BPSC Exam Prep

■ Geography Questions & Answers

■   I n Bihar, the total water area stands at  3.52 lakh hectares , accounting for 3.8% of the total  geographical area .  Bihar is endowed with substantial ground and surface water resources. The river Ganga and its tributaries provide water resources to the state, for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses. On average, the state receives annual rainfall amounting to  1000 MMS , the bulk of which comes from the  southwest monsoon .  T his is not adequate to water the entire farming activities in the state. Therefore, a well-planned irrigation system is needed to assist in stabilizing production, improving yield and   cropping intensities .  ■   Gross Irrigated Area (GIA) :

■ Bihar is endowed with vast fertile land which supports agriculture as its mainstay of the economy. About 74% of the workforce in Bihar depends on agricultural and allied activities for their livelihood. Besides generating employment, it also provides raw materials to industries augments food supply and assists in poverty alleviation. The State Government is implementing various schemes under the AgricultureRoadmap since 2008 for augmenting agricultural productivity and farmers’ income. Several programmes have been outlined in the Agriculture RoadmapIII (2017-2022) to increase farmers’ income, ensure food and nutritional security, provide gainful employment, and encourage sustainable use of natural resources. As a result of various initiatives, the state has won 5 Krishi Karman Puraskar since 2012 . The agriculture and allied sector grew at a pace of 2.1% during the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21). Among the sub-sectors, livestock and fisheries have grown at a pace of ...

■  Forest Cover of Bihar

  ■  Geography P ractice Set Previous Year Question & Answer

■ Bihar is primarily an agricultural state and almost all the economic activities are directly or indirectly dependent on soil. The soil covering most of Bihar is thick alluvium which shrouds the Siwalik and older tertiary rocks. The soil is mostly fresh loam replaced every year by intermittent deposition of silt, clay and sand by different rivers. It lacks phosphoric acid, nitrogen and humus but potash and lime are generally present in large amounts. There are three major types of soil in Bihar:

■  In Bihar, the water area constitutes about 3.6% of the total geographical area . On average, the state receives annual rainfall amounting to 1000 mms , the bulk of which comes from the south-west monsoon .

■ Agriculture Sector  Agriculture is the mainstay of economies such as Bihar, underpinning their food security,  employment, and rural development. It supports the livelihoods of more than three-fourth of  the population. Besides generating employment, it also provides raw material to industries,  augments food supply and assists in poverty alleviation. • Contribution of Agriculture Sector to State’s GSVA stands around 20% in 2017-18. • During 2018-19, the share of the crop sector in total GSVA was 10.64% and it was the largest contributor to GSVA.

  ■ Agro-Climatic Zones Bihar falls in the Agro Climatic Zone IV , which is called Middle Gangetic Plains Region .  Based on rainfall, temperature, soil and terrain, the state is divided into three agro-climatic zones, these are: