Discover how primary, secondary, and tertiary
sectors interconnect in economic systems,
influencing trade, industry, and services.

Chapter 14 Economic Activities Around Us

Class 6 NCERT Social
Science Exploring Society India
and Beyond

New
Syllabus | Easy to remember solutions

Concept
Map: 

Chapter 14: Economic Activities Around Us (हमारे चारों ओर आर्थिक गतिविधियाँ)

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Sectors (प्राथमिक, माध्यमिक, तृतीयक क्षेत्र)

Interdependence of Economic Sectors (आर्थिक क्षेत्रों की आपसी निर्भरता)

Examples of Trade and Industry (व्यापार और उद्योग के उदाहरण)

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

The primary sector involves extracting raw materials directly from
nature. This sector forms the basis of all other economic activities as it
provides the essential raw materials used in various industries. Here are two
examples of primary sector activities:

• Fishing: Fishermen extract fish from
  natural water bodies like oceans, rivers, or lakes. This activity
  directly depends on the natural resource (fish) and involves no
  significant processing before the initial sale.
• Forestry: Workers in the forestry sector
  fell trees and collect timber and other forest products. This activity
  relies on natural resources (forests) and requires minimal processing
  before the raw materials are used in other industries.

The secondary sector uses the raw materials extracted by the primary
sector and processes them into finished goods. The key difference is that the
secondary sector transforms these raw materials, adding value to them,
while the primary sector primarily involves extraction. For example:

• Fish Processing: While fishermen operate in the
  primary sector, a factory that processes the caught fish into canned tuna
  or frozen fish fillets would be considered a secondary sector activity.
• Furniture Making: The wood extracted through
  forestry (primary sector) is transformed into furniture in factories and
  workshops (secondary sector).

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

The secondary sector, focused on processing raw materials into
finished goods, relies heavily on the tertiary sector, which provides
services, to function effectively. Here are examples of this dependence:

• Transportation: Manufactured goods need to be
  transported from factories to distribution centres and retailers. The
  tertiary sector provides these essential transportation services,
  including trucking, shipping, and air freight. Without reliable
  transportation, the distribution of manufactured goods would be severely
  hampered, impacting the secondary sector’s ability to reach consumers and
  generate revenue.
• Banking and Finance: Secondary sector businesses need
  capital for investment, operational expenses, and expansion. The tertiary
  sector, particularly the banking and finance industry, provides loans,
  credit facilities, and other financial services that enable the secondary
  sector to operate and grow. Additionally, secure payment processing
  systems facilitated by the banking sector are crucial for sales and
  transactions.
• Marketing and Advertising: To reach potential customers,
  businesses in the secondary sector rely on marketing and advertising
  services, a key component of the tertiary sector. These services help
  create demand for manufactured goods, directly impacting the secondary
  sector’s sales and profitability.
• Retail and Distribution: While the secondary sector
  handles production, it’s the tertiary sector, through retail stores,
  online platforms, and distribution networks, that ultimately connects the
  manufactured goods to the end consumers. This crucial link ensures that
  consumers have access to the products, making the tertiary sector
  essential for the success of the secondary sector.

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

The story of the Amul dairy cooperative in Gujarat, India, a clear example
of the interdependence between the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors.
Here’s a flow diagram illustrating this interdependence:

Primary Sector:

Farmers raise cows and produce milk.

Secondary Sector:

Milk is collected and transported to factories.

Milk is processed and transformed into products like butter, cheese, milk
powder, and ghee.

Tertiary Sector:

Amul uses transportation services (trucks, railways, ships) to distribute
its products throughout India and internationally.

Retail stores and shops sell Amul products directly to consumers.

Banking and financial services handle transactions, provide credit, and
manage finances for all stages of the process [implied – not explicitly stated
in this section but a logical part of any large business operation].

Interdependence:

• The secondary sector
  (processing and manufacturing) depends on the primary sector for
  the raw material: milk.
• The tertiary sector
  (transportation, retail) is crucial for getting the processed goods from
  the secondary sector to consumers.
• The income generated by the sale
  of these processed goods supports all three sectors, creating an
  interconnected web of economic activity [implied].

This example demonstrates how the three sectors rely on each other. The
failure or inefficiency of one sector can significantly impact the others,
highlighting the importance of their interconnectedness for a functioning
economy.