Patwari Exam · Rajasthan GK

Agriculture and Minerals of Rajasthan

This note introduces Rajasthan's agriculture and mineral wealth — its major crops, the Indira Gandhi Canal and key mineral resources.

Key Facts

Main kharif crops: Bajra/pearl millet (largest area, Thar Desert), maize (Udaipur-Chittorgarh), jowar/sorghum, moong, moth beans and sesame.
Main rabi crops: Wheat (Ganganagar-Hanumangarh), mustard (Bharatpur-Alwar), barley and gram.
Rajasthan Canal (Indira Gandhi Canal): The world's longest canal (649 km); runs from Punjab-Haryana to Ganganagar-Jaisalmer.
Mineral wealth: Zinc-lead (Zawar mines, Udaipur — Asia's largest), copper (Khetri, Jhunjhunu), marble (Makrana — the stone used for the Taj Mahal).
Mica, lignite and gypsum: Mica in Bhilwara; lignite at Kapurdi, Barmer; gypsum in Nagaur-Bikaner.
Other mineral deposits: Rajasthan has deposits of fluorite (Dungarpur), barytes, granite and stone.
Wasteland and semi-arid land: About 60% of total land is barren or semi-arid; CAZRI (Jodhpur) conducts desert research.
Milk and dairy: The Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF) is known for its Saras brand; the state has a large cattle and buffalo population.
Oil and gas: Crude oil is produced in the Barmer-Sanchor basin, in the Mangala-Bhagyam-Aishwarya block.
Cotton and groundnut: Cotton is grown in Hanumangarh-Ganganagar; groundnut in Jodhpur-Barmer-Jalore.

What is notable about the Rajasthan Canal (Indira Gandhi Canal)?+

The Indira Gandhi Canal is the world's longest canal (649 km), irrigating from Punjab-Haryana to Ganganagar-Jaisalmer.

Where is Asia's largest zinc-lead mine?+

Asia's largest zinc-lead mine is the Zawar mine in Udaipur.

Where did the stone for the Taj Mahal come from?+

The marble for the Taj Mahal was brought from Makrana (Rajasthan).