Q.Describe the natural resources of Telangana, with special reference to its rivers and minerals.

Natural resources — water and minerals — form the physical base of the state economy.

The Godavari and Krishna are the two major rivers, supplying water for irrigation, drinking and industry. Among minerals, coal (mined by Singareni Collieries in the Godavari valley) is the most important, alongside limestone, bauxite, mica, feldspar and granite.

Telangana's natural resources fall into two broad groups: water resources and mineral resources.

Rivers (water resources):

• The Godavari is the larger of the two major rivers flowing through the state, entering from the north; it is the main source tapped by the state's big lift-irrigation works.
• The Krishna and its tributaries serve the southern parts of the state.
• Because much of the cultivable land sits on the plateau above these rivers, water frequently has to be lifted to reach the fields — a fact that shapes projects like Kaleshwaram.

Minerals:

• Coal is the most important mineral, mined in the Godavari valley coalfields by the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL); it supports power generation and is a major regional employer.
• Limestone is abundant and feeds a large cement industry.
• Other minerals include bauxite, mica, feldspar, building stones and the well-known granite of the region, which supports an export and processing trade.

Economic significance: Coal and limestone underpin power and heavy industry, while granite and stone processing generate employment and exports. However, these resources are unevenly spread across districts, contributing to regional imbalance.

Naming rivers that do not flow through Telangana, or forgetting that the Godavari (not the Krishna) is the larger river and the source for the biggest lift-irrigation projects. Do not overstate a single mineral as the state's only resource.