Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is an annual (not biennial) assessment launched in 2022-23 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), not the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Furthermore, it does not rank cities solely on ambient air quality data, but on their air-quality management efforts.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The survey primarily evaluates the execution of pollution-control measures rather than absolute pollution metrics. Crucially, PM10 reduction holds only a 2.5% weightage in the evaluation criteria. The rest of the weightage goes to implementation parameters like biomass management, road dust control, vehicular emissions, and public awareness.

Statement 3 is correct: By ranking cities across different population categories based on their clean air measures, the assessment encourages competitive federalism and strengthens the execution of localized, city-specific clean-air plans.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in January 2019, explicitly aims to achieve a 30% to 40% reduction in PM10 levels or the attainment of national standards by the target year 2025-26.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While Lucknow did secure the 1st position in the million-plus population category (>10 lakh) for its governance and structural measures (like mechanised sweeping and electric waste vehicles), its annual PM10 concentration remains above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 60 µg/m³. Though Lucknow successfully reduced its PM10 levels from 250 µg/m³ (2017-18) to 137 µg/m³, it has not yet dropped below the national standard.

Statement 3 is correct: To maintain transparency and accuracy, the assessment process is robustly structured. It includes city self-evaluation, state-level monitoring, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) evaluation, and independent third-party field verification.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: India’s CCTS follows an emissions-intensity approach rather than a rigid absolute emission-cap approach. It measures and prices carbon relative to the unit of production or output in designated sectors, allowing economic growth while reducing relative greenhouse gas intensity.

Statement 2 is correct: The legal framework for the CCTS was established via the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022, which amended the original Energy Conservation Act, 2001. The central government, through the Ministry of Power, notified the operational setup of the scheme.

Statement 3 is correct: Under the design of the CCTS, registered entities that beat their specific emissions-intensity targets are awarded Carbon Credit Certificates (CCCs). Entities failing to meet their targets are required to purchase these credits for compliance.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The core purpose of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is to stop carbon leakage—a scenario where carbon-intensive industries move production to countries with lenient environmental laws or lower climate compliance costs.

Statement 2 is correct: By recognizing India's domestic CCTS as a qualifying carbon-pricing mechanism, the UK allows importers to offset or seek carbon price relief for the carbon price already paid by Indian manufacturers domestically, avoiding double taxation.

Statement 3 is incorrect: CBAM is not universal; it specifically targets selected carbon-intensive products. For instance, the UK's framework covers specific sectors such as iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, cement, ceramics, glass, and hydrogen.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is indeed the highest decision-making body under the Ministry of Defence tasked with giving in-principle approval (Acceptance of Necessity or AoN) for capital acquisitions for the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The DAC is chaired by the Defence Minister of India (Raksha Mantri), not the Chief of Defence Staff.

Statement 3 is correct: In September 2026, the DAC chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹1.10 lakh crore. Out of this, around 98% of the procurement is slated to be sourced from the domestic Indian industry to boost Atmanirbhar Bharat (indigenisation).