Match the following commercial crops introduced during British rule with their effects on Indian society and economy: Column A Column B 1. Opium a. Contributed to the impoverishment of Indian peasants due to forced cultivation and low prices. 2. Indigo b. Cultivated mainly in Assam, using indentured labor, to reduce reliance on China. 3. Cotton c. Smuggled into China to finance British tea imports. 4. Tea d. Supplied as raw material for Britain’s textile mills, contributing to the decline of Indian textiles.

The correct answer is - 1-c, 2-a, 3-d, 4-b Key Points Opium Contributed to the impoverishment of Indian peasants due to forced cultivation and low prices. Peasants were compelled to grow opium instead of food crops, leading to economic distress. Opium was smuggled into China to finance British tea imports. Indigo Forced cultivation of indigo led to the impoverishment of Indian farmers. Indigo farming was labor-intensive and offered minimal financial returns to farmers. Cotton Supplied as raw material for Britain's textile mills. Contributed to the decline of Indian textiles and traditional weaving industries. Farmers were coerced into growing cotton to meet British industrial demands. Tea Cultivated mainly in Assam, using indentured labor. Helped reduce British reliance on Chinese tea imports. Tea plantations became a significant economic activity under British rule. Additional Information Indentured Labor Indentured labor was a system of bonded labor under which laborers were bound by contract to work for a specific period in return for passage to a new country. This system was extensively used in tea and other plantations in India during British rule. Decline of Indian Textiles The British policy of exporting raw materials from India and importing finished goods from Britain led to the decline of Indian traditional industries, including textiles. The imposition of heavy duties on Indian textiles and the flooding of the Indian market with cheap British goods adversely affected local weavers and artisans.