Published on 02 Feb 2025
Land use change in India refers to shifts in the purpose and pattern of land utilization, influenced by factors like urbanization, agriculture, and industrialization, impacting the landscape and environment.
Increase in area under non-agricultural uses: Due to increasing dependence of Indian economy on industrial and service sectors area under non- agricultural purposes increased.
Forest land: Increase in demarcated area under forest. According to ISFR India’s total forest cover now accounts to 21.72% of total geographical area of the country.
Fluctuation in current fallow lands: According to climate factors such as variability in rainfall, current fallow land increases and decreases.
Urbanisation and industrialisation: Rapid urbanization and industrialization have contributed to the conversion of agricultural land into urban and industrial areas.
Land reforms: Land reforms, initiated to address issues of land distribution and ownership, have played a role in shaping land use patterns in rural areas.
Decreasing area under barren and wasteland: This indicates efforts towards land reclamation and improvement in land productivity
Geography
Land use change in India
General Studies Paper 1
Salient Features of Indian Geography
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