Ans: A

Exp: 

• Makaravilakku festival is celebrated on Makar Sankranti at the temple of Sabarimala in the state of Kerala. The holy Sabarimala Temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The main pilgrimage is undertaken between November and January. Devotees undergo rigorous penance before starting on the pilgrimage. Regardless of caste, creed and colour they wear black or deep blue dhoties and carry on their heads, cloth bundles containing traditional offerings like coconuts filled with ghee, camphor and rice. 
• When it comes to female devotees only females who are past their menopausal age or have not attained puberty are allowed into the precincts of the shrine of the Lord who is considered to have remained unmarried. Hence, Pair 1 is correct.
• Pedda Panduga: It is the name of Makar Sankranti and is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh. Hence, Pair 2 is incorrect.
• Thai Pongal: It is a Multiday Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. Hence, Pair 3 is incorrect.

Ans: B

Exp:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), which implements the government’s flagship Namami Gange programme, has launched the Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA). The GRCA was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai on Sunday. GRCA is a unique alliance covering 275+ global river-cities in 11 countries, international funding agencies and knowledge management partners and is first of its kind in the world.
• Statement 2 is correct: The RCA had signed a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) with 124 members Mississippi River Towns and Cities Initiative of the US and this is the first of its kind alliance in the world. The launch of GRCA signifies a momentous step in global efforts towards river conservation and sustainable water management. Following this, partner countries are poised to coordinate post-COP activities, shaping the architecture of GRCA for effective implementation.

Ans: A

Exp:

• Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme launched to promote Sustainable Management of forests and agroforestry.
• Statement 1 is incorrect: The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has launched the Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme. This national forest certification scheme offers voluntary third-party certification designed to promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry in the country. The scheme includes forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal will act as the scheme operating agency and  will be responsible for overall management of the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme.
• Statement 3 is correct: The Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme, will be overseen by the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council, which will act as a multistakeholder advisory body. 
• The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of India will accredit the certification bodies which will carry out independent audits and assess adherence of various entities on the standards prescribed under the scheme.

Ans: B

Exp:

• The Financial Stability Board has released a report on Multifunction Crypto-Asset Intermediaries.
• Statement 1 is correct: Multifunction crypto-asset intermediaries (MCIs) are individual firms, or groups of affiliated firms, that combine a broad range of crypto-asset services, products, and functions typically centred around the operation of a trading platform.
• Many MCIs have proprietary trading and investment functions, while some are also involved in issuing, promoting, and distributing crypto-assets or related products, including so-called stablecoins.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: MCI vulnerabilities are not very different from those of traditional finance, including leverage, liquidity mismatch, technology and operational vulnerabilities, and interconnections. These vulnerabilities are further amplified by a lack of effective controls and operational transparency, poor or no disclosures, and conflicts of interest. There are also additional vulnerabilities stemming from the centrality of MCIs in the crypto-asset ecosystem and their concentration and market power.

Ans: B

Exp:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) synthesis report says ‘the abatement of fossil fuel production and use comes through the interventions that substantially reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted throughout their life cycle. As an example, this could involve capturing 90% or more carbon dioxide from power plants.
• The IPCC refers to the technology most people associate with the concept of abatement: carbon capture and storage (CCS). The process aims to trap CO2 emissions generated by a power plant at the source and store them deep underground.
• It can be understood that the Unabated Fossil Fuels are those, that are ‘without interventions that substantially reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted throughout their life cycle’.