Page 37 - SST Class 08

MAJOR INDUSTRIES and became the largest sugar-producing country
The major industries during the nineteenth and
first half of the twentieth century were as follows :
Cotton Textile Industry
Cotton textile industry in India is one of the oldest
in the world. Handloom was used for weaving
clothes. This industry could not compete against
the machine-made textiles.
Info Bits
Info Bits
Printed cotton cloth from India was called chintz
and they were much in demand by the British
aristocrats. The word chintz is derived from the
Hindi word chhint meaning a cloth with designs of
small and colourful flowers.
Jute Industry
The first jute mill was started in Bengal in 1855.
This industry grew rapidly in Bengal because it
was the chief source of raw material. The number
of jute mills rose from 20 in 1887 to 36 in 1901
and 64 in 1914. This industry got further impetus
during the first and second world wars. Over 2
lakh people worked in this industry in 1914.
Coal Mining Industry
With the introduction of railways, which was the
major consumer of coal, the coal mining industry
started to develop. It began in 1850 in Raniganj in
Bengal and spread to other areas in Bengal and
Bihar. The number of coal mines increased from
56 in 1879 to 123 in 1895. Coal production
increased from 16.5 million tons in 1914 to 28.34
million tons in 1938. This industry employed
more than 1.5 lakh people in 1915.
Sugar Industry
The sugar industry (including gur and khandsari)
was one of the most important
industries of pre-independence
era. Its production increased
from over 73,000 tons in 1920
to over 1.23 million tons in
1936. India became self-
sufficient in sugar production
Sugar Industry in 1936
in the world.
Iron and Steel Industry
The iron and steel industry is a basic industry
which provides raw materials to most of the other
industries. After the establishment of the TISCO in
1911, it developed as a large number of machines
were needed for different industries. Starting from
a meagre 35,000 tons production in 1911, its
production grew to over 39,65,000 tons in 1936.
Plantation Industries
The plantation industries too developed in India
during this period. You have read that the British
compelled peasants to grow indigo which was
used as a dye in cotton textiles. However, after the
introduction of artificial dye, indigo plantations
were discouraged.
Tea plantations first developed in Bengal and
Assam in the middle of the nineteenth century,
and further expanded to other areas, such as
Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Tea is a major
article which is consumed in India as well as is
exported to other countries.
Coffee plantations were established in southern
India, especially Mysore, Coorg, Kerala etc. It was
chiefly exported to Europe.
It may be pertinent to mention
here that the workers in these
plantations were treated like
slaves, while the government
remained prejudiced towards
the owners.
Tea plantation
Quiz Time
Write True or False :
1. Handloom was used for weaving
clothes. ______
2. The first cotton mill was established by
Cowasjee Nambhoy. ______
3. Cotton textile industry in India is one
of the largest in the world. ______
4. The number of coal mines increased
from 56 in 1879 to 123 in 1895. ______
Crafts and Industries
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