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Question 86 of 131 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
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The largest man-made lake (reservoir) in India, formed by the Rihand Dam, is the:

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Answer: Option C — Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar

Detailed Solution

The Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar is the reservoir of the Rihand Dam, on the Rihand river (a tributary of the Son), in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, on the border with Madhya Pradesh. It is often described as the largest artificial lake in India by surface area.

About the Rihand Dam:

  • It is a concrete gravity dam, about 934 metres long and 91 metres high, at Pipri in Sonbhadra district.
  • It was built between 1954 and 1962 and was one of the earliest multipurpose projects after independence.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated it in 1963.
  • It generates hydroelectricity and provides water for irrigation.

The reservoir:

  • It has a surface area of about 465 square km at full level, and part of it lies in Madhya Pradesh.
  • It is named after Govind Ballabh Pant, the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and later Union Home Minister.

The Singrauli energy hub:

  • The area around the reservoir, called Singrauli (on the UP-MP border), has become India's "energy capital".
  • It has rich coal mines and many large thermal power plants, such as those of NTPC at Singrauli, Rihand, Vindhyachal and Anpara, which use the reservoir's water for cooling.
  • This has also caused serious pollution, including fly ash and mercury pollution of the water.

Other large reservoirs of India:

  • Gobind Sagar (Bhakra Dam, Himachal Pradesh).
  • Indira Sagar (on the Narmada, Madhya Pradesh), which has one of the largest storage capacities.
  • Nagarjuna Sagar (on the Krishna).
  • Hirakud reservoir (on the Mahanadi, Odisha).
  • The answer to "largest" may differ depending on whether area or storage volume is considered; Indira Sagar is often cited as having the largest storage capacity.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Gobind Sagar is the reservoir of the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej.
  • ✗Indira Sagar is on the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh.
  • ✗Nagarjuna Sagar is on the Krishna on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border.

Quick tip

Remember: Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar = reservoir of the Rihand Dam (Sonbhadra, UP), largest artificial lake of India by area; Singrauli energy hub.

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Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India, 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 India's drainage system: the Himalayan rivers (the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems), the peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi and Mahanadi), their tributaries and origins, waterfalls, lakes, and the major dams and multipurpose river projects. Exams ask about the origin of a river, its tributaries, the cities on its banks, and the river on which a dam is built. For example, the Bhakra Nangal Dam is on the Sutlej, the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada. Remember that the Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea, while most peninsular rivers flow east. Practise the rivers, lakes and dams of India 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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