In which of the following regions of India are surface water resources considered to be the highest?

Introduction / Context:
Surface water resources refer to the water available in rivers, lakes and reservoirs at the surface of the land. Different regions of India have varying amounts of surface water depending on rainfall, river systems and topography. This question asks you to identify the region with the highest surface water resources among the options given.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The regions listed are the Ganga plains, North Eastern India, Peninsular India and the Indus plains.
• We are concerned with the total volume of surface water resources as understood in standard exam geography, not just rainfall.
• The Ganga river system is one of the largest and most water rich in India.
• North eastern India receives heavy rainfall, but the question focuses on the way resources are classified in many textbook summaries.

Concept / Approach:
The Ganga plains, stretching across northern India, are drained by the Ganga and its many tributaries such as Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi. This extensive river network, combined with snowmelt from the Himalaya and significant monsoon rainfall, provides a very large volume of surface water resources. Standard exam oriented classifications therefore describe the Ganga basin as having the highest share of India's surface water among major regions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the breadth of the Ganga plains and the number of large perennial rivers that cross this region from the Himalaya to the Bay of Bengal.Step 2: Note that these rivers carry snowmelt and monsoon water, creating a continuous supply of surface water for irrigation, navigation and other uses.Step 3: Compare this with Peninsular India, where many rivers are seasonal or have more variable flows, and with the Indus plains, where a significant part of the river system lies outside India.Step 4: While North Eastern India has heavy rainfall, the examination key treats the Ganga plains as having the highest surface water resources due to the combination of basin size and river volume.

Verification / Alternative check:
Hydrology and resource chapters in school texts often include tables or maps showing the distribution of surface water among river basins. These usually highlight the Ganga basin as having the largest share of India's utilizable surface water resources. Checking such summaries supports the selection of the Ganga plains over the other options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
North Eastern India does receive some of the highest rainfall in the country, but it covers a smaller area and the total volume of stored and utilizable surface water is presented as lower than that of the vast Ganga basin in many exam treatments. Peninsular India has several major rivers such as Godavari and Krishna, yet many of them are more seasonal and do not collectively match the Ganga system in surface water volume. The Indus plains are also important but a large part of the Indus basin lies in neighbouring countries, reducing the share of surface water resources available within India.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes equate highest rainfall with highest surface water and immediately choose North Eastern India, overlooking the impact of basin area and river network size. Another pitfall is to think of Peninsular India as water rich because of large dams, without considering that many rivers there are smaller or seasonal. Distinguishing between rainfall intensity and overall basin scale helps to avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
Among the regions listed, surface water resources are considered highest in the Ganga plains, which are drained by the extensive Ganga river system and its tributaries.