Correct Option
The correct option is (c).
Explanation
The Peninsular Plateau is broadly divided into two major units by the Narmada River: the Central Highlands to the north and the Deccan Plateau to the south. The Central Highlands cover a major portion of the Malwa Plateau and are bounded by the Aravali range on the northwest and the Vindhyan range on the south.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: The Central Highlands are geographically wider in the western section and become progressively narrower towards the east.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Malwa Plateau constitutes the core western part of the Central Highlands. The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as the Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand, not the Malwa Plateau.
- Statement 3 is Correct: The Chotanagpur Plateau marks the further eastward extension of the Central Highlands. It covers parts of Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha and is drained by the Damodar River.
Key Takeaway: The Central Highlands consist of the Malwa Plateau in the west, extending eastwards as Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand, and culminating in the Chotanagpur Plateau in the east.