Natural Resources in India - Geography Notes

Natural resources are naturally occurring items that are helpful for human beings to survive and thrive. Natural resources have long been the realm of the natural sciences. These are resources discovered in the environment and created without the intervention of people. Air, sunshine, water, soil, stone, plants, animals, and fossil fuels are all examples of natural resources. This article will explain to you the Natural Resources in India which will be helpful in Geography preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Natural Resources

• Natural resources are resources that exist in the absence of human intervention.
• This comprises sources of value such as commercial and industrial utility, aesthetic value, scientific curiosity, and cultural worth.
• It encompasses the sun, the atmosphere, water, land, all minerals, all plants, and all animal life on Earth.
• Natural Resources are substances that exist naturally and are deemed valuable in their natural state.
• Its worth is determined by the quantity available and the demand for it.
• Based on place of origin Natural resources can be categorised in a variety of ways.
  • Biotic resources
  • Abiotic resources
• All biological elements of the environment are considered biotic resources. Biotic resources include forests and forest products, crops, birds, animals, fish, and other marine life.
• These resources rejuvenate and duplicate themselves, making them renewable. Although coal and mineral oil are biological resources, they are nonrenewable.
• All non-living elements of the environment are considered abiotic resources.
• Abiotic resources include land, water, air, and minerals such as iron, copper, gold, and silver. Because they cannot be regenerated or replicated, they are finite and non-renewable.
• Natural resources can be classified into the following categories based on their rate of recovery:
  • Non-Conventional
  • Conventional

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

• Renewable energy sources, often known as non-conventional energy, are continuously renewed by natural processes.
• Natural replenishment of renewable resources is possible. Some of these resources, such as sunlight, air, wind, and water, are always present and their amounts are unaffected by human usage.
• Although many renewable resources do not regenerate as quickly as others, they are nonetheless vulnerable to overuse and depletion.
• So long as the pace of replenishment/recovery exceeds the rate of consumption, resources are regarded as renewable in terms of human usage.
• When compared to non-renewable resources, they are easier to restore.

Solar Energy

• Sunlight generates solar energy. The photovoltaic cells are exposed to sunlight dependent on the type of power required.
• The energy is used for cooking and water distillation.
• Some large solar power plants are being built in various areas of India, which would reduce rural communities' reliance on firewood and dung cakes.
• Therefore contributing to environmental conservation and a sufficient supply of manure in agriculture.
• India's geographical area receives over 5,000 trillion kWh of energy each year, with most sections receiving 4-7 kWh per sq. m every day.
• Solar photovoltaic electricity can be successfully harnessed in India, allowing for massive scalability.
• India just surpassed Italy to take fifth place in the world for solar power installations.
• In the previous five years, solar power capacity has expanded by more than 11 times, from 2.6 GW in March 2014 to 30 GW in July 2019.
• Solar tariffs in India are now highly competitive and have reached grid parity.

Biogas

• In rural regions, shrubs, farm trash, animal and human waste are utilised to make biogas for home use.
• In comparison to kerosene, dung cake, and charcoal, decomposition of organic materials produces gas, which has a better thermal efficiency.
• In rural India, plants that use cow manure are known as 'Gobar gas plants.'
• These give the farmer two benefits: more energy and enhanced manure quality. By far the most efficient use of animal manure is biogas.
• It enhances manure quality while also preventing tree and manure loss owing to the burning of fuel wood and cow dung cakes.
• More than 4,000 homes already have their own biogas plant, allowing them to take use of the free and renewable energy contained in their animals' waste.
• In 2014-15, India's biogas output is expected to be at 20,757 lakh cubic metres.
• This is the equivalent of 6.6 crore LPG cylinders on the home market. This is the equivalent of 5% of the country's total LPG use today.
• The major goal of the biomass power and cogeneration programme is to promote technologies that make the most use of the country's biomass resources for grid power generation.
• Bagasse, rice husk, straw, cotton stalk, coconut shells, soya husk, de-oiled cakes, coffee waste, jute wastes, groundnut shells, saw dust, and other biomass products are used to generate electricity.

Wind power

• Wind energy is created by harnessing the power of the wind and is mostly used to power irrigation water pumps.
• In terms of wind power generation, India is the second-largest country.
• Tamil Nadu has the biggest wind farm cluster, stretching from Nagercoil to Madurai.
• Apart from these, major wind farms can be found in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Lakshadweep.
• The wind industry's growth has resulted in a robust ecosystem, project operating capabilities, and a manufacturing base of roughly 10,000 megawatts per year.
• With a total installed capacity of 39.25 GW (as of March 31, 2021), the country now ranks fourth in the world for wind installed capacity and generated roughly 60.149 billion units in 2020-21.
• The government has installed over 800 wind-monitoring stations across the country and issued wind potential maps at 50m, 80m, 100m, and 120m above ground level through the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE).
• According to a recent evaluation, the country's gross wind power potential is 302 GW at 100 metres and 695.50 GW at 120 metres above ground level.

GeoThermal Energy

• The heat and electricity created by utilising heat from the Earth's interior are referred to as geothermal energy.
• Geothermal energy exists because the Earth gets hotter as you go deeper into it.
• In such situations, groundwater takes heat from the rocks and becomes hot.
• It's so hot that when it reaches the earth's surface, it condenses into steam.
• This steam powers turbines and generates energy.
• In India, two pilot projects to capture geothermal energy have been established. One is in Himachal Pradesh's Parvati Valley in Manikaran, while the other is in Ladakh's Puga Valley.
• Geothermal energy is an alternate, long-term energy source that India needs to take use of.
• India has a large geothermal energy potential; it is believed that India has around 10,000 MW of geothermal power potential, which may be used for a variety of applications.
• In India, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified 350 geothermal energy sites. The Puga valley in Ladakh is the most promising of them.

Nuclear or Atomic Energy

• It is created by modifying the structure of atoms.
• When such a change is performed, a large amount of energy is released in the form of heat, which is then used to create electricity.
• Uranium and Thorium, which are found in Jharkhand and Rajasthan's Aravalli mountains, are used to generate atomic or nuclear power.
• Kerala's Monazite sands are likewise high in Thorium.
• From uranium discovery and mining through fuel fabrication, heavy water production, reactor design and construction, reprocessing, and waste management, India's nuclear energy self-sufficiency was extensive.
• It already has a tiny fast breeder reactor and is planning to build a much larger one. It is also working on developing technologies to use its substantial thorium deposits as a nuclear fuel.
• India is the only developing country to have generated power using nuclear reactors that were built, demonstrated, and deployed domestically. India is the world's third-largest producer of electricity, with a total output of 1207 TWh.
• Nuclear power is India's fifth-largest source of electricity. India is also ranked seventh in terms of nuclear reactors, with over 23 nuclear reactors in seven power stations around the nation, producing 6780 MW of nuclear energy.
• With a goal of increasing its nuclear power contribution from 3.2 percent to 5% by 2031, India's nuclear energy contribution would aid the country's transition to a more sustainable and economic future.

Hydro Power Energy Sources

• The conversion of energy from flowing water into electricity is referred to as hydropower or hydroelectricity.
• Hydropower is a renewable form of energy because it utilises rather than consumes water in the creation of electricity, leaving this critical resource accessible for other applications.
• Hydropower is the cheapest and cleanest form of electricity, but there are numerous environmental and social challenges involved with large dams, as witnessed in projects like Tehri, Narmada, and others. Small hydropower, on the other hand, is free of these issues.
• There are 197 hydropower plants in India.
• The end of the nineteenth century saw the rise of authority in India. Darjeeling received electricity in 1897, and a hydropower station at Shivasamudram, Karnataka, was inaugurated in 1902.
• Small hydro power facilities with a capacity of 25MW or less are categorised as small hydro in India, including micro (100kW or less), mini (101kW-2MW), and small hydro (2-25MW) sectors.
• India's installed utility-scale hydroelectric capacity was 46,000 MW as of March 31, 2020, accounting for 12.3 percent of the country's total utility power production capacity.

Tidal Energy

• Tidal energy is created by harnessing the power of the sea's tidal waves. Due to a lack of cost-effective technologies, this supply has yet to be tapped.
• Tides in the ocean may be exploited to create power.
• Floodgate dams are constructed across inlets.
• The Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kachchh in Gujarat on the western coast, and the Gangetic delta in the Sunderban districts of West Bengal provide perfect conditions for tidal energy utilisation in India.
• Ocean energy includes tidal power, which is generated by transforming energy from the natural rise and fall of ocean tides and currents into electricity.
• Energy conversion devices can be used to harvest wave energy in the form of ocean wave motion.
• India's ocean energy potential is projected to be roughly 54 gigawatts (GW) - tidal power (12.45 GW) and wave power (41.3 GW)
• India aims to reach 175 GW of installed capacity by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.

Conventional Energy

• Conventional energy sources are those that have been widely used for the majority of human history.
• They are non-renewable in nature, which means that once a sample of a conventional energy source has been depleted, it cannot be used again.
• Non-renewable materials either take a long time to develop or do not occur naturally in the environment.
• The most common resource featured in this category is minerals. When the pace of consumption exceeds the rate of replenishment/recovery, resources are called non-renewable.
• A notable example of this is fossil fuels, which fall into this category since their rate of creation is incredibly slow (possibly millions of years), making them non-renewable.
• Metallic minerals can be reused through recycling, whereas coal and petroleum cannot. It takes millions of years to replace them once they are entirely depleted.

Coal

• Coal is the most readily available fossil fuel in India. It meets a significant portion of the country's energy requirements.
• It is used to generate electricity, as well as to deliver energy to industry and households.
• It provides 55 percent of the country's energy requirements. The country's industrial history is based on domestic coal.
• India is heavily reliant on coal to cover its commercial energy needs.
• Coal is created as a result of millions of years of compression of plant material.
• As a result, coal can be discovered in a variety of shapes, depending on the degree of compression as well as the depth and period of burial.
• Peat is produced by decaying plants in marshes.
• Which has a low carbon and moisture content, as well as a limited heating capability.
• Lignite is low-grade brown coal that is mushy and contains a lot of moisture. The main lignite deposits are in Tamil Nadu's Neyveli, and they are utilised to generate energy.
• Bituminous coal is coal that has been dug deep and exposed to high temperatures. It is the most widely used coal in industry.
• Metallurgical coal is a high-grade bituminous coal with a specific use in blast furnaces for smelting iron. The best quality hard coal is anthracite.
• As of 2016, India ranked fifth in the world with 107,727 million tonnes of proven coal reserves, accounting for nearly 9% of the world's total coal reserves of 1,139,471 million tonnes.
• India has proven reserves of 111.5 times its annual consumption rate.
• India is the world's second-largest consumer of coal, accounting for around 84.8 percent of global consumption of 1,139,471,430 tonnes.
• India imports 22% of the coal it consumes.

Petroleum

• The majority of petroleum occurrences in India are connected with anticlines and fault traps in tertiary rock strata.
• It occurs in regions of folding, anticlines, or domes where oil is trapped in the crest of the upfold.
• The oil-bearing layer is a porous limestone or sandstone that allows oil to flow through it. Intervening non-porous layers keep the oil from rising or sinking.
• Petroleum can also be discovered in fault traps formed by porous and non-porous rocks.
• Due to the gas being lighter than oil, it frequently appears above it.
• In India, important petroleum-producing locations are Mumbai High, Gujarat, and Assam.
• In the fiscal year 2021, India's petroleum product consumption was estimated to be around 141 million metric tonnes.
• In terms of primary energy consumption, the country was rated third in the world. With the industry's fast growth, inland petroleum product manufacturing is no longer sufficient.
• India is the world's third-largest oil consumer, consuming around 4.6 percent of the world's total of 97,103,871 barrels per day.
• 96 percent of India's oil usage is imported.

Natural Gas

• Natural gas is considered an environmentally beneficial fuel due to its minimal carbon dioxide emissions and is hence the fuel of the twenty-first century.
• Natural gas deposits of significant size have been identified in the Krishna-Godavari basin.
• The reserves of Mumbai High and related fields are enhanced along the west coast by discoveries in the Gulf of Cambay.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also major places with significant natural gas deposits.
• During the fiscal year 2021, the fertilizer industry consumed the most natural gas in India.
• The non-energy use of natural gas, which accounted for 35 percent of overall consumption, included the fertilizer sector, petrochemicals, sponge iron, and LPG shrinkage.
• As of 2017, India consumed 1,957,546 million cubic feet of natural gas per year.

Electricity

• Electricity is produced primarily in two ways: by flowing water, which drives hydro turbines to produce hydroelectricity, and by burning other fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas, which drives turbines to provide thermal power.
• Fast flowing water, a renewable resource, is used to create hydroelectricity.
• Hydroelectric power is produced by a variety of multi-purpose projects in India, including the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley Corporation, and the Kopili Hydel Project.
• Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are used to create thermal electricity.
• Thermal power plants generate energy using nonrenewable fossil sources.
• India's power consumption is expected to grow at a significantly faster rate than the country's entire energy demand.
• India is the world's third-largest power generator.
• As of December 31, 2021, India's national electric grid had an installed capacity of 393.389 GW.
• Renewable energy plants, including big hydropower plants, account for 37% of India's total installed capacity.
• The gross electricity generated by utilities in India in fiscal year (FY) 2019-20 was 1,383.5 TWh, while total power generation (utilities and non-utilities) was 1,598 TWh.
• In FY2019, per capita, gross power usage was 1,208 kWh.

Energy consumption - Current Scenario

• India's main energy consumption is predicted to quadruple by 2040, as the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rises to $8.6 trillion.
• India has the fastest-growing global energy consumption between 2019 and 2040, accounting for about a quarter of it.
• It has the second-highest rate of renewable energy expansion. China is in first place.
• By 2030, India will have surpassed the EU in terms of its energy grid.
• In the midst of the COVID-19 epidemic, the research highlighted the hurdles India has on its path to inexpensive, clean, and dependable energy
• Coal dominates India's energy industry, with consumption expected to climb from 590 MT to 772 MT by 2040.
• For many users, there is a lack of dependable electrical supply.
• 660 million people continue to rely on solid biomass, primarily firewood, as cooking fuel.
• Fuel minerals outnumber all other minerals in terms of production value. Petroleum is the most valuable of the fuels, followed by coal (including lignite).
• India generates just a small percentage of its petroleum needs, although it does have a small exportable coal excess.
• India has a lot of coal and only a little bit of lignite when it comes to fossil fuels.
• Even while domestic petroleum and natural gas reserves are plentiful, they are insufficient to supply the country's high demand.

Difference between Conventional and Non-conventional Sources of Energy

Need of Natural Resource Management

• Natural resources are finite, and there is a scarcity of them, thus they must be controlled.
• Natural resources are disappearing on a daily basis, not only as a result of human use, but also as a result of pollution and destruction caused by different human activities such as deforestation, modernisation, and global warming, to mention a few.
• The existence and survival of living organisms on Earth necessitates the management of resources.
• The World Charter for Nature was formed by the United Nations in 1982, and it acknowledged the need to safeguard nature from increasing depletion due to human activities.
• It asserts that actions to safeguard nature must be adopted at all levels of society, from international to individual.
• It emphasises the need for sustainable natural resource usage and proposes that resource preservation be included into national and international legal systems.

Natural Resource Management

• Natural resource management is the practice of stewarding natural resources such as animals, plants, soil, and land in order to improve people's quality of life.
• It focuses on how they could be controlled in the present and future.
• It is concerned with how people interact with natural environments.
• The following are the objectives of natural resource management:
• To keep ecological variety intact.
• To ensure that resources are available for future generations.
• Maintaining people's work opportunities.

Natural Resource Management Programmes

• The government has implemented a number of laws and regulations throughout the years to guarantee that our wildlife does not become extinct or is not hunted down.
• The government has also implemented regulations and legislation to prevent large-scale companies from wasting water and to guarantee that sewage is properly disposed of so that water bodies near industrial zones do not get polluted.
• The government has also taken precautions to prevent hazardous diseases caused by air pollution emitted into the atmosphere by industry.
• Water is treated on a regular basis to ensure that people have access to safe drinking water.
• The government has taken steps to encourage individuals to recycle and reuse as much as they can.
• The use of plastic has also been prohibited, which has resulted in a significant reduction in environmental harm.
• The PM announced the Clean India Mission, often known as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
• It was started with the goal of having cleaner streets, a cleaner society, and a better environment, all while contributing to national and global wellbeing.
• Natural resource management focuses on preventing resource overexploitation. For example, agricultural processes have progressed, and farming has transitioned from human labour to the use of machinery.

Perspective in India Energy Outlook 2021

• The epidemic has slowed India's energy consumption growth, according to the India Energy Outlook 2021.
• It was previously predicted that demand would increase by 50% between 2019 and 2030. However, it is presently more in the area of 35%.
• "By 2040, India will have the highest rise in energy consumption of any country due to its growing economy, population, urbanisation, and industrialization."
• Solar power, according to the report, will surpass coal's share of the energy mix in the next two decades, implying a rapid growth trajectory.
• This would put greater emphasis on robust grids and other sources of flexibility, and India could become a global leader in battery storage.
• All of these would assist the government meets its INDC objective of using non-fossil fuels for 40% of energy output.
• Renewable energy is expected to account for 60% of total energy consumption, according to the research.
• When a country the size of India, with a population of over 1.3 billion people, embarks on an energy transformation, it draws international attention.
• The International Energy Agency's India Energy Outlook 2021 study reads, "As the world considers methods to accelerate the speed of transition in the energy sector, India is in a unique position to pioneer a new paradigm for low-carbon, inclusive growth."

Conclusion

Natural resources are those that exist without the involvement of humans. Commercial and industrial utility, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural significance are all examples of sources of value. For the sake of humanity's well-being, natural resources must be exploited in a sustainable way. They are so complicated in nature that it appears that coming up with new frames as solutions is the only way out.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which state in India is known for its rich coal reserves?

A. Kerala
B. Jharkhand
C. Punjab
D. Gujarat

2. What percentage of India’s geographical area is covered by forests?

A. 10%
B. 21.67%
C. 35%
D. 50%

3. Which of the following rivers is crucial for hydropower generation in India?

A. Yamuna
B. Narmada
C. Kaveri
D. Ganga

4. Which of the following is India’s most abundant fossil fuel resource?

A. Natural gas
B. Coal
C. Oil
D. Uranium

5. Which region in India is known for its rich biodiversity?

A. Western Ghats
B. Indo-Gangetic Plains
C. Thar Desert
D. Deccan Plateau

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

1. Discuss the significance of natural resources in India’s economic development and the challenges associated with their management.

Answer: India’s vast natural resources, including minerals, forests, water, and agricultural land, are crucial for its economic development. The mining sector supports industries like steel and energy, while agriculture contributes significantly to employment and food security. Forests provide ecological services and livelihood support, especially in rural and tribal areas.
However, challenges like over-exploitation, environmental degradation, and inefficient resource management threaten the sustainability of these resources. Issues such as water scarcity, mining-related pollution, and deforestation call for comprehensive strategies to ensure sustainable management. India must balance economic growth with environmental protection to secure its resources for future generations.

2. Analyze the role of renewable energy in addressing India’s energy needs and reducing its carbon footprint.

Answer: India’s transition to renewable energy is critical for addressing its growing energy demands while reducing its carbon footprint. The country has set ambitious targets for solar, wind, and hydropower generation to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. With abundant sunlight and wind potential, India is poised to become a global leader in renewable energy.
The growth of solar parks, wind farms, and hydropower projects has boosted India’s energy security while addressing environmental concerns. However, challenges such as infrastructure limitations, investment gaps, and grid integration need to be addressed to fully harness the potential of renewable energy.

3. Evaluate the impact of water resource mismanagement on agriculture and industrial development in India.

Answer: India’s water resource mismanagement poses a significant threat to both agriculture and industrial development. Agriculture, which depends heavily on irrigation, suffers from water scarcity, over-extraction of groundwater, and inefficient water use practices. This has led to reduced agricultural productivity, especially in regions like Punjab and Maharashtra.
Industries, particularly those in water-intensive sectors like textiles and manufacturing, are also affected by water shortages and pollution. River pollution, caused by untreated industrial waste and sewage, further exacerbates the water crisis. To address these challenges, India must invest in sustainable water management practices, such as rainwater harvesting, efficient irrigation techniques, and stricter enforcement of pollution control regulations.

Previous Year Questions on Natural Resources

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

Question: Which of the following minerals is India a leading producer of?
A. Manganese
B. Copper
C. Zinc
D. Nickel

Answer: A

Explanation: India is one of the leading producers of manganese, which is primarily used in steel production.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 3)

Question: "Discuss the significance of renewable energy in India’s energy strategy, particularly in the context of solar and wind power."

Answer: Renewable energy plays a central role in India’s energy strategy, particularly as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change. Solar energy, with India’s abundant sunlight, has the potential to meet a significant portion of the country’s electricity needs. Initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the development of solar parks are steps toward achieving this goal.
Wind power is another crucial component of India’s renewable energy strategy. With long coastlines and high wind potential, India has developed wind farms, particularly in states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Both solar and wind energy are essential for reducing India’s carbon footprint, improving energy security, and creating sustainable energy systems for the future.