Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

Question

Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

(Coal Producing Area) — (State)

1. Maolong — Arunachal Pradesh

2. Raniganj — West Bengal

3. Ramgarh — Jharkhand

4. Talcher — Odisha

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

1. A. Only 1 and 2
2. B. Only 2, 3 and 4 (Correct answer)
3. C. Only 1, 2 and 3
4. D. Only 1

Correct Answer

Option B — Only 2, 3 and 4

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Only 2, 3 and 4.

Key Points

• 1. Maolong — Arunachal Pradesh is INCORRECT. Maolong (Mawlong) is a coal-bearing area of Meghalaya, in the Jaintia-Khasi hills belt.
• 2. Raniganj — West Bengal is correct. Raniganj in the Damodar valley is India's oldest working coalfield, mined since 1774.
• 3. Ramgarh — Jharkhand is correct. Ramgarh lies in the Damodar valley coal belt of Jharkhand.
• 4. Talcher — Odisha is correct. Talcher in Angul district is Odisha's largest coalfield.
• Three pairs are correct, so the answer is option (b).

Additional Information

• Meghalaya's coal is mined largely by the hazardous "rat-hole" method, banned by the National Green Tribunal in 2014.
• The Damodar Valley is India's richest coal belt, holding Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro, Karanpura and Ramgarh. Jharia is famous both for coking coal and for its long-burning underground fire.
• Top coal-producing states in order: Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh.