NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Geography Chapter 6: Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 12 Geography Chapter 6 solutions cover Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context from the textbook India – People and Economy (Unit III). The chapter explains the two approaches to planning — sectoral and regional — the target-area and target-group programmes used to develop backward regions, two detailed case studies (the Integrated Tribal Development Project in Bharmaur and the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area), and the concept of sustainable development with practical measures to achieve it. Below you get every NCERT exercise question answered step by step, plus key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 12 Subject: Geography Book: India – People and Economy Unit: III Chapter: 6 Session: 2026–27
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Class 12 Geography Chapter 6 – Overview

Chapter 6, Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context, treats ‘planning’ as the conscious process of formulating and implementing schemes to achieve economic development. There are two broad approaches: sectoral planning, aimed at developing sectors such as agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, power and services, and regional planning, which adopts a spatial perspective to reduce regional imbalances. Because development is uneven over space, the Planning Commission introduced target-area programmes (Command Area Development, Drought-Prone Area, Desert Development, Hill Area Development) and target-group programmes (SFDA, MFDA). The chapter studies two cases — the ITDP in Bharmaur (Himachal Pradesh), which improved literacy, sex ratio and infrastructure for the Gaddi tribe, and the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area in Rajasthan, where canal irrigation transformed the economy but caused waterlogging and soil salinity. It closes with the idea of sustainable development — development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own — and measures to make development ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. (Note: from 1 January 2015 the Planning Commission was replaced by the NITI Aayog.)

Key Concepts & Terms

Planning: the conscious process of thinking, formulating a scheme or programme and implementing a set of actions to achieve a development goal — here, the process of economic development.

Sectoral planning: formulation and implementation of schemes aimed at developing various sectors of the economy — agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, power, construction, transport, communication, social infrastructure and services.

Regional planning: planning that adopts a spatial perspective to reduce regional imbalance in development, since some areas are more developed and others lag behind.

Target-area programmes: schemes directed at developing specific backward areas — Command Area Development Programme, Drought-Prone Area Programme, Desert Development Programme and Hill Area Development Programme.

Target-group programmes: schemes directed at specific groups — the Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA) and Marginal Farmers Development Agency (MFDA).

Hill Area Development Programme: initiated in the Fifth Five Year Plan; the 1981 National Committee recommended treating all hill areas above 600 m (not under the tribal sub-plan) as backward hill areas, to be developed through horticulture, plantation, animal husbandry, forestry and small-scale industry.

Drought-Prone Area Programme: initiated in the Fourth Five Year Plan to provide employment and create productive assets in drought-prone areas, emphasising integrated watershed development and restoration of ecological balance.

ITDP (Integrated Tribal Development Project): Bharmaur was one of five ITDPs in Himachal Pradesh under the tribal sub-plan (1974), aimed at improving the quality of life of the Gaddi tribe and narrowing the development gap.

Sustainable development: as defined by the Brundtland Report Our Common Future (1987), “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Indira Gandhi Canal: previously the Rajasthan Canal, conceived by Kanwar Sain (1948), launched on 31 March 1958; it originates at Harike barrage and irrigates the Thar Desert — transforming agriculture but causing waterlogging and soil salinity.

NITI Aayog: formed on 1 January 2015, replacing the Planning Commission, to involve the states in economic policy making and give strategic and technical advice to the Central and State governments.

NCERT Exercise – Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Exercises. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.

1. Choose the right answers of the following from the given options.

(i) Regional planning relates to: (a) Development of various sectors of economy. (b) Area specific approach of development. (c) Area differences in transportation network. (d) Development of rural areas.

ANSWER (b) Area specific approach of development. Regional planning takes a spatial perspective and frames plans for specific areas to reduce regional imbalance in development.

(ii) ITDP refers to which one of the following? (a) Integrated Tourism Development Programme (b) Integrated Travel Development Programme (c) Integrated Tribal Development Programme (d) Integrated Transport Development Programme

ANSWER (c) Integrated Tribal Development Programme. Bharmaur was designated one of five Integrated Tribal Development Projects in Himachal Pradesh under the tribal sub-plan (1974).

(iii) Which one of the following is the most crucial factor for sustainable development in Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area? (a) Agricultural development (b) Eco-development (c) Transport development (d) Colonisation of land

ANSWER (b) Eco-development. Five of the seven proposed measures are meant to restore ecological balance; eco-development through afforestation, shelterbelt plantation and pasture development is the most crucial factor for sustainability in the command area.

2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

(i) What are the social benefits of ITDP in the Bharmaur tribal region?

ANSWER The ITDP brought a tremendous rise in literacy (female literacy rose from 1.88% in 1971 to 65% in 2011), improvement in the sex ratio, a decline in child marriage and reduced gender inequality, along with new schools, healthcare, water, roads and electricity.

(ii) Define the concept of sustainable development.

ANSWER Sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland Report (1987), is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” balancing ecological, social and economic aspects.

(iii) What are the positive impacts of irrigation on Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area?

ANSWER Canal irrigation greened the desert through afforestation and pasture development, reduced wind erosion and siltation, increased cultivated area and cropping intensity, and raised agricultural and livestock productivity by replacing dry crops with wheat, cotton, groundnut and rice.

3. Answer the following questions in about 150 words.

(i) Write short notes on drought-prone area programme. How does this programme help in the development of dryland agriculture in India?

ANSWER The Drought-Prone Area Programme (DPAP) was initiated during the Fourth Five Year Plan with the twin objectives of providing employment to people in drought-prone areas and creating productive assets. Initially it laid emphasis on labour-intensive civil works, but later it focused on irrigation projects, land development, afforestation, grassland development and basic rural infrastructure such as electricity, roads, markets, credit and services. It helps the development of dryland agriculture by promoting an integrated watershed development approach at the micro-level, which conserves soil and water and restores the ecological balance between water, soil, plants, and human and animal populations. By developing irrigation, grasslands and afforestation, the programme stabilises agricultural production, reduces the impact of recurring droughts and provides alternative employment opportunities. The Planning Commission (1967) identified 67 drought-prone districts, and the Irrigation Commission (1972) used the criterion of less than 30 per cent irrigated area to demarcate such areas. This integrated, ecology-centred strategy improves the sustainability of dryland farming.

(ii) Suggest the measures of promotion of sustainability in Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area.

ANSWER Seven measures were proposed to promote sustainable development in the command area, of which five aim at restoring ecological balance: (i) Strict implementation of the water management policy — protective irrigation in Stage-I and extensive irrigation plus pasture development in Stage-II. (ii) Avoiding water-intensive crops and encouraging plantation crops such as citrus fruits. (iii) Effective implementation of CAD programmes — lining of water courses, land development and levelling, and the warabandi system (equal distribution of canal water) to reduce conveyance loss. (iv) Reclamation of areas affected by waterlogging and soil salinity. (v) Eco-development through afforestation, shelterbelt plantation and pasture development, especially in the fragile environment of Stage-II. (vi) Social sustainability — providing poor land allottees adequate financial and institutional support for cultivation. (vii) Economic sustainability — diversifying the economic base by developing agriculture and animal husbandry along with other sectors, and building functional linkages between villages, agro-service centres and market centres.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Distinguish between sectoral planning and regional planning.

ANSWERSectoral planning means formulating and implementing schemes to develop various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, irrigation, power and services. Regional planning adopts a spatial perspective to reduce regional imbalances, because development is uneven over space.

Q2. Name the four target-area programmes mentioned in the chapter.

ANSWERThe four target-area programmes are the Command Area Development Programme, the Drought-Prone Area Development Programme, the Desert Development Programme and the Hill Area Development Programme.

Q3. When and why was NITI Aayog formed?

ANSWERNITI Aayog was formed on 1 January 2015, replacing the Planning Commission, with the objective of involving the states in economic policy making for India and providing strategic and technical advice to the Central and State governments.

Q4. What are the twin environmental problems caused by intensive irrigation in the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area?

ANSWERIntensive irrigation and excessive use of water have led to the twin environmental problems of waterlogging and soil salinity, which in the long run hamper the sustainability of agriculture in the command area.

Q5. Why do resource-rich regions sometimes remain backward?

ANSWEREconomic development requires not only resources but also technology and investment. Without these, even resource-rich regions remain backward, so the Planning Commission introduced target-area and target-group approaches to arrest such regional imbalances.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) in the Bharmaur region and assess its impact.

ANSWERThe Bharmaur tribal area, comprising the Bharmaur and Holi tehsils of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh, is home to the Gaddi tribe, who practise transhumance. It has a harsh climate, low resource base and fragile environment, and is one of the most backward areas of the state. The Gaddis were included among the scheduled tribes in the 1970s, and under the Fifth Five Year Plan the tribal sub-plan was introduced in 1974, designating Bharmaur as one of five ITDPs in Himachal Pradesh. The plan aimed to improve the quality of life of the Gaddis and narrow the development gap, giving the highest priority to transport and communication, agriculture and allied activities, and social and community services. Its most significant contribution was the development of infrastructure — schools, healthcare, potable water, roads, communications and electricity — though remote villages in Tundah and Kugti still lack sufficient facilities. Social benefits include a sharp rise in literacy (female literacy from 1.88% in 1971 to 65% in 2011), an improved sex ratio and a decline in child marriage. Cultivation of pulses and cash crops increased, while pastoralism declined, with only about one-tenth of households still practising transhumance.

Q2. Trace the evolution of the concept of development and explain how it led to the idea of sustainable development.

ANSWERAfter World War II, development was treated as synonymous with economic growth, measured by increases in gross national product (GNP) and per capita income or consumption. But even high-growth countries saw poverty rise because of unequal distribution, so in the 1970s phrases such as “redistribution with growth” and “growth and equity” entered the definition. It was then realised that development cannot be restricted to the economic sphere alone — it must include well-being, living standards, health, education, equality of opportunity, and political and civil rights. By the 1980s, development meant widespread improvement in social and material well-being for all. Meanwhile, rising environmental awareness in the late 1960s in the Western world — sharpened by Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb (1968) and Meadows’ The Limits to Growth (1972) — produced concern about the harmful effects of industrial development. This led the UN to set up the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) under Gro Harlem Brundtland, whose 1987 report Our Common Future defined sustainable development as meeting present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own.

Q3. Discuss how the introduction of canal irrigation transformed the ecology, economy and society of the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area, both positively and negatively.

ANSWERThe Indira Gandhi Canal, conceived by Kanwar Sain in 1948 and launched on 31 March 1958, originates at Harike barrage and runs through the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, with a culturable command area of about 19.63 lakh hectares served in two stages. Its introduction transformed the region in many ways. Positively (ecology): the longer availability of soil moisture and afforestation and pasture-development programmes under CAD greened the land, reduced wind erosion and checked siltation of the canal system. Positively (economy): spread of irrigation increased the cultivated area and cropping intensity; traditional dry crops such as gram, bajra and jowar were replaced by wheat, cotton, groundnut and rice, raising agricultural and livestock productivity. Negatively: however, intensive irrigation and excessive use of water caused waterlogging and soil salinity, degrading the physical environment and threatening the long-term sustainability of agriculture. Thus, the canal brought prosperity but also ecological stress, making eco-development and strict water management essential for sustainable growth.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. The Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog on:

(a) 1 January 2014    (b) 1 January 2015    (c) 31 March 1958    (d) 21 November 1975

2. Sectoral planning aims at the development of:

(a) specific backward areas    (b) various sectors of the economy    (c) tribal groups only    (d) hill districts only

3. SFDA and MFDA are examples of:

(a) target-area programmes    (b) target-group programmes    (c) sectoral schemes    (d) watershed projects

4. The Bharmaur tribal region is inhabited mainly by which community?

(a) Bhils    (b) Santhals    (c) Gaddis    (d) Todas

5. The Drought-Prone Area Programme was initiated during which Five Year Plan?

(a) Third    (b) Fourth    (c) Fifth    (d) Eighth

6. The Brundtland Report “Our Common Future” was published in:

(a) 1968    (b) 1972    (c) 1987    (d) 2015

7. The Indira Gandhi Canal originates at:

(a) Harike barrage    (b) Bhakra dam    (c) Pong dam    (d) Tehri dam

8. The twin environmental problems caused by intensive irrigation in the canal command area are:

(a) drought and desertification    (b) waterlogging and soil salinity    (c) deforestation and erosion    (d) flooding and silting

9. The Hill Area Development Programme was initiated during the:

(a) Third Five Year Plan    (b) Fourth Five Year Plan    (c) Fifth Five Year Plan    (d) Eighth Five Year Plan

10. The warabandi system refers to:

(a) lining of water courses    (b) equal distribution of canal water    (c) shelterbelt plantation    (d) land levelling

Answer key: 1-(b), 2-(b), 3-(b), 4-(c), 5-(b), 6-(c), 7-(a), 8-(b), 9-(c), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: Regional planning is needed in India.

Reason: There is no uniform economic development over space, and some areas lag behind others.

A-R 2. Assertion: A resource-rich region always becomes economically developed.

Reason: Economic development requires technology and investment besides resources.

A-R 3. Assertion: The ITDP improved the social conditions of the Gaddis in Bharmaur.

Reason: Female literacy in the region rose from 1.88 per cent in 1971 to 65 per cent in 2011.

A-R 4. Assertion: Intensive canal irrigation in the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area is fully sustainable.

Reason: Excessive use of water has caused waterlogging and soil salinity in the command area.

A-R 5. Assertion: Eco-development is crucial for sustainability in the canal command area.

Reason: Afforestation, shelterbelt plantation and pasture development help restore ecological balance.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(D), 3-(A), 4-(D), 5-(A).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Keep the two approaches to planning (sectoral vs regional) and the target-area vs target-group distinction crisp — examiners love this difference. Memorise key facts and dates: NITI Aayog (1 January 2015), Indira Gandhi Canal launched (31 March 1958, conceived by Kanwar Sain 1948), Brundtland Report (1987), and Bharmaur female literacy (1.88% → 65%). For the two case studies, organise answers under positive and negative/social/economic impacts. When asked for measures in the canal command area, list all seven and note that five aim at ecological balance.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing sectoral planning (sectors of the economy) with regional planning (spatial/area approach).
  • Mixing up target-area programmes (CADP, DPAP, DDP, HADP) with target-group programmes (SFDA, MFDA).
  • Writing that ITDP stands for “Tourism” or “Transport” — it is the Integrated Tribal Development Programme/Project.
  • Forgetting the negative impacts of canal irrigation (waterlogging and soil salinity) and only listing benefits.
  • Stating wrong dates — mixing up NITI Aayog (2015) with the canal launch (1958) or the Brundtland Report (1987).
  • Giving an incomplete definition of sustainable development — always include “without compromising future generations.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Class 12 Geography Chapter 6 about?

Chapter 6, Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context, explains sectoral and regional planning, target-area and target-group programmes, two case studies (the ITDP in Bharmaur and the Indira Gandhi Canal Command Area), and the concept of sustainable development with measures to achieve ecological, social and economic sustainability.

What is the difference between sectoral and regional planning?

Sectoral planning develops various sectors of the economy — agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, power and services. Regional planning takes a spatial, area-specific approach to reduce regional imbalances in development, since growth is uneven over space.

How is sustainable development defined in this chapter?

Following the Brundtland Report Our Common Future (1987), sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” balancing ecological, social and economic aspects.

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