Geography of India (Part -V) (UPSC)

Total Questions: 46

21. Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi? [2018-1]

Correct Answer: (a) Bengaluru
Solution:City's coordinate figures will very depending on which site you refer to, so to maintain uniformity, I'll use single site to fetch all coordinates- https://www.mapsofindi(a)com/lat long/
Delhi is at 28 deg 40 deg  N (Latitude) and 77 deg 20 deg E (Longitude)
A. Bangalore: 12 deg 58' N , 77° 38' Ε.
B. Hyderabad: 17 deg  20' 1 , 78 deg 30'  E
C. Nagpur: 21 deg 9' N, 79 deg  9'  E
D. Pune: 18 deg  31'  N 73° 55' Ε.
Thus, Longitude wise, Bangluru can be said to be the closest

22. Consider the following statements: [2018-1]

1. In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines,

2. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.

3. Rajasthan has iron ore mines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (d) 3 only
Solution:As per the MMDR Amendment Act 2015 the state governments will conduct auction for grant of mineral concessions. The role of the central government is to prescribe the terms and conditions and procedures subject to which the auction shall be conducte(d) So first statement is wrong. [Economic Survey 2014-15 Vol2, page 140].
Largest gold ore (primary) are located in Bihar (44%) followed by Rajasthan (25%) and Karnataka (21%), West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh (3% each). So, Andhra Pradesh indeed has a gold mine, so #2 is wrong.
Hematite and magnetite are the most important iron ores in India.....resources of hematite are spread in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. So, third statement is right.

23. Which one of the following national parks lies completely in the Temperate alpine zone? [2019-1]

Correct Answer: (d) Valley of flower national park
Solution:The Valley of Flowers National Park is the correct option as it is the only park mentioned that lies completely in the temperate alpine zone. This park is located in the state of Uttarakhand in India. In contrast, Manas National Park, located in Assam, India, is a wildlife sanctuary and it does not lie in the temperate alpine zone. It falls in a subtropical zone. Namdapha National Park, the third-largest national park in India located in Arunachal Pradesh, is in a tropical zone, not a temperate alpine zone. Similarly, Neora Valley National Park, located in West Bengal, India, is also in a subtropical zone. All these parks offer different biodiversity due to their location in different climatic zones.

24. Consider the following pairs: [2019-1]

Famous place River
1. PandharpurChandrabhaga
2. TiruchirapalliCauvery
3. HampiMalaprabha

 

Correct Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Solution:The Chandrabhaga (Bhima) river flows through the Pandharpur. Tiruchirappalli, situated on the banks of the river Cauvery is the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu.
Hampi, the 14th century capital of one of the greatest empires of medieval India called the Vijayanagar Empire, lies in the state of Karnataka protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra. So #3 is wrong, by elimination answer is a.

25. Consider the following states : [2019-1]

1. Chattisgarh

2. Madhya Pradesh

3. Maharashtra

4. Odisha

With reference to the states mentioned above, in terms of percentage of forest cover to the total area of State, which one of the following is the correct ascending order?

Correct Answer: (c) 3-2-4-1
Solution:In terms of % forest cover: Madhya Pradesh: 25%, Odisha: 31%, Chhattisgarh: 42%, Maharashtra: 15%. Thus, Maharashtra (3) is lowest and Chhattisgarh (1) is highest in forest cover in % terms. So, the pattern should be 3- - -1. There is only one such option c.

Highlights of India State of Forest Report 2023
• The Forest and Tree cover of India is 25.17 percent of the geographical area and in that 21.76% is forest cover and 3.41% is tree cover.
• As compared to assessment of 2021, there is an increase in the forest and tree cover of the country.
• Top four states showing maximum increase in forest and tree cover are Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.
• Top three states showing maximum increase in forest cover are Mizoram, Gujarat and Odisha.
• Area wise top three states having largest forest and tree cover are Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• Area wise top three states having largest forest cover are Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
• In terms of percentage of forest cover with respect to total geographical area, Lakshadweep (91.33 percent) has the highest forest cover followed by Mizoram and Andaman & Nicobar Island.
• The present assessment also reveals that 19 states/UTs have above 33 percent of the geographical area under forest cover. Out of these, eight states/UTs namely Mizoram, Lakshadweep, A & N Island, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur have forest cover above 75 percent.
• The total mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km in the country.
• The extent of bamboo bearing area for the country has been increased as compared to the last assessment done in 2021.
• There is an increase in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment.
• India’s carbon stock has reached 30.43 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent; which indicates that as compared to the base year of 2005, India has already reached 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sink as against the target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030.

26. Which is common to the places known as Aliyar, Isapur, and Kangasabati? [2019-II]

Correct Answer: (d) Water reservoirs
Solution:Aliyar (Tamil Nadu), Isapur (Maharashtra), and Kangsabati (West Bengal) are water reservoirs.
ThemeWeight (%)
Source augmentation and restoration of water bodies5
Source augmentation (Groundwater)15
Major & medium irrigation – supply-side management15
Watershed development – supply-side management10
Participatory irrigation practices – demand-side10
Sustainable on-farm water use practices – demand-side10
Rural drinking water10
Urban water supply and sanitation10
Policy and governance15
Total100

27. With reference to the management of minor minerals in India, consider the following statements: [2019-II]

  1. Sand is a 'minor mineral' according to the prevailing law in the country.
  2. State Governments have the power to grant mining leases of minor minerals, but the powers regarding the formation of rules related to the grant of minor minerals lie with the Centre Government.
  3. State Governments have the power to frame rules to prevent illegal mining of minor minerals.

 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only
Solution:• By and large, non-metallic non-energy minerals fall under the 'Minor' category. So #1 is true.
• Section 15 of the MMDR Act, 1957 empowers state governments to frame rules for regulating the grant of quarry leases, mining leases, or other mineral concessions in respect of minor minerals; accordingly, all state governments and some union territories have framed their own rules in this regard.
So, that means #2 is false, and #3 is correct. Accordingly, (a): 1 and 3 only.

28. Consider the following minerals: [2020-II]

  1. Bentonite
  2. Chromite
  3. Kyanite
  4. Sillimanite

 

In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals?

Correct Answer: (d) 2, 3, and 4 only
Solution:• Chromite (#2) is a metallic mineral, and metallic minerals are mostly in the major mineral category.
• According to official sites of the Ministry of Mines, 2, 3, and 4 are listed as major minerals. So, the correct answer is (d).
Mineral Distribution in India
• India is one of the most mineral-abundant countries in the world and has vast quantities of an ample diversity of minerals.
• The old hard rocks characterise the Indian subcontinent, and the orogenic architecture is prominent, which has enabled the development of practically all mineral types.
• The Gondwana rocks become the richest source in this setting, containing virtually all the known mineral species.
• Metal mineral deposits are mainly found on the crystalline basement of the peninsular plateau, with the non-metallic deposits being abundant in the alluvial plains.
• Its coal reserves are concentrated in the Damodar, Sone, the Mahanadi and Godavari valleys, with over 97 % of the reserves found there.
• The concentration of petroleum resources is no exception, as 40 per cent is found in Assam, 35 per cent in Gujarat, and 25 per cent in Mumbai High, all of which are offshore deposits in the basin of sediments in the Arabian Sea.
• Recent hydrocarbon discoveries were reported within the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
• The largest deposits lie east of one between Mangalore and Kanpur, insofar as metal production is concerned.

29. Consider the following statements: [2020-II]

  1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead, and mercury.
  2. Coal-fired power plants release sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
  3. High ash content is observed in Indian coal.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Solution:• Excessive burning of coal, wood, kerosene, petrol, etc., releases toxic gases such as SO₂ (sulfur dioxide), NOₓ (oxides of nitrogen), CO (carbon monoxide), and hydrocarbons into the air. These gases are also emitted by industries, power plants, automobiles, and aircraft. Hence, #2 is correct.
• Coal ash contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. So, #1 is correct. Hence, the answer is (d).

30. The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of [2021-I]

Correct Answer: (b) Fissure volcanic rock
Solution:• Black Cotton soil are often referred to as "regur." Black soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows. Therefore, the answer is "b".