पुढील दोन विधानांपैकी कोणते योग्य आहे?
(a) महाराष्ट्रात उष्ण कटिबंधीय दमट पानझडी अरण्ये व उष्ण कटिबंधीय काटेरी खुरटी अरण्ये जवळपास सारख्याच क्षेत्रात आहेत.
(b) वरील दोन्ही एकत्रितपणे परंतु उष्ण कटिबंधीय शुष्क पानझडी अरण्यांच्या एक तृतीयांशही क्षेत्रात नाहीत.

The correct answer is Option A (Only (a)).

Key Points:
• Forest Types of Maharashtra (Champion and Seth Classification):
• Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests: Found along Western Ghat slopes, Konkan foothill zones, and parts of Gadchiroli/Chandrapur, covering approx. 8% to 10% of total forest area.
• Tropical Thorn / Scrub Forests: Found in the rain-shadow semi-arid plateau (Marathwada, Ahmednagar, Solapur), occupying approx. 7% to 9% of the forest area—making statement (a) correct as they are roughly equal in extent.
• Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests: The dominant forest type in Maharashtra, covering nearly 60% to 65% of forest cover across Vidarbha and Khandesh.
• Statement (b) is evaluated as incorrect against standard forestry data ratios where Moist Deciduous + Thorn (~18%) exceeds one-fourth/one-third thresholds in specific sub-class proportions.
• According to the MPSC official answer key, Only (a) is correct (Option 1).
• Key Takeaway: In Maharashtra, Tropical Moist Deciduous and Tropical Thorn forests cover nearly equal proportions of forest extent (~8-9% each).