Why are cement plants in India generally located close to sources of raw materials like limestone and coal? W…

Question

Why are cement plants in India generally located close to sources of raw materials like limestone and coal? What does this tell us about the nature of the cement industry?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer Cement plants are located close to limestone, coal and other raw materials because these inputs are **bulky and heavy**, making transportation expensive. It is more economical to set up plants near the source of raw materials than to carry them long distances to factories. This tells us that the cement industry is a **weight-losing/raw-material oriented industry** — the raw materials are heavier than the finished product, so proximity to raw material sources reduces production costs significantly. *Source: Manufacturing Industries, Chapter 6* --- ## Explanation - The key phrase examiners want is **"bulky and heavy raw materials"** — copy it from the chapter. - Link it explicitly to the concept of **raw-material orientation** (weight-losing industry) — this fetches the analytical mark. - Three marks = one fact (why located there) + one example/support + one inference (nature of industry). Keep it tight.

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question