Chapter 7: Lifelines of National Economy

Important questions — the ones the board asked most (14)

1. Q1Long answer5 marksAsked: 2023

   (a) 'Efficient means of Transport are pre-requisite for fast development.' Justify the statement. OR (b) 'Roadways have an edge over Railways.' Justify the statement.

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Importance of efficient transport

   1. 1.Efficient means of transport are prerequisites for fast development because the pace of development of a country depends upon the production of goods and services as well as their movement over space. Goods and services do not move from supply locations to demand locations on their own. Movement of these goods and services can be over three important domains of our earth, i.e. land, water and air. Based on these, transport is classified into land, water and air transport.1 mark
   2. 2.Earlier, trade and transport were restricted to a limited space. With development in science and technology, their area of influence expanded far and wide. Today, the world has been converted into a large village with the help of efficient and fast moving transport.1 mark
   3. 3.Transport helps us interact with people in all parts of the world. Because of it, India is well-linked with the rest of the world despite its vast size, diversity and linguistic and socio-cultural plurality. This supports trade from local to international levels.1 mark
   4. 4.Railways make it possible for people to conduct multifarious activities like business, sightseeing and pilgrimage, along with transportation of goods over longer distances. Railways bind the economic life of the country and accelerate the development of industry and agriculture.1 mark
   5. 5.Pipelines are used for transporting crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas from oil and natural gas fields to refineries, fertilizer factories and big thermal power plants. Refineries far inland, such as Barauni, Mathura and Panipat, became possible only because of pipelines.1 mark

   • Name all three domains, "land, water and air", and the three types of transport based on them.
   • Write the exact line "the world has been converted into a large village".
   • For pipelines, write what they carry ("crude oil" and "natural gas") and where they carry it ("refineries" and factories).

   Marks split as in the board’s published marking scheme

2. Q2Long answer5 marksAsked: 2023

   31. (a) ‘Transport and Communication are complementary to each other.’ Support the statement. OR (b) Analyse the features of International trade of India.

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Transport and communication complementary

   1. 1.Transport and communication are complementary to each other because together they are the lifelines of our nation and its modern economy. Transport moves goods and services from supply locales to demand locales, and it can do this only with the help of an equally developed communication system.1 mark
   2. 2.Together, transport and communication have enriched our life and added substantially to growing amenities and facilities for the comforts of life. Things we need that are not found around us reach us from other places, and information about them reaches us at the same time.1 mark
   3. 3.Railways, airways, waterways, newspapers, radio, television, cinema and internet, etc. have been contributing to India's socio-economic progress in many ways. Because of them, India is well-linked with the rest of the world despite its vast size, diversity and linguistic and socio-cultural plurality.1 mark
   4. 4.Transport and communication have added vitality to the economy. Through them, trade from local to international levels has grown, and this has added to the vitality of India's economy.1 mark
   5. 5.A dense and efficient network of transport and communication is a prerequisite for local, national and global trade of today. So transport, communication and trade depend on one another and are complementary to each other.1 mark

   • Call transport and communication "the lifelines of our nation and its modern economy" in your first line.
   • Give examples such as railways, airways, waterways, radio and newspapers, and say that they help "socio-economic progress".
   • End with "a prerequisite for local, national and global trade".

   Marks split as in the board’s published marking scheme

3. Q3Long answer5 marksAsked: 2023

   (a) How are waterways an important mode of transport for both passenger and cargo traffic in India ? Explain. OR (b) Explain the important features of Air Transport of India.

4. Q4Long answer5 marksAsked: 2023

   (A) Analyse the problems of Road Transport in India. OR (B) 'Railways in India promotes the socio-economic life of the country.' Examine the statement.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (A) India's road network is long, but its density and quality fall short of the country's needs. OR (B) Railways are India's principal mode of transport for both freight and passengers.

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5. Q5Long answer5 marksAsked: 2023

   (A) Explain the rapid transformation in the communication sector in the modern times. OR (B) Explain the characteristics of International trade of India.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (B) Trade between two countries is called international trade. It is the exchange of goods between countries, and it may take place through sea, air or land routes. Export and import are the components of trade. The…

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6. Q6Map4 marksAsked: 2026

   19. On the same outline map of India, given for Q. No. 9, locate and label any three of the following with suitable symbols : 19.1 The dam built on Mahanadi river. 19.2 Nuclear power plant located in Uttar Pradesh. 19.3 Software technology park located in Maharashtra. 19.4 Major sea port located in Gujarat. Note : The following questions are for the Visually Impaired Candidates only in lieu of question number 19. Attempt any three questions : 19.1 Name the dam which is located on Mahanadi river. 19.2 Name the place where nuclear power plant is located in Uttar Pradesh. 19.3 Name the place where the software technology park is located in Maharashtra. 19.4 Name the place where sea port is located in Gujarat.

   How the model answer begins

   1. 19.1 The dam built on the Mahanadi river is the Hirakud Dam. On the outline map of India, it is shown with a dam symbol on the Mahanadi river in western Odisha and labelled "Hirakud Dam".

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7. Q7Map4 marksAsked: 2026

   (Map-Skill Based Question) 19. On the given outline map of India for Question number 9, locate and label any three of the following with appropriate symbols : (i) Dam built on Chenab river (ii) Nuclear power plant located in Maharashtra (iii) Software Technology Park located in Tamil Nadu (iv) International Airport located in Punjab. Note : The following questions are for Visually Impaired Candidates only in lieu of Question number 19. Answer any three : (i) Write the name of the dam built on Chenab river in India. (ii) Write the name of the place where the nuclear power plant is located in Maharashtra. (iii) Write the name of the place where the Software Technology Park is located in Tamil Nadu. (iv) Write the name of the place where the International Airport is located in Punjab.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (i) Dam built on Chenab river: Salal Dam. On the outline map of India, it is marked with a dam symbol on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir and labelled "Salal Dam". (Visually impaired candidates: The dam built on…

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8. Q8Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

   Explain the importance of pipelines as a means of transportation in India.

9. Q9Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

   Why is road transport more important than the other means of transportation in India ? Explain.

   How the model answer begins

   1. Road transport is more important in India because roads are easy and cheap to build. The construction cost of roads is much lower than that of railway lines. Roads can also cross difficult terrain: they can traverse…

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10. Q10Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    (a) Why do we call Tourism as a Trade ? Explain. OR (b) Explain the importance of Transportation in the economic development of the country.

    How the model answer begins

    1. (a) Tourism gives direct employment to people working in hotels, dhabas and catering. OR (b) Transport carries goods and services from where they are produced to markets in other regions, making trade possible.

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11. Q11Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Name a major sea port located in Tamil Nadu. (18.

    How the model answer begins

    1. Tuticorin is the major seaport located in Tamil Nadu. Its full name is V.O. Chidambaranar (Tuticorin) port. It is the extreme south-eastern port on the east coast of India. It has a natural harbour and rich hinterland,…

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12. Q12Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Write the name of the easternmost terminal station of the East-West Corridor of India.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The easternmost terminal station of the East-West Corridor of India is Silchar in Assam. The East-West Corridor connects Silchar (Assam) in the east with Porbander (Gujarat) in the west. It is part of the Golden…

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13. Q13Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Write the name of the place where the international airport is located in Punjab. (18.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The international airport in Punjab is located at Amritsar. It is called Amritsar International Airport. It links Punjab with other countries by airways. Air travel is the fastest, most comfortable and prestigious mode…

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14. Q14Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Write the name of the place where the major sea port in Odisha is located

    How the model answer begins

    1. The major sea port in Odisha is located at Paradip (Paradwip), on the east coast of India. Paradwip port specialises in the export of iron ore. It is one of the 12 major ports of India, and together these major ports…

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Objective questions with the board’s key (1)

1. 1. CBSE 2023

   Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option. Column I (Port) | Column II (Type) i. Kandla | 1. Riverine port ii. Mumbai | 2. Deepest landlocked port iii. Visakhapatnam | 3. Biggest port iv. Kolkata | 4. Port developed after independence

   • (A) i – 4, ii – 3, iii – 2, iv – 1 ✓
   • (B) i – 2, ii – 1, iii – 3, iv – 4
   • (C) i – 2, ii – 4, iii – 1, iv – 3
   • (D) i – 1, ii – 2, iii – 4, iv – 3

   Answer: (A)

Questions parents and students ask

How many marks does "Lifelines of National Economy" carry in CBSE Class 10 Social Science?

In the CBSE papers of 2023–2026, this chapter carried about 1 marks and about 1 questions a year; by marks it ranks 20 in Social Science.

Which are the most important (VVI) questions of "Lifelines of National Economy"?

The 14 questions above are from the board’s real papers, each with the years it was asked; the most-asked come first with their full model answers. All 14 written questions of this chapter, with answers, are in the AskMedha app.

Do the answers follow the board’s marking scheme?

Yes. CBSE publishes its marking schemes; every model answer here is written point by point to the marks the board’s own scheme gives, and checked by a second, independent model.