The two states of India, most richly endowed with iron ore, are

Correct answer: (c) Bihar and Odisha

Explanation

According to the Indian Minerals Yearbook, 2024, the iron ore reserves (hematite and magnetite) in the given states are as follows: Odisha (9,409,573 thousand tonnes), Madhya Pradesh (356,999 thousand tonnes—only hematite), and Bihar (49,439 thousand tonnes). Therefore, for the given question, option (c), Bihar and Odisha, is the correct answer. In India, the major states rich in iron ore (hematite and magnetite) are Karnataka (10,638,163 thousand tonnes), Odisha (9,409,573 thousand tonnes), Jharkhand (4,720,813 thousand tonnes), and Chhattisgarh (4,641,550 thousand tonnes). States having hematite deposits include Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Goa, while states with magnetite dominance include Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Goa.