A state in India has the following characteristics: 1. Its northern part is arid and semi-arid. 2. Its central part produces cotton. 3. Cultivation of cash crops is predominant over food crops. Which one of the following states has all of the above characteristics ?

1. The question asks to identify an Indian state based on three given characteristics. 2. Characteristic 1: Northern part is arid and semi-arid. This fits Gujarat, where the Kutch region and parts of North Gujarat exhibit these climatic conditions. 3. Characteristic 2: Central part produces cotton. Gujarat is one of India's largest cotton producers, with significant cultivation in its central regions (like Saurashtra and mainland Gujarat). 4. Characteristic 3: Cultivation of cash crops is predominant over food crops. Gujarat's agriculture is heavily oriented towards cash crops like cotton, groundnut, and tobacco, often surpassing the area under staple food crops. 5. Evaluating other options: Andhra Pradesh's northern part isn't primarily arid. Karnataka's northern part is semi-arid and produces cotton, but the predominance of cash crops to this extent might be less marked than in Gujarat. Tamil Nadu's northern part is not arid/ semi-arid. 6. Therefore, Gujarat is the state that best fits all three characteristics.