Chapter 4: Industries
Introduction to Industries
Definition: Industry refers to the economic activity related to the production of goods, extraction of minerals, or provision of services.
Examples:
Iron and Steel Industry: Produces goods like steel.
Mining Industry: Extracts resources like coal.
Tourism Industry: Provides services to people.
Manufacturing Process: Involves transforming raw materials into finished products with added value. For example, wood pulp is turned into paper, which is then used to make notebooks.
Classification of Industries
Based on Raw Materials:
Agro-based Industries: Use plant or animal products (e.g., cotton textiles, food processing).
Mineral-based Industries: Use minerals (e.g., iron and steel).
Marine-based Industries: Use resources from the sea (e.g., seafood processing).
Forest-based Industries: Utilize forest products (e.g., paper, pharmaceuticals).
Based on Size:
Small-Scale Industries: Require less capital and technology (e.g., pottery, handicrafts).
Large-Scale Industries: Require more capital and advanced technology (e.g., automobile manufacturing).
Based on Ownership:
Private Sector: Owned by individuals or groups (e.g., Tata Steel).
Public Sector: Owned by the government (e.g., Steel Authority of India Ltd).
Joint Sector: Owned by both government and private parties (e.g., Maruti Udyog Ltd).
Cooperative Sector: Owned by producers or workers (e.g., Amul).
Factors Affecting Location of Industries
Key Factors: Availability of raw materials, land, water, labor, power, capital, transportation, and access to markets.
Government Incentives: Sometimes, the government offers benefits like cheaper power and transportation to encourage industries in less developed areas.
Industrial System
Components of an Industrial System:
Inputs: Resources like raw materials, labor, and capital.
Processes: Activities converting raw materials into finished goods (e.g., spinning, dyeing).
Outputs: Finished products and revenue generated (e.g., clothing from textile industry).
Industrial Regions
Definition: Industrial regions are areas with many industries located close together.
Global Industrial Regions: Eastern North America, Europe, Eastern Asia.
Indian Industrial Regions: Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore-Tamil Nadu, Hugli region, Chotanagpur belt, among others.
Industrial Disasters
Example: Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984): A gas leak at a pesticide plant in Bhopal led to thousands of deaths and long-term health impacts.
Risk Reduction: Industrial areas should be located away from densely populated regions, have improved safety systems, and limited storage of toxic substances.
Distribution of Major Industries
Iron and Steel Industry:
A primary industry, using raw materials like iron ore and coal.
Major centers include Germany, USA, China, Japan, and India.
In India, major steel plants are located in Bhilai, Durgapur, Jamshedpur, and Bokaro.
Textile Industry:
One of the oldest industries, using cotton, wool, or synthetic fibers.
Key producers include India, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Information Technology (IT) Industry:
An emerging industry, focused on computing and data services.
Key hubs include Silicon Valley in the USA and Bangalore in India.
