RAS question
Rajasthan contributes what percentage of India's total mineral production (by value)?
Correct answer: (B) About 10%.
Rajasthan contributes about 9% of India’s total mineral production, making about 10% the closest listed share by value.
Explanation
Rajasthan’s contribution is best read as approximately 9%, so the option “About 10%” is the closest fit. The Rajasthan Foundation’s Mining and Minerals page states that Rajasthan is the second-largest mineral-producing state in the country and shares 9% of India’s total mineral production. Rajasthan is a major mineral state, but its share is not in the one-third range. Since MCQs often round official figures to the nearest option, a 9% stated share should be mapped to “about 10%,” not to lower estimates such as 5% or to inflated figures such as 22% or 35%.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) About 35% is too high because the Rajasthan Foundation figure is 9% of India’s total mineral production.
- (C) About 5% understates Rajasthan’s role, since the figure is about 9% and the state is described as the second-largest mineral-producing state.
- (D) About 22% overstates the contribution; the official figure is 9%, which rounds closest to about 10%.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan’s economic geography, especially the state’s mineral sector and its relative contribution to India’s mineral output. Such percentage-based facts recur in RAS because they connect resource endowment with state economy questions.