CBSE Class 10 Social Science Lifelines of National Economy Important Questions Set 05

Important Questions

Question 1. Elaborate any three advantages of railways in India.
Answer:
Railways facilitate regular and efficient long-distance movement of goods and passengers.
They help in the industrialisation process of a country by efficiently and cheaply transporting coal and raw materials.
They help in the quick movement of goods from one place to another during emergencies like famines and scarcity.
They encourage mobility of labour, providing great scope for employment.
Railways are the safest form of transport, with minimal chances of accidents or breakdowns compared to other modes, and goods are protected from exposure to sun, rain and snow.
The carrying capacity of railways is extremely large and elastic, as it can easily be increased by adding more wagons.
Railways are the largest public-sector undertaking in the country, performing many public-utility services; their charges follow the 'charge what the traffic can bear' principle, which helps the poor.

Teacher's Note:
a) Railways combine high capacity, safety and affordability as India's largest public-sector transport network.
b) They also drive industrialisation by moving coal and raw materials efficiently.

Question 2. What is pipeline transportation? Write two merits and two demerits of it.
Answer:
Pipeline transport is a newer mode of transport; in the past, pipelines carried water to cities and industries, but now they transport crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil and gas fields to refineries, fertiliser factories and large thermal power plants; solids can also be transported as slurry.
Merits: useful for transporting gas, liquids and solid slurry from far-off locations; running costs after laying the network are minimal.
Demerits: the initial cost of laying pipelines is high; pipelines can burst or leak, wasting valuable resources like water or mineral oil.

Teacher's Note:
a) Pipelines now carry oil, gas and even solid slurry, not just water.
b) High upfront cost and leak risk are their main drawbacks, against low running costs and efficient bulk transport as benefits.

Question 3. Describe the rural roads in India.
Answer:
Rural roads link rural areas and villages with important towns.
These roads received special impetus under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
Special provisions ensure that every village in the country is linked to a major town by an all-season motorable road.

Teacher's Note:
a) Rural roads connect villages to towns, boosted by the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
b) The aim is all-season, motorable connectivity for every village.

Question 4. Describe any three features of waterways in India.
Answer:
India has been one of the seafaring countries since ancient times.
Seamen sailed far and near, carrying and spreading Indian commerce and culture.
Waterways are the cheapest means of transport.
They are most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods over long distances.
Waterways are a fuel-efficient and environment-friendly mode of transport.

Teacher's Note:
a) Waterways are India's cheapest, most fuel-efficient transport mode.
b) They are especially suited to moving heavy, bulky goods over long distances.

Question 5. Describe any three factors that give prominence to airways as a mode of transportation.
Answer:
Airways are the fastest mode of transportation.
They are the best means of transport for remote, inaccessible and hostile areas.
Airways play a vital role during natural and human-made calamities like floods, famines, earthquakes, epidemics and war, owing to their speed in reaching affected areas.

Teacher's Note:
a) Air transport's speed makes it vital for reaching remote areas and disaster zones.
b) This is why it plays a key role during emergencies like floods and earthquakes.