The correct ascending order of states based on the percentage of forest cover to their total geographical area, as per Forest Survey of India (FSI) reports (e.g., FSI 2017 and consistent subsequent trends), is as follows:
Based on these percentages, the ascending order is Maharashtra (3) < Madhya Pradesh (2) < Odisha (4) < Chhattisgarh (1), which corresponds to the sequence 3-2-4-1.
The other options are incorrect as they do not represent the accurate ascending order of forest cover percentage for the given states. The rankings provided in options (a), (b), and (d) deviate from the established data from FSI reports regarding the proportion of forest area to total geographical area for these states.