NCERT Solutions to Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter 14 “Economic Activities Around Us”

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Text Book Page no 195

The Big Questions

1. How are economic activities classified?

Answer:

Economic activities are classified by the manner in which they use resources and what they produce. Some activities rely directly on natural resources, others take raw materials and turn them into new products, and some offer services that help support all the producers in the economy.

2. What differentiates these activities to be grouped into sectors?

Answer:

Economic activities are classified into three main sectors based on the type of work involved:

Primary Sector: Economic activities which rely directly on natural resources to generate goods. For example, cultivation of grains, extraction of coal from mines, fish from fisheries, wood from forests.

Secondary Sector: Involves manufacturing and processing, where raw materials from the primary sector are converted into finished goods.
For example the processing of wheat grains to make flour in mills, processing wood from forests into paper and furniture, cotton into textiles etc.

Tertiary Sector: Economic activities that support the primary and secondary sectors. For example, a truck driver transporting grains and vegetables from farms to factories or markets, banking services, education, retail, healthcare and communication.

3. How are the three sectors interconnected?

Answer:

The three sectors are interdependent:

The Primary Sector provides raw materials (like wheat from farming or minerals from mining).

The Secondary Sector processes these raw materials into products (like bread from wheat or steel from minerals).

The Tertiary Sector then helps distribute and sell the products, and also provides services (like transportation, banking, or marketing) to support the other two sectors.

Thus, all sectors rely on each other to keep the economy functioning efficiently.

Text Book Page no 199

THINK ABOUT IT

Can you think of any primary activities that you may have seen in the past? What are the natural resources used in these activities? Name two of them and discuss your experiences with your classmates.

Answer:

Two interesting primary activities that I have observed are:

(i) Sericulture, the process of raising silkworms to produce silk

The process of raising silkworms to produce silk is fascinating.

At first, high quality silkworm eggs are incubated under carefully controlled conditions till they hatch into tiny larvae known as silkworms. For about a month, these silkworms are fed on mulberry leaves. They devour a lot of leaves and grow very rapidly.

Once they reach maturity, the silkworms stop eating and begin to spin their cocoons which are made of long silk threads. I was amazed when I heard that each cocoon can contain up to 1000 meters of silk.

After the cocoons are fully formed, they are harvested. The farmers then kill the pupae inside by using steam or hot water. They then unravel the silk threads without damage.

Sericulture not only contributes to India’s rich textile heritage, but also supports rural economies and provides jobs.

(ii) Salt Farming:

In Kochi, I was surprised to see salt being produced. The salt fields are vast flat expanses of land where sea water is channelled in to form shallow salt water ponds. As the water evaporates under the intense heat of the sun, white crystals of salt are left behind.

The farmers follow traditional methods of salt production using manual labour and simple implements. They monitor the drying process by scraping and turning the salt to ensure even drying. During the harvesting season, the salt forms a thick crust which the workers gather using large wooden or metal scoops and store the salt in bags for processing.

Text Book Page no 200

LET’S EXPLORE

Now that we have seen some examples of secondary sector activities, can you name two more economic activities in the secondary sector?

Answer:

Two more economic activities in the secondary sector are:

(i) Pottery and Ceramics:

Pottery involves shaping clay into different items, such as pots, vases, and dishes, and then firing them in a kiln to harden. This traditional craft combines art with utility.

(ii) Plastic Manufacturing:

The process of making plastic starts by refining crude oil or natural gas to get substances like ethylene and propylene. These substances are then changed into plastic through a process called polymerization.

Text Book Page no 205

DON’T MISS OUT

Just like AMUL, there are many other milk cooperatives under brands such as Nandini from Karnataka, Mother Dairy from Delhi-NCR, Aavin from Tamil Nadu, Vijaya from Andhra Pradesh, Kevi from Nagaland, Sudha from Bihar, Verka from Punjab, etc. Can you name one cooperative around you that has helped groups like farmers, persons with disabilities, and women, to come together and has brought prosperity to their lives?

Answer:

One cooperative in Delhi that helps groups like farmers, people with disabilities, and women is SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association).

• For Women: SEWA is run by women to help other women who are self-employed. It gives them training, money, and helps them sell their products. SEWA helps women start small businesses, earn fair wages, and become independent.
• For People with Disabilities: SEWA also helps women with disabilities by training them in making handicrafts, sewing and embroidery and helping them get jobs so they can earn money and support themselves.
• For Farmers: SEWA supports women farmers by giving them better seeds, loans, and teaching them good farming methods to help them grow more food and earn more money.

SEWA works to make sure everyone can have a better life by helping them work and support themselves.

Text Book Page no 207

THINK ABOUT IT

Observe the different stages of the process shown in Fig. 14.1 on page 206 and discuss them with your fellow classmates.

Answer:

The process illustrated above involves many steps from the cutting down trees to selling books.

1. First, workers use chain saws to cut down trees in the forest. This is a primary activity which shows how wood (raw material) is obtained from nature.

2. Assembling and loading the logs: The cut trees, now logs, are stacked together in one place for easy handling and then loaded on to a truck. (These two steps are tertiary activities which supports the primary activity because the cut logs have to be moved to the processing site so that they can be put to use).

3. Transporting by Truck: The logs are loaded onto large trucks and driven to a paper factory.

(Tertiary activity which supports the primary activity – extraction of raw material aa well as the secondary activity – processing of wood to make paper – by transporting the raw material to the processing site.

4. Making Paper: At the factory, the logs are chopped into smaller pieces and made into pulp by mixing with water and chemicals. This pulp is then flattened, dried, and pressed into rolls of paper.
This is a secondary activity which converts the raw material into paper – a product which has many uses.

5. Taken to Printing Press: Once the paper rolls are ready, they are ready to be printed on. The large electronic printers print words and images onto them to create books. This is also a secondary activity where the blank paper is being converted into printed paper ready to be folded and bound as books.

6. Books Sold by Booksellers: The finished books are packaged and sent to booksellers, who display and sell them in stores. Retail selling of books is a tertiary activity which supports the secondary activity.

We can see how the three activities are interconnected and mutually dependent. We can also see how value is added at different stages as a tree is gradually converted into a book.

Text book Page no 207

LET’S EXPLORE

Label the pictures in the illustration shown in Fig. 14.1 on page 206 as:

1. Primary sector

2. Secondary sector

3. Tertiary sector

Answer:

DON’T MISS OUT

These days, used paper is recycled to make new paper. Recycling just one tonne of paper saves 17 trees as well as 2.5 cubic metres of landfill space, where waste is dumped. It also takes 70 per cent less energy and water to recycle paper than to make new paper from wood pulp.
What are the different ways through which we can judiciously use paper in the classrooms and offices of your school?

Answer:

By consciously following the few simple tips listed below, we can save paper in our school:

1. Always print on both sides of the paper to save more.

2. Take notes on computers or tablets instead of paper.

3. Set up recycling bins for used paper so we can recycle it properly.

4. Use the blank side of old printed papers for writing drafts or notes.

5. Do not print handouts and worksheets, but send them through email or apps instead.

6. Always ask if you really need to print something.

7. Write on smaller sheets to save paper.

By following these tips, we can reduce paper usage and contribute towards protecting the environment!

Text Book Page no 208

LET’S EXPLORE

List the economic activities in your neighbourhood and label them appropriately as primary, secondary or tertiary. Draw arrows to show how they are connected to each other. In what ways are they dependent on each other? What would happen if one of the activities ceased to exist?

Answer:

Economic Activities in New Delhi

Primary Activities:

Farming: Vegetable and fruit farming in outskirts like Narela.

Dairy Farming: Milk production from local dairy colonies.

Secondary Activities:

Food Processing: Factories that process fruits and vegetables into packaged foods.

Textile Manufacturing: Factories producing clothing and fabrics in areas like Naraina.

Construction: Building residential and commercial spaces throughout the city.

Tertiary Activities:

Retail Stores: Shops selling groceries, clothing, and electronics.

Transportation Services: Auto-rickshaws, buses, taxis and metro services for commuting.

Banking Services: Banks providing financial services to individuals and businesses.

Healthcare Services: Caters to all sectors ensuring that all remain healthy.

All the three sectors are Interconnected

Arrows Showing Connections:

Farming (Primary) → Transport (Tertiary) → Food Processing (Secondary): Fresh produce from farms is transported to factories where it is processed.

Food Processing (Secondary) → Transport (Tertiary) → Retail Stores (Tertiary): Processed food products are transported to grocery shops for sale.

Dairy Farming (Primary) → Transport (Tertiary) → Retail Stores (Tertiary): Milk and dairy products are transported to different retail stores for sale.

Construction (Secondary) → Retail Stores (Tertiary): Construction of shops and markets provides space for retail.

Garment factories (Secondary) → Transport (Tertiary) → Retail outlets (Tertiary).

Transportation Services (Tertiary) → All Activities: Transportation helps connect all these activities by moving goods and people.

Banking Services (Tertiary): Banks provide loans for development and growth of all sectors:

                               → Farming (Primary), Dairy farming (Primary)
                               → Food processing (Secondary), Textile, garment Factory (Secondary), Construction
                               → Transportation (Tertiary)
                               → Retail Outlet (Tertiary)

Healthcare services → Provides support to all sectors so that all remain healthy.

Interdependence:

All three sectors are interdependent. Each activity relies on the others to function smoothly:

The primary sector (farms, dairy) produces raw materials (vegetables, fruits, cotton, milk) which are used by the secondary sector for processing of food (packaged processed food) or manufacture of goods (textiles) or for construction etc.

The secondary sector (factory) depends on retail shops (tertiary sector) to sell their products.

The tertiary sector provides services like transport, banking and healthcare which are essential for all sectors.

If one of these activities ceases to exist:

If Farming were to cease, the food processing plants would run short of raw material and be forced to shut down and there would be a shortage of food in the retail stores. This would impact retail sales and reduce transportation needs, ultimately affecting all related services like banking.

If the food processing industry were to stop functioning, the farmers would not be able to sell their produce and the fruits and vegetables would rot on the farm itself and there would be shortage of food in the retail stores.

Similarly, if retail stores close, there would be no market for processed goods, causing food processing factories to shut down, which would then affect farming.

If the transport sector were to stop functioning, there would be no movement of goods whether raw materials or finished goods, or of people, so all activities would come to a standstill.

If Banking services were to cease, then all three sectors would suffer from lack of capital. Banks provide loans to farmers for seeds and equipment, to food processors and manufacturers for machinery, and to retailers for store setup and inventory.

If healthcare services were to come to a standstill, the health and well-being of people who work in all three sectors would be affected and lead to the crippling of the economy.

Conclusion:

Understanding these connections helps us realize how various economic activities in New Delhi support and rely on each other. It’s important to maintain this balance for the local economy to thrive. Each sector plays a crucial role in supporting the others, creating a robust economy where weakness of one can significantly impact the others.

Text Book Page no 208

Questions, activities and projects

1. What is the primary sector? How is it different from the secondary sector? Give two examples.

Answer:

The primary sector includes economic activities related to the extraction of raw materials from the earth, such as farming, forestry, mining and fishing. People in this sector are dependent on nature to procure raw materials, such as different crops, timber, fish and minerals.

The secondary sector, on the other hand, transforms raw materials from the primary sector into finished goods or products through processing or manufacturing. This sector enhances the value of natural resources by changing their form.

Examples:

Primary Sector: Farming (growing crops), mining (extracting coal), fishing (catching fish from rivers and seas)

Secondary Sector: producing steel from iron ore, food processing which turns raw agricultural products (like milk, vegetables, or grains) into packaged goods such as cheese, canned foods, or bread.

2. How does the secondary sector depend on the tertiary sector? Illustrate with a few examples.

Answer:

The secondary sector depends on the tertiary sector for support services that are necessary for the production and sale of goods. These services include transportation, marketing, retail, banking, and communication.

Examples:

Transportation: Factories depend on trucks or railways to transport raw materials (like iron ore) from the mines to factories and deliver finished products (like steel) to markets.

Marketing: Secondary sector companies sometimes use the services of marketing agencies to advertise, promote and sell their products in stores or online.

Retail outlets: The secondary sector needs retail outlets to display and sell their products.

Banking: Factories depend on banks for loans to purchase machinery and run their businesses,  retail outlets too need finance for their stock.

3. Give an example of interdependence between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Show it using a flow diagram.

Answer:

An example of the interdependence between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors is the production of bread.

Primary Sector: Farmers grow wheat.

Secondary Sector: Wheat is processed in factories to produce flour, and then bread is baked.

Tertiary Sector: Transportation services deliver bread to grocery stores, and shops sell it to consumers.

Flow Diagram:

In this example, all three sectors are interdependent: the primary sector provides raw materials (wheat), the secondary sector transforms them into products (bread), and the tertiary sector helps distribute and sell them. If one sector stops functioning, it affects the entire chain.

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