Assertion (A) : The percentage of net sown area in the total area of Andhra Pradesh is less as compared to that of West Bengal. Reason (R) : The soil of Andhra Pradesh is laterite.

Assertion (A) is correct: state-level data indicate Andhra Pradesh’s net sown area as about 40% of its total area versus roughly 60% for West Bengal, so AP’s percentage is lower . The Reason (R) is not correct as stated. While laterite/red‑laterite soils do occur in parts of Andhra Pradesh (especially on uplands), they are not the sole or dominant soil across the state [1]. Significant tracts of black (regur) soils are present in north‑western Andhra Pradesh, showing a mosaic of soil types rather than uniform laterite dominance [2]. Thus R (a blanket claim that “the soil of Andhra Pradesh is laterite”) is false and does not explain A.

Sources

1. [1] NCERT. (2022). Contemporary India II: Textbook in Geography for Class X (Revised ed.). NCERT. > Chapter 1: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe > Laterite Soil > p. 11
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 6: Soils > Table 6.1 > p. 7