Chapter 7- Life Lines of National Economy
1. (i) Which two of the following extreme locations are connected by the east-west corridor?
(a) Mumbai and Nagpur
(b) Silcher and Porbandar
(c) Mumbai and Kolkata
(d) Nagpur and Siligudi
Answer (b) Silcher and Porbandar
(ii) Which mode of transportation reduces trans-shipment losses and delays?
(a) Railways
(b) Roadways
(c) Pipeline
(d) Waterways
Answer (c) Pipeline
(iii) 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) Maharashtra
(iv) Which one of the following ports is the deepest land-locked and well-protected port along the east cost?
(a) Chennai
(b) Paradwip
(c) Tuticorin
(d) Vishakhapatnam
Answer (d) Vishakhapatnam
(v) Which one of the following is the most important modes of transportation in India?
(a) Pipeline
(b) Railways
(c) Roadways
(d) Airways
Answer (b) Railways
(vi) Which one of the following terms is used to describe trade between two or more countries?
(a) Internal trade
(b) International trade
(c) External trade
(d) Local trade
Answer (b) International trade
2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) State any three merits of roadways.
(ii) Where and why is rail transport the most convenient means of transporation?
(iii) What is the significance of the border roads?
(iv) What is meant by trade? What is the difference between international and local trade?
Answer
(i) Merits of roadways:
→ They are cheaper than railways in terms of construction costs.
→ Roads can go through dissected and undulating land areas and through steep mountains.
→ They are economical as loading costs are low and door-to-door service can be availed of.
(ii) In the northern plains, rail transport is the most convenient mode of transportation. This is because this region has vast level lands that are good for laying tracks, and huge population and high agricultural productivity, making rail transport a profitable venture.
(iii) Border roads are strategically important as they improve accessibility to areas like the northern and north eastern border areas which have a difficult terrain.
(iv) Trade is the movement of goods and services between regions for economic gain. Trade between two or more countries is termed as international trade, while trade occurring in a region within the same country is called local trade.
3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Why are the means of transportation and communication called the lifelines of a nation and its economy?
(ii) Write a note on the changing nature of the international trade in the last fifteen years.
Answer
(i) The means of transportation and communication are called the lifelines of a nation and its economy due to the reasons given below:
→ The means of transportation and communication help in the production and movement of goods and services.
→ Transport helps in the development of communication . Various means of communication help us in interacting with other in all the parts of the world It has brought the world closer.
→ Transport like railways help us in conducting various activities like business, sight seeing, pilgrimage and transportation of goods over longer distances.
→ Pipelines are used for transporting crude oil and natural gas to refineries and factories.
→ Water provide the cheapest means of transport and is useful for international trade.
→ Air transport provides the fastest, most comfortable mode of transport.
Thus, it is clear that there are many advantages of transportation and communication. These means help in the development of the country. So they are called the lifelines of a nation and its economy.
(ii) The changing nature of the international trade for India, in the last fifteen years, has been impressive. Exchange of information and knowledge has surpassed exchange of goods and commodities. Through its advanced software knowledge and excellence in the field of information technology, India has emerged as a viable contender at the international level and is earning huge amounts of foreign exchange through the same. Tourism too has added to India’s upgraded position in international trade. In 2004, there was a 23.5% increase in foreign tourist arrivals as against the number in 2003. Thus, international trade for India has undergone a cognisable change in the past fifteen years.
4. 1. Northern terminal of the North-south corridor.
2. The name of National Highway No.2.
3. The headquarter of the southern railway zone.
4. The rail gauge with a track width of 1.676 m.
5. The southern terminal of the National Highway No.7.
6. A Riverine Port.
7. Busiest railway junction in Northern India.
Answer
1.Srinagar
2. Grand Trunk Road
3. Chennai
4. Broad gauge
5. Kanyakumari
6. Kolkata Port Trust
7. Mughalsarai
Question-1
State any three merits of roadways.
Solution:
The growing importance of road transport is rooted in the following reasons:
1. The construction cost of roadways is much lower than that of the railways.
2. Its maintenance is also cheap and easy.
3. Roads can be built in mountainous areas. The roads can traverse comparatively more dissected and undulating topography.
4. Roads can negotiate higher gradients of slopes and as such can traverse mountains such as the Himalayas.
5. Road transport is economical in the transportation of a few persons and a relatively smaller amount of goods over short distances.
6. It provides door-to-door service, which results in a lower cost of loading and unloading.
7. It is used as a feeder to other modes of transport such as they provide a link between railway stations, air, and seaports.
8. Road transport connects fields with markets and factories.
9. Road transport is useful for the transport of perishable commodities.
Question-2:
Where and why is rail transport the most convenient means of transportation?
Solution:
1. Railways can transport larger number of goods and passengers over long distances at an economical cost. Hence, railways are the most convenient means of transport in the vast northern plains of India.
2. The flat terrain, dense population, rich agricultural resources and greater industrial activity have favoured the development of railways in this region.
3. The northern plains, therefore, have the densest railway network.
4. Railways have accelerated the development of industry and agriculture in this region
by providing quick availability of raw materials and distributing the finished products to the markets.
5. However, in spite of the fact that railways is the most convenient means of transportation in northern plains, a large number of rivers requiring construction of bridges across their wide beds posed some obstacles.
Question-3
What is the significance of the border roads?
Solution:
The significance of Border Roads is as mentioned below :
1. The Border Roads are vital road link along the frontiers of our country.
2. These roads are of strategic importance.
3. These roads have improved accessibility in areas of difficult terrain mainly in the northern and northeastern border areas.
4. They have played a major role in the economic development of these areas.
5. These roads are constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation a government of India undertaking which was established in 1960.
Question-5
Why are the means of transportation and communication called the lifelines of a nation and its economy?
Solution:
Today, we are living in the age of communication, using the telephone, television, films, and the Internet. Even books, magazines and newspapers are important means of communication. Various means of transport and communication have reduced distances, bringing the world closer. Modern life is so complex that one has to depend on others. The same is true of the countries as well. No country today can prosper without the co-operation and assistance of others. This requires the movement of goods and materials between countries. Trade provides us with our necessities and also adds to the amenities and comfort of our life. We may also notice that they are rightly called the lifelines of our national economy.
Question-6
Write a note on the changing nature of international trade in the last fifteen years.
Solution:
The nature of international trade in the last fifteen years has changed due to, globalization. Earlier bilateral agreements were made to conduct trade between two countries.
But through globalization, an effort has been made to integrate national economies with the world economy. Now producers from outside countries can sell their goods and services in other countries. Globalisation includes the movement of capital as well as workers from one country to another country. The restrictions on the import of goods have been removed. Under World Trade
The organization, efforts are being made to have multi-lateral agreements for international trade. WTO is regulating the international trade of goods as well as services. Thus international trade has undergone a sea change. The export of agriculture and allied products, ores, minerals, gems, jewellary, chemicals and allied products, engineering goods, and petroleum products have increased. On the other hand import of petroleum and petroleum products, pearls and precious stones, inorganic chemicals, coal, coke have increased too.
The exchange of commodities and goods have been superseded by the exchange of information and knowledge. India has emerged as a software giant at the international level. It is earning large foreign exchange through the export of information technology because of its fast-growing Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector.