Question

Discuss the main land use patterns in India.

Hint:

Understanding land use helps in planning sustainable development and managing natural resources effectively.

Answer 1

India has diverse land use patterns due to its varied climate, soil types, and topography. The main land use categories are:

1. Forest Land:
- Forests cover about 23\% of India’s total geographical area. - They provide timber, fuelwood, and other forest products, and help in maintaining ecological balance. - Major forest areas are found in the Western Ghats, Himalayas, and northeastern states.
2. Net Sown Area:
- This is the land under cultivation during a particular agricultural year. - India has a large net sown area, making agriculture a dominant land use. - It includes both food crops and commercial crops.
3. Current Fallow and Other Fallow Lands:
- Fallow lands are those left uncultivated for one or more years. - Current fallow refers to land left unplanted for one agricultural year. - Other fallow lands remain uncultivated for longer periods due to reasons like soil fertility decline or water scarcity.
4. Land under Non-agricultural Uses:
- Includes land used for roads, buildings, industries, and infrastructure. - With urbanization, this category is increasing rapidly.
5. Pastures and Grazing Land:
- Used for raising livestock. - Their area is decreasing due to expansion of agriculture and urbanization.
6. Cultivable Waste and Land Not Available for Cultivation:
- Cultivable waste includes land that could be brought under cultivation but is currently unused. - Land not available for cultivation includes mountains, glaciers, rivers, and barren lands.
Conclusion:
India’s land use pattern is largely dominated by agriculture and forest cover, but rapid urbanization and industrialization are changing these patterns significantly.