Question.
How did the Swadeshi movement give a major impetus to the cotton textile industry?
(NCERT class 12 geography, India People and Economy, Chapter-8-Manufacturing Industries)
Answer.
The cotton textile industry is the largest agro-based industry in India. Most of the cotton textile industry in India comes under the unorganized sector and comes under the cottage category of industry.
In 1854, the first modern cotton mill was established in Mumbai. There was a slow growth in the cotton textile industry during the British period due to the promotion of British goods in India and the unfavorable conditions of Indian goods in Britain.
The Swadeshi Movement (which was started in 1905) gave a special impetus to the development of the cotton textile industry in India.
The Swadeshi movement called for a boycott of all British manufactured goods in favor of Indian goods resulting in:
- Imported cotton textiles declined to some extent.
- The demand for Indian-made clothes increased.
- Several small textile industries were established which were mostly operated by handlooms (making khadi cloth).
- The cotton textile industry developed rapidly in India.
After 1921, with the development of the railway network in India, the cotton textile industry expanded rapidly.
In South India, mills were established in Coimbatore, Madurai, and Bangalore.
In central India, Nagpur, Indore, Solapur, and Vadodara became cotton textile centers.
Several cotton textile mills were established in Kanpur on the basis of local investment.
Mills were established in Kolkata because of the port facilities.
Cotton mills grew rapidly in Tamil Nadu because of the abundant availability of hydropower.
Cotton textile industries were also established in Ujjain, Bharuch, Agra, and Hathras due to cheap labor costs.
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