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UPSC Prelims 1984 · Indian Geography · Rivers, Lakes and Dams
Which of the following pairs is incorrect?
- (a) Nagarjuna Sagar — Andhra Pradesh
- (b) Tungabhadra — Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
- (c) Farakka — West Bengal
- (d) Kosi — Gujarat
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (d) Kosi — Gujarat
Incorrect — the Kosi project is in Bihar (and Nepal).
The idea
Match a water project using both its river basin and its geographical site. The area receiving irrigation is not always the State containing the dam or barrage. Use the State boundaries of the exam year; Telangana did not exist as a separate State in 1984.
Why the others are wrong
(a) Correct — Nagarjuna Sagar is on the Krishna (AP–Telangana).
(b) Correct — Tungabhadra is on the AP–Karnataka border.
(c) Correct — Farakka barrage is in West Bengal.
Elimination technique
Kosi drains Nepal and Bihar, far from Gujarat. That geographical mismatch identifies (d) in this incorrect-pair question without confusing dam location with beneficiary States.
Also know
Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam are Krishna projects. Tungabhadra is a Krishna tributary, and its dam is near Hosapete in Karnataka; irrigation benefits extend beyond the dam site. Farakka is a Ganga barrage. Kosi is a Himalayan river shared by Nepal and India, not a western Indian basin.
🔒 Kosi barrage: Bhimnagar (Nepal border), Bihar.
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