Previous Year Question
In India maximum alkali area is found in the State of:
Gujarat
Haryana
Punjab
Uttar Pradesh
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
According to State-wise data of the ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, about 13.47 lakh hectares (1,346,971 ha) in Uttar Pradesh are affected by alkali soils. This constitutes about 35.75% of India's total alkali-affected area and is the largest among all States.
Among the given options, the approximate alkali-soil area is—
Uttar Pradesh — 13.47 lakh ha
Gujarat — 5.41 lakh ha
Haryana — 1.83 lakh ha
Punjab — 1.52 lakh ha
An important distinction in this question is between “alkali area” and “total salt-affected area.”
Gujarat has a very large total salt-affected area, because it also contains extensive saline and coastal saline lands. However, when only the alkali/sodic soil area is considered, Uttar Pradesh clearly ranks first.
In alkali soils, a high proportion of exchangeable sodium adversely affects soil structure, may reduce water infiltration and generally produces a strongly alkaline soil reaction. Such soils are extensively distributed in the Indo-Gangetic alluvial plains of Uttar Pradesh.
Maximum alkali/sodic soil area → Uttar Pradesh
Large saline/coastal salt-affected area → Gujarat