Rajasthan is among the states working on land restoration. It has adopted techniques such as contour bunding, afforestation and other soil conservation measures to reduce erosion and improve soil fertility in degraded areas.
Read the given text and answer the following questions: According to the 2023 report released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, about 29.7 % of India’s total geographical area is undergoing various forms of land degradation. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are the worst – affected states. The causes of degradation include overgrazing, deforestation, mining activities, over – irrigation and improper agricultural practices. It is also noted that population pressure and expansion of urban areas have accelerated soil erosion and desertification. The Indian government has pledged to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, aligning with its commitment to Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). States like Haryana and Rajasthan have begun implementing soil conservation methods, including contour bunding, shelter belts, afforestation, crop rotation and promoting organic farming in semi – arid regions. However, more institutional and technological support is needed for long – term sustainability. (i) Name any one state mentioned in the case that is implementing land restoration programmes and mention one method used. (ii) Explain any two human – induced causes of land degradation in India. (iii) What is India’s national – level target for land restoration by 2030 under the UNCCD commitment?
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(i) Rajasthan is among the states working on land restoration. It has adopted techniques such as contour bunding, afforestation and other soil conservation measures to reduce erosion and improve soil fertility in degraded areas.
(ii) Two major human-induced causes of land degradation in India are:
(iii) Under its commitment to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), India has set a national target to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 through sustainable land management practices.