CBSE Class 10 Social Science Lifelines of National Economy VBQs

MCQ Questions for Class 10 Social Science Lifelines of National Economy

Question : Which is the extreme south-western port ?
(a) Marmagao
(b) New Mangalore
(c) Kandla
(d) Kochi
Answer : D

Question : Primary road systems are laid and maintained by :
(a) Zila Parishad
(b) CPWD
(c) NHAI
(d) PWD
Answer : B

Question : If the value of imports exceeds the value of export, it is termed as _____________ .
(a) Balance of trade
(b) Favourable balance of trade
(c) Unfavourable balance of trade
(d) Balance of payment
Answer : C

Question : The longest highway of India is ____ .
(a) National Highway-8
(b) National Highway-7
(c) National Highway-1
(d) National Highway-15
Answer : B

Question : The Indian national highways are maintained by the department of ......... .
(a) National Highway Authority of India
(b) State Public Works Department
(c) Zila Parishad
(d) Central Public Works Department
Answer : D

Question : The extreme south-western port is ____ .
(a) Tuticorin port
(b) Kochchi port
(c) New Mangalore port
(d) None of the above
Answer : B

Question : Which one of the following states is not connected with the H.V.J. pipeline?
(a) Madhya Pradesh
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Gujarat
(d) Uttar Pradesh

Answer : B

Question : World has become a global village due to which of the following?
(a) Transport and communication
(b) International trade
(c) Engineering Industry
(d) Electronic industry
Answer : A

Question : Which port is the major iron ore exporting port of the country?
(a) Mumbai port
(b) Marmagao port
(c) Paradip port
(d) Kandla port
Answer : B

Question : Which locations from the following are connected by the longest National Highway-7?
(a) Delhi and Kanyakumari
(b) Delhi and Mumbai
(c) Jabalpur and Madurai
(d) Varanasi and Kanyakumari
Answer : D

Question : Which one of the following ports was developed to relieve the pressure on Kolkata port?
(a) Haldia
(b) Paradip
(c) Vishakhapatnam
(d) Navasheva
Answer : A

Question : Which was the first port developed soon after independence to ease the volume of the trade on the Mumbai port?
(a) Vishakhapattnam
(b) Kochi
(c) Kandla
(d) Paradwip
Answer : C

Question : Which of the of following statements is correct about tourism?
(a) Tourism helps in the development of international understanding and brotherhood.
(b) Tourism helps in the development of national pride.
(c) Tourism does not help in the development of culture and heritage
(d) Tourism helps in the development of religion
Answer : A

Question : Which of the following visit India for heritage tourism, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism and business tourism?
(a) Foreign tourists
(b) Local tourists
(c) Students as tourists
(d) None of the above
Answer : A

Question : Which is the biggest port in India?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Vishakhapatnam
(c) Tuticorin
(d) Marmagao
Answer : A

Question : The exchange of goods among people, states and countries is known as _____________.
(a) Import
(b) Export
(c) Exchange
(d) Trade
Answer : D

Question : If the value of imports exceeds the value of export, it is termed as _____________.
(a) Balance of trade
(b) Favourable balance of trade
(c) Unfavourable balance of trade
(d) Balance of payment
Answer : C

Question : What name is given to countries like Nepal and Bhutan?
(a) Coastal countries
(b) Landlocked countries
(c) Gulf countries
(d) countries
Answer : B

Question : Which transport network is a new arrival on the transportation map of India?
(a) Airways
(b) Waterways
(c) Pipelines
(d) Roadways
Answer : C

Question : What is the length of the Indian coastline?
(a) 4,516.6 km
(b) 5,516.6 km
(c) 6,516.6 km
(d) 7,516.6 km
Answer : D

Question : In which year air transport was nationalised?
(a) 1948
(b) 1953
(c) 1970
(d) 1960
Answer : B

Question : Which country among the following has one of the largest road networks in the world, aggregating to about 2.3 million km at present?
(a) India
(b) China
(c) Bangladesh
(d) Nepal
Answer : A

Question : Which mode of transportation reduces transshipment losses and delays?
(a) Railways
(b) Roadways
(c) Pipelines
(d) Waterways
Answer : C

Question : _____________ is the tidal port.
(a) Marmagao
(b) New Mangalore
(c) Kandla
(d) Koch
Answer : C

Question : Tourism promotes _____________.
(a) National integration
(b) Enmity
(c) Terrorism
(d) Adventure
Answer : A

Question : Primary road systems are laid and maintained by :
(a) Zila Parishad
(b) CPWD
(c) NHAI
(b) PWD
Answer : B

Question : Identify the correct statement regarding the major objective of the Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways.
(a) To reduce time and distance between mega cities.
(b) To break inter-state barriers.
(c) To compete with the railways in India.
(d) None of these
Answer : A

Question : Identify the correct option(s) about flows that were restricted to a limited space for a long time.
I. Trade
II. Transport
III. Communication
IV. Investment
Options :
(a) I,II
(b) II, III
(c) I, III
(d) II, IV
Answer : A

Question : Which is the extreme south-western port ?
(a) Marmagao
(b) New Mangalore
(c) Kandla
(d) Kochch
Answer : D

Question : Which is the extreme south-eastern port ?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Vishakhapatnam
(c) Tuticorin
(d) Marmagao
Answer : C

Question : Which two of the following extreme locations are connected by the eastwest corridor?
(a) Mumbai and Nagpur
(b) Silcher and Porbandar
(c) Mumbai and Kolkata
(d) Nagpur and Siligudi
Answer : B

Question : Which is the cheapest mode of transport in India?
(a) Waterways
(b) Roadways
(c) Railways
(d) Airways 
Answer : A

Question : What is the full form of NHAI ?
(a) National Highway Association of India
(b) National Highway Authority of India
(c) National Historical Association of India
(d) National Highway Arms of India
Answer : B

Question : Which is the longest National Highway ?
(a) National Highway No. 1
(b) National Highway No. 3
(c) National Highway No. 5
(d) National Highway No. 7
Answer : D

Question : Arrange the following Indian airports from north to south in the correct sequence :
i. Meenam Bakkam Airport
ii. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
iii. Raja Sansi Airport
iv. Indira Gandhi International Airport
Options -
(a) (i)-(ii)-(iii)-(iv)
(b) (iii)-(iv)-(ii)-(i)
(c) (iv)-(i)-(iii)-(ii)
(d) (iv)-(ii)-(iii)-(i)
Answer : B

True / False

Question : Air travel is transport in north-eastern parts of India due to less expensive mode of transport. 
Answer : True

Question : Super highways are six lane highways connecting major cities and ports of the country for speedy movement of goods and passengers. (True/False)
Answer : True

Question : BOT stands for Build, Operate and Transfer. It means that after realising cost and profit for certain period, the roads will be transferred to the govt. as their rightful owners.
Answer : True

Assertion and Reasoning Based Questions

Mark the option which is most suitable :
(a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) If assertion is true but reason is false.
(d) If both assertion and reason are false.

Question : Assertion : Communication is unessential requirement of human life.
Reason : Communication between people does not create awareness.
Answer : (d) If both assertion and reason are false.

Question : Assertion : Cost of laying pipelines is less but subsequent running costs are maximum Reason : Pipelines do not facilitate easy transportation of goods.
Answer : (d) If both assertion and reason are false.

Question : Assertion : Waterways are the cheapest means of transport.
Reason : It is a fuel-efficient and environment friendly mode of transport.
Answer : (a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.

Question : Assertion : International trade has undergone a sea of changes in the last decades.
Reason : Exchange of commodities and goods have been superseded by the exchange of information and knowledge.
Answer : (a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.

Question : Give a brief description of Indian feature films.
Answer : India is the largest producer of feature films in the world. It produces short films, video feature films and video short films. The Central Board of Film Certification is the authority to certify both Indian and foreign films .

Question : Name the river related to National Waterways No. 2.
Answer : Brahmaputra.

Question : Match the following items given in column A with those in column B.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below

Answer : (a) 4, (b) 3, (c) 2, (d) 1

Question : On what basis the roads are classified?
Answer : The roads are classified on the basis of the type of material used for their construction such as metalled and un-metalled roads.

Question : To whom does Pawanhans Helicopters Ltd. provide services?
Answer : Pawanhans Helicopters Ltd. provides services to Oil and Natural gas Corporation in its off-shore operations, to inaccessible areas and difficult terrains like the north-eastern states, Jammu-Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Question : Which is the deepest, landlocked and well protected sea port of India?
Answer : Vishakhapatnam is the deepest, landlocked and well protected sea port of India.

Question : Name the National Waterways declared by the government of India.
Answer : The Ganga River between Allahabad and Haldia, the Brahmaputra River between Sadiya and Dhubri, the West-Coast canal in Kerala are the National Waterways.

Question : On what does the pace of development of a country depend ?
Answer : The pace of development of a country depends upon the production of goods and services as well as their movement over space.

Question : What are National Highways?
OR
What is CPWD?
OR
Who maintains and lays the National Highways?
Answer : National Highways link extreme parts of the country. These are the primary road systems and are laid and maintained by Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

Question : Who implements the highway project ?
Answer : The highway projects are implemented by the National highway Authority of India. (NHAI).

Question : What is the function of mass communication?
Answer : Mass communication entertains and creates awareness among people about various national programmes and policies.

Question : Mention the three important networks of pipeline transportation in the country.
Answer : There are three important networks of pipeline transportation in the country.
(i) From oil field in upper Assam to Kanpur, via Guwahati, Barauni and Allahabad. It has branches from Barauni to Haldia, via Rajbandh, Rajbandh to Maurigram and Guwahati to Siliguri.
(ii) From Salaya in Gujarat to Jalandhar in Punjab, via Viramgam, Mathura, Delhi and Sonipat. It has branches to connect Koyali, Ckakshu and other places.
(iii) Gas pipeline from Hazira in Gujarat connects Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh, via Vijaipur in Madhya Pradesh. It has branches to Kota in Rajasthan, Shahjahanpur, Babrala and other places in Uttar Pradesh.

Question : What are the National Waterways in India?
Answer : The National Waterways in India :
(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 (Kottapuram-Kollam, Udyogamandal and Champakkara canals-205 km) N.W. No. 3.

Question : Describe any three features of waterways in India.
Answer : Advantages/features of using waterways are given below :
(i) Waterways are the cheapest means of transport and most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods.
(ii) They are fuel-efficient and an environment friendly mode of transport.
(iii) Heavy and bulky goods being exported or imported are easier for transshipment from waterways to ships on the coast, as the waterways lead to ports.

Question : Why waterways are important?
Answer : Since time immemorial, India has been one of the sea facing countries. Its importance can be judged based on the following reasons :
(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.
(iv) India's trade with foreign countries is carried out through the ports located along the coast.
(v) 95% of the country's trade is moved by sea.

Question : ‘‘Dense and efficient network of transport is a prerequisite for trade.’’ Examine the statement.
Answer : The dense and efficient network of transport is a prerequisite for trade because :
(i) It provides connectivity, which is essential for trading.
(ii) The transport mediums like railways, airways, waterways, etc. contributes to the socio-economic development of a country.
(iii) The efficient network of transport helps in expanding the trade from local to international markets, which enhances the growth of its economy.

Question : Why do the movement of goods and services from one place to another require fast and efficient means of transport? Explain with examples.
Answer : Efficient means of transport is necessary due to the following reasons :
(i) We require different types of materials and services to meet our daily needs. Some of these materials and services are available near our surroundings while we bring other things from distant places.
(ii) Goods and services cannot move on their own. So, transport is necessary to move these goods and services from supply locations to the demand locations.
(iii) The products reach to the customers by transport.

Question : Name the major sea ports of India.
Answer : The major ports of India are :
(i) Kandla Port
(ii) Mumbai Port
(iii) The Jawaharlal Nehru Port
(iv) Marmagao Port
(v) New Mangalore Port
(vi) Kochi Port
(vii) Tuticorin Port
(viii) Chennai Port
(ix) Vishakhapatnam
(x) Paradip Port
(xi) Kolkata Port
(xii) Haldia Port

Question : Explain the advantages of road transport.
Answer : Road transport is more advantageous than any other transport because :
(i) Construction cost of roads is low.
(ii) Roads can traverse dissected and undulating topography.
(iii) Roads can negotiate gradient of slopes and can traverse mountains such as the Himalayas.
(iv) Road transportation is highly economical and efficient mode of transportation. It facilitates the conveyance of a large number of goods over shorter and longer distances.
(v) It also provides door to door service, thus the cost of loading and unloading is much lower.
(vi) Road transport is also used as a feeder to other modes of transport. 

Question : Describe the significance of pipelines in India.
Answer : The significance of pipelines in India are stated as follows :
(i) They are used for transporting crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil fields and natural gas fields to refineries, fertiliser 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 fertiliser 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 : How are roadways better than railways?
OR
Roadways have an edge over railways. Explain.
OR
What are the advantages of roadways?
Answer : The following are the reasons why roadways are better than railways :
(i) Construction cost of roads is much lower than that of the railway lines.
(ii) Roads can traverse, comparatively, more dissected and undulating topography.
(iii) Roads can negotiate higher gradients of slopes and can traverse mountains such as the Himalayas.
(iv) Road transport is a highly economical and efficient mode of transport. Therefore, it is relatively better for conveying smaller amount of goods over short and long distances.
(v) It also provides door-to-door service, thus the cost of loading and unloading is much lower.
(vi) Road transport is also used as a feeder to other modes of transport as they provide a link between railway stations, air and sea ports.

Question : What is the importance of rail transport?
Answer : Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India.
(i) Railways make it possible to conduct multifarious activities like business, sightseeing, and pilgrimage along with transportation of goods over longer distances.
(ii) Apart from an important means of transport, the Indian Railways have been a great integrating force for more than 150 years.
(iii) Railways in India bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate the development of the industry and agriculture.
(iv) It facilitates long distance travel and helps in conveying heavy goods easily.
(v) It provides more scope for employment by encouraging mobility of labour.

Question : How has the distribution pattern of the railway largely been influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors?
Answer : The distribution pattern of the Indian Railway Network has been largely influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors.
(i) The Northern Plains with their vast level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources provided the most favourable condition for their growth.
(ii) A large number of rivers, requiring construction of bridges across their wide beds posed some obstacles.
(iii) In the hilly terrains of the peninsular region, railway tracts are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels.
(iv) The Himalayan mountainous regions too are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to higher relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
(v) Similarly, it was difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plain of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
(vi) The contiguous stretch of Sahyadri could be crossed only through gaps or passes.
(vii) Regions with greater industrial, agricultural and trade activities have dense railway network.

Question : Why are the means of transport and communication called lifelines of our national economy ?
Answer : Transport and communication are considered to be the lifelines of our national economy. The reasons are enumerated as follows :
(i) They help in increasing cooperation and assistance between countries by easy movement of goods and material between countries.
(ii) They help in trade and commerce within the country.
(iii) They have reduced distances, thus bringing the world closer.
(iv) They help in both production and distribution of goods, and movement of large number of people over long distances.
(v) They provide important links between producers and consumers of goods.
(vi) They bring people very close to one another by promoting interdependence among people.

Read the sources given below and answer the questions that follows :

Source A – Railways Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India. Railways also make it possible for people to conduct multiferous activities like business, sightseeing, pilgrimage along with transportation of good over long distances. Apart from an important means of transport the India Railways have been a great integrating force for more than 150 years. Railways in india bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate the development of the industry and agriculture.
Source B – Pipelines Pipeline transport network is a new arrival on the transportation map of India. In the past, these were used to transport water to cities and industries. Now these are used for transporting Crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil and natural gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories and big thermal power plants. Solids can also be transported through a pipeline when converted into slurry. The far inland locations of refineries like Barauni, Mathura, Panipat, and gas based fertilizer plants could be thought of only because of pipelines.
Source C – Communication India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia. Excluding urban places more than two-thirds of villages in India have already been covered with Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) telephone facility. In order to strengthen the flow of information from the grassroot to the higher level, the government has made special provisions to extend twenty-four hours STD facilities all over India.

Source A – Railways

Question : How the Indian Railways unified the India ?
Answer : Railways make it possible for people to conduct various activities like trade, tourism, pilgrimage and family coordination. Thus, railways not only bind the economic life of the country but also transport massive number of passengers an nicely as goods and objects at a time.

Source B – Pipelines

Question : What is pipeline transport network ?
Answer : Pipeline transport network is used for transporting crude oil, petroleum products natural gas from oil and natural gas fields to refineries, factories and big thermal power plants.

Source C – Communication

Question : Write short note on telecom network in India.
Answer : India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia. Excluding urban places more than two-thirds of the villages in India have already been covered with Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) telephone facility.

Read the extract and answer the questions that follows :

Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India. Railways also make it possible for people to conduct multifarious activities like business, sightseeing, pilgrimage along with transportation of goods over longer distances. Apart from an important means of transport the Indian Railways have been a great integrating force for more than 150 years. Railways in India bind the economic life of the country as well as accelerate the development of the industry and agriculture. The distribution pattern of the Railway network in the country has been largely influenced by physiographic, economic and administrative factors. The northern plains with their vast level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources provided the most favourable condition for their growth. However, a large number of rivers requiring construction of bridges across their wide beds posed some obstacles. In the hilly terrains of the peninsular region, railway tracts are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels. The Himalayan mountainous regions too are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities. Likewise, it was difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plain of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Question : How many zones the Indian Railway is organized?
Answer : The Indian Railway is reorganized in 16 zones.

Question : Discuss the problems suffered by rail transport?
Answer : (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 : Why it is difficult to lay railway tracts in hilly areas ?
Answer : The hilly regions are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.

Question : Which authority certifies both Indian and foreign films?
Answer : The Central Board of Film certification is the authority to certify both Indian and foreign films.

Question : Name the places which are important destinations of foreign tourists in India.
Answer : Rajasthan, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and temple towns of south India.

Question : Name the authority that maintains State Highways.
Answer : State Public Works Department.

Question : Which port was the first port developed soon after the independence of India?
Answer : Kandla in Kuchchh was the first port developed soon after the independence of India.

Question : Name the mode of transportation that reduces trains-shipment losses and delays in the supply of petroleum and gases?
Answer : Pipelines

Question : Which port is located in Orissa?
Answer : Paradip port is located in Orissa.

Question : Which type of port is Kandla?
Answer : Kandla is a tedal port.

Question : What is the length of inland waterways in India? How much waterway is navigable by mechanical boats?
Answer : India has inland navigation water ways of 14,500 km in length. Out of these only 3,700 km are navigable by mechanised boats.

Question : State some problems of road transport in our country.
Answer : Major problems of roadways are:
(i) Distribution of road is not uniform in the country.
(ii) Keeping in view the volume of traffic and passengers, the road network is inadequate.
(iii) About half of the roads are unmetalled and this restricts their usage during the rainy season.
(iv) The National Highways are inadequate too.
(v) Moreover, the roadways are highly congested in cities
(vi) Most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow.
(vii) Poor maintenance is also a big problem.

Question : Mention the importance of water transport. Name three National Waterways of our country.
Or
Explain a few advantages of waterways of India.
Or
Name the National Waterways of India.
Answer : (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.
The following waterways have been declared as the National Waterways by the Government:
(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 : What is the significance of the border roads?
Answer : The significance of border roads:
(a) Border roads have improved accessibility in areas of difficult terrain.
(b) They have helped in the economic development of these areas.

Question : Where and why is rail transport the most convenient means of transportation?
Answer : Rail transport is the most convenient means of transportation in the northern plains. It is because the northern plains have vast level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources. These have provided the most favourable condition for the growth of rail transport.

Question : Explain the improvement made by the Indian Railways in its functioning.
Answer : The improvements made by the Indian Railways in its functioning:
(i) Narrow gauges have been converted into broad gauges.
(ii) Track electrification
(iii) Automatic signals on the trunk routes.

Question : (i) Name two areas in India which are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines?
(ii) Why are certain area unfavourable for the construction of railway lines?
Give two reasons.
Answer : (i) (a) The Himalayan mountainous regions
(b) The sandy plains of Rajasthan
(ii) (a) The Himalayan mountainous regions are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
(b) It was also difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plains of western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat and forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand.

Question : Write a short note on various kinds of roads in India.
Answer : Various kinds of roads in India are:
1. Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways: The government has launched a major road development project linking Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai and Delhi and six-lane super Highways.
The North-South corridors linking Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) and Kanniyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and East-West Corridor linking Silcher (Assam) and Porbander (Gujarat) are part of this project.
2. National Highways: National highways link extreme parts of the country. These are primary road systems and are laid and maintained by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The historical Sher Shah Suri Marg is called National Highway No.1, between Delhi and Amritsar. The National Highway 7 between Varanasi and Kanniyakumari is the longest highway of India. The national highway 2 is between Delhi and Kolkata. The national highway 3 is between Agra and Mumbai. The national highway 8 is between Delhi and Mumbai. The national highway 15 passes through Rajasthan.
3. State Highways: Roads linking a state capital with different district headquarters are known as State Highways. State highways are constructed and maintained by the State Public Works Department (PWD)
4. District Roads: Roads which connect the district headquarters with other places of the district are called district roads. These roads are maintained by the Zila Parishad.
5. Rural Roads: 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.
6. Border Roads: Strategically important roads in the bordering areas of the country are called border roads. Border Roads Organisation (BRO), a government of India undertaking constructs and maintains border roads. This organisation was established in 1960 for the development of the roads of strategic importance in the northern and northeastern border areas.

Question : Write any four characteristics of Kandla seaport.
Answer : (i) Kandla in Kuchchh was the first port developed soon after independence of India.
(ii) It was developed to ease the volume of trade on the Mumbai port, in the wake of loss of Karachi port to Pakistan after the partition.
(iii) Kandla is a tidal port.
(iv) It caters to the convenient handling of exports and imports of highly productive granary and industrial belt stretching across the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Question : Analyse the physiographic and economic factors that have influenced the distribution pattern of the railway network in our country.
Answer : The distribution pattern of the railway network in the country has been largely influenced by physiographic and economic factors:
(i) The northern plains with their vast level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources provided the most favourable condition for the growth of railway network.
(ii) In the hilly terrains of the peninsular region, railway tracts are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels.
(iii) The Himalayan mountainous regions too are unfavourable for the construction of railway lines due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
(iv) It was equally difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plain of Western Rajasthan, swamps of Gujarat, forested tracks of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
(v) In recent times, the development of the Konkan railway along the west coast has facilitated the movement of passengers and goods in this most important economic region of India.

Question : What is mass communication? Throw light on different types of mass communication and its importance.
Or
Explain the importance of ‘Radio’ and ‘Television’ as an effective means of mass communication in India.
Answer : Mass communication is a communication in which masses are communicated at the same time by one source. Mass communication provides entertainment and creates awareness among people about various national programmes and policies. It includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books and films. All India Radio (AIR) (Akashwani) broadcasts a variety of programmes in national, regional and local languages for various categories of people, spread over different parts of the country.
Doordarshan: The national television channel of India is one of the largest terrestrial networks in the world. It broadcasts a variety of programmes from entertainment, education to sports, etc. for people of different age groups. Both radio and television are very effective means of communication in India because they are spread in every corner of the country. People of all classes enjoy them.
India publishes a large number of newspapers and periodicals annually. They are of different types depending upon their periodicity. Newspapers are published in about 100 languages and dialects.