CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 7- Lifelines of National Economy

The development of a country depends on the production of goods and services as well as the pace of movement over space and time. The world at present has been converted into large and efficient villages with fast-moving transport and India at present is well linked to the world. In CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 7- Lifelines of National Economy, we will learn about the modern means of transportation and communication which serves as lifelines of our country and of the modern economy.

Lifelines of National Economy

Chapter 7 : Life Lines of National Economy

1. Transport- Roadways, Railways, Pipelines, Waterways, Airways
2. Communication
3. International Trade
4. Tourism as a Trade

CBSE Notes Class 10 Geography Chapter 7- Lifelines of National Economy

1. Transport

Transportation is an essential component of a country’s economy as it facilitates the movement of goods and people from one place to another. There are different modes of transportation available, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. The primary means of transportation are as follows:

Roadways

Roadways are the most common mode of transportation in India, as they are accessible to most people. The national highways and state highways are the primary roadways in the country, and they connect different parts of the country. India has one of the world’s biggest road networks, with over 54.7 lakh km. The following examples demonstrate the rising significance of vehicle travel over rail transit:

• Construction costs for roads are far lower than those for railroads.
• Roads can reach more geographically difficult sites that trains cannot.
• Roads can tackle steeper slopes and are readily built-in to traverse mountains such as the Himalayas.
• Road transport is inexpensive.
• It also offers doorstep service.
• Road travel connects train stations, airports and seaports.

According to their carrying capacity, roads in India are divided into six types.

1. Golden Quadrilateral Super Highways: A highway system known as the “Golden Quadrilateral” links India’s major four metropolises: Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is putting these highway projects into action.
2. National Highways: The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) constructs and maintains a network of trunk roadways known as the National Highways. National Highway No. 1 runs along the historic Sher-Shah Suri Marg between Delhi and Amritsar.
3. State Highways: State Highways are the routes that connect a state capital with various district administrative centres. The State Public Works Department (PWD) builds and maintains these highways.
4. District Roads: These highways link the district’s administrative centre with other locations. The Zila Parishad is in charge of preserving these roads.
5. Other Roads: This category includes rural roads that connect rural regions, villages, and towns. The Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana gave these roads a significant boost.
6. Border Roads: The country’s bordering regions are served by roads built and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation. This institution was founded in 1960 to improve the vital border routes in the northern and northeastern regions.

In addition to the above categorisation of roads, there is another parameter to categorise roads in India, i.e. on the basis of the materials used in the construction of roads. They are following

• Metalled roads can be formed of bitumen from coal, cement, or even concrete. These roads are all-season.
• Unmetalled roads are no longer used during the wet season.

Railways

The Indian railway system ranks the largest in Asia and the second-largest in the world. It connects various parts of the country and plays a vital role in the country’s economy. Rail transit does, however, experience some of the issues listed below:

• To install the railway lines, bridge construction is necessary over the vast beds of rivers.
• Railway tracks are inserted through small hills, chasms, or tunnels in the peninsular region’s rugged topography.
• Due to their high elevation points on the surface, low population density, and lack of employment prospects, the Himalayan mountainous regions are also unsuitable for the development of railway lines.
• Sand-covered plains make it challenging to install railway lines.

Pipelines

Pipelines are used to transport liquids and gases, and they are an efficient mode of transportation. Fluids are transported and distributed using pipeline networks, which typically use subterranean pipes. These are utilized in the transportation of water, natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products, and fertilizer industries in addition to large thermal power plants. Additionally, the slurry can be created from solids to move them through a pipeline.

There are three significant pipeline transportation networks in the nation.

• Upper Assam oil field to Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
• Gujarat’s Salaya to Punjab’s Jalandhar
• From Gujarat’s Hazira to Uttar Pradesh’s Jagdishpur

Waterways

India has an extensive network of rivers and canals, and waterways are an essential mode of transportation for goods and people. The most affordable form of transportation is on the water. They work well for hauling bulky, heavy objects. It is a fuel-effective and environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
India’s National Waterways are:

• The Ganga River, located between Haldia and Allahabad (1620 km), is the N.W. No. 1.
• N.W. No. 2: The 891 km stretch of the Brahmaputra river between Sadiya and Dhubri.
• Kerala’s West Coast Canal (Kottapurma-Kollam, Udyogamandal, and Champakkara canals) is N.W. No. 3 and spans 205 km.
• N.W. No. 4 – Specific sections of the Godavari and Krishna rivers, as well as the 1078 km of canals between Kakinada and Puducherry.
  N.W. No. 5 – Specific sections of the Brahmani River, the Matai River, the Mahanadi and Brahmani River Delta Channels, and the East Coast Canal (588 km).

The Mandavi, Zuari, and Cumberjua, as well as the Sunderbans, are examples of India’s inland rivers.

Major Sea Ports

India has a 7,516.6 km long coastline, with 12 major ports and 187 notifiable nonmajor (minor/intermediate) ports. 95% of India’s international trade is handled by these large ports. The ports are where India conducts its international trade. In India, there are 200 notified minor/intermediate ports and 2 major ports.

The list of India’s principal ports is as follows:

1. The first port to be established after independence was Kandla in Kachchh. The Deendayal Port is another name for it.
2. The largest port is at Mumbai, which has a large, naturally protected harbour.
3. India’s leading port for exporting iron ore is Marmagao Port in Goa.
4. Iron ore is exported through the Karnataka state’s Mangalore port.
5. The most southwesterly port, Kochchi, is situated near a lagoon’s entrance.
6. The port of Tuticorin is located in the far southeast.
7. One of India’s first man-made ports is in Chennai.
8. The most secure and deepest landlocked port is at Visakhapatnam.
9. Iron ore exports are a speciality of the Paradwip port in Odisha.
10. An inland riverine port is Kolkata.
11. In order to alleviate mounting pressure on the Kolkata port, Haldia port was created as a secondary port.

Airways

Airways are the fastest, cosliest, and most prestigious means of transportation in the airway. High mountains, gloomy deserts, deep woods, and lengthy oceans are now easy to reach thanks to air travel. In 1953, air transport was nationalised. Both domestic and international aviation travel is offered by Air India. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation uses helicopter services from Pawanhans Helicopters Ltd. for its offshore activities to reach challenging terrain and inaccessible locations. But the average person cannot afford to travel by air.

Read More- Transport- Roadways, Railways, Pipelines, Waterways, Airways

2. Communication

Communication plays a crucial role in the development of a country’s economy. The chapter discusses the various modes of communication, including television, radio, the press, films, postal services, telephone, and the Internet. The Internet has become an essential mode of communication, and it has revolutionized the way people do business.

Indian Postal System

India is home to the world’s biggest postal system. It handles both packages and personal written correspondence.

• Airlifters transport first-class mail between stations that serve both the land and the air.
• Packets of books, registered newspapers, and periodicals are all included in second-class mail. Surface mail is used to carry them over land and ocean.

Indian Telecom Network

India is home to one of Asia’s largest telecom networks. By combining advances in communication technology and space technology, Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD) facilities are now available throughout India.

• In addition to providing amusement, mass media raises public knowledge of numerous national policies and projects. Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, books, and films are all included.
• A variety of shows are broadcast on India Radio Channel (Akashwani) in national, regional, and local languages.
• One of the biggest terrestrial networks in the world is Doordarshan, the national television network.
• In nearly 100 different languages and dialects, India publishes a significant number of newspapers.

Read More- Communication

3. International Trade

The exchange of goods between people, groupings of states, and nations is known as trade. The exchange of products and services between other nations is referred to as international trade. It is regarded as the economic barometer of a country. Export and import are the components of the trade. The trade balance of a nation is the difference between its exports and imports.

• A positive trade balance is one in which exports are more than imports in value.
• An unfavourable trade balance is one in which imports are greater than exports in value.

India exports a variety of goods to other nations, such as gems and jewellery, chemicals and related products, agricultural items, and so on.

Petroleum crude and products, gems and jewellery, chemicals and associated products, basic metals, electrical items, machinery, agriculture and allied products are among the goods imported to India.

Read More- International Trade

4. Tourism as a Trade

Tourism is a vital sector of the economy, and it has the potential to create employment opportunities and generate revenue. The tourist sector directly employs more than 15 million people. Travel to India has been beneficial in the following ways

• Tourism encourages racial integration
• It supports regional handicrafts and cultural endeavours
• It aids in the growth of global understanding of Indian heritage and culture. Foreign tourists visit India for heritage tourism, ecotourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism, and business tourism.

In conclusion, the CBSE Geography revision notes on ‘Life Lines of National Economy’ cover the different modes of transportation and communication, the importance of international trade, and the role of tourism in the country’s economy. Understanding the lifelines of the national economy is essential for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the country’s economy and its development. 

Read More: Tourism as a Trade

Related Links

1. Transport- Roadways, Railways, Pipelines, Waterways, Airways
2. Communication
3. International Trade
4. Tourism as a Trade

FAQs on CBSE Class 10 Geography Notes Chapter 7: Lifelines of National Economy

Q 1. What is the meaning of the lifelines of national economy?

Answer-

‘Lifelines of the national economy’ refers to the modes of transportation and communication that are crucial for the growth and development of a country’s economy.

Q 2. When was the Indian postal service started?

Answer-

In the year 1766, Warren Hastings had taken initiative for the East India Company for starting Postal Service.

Q 3. What do you mean by “International Trade”?

Answer-

The term International trade refers to the exchange of capital, goods and services across international borders or territories for need or want of goods as well as services.