Social Science (087) — CBSE Class 10 board question

Manufacturing industries play a vital role in the economic development of a country:

1. Modernises agriculture: Agro-industries supply farmers with irrigation pumps, fertilisers, pesticides, and machines, raising agricultural productivity and making production more efficient.

1. Reduces unemployment and poverty: Industrial development creates jobs in secondary and tertiary sectors, reducing people's dependence on agricultural income.

1. Reduces regional disparities: Establishing industries in tribal and backward areas helps bring balanced regional development.

1. Earns foreign exchange: Export of manufactured goods expands trade and commerce and brings in much-needed foreign exchange.

1. Increases national prosperity: Countries that transform raw materials into higher-value finished goods become prosperous. The economic strength of a country is measured by the development of its manufacturing industries.

Source: Manufacturing Industries, Importance of Manufacturing — Chapter 6

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• Examiners expect 5 distinct points for a 5-mark answer — each point earns one mark.
• Use the exact language from the textbook where possible (e.g., "foreign exchange," "regional disparities," "backbone of development") — it signals to the examiner you know the source.
• Avoid vague statements like "manufacturing is important for growth" without specifics.
• The agriculture–industry linkage point is often missed but is explicitly in the chapter — include it.