(i) Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, land meant for pasture and grazing, and waste land. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas, and land used for other non-agricultural purposes such as housing, roads and industry. According to the recent data, about 54% of the total land area is cultivable or fallow, 22.5% is covered by forests, and 3.45% is used for grazing. The rest is waste land, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.
The improper use of forest land has degraded the available land area, and has made conservation of forests difficult. Human activities such as deforestation, mining and quarrying have contributed to the slow growth rate of forests. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.
(ii) Technical and economic development have led to more consumption of resources on account of various factors. In colonial times, imperial powers would use their technological and economic superiority to establish control over other countries and thereby gain access to the latter’s resources. Now, one country’s resources became accessible to the citizens of its colonial ruler too, leading to increased consumption. Also, on account of technical and economic progress, populations are increasing due to low mortality at all ages. With the development of medicine and health care, fewer people die due to accidents, diseases, in childbirth etc. This too has contributed to higher consumption of resources.