Tag Archives: Land use pattern in India

Explain the Land Use Pattern in India

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In India, the term “land use pattern” describes the uses of various types of land for multiple activities, including agriculture, forestry, mining, settlements, transportation, and industries. Numerous natural, social, economic, and political factors impact India’s land use pattern. 

  • In India, 60% of the country’s land area is used for agriculture, making it the most prevalent land use. There are three categories of agricultural land: net sown, forest, and other uncultivated. 
  1. Net Sown Area: This term describes the land used for crop cultivation. The net sown area comprises about 45% of India’s total land area. 
  2. Forest Area: The area of land where forests are growing. About 23% of the total land area in India is forest area. 
  3. Other Uncultivated Lands: This category includes any land that is either unsuitable for cultivation or has been left fallow for a while. Other uncultivated land makes up roughly 32% of India’s total area.  
  • Forestry is India’s second-largest land use, taking up about 23% of all land area in the nation. Four classifications exist to classify the forest area: reserved forests, protected forests, unclassified forests, and village forests. 
  1. Reserved Forests: These are forests that the government has set aside to preserve the flora and fauna that call them home. About 53% of the total forest area in India is reserved forests. 
  2. Protected Forests: The government reserves protected forests, which make up about 30% of India’s total forest area, for industrial uses like the production of fuelwood and lumber. 
  3. Unclassified forests are those that are not designated as protected or reserved forests. About 16% of the total forest area in India is unclassified forests. 
  4. Village forests are the woodlands that the locals own and maintain. About 1% of the forest area in India is village forests. 
  • Mining: As a source of raw materials for numerous industries, mining is a significant land use in India. Among the main minerals mined in India are coal, iron ore, bauxite, manganese, copper, limestone, and other minerals. There is a concentration of mining activity in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, etc. 
  • Human Habitations: Human settlements are the places where individuals live and work. In India, there are three types of human settlements: tribal communities, urban communities, and rural communities.
  1. Rural Settlements: These are places where villagers live and work in agriculture and related industries. About 70% of the total population in India lives in rural settlements. 
  2. Urban Settlements: These are places where individuals reside in cities and towns and carry out a variety of non-agricultural pursuits. Urban areas are home to about 30% of India’s total population. 
  3. Tribal Settlements: These are the places where India’s native population resides. The nation’s hilly and forested areas are home to tribal towns. 

Explain the Land Use Pattern in India and why the land under forest has not increased much since 1962-61

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The land under forest has declined since around 1960-61 due to the post-freedom period, the desire for more land to expand agribusiness, particularly after the Green Revolution, prompted leeway of forest regions. Industrialization and urbanization have also reduced the forest area. As in the post-autonomy period, the desire for more land to expand agribusiness, primarily following the Green Revolution, formative works, and infrastructural offices, prompted the liberation of backwoods regions. Backwood areas also suffered from industrialization and urbanization. 

Land Utilization Factors 

Two factors influence land use. 

  • Human aspects 
  • Natural elements 

Human factors such as population density, culture, traditions, and technological capacity all impact human activities and usage. 

The nature of the lands, such as topography, climate, and soil types, determine the physical factor. 

Because of the post-independence demand for more land to expand agriculture, the arrival under forest has not increased since 1960-61. Following the green revolution, development projects and infrastructure facilities primarily resulted in the clearing of forest areas. 

Industrialization and urbanization have also reduced forest area; land under forest cover has increased by only about 4% between 1960 and 1961. 

The nation’s wood front is barely the endorsed 33% of all nation’s territory. Backwoods cover approximately 23.81% of India’s total land area. India’s all net planted area is 46.24% of the country’s total land area. India’s all-net planted area is 46.24% of the country’s total land area. The net put region varies from state to state. While net set land accounts for more than 80% of all land in Punjab and Haryana, it accounts for less than 10% in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Brushing takes up 3.38% of all available land, leaving the remainder neglected and squandered.  

In India, land assets have basic categories such as rural land, timberland land, field and nibbling land, and squandered land. Squander land includes rough, thirsty, and desert areas, besides land used for non-rural purposes such as lodging, streets, and industry. According to new data, 54% of the total land area is cultivable or decrepit, 22.5% is covered by timberlands, and 3.45% is used for touching. The remainder is unused land with hints of various development. The improper use of woodland land has contaminated the accessible land region and made timberland protection difficult. Human activities such as deforestation, mining, and quarrying have slowed the development of timberlands. As a result, land under woodland has increased by approximately 4% since 1960-61. 

Technical and monastery advancement has resulted in greater utilization of assets across various elements. During pilgrim times, royal powers would use their mechanical and financial dominance to establish control over different nations and then seize the latter’s assets. Currently, one country’s assets are also available to the pilgrim ruler’s residents, prompting increased utilization. Furthermore, because of technological and financial advancement, populations are growing due to low mortality at all ages. As medicine and medical care advance, fewer people die as a result of mishaps, illnesses, labor, and so on. This has also contributed to increased asset utilization.