How to identify a location for establishing an industry?

Divide your class into groups. Each group is a Board of Directors faced with the problem of choosing suitable site for an iron and steel plant Developed Dweep. A team of technical experts have submitted a report with notes and a map. The team considered access to iron-ore, coal, water and limestone, as well as the main market, sources of labour and port facilities. The team has suggested two sites, X and Y. the Board of Directors has to take the final decision about where to locate the steel plant.

Read the report submitted by the team.

● Study the map to find out the distances of the resources from each site.

● Give each resources a “weight” from 1 to 10 according to its importance. The greater the ‘pull’ of the factor on the industry, the higher the weight from 1 to 10.

● Complete the table.

● The site with the lowest total should be the most satisfactory site.

● Remember each group of directors can decide differently.

Distinguish between the following:

Agro-based and mineral-based industry

Distinguish between the following:

Public sector and joint sector industry

Give two example of the following in the space provided.

(i) Raw Materials: …………and ……………..

(ii) End Products: …………and…………

(iii) Tertiary Activities: ………..and……….

(iv) Agro-based Industries: …………..and……

(v) Cottage Industries: ………and……….

(vi) Co-operatives:…………and…….

Factors/Resources affecting the location of a proposed Iron and Steel Plant on developed Dweep.

● Iron-ore: There are very large deposits of low grade iron-ore in India. Long distance transportation of the ore would be uneconomic.

● Coal: The only coal field contains rich deposits of high grade coal. vTransportation of the coal is by railway, which is relatively cheap.

● Limestone: This is widely available over the island, but the purest deposits are in the Chuna mountains.

● Water: Both the tributaries of river Neel carry sufficient water to supply a large iron and steel plant in all seasons. The sea water, because of its high salt content is unsuitable.

● Market: It is expected that the chief market for the engineering works of Rajdhanipur. Transports for the products mainly small steel bars and light steel plates would be relatively low.

● Labour Supply: This will have to be recruited mainly from the unskilled workers in the 3 fishing villages of Hill, Rah and Sing. It is expected that most workers will commute daily from their present homes.

● Port Facilities: These are at present minimal. There is a good, deep natural harbor at port Pashimpuri developed to import metal alloys.