Q70. Which Indian city is nicknamed the Manchester of India?
[EMRS Junior Secretariat Assistant, 17 Dec 2023]
(A) Chennai
(B) Patna
(C) Kolkata
(D) Ahmedabad
Answer: (D) Ahmedabad
Explanation: Ahmedabad earned the nickname because of the concentration of cotton textile mills that developed there. Cotton supplies from Gujarat, skilled labour, investment and market access encouraged the growth of this western Indian manufacturing hub.
Q69. Why did Jamshedpur become a suitable site for the Tata Iron and Steel plant?
[SSC JE Civil, 9 Oct 2023]
(A) Its proximity to iron ore, coal, rivers and transport
(B) Its isolation from all mineral regions
(C) Its complete reliance on overseas ores
(D) Its location in a desert without water
Answer: (A) Its proximity to iron ore, coal, rivers and transport
Explanation: Jamshedpur is near iron ore deposits at Noamundi and Badampahar, coalfields including Jharia and Bokaro, and the Subarnarekha–Kharkai river system. These resources, together with rail connectivity, supported an integrated steel plant.
Q68. Which was the first integrated steel plant set up in the public sector in independent India?
[SSC CGL, 19 Jul 2023]
(A) Durgapur
(B) Rourkela
(C) Bokaro
(D) Visakhapatnam
Answer: (B) Rourkela
Explanation: Rourkela was one of the earliest integrated public-sector steel projects of independent India and was developed with West German assistance. These projects reflected a strategy of building domestic heavy-industrial capacity during the planning period.
Q67. In which year was the first cotton textile mill attempted in India?
[WBCS Preliminary Examination, 2023]
(A) 1854
(B) 1907
(C) 1861
(D) 1818
Answer: (D) 1818
Explanation: An early cotton textile mill was attempted at Fort Gloster near Kolkata in 1818, but it did not achieve lasting commercial success. The first successful modern mill subsequently opened in Bombay in 1854.
Q66. In which year was the cement industry decontrolled in India?
[SSC Stenographer, 13 Oct 2023]
(A) 1989
(B) 1956
(C) 1948
(D) 2005
Answer: (A) 1989
Explanation: The cement industry underwent phased decontrol, with complete decontrol commonly dated to 1989. Liberalisation of prices and distribution changed commercial conditions for cement producers, alongside the industry’s continuing dependence on limestone, power and transport.
Q65. Which city is a major northern centre of the cotton textile industry?
[KVS PGT, 18 Feb 2023]
(A) Thrissur
(B) Kanpur
(C) Kochi
(D) Kollam
Answer: (B) Kanpur
Explanation: Kanpur developed into an important cotton textile and industrial centre in northern India, supported by labour, rail transport, markets and the surrounding agricultural hinterland. It also became associated with leather and other manufacturing activities.
Q64. Which of the following is not an agro-based industry?
[Bihar STET, 18 Sep 2023]
(A) Cotton textiles
(B) Cement
(C) Sugar
(D) Jute textiles
Answer: (B) Cement
Explanation: Cement is primarily mineral-based because limestone and other minerals are its major raw materials. Cotton, jute and sugar industries process crops, making them agro-based. This distinction is widely used to classify Indian manufacturing industries.
Q63. Tata Iron and Steel Company at Jamshedpur lies near the confluence of which rivers?
[SSC JE Electrical, 9 Oct 2023]
(A) Damodar and Ganga
(B) Mahanadi and Brahmani
(C) Subarnarekha and Kharkai
(D) Godavari and Pranhita
Answer: (C) Subarnarekha and Kharkai
Explanation: The Subarnarekha and Kharkai rivers meet near Jamshedpur, providing an important geographical reference point for the Tata Steel complex. Water availability combined with nearby iron ore, coal and transport links in determining the location.
Q62. Which of the following is not a favourable location factor for cotton textile mills?
[SSC CHSL, 7 Aug 2023]
(A) Dry climate
(B) Proximity to cotton supply
(C) Availability of labour
(D) Access to markets
Answer: (A) Dry climate
Explanation: Cotton spinning historically benefited from humid conditions because moisture reduces yarn breakage. Dry conditions were less favourable before modern humidity-control technology. Cotton availability, labour, markets and transport also shaped the distribution of textile mills.
Q61. Which major steel plant is located near the Bay of Bengal coast?
[Delhi Police Constable, 23 Nov 2023]
(A) Bokaro
(B) Bhilai
(C) Durgapur
(D) Visakhapatnam
Answer: (D) Visakhapatnam
Explanation: The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is located on Andhra Pradesh’s coast near a major port. Its coastal position facilitates the movement of materials and products, contrasting with inland mineral-belt plants such as Bhilai and Bokaro.
