RAS question
Red soil in Rajasthan is mainly found in which region?
Correct answer: (A) Southern Rajasthan (Dungarpur, Banswara, Udaipur).
In Rajasthan, red soil is found mainly in the southern hilly region, especially around Dungarpur, Banswara and Udaipur.
Explanation
In Rajasthan, red soil is concentrated in the southern hilly belt rather than the plains or the desert. It is found especially in Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Udaipur and Chittorgarh. According to the soil section of a World Bank document, ferrogenous red soil occurs in the central and southern parts of Udaipur district and throughout Dungarpur district. The same document places mixed red and black soil in eastern Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara and Bhilwara. It links red-soil formation to ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks; red-soil formation is also associated with the weathering of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Therefore, southern Rajasthan is the most appropriate answer, especially Dungarpur, Banswara and Udaipur.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Northern Rajasthan lies outside the main red-soil belt and is associated instead with sandy or alluvial soils.
- (C) The eastern plains are not the main red-soil region, because alluvial soil is characteristic there.
- (D) The western desert region is associated with sandy or desert soil, not the red soil of southern Rajasthan.
Concept
Soil distribution is an important theme in Rajasthan's physical geography and in RAS, because soils are studied together with relief, rock type, district-wise distribution and regional agriculture. A common mistake is to confuse the red soil of southern Rajasthan with the alluvial soil of the eastern plains or the sandy soil of the western desert.