planktons, food for fishes
• Existence of more continental shelves Phytoplankton requires sunlight and thus develops
well with around continental shelves.
• Cool water favors production of Planktons on which most fishes prey.
• Rugged and hilly terrain along will long cool winter makes agriculture not so profitable.
• High population, high income and presence of sophisticated technology contributes in
development of commercial fishing
Supplementary Notes
Indian fisheries and aquaculture is an important sector of food production, providing nutritional
security to the food basket, contributing to the agricultural exports and engaging about fourteen
million people in different activities. With diverse resources ranging from deep seas to lakes in the
mountains and more than 10% of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species, the
country has shown continuous and sustained increments in fish production since independence.
Constituting about 6.3% of the global fish production, the sector contributes to 1.1% of the GDP
and 5.15% of the agricultural GDP. The total fish production of 10.07 million metric tonnes presently
has nearly 65% contribution from the inland sector and nearly the same from culture fisheries.
Paradigm shifts in terms of increasing contributions from inland sector and further from aquaculture
are significations over the years. With high growth rates, the different facets of marine fisheries,
coastal aquaculture, inland fisheries, freshwater aquaculture, coldwater fisheries to food, health,
economy, exports, employment and tourism of the country.
Development Agencies (FFDAs) and 39 Brackish water Fish Farms Development Agencies (BFDAs)
for promoting freshwater and coastal aquaculture. The annual carp seed production is to the tune
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of 25 billion and that of shrimp about 12 billion, with increasing diversification in the recent past.
Along with food fish culture, ornamental fish culture and high value fish farming are gaining
importance in the recent past. With over 2.4 lakh fishing crafts operating in the coast, six major
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fishing harbors, 62 minor fishing harbors and 1511 landing centers are functioning to cater to the
needs of over 3.9 million fisherfolk.
Fish and fish products have presently emerged as the largest group in agricultural exports of India,
with 10.51 lakh tonnes in terms of quantity and Rs.33,442 crores in value.
This accounts for around 10% of the total exports of the country and nearly 20% of the agricultural
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exports. More than 50 different types of fish and shellfish products are exported to 75 countries
around the world.
Indian Fisheries
Global position 3rd in Fisheries 2nd in Aquaculture
Contribution of Fisheries to GDP (%) 1.07
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Contribution to Agri. GDP (%) 5.15

Per capita fish availability (Kg.) 9.0
Annual Export earnings (Rs. In Crore) 33,441.61
Employment in sector (million) 14.0
Resources
Coastline 8129 kms
Exclusive Economic Zone 2.02 million sq. km
Continental Shelf 0.506 million sq. km
Rivers and Canals 1,91,024 km
Reservoirs 3.15 million ha
Ponds and Tanks 2.35 million ha
Oxbow lakes and derelict waters 1.3 million ha
Brackish waters 1.24 million ha
Estuaries 0.29 million ha
Some Facts
Present fish Production 6.4 mmt
Inland 3.4 mmt
Marine 3.0 mmt
Potential fish production 8.4 mmt
Fish seed production 21,000 million fry
Hatcheries 1,070
FFDA 422
BFDA 39
10. While discussing the causes of formation of planetary winds elaborate on their
major characteristics.
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Approach
1.
2.
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Briefly introduce the planetary winds and their type (30 words)
Discuss Causes of their formation (50 words)
3. Detailed characteristics of planetary winds (60-80 words)
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Hints:
The general, permanent circulation of surface winds throughout the world are known as planetary
winds. These winds blow rather regularly throughout the year and are basically controlled by the
latitudinal pressure belts.
The main planetary winds are: (i) the Northeast and the Southeast Trade winds, (ii) the Temperate
Westerlies, and (iii) the Polar Easterlies.
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Causes of formation: Variation in heating of earth surface (thermal direct factors) and thermal
indirect factors like rise of warm air due to front formation near sub polar region, sinking of air due
to cooling at subtropics creates various latitudinal pressure belts. Pressure Gradient Force cause the
winds to move from High pressure belts to low pressure belts. The direction of this wind flow is
subsequently modified by Coriolis force (due to earth rotation) and frictional force. In the Northern
Hemisphere winds are deflected to their right and in Southern Hemisphere to their left.
Characteristics of Planetary Winds
Trade Winds:
• Trade winds blow in a belt lying between 5°N-30°N in the Northern Hemisphere and 5°S-
30°S in the Southern Hemisphere.
• From the Subtropical highs in the Northern Hemisphere air flows towards the Equatorial
low but it is deflected right according to Ferrle’s law and as a result instead of blowing as
northerly wind, it bends westward to become Northeast trade winds.
• In the Southern Hemisphere winds originating from the Subtropical high pressure and
blowing towards the Equatorial low pressure are similarly deflected westward to become the
prevailing Southeast trades.
• Trade winds are noted for their consistency, both in force and direction in many areas
especially over open seas and derive their name from the nautical expression ‘to blow trade’
meaning ‘to blow along a regular track’.
• Since they blow from cooler subtropics to warmer tropics, they pick up great moisture on
passes across the open oceans and bring great rainfall to the east coasts of continents within
the tropics.
• As they are off shore on the west coast, these regions suffer from great aridity and form the
trade wind hot deserts of the world, e.g. the Sahara, Kalahari, Atacama and Great Australian
desert.
Westerlies:
• The Westerly winds blow across latitudes 35°-60° of both hemispheres.
• The air streams flowing pole wards from the Subtropical highpressure areas deflects eastward
in the Northern Hemisphere to form Southwesterlies. Similar winds in the Southern
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Hemisphere are known as Northwesterlies.
• Unlike the trade winds, the westerlies are very variable in force and direction especially in
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the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, on the other hand, the Westerlies
blow with great strength and regularity throughout the year over the almost uninterrupted
expanse of ocean.
• They play a valuable role in carrying warm equatorial waters and winds to western coast
of temperate lands. These winds develop polar fronts which form the prime regulator of
precipitation in middle and high latitudes.
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• They bring much precipitation to the western coasts of the continents. The weather is damp
and cloudy and seas are violent and stormy.
The Polar easterlies:
• The Polar easterlies blow from the Polar highpressure area to the Subtropical lowpressure
area. On their equator ward journey, they are deflected westward to become North easterlies
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in the Northern hemisphere and South easterlies in the Southern hemisphere.

• These winds are associated with extreme cold and dry conditions in polar region to sub
polar region.
• They form the front in temperate region with westerlies to create variable weather conditions.
The movement of planetary winds as part and parcel of atmospheric circulation forms the tri cellular
meridional circulation. Since these winds are distributed all over the globe and these are related to
thermally and dynamically induce pressure belts and rotation of the earth and hence they are
called planetary winds.
Supplementary Notes
Types of Wind
Planetary Winds:
The winds blowing throughout the year from one latitude to another in response to latitudinal
differences in air pressure are called “planetary or prevailing winds”. They involve large areas of
the globe.
Two most important prevailing winds are trade winds and westerly winds.
Trade Winds:
These are extremely steady winds blowing from subtropical highpressure areas (30°N and S)
towards the equatorial lowpressure belt. These winds should have blown from the north to south
in Northern Hemisphere and south to north in Southern Hemisphere, but, they get deflected to the
right in Northern Hemisphere and to the left in Southern Hemisphere due to Coriolis effect and
Ferrel’s law. Thus, they blow as north eastern trades in Northern Hemisphere and south eastern
trades in Southern Hemisphere.
They are also known as tropical easterlies, and they blow steadily in the same direction. They are
noted for consistency in both force and direction.
The Westerlies:
These winds blow from subtropical highpressure belts towards subpolar lowpressure belts. The
westerlies of Southern Hemisphere are more strong and constant in direction than Northern
Hemisphere. These winds develop between 40° and 65°S latitudes and these latitudes are known
as Roaring Forties, Furious Fifties and Shrieking Sixties.
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Periodic Winds:
Periodic winds change their direction periodically with the change in season, e.g., Monsoons, Land
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and Sea Breezes, Mountain and Valley Breezes.
• Monsoon Winds: These winds are seasonal winds and refer to wind systems that have a
pronounced, seasonal reversal of direction. According to ‘Flohn’, monsoon is a seasonal
modification of general Planetary Wind System.
• Summer monsoon is called South Westerly Wind and is characterized by highly variable
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weather with frequent spells of drought and heavy rains. The winter monsoon is a gentle
drift of air in which winds blow from the northeast and is known as North Easterly Wind.
• Land Breeze: At night, land masses cool quicker than sea due to rapid radiation which
results in high pressure over land and low pressure over sea. And in calm, cloudless weather,
air blows from land to sea. This breeze carries no moisture and is little warm and dry.
• Sea Breeze: In day time, the land being hotter than the sea develops low air pressure and
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the sea being cool develops high pressure. The air over land rises and is replaced by a cool
breeze known as Sea Breeze from the sea, carrying some moisture.
• Mountain and Valley Breezes: A diurnal wind occurs in mountainous regions which are
similar to Land and Sea Breezes. During the day the slopes of mountains are hot and air
from valley flows up the slopes. This is known as “Valley Breeze”. After sunset the pattern
is reversed and cold air slides from mountain to valley and is called “mountain breeze”.
Local Winds:
The local difference in temperature and pressure causes local winds. It is of four types: hot, cold,
convectional and slope.
Important Local Winds
Local Wind Area/Place of Blowing
Chinook or Snoweather U.S.A. and Canada
Foehn The Alps and Switzerland
Samun Iran
Norwester New Zealand
Bergs South Africa
Santa Anas California (U.S.A.)
Sirocco Sahara
Salano Southern Spain
Khamsin Egypt
Simoon Arabia
Gibli Tunisia
Leveche Sahara
Brickfielder Victoria (Australia)
Zonda Argentina
Harmattan Western Africa
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Mistral France
Bora Former Yugoslavia
Tramontana
OR Northern Italy
Pampero Argentina
Gregale Sicily
Norther Texas (U.S.A.)
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Norta Mexico
Papagayo Mexico
Loo Northern India and Pakistan
Section - B
11. Gulf Dust storm is considered as one of the contributing factor (apart from stubble
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burning) behind the smog that had smothered Delhi and its neighborhood, as
per Scientific Assessment of Delhi Winter Air Quality Crisis Report by SAFAR.
Elaborate on the factors that increase dust storm and analyze its impact on
Indian weather?
Approach
1. Briefly mention about SAFAR report on Delhi Air Quality and dust storm as one of its
reason. (50 words)
2. Factors causing Gulf dust storm. (60-80 words)
3. Impact of Dust Storm. (60-80 words)
4. Conclusion. (30 words)
Hints:
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) in its report a ‘Scientific
Assessment of Delhi Winter Air Quality Crisis’ mentioned dust that emerged at Iraq, Kuwait and
Saudi Arabia as one of the reason behind the smog that had smothered Delhi and its neighborhood.It
is a climatic phenomenon occurring over the Arabian Peninsula in form of loose sand and dirt
particles that are blown from the surface resulting in saltation, suspension, transportation and
finally deposition of sand particles in other regions.
• Factors causing dust storm: While dust storms are normal in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and
Iraq, there has been an increase in their frequency, especially in Iraq, over the past decade.
• Prevailing drought conditions: The arid zone which has scarce rain coupled with the
advancing desertification makes more erodible materials available for the storm. This increases
the intensity of the storm.
• Regional climatic conditions: The NW winds funneled into the Persian Gulf by the mountains
of Turkey and Iraq to the NE and the plains of Saudi Arabia to the SW increases the
frequency of the storms.
• Diversion of water resources: Water resources for the agriculture pumped from the source
site increases the aridity of a region.
• Local Shamal winds: These are NW winds blowing over the Persian Gulf. They create a
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triggering effect for the dust storms into a large sandstorm picking up from Jordan and
Syria.
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Pressure gradient: A high pressure developed over the Persian Gulf and low pressure over
the peninsula increases the velocity of wind.
• Abandonment of agricultural land and Climate Change.
Consequences of dust storms:
• Diseases: Dust storms carry virus spores to the atmosphere from the ground which when
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carried over other regions interact with urban air pollution. The fine dust and particulate
matter present in the storm creates pulmonary diseases like asthma. They can also create
dust pneumonia, silicosis, dry eyes etc.
• Soil degradation:It loosens the sand particles which are then carried away. Thus, there is
a condition of top soil loss resulting in loss of organic matter ultimately affecting agricultural
productivity.
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• Halts economic activities: Postdust storm health conditions and reduced visibility decreases
industrial output and also affects transportation due to reduced visibility.
• Damage infrastructure: The abrasion phenomena of the dust particles damages the external
infrastructure such as signboard, lamppost etc.
• Pollution in north India: A highpressure center developed above the Gulf of Oman and the
strong anticyclonic (clockwise) flow at 5,500 meters (above sealevel) transported atmospheric
dust into the direction of Delhi. A highpressure zone over Delhi and its neighbourhood and
the absence of strong winds kept pollutants trapped close to the surface.
The very calm surface wind conditions which do not allow to disperse pollution was due to anti
cyclonic circulation connected with late withdrawal of monsoon, persisting at about 700 hPa lower
troposphere over northwest India with its center near Delhi. This leads to formation of smog in
Delhi.
Supplementary Notes
Air Quality Forecasting System (SAFAR) and Weather Services
Under the plan scheme “Metropolitan Advisories for Cities for Sports, Tourism (Metropolitan Air
Quality and Weather Services), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India, has introduced a
major national initiative, “System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research” known
as “SAFAR” for greater metropolitan cities of India to provide location specific information on air
quality in near real time and its forecast 13 days in advance for the first time in India. It has been
combined with the early warning system on weather parameters. The SAFAR system is developed
by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, along with ESSO partner institutions namely
India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather
Forecasting (NCMRWF). The implementation of SAFAR is made possible with an active collaboration
with local municipal corporations and various local educational institutions and governmental
agencies in that Metro city.
The ultimate objective of the project is to increase awareness among general public regarding the
air quality in their city well in advance so that appropriate mitigation measures and systematic
action can be taken up for betterment of air quality and related health issues. It engineer’s awareness
drive by educating public, prompting selfmitigation and also to help develop mitigation strategies
for policy makers
Air Quality monitoring is not an easy task; the common mistake which any one can do is representing
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city air quality based on single station value or single hour data. To provide an AQI representative
of a city, single station data is not suitable. It may even mislead as it will be biased towards a
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particular activity or environment. As per international guidelines, correct way to know ONE index
for a city air quality is to consider different microenvironments. Based on scientific knowledge one
should develop the methodology for the same. For a typical metro city Background; Commercial;
Urban complex; Suburban; Residential; Industrial; Road side; Traffic junction etc. are the
microenvironments which should be covered in the monitoring network.
The SAFAR observational network of Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) and Automatic
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Weather Stations (AWS) established within city limits represents selected microenvironments of the
city including industrial, residential, background/ cleaner, urban complex, agricultural zones etc.
as per international guidelines which ensures the true representation of city environment.
Air Quality indicators are monitored at about 3 m height from the ground with online sophisticated
instruments. These instruments are operated round the clock and data is recorded and stored at
every 5minute interval for quality check and further analysis.
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Pollutants monitored: PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, CO, NOx (NO, NO2), SO2, BC, Methane (CH4),
Nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), VOC’s, Benzene, Mercury
Monitored Meteorological Parameters: UV Radiation, Rainfall, Temperature, Humidity, Wind speed,
Wind direction, solar radiation
This is the first of such kind of network in India which continuously monitors all these parameters
and maintain up to date data base with robust quality control and quality assurance.
To forecast the air quality of various pollutants along with weather parameters, IITM uses four
nested domains starting from near global to the local city level. The inner domain has a resolution of
1.67 km x 1.67 km. All these 4 domains run interactively and feedback of meteorology to chemistry
and viceversa has been accounted.
This model requires several key inputs for accurate forecasting. Major among them are emission
inventory of pollutants from various sources, weather parameter, topographical data, land use
land cover data, initial and lateral boundary conditions, etc. The initial and lateral boundary
conditions for the outermost domain in meteorological model has been taken either from NCEP
reanalysis or from internally generated CFS of NCMRWF, Noida whereas for the chemical forecast
model, it has been taken from MACC (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate), a project
of European Union under MoU between IITM and EU project partners.
12. Oceans are suffocating, as dead zones have quadrupled in size since 1950s. In
this context, discuss the causes and effects of Ocean Dead Zones on marine
ecosystem.
Ap p r oa ch
1. Introduce dead zones in oceans with examples. (40 words)

2. Causes of formation of Oceanic dead zone both natural and anthropogenic. (60-80)
3. Effect of dead zones on marine ecosystem. (60-80 words)
4. Way to reverse formation of dead zones. (50 words)
Hints:
Dead zones are the areas in oceans and large bodies of freshwater like lakes where the level of
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dissolved oxygen is too low to sustain marine life. In other words, these are hypoxic zones, where
the amount of oxygen dissolved in water depletes to such extent, that fish and other aquatic life
cannot survive. In such zones, most marine life either dies or migrates to other areas, thus turning
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these hypoxic zones into biological deserts.
The Gulf of Mexico has a seasonal hypoxic zone that forms every year in late summer. Its size
varies from fewer than 5,000 square kilometers to approximately 22,000 square kilometers (the size
of Massachusetts). Concern over its increasing size led to the formation of the Mississippi River/
Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force in 1997.
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Causes of formation of Oceanic dead zone:

There are many physical, chemical, and biological factors that combine to create dead zones, but
nutrient pollution is the primary cause of those zones created by humans. Basically, dead zones are
created in the oceans due to an increase in chemical nutrients in water that can be caused by both
natural factors, as well as human activities, which are discussed below.
Human Activities:
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Certain human activities are considered as the main reasons behind the expansion of dead zones.
Increased use of chemical fertilizers, mainly nitrogenous fertilizers, is one of the most important
factors that contribute to the process of dead zone formation. Chemical fertilizers, as well as pesticides
and insecticides used in intensive farming, escape into water bodies like rivers and eventually end
up in the ocean.
• Runoff from sewage and landfills
• Burning of gasoline
• Oil spills can further reduce the level of dissolved oxygen in water.
Not all dead zones are caused by pollution. The largest dead zone in the world, the lower portion
of the Black Sea, occurs naturally.
Natural causes: Apart from human activities, some naturally occurring changes also contributes to
the phenomenon of dead zones:
• coastal upwelling
• changes in wind
• water circulation patterns.
Effects of Ocean Dead Zones on marine ecosystem:
• Low oxygen levels recorded along the Gulf Coast of North America have led to reproductive
problems in fish involving decreased size of reproductive organs, low egg counts and lack
of spawning.
• An ocean dead zone is an invisible trap of which there is no escaping from for marine life.
Fish can’t detect dead zones before entering the areas. Unfortunately, once fish wander into
a dead zone, it’s hard to escape and survive. The oxygen shortage causes the fish to lose
consciousness and die shortly after.
• Slow moving bottomdwelling creatures like clams, lobsters and oysters are unable to escape.
All colonial animals are extinguished. The normal remineralization and recycling that occurs
among benthic lifeforms is stifled.
• Dead zones can have a great impact on benthic biomass and biodiversity. As marine life
cannot survive in dead zones, their increasing numbers can have an adverse effect on
seafood industry. This can eventually affect the economies of coastal states and have socio
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economic ramifications due to human dependency on marine goods and services.
• The less biodiversity that exist underwater, the more the balance of the entire ocean is
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disrupted. This also leads to economic instability for local fisherman.
• If sea animals are poisoned in their natural habitat, then they will become unsafe for
consumption and will no longer be a viable option for food. As result, our economy would
be forced to place a strain on other food sources.
• Apart from this, dead zones can contribute to climate change due to an increased production
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of nitrous oxide in these areas. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas, that is produced in the
lowoxygen water of dead zones by microbial respiration and denitrification (the process of
reducing nitrogen by bacteria).
Solutions to Ocean Dead Zones: Fortunately, dead zones are reversible if their causes are reduced
or eliminated.
• Better practices and accountability must be put in place to protect the ocean. A major step
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would be to stop letting so many chemicals find their way into the ocean.
• Reducing the use of fertilizers, and adjusting the time of fertilizer application, so as to limit
runoff to the coastal waters.
• Conservation of wetlands and floodplains, which can help control and filter runoff by taking
up the nutrients.
• Proper monitoring of septic system and sew age treatment facilities, and prevention of sew age leak.
• Preventing the entry of animal w aste into w ater bodies.
• Reducing the industrial discharge of chemicals, nutrients, and organic matter.
• N aturally, a portion of excess nutrients are removed by some marine animals. If w e w ould
find additional w ays to move this process along, things w ould go much more smoothly and
balance could be achieved. Furthermore, if farmers knew the damage that is done to
agriculture as a result of poisoning the ocean, they could change the w ay they w ork and
find alternative approaches that don’t contribute to ruining the environment.
• A nother solution is to raise aw areness. Explaining to others the importance of keeping the
ocean clean can help to encourage positive habits. On a personal level, if w e adhere to a
sustainable lifestyle, then w e can reduce the dead zones that are created.
So, like many other ecological problems, expanding dead zones can also be reversed by controlling
certain human activities. However, the actual process of reversal can take decades, and therefore,
our first priority should be a reduction in water pollution. By closely monitoring the things we put
into the oceans, we can help maintain the required oxygen level in ocean water. Otherwise, the
fragile ecosystem of the oceans will soon reach a point where it won’t be able to sustain life.
Supplementary Notes
• Coastal Upwelling: The most important natural cause of dead zones is coastal upwelling.
It refers to a phenomenon wherein the deep water of the ocean is pushed upwards to
replace the winddriven surface water. The deep ocean water is rich in nutrients, and
therefore, promotes algal growth. It is believed that climate change and global warming may
have an association with the increased frequency of the wind patterns that cause coastal
upwelling.
• Water Stratification: Water stratification refers to a process where the least dense water
forms a layer above the denser water, and the difference in density prevents the mixing of
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these layers. It occurs when freshwater from rivers sits above the denser saline water of the
ocean. As a result, the oxygen added to the top layer via the air cannot travel down to the
bottom layer. Climate change can increase river water runoff, and thus may have a role to
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play in the creation of such dead zones.
• Pattern of Water Circulation: Apart from the aforementioned causes, dead zones can have
an association with changes in wind and water circulation pattern. Enclosed bodies of
water, where water remains stagnant, are more likely to have low levels of dissolved oxygen.
A dead zone can develop in such water bodies when the circulation of water is not enough
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to replace the oxygen that has been used.

• Burning of gasoline can be another important cause of oceanic dead zones. The smog
produced by the burning of this fuel contains nitrogen oxides that can cause acid rain,
thereby entering water bodies. This can increase the amount of nitrogen in water and thus
stimulate an overgrowth of algae.
• Oil spills can further reduce the level of dissolved oxygen in water. Oil can reduce the flow
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of oxygen and there are certain bacteria that can break down the hydrocarbons present in
oil by using oxygen. This can deplete the amount of dissolved oxygen just like the bacterial
decomposition of organic matter.
13. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) not only protect
the jurisdiction and economic rights of its member states overseas, but also the
marine life and environment. Examine.
Approach
1. Introduce UNCLOS and its significance. (40 words)
2. Discuss in detail about Protection to economic and political rights of member states
under UNCLOS. (80-100)
3. Discuss the provisions to protect marine life and environment under UNCLOS. (60-80 words)
4. Conclusion. (40 words)
Hints:
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is a comprehensive UN legal
policy document demarcating area of the sea under the jurisdiction of member states as well as
legal clauses for human maritime activity in a comprehensive manner. The sections for maritime
zones that were defined in the UNCLOS include the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the territorial
sea, the contiguous zone, the continental shelf, archipelagic waters, the international seabed areas
and the high seas.
The sections for maritime activities are numerous and intricate, and some examples include clauses
for shipping routes, marine conservation, resource exploitation, and for scientific research.
Protection to economic and political rights of member states under the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS):
• Coastal States exercise sovereignty over their territorial sea which they have the right to
establish its breadth up to a limit not to exceed 12 nautical miles; foreign vessels are allowed
“innocent passage” through those waters;
• Ships and aircraft of all countries are allowed “transit passage” through straits used for
international navigation; States bordering the straits can regulate navigational and other
aspects of passage;
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• Archipelagic States, made up of a group or groups of closely related islands and
interconnecting waters, have sovereignty over a sea area enclosed by straight lines drawn
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between the outermost points of the islands; the waters between the islands are declared
archipelagic waters where States may establish sea lanes and air routes in which all other
States enjoy the right of archipelagic passage through such designated sea lanes;
• Coastal States have sovereign rights in a 200nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
with respect to natural resources and certain economic activities, and exercise jurisdiction
over marine science research and environmental protection;
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• All other States have freedom of navigation and overflight in the EEZ, as well as freedom
to lay submarine cables and pipelines;
• Landlocked and geographically disadvantaged States have the right to participate on an
equitable basis in exploitation of an appropriate part of the surplus of the living resources
of the EEZ’s of coastal States of the same region or subregion; highly migratory species of
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fish and marine mammals are accorded special protection;

• Coastal States have sovereign rights over the continental shelf (the national area of the
seabed) for exploring and exploiting it; the shelf can extend at least 200 nautical miles from
the shore, and more under specified circumstances;
• Coastal States share with the international community part of the revenue derived from
exploiting resources from any part of their shelf beyond 200 miles;
• All States enjoy the traditional freedoms of navigation, overflight, scientific research and
fishing on the high seas; they are obliged to adopt, or cooperate with other States in adopting,
measures to manage and conserve living resources;
• The limits of the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of islands
are determined in accordance with rules applicable to land territory, but rocks which could
not sustain human habitation or economic life of their own would have no economic zone
or continental shelf;
• Disputes can be submitted to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea established
under the Convention, to the International Court of Justice, or to arbitration. Conciliation is
also available and, in certain circumstances, submission to it would be compulsory. The
Tribunal has exclusive jurisdiction over deep seabed mining disputes.
Protection of marine life and environment under UNCLOS:
• Part XII of the UNCLOS is titled as Protection and Preservation of the Marine
Environmentwhich obliges states to protect the environment, along with comprehensive
clauses throughout the agreement for the protection of marine life.
• States bordering enclosed or semienclosed seas are expected to cooperate in managing living
resources, environmental and research policies and activities;
• States are bound to prevent and control marine pollution and are liable for damage caused
by violation of their international obligations to combat such pollution;
• Coastal States are empowered to enforce their national standards and antipollution measures
within their territorial sea. Every coastal State is granted jurisdiction for the protection and
preservation of the marine environment of its EEZ. Such jurisdiction allows coastal States to
control, prevent and reduce marine pollution from dumping, landbased sources or seabed
activities subject to national jurisdiction, or from or through the atmosphere.
• With regard to marine pollution from foreign vessels, coastal States can exercise jurisdiction
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only for the enforcement of laws and regulations adopted in accordance with the Convention
or for “generally accepted international rules and standards”. Such rules and standards,
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many of which are already in place, are adopted through the competent international
organization, namely the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
• On the other hand, it is the duty of the “flag State”, the State where a ship is registered and
whose flag it flies, to enforce the rules adopted for the control of marine pollution from
vessels, irrespective of where a violation occurs. This serves as a safeguard for the enforcement
of international rules, particularly in waters beyond the national jurisdiction of the coastal
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State, i.e., on the high seas.

• Finally, as far as the international seabed area is concerned, the International Seabed Authority,
through its Council, is given broad discretionary powers to assess the potential environmental
impact of a given deep seabed mining operation, recommend changes, formulate rules and
regulations, establish a monitoring programme and recommend issuance of emergency orders
by the Council to prevent serious environmental damage. States are to be held liable for any
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damage caused by either their own enterprise or contractors under their jurisdiction.
The United Nations need to continue to strengthen the cooperation that has developed over the
decades among the organizations in the United Nations system involved in marine affairs. Such
close cooperation would be of great benefit to States since it would avoid duplication and overlapping
of activities. It would also help to coordinate multidisciplinary activities related to the management
of marine affairs. With the passage of time, United Nations involvement with the law of the sea is
expected to expand as awareness increases that not only ocean problems but also global problems
as a whole are interrelated.
14. Why are the west coast beaches receive more tourists and are more famous than east
coast beaches in India? Also shed some light on India's Port led development initiatives.
Approach
1. Brief introduction of east and west coast and their tourism potential (50 words)
2. Reasons for more tourism, popularity in west coast as compared to east coast (60-80 words)
3. Analysis of tourism potential of east coast specifically. (50 words)
4. Portland development (50 words)
Hints:
India is a country with vast coastline with natural beauty and diversity which provides tremendous
opportunity to attract tourism. However due to geological, socio cultural and political reasons the
tourism potential of east is greatly untapped.
Geographical extension-
East coast:
• Lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal
• It is marked by deltas of rivers like the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the
Cauvery
West coast:
• The west coast strip extends from the Gulf of Cambay (Gulf of Khambhat) in the north
to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari).
• Starting from north to south, it is divided into (I) the Konkani coast, (ii) the Karnataka
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coast and (iii) the Kerala cost.
Reasons for more tourism in west coast as compared to east coast:
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• Geological reason:
– Mountain backs the west coast: The Western Ghats are close to west coastline as
compared to eastern ghat. As a result, there is steady temperature, less variation in
climate which makes it conducive to attract tourism.
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– Shallow versus deep beaches: The Sea is reasonably shallow on western coast as
compared to eastern coast which makes it less risky for tourist.
– Natural disaster: The east coast is more prone to storm and cyclones...The coast of
Orissa, Vishakhapatnam, Nagapatnam face heavy loss more often which reduces tourism
• Socio cultural reason:
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– The east coast has more cities and towns built along shores as compared to west coast
which affect the tourism.
• Environmental reasons
– The western ghat has helped preserving the western coast, natural beauty from excessive
inhabitation which as a result attracts more tourists.
However, there are tremendous potential of tourism in eastern coast as well. If west coast has
world famous beaches like MandrelGoa,NagoaDiev,VarakalaKeralathen east coast is also not
devoid of beautiful beaches like Digha, MandarmaniWest Bengal, ChandipurOrissa, Rushi kind
Andhra Pradesh, Marina beachTamil Nadu.The worldfamousSunderban, Chilka lake and port
city Vishakhapatnam provides enormous natural diversity and scenic beauty conducive to attract
more number of tourists. But due to lack of political will, lopsided development, naxalism activities
in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, etc. the tourism potential of east coast has been greatly untapped.
Portland development initiatives
• It aims to modernize India’s Ports so that portled development can be augmented
andcoastlines can be developed to contribute in India’s growth. It also aims for “transforming
the existing Ports into modern world class Ports and integrate the development of the Ports,
the Industrial clusters and hinterland and efficient evacuation systems through road, rail,
inland and coastal waterways resulting in Ports becoming the drivers of economic activity
in coastal areas. These initiatives will help in optimum utilization of tourism potential on
coastal areas.
• Jal Margi Visas programme: River Ganga project envisages to develop a fairway with up
to 3 tm depth between Varanasi and Haldia.The project is being implemented with support
of World Bank. This initiate will have long term impact on harnessing tourism potential
• Skill development projects: taken up’ include coastal district skill gap analysis study/
cuttingedge skill training in the ports & maritime sector, safety training in shipbreaking &
repair sector, coastal districts skill training as part of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen
Kaushal Yojana (DDUGKY) and marine fishermen skill development projects. The prosperous
coastal areas can greatly help in transforming the tourism industry.
Thus, during the last century, beaches have completely reversed their role. They have become the
driving force behind the tourism and economic welfare instead of just being an inhospitable place.
The need of the hour is to give equal focus on both east and west coast to attract tourism.
Supplementary Notes
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The fundamental principle of sustainable coastal tourism lays on the crystalclear water, healthy
ecosystem and well maintained coastal environment. Coastal tourism has drawn international
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attention and become highly competitive as everyone tries to increase their market share in terms of
beach visitors, both domestic and international.
Tourism being a rapidly growing service industry with multiple growth potential has become crucial
sector in building the nations in general and development of international community in particular.
In fact, tourism has a major role in accelerating the socioeconomic development all over the world.
Therefore, it is being weighed equally with the other sectors of the developed countries as well as of
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the developing economies.

Tourism is considered and accepted by all as an engine of economic growth. Most of the countries
realized the vast potential of tourism industry by exploring their historicsocietal and cultural and
environmental resources. Tourism is always being assessed and questioned for its abandoned
potential in bringing changes to a country’s economic, ecological, societal and cultural set up.
However, its capability to generate employment and its capacity to earn foreign exchange has
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made this industry highly acceptable for everyone such as government, planners, entrepreneurs
and the host community.
Tourism industry in India is on a great boom at the moment. India has tremendous potential to
become a major global tourist destination and Indian tourism industry is exploiting this potential to
the hilt. Travel and tourism industry is the second highest foreign exchange earner for India. Tourism
industry also provides employment to millions of people in India both directly and indirectly through
its linkage with other sectors of the economy. According to an estimate, total direct employment in
the tourism sector is around 20 million
Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and sociocultural aspects of tourism
development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee
its longterm sustainability.
Thus, sustainable tourism should:
1. Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism
development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural
heritage and biodiversity.
2. Respect the sociocultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living
cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to intercultural understanding and
tolerance.
3. Ensure viable, longterm economic operations, providing socioeconomic benefits to all
stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income earning
opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
4. Sustainable tourism should also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a
meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and
promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them.
15. Migration is a physical and social transformation and is also an instrument of

cultural diffusion and social integration. Elaborate. Also, explain the nature of
gendered mobility in India.
Approach
1. Brief intro of migration trend inIndia (20 words)
2. Migration as physical and social transaction (50-70 words)
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3. Migration as instrument of cultural diffusion and social integration (50-70 words)
4. Nature of gender mobility in India (70 words)
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Hints:
Migration has been inherent feature of Indian society since the time of Indo Aryans. It has influenced
the social, cultural, economic and political landscape of our nation. Of late, a lot of issues have also
emerged because of migration, such as, language problems, racial and ethnic discrimination. Like
Maharashtra government has reserved jobs only for the bonafide people of Maharashtra and in
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case the outsiders wish to work there, they will first have to pass an entrance exam which is kept in
their language and had to be answered in their language which is Marathi. Thus, the chances of the
outsider getting a job are already cut off. Despite all this the flow of migrants has not reduced,
showing how its inevitable in presentscenario.
Migration as physical and social transaction
• People tend to move from place of low opportunity and low safety to the place of
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higheropportunity and better safety.

• Migration leads to the redistribution of the population within a country. Ruralurban migration
is one of the important factors contributing to the population growth of cities.
• Migration benefits for the source region are the remittance sent by migrants.
• In physical transaction it leads to exchange of people,goods,etc.
• In social transaction it leads to exchange of culture, dietary, languages, etc. for example
migrants of Bihar introduced Chhat puja in different parts of country.
Migration as instrument of cultural diffusion and social integration:
• The new ideas related to new technologies, family planning, girl’s education, etc. Get diffused
from urban to rural areas through them.
• Migration leads to intermixing of people from diverse cultures. It has positive contribution
such as evolution of composite culture and breaking through the narrow considerations and
widens up the mental horizon of the people at large.
• But it has serious negative consequences such as anonymity, which creates social vacuum
and sense of dejection among individuals.
Nature of gender mobility in India:
• The female migration growth rate has been 2.4% as compared to 1.85% for male over last
30 years. Over 55% of female migrants were in age group of 1559 in urban areas
• Marriage continue to be the predominant reasons for migration of women
• The gender specific pattern of labor employment has also resulted in migration of female.
• The emergence of nuclear family, increasing participation of educated women in activates
outside homes has resulted into their migration
• Changing pattern of consumption have resulted in demand for women centered services
such as domestic help, child care giver and full time home based care taker.
• Poor and asset less community who belong to lower caste tribe migrated more.
Although the migration rate of female has increased in recent past, still due to stereotype thinking
and patriarchal nature many females in rural and urban areas are devoid of education,work,etc.
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because they are not allowed to migrate to cities or to places of greater opportunities.
Supplementary Notes OR
International migration from India:
India has a long history of migration. More than a century ago, large numbers of Indian migrants –
many of them involuntary ones – moved to Africa, the Caribbean and within the Indian
subcontinent itself. Some of the top destinations of Indian migrants in more recent decades include
Persian Gulf countries, North America and Europe. Here are five facts about India and migration:
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1. India is the top source of international migrants, with one-in-twenty migrants worldwide
born in India. As of 2015, 15.6 million people born in India were living in other countries.
India has been among the world’s top origin countries of migrants since the United Nations
started tracking migrant origins in 1990. The number of international Indian migrants has
more than doubled over the past 25 years, growing about twice as fast as the world’s total
migrant population.
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Nearly half of India’s migrants are in just three countries: the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan
and the United States. About 3.5 million Indians live in the UAE, the top destination country
for Indian migrants. Over the past two decades, millions of Indians have migrated there to
find employment as laborers. Pakistan has the secondlargest number of migrants, with 2
million.
Almost 2 million more live in the U.S., making up the country’s thirdlargest immigrant
group. Among Indian Americans, nearly nineinten were born in India. As a whole, Indian
Americans are among the highest educated and have some of the highest income among
racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.
2. India is also one of the world’s top destinations for international migrants. As of 2015,
about 5.2 million immigrants live in India, making it the 12thlargest immigrant population
in the world. The overwhelming majority of India’s immigrants are from neighboring countries
such as Bangladesh (3.2 million), Pakistan (1.1 million), Nepal (540,000) and Sri Lanka
(160,000).
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3. Even though the country is the top source of the world’s migrants in total numbers, India
has one of the world’s lowest emigration rates. Only about 1% of India’s birth population
lives outside of the country, a similar emigration rate to that of the U.S. At more than 1
OR
billion, India’s population is the secondlargest in the world behind China. Consequently, it
would take tens of millions more people to leave India before its emigration rate reached the
world’s 3% average.
SC
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4. India receives more remittances from migrants than any other country. About $69
billion was sent by Indian migrants to family and friends in India in 2015, amounting to
roughly 3% of the country’s gross domestic product, according to the World Bank estimates.
Most of the money comes from Indians living in Persian Gulf countries as well as the U.S.,
the UK and Canada. India has been the world’s top recipient of migrant remittances since
2008, when it overtook China on this measure.
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OR
SC
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5. India’s religious minorities have been more likely to migrate internationally. Religious

minorities make up a larger share of India’s international migrant population than they do
among the nation’s domestic population, according to 2010 Pew Research Center estimates.
For example, about 19% of the Indian international migrant population was Christian,
compared with only 3% of the population in India. Similarly, an estimated 27% of the Indian
international migrant population was Muslim, compared with 14% of the population in
India. The reverse is true for Hindus: Only 45% of India’s international migrant population
was Hindu, compared with 80% of the population in India.
16. Population growth and urbanization rates will have dramatic impact on food
security across the world by 2050. In light of this, discuss the role of Big-data
and upcoming start-ups in bringing next green revolution in the Indian
agriculture? Examine.
Approach
1. Brief intro of big-data and start-ups (50 words)
2. Role that big data can play in next green revolution (60-80 words)
3. Role that start-ups can play in next green revolution (50-70 words)
4. Conclusion with a case-study (50 words)
Hints:
Big Data Analytics refers to the process of Collecting, Organizing, Analyzing, Inspecting, and
E
transforminglarge sets of datato discover patterns and other useful information.
Startup is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a newly emerged business that aims to
OR
meet a marketplace need by developing a viable business model around a product, service, process or
a platform.
It is expected thatbig data and upcoming startups will significantlyhelp in bringing next green
revolution in the Indian agriculture.
Challenges or Agriculture in 21st century to population growth and urbanization:
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• Urban food insecurity is due to unemployment, the informal sector, overcrowding, decaying
infrastructure and declining services.
• Food production depends on croplands and water supply, which are under strain due to
population increase.
Role that big data can play in next green revolution:
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1. Bigdata businesses can analyze varieties of seeds across numerous fields, soil types, and
climates.
2. Big Data has the potential to add value across each touch points along the agrivalue chain
starting from selection of right agriinputs, monitoring the soil moisture, tracking prices of
markets, controlling irrigations, finding the right selling point and getting the right price.
3. Recent progress in Big Data and advanced analytics capabilities and agrirobotics such as
aerial imagery, sensors, and sophisticated local weather forecasts can transform the agri
scape and thus holds promise for increasing agricultural productivity over the next few
decades.
4. Information access Farmers need accurate weather forecasts and accurate information on
the inputs they can use. Analytical capability to integrate various sources of information
(such as weather, soil, and market prices) will help in increasing crop yield and optimizing
resource usage, lowering cost.
5. Big Data and advanced analytics are streamlining food processing value chains by finding
the core determinants of process performance, and taking action to continually improve the
accuracy, quality and yield of production.
Role that upcoming startups can play in next green revolution:
Agristartups can transform the farm sector by making it more efficient, productive and market
driven. Both central and state governments have initiated a string of measures, such as Custom
Hiring Centers, that could boost FaaS.
Farming-as-a-service, or FaaS, which is at nascent stage now, seeks to provide affordable solutions
to technical and mechanized farming. It makes the fixed costs variable for farmers, thus making it
more affordable for a majority of small farmers. Its services are available on a subscription or pay
peruse basis in three broad categories.
1. Information sharing through SMS, phone calls (interactive voice response systems), email
or mobile apps. The services include alerts on weather, input and output market prices, real
time crop monitoring.
2. Production assistance solutions, i.e., aiding farming activity with technological resources
and expertise on site. For example, the ability to rent heavy farm machinery with expert
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operators at the farmers’ doorstep.
3. Access to market solutions through virtual/online platforms to connect backward and

OR
forward supply chains with farmers. These connections help procure quality farm inputs
and also cut out several intermediary layers by providing direct platforms between farmers
and retailers/ consumers.
Recent example in news: Two Indiabased agritechnology startups have raised millions in funding
from private equity firms AgroStar, which provides agricultural inputs directly to farmers.
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Hence, big data and upcoming startups can help in bringing next green revolution along with other
components like micro irrigation coverage, precision farming and crop pattern diversification.
Supplementary Notes
National Food Security Act 2013:

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• The NFSA aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the population
(75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas).
• It converts existing food security programmes of the Central Government into legal
entitlements.
• It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the
Public Distribution System.
• Grains like wheat, rice and coarse grain will be distributed at the subsidized price of 3 Rs.
3, Rs. 2 and Rs. 1.
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children are entitled to get meals under the
prescribed nutrition by MDM and ICDS.
• NFSA 2013 will provide high nutrition food to the children from age group of 6 months to
14 years.
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to get maternity benefit of not less
than Rs. 6,000

17. Every hazard is unique in terms of local socio-environment factors that control
it, social response it generates and the way each social group deals with it. Citing
specific examples, examine the importance of the role of local government and
community in dealing with disasters.
Approach
1. Introduce by highlighting the importance of local government and community in disaster
management (50 words)
2. Bring out specifically role of community and local government in disaster risk reduction
(150 words)
Hints:
The way a community responds to a hazard is one of the key determinants whether it will turn to
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a disaster or not. Being the closest institution of the state to the people, local governments have a
greater responsibility to take all possible efforts in order to prepare for a disaster or to respond to it.
OR
Its efforts clubbed with local knowledge about resources, facilities and support systems and capacity
possessed by local community are crucial in disaster management.
Role of the local community and local bodies
It is important to emphasize that communities alone cannot implement communitybased disaster
mitigation. It will take concerted efforts at different levels and across different sectors to improve
our understanding of the linkages and to devise effective mechanisms for disaster risk reduction.
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The communities themselves need to first be aware of the importance of disaster reduction. It is
then necessary to go beyond awareness and impart skills, which can translate this awareness into
concrete practice. Finally, communitybased disaster reduction depends on a favorable political
environment that promotes and supports this participation process. This depends upon the
effectiveness of the local governance rather than national politics.
Local jurisdictions should ensure that new development is located, designed, and constructed to
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withstand natural hazards. They should use information from hazard and risk assessments, land
use plans, and zoning regulations to limit development of hazardprone areas.
The NDMA recognizes the community as the first responder in the event of a disaster, which
means that it has invested significantly in ensuring that communities know what, where, when,
and howthey should be planning for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. This is especially
the case with rural communities, who usually are most exposed to disaster risks. The NDMA decided
to produce the National Policy Guidelines on Community-based Disaster Management to better
inform communities and those working with them in this regard.
Some examples:
• Public Distribution Centres (fair price shops) should set up special mechanisms to ensure
that food supplies are not disrupted and discontinued.
• Cattle pounds should provide precautionary veterinary care for animals (for example
immunisations) as well as fodder storage and supply facilities, as well as coordinate animal
care actions with veterinary doctors and paraveterinary workers.
• Cultural groups should engage in awareness building for disaster preparedness.
• Mason and artisan groups should promote awareness in the community about safe
constructions
• Women’s representatives from Panchayat should assist and advise panchayat members on
matters related to women’s needs, gender justice, etc.
In the coastal villages of Nallavadu and Veerampattinam in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, a
PublicAddress System (PAS) installed in their ‘Rural Knowledge Centers’ saved thousands of lives
when the tsunami struck on 26th December, 2004.
In all the stages, right from early warning to postdisaster relief efforts, the most important and first
point of contact for people is their community leadership and groups apart from local bodies, and
their training in dealing with various types of disasters can go a long way in improving the conditions.
Supplementary Notes
A disaster is a physical event, phenomenon or human activity that leads to sudden disruption of
normal life, causing severe damage to life and property to an extent that available social and economic
protection mechanisms are inadequate to cope. Its origin can be natural or manmade. Disasters
could be, natural (geological, hydrometeorological and biological) or induced by human processes
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(environmental degradation and technological hazards).
Disasters proceed by causeeffect due to endogenous (inherent) and exogenous (external) factors,
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which combine to excite the phenomenon into a largescale destructive event.
Disaster is disturbance of ‘equilibrium’ which can be restored/ remedied by proactive Policy in this
regard. Hence, traditional perception of disasters as natural phenomena outside the realm of human
intervention is not true. Disaster Management is an attempt to inquire into the process of a potential
damage (hazard) turning to disaster, to identify the causes and rectify the same through public
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policy.
Depending on the type of disaster, a nodal ministry has been assigned the task of coordinating all
activities of the state and district administration and the other support departments/ministry. The
following table below vividly gives the information:
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18. Drought is a broader concept than just deficiency of rainfall. Discuss, how drought
is more of a man-made disaster than a mere deficiency of rainfall. Elaborate on
the consequences of desertification that drought prone regions face. Also, bring
out the preventive steps need to be taken in light of targets to curb desertification
as mentioned under the SDGs.
Ap p r oa ch
1. Small note on drought (30 words)

2. Mention different types of droughts for supporting your point. However, do not base the
answer on them (50 words)
3. Highlight the consequences of desertification that drought prone regions face (60 words)
4. Discuss the SDGs concerned with combating desertification (30-50 words)
5. What are the preventive steps needed (30-50 words)
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Hints:
Any lack of water to satisfy the normal needs of agriculture, livestock, industry or human population
OR
may be termed as a drought. This condition can occur due to many reasons deficient rainfall (less
than expected), prolonged monsoon break, delay in onset or early withdrawal of monsoon, lack of
irrigation facilities, improper water management leading to deficiency in availability of water, etc.
Drought occurs due to interplay between a natural event and various human factors. In practice,
drought is defined in a number of ways that reflect various perspectives and interests. For instance,
we have agricultural drought which focuses on impact on crop yield. What could be a drought
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condition for cultivating rice could be a condition of excess soil moisture for dry crops like bajra or
jowar. This is the reason why India Meteorological Department (IMD) has decided to replace the
word “drought” to describe poor rainfall with “deficient year” and “large deficient year”.
Consequences of desertification in drought prone regions
• By impoverishing the natural potential of ecosystems, desertification also reduces agricultural
yields and makes them less predictable. It therefore has a bearing on the food security of
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people living in affected areas.

• In order to attend to their most urgent needs, the people develop a survival strategy which, in
turn, aggravates desertification and impedes development. This strategy is often accompanied
by a breakdown in solidarity within the community leading to migration and suffering.
• Desertification also influences the carbon exchange mechanism. The large amount of carbon
stored in the vegetation in the dry zones decreases when the vegetation is depleted or
disappears. This has powerful effect on the carbon cycle and boosts the greenhouse effect
as a result of the release of carbon.
• Lastly, desertification directly reduces the fresh water reserves. It has a direct impact on river
flow and the level of ground water tables. The reduction of river flow rates and the lowering
of ground water levels lead to the silting up of estuaries, the encroachment of salt water into
water tables, and the pollution of water by suspended particles and salinization.
SDG 15 aims to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably
manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity
loss”.
In India, nearly 30% of the country’s total geographical area is undergoing degradation as per
ISRO ‘Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas’.
The steps needed to curb desertification include –
• Integrating land and water management to protect soils from erosion, salinization and other
forms of degradation. This requires watershed management at the local level.
• Protecting the vegetative cover can be a major instrument for soil conservation against wind
and water erosion. Afforestation, improving the quality of present vegetative cover is, therefore,
important.
• Giving local communities the capacity to prevent desertification and to manage dryland
resources effectively. This also includes awareness raising and strengthening local self
governance institutions.
• Focusing on activities that are less demanding on local land and natural resources, and yet
provides sustainable income. This includes activities like dryland agriculture, tourism etc.
Supplementary Notes
Desertification refers to degradation of land in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas due to an
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array of factors. The direct impact of desertification is reduced biodiversity. The reasons are many
such as climatic changes such as drought, or human such as overgrazing. Desertification is
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recognized as a major threat to biodiversity and consequently leads the countries to develop plans
to counter its impacts.
The opposite term (antonym) of Desertification is Ossification. In ossification, soil and nutrient
harvesting are regarded as fundamental component parts in the reclamation process of a degraded
land. This is a limited application technique and does not work to combat desertification as the area
threatened is usually very large.
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Desertification is a major economic, social and environmental problem of concern to many countries
in all regions of the world. In 1977, the United Nations Conference on Desertification (UNCOD)
adopted a Plan of Action to Combat Desertification (PACD).
19. Cooperativization was seen as an important element in the agenda for
institutional changes sought to be achieved through land reforms. Discuss. Also
explain why the progress made by the cooperative movement in India largely fell
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far short of the goals set by its early proponents.
Approach
1. Discuss why cooperativizationwas seen as important institutional reform. (30-50 words)
2. Need for cooperativization in India. (60-80 words)
3. Discuss the reasons for its limited success. (60-80 words)
4. Briefly provide some suggestions. (30-50 words)
Hints:
After independence, the land reforms were initiated to transform the colonial agricultural structure
so as to bring inclusive, modern and progressive farming in country. The small lands freed by land
reforms were to be pooled through cooperativization and reap the benefits of large scale farming.
Cooperative farming as an important institutional change:
• Cooperative farming can solve all the problems of small and uneconomic holdings.
• The marketable surplus of food grain and industrial raw materials can be transported
andmarketed on a bulk basis suitably by the society and also can fetch remunerative prices.
• Cooperative farming is advantageous for the government on administrative point of view
so as to collect taxes, distributing subsidies and also for introducing improved methods of
production.
• Cooperative farming can attain higher creditworthiness as compared to that of individual
farming as such largescale farming can attract greater amount of finance for its productive
activities.
However, it could not attain desired success owing to following reasons:
• Many were formed to evade land reforms and access incentives offered by state including
credit meant for poor. These were formed by influential families who used agricultural
labourers or extents as bogus members.
• Leadership and management of cooperatives remained under leading families of village
which not only owned a great deal of land but also controlled trade and money lending.
• Statesponsored cooperative farms were generally poor, previously uncultivated lands. Its
poor quality, lack of proper irrigation, etc., and the fact that these farms were run like
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government sponsored projects made them unsuccessful.
• Refusal of cooperatives to issue ‘crop loans’ or loans in anticipation of the crop being produced,
OR
and their insisting on credit being given against land as security, meant that landless were
essentially excluded from scheme.
• Cooperative credit societies, suffered from nonrepayment of loans and large overdue. Yet,
cooperative movement has thrown some success stories like AMUL or agricultural credit
societies.
SC
Hence, the Cooperatives Movement was awakening movement for peasants and farmers as well as
agriculture and its allied activities. If its true potential is realized then it can play significant role in
delivering goods and services in areas where the government and private sector failed to reach.
Supplementary Notes
Provisions in Indian Constitution:
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1. Directive Principles of State Policy under article 43enshrines living wage for workers.

The State shall Endeavour to secure, by suitable legislation or economic organization or in
any other way, to all workers, agricultural, industrial or otherwise, work, a living wage,
conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life and full enjoyment of leisure and social
and cultural opportunities and, in particular, the State shall Endeavour to promote cottage
industries on an individual or cooperative basis in rural areas.
2. Fundamental Rights- Right to form cooperatives, Article 14 – (Right to Equality) and Article
19(1)(c) as ‘Right to form Associations or Unions.
Committee related to the Cooperative Movements in India
1. All-India Rural Credit Survey Committee Report (1954)
2. Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Committee (which proposed a model law) (1990)
3. Mirdha Committee (1996)
4. Jagdish Kapoor Committee (2000)
5. Vikhe Patil Committee (2001)
6. V. S. Vyas Committee (2001 and 2004)
Success can be ensured through following features which need to be replicated elsewhere:
• An integrated approach with participation of community and the management being attuned
to the need of most marginalized.
• Strong democratic ethos and fair elections with single voting right for each member
irrespective of number of shares.
• Use of modern technology.
• Mobilization of women and rural workers.
20. What are the various types of rural tourism? What will be the impact of promoting
rural tourism in India? Elaborate the steps taken by the government so far?
Approach
1. Define rural tourism anddescribe its various forms (60-80 words)
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2. Important impact of tourism needs to be discussed in detail (100 words)
3. List down steps taken by the government (80 words)
Hints:
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Rural tourism is a fairly new arena of tourism sector. It is a form of tourism taking place in rural
settlements, providing employment and income to local population along with rural experience to
urban population. It primarily showcases the rural life, art, culture, and heritage.
There has been exceptional growth in Indian rural tourism market in recent years. Apart from hilly
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states, village tourism has developed fast in states like Maharashtra and Rajasthan Many Indian
villages have found a place on tourist maps. Hodka village (Kachchh, Gujarat) and Naggar village
(Kullu, Himachal Pradesh) are few of the popular ones.
Various types of ecological tourism:
• Farm/Agricultural tourism
• Cultural tourism
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• Nature and Eco tourism

• Adventure tourism
As against conventional tourism, rural tourism has certain typical characteristics –
• it is experience oriented
• the locations are sparsely populated
• itispredominantly innaturalenvironment
• itcoincideswith seasonalityandlocalevents
• it is based on preservation of culture, heritage and traditions.
Impact of promotion:
74% of the Indian population lives in 7 million villages. The growth potential derived from developing
tourism around these villages will ensure following
Positive Impact
• Economical
o Increased livelihood
– Rural tourism will contribute as an alternative source of income for the villagers.
– It will help in overcoming poverty and reduces pressure from agriculture as an
avenue of income.
o Infrastructural development-
– It will be a break from urban centric infrastructural developmental plans.
– Infrastructural developments like roads, community centers, water bodies and more
will support other allied sectors too
o National economy-
– It will guarantee influx of more foreign tourist arrival and more foreign exchange
earnings from tourism
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– Overall contribution of tourism to GDP will rise, along with per capita income.
• Political
o Migration
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– It will address skyrocketing rural to urban migration and its related challenges.
o Sustainability of village
– It will provide opportunity for villages to coexist with urban centers, ensuring their
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sustainability in the long term.

• Social
o Transformative agent
– Trend of feminization of agriculture as a result of economical compulsions on part
on women will partially reverse.
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– Other social challenges women safety, social exclusion, demographic challenges

and others will be challenged in the process of development of the destination and
later.
Negative impact
• Ecological
– With increased tourism there is a substantial risk of increase in waste and traffic
congestion.The slopes of Mount Everest are littered and, in Iceland, tourists far outnumber
the resident population causing pressure on scarce resources.
• Social
– While tourism can help preserve cultures, it can also water them down via
commercialization
– Prostitution and sex tourism: The commercial sexual exploitation of children and young
women has paralleled the growth of tourism in many parts of the world. Though
tourism is not the cause of sexual exploitation, it provides easy access to it.
– Increase in crime, as observed in many European cities.
Steps taken by the government-
• According to government reports, currently, 153 rural tourism projects in 28 states/union
territories have been sanctioned by the ministry of tourism including 36 rural sites where
UNDP has supported for capacity building.
• Rural Tourism SchemeUnder this scheme
– State tourism Development Corporations are entrusted with responsibility of formulating
and implementing Rural Tourism Projects.
– Central Financial Assistance (CFA) up to Rs.50 lakh for infrastructure development and
up to Rs.20 lakh for capacity building is provided to state supplementary/union territory
for each identified site.
• The Endogenous Tourism Project- Rural Tourism Scheme (ETP-RTS) is a collaborative
effort between the Ministry of Tourism and UNDP initiated in 2003 to develop rural
destinations. It involves
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– Hardware components include construction and renovation work of building, roads
and water facilities.
–
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Software components include community sensitization, training and capacity building,
and skill upgradation.
• Product/Infrastructure Development for Destinations and Circuits Scheme- Ministry of
Tourism provides financial assistance up to Rs. 5 crores for the development of destinations
and Rs. 8 crores for circuits.
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• Marketing initiative Incredible India brand, Hunar se Rozgar tak, Fairs & festivals organized
by the ministry.
• Other schemes Swadesh Darshan and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
• Guidelines Ministry of Tourism has also formulated a set of guidelines on safety and
quality norms on adventure tourism covering land, air and waterbased activities.
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Conclusion-
Development of village tourism and diversification products it can offer should remain priority
area of the government development plans in the long run, it is essential for both political and
economic reasons.
Supplementary Notes
Various types of Tourism
Following under the concept of niche tourism, rural tourism is multifaceted. It takes following
forms
• Farm/Agricultural tourism – It offers tourist a chance to visit farms and experience life of
a farmer. They engage in agriculturebased activities, from riding tractors to milking cows
while enjoying simple village life. Punjab and Kerala are popular destinations in this segment.
• Cultural tourism It provides direct engagement with region’s culture and heritage dance,
music, traditional customs, yoga, Ayurveda, handicrafts, architecture and more. With rich
tradition, cultural diversity and ethnicity dating back to centuries, India is one of the most
popular destinations for cultural tourism across the world. UP (Varanasi) and Rajasthan are
most popular ones.
• Nature and Eco tourism It is based on natural attraction of the area and provides nature
retreat. Hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography are few of the activities undertaken.
Sunderban village, Spiti village, Aleppey(Kerala), Thar desert attracts high visitors.
• Adventure tourism – Owing to India’s varied topological landscape, adventure tourism is
rapidly growing. It includes mountaineering, trekking, paragliding, bungee jumping, river
rafting and more. Northern hilly states are preferred destinations for it.

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GS Mains Test Series 2018

Answer Hints: Test No.2 www.iasscore.in

GEOGRAPHY, DISASTER MANAGEMENT

into the atmosphere, which is already a problem.

[4] Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture

Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture [5]

[6] Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture

Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture [7]

quite low as compared to other nations.

diseases, hunger and squalor are not under full control.

World economic history in one picture. Incomes rose sharply in

remote areas is needed.’

production systems and capacity building of all stakeholders.

6. What is mass movement? Discuss its various types?

Types of mass movements:

outward along a curved plane.

wasting also will be more).

scale is caused by glaciers. This is called glacial erosion.

[16] Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture

associated funding issues

– Constituted with a corpus 10,000 crore

Contribution to Agri. GDP (%) 5.15

in the Northern hemisphere and South easterlies in the Southern hemisphere.

1. Introduce dead zones in oceans with examples. (40 words)

Causes of formation of Oceanic dead zone:

to replace the oxygen that has been used.

fish and marine mammals are accorded special protection;

State, i.e., on the high seas.

the developing economies.

15. Migration is a physical and social transformation and is also an instrument of

higheropportunity and better safety.

Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture [39]

[40] Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture

5. India’s religious minorities have been more likely to migrate internationally. Religious

3. Access to market solutions through virtual/online platforms to connect backward and

National Food Security Act 2013:

Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture [43]

Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture [45]

1. Small note on drought (30 words)

people living in affected areas.

far short of the goals set by its early proponents.

1. Directive Principles of State Policy under article 43enshrines living wage for workers.

• Nature and Eco tourism

sustainability in the long term.

– Other social challenges­ women safety, social exclusion, demographic challenges

[52] Hints: Geography, Disaster Management and Agriculture

Potrebbero piacerti anche

– Other social challenges women safety, social exclusion, demographic challenges