Among which one of the following sets of social/religious groups is the extent of poverty the highest, as per Government statistics for the nineties?

1. The question asks which social/religious group experienced the highest extent of poverty according to government statistics for the nineties (1990s). 2. Government data from that period consistently showed that Scheduled Tribes (STs) faced the highest incidence of poverty among various social groups in India. 3. Option (B) lists Tribals (Scheduled Tribes) in states like Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh (M.P.), and Maharashtra, regions known to have significant tribal populations often facing high poverty levels due to factors like geographical isolation, lack of access to resources, and historical disadvantages. 4. While poverty existed among other groups like Muslims (A), Scheduled Castes (C), and Christians (D) in various states, the overall incidence and depth of poverty were generally reported to be highest among the ST population during the 1990s.