Veena Bhargava Textbook Solutions: Manufacturing Industries in India - I : Agro-based

Multiple Choice Questions 

Molasses is a product of

1. silk industry
2. sugar industry
3. cotton textile industry
4. woollen industry

Ans: (b)

Explanation: Molasses is a thick, dark syrup obtained during the sugar-making process from sugarcane. It is a by-product of the sugar industry and is used further in the manufacture of items such as alcohol, rum, cattle feed and some chemicals.

Bombyx Mori is associated with

1. cotton textile industry
2. jute industry
3. silk industry
4. sugar industry

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Bombyx mori is the scientific name of the mulberry silkworm. It is reared in sericulture to produce mulberry silk, so it is directly associated with the silk industry.

Bagasse is a raw material for

1. toy industry
2. paper industry
3. silk industry
4. jute industry

Ans: (b)

Explanation: Bagasse is the fibrous residue left after extracting juice from sugarcane in sugar mills. Because it is rich in fibres, it is used as a raw material in the paper and cardboard industry.

Sericulture is practiced in

1. Tamil Nadu
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Karnataka
4. Uttar Pradesh

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Karnataka is a leading state in India for sericulture. The climate, availability of mulberry plants and well-developed rearing and processing units have encouraged extensive sericulture activity in the state.

This state is called Cottonopolis of India

1. Gujarat
2. Karnataka
3. Tamil Nadu
4. Maharashtra

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Maharashtra, especially the Mumbai-Pune region and nearby districts, developed a large number of cotton mills during the 19th and 20th centuries. For this historical concentration of cotton textile mills, it earned the nickname "Cottonopolis of India".

This state is called Manchester of South India

1. Tamil Nadu
2. Punjab
3. Kerala
4. Andhra Pradesh

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Tamil Nadu, particularly the Coimbatore and Chennai regions, has a large concentration of textile mills and garment units. Because of this strong textile industry base, it is often referred to as the Manchester of South India.

Press mud is used for

1. making wax
2. nail polish
3. paper
4. fertilizer

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Press mud, also called filter cake, is the residual material from sugarcane juice clarification in sugar mills. It is used in the manufacture of products such as wax, shoe polish and carbon paper; it is also used as a soil conditioner or manure in some cases.

Industries that depend on agricultural products for their raw material

1. sugar industry
2. heavy industry
3. cottage industry
4. none of the above

Ans: (a)

Explanation: The sugar industry is an agro-based industry because its raw material, sugarcane, is an agricultural product. Agro-based industries use crops, plants or animal products as their main raw materials.

Kandla (free trade zone) is situated in

1. Maharashtra
2. Kerala
3. Gujarat
4. Tamil Nadu

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Kandla Port and its free trade zone are located in the state of Gujarat on the west coast of India. It is a major trading and shipping hub in the region.

Non-mulberry silk such as muga, tassar and eri are produced

1. Nagaland
2. Gujarat
3. Telangana
4. Assam

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Assam is famous for non-mulberry silks such as muga, tassar and eri. These varieties are produced from wild or semi-wild silkworms native to the region and form an important part of the state's sericulture tradition.

Name a few agro-based industries.

Ans: A few agro-based industries are:

1. Cotton Textile
2. Silk
3. Sugar
4. Jute
5. Vegetable Oil
6. Food Processing

What are the four special features of the cotton textile industry in India?

Ans: Four special features of the cotton textile industry in India are:

1. It is the first manufacturing industry established in India.
2. It is the largest organized industry in the country.
3. It plays a significant role in generating employment.
4. Although it has developed across many regions, the highest concentration of mills is in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Give two reasons why the cotton textile industry has developed around Mumbai.

Ans: Two reasons for the development of the cotton textile industry around Mumbai are:

1. The region has black cotton soil in nearby areas, which is favourable for cotton cultivation and provides a ready supply of raw cotton.
2. The humid climate of Mumbai reduces thread breakage during spinning and weaving, benefiting textile manufacturing.

Name the oldest and most widespread industry in India.

Ans: The cotton textile industry is the oldest and most widespread industry in India.

What are the problems of the cotton textile industry?

Ans: The main problems faced by the cotton textile industry include:

1. Scarcity of raw material - an inadequate and irregular supply of quality raw cotton.
2. Obsolete machinery - many mills use outdated machines leading to low productivity and inferior product quality.
3. Inadequate power supply - frequent power shortages disrupt mill operations.
4. Low labour productivity - labour productivity is low compared to more advanced countries.
5. Stiff competition - from power looms and synthetic fibre products which can be cheaper and faster to produce.
6. Sick mills - several mills have incurred losses and become financially unviable.

State any three problems faced by the sugar industry.

Ans: Three significant problems confronting the sugar industry are:

1. Low and irregular supply of raw material - sugarcane yield per hectare in India is low compared to world standards, causing shortages for mills.
2. Fluctuations in sugarcane output - as an agro-based industry, sugar production is seasonal and is affected by variations in the monsoon and weather.
3. Small and uneconomic size of sugar mills - many mills are small (about 1,000-15,000 tonnes per day capacity) and operate inefficiently.

What is meant by the term sericulture? State the factors responsible for the concentration of the silk industry in Karnataka.

Ans: Sericulture refers to the practice of rearing silkworms for the production of silk.

The factors responsible for the concentration of the silk industry in Karnataka are:

1. Favourable climate for silkworm rearing.
2. Availability of mulberry plants, which are the main food for Bombyx mori silkworms.
3. Presence of Bombyx mori strains that can be reared throughout the year.
4. A tradition of rearing, reeling and weaving in areas such as Mysuru where silk production is an important livelihood.
5. Availability of soft water free from alkaline salts and iron, which is necessary for silk processing.
6. Improved technology and practices for handling Bombyx mori, boosting production and quality.
7. Employment opportunities, especially for women in silkworm rearing, and for men in plantation and processing work.

Which industry has a tendency to migrate towards the south? Why?

Ans: The sugar industry has tended to migrate towards southern India.

Reasons for this shift include:

1. The tropical climate of peninsular India is well suited to sugarcane cultivation and often gives higher yields.
2. Varieties of sugarcane grown in the south generally have higher sucrose content.
3. The crushing season in the south is longer, extending opportunities for processing.
4. Cooperative sugar mills in the south are, in many cases, better managed.
5. Many southern mills are relatively newer and equipped with more modern machinery, improving efficiency.

Name the by-products of the sugar industry. Give the industrial use of each.

Ans: The by-products of the sugar industry and their industrial uses are:

1. Molasses - used in the manufacture of alcohol, rum, fertilisers, certain chemicals, and as cattle feed.
2. Bagasse - used as a raw material in the paper and cardboard industry and as fuel for boilers in sugar mills.
3. Press mud (filter cake) - used in the manufacture of wax, shoe polish and carbon paper; it is also used as a soil conditioner or manure.

State any three differences between the sugar industry of Northern and Peninsular India.

Ans: