Hirakud Dam is located on which river?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Explanation

The Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in Odisha.
It is one of the longest man-made dams in the world.
Inaugurated in 1957, it was one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects started after India's independence.
Its primary purpose is to control floods in the Mahanadi delta, and it also provides water for irrigation and generates hydroelectric power.

Option A: The Yamuna is a major river in Northern India and a tributary of the Ganges. The Hirakud Dam is in Eastern India.
Option B: The Kaveri river flows through the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Hirakud Dam is in Odisha.
Option D: While the Bhargavi river is in Odisha, it is a distributary of the Kuakhai River, which itself is a distributary of the Mahanadi. The main Hirakud Dam is built on the primary Mahanadi river, not its smaller distributaries.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Major Dams and Rivers of India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
General knowledge, including major geographical features of India, is a component of the syllabus for many nursing recruitment examinations.
A broad awareness of national infrastructure and geography demonstrates the well-rounded knowledge base expected of a healthcare professional.
What if? - If the question had asked about the 'Bhakra Dam', the correct answer would be the 'Sutlej River' in Himachal Pradesh. This highlights the importance of memorizing key dam-river pairs for the exam.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key subject of the question, which is 'Hirakud Dam'.
Recognize this as a factual recall question based on general knowledge, specifically Indian geography.
Access your knowledge about major dams in India and the rivers they are built on.
Associate 'Hirakud Dam' with the 'Mahanadi River' and the state of 'Odisha'.
Evaluate the other options to confirm they are incorrect. Yamuna is in the north, and Kaveri is in the south, making them geographically incorrect.
Differentiate between the main river (Mahanadi) and its distributary (Bhargavi) to select the most accurate answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.