MPPSC 2020 Prelims Paper-I · Question 65 of 100

Correct — C, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Wind-power potential depends on strong, steady winds, which India gets along its western and southern coasts and over the peninsular passes. Tamil Nadu (the Palghat gap and the Muppandal region near Kanyakumari) and Gujarat (the Kutch and Saurashtra coasts) both have powerful monsoon and coastal wind regimes and are consistently among the country's leaders in installed wind capacity. So this is the pair with the higher opportunities for wind-power development.

• (a)Uttar Pradesh and Punjab — The inland northern plains have weak, low-velocity winds and little wind-power potential; both States rank low in wind capacity.
• (b)Bihar and Jharkhand — Located in the sheltered eastern interior with poor wind regimes — negligible wind-power potential.
• (d)Rajasthan and Odisha — Rajasthan does have real wind potential (Jaisalmer), but Odisha's is limited, so the pair is weaker than Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, which are both strong wind States.

Wind energy is a renewable resource concentrated where wind speeds are high and consistent — India's western coast (Gujarat, Maharashtra), the peninsular passes and the southern tip (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka), and parts of the arid west (Rajasthan). Coastal and hill-gap locations channel monsoon and sea winds, giving the best generation. Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have long led India's installed wind capacity.

The distractor pairs are all interior/eastern States with weak winds. Recognising that wind power favours the windy western coast and peninsular passes points straight to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat over the plains of UP-Punjab or Bihar-Jharkhand.

• Best wind regimes: western coast (Gujarat, Maharashtra) and the southern peninsula (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka).
• Tamil Nadu (Muppandal/Palghat gap) and Gujarat (Kutch) are perennial leaders in installed wind capacity.
• Wind potential needs high, steady wind speeds — coasts and hill gaps beat the sheltered interior.
• Rajasthan has notable wind potential (Jaisalmer), but paired with Odisha it is the weaker option.

• Assuming the flat, open northern plains (UP, Punjab) are windy — their wind speeds are actually low.
• Pairing Rajasthan (real potential) with Odisha (limited) and overrating that combination.

MPPSC and UPSC ask 'which States have the highest wind-power potential/capacity' or match energy source to region. Anchor wind power to the western coast (Gujarat) and the southern peninsula (Tamil Nadu).

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Muppandal wind farm, one of India's largest, is located in which State?

  • (a)Gujarat
  • (b)Rajasthan
  • (c)Tamil Nadu
  • (d)Maharashtra

  Answer(c) Tamil Nadu — near Kanyakumari, at the windy Aralvaimozhi gap.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Wind-energy potential in India is generally highest in the:

  • (a)Northern Gangetic plains
  • (b)Coastal and peninsular regions
  • (c)Himalayan valleys
  • (d)Chhotanagpur plateau

  Answer(b) Coastal and peninsular regions — where wind speeds are high and steady.