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Question 21 of 54 · Indian States & Union Territories
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Ralegan Siddhi, a village known for its exemplary watershed development, is situated in which district of Maharashtra?

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Answer: Option A — Ahmednagar

Detailed Solution

Ralegan Siddhi is a village in the Parner taluka of Ahmednagar district (renamed Ahilyanagar in 2024), Maharashtra. It is known as a model village for watershed development and rural development.

About Ralegan Siddhi:

  • In the 1970s, it was a poor, drought-prone village, with scarce water, poor crops, widespread poverty, debt and alcoholism.
  • Its transformation began in 1975, under the leadership of Kisan Baburao Hazare, popularly known as Anna Hazare, a former soldier of the Indian Army who returned to his native village.

Key measures included:

  • Watershed development: building check dams, percolation tanks, contour trenches and bunds to catch rainwater and recharge groundwater.
  • Planting trees and banning free grazing to protect the soil.
  • Banning the sale of alcohol, tobacco and cigarettes in the village.
  • Promoting "shramdaan" (voluntary labour) by villagers.
  • Setting up a grain bank, a milk dairy and a school.
  • Working against untouchability and promoting community unity.
  • As a result, groundwater levels rose, farm production increased and the village became prosperous.
  • It is studied by researchers and visited by officials from across India and the world as a model of community-led development.

About Anna Hazare:

  • He was born in 1937 (some sources give 1940) in Bhingar, near Ahmednagar.
  • He received the Padma Shri (1990) and the Padma Bhushan (1992).
  • He led campaigns for the Right to Information Act (Maharashtra RTI Act, 2003) and against corruption.

In 2011, he led a nationwide anti-corruption movement demanding a "Jan Lokpal" law. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 was passed afterwards.

Another model village in the same district:

Hiware Bazar: transformed under the leadership of its sarpanch Popatrao Pawar, who received the Padma Shri in 2020.

Government watershed programmes:

The watershed component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY, 2015) supports similar work.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Nashik is the "Wine Capital of India".
  • ✗Pune is the "Oxford of the East".
  • ✗Satara has the Kaas Plateau, a UNESCO natural site.

Quick tip

Remember: Ralegan Siddhi = Ahmednagar (Ahilyanagar), Maharashtra (Anna Hazare; watershed development from 1975); Hiware Bazar = Popatrao Pawar, same district.

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Indian States & Union Territories — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Indian States & Union Territories, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers state-wise GK for India: capitals, formation dates, high courts, state animals, birds and flowers, famous places, and the culture, dances and festivals that identify each state and union territory. Questions commonly ask about the newest state or union territory, the state formed on a particular date, the capitals of states, and which high court serves more than one state. Keep a single table per state with its capital, formation year and key facts. Reorganisations such as that of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 change the answers, so make sure your notes are up to date. Practise the Indian states and union territories questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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