CBSE Class 10 Social Science Lifelines of the National Economy Important Questions

Very Short Answer Question

Question. What are National highways?
Answer: One state to another state is connected by National highways.  These are constructed and maintained by central government.

Question. What are express way National highways?
Answer: Express way National highways are for the fast movement of traffic in the country. These include 4 and 6 lanes for long distances fast moving traffic.

Question. Name the places which will be connected by Golden Quadrilateral express way highways. 
Answer: The Golden Quadrilateral express way highways will connect Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi. Its total length is 5846 km.

Question. What are the international highways? Name one such highway. 
Answer: The highway which connects one country with another are called international highways.Example – Kolkata to Pesawar.

Question. Name any four international ports of India.
Answer: International ports of India:
(i) Mumbai (ii) Kolkata (iii) Chennai (iv) Kandla.

Question. Name two Inland waterways of India.
Answer: The inland waterways of India-
(i) The Ganga River between Allahabad to Haldia.
(ii) The Brahmaputra river between Sadiya to Dhubri.

Question. Name major ports on the east coast of India.
Answer: The major ports on the east cost:
(i) Kolkata (ii) Haldia (iii) Paradip (iv) Chennai (v) Ennore (vi) Tuticorin (vii) Vishakhapatnam.

Question. Name the states where Marmagao, New Mangalore, Paradip and Tuticorin ports are located?
Answer: (i) Marmagao – Goa.(ii) New Mangalore – Karnataka.(iii) Paradip – Orissa.(iv) Tuticorin – Tamil Nadu.

Question. Name three means of mass communication. 
Answer: The important means of mass communication :
(i) Radio (ii) Television (iii) Newspapers.

Question. Name two first class mails.
Answer: First class mail are:

(i) postcards 

(ii) envelopes. 

Question. Name two major ports on the west coast.
Answer: Major ports on the west coast are :(i) Mumbai (ii) Cochin

Question. State the types of gauges. What are the advantages of Uni gauge?
Answer: The three types of gauges are:
(i) Broad Gauge – 1.675 m.(ii) Meter Gauge – 1 meter. (iii) Narrow Gauge – 0.610m.
Uni gauge system of railways ensures higher speed, larger capacity, reduction in transshipment and cheaper transportation cost. 

Question. What are the significance of Airways?
Answer: Significance of Airways:-
(i) Fastest modes of transport.
(ii) Airways are the best means of transport in the remote, hostile and inaccessible areas.
(iii) It plays a vital role in natural event and calamities like floods, earthquakes, famines, fires, etc.

Question. The great Plains have more railways than the Himalayan mountains. Why?
Answer: The distribution pattern of the railway network is influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors. The Great Plains of India has leveled land, high population density, rich agriculture and greater industrial activity. Hence this plain has more railways than Himalayan Mountain.
 

Question. What are the problems of railways today?
Answer: Problems of railway are :
(i) Ticket-less passengers (ii) Unnecessary chain pulling (iii) People stop trains causing heavy loss.(iv) Theft and damaging of railway property.

Question. Write the advantages of the pipeline transportation for petroleum and natural gas. 
Answer:  (i) Pipeline transportation is fast, safe, clean and free from delays. 
(ii) Crude oil, petroleum product and natural gas can easily be transported from oil/natural gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories and big thermal plants easily.
(iii) The thermal power plants can now be constructed very close to their market. 
(iv) For such facilities refineries can be constructed in the interior such as Barauni, Mathura, Panipat and Karnal.

Question. What is meant by favourable balance of trade? Discuss whether India’s foreign trade is favourable or not?
Answer: The difference between imports and exports is known as balance of trade. If exports are more than imports, the balance of trade is favourable or positive.India’s foreign trade is not favourable as value of our imports are more than the exports due to our increasing demands and growing economy.

Question. Describe various types of roads in India.
Answer: Depending on the construction, maintenance and administration Indian roads are classified as under :

(i) National Highways – Constructed and maintained by the Central Government, which connect State capitals, big cities and ports across the country.

(ii) State Highways – Constructed and maintained by the State Government, which connect the state capital with the major cities, town and districts of the state

(iii) District Roads – Join district headquarters with town of the district.

(iv) Village Roads – Connect village with towns.

(v) Border Roads – Constructed and maintained by Central Government. The defence of our country depends on these roads. The world’s highest road is from Manali to Leh. 

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION

Question. What are super highways? Name 3 major super highway projects.
Answer: Super highways are six lane highways connecting major cities and ports of the country for speedy movement of goods and passengers. They are developed by NHAI for reducing time and distance.
3 super highways are:
1) Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways: It links Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai and Delhi by six-lane Super Highways.
2) The North-South corridors linking Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu)
3) East-West Corridor connecting Silcher (Assam) and Porbander (Gujarat)

Question. What are national highways?
Answer: National highways link all major cities of extreme parts of the country. These are the primary road systems. They are maintained by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

Question. What are state highways?
Answer: Roads linking a state capital with different district headquarters are known as State Highways. These roads are constructed and maintained by the State Public Works Department (PWD) in State and Union Territories.

Question. What are district roads?
Answer:  Roads which connect the district headquarters with other places of the district are called district roads. These roads are maintained by the ZilaParishad.

Question. What are rural roads?
Answer: Roads which link rural areas and villages with towns are classified as rural roads.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana scheme special provisions are made so that every village in the country is linked to a major town in the country by an all season motorable road.

Question. What are border roads? Mention its two importances.
Answer: Strategically important roads in the bordering areas of the country are called border roads. These roads are in the northern and north-eastern border areas.
Importance of Border roads: -
1) Border roads have improved accessibility in areas of difficult terrain.
2) They have helped in the economic development of border areas.
3) Used to supply military equipments to the borders of our country.

Question. State any four problems of Road transport in the country.
Answer: Major Problems are:
i. Road transportation in India is inadequate keeping in view the volume of traffic and passengers.
ii. About half of the roads are un-metal and this limits their usage during the rainy season.
iii. The National Highways are inadequate too.
iv. Moreover, the roadways are highly congested in cities
v. Most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.

Question. Describe the importance of Railways in India.
Answer: Indian Railways has been
i. The principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India.
ii. Suitable for long distance travel.
iii. Conduct of multiple activities like business, sightseeing, and pilgrimage along with transportation of goods.
iv. Plays an important role of national integration.
v. Bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate the development of the industry and agriculture.
vi. The largest public sector undertaking in the country.

Question. Describe the factors which influence the distribution pattern of Railway network in India.
Answer: The distribution pattern of the Railway network in the country has been largely influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors.
i. The density railway network is high in the northern plains because they are vast level land, have high population density and rich agricultural resources.
But, a large number of rivers create obstacles because it requires construction of bridges across their wide beds.
ii. In the hilly terrains of the peninsular region, railway tracts are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels therefore it difficult to construct railway lines.
iii. The Himalayan mountainous regions are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
iv. It is difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plain of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand.
v. Sinking of track in some areas and land slides makes it difficult for railways.

Question. Mention some of the problems faced by the Indian Railways.
Answer: Rail transport in our country suffer from certain problems such as -
i. Many passengers travel without tickets.
ii. Thefts and damaging of railway property has not yet stopped completely.
iii. People stop the trains, pull the chain unnecessarily and this causes heavy damage to the railway.

Question. Describe the importance of Pipelines in India.
Answer: Pipelines are important for -
i. They are used for transporting crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil fields and natural gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories and big thermal power plants.
ii. Solids can also be transported through a pipeline when converted into slurry.
iii. Because of pipelines, refineries at Barauni, Mathura, Panipat and gas based fertilizer plants, could be located in the interiors of India.
iv. Initial cost of laying pipelines is high but subsequent running costs are minimal.
v. Pipelines rules out trans-shipment (during transportation) losses or delays.

Question. Name three important networks of pipeline transportation in the country.
Answer: The 3 important networks of pipelines are -
i. Pipeline from oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh).
ii. Pipeline from Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab,
iii. Pipeline from Hazira in Gujarat to Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Question. Mention the importance of water transport.
Answer: Water transport is important for -
i. Waterways are the cheapest means of transport.
ii. They are most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods.
iii. It is a fuel-efficient and environment friendly mode of transport.

Question. Name three National Waterways of our country.
Answer: The 3 National waterways are -
i. The Ganga river between Allahabad and Haldia (1620 km)-N.W. No.1
ii. The Brahmaputra river between Sadiya and Dhubri (891 km)-N.W. No.2
iii. The West-Coast Canal in Kerala (Kottapurma-Komman, Udyogamandal and Champakkara canals-205 km) – N.W. No.3

Question. Mention the importance of airways.
Answer: The importance of airways is -
i. It is the fastest, most comfortable and prestigious mode of transport.
ii. It can cover very difficult terrains like high mountains, dreary deserts, and dense forests.
iii. It can also cover long oceanic stretches with great ease.
iv. Airways have made access easier in the north-eastern part of the country which has big rivers, dissected relief, dense forests and frequent floods and international frontiers.

Question. Name six mail channels introduced by Indian postal network.
Answer: Six mail channels for quick delivery of mails in large towns and cities:
i. Rajdhani Channel,
ii. Metro Channel,
iii. Green Channel,
iv. Business Channel,
v. Bulk Mail Channel
vi. Periodical Channel.

Question. Mention the importance of mass communication.
Answer: The importance of mass communications are -
i. Mass communication provides entertainment.
ii. They create awareness among people about various national programmes and policies.
iii. They provide variety of programmes in national, regional and local languages for various categories of people, spread over different parts of the country.
iv. They strengthen democracy in the country by providing news and information to the masses.
v. They help in rural development which is suffering from illiteracy and superstitious social practices.
vi. It helps in agriculture sector by helping farmers by providing them information about new agricultural practices.

Question. Define international trade. Why it is considered as economic barometer of a country?
Answer: International trade is defined as the exchange of goods and services between two or more countries.
It is also considered as economic barometer because
a. Advancement in international trade of a country leads to economic prosperity.
b. Income earned from international trade constitutes a major part in the net national income.
c. Large international trade leads to revival of domestic economy.

Question. Define balance of trade. Distinguish between favourable balance of trade and unfavourable balance of trade.
Answer: The difference between export and import is known as balance of trade.
Difference between favourable and unfavourable balance of trade:
a. If the value of exports is more than the value of imports, it is called favourable balance of trade. And if the value of imports is greater than the value of exports it is known as unfavourable balance of trade.
b. Favourable balance of trade is regarded good for the economic development where as unfavourable balance of trade is seen harmful for the domestic economy.

Question. Name major commodities which India import and export.
Answer: Major commodities which India import and export:
i. Major Exports:
a. Gems and jewellery.
b. Agriculture and allied products.
c. Petroleum products.
d. Ores and Minerals
e. Chemical products.
f. Engineering goods.
ii. Major Imports:
a. Petroleum and petroleum products such as crude oil, natural gas, synthetic raw materials.
b. Pearls and precious stone
c. Inorganic chemicals
d. coal, coke and briquettes
e. Machinery

Question. Mention the importance of tourism as a trade.
Answer: The importance is -
i. Our country earns foreign exchange through Tourism.
ii. More than 15 million people are directly engaged in the tourism industry.
iii. Tourism also promotes national integration,
iv. It provides support to local handicrafts and cultural pursuits.
v. It also helps in the development of international understanding about our culture and heritage.
vi. Heritage tourism, eco tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism and business tourism promotes development of all sectors of economy.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:

Question. Explain the importance of railways as the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India.
Answer:
Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India in the following ways.
♦ Railways have contributed to the development of multifarious activities like business, sightseeing, pilgrimage and tourism along with the transportation of goods over long distance.
♦ It is an important means of transport for long distance travel with ease.
♦ It has binded the economic life of the country that has accelerated the development of agriculture and industry by carrying the raw materials to the industries and distribution of finished goods to the consuming markets.

Question. Describe any three features of waterways in India.
Answer:
The three features of waterways are as follows.
♦ They are the cheapest means of transport for carrying heavy and bulky goods.
♦ They are fuel efficient.
♦ They are an eco-friendly mode of transport, however the slowest means of transport.

Question. Describe the significance of tourism as a trade in India.
Answer:
Tourism means an activity of visiting places, especially in foreign countries for pleasure.
Tourism is known as a trade because of the following reasons.
♦ Foreign tourist’s arrivals have increased over the years. 5.78 million foreign tourists visited India in 2010. It contributed Rs. 64,889 crores as foreign exchange in the year 2010.
♦ More than 15 million people are directly engaged in tourism industry.
♦ It helps in the development of Indian handicrafts and other economic activities.
♦ Foreign tourist visits India for business tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism, eco tourism, heritage tourism, etc.

Question. Mention the six mail channels introduced recently to facilitate quick delivery of mails.
Answer:
The following are the six mail channels.
♦ Rajdhani Channel
♦ Metro Channel
♦ Green Channel
♦ Business Channel
♦ Bulk Mail Channel
♦ Periodical Channel

Question. Give reasons for which foreign tourists visit India.
Answer:
Foreign tourists visit India due to the following reasons.
♦ India has been an excellent place for heritage tourism. It is rich in culture and ethnicity.
♦ Many tourists come here for adventure in the mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, etc.
♦ Southern India provides excellent opportunities for medical tourism, which attracts tourists from the world.

Question. Why is the distribution of roads not uniform in India? Explain with examples.
Answer:
The distribution of roads is not uniform in India because of the following reasons.
♦ India has vast and diverse relief features with high mountains and plateaus which restrict construction of roads in many area.
♦ India is a land of rivers with dissected tributaries. It is not possible to lay roads in these areas where the rivers often create havoc during floods.
♦ Keeping in view the low volume of passengers and traffic, it is not economical to lay roads in such areas.

Question. How does transport play an important role in the economic development of a country? Explain with examples.
Answer:
Efficient means of transport are pre-requisites for fast development because:
♦ the movement of goods and services from the supply location to demand locations necessitates the need for transport. It widens the market for goods.
♦ it allows distant and remote areas to be linked with urban and developed , regions.
♦ the development and improvement of transport have made delivery of goods faster across long distances and thus reduced cost.
♦ immediate relief during war, natural calamity, famine or flood can be easily accessed through efficient means of transport.

Question. How are the means of transport and communication complementary to each other? Explain with three examples.
Answer:
Means of transport and communication are complementary to each other in the following ways:
♦ Transport and communication provide basic infrastructure for each other to carry on their process.
♦ They create possibilities for investment to upgrade and expand their services.
♦ Communication has widened the horizons of trade far and wide.
♦ Transport had limited access earlier. With the advancement of science and technology the world has converted into a large village. Communication has widened the scope of
transportation even in the remote areas.

Question. ‘The distribution pattern of Indian railway network is influenced by the physiographic factors.’ Examine the statement.
Answer:
The distribution of railway network depends upon physiographic, economic and administrative factors. The following are the conditions responsible for uneven distribution pattern of the railway network in India.
♦ The northern plains have dense network of railways due to extensive level land, agriculturally and industrially productive region and support high density of population which is favourable for the development of railways. However, the presence of large number of rivers requires the construction of bridges across the rivers which poses some difficulties.
♦ In the hilly regions of the north and the peninsular plateau regions, railways are constructed through narrow gaps, or tunnels.
♦ The Himalayas region has less network of railways due to rugged terrain, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
♦ In the sandy plains of western Rajasthan, swampy regions of Gujarat, thickly forested regions of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, construction of railways is difficult and expensive.
♦ Recently, the development of Konkan railway along the western coast has contributed to the movement of goods and passengers through the passes and gaps along the Western Ghats to link the most economic region of India.

Question. Why is air travel preferred in the north-eastern states of India? Explain any three reasons.
Answer:
Air travel is more popular in the north-eastern states of India because of the following reasons.
♦ North eastern part of the country is marked with the presence of big rivers where other means of transport cannot be laid.
♦ It is marked with dissected relief that makes it impossible to access the area through other means of transport other than air.
♦ The entire area is covered with dense forest that resists land movement.
♦ This area is often hit by frequent floods. Air travel is thus required.
♦ It has a long international frontier that requires quick response which is possible only through air transport.

Question. How can you help the Indian Railways to run the trains as per schedule? Explain.
Answer:
We can help the Indian Railways to run the trains as per schedule by:
♦ keeping the trains tracks clean, clear and well maintained.
♦ avoiding the pulling of chains for unnecessary reasons.
♦ avoiding the damage done to the railway property.

Question. Describe any five major problems faced by road transport in India
Answer:
Major problems faced by road transport are:
♦ In terms of volume of traffic and passengers, the road network is inadequate.
♦ About half of the roads are unmetalled and get damaged during the rainy season.
♦ The number of National Highways is inadequate and are poorly maintained.
♦ The roads are congested in cities and are lacking safety measures.
♦ Most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.

Question. Advancement of international trade of a country is an index of its econoniic prosperity.’ Justify the statement with five arguments
Answer:
Advancement of international trade of a country is an index of its economic prosperity. The following points can justify the statement.
♦ No country can survive without international trade because resources are space bound.
♦ Advancement of international trade of a country leads to its economic prosperity because such a trade provides so many jobs to workers as well as business to traders.
♦ It is through international trade that we earn much of our foreign exchange which is required for importing many essential goods.
♦ Foreign trade helps in transfer of technology.
♦ International trade gives rise to competition. Domestic producers make their production process efficient to meet the international standards and thus, are able to compete.

Question. What are the means of communication? How do they create awareness ahjong the masses and integrate the people? Explain with four examples.
Answer:
Communication refers to conveying of messages and ideas between individuals or to the masses.
The means of mass communication are radio, television, media and films.
They create awareness among the mass and integrated the people in the following ways.
♦ Every day at regular intervals, we hear or watch the news on the radio and television. News are given on variety of subjects and topics and people come to know what is happening in the society, politics and economy.
♦ Newspaper also gives news on variety of subjects like politics, society, financial, sports and international. The news are given in details (of the day before). They also carry
advertisements.
♦ India is the largest producer of feature films in the world. It produces short films, feature films and video short films.
♦ Means of communication also integrate the people. If we see about any unforeseen calamity on the television or read about it in the newspaper, the country stands united to help the victims.

Question. How is road transport more advantageous than other means of transport for short distances? Explain with five suitable examples.
Answer:
♦ Road transport is economical in transportation of few people and smaller amount of goods. It reduces cost.
♦ Road transport do not need a station or a port (sea port and air port). It can cover short distances easily and quickly.
♦ There are a large variety of vehicles on the roads, carrying one, two or more than sixty persons. They can negotiate traffic jams.
♦ They provide door to door service.
♦ Road transport like rickshaws, bicycles, autos and scooters can negotiate the narrow and congested lanes and by-lanes and carry people and goods.

Question. Explain the improvements made by the Indian railways in its functioning.
Answer:
Improvements made by Indian railways in its functioning are:
♦ Construction of new railway lines and extension of additional routes along certain routes.
♦ Electrification of railway network.
♦ Introduction of super fast trains like Shatabadi, Rajdhani, etc.
♦ Computerised reservation of booking and cancellation of tickets.

Question. Explain three reasons for dense railway network in the North Indian plains.
Answer:
North Indian Plains have a dense network of railway because of the following reasons.
♦ Vast level land that is topographically suitable for laying railway lines.
♦ High population density makes it economical to operate.
♦ Rich agricultural resources in the plains require network of railways to sustain economy.

Question. “Advancement of international trade of a country is an index to its economic prosperity.”
Support the statement with three arguments.
Answer:
Advancement of international trade of a country is an index of its economic prosperity. The following points can justify the statement.
♦ No country can survive without international trade because resources are space bound.
♦ Advancement of international trade of a country leads to its economic prosperity because such a trade provides so many jobs to workers as well as business to traders.
♦ It is through international trade that we earn much of our foreign exchange which is required for importing many essential goods.
♦ Foreign trade helps in transfer of technology.
♦ International trade gives rise to competition. Domestic producers make their production process efficient to meet the international standards and thus, are able to compete.

Question. Mention any two inland waterways of India. Write three characteristics of each.
Answer:
The two inland waterways of India are:
♦ The Brahmaputra River between Sadiya and Dhubri.
♦ The West-Coast Canal in Kerala
The characteristics of Brahmaputra River between Sadiya and Dhubri are:
♦ The waterway is 891 km long on river Brahmaputra.
♦ Long cruise tourist vessels make voyages between Sivsagar near Dibrugarh and Manas wildlife sanctuary near Jogighopa continuously. Thus, making it a commercially beneficial proposition.
♦ Border security force deployed on this inland prove to be an important base for defence of the country.
The characteristics of West-Coast Canal in Kerala are:
♦ The stretch is 205 km long of the canals of Kerala. .
♦ The waterway provides 24 hours navigation facility in the entire stretch.
♦ The backwaters of Kerala prove to be cheap means of transport attracting tourists.

Question. How has the distribution pattern of the Railway network in the country been largely influenced by physiographic and economic factors? Explain with examples
Answer:
The distribution of railway network depends upon physiographic, economic and administrative factors. The following are the conditions responsible for uneven distribution pattern of the railway network in India.
♦ The northern plains have dense network of railways due to extensive level land, agriculturally and industrially productive region and support high density of population which is favourable for the development of railways. However, the presence of large number of rivers requires the construction of bridges across the rivers which poses some difficulties.
♦ In the hilly regions of the north and the peninsular plateau regions, railways are constructed through narrow gaps, or tunnels.
♦ The Himalayas region has less network of railways due to rugged terrain, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
♦ In the sandy plains of western Rajasthan, swampy regions of Gujarat, thickly forested regions of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, construction of railways is  difficult and expensive.
♦ Recently, the development of Konkan railway along the western coast has contributed to the movement of goods and passengers through the passes and gaps along the Western Ghats to link the most economic region of India.

LONG ANSWER QUESTION

Question. What are the advantages of roads over railways? Or (How does road transport score over railways?) What are the problems faced by the road transportation in India?
Answer: (a) Roads are important for transport of goods and passengers for short and medium distances. (b) Road transport is relatively cheap and easy both in construction and maintenance. (c) It can be constructed even in mountainous terrain where as railways are not possible in these areas. Railways require levelled ground. (d) Roads connect areas of production with market, factories with farms and provide door-to-door service. (e) Road transport is used as a feeder to other modes of transport such as they provide a link between railway stations, air port and seaports. (f) For easy transportation of perishable goods, roads provide better service than the railways.

The problems faced by road transportation are the following: (a) The road network in India is inadequate keeping in view of the number of passengers and volume of traffic. (b) About half of the roads in India are un-surfaced which becomes muddy during the rainy season. c) The National Highways are inadequate and highly congested in the cities and their bridges and culverts are narrow. (d ) The road side amenities like telephone ,books ,emergency health services and police protection on the national highways are very poor and need improvement.

Question. Name the different types of roads in India.
Answer: (a) Super Highways: (Express ways) The Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi is a six lane super highway. North South Corridor connecting Srinagar and Kanyakumari and East West Corridor connecting Silcher in Assam and Porbandhar in Gujarat are also super highways

Theses are maintained by the National Highway Authority of India.

(b) National Highways: These connect one state with another and are of national importance. These are constructed and maintained by the Central Public Works Department. There are about 52,000 Km of National Highways in India. E.g. N.H. 17, N.H...47 etc.

(c) State Highways: These roads are constructed and maintained by state Governments. It connects state capital with district head quarters and with other important cities of the states. There are about 1.3 lakh Km of state highways in India.

(d) The District Roads: These roads connect district headquarters with cities and other places of the district. These roads are constructed and maintained by the District administration.

(e) Other Roads : Village roads connect villages with neighboring towns and cities. These roads receive special impetus under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.

(f) Border Roads: The border roads link the frontiers of the country. The border roads are constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organization (BRO). 6. State the characteristics of the North –South Corridor. a) It connects Srinagar in Jammu Kashmir and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

Question. State the characteristics of the North –South Corridor.
Answer: a) It connects Srinagar in Jammu Kashmir and Kanyakumari  in Tamil Nadu. b) It is the longest express way in India. c) It is a four to six lane road. d) It is meant for fast movement of traffic. e) Much roundabouts or junctions are not seen f) Roads are not cut at right angles and no fear of vehicles crossing- accidents are less.

Question. How do physiographic and economic factors influence the distribution pattern of Indian railway network? Explain with suitable examples.
Answer: Physiographic factors: (a) Railways require level land for its construction. It is not possible to construct a railway line in the mountains terrains . Flood plains of Bihar and Assam and rugged topography of the Himalayan region are not good for railway service. (b) Sparsely populated areas like sandy deserts of Rajasthan are not good for railway network. It requires high density of population for its growth. (c) Northern plains of India have dense network of railway, because their vast level land , high density of population and rich agricultural resources. NM ISB - 124 - (d) Economic factors. a) Rich agriculture ensures the development of railways for easy and cheap transportation of agricultural goods. b) Greater industrial activity is required in areas where development of railways is expected. Movements of goods and passengers support the railways.

Question. Name the railway zones with their Headquarters.
Answer: (a) Northern Railway- New Delhi (b) Southern Railway- Chennai (c) Eastern Railway- Kolkata (d) Western Railway – Mumbai (e) Central Railway -Mumbai (f) North-Eastern Railway – Gorakhpur (g) South Eastern Railway– Kolkata (h) South Central Railway – Secundarabad (i) North Eastern Frontier Railway- Maligoan (Guwahati) (j) East Coast Rail way-Bhubaneshwar (k) North Central Railway- Allahabad (l) North Western Railway Jaipur (m)South East Central Railway- Bilaspur (n) South Western Railway –Hubli (o) West Central Railway- Jabalpur (p) East Central Railway-Hajipur 13. What are pipelines used for? Describe two important network of pipeline.

Question. What is the importance of railway transport? Describe any three major problems faced by Indian Railways.
Answer:
The following are the major problems faced by the Indian Railways:
♦ Passengers travel without ticket.
♦ Thefts and damages of railways property.
♦ Unnecessary chain pulling by the passengers cause delays.

Question. Describe any four features of Indian tourism as a trade.
Answer:
Following are the features of Indian tourism as a trade:
♦ Tourism in India has grown substantially over the last three decades with the bumper increase in foreign tourists.
♦ It provides employment and financial support to local handicrafts and cultural pursuits.
♦ India has become a popular destination for heritage, adventure, medical and business tourism.
♦ Indian tourism has achieved the status of maximum foreign exchange

Question. How do means of transport and communication play an important role in the economic development of the country? Explain.
Answer: Dense and efficient network of transport and communication is a pre-requisite for the development of local, national and global trade of today because of the following reasons.
♦ We use different material and services in our daily life. Some of these are available in our immediate surroundings while other requirements are met by bringing things from other places. Movement of these goods and services can be over three domains of earth.
♦ Today the world has converted into a large village with the help of efficient and fast-moving transport.
♦ Transport has been able to achieve this with the help of equally developed communication system.
♦ Therefore transport, communication and trade are complementary to each other.
♦ Today, India is well linked with rest of the world despite its vast size diversity, linguistic and socio-cultural plurality.

Question. ‘Roadways still have an edge over railways in India.’ Support the statement with arguments.
Answer:
Roadways still have an edge over railways in India in the following ways.
♦ Roads are cheaper than railways and are easier to construct and maintain.
♦ Roads provide door-to-door service, therefore the cost of loading and unloading is much less.
♦ Road transport is used as a feeder to other means of transport, i.e. it is a link between railway stations, airports and seaports.
♦ Roads can traverse more dissected and undulating topography.
♦ It can negotiate higher gradients of slopes and can traverse mountains.
♦ Roads are economical is transporting few number of people and smaller amount of goods over short distances.

Question. Classify communication services into two categories. Explain main features of each.
Answer:
Communication services can be classified into two categories—personal communication and mass communication.
Main features of personal communication:
♦ It is the communication between person to person. In this communication, only personal messages are exchanged.
♦ Personal communication is done through mobile phones, letters, e-mails, post cards, etc.
Main features of mass communication:
♦ It is the communication among masses. It provides entertainment as well as awareness about various national programmes.
♦ Mass communication is done through radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books, films, etc.

Question. Define the term tourism. Why is tourism known as a trade? Explain
Answer:
Tourism means an activity of visiting places, especially in foreign countries for pleasure.
Tourism is known as a trade because of the following reasons.
♦ Foreign tourist’s arrivals have increased over the years. 5.78 million foreign tourists visited India in 2010. It contributed ? 64,889 crores as foreign exchange in the year 2010.
♦ More than 15 million people are directly engaged in tourism industry.
♦ It helps in the development of Indian handicrafts and other economic activities.
♦ Foreign tourist visits India for business tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism, eco tourism, heritage tourism, etc.

Question. Explain any five major problems faced by road transport in India
Answer:
The major problems faced by road transport in India are as follows.
♦ The road network is inadequate when volume of traffic and passengers are taken into consideration.
♦ Nearly half of the roads are unmetalled and it limits their usage during the rainy season.
♦ Roadways are highly congested in the cities, with frequent traffic jams.
♦ Most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.
♦ The national highways are inadequate too.

Question. Why is a dense and efficient network of transport and communication a prerequisite for the development of local, national and global trade of today? Give your opinion.
Answer:
Dense and efficient network of transport and communication is a pre-requisite for the development of local, national and global trade of today because of the following reasons.
♦ We use different material and services in our daily life. Some of these are available in our immediate surroundings while other requirements are met by bringing things from other places. Movement of these goods and services can be over three domains of earth.
♦ Today the world has converted into a large village with the help of efficient and fast-moving transport.
♦ Transport has been able to achieve this with the help of equally developed communication system.
♦ Therefore transport, communication and trade are complementary to each other.
♦ Today, India is well linked with rest of the world despite its vast size diversity, linguistic and socio-cultural plurality.

Question. ‘Road transport and rail transport in India are not competitive but complementary to each other.’ Justify the statement.
Answer:
The statement road transport and rail transport in India are not competitive but complementary to each other can be justified in the following ways.
♦ Road transport is more suitable for short distances whereas rail transport is more suitable for long distances.
♦ Road transport is economical in transportation of few persons and relatively smaller amount of goods over short distances whereas rail transport is more suitable for large number of people and heavy goods.
♦ Road transport is beneficial for perishable goods to be carried by roads in short period of time whereas non-perishable and bulky are transported by railways for a longer distances.
♦ Road transport increases the efficiency of railways.
♦ Road transport links the rural areas with railway stations.
♦ The deficiency of railways is compensated by road transport.

Question. Write any four characteristics of Kandla sea port.
Answer:
The following are the characteristics of the Kandla sea port:
♦ It is a tidal port.
♦ It was the first port developed soon after the Independence of India in Kuchchh.
♦ It was developed to ease the volume of trade from Mumbai port after the loss of Karachi port to Pakistan after the Partition in 1947.
♦ It caters to the convenient handling of imports and exports of granary and industrial belt spreading from states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana,
Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Question. Explain any four merits of pipeline transport in India.
Answer:
The following are the merits of pipeline transport in India:
♦ Solids (when converted into slurry), liquids and gases can be transported through pipelines.
♦ Initial cost of laying pipelines is high but subsequent running costs are minimal.
♦ Trans-shipment of losses and delays are ruled out.
♦ It is economical to transport petroleum, natural gas, ferlilizers to interior places of the country.

Question. What is the meaning of road density? Describe any three major problems faced by road transportation in India.
Answer:
Major problems faced by road transport are:
♦ In terms of volume of traffic and passengers, the road network is inadequate.
♦ About half of the roads are unmetalled and get damaged during the rainy season.
♦ The number of National Highways is inadequate and are poorly maintained.
♦ The roads are congested in cities and are lacking safety measures.
♦ Most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.

Question. ‘Advancement of international trade of a country is an index to its prosperity.’
Support the statement with suitable examples.
Answer:
Advancement of international trade of a country is an index of its economic prosperity. The following points can justify the statement.
♦ No country can survive without international trade because resources are space bound.
♦ Advancement of international trade of a country leads to its economic prosperity because such a trade provides so many jobs to workers as well as business to traders.
♦ It is through international trade that we earn much of our foreign exchange which is required for importing many essential goods.
Foreign trade helps in transfer of technology.
♦ International trade gives rise to competition. Domestic producers make their production process efficient to meet the international standards and thus, are able to compete.

Question. ‘Indian railways binds the economic life of the country as well as accelerates the development of industry and agriculture.’ Justify the statement.
Answer:
They are principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers. They help in multifarious ways like business, sightseeing, along with transportation of goods over long distances.
♦ Economic development of a region depends upon the dense network of rail transport.
♦ They link areas of production with that of consumption, agriculture with industry and village with towns and cities.
♦ They help in industrial development by assemblage of raw materials and distribution of finished goods.
♦ They help in regional development.
♦ Railways help in the development of all the three sectors of the economy— primary, secondary and tertiary. 35. Mention any four merits and any two demerits of air transport

Question. Mention any four merits and any two demerits of air transport
Answer:
Merits of air transport are:
♦ Most comfortable
♦ Fastest means of transport
♦ Covers long stretches of mountains, deserts, thick forests and oceanic stretches with great ease.
♦ Helicopters can land and take off from any place.
Demerits of air transport are:
♦ Very expensive
♦ It is often affected by weather phenomenon like fog and strong currents in upper atmosphere.

MAP QUESTIONS

Question. On the given map of India locate and label the following with appropriate symbols:
Answer:
(l) Tuticorin-Major seaport
(ii) Kochi-Major seaport
(iii) Kandla-Major seaport
(iv) Raja Sansi International airport or Amritsar International Airport
(v) New Mangalore-Major seaport
(vi) Paradip-Seaport
(vii) Vishakhapatnam-Major seaport
(viii) Chennai/Madras

Question. Some features are marked on the given political map of India, with the help of following information and write their correct lines marked in the maps.
Answer:
(i) Terminal station of North-South Corridor
(ii) Terminal station of East-West Corridor
(ill) The terminal station of North-South Corridor
(iv) Terminal station of East-West Corridor
(v) Terminal station of NH7
(vi) Terminal station of NH7
(vii) International Airport
(viii) Major seaport
(ix) Terminal station of NH7
(x) Terminal station of NH1