Which two of the following States are the leading producers of iron ore in India as per the Annual Report of the Ministry of Mines 2021-22?(1)Odisha(2)Chhattisgarh(3)Jharkhand(4)Karnataka.Select the correct answer from the code given below.

1. A

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   Option (a) claims that Chhattisgarh and Karnataka are the leading iron ore producing states. While both are significant producers, they do not hold the absolute top position as per the Ministry of Mines report. Therefore, this option is incorrect.

2. B

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   Option (b) pairs Odisha with Karnataka as the top producers. Although Odisha ranks first, Karnataka occupies a lower position compared to Chhattisgarh in total output for the specified period. Thus, this combination fails to match the official report.

3. C

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   Option (c) lists Odisha and Jharkhand as the leading producers. Jharkhand is indeed a major producer, but its total production volume trails behind that of Chhattisgarh according to the annual data. Consequently, this choice is wrong.

4. D

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   Option (d) asserts that Odisha and Chhattisgarh are the two leading producers of iron ore in India as per the Annual Report of the Ministry of Mines 2021-22. Odisha consistently ranks as the top state in iron ore extraction, followed closely by Chhattisgarh as the second-largest producer. These two states combined account for the majority of the country's total iron ore output during the referenced fiscal year, making this comprehensive pairing the correct key.

Summary. Official key is (d) as per the Annual Report of the Ministry of Mines 2021-22. The report clearly highlights Odisha and Chhattisgarh as the top two leading producers of iron ore in the nation. Candidates often confuse total reserves with annual production figures when answering mineral resource questions. Odisha leads the production chart comfortably, with Chhattisgarh securing the second position. Therefore, option (d) is the only accurate choice.