RAS question
Alluvial soil in India covers approximately:
Correct answer: (C) About 40% of the total land area.
Alluvial soil covers about 40 per cent of India's total land area, making it the country's most widespread and agriculturally important soil type.
Explanation
Alluvial soil is identified as the correct answer because the cited NCERT soil text states that these soils cover about 40 per cent of India's total area. The source also explains why this soil type is so widespread: alluvial soils are depositional soils, transported and laid down by rivers and streams. They occur across the northern plains and river valleys, extend through a narrow corridor in Rajasthan into the plains of Gujarat, and are also found in the deltas of the east coast and in peninsular river valleys. This matches the standard explanation that alluvial soil dominates the Indo-Gangetic plains, the Brahmaputra valley and coastal plains. Its importance for agriculture follows from that wide spread and from its occurrence in major plains and valleys.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) About 70 per cent overstates the coverage; the cited NCERT text gives the figure as about 40 per cent of India's total area.
- (B) About 10 per cent is too low because alluvial soil is described as widespread across the northern plains, river valleys and coastal deltaic areas.
- (D) About 5 per cent is far below the stated coverage and does not fit a soil type described as India's most widespread and agriculturally important.
Concept
This tests the Indian Geography theme of soil classification by origin, distribution and agricultural significance. RAS repeats it because soil regions connect physical geography with agriculture, land use and Rajasthan's place within the wider alluvial belt.