Industries are places where raw materials are changed into useful goods for our daily life. To start an industry we need several basic factors: raw materials, a supply of power, enough labour, capital (money), good transport and a market to sell products. According to the raw materials used, industries are mainly of three kinds: agro-based (such as cotton textiles, sugar and food processing), mineral-based (iron and steel, cement, aluminium) and forest-based (paper, furniture, matchsticks).

By size, industries may be cottage industries where people work at home with simple tools, small-scale industries that use small machines and a few workers, and large-scale industries such as shipbuilding, automobiles, and iron & steel that use heavy machines and employ thousands of workers. Coal is important because it is used to produce thermal power. Efficient transport is required to bring raw materials to factories and to take finished goods to markets and ports.

India has many famous industrial centres: Ahmedabad for cotton textiles, Jamshedpur and Bhilai for iron and steel, Visakhapatnam for shipbuilding, Bengaluru for electronic goods, and Gurugram for automobiles. We should promote the use of renewable energy, keep factories clean, reduce waste, and plant trees around industrial areas to control pollution. Industries help our country grow by giving jobs, producing goods and earning money, but they must be set up responsibly with care for people and nature.

उद्योग वह स्थान है जहाँ कच्चा माल उपयोगी वस्तुओं में बदला जाता है। किसी भी उद्योग के लिए मुख्य तत्व हैं—कच्चा माल, बिजली, पर्याप्त मज़दूर, पूँजी (पैसा), अच्छा परिवहन और बाज़ार। प्रयुक्त कच्चे माल के आधार पर उद्योग तीन प्रकार के होते हैं—कृषि-आधारित (कपास वस्त्र, चीनी, खाद्य-प्रसंस्करण), खनिज-आधारित (लोहा-इस्पात, सीमेंट, एल्युमिनियम) और वन-आधारित (कागज़, फ़र्नीचर, माचिस)।

आकार के आधार पर—कुटीर उद्योग घरों में चलने वाले छोटे उद्योग हैं; लघु उद्योग कम मशीनों और कुछ मजदूरों से चलते हैं; जबकि बड़े उद्योग जैसे जहाज़-निर्माण, ऑटोमोबाइल और लोहा-इस्पात भारी मशीनों के साथ हजारों मजदूरों को काम देते हैं। कोयला आवश्यक है क्योंकि इससे थर्मल पावर (ऊष्मा विद्युत) बनती है। उद्योगों के लिए परिवहन बहुत ज़रूरी है ताकि कच्चा माल कारखाने तक पहुँचे और तैयार माल बाज़ारों/बंदरगाहों तक जा सके।

भारत के प्रमुख औद्योगिक केन्द्र—अहमदाबाद (कॉटन टेक्सटाइल्स), जमशेदपुर व भिलाई (लोहा-इस्पात), विशाखापट्टनम (शिपबिल्डिंग), बेंगलुरु (इलेक्ट्रॉनिक सामान) और गुरुग्राम (ऑटोमोबाइल) हैं। उद्योग देश को रोज़गार और वस्तुएँ देते हैं, इसलिए इनके साथ नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा का उपयोग, स्वच्छता, अपशिष्ट-न्यूनता और वृक्षारोपण जैसे उपाय अपनाकर प्रकृति की रक्षा करना भी ज़रूरी है।

1) What is an industry?

An industry is a place where raw materials are changed into finished goods with the help of workers and machines.

2) Why do we need power in industries?

Power runs the machines. Without electricity or other sources of energy, manufacturing cannot happen smoothly.

3) Give two examples of agro-based industries.

Cotton textiles and sugar industry. Both use farm products as raw materials.

4) What is meant by market?

Market is the place or network where finished goods are sold to people or other businesses.

5) Name two important iron & steel centres of India.

Jamshedpur and Bhilai.

6) State one feature of cottage industries.

They are run at home or in small workshops using simple tools and family labour.

7) What is transport used for in industries?

To bring raw materials to factories and to send finished products to markets and ports.

8) Which fuel mostly produces thermal power?

Coal is mainly used to generate thermal power.

9) What do we mean by capital?

Capital is the money and resources invested to start and run an industry.

10) Give two examples of large-scale industries.

Automobile industry and iron & steel industry.

1) What are the various factors required for setting up an industry?

Raw materials, power, labour, capital (money), transport, market, and suitable land with supportive government policies.

2) Why is transport important for an industry?

Transport brings raw materials to the factory and takes finished goods to markets and ports, keeping the industry running smoothly.

3) Name the three types of industries according to the raw materials they use.

Agro-based industries, mineral-based industries, and forest-based industries.

4) What are cottage industries?

Small industries started in homes or tiny workshops using simple tools and family labour; they make items like handloom cloth, pottery, and pickles.

5) What is the difference between a small-scale industry and a large-scale industry?

Small-scale industries use small machines, less money and employ few workers; large-scale industries use heavy machines, huge capital and employ thousands producing goods in bulk.

A) Should all industries use renewable energy sources?

Yes. Solar, wind and hydro reduce pollution and long-term costs. Where not fully possible, industries should at least mix renewables with efficient use of coal and adopt pollution-control devices.

B) List five major industries in India and their main centres.

Cotton textiles – Ahmedabad; Iron & Steel – Jamshedpur/Bhilai; Automobiles – Gurugram/Pune; Electronics – Bengaluru; Shipbuilding – Visakhapatnam.

C) As a factory owner, how can you reduce pollution?

Use cleaner fuels and renewables, maintain machines, recycle water, plant trees around the campus, segregate waste, treat smoke with filters, and follow “reduce–reuse–recycle”.