Answer: D

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The three newly notified sanctuaries on Little Nicobar, Menchal, and Meroe islands were declared as an environmental offset/mitigation strategy to compensate for the massive ecological footprint of the ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island Development Project (which includes a container port, airport, and township).

Statement 2 is correct: The Nicobarese Tribal Council is actively opposing these sanctuary notifications. They argue that the government violated the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, by bypassing the mandatory Gram Sabha consultation and consent process required before notifying ecologically sensitive areas that overlap with traditional lands.

Statement 3 is correct: Both Menchal (Pingaeyak) and Meroe (Piruii) are uninhabited islands. However, Menchal is highly sacred as it is believed to host ancestral spirits, and Meroe acts as a vital resource area for coconut harvesting and fishing, making both deeply intertwined with the cultural identity and customary ownership of the Nicobarese people.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Little Nicobar Island is proposed to host a Leatherback Turtle Sanctuary, not a Coral Sanctuary. The island is highly biodiversity-rich, and this proposal overlaps directly with traditional Nicobarese villages and ancestral residential lands, causing severe livelihood and habitation concerns.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Menchal Island is designated for a Megapode Sanctuary aimed at endemic bird conservation. The Nicobarese oppose this as it causes a complete exclusion from culturally important land, as they consider the island a sacred landscape.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Meroe Island is proposed to be a Coral Sanctuary for marine and reef protection. While Meroe is a small, uninhabited resource area utilized by locals for fishing and coconuts, the Leatherback Turtle Sanctuary proposal applies to Little Nicobar instead

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a notification placing all categories of sugar (raw, white, and refined) into the “prohibited” category with immediate effect. This marks a major policy shift prioritising domestic stability over export revenue.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The export ban is not a blanket restriction as it includes several key exemptions. Exports to the US and the EU continue under fixed tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) and CXL arrangements. Additionally, special government-to-government (G2G) supplies for food security are permitted, as are shipments already in the export pipeline (e.g., loaded before May 13).

Statement 3 is correct: The government’s decision is fundamentally driven by the need to manage domestic food inflation and preserve adequate buffer stocks. In 2025–26, India's projected domestic consumption exceeds estimated production, and reserving sugar and sugarcane juice is also deemed necessary to achieve the national 20% ethanol blending target in petrol.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The Finance Ministry notified the change in overall import duties through revisions in the Social Welfare Surcharge (SWS) and the Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC).

Statement 2 is correct: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), functioning under the Ministry of Finance, is the statutory body responsible for administering customs laws, enforcing border control, and ensuring proper collection of these duties.

Statement 3 is correct: Curbing non-essential imports like gold is a strategic measure to conserve valuable foreign exchange (forex) reserves. It ensures there are adequate forex resources available for vital, critical national imports such as crude oil, fertilizers, and defense equipment.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Synthesis gas (syngas) generated from the gasification of coal or lignite primarily consists of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen along with minor amounts of other gases. It is not primarily composed of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Statement 2 is correct: The overarching national goal set by the government is to accelerate the coal gasification programme to successfully gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030.

Statement 3 is correct: India's coal distribution is heavily concentrated geographically, with the Gondwana coalfields containing approximately 98% (which is over 95%) of the country's total coal reserves.