Consider the following States : 1. Chhattisgarh 2. Madhya Pradesh 3. Maharashtra 4. Odisha With reference to the States mentioned above, in terms of percentage of forest cover to the total area of State, which one of the following is the correct ascending order?

Option (C) is correct because, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), the ascending order of forest cover as a percentage of total state area is Maharashtra (~16.5%), Madhya Pradesh (~25.1%), Odisha (~33.1%), and Chhattisgarh (~41.1%). Option (A) is a common trap for candidates who confuse "total forest area" with "percentage forest cover"; while Madhya Pradesh has the largest absolute forest area in India, its percentage cover is lower than that of Odisha and Chhattisgarh due to its vast geographical size. The core concept tested is the distinction between absolute forest area and relative forest density (percentage) as reported in the biennial ISFR.