Question

State any two geographical features favourable for setting an industry.

Answer 1

1. Raw Materials: The decision regarding the location of a particular industrial activity is guided by the availability of raw materials in a particular area. The earliest industries in India developed near the sources of raw materials. For example, the textile mills of Mumbai received the supply of cotton from Gujarat, and the jute mills of the Hooghly region got the raw material from the delta region of the Ganga. Similarly, the iron and steel industry is located in the region where iron ore, limestone, manganese, and coal are available. The availability of raw materials nearby reduces the cost of transportation.
2. Water Supply: Water is required for the development of industries as it is needed in the process of manufacturing, cleaning, cooling, washing, etc. All industries depend heavily on the availability of fresh water for one purpose or another. These include iron and steel (for cooling), textiles (for bleaching and washing), paper and pulp, chemicals, food processing, jute, leather, nuclear power, etc. Therefore, these industrial units are located at places where water is easily available.
3. Energy: Uninterrupted energy is required to process raw materials into manufactured goods. That is why the iron and steel industry is usually located near the coal resources, as it uses coal for smelting iron ore. Similarly, the electro metallurgical and electro-chemical industries which require power are located where electricity is easily available. In the coal-deficient peninsular region, industries could develop by using hydel power instead of thermal power. Thus, the availability of energy in one form or the other is an important factor in deciding the location of a particular industry.·
4. Transport: Transport is an essential prerequisite for industrial development as transport facilities are required to carry raw materials to manufacturing units and finished products to the market. The availability of transport facilities has led to the development of industries near the port towns that are linked with rail and roads to the hinterland.
5. Labour: The availability of both skilled and unskilled manpower is an important factor in the location of industries. The mobility of labour is also a significant factor. It is because of the mobility of cheap labour from the surrounding areas to Delhi and Mumbai that a large number of industries are located in these metropolitan cities. Some of the small-scale industries traditionally associated with skilled labour are glasswork (Ferozabad), brasswork (Moradabad), utensils (Yamunanagar), silk sarees (Varanasi), carpets (Mirzapur), etc.
6. Market: The existence of market is the ultimate requirement of every industry because whatever is produced needs to be sold. High demand and a satisfactory purchasing power provide impetus to industrial development. For example, heavy chemical industries or machine industries are located in industrial areas because their products are required by other industries of the region. Similarly, petroleum refineries are established near the· markets as the transport of crude oil is easier. However, refineries using imported crude oil are located near the ports.
7. Climate: Climate plays a significant factor in the location of industries, especially agro-based industries. For instance, the cotton textile industry is located in Maharashtra because the moist climate and black soil are favourable for the growth of cotton. Extreme type of climate, i.e., either too hot or too cold climate is also not favourable for the location of industries, as it not only affects the availability of raw materials but also the efficiency of the workers.