Which of the following statements with regard to the land-use situation in India is/are correct?
- 1. There has been a tremendous decline in area under forest in recent years.
- 2. The rate of increase in land use in recent years is the highest in case of area under non-agricultural use.
- 3. Land use such as barren and wasteland, area under pastures and tree crops have experienced decline in recent years.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1 only
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2018
Statement 1 is incorrect because official reports like the Forest Survey of India have generally shown an increase or stabilization in India’s forest and tree cover in recent decades, rather than a “tremendous decline.” Statement 2 is correct; with increasing urbanization, industrialization, and infrastructure development, the area under non-agricultural uses (such as buildings, roads, factories) has been expanding significantly. Statement 3 is generally correct as trends in land use data show declines in area under categories like pastures and miscellaneous tree crops/groves over the years, partly due to encroachment, conversion to other uses, or changes in reporting. Barren and unculturable wasteland area has also seen a decline due to reclamation efforts.