Question

Differentiate between a foot-loose industry and a key industry.

1. What is the difference between ‘foot loose’ and ‘key’ industries?
2. Give one example of each of the industries mentioned in (i) above.

Answer 1

Sr. No.	Feature	Foot-loose Industry	Key Industry
1.	Definition	Industries that are not tied to any specific location; they can be set up anywhere.	Basic industries that provide raw materials or essential goods to other industries.
2.	Location Factors	Do not depend heavily on raw materials or transport; often located based on infrastructure or labor availability.	Located near raw material sources, transport, or power supply due to large-scale operations.
3.	Examples	Electronics, IT services, jewelry making	Iron and Steel, Petrochemicals, Cement
4.	Scale and Importance	Usually small to medium-scale industries with low resource needs.	Large-scale, foundational industries critical to the economy.
5.	Mobility	Highly mobile; can be relocated easily.	Less mobile; involve heavy investment and setup.