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Planning and sustainable development in India NCERT Chapter Notes CBSE Class 12 Geography Humanitas

CBSE Class 12 Geography NCERT Chapter Notes for Planning and sustainable development in India Humanitas
23 April 2025 by
Akash Kumar

Planning and sustainable development in India NCERT Chapter Notes CBSE Class 12 Geography Humanitas

CBSE Class 12 Geography NCERT Chapter Notes for Planning and sustainable development in India


Planning and sustainable development in India focus on balancing economic growth with environmental conservation and social equity. Policies like the Five-Year Plans, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and initiatives like Smart Cities and Renewable Energy promote inclusive growth while addressing climate change, resource management, and urban-rural disparities.

Planning 

It involves the process of thinking formulation of scheme or program and implementation of set of actions to achieve some goal. 

Generally, there are two approaches to planning :- 

  • Sectoral planning 
  • Regional planning

Sectoral planning 

Sectoral planning refers to the formulation and implementation of development plans that focus on specific sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, industry, education, healthcare, transport, and energy. 

It aims to address the needs, growth potential, and challenges within individual sectors. Features:- 

1. Sector Specific Focus 

2. Goal-Oriented 

3. Resource Allocation 

4. Inter-Sectoral Coordination

Regional planning 

Regional planning refers to the process of designing and implementing strategies to develop and manage resources, infrastructure, and land use within a specific geographical area or region. 

It focuses on balancing economic, social, and environmental goals for sustainable regional development Features:-

1. Geographical focus 

2. Balanced development 

3. Spatial organization 

4. Sustainable

Target area planning

  • Economic development requires technology as well as, investment besides resources. With the planning experience of one and half decades, it was realised that regional imbalances in economic development were getting accentuated.
  • In order to arrest the accentuation of regional and social disparities, the planning commission introduced the ‘target area’ and ‘target group’ approaches to planning.
  • Examples: - command area developed programme, drought prone area development programme, desert development programme, the small farmers development agency (SDFA) and marginal farmers development agency (MFDA). 
  • 8th five year plan special area programmes were designed to develop infrastructure in hill areas, north eastern states, tribal areas and backward areas.

Hill area development programme 

  • Hill area development programmes initiated during the fifth five year plan covering 15 districts comprising all the hilly districts of Uttar Pradesh. Mikir hill and north Cachar hills of Assam, Darjeeling District of West Bengal and Neelgiri District of Tamil Nadu.
  • The national committee on the development of backward areas in 1981 recommended that all the hill areas in the country having height above 600m and not covered under tribal sub plan be treated as backward hill areas. 
  • These programmes aimed at harnessing the indigenous resources of the hill areas through development of horticulture, plantation, agriculture, animal husbandry, poultry, forestry and small scale and village industry.

Drought prone area programme 

  • Initiation & Objectives: A programme was introduced during the Fourth Five-Year Plan to provide employment in drought-prone areas and create productive assets. Initially focused on labour-intensive civil works, it later included irrigation, land development, afforestation, grassland development, and rural infrastructure. 
  • Focus Areas: Emphasis shifted to ecological restoration and agriculture related development, given the growing pressure on marginal lands. Strategies include alternative employment opportunities and integrated watershed development at the micro-level to balance water, soil, plants, and population. 
  • Review & Recommendations: The National Committee on Development of Backward Areas reviewed the programme and suggested ecological balance as a key development focus to combat degradation caused by overuse of marginal lands. 
  • Identification of Drought-Prone Areas: o In 1967, the Planning Commission identified 67 drought-prone districts. 
  • In 1972, the Irrigation Commission added the criterion of 30% irrigated area for identifying drought-prone regions. 
  • Affected regions include parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Irrigated areas in Punjab, Haryana, and northern Rajasthan are less vulnerable.

Case study- integrated tribal development project in Bharmaur region Bharmaur Tribal Area, Himachal Pradesh 

Location & Demographics:

  • Comprises Bharmaur and Holi tehsils of Chamba district. 
  • Notified as a tribal area on 21 November 1975. 
  • Home to the Gaddi tribal community, known for transhumance and the Gaddiali dialect. 
  • 2011 Census: Population of 39,113 with a density of 21 persons per sq km. 
  • Recognized as one of the most economically and socially backward areas in Himachal Pradesh.


Geographical & Economic Conditions:

  • Harsh climate, low resource base, and fragile environment. 
  • Economy centered on subsistence agriculture and livestock rearing, particularly sheep and goats. 

Development Initiatives:

  • Gaddis included among Scheduled Tribes in the 1970s. 
  • Tribal sub-plan introduced under the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974), designating Bharmaur as one of five Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP) in the state. 
  • Focus areas: Transport, communication, agriculture, and social/community services. 

Achievements Under ITDP: 

  • Development of infrastructure: schools, healthcare, potable water, roads, communications, and electricity.
  • Main beneficiaries: Villages along the Ravi River in Holi and Khani areas. 
  • Remote villages (Tundah and Kugti) still lack sufficient infrastructure. 

Social Progress: 

  • Literacy rates significantly improved (Female literacy: 1.88% in 1971 to 65% in 2011).
  • Reduction in gender inequality and child marriage. 

Economic Shifts:

  • Shift from a subsistence agricultural-pastoral economy to increased cultivation of pulses and cash crops. 
  • Traditional technology still prevalent in agriculture. 
  • Decline in pastoralism: Only about 10% of households practice transhumance. 
  • Seasonal migration for wage labor, especially to Kangra and surrounding areas during winters.

Sustainable development 

  1. Definition & Early Understanding:
  • Development refers to the state of societies and the process of changes they undergo, influenced by human-environment interactions. 
  • The level of technology and institutions in a society significantly determines the pace and nature of development. 
  • Development is multi-dimensional, involving economic, social, and environmental transformation. 

Evolution of the Concept: 

  • Post-WWII Era: Initially equated with economic growth, measured by GNP and per capita income/consumption. 
  • 1970s: Recognized the need for equitable growth and redistribution to address rising poverty despite economic progress. 
  • 1980s: Expanded to include social well-being, improved living standards, access to health and education, equality of opportunity, and political and civil rights. 

Sustainable Development: 

  • Emerged in response to environmental concerns in the late 1960s and 1970s. 
  • Influenced by publications like The Population Bomb (1968) and The Limits to Growth (1972), highlighting the negative impacts of industrial development on the environment. 
  • The UN’s World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), led by Gro Harlem Brundtland, released the Brundtland Report (Our Common Future, 1987), defining sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Key Aspects of Sustainable Development: 

  • Balances ecological, social, and economic aspects of development. 
  • Emphasizes resource conservation for future generations. 
  • Advocates for development benefiting all of humankind, acknowledging a shared future. 

Case study- Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area 

  1. Overview: 
  • Largest canal system in India, initially called the Rajasthan Canal. 
  • Conceived by Kanwar Sain (1948), launched on 31 March 1958.
  • Originates at Harike Barrage in Punjab, running parallel to the Pakistan border in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert. 
  • Total planned length: 9,060 km; irrigates 19.63 lakh hectares (70% f low system, 30% lift system). 
  1. Stages of Construction: 
  • Stage-I: 
  • Covers Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, and northern Bikaner districts. 
  • Culturable command area: 5.53 lakh hectares. 
  • Introduced irrigation in the 1960s. 
  • Stage-II: 
  • Covers Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Churu districts.
  • Culturable command area: 14.10 lakh hectares. 
  • Introduced irrigation in the mid-1980s. 
  1. Impact on Ecology & Environment: 
  • Positive:
  • Soil moisture availability improved.
  • Afforestation and pasture development reduced wind erosion and canal siltation
  • Greening of the desert region. 
  • Negative:
  • Intensive irrigation caused waterlogging and soil salinity.
  1. Impact on Agriculture: 
  • Increased cultivated area and cropping intensity. 
  • Shift from traditional crops (gram, bajra, jowar) to water-intensive crops (wheat, cotton, groundnut, rice). 
  • Initial boost in agricultural and livestock productivity. 
  • Long-term sustainability affected due to waterlogging and soil salinity. 
  1. Key Features: 
  • Left bank: Lift canals (water lifted against slope). 
  • Right bank: Flow channels. 

Measures for Promoting Sustainable Development 

Ecological Sustainability: 

  • Emphasis on measures to restore ecological balance due to environmental degradation over four decades.

Proposed Measures: 

  • Water Management:
  • Implement a strict water management policy with protective irrigation in Stage-I and extensive irrigation for crops and pastures in Stage-II

Cropping Patterns: 

  • Avoid water-intensive crops and promote plantation crops like citrus fruits.
  • Command Area Development (CAD): 
  • Implement effective programs such as watercourse lining, land leveling, and warabandi (equal water distribution) to reduce water loss. 

Reclamation: 

  • Reclaim areas affected by waterlogging and soil salinity. 

Eco-development: 

  • Promote afforestation, shelterbelt plantation, and pasture development, particularly in the fragile environment of Stage-II. 

Social Sustainability: 

  • Provide financial and institutional support to economically weaker land allottees for cultivating their land. 

Economic Diversification:

  • Develop agriculture and animal husbandry alongside other economic sectors to diversify the economic base. 
  • Establish functional linkages between villages, agro-service centers, and market centers.


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