RAS question
After the discovery of crude oil in Barmer basin, Rajasthan became which largest onshore crude oil producing state in India?
Correct answer: (A) Largest.
After the discovery and development of crude oil in the Barmer-Sanchore basin, Rajasthan became India's largest onshore crude oil producing state.
Explanation
Rajasthan is ranked first because the Barmer-Sanchore basin changed the state's position in India's onshore crude oil map. This rise is linked mainly to the Mangala, Bhagyam and Aishwariya oil fields operated by Cairn/Vedanta, and the basin contributes about one-fourth of India's onshore crude oil production. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas production table supports the ranking: in the listed state-wise crude oil production data, Rajasthan's onshore output is higher than Gujarat and Assam, the two traditional large producers. So the exam point is not just that Rajasthan produces crude oil, but that Barmer-Sanchore pushed it to the top among onshore crude-producing states.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Second largest is wrong because the MoPNG state-wise onshore crude data places Rajasthan above Gujarat and Assam, not below one of them.
- (C) Third largest is wrong because Rajasthan has moved ahead of Assam in onshore crude production.
- (D) Fourth largest is wrong because Rajasthan is shown at the top of the onshore crude-producing states, far above a fourth-place ranking.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's energy-resource economy, especially the impact of the Barmer-Sanchore basin on crude oil production. It recurs in RAS because mineral and hydrocarbon discoveries are tied directly to state income, industrial geography and Rajasthan's changing resource profile.