RAS question
Hirakud Dam is built on which river and in which state?
Correct answer: (B) Mahanadi, Odisha.
Hirakud Dam is built on the Mahanadi River near Sambalpur in Odisha.
Explanation
Hirakud Dam is part of the Mahanadi river system; it is not associated with the Damodar, Krishna or Godavari river systems. The State Pollution Control Board, Odisha, identifies it in Water Quality of Major Rivers of Odisha as a multipurpose dam on the Mahanadi near Sambalpur in Odisha. Therefore, option B correctly pairs the Mahanadi River with Odisha. The dam was completed in 1957. At about 25.8 km including its dykes, it is among the world's longest dams and was one of independent India's early multipurpose river-valley projects. In RAS, questions often test the river-state pairing, so remember Hirakud with Mahanadi and Odisha.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Damodar, Jharkhand is incorrect because Panchet and Maithon are associated with the Damodar, whereas Hirakud is associated with the Mahanadi in Odisha.
- (C) Krishna, Andhra Pradesh is incorrect because Nagarjuna Sagar is on the Krishna, whereas Hirakud is on the Mahanadi in Odisha.
- (D) Godavari, Telangana is incorrect because Sri Ram Sagar is associated with the Godavari, whereas Hirakud is on the Mahanadi in Odisha.
Concept
This question tests the Indian geography syllabus area covering major multipurpose river-valley projects and their river-state locations. Such facts recur in RAS because identifying a dam with its river and state helps connect drainage systems, states and post-independence development planning.