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Which of the following states has the largest area under permanent reserved forest?
a.Andhra Pradesh
b.Jammu and Kashmir
c.Madhya Pradesh
d.Maharashtra

Answer
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505.8k+ views
Hint: Forests are the backbone of the nation.The total forest cover of the country is around 80.73 million hectares, that is 56 per cent of the total geographical area of the country.

Complete Step by Step Answer: Forests are the precious resource provided to us by nature. There are several forests spread over large areas across the world. They also comprise non-living elements such as lakes, ponds, soil, rocks, etc. A forest is also illustrated as an area establishing an ecosystem.
The importance of forests are such as;
They help in retaining the water cycle on the earth.
Forests help in strengthening the temperature and oxygen layers of the atmosphere. Plants release oxygen during photosynthesis and absorb carbon dioxide. Forests being a huge resource of plants and trees, they play a crucial role in stabilizing oxygen level in the environment.
Forests help in curbing global warming. The raised amount of greenhouse gases in the environment results in the greenhouse effect and thus spurs global warming.
Forests prevent soil erosion by holding the soil particles together strongly with the roots.
According to the 2019 statement, the total forest cover of India is 712,249 square kilometres.
Looking at the above options:
Option a: The total forest of Andhra Pradesh contributes to 17.88% of the total geographical area. Hence this is an incorrect option.
Option b: Jammu and Kashmir have around 20230 Sq.Km of land under forest cover. Hence this is an incorrect option.
Option c: Madhya Pradesh has 25.14% of its geographical land area under forest cover. According to the Forest Survey of India, Madhya Pradesh has been declared to have the largest area under permanent reserved forest. This option is correct.
Option d: According to the Indian State of Forest Report, Maharashtra is stated to have 16.50% of its geographical area under forest cover. Hence, this is an incorrect option.

Option 'c' is correct.

Note: Punjab is the state of India with the least forest cover. National Forest Inventory (NFI) is a resource estimation activity carried out by the Forest Survey of India. In recent years , the forest cover in northeast India has marked a deterioration.