In 1951, factories employed just 2.5 percent of India’s total workforce, with cotton and jute textiles being the main two industries. Basic and capital goods industries had to be established at a large scale to create a strong base for industrial development, which was the key to alleviating poverty, raising incomes, and engaging labour. The first three Five-Year Plans laid the ground for investments in iron and steel, coal, heavy engineering, machine building, heavy chemicals and cement industries.