Consider the following statements:1.Coal sector was nationalized by the Government of India under Indira Gandhi.2.Now, coal blocks are allocated on lottery basis.3.Till recently, India imported coal to meet the shortages of domestic supply, but now India is self- sufficient in coal product.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A

   1 only

   (a) 1 only. Coking and non-coking coal mining were nationalised in the early 1970s under Indira Gandhi (Coking Coal Mines Act 1972; Coal Mines Nationalisation Act 1973). Statement 2 is false: after the Supreme Court cancelled allocations, blocks moved to auction, not lottery. Statement 3 is false: India still imports (especially coking coal) and is not self-sufficient. So 1 only is the official key.

2. B

   2 and 3 only

   (b) 2 and 3 only. Both remaining statements fail, so this is not the key.

3. C

   3 only

   (c) 3 only. India is not self-sufficient in coal of all grades, so 3 only is not the key.

4. D

   1, 2 and 3

   (d) 1, 2 and 3. Statements 2 and 3 fail, so all-three is not the key.

Summary. Official key is (a) 1 only. Nationalisation of coal is an Indira Gandhi-era fact. Post-2014 the allocation method is auction under statute, not lottery, and imports continue. Honour the stored letter (a).