CBSE Class 10 Social Science Lifelines of the National Economy Important Questions Set 04

Question 1. “Transport routes are called the basic arteries of our economy.” Support this statement with examples.
Answer:
We use different materials and services in our daily life; some are available in our immediate surroundings, while others are met by bringing things from other places.
Goods and services do not move from supply locations to demand locations on their own — this movement necessitates the need for transport.
Roads are very significant in carrying goods from one place to another and serve local, national and international trade.
Railways are the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers in India, binding the economic life of the country and accelerating the development of industry and agriculture.
Pipelines, once used only for water, now transport crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil and gas fields to refineries, fertiliser factories and big thermal plants.
Waterways are the cheapest mode of transport, most suitable for carrying heavy and bulky goods.
Air travel is the fastest, most comfortable and prestigious mode of transport; for example, Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd provides helicopter services to the oil and natural gas sector in inaccessible areas like the north-eastern states and interior parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Teacher's Note:
a) Each mode of transport — road, rail, pipeline, waterway, air — carries goods/services that would otherwise stay stranded at their source.
b) This is why transport is described as the economy's basic artery system.

Question 2. 'Transport, communication and trade are complementary to each other.' Explain with two examples.
Answer:
The pace of development of a country depends upon the production of goods and services as well as their movement over space; efficient transport is a prerequisite for fast development.
For a long time, trade and transport were restricted to a limited space; with developments in science and technology, the area of influence of trade and transport expanded far and wide.
Today, the world has been converted into a large village with the help of efficient and fast-moving transport.
Transport has achieved this with the help of an equally developed communication system.
Therefore, transport, communication and trade are complementary to each other.

Teacher's Note:
a) Better transport widened trade's reach; better communication made that wider trade manageable.
b) Together, transport, communication and trade reinforce one another's growth.

Question 3. Why is the distribution of roads not uniform in India? Explain with examples.
Answer:
Density of roads varies greatly — from only 10 km (per 100 sq km) in Jammu and Kashmir to 552 km in Uttar Pradesh, with a national average of 125 km.
Keeping in view the volume of traffic and passengers, the road network is inadequate.
About half of the roads are unmetalled, which limits their usage during the rainy season.
Roadways are highly congested in cities, and most bridges and culverts are old and narrow.

Teacher's Note:
a) Road density varies hugely by state — from very sparse (J&K) to dense (UP).
b) Unmetalled roads and congested, narrow city infrastructure add to the unevenness and strain.

Question 4. “The distribution pattern of the Indian Railway network is influenced by physiographic factors.” Examine the statement.
Answer:
Northern Plains: level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources favoured railway development here, though the many wide rivers requiring bridges posed some obstacles.
Peninsular and Himalayan regions: tracks are laid through low hills, gaps or tunnels; the Himalayan mountainous regions are unfavourable for railway construction due to high relief, sparse population and lack of economic opportunities.
Desert of Rajasthan: it was difficult to lay railway lines on the sandy plains of western Rajasthan, hindering railway development there.
Swamps of Gujarat and the forested tracts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand are also unsuitable for railway development.
The contiguous stretch of the Sahyadri could be crossed only through gaps or passes; the Konkan Railway along the west coast has helped movement of passengers and goods in this important economic region, though it has faced problems like track subsidence and landslides.
The mineral-rich Peninsular plateau promotes industrial development, which in turn encourages railway tracks.

Teacher's Note:
a) Flat, populous, agriculturally rich plains favour rail development; mountains, deserts, swamps and dense forests hinder it.
b) Mineral-rich plateau regions attract railways because of the industry they support.

Question 5. Describe the measures taken for the quick delivery of mail in cities and large towns.
Answer:
The Indian postal network is the largest in the world, handling both parcels and personal written communication.
Cards and envelopes are considered first-class mail and are airlifted between stations, covering both land and air.
To facilitate quick delivery of mail in large towns and cities, six main channels have been introduced: (1) Rajdhani Channel, (2) Metro Channel, (3) Green Channel, (4) Business Channel, (5) Bulk Mail Channel and (6) Periodical Channel.

Teacher's Note:
a) First-class mail (cards, envelopes) moves by both land and air for speed.
b) Six dedicated channels (Rajdhani, Metro, Green, Business, Bulk Mail, Periodical) speed up delivery in large towns and cities.

Question 6. “No country can survive without international trade in the present global world.” Explain the statement.
Answer:
As resources are space-bound, no country can survive without international trade.
Export and import are the components of trade.
International trade helps exchange surplus goods between countries through foreign trade.
International trade has helped India increase its productivity and improve the quality of its products before exporting manufactured goods.
International trade has also helped India import recent technology to improve productivity and product quality.
The government's policy of globalisation and liberalisation has helped India establish its place in the global world.

Teacher's Note:
a) Resources are unevenly spread across the world, making trade necessary.
b) Trade also brings in better technology, raising both productivity and product quality.

Question 7. Why is tourism considered both a trade and an industry?
Answer:
Tourism in India has grown substantially over the last three decades.
Foreign tourist arrivals have increased, contributing about Rs 64,889 crore in foreign exchange.
More than 15 million people are directly engaged in the tourism industry.
Tourism also promotes national integration and provides support to local handicrafts.
It helps develop international understanding of Indian culture and heritage.
Foreign tourists visit India for heritage tourism, ecotourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism and business tourism.
Rajasthan, Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, and the temple towns of South India are important destinations for foreign tourists in India.

Teacher's Note:
a) Tourism earns foreign exchange like a trade, while also employing millions like an industry.
b) It supports handicrafts and promotes cultural understanding alongside its economic role.

Question 8. Why are means of transportation and communication called the lifelines of a nation and its economy?
Answer:
The movement of goods and services from their supply locations to demand locations necessitates the need for transport.
The pace of a country's development depends upon the production of goods and services as well as their movement over space.
Therefore, efficient means of transport and communication are prerequisites for fast development.
Hence, modern means of transport and communication serve as the lifelines of our nation and its modern economy.

Teacher's Note:
a) Development needs both production and the movement of what is produced.
b) That is why transport and communication are called the lifelines of the economy.

Question 9. 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 10. 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 11. 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 12. 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 13. 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.