Option (c) is correct.

Explanation:

• The President of India formally enacted the “Digital Personal Data Protection Bill” following its approval from both houses of the Indian Parliament. 
• At the National level, Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
• In 2017, the central government constituted a Committee of Experts on Data Protection, chaired by Justice B.  N.  Srikrishna, to examine issues relating to data protection in the country.  

Option (b) is correct.

Explanation:

• The recent unprecedented weather upheavals in New England have prompted emergency services and residents to remain on high alert. 
• Pair 1 is correctly matched: Hurricane Lee along with tornadoes and catastrophic flooding has caused widespread damage and evacuations in New England in the United States.
• Pair 2 is not correctly matched: Typhoon Khanun was a deadly storm that moved slowly up the Korean Peninsula bringing torrential rain and winds after striking southern Japan.
• Pair 3 is correctly matched: The onset of the annual tropical storm season in China commenced with Typhoon ‘Talim’ which reached the shores of Zhanjiang city within Guangdong province. This event initiated disaster preparedness measures in Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Southern China.

Option (b) is correct.

Explanation: 

• The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) latest crop outlook indicates that India’s expected rice production for the year will be approximately 132 mt, reflecting the impact of below-average monsoon rains in August on the kharif crop.
• Statement 1 is not correct: China is the largest producer of rice in the world followed by India. 
• Statement 2 is correct: India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, accounted for nearly 40 percent of global rice trade in 2022, exporting 22 million tonnes worth $9.66bn to 140 countries.
• Statement 3 is correct: As per the third Advance Estimates, the estimated production of major crops for 2022-23 is as under:
  • Rice  –1355.42 Lakh Tonnes(Record)
  • Wheat – 1127.43 Lakh Tonnes (Record)
  • Total Pulses – 275.04Lakh Tonnes.
  • Cotton  –343.47Lakh bales (of 170 kg each)
  • Sugarcane – 4942.28Lakh Tonnes (Record)
• Statement 4 is correct: Total production of Sugarcane in the country during 2022-23 is estimated at record 4942.28LMT. It is greater than total pulses production at 275.04Lakh Tonnes.
• Statement 5 is not correct: Production of Cotton is estimated at 343.47lakhbales which is less than Sugarcane production.

Option (d) is correct.

Explanation 

• The European Union and India are set to begin a series of consultations on concerns regarding implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• Statement 1 is not correct: CBAM is an initiative of the European Union (EU) which will impose a carbon tax on non-environmentally sustainable products imported into the EU. 
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Ministry of Power is coming up with its carbon credit trading system; a proposed system equivalence can be reached with the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).
  • The Emissions Trading System (ETS) is a domestic carbon pricing mechanism in the EU that works on the “cap-and-trade” principle by setting a cap on the total amount of emissions allowed to be released into the environment by all operators. 
• Statement 2 is not correct: India has opposed the CBAM as it could result in market distortion.
• Statement 3 is not correct: The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is the only mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol that involves developing countries, or non-Annex I countries. 

Option (a) is correct 

Explanation: 

• As per a new Lancet Commission report on TB, the world is not on course towards ending tuberculosis, flagging concerns over the increase in TB deaths for the first time in 20 years.
• Statement 1 is not correct: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 
• Statement 2 is correct: TB bacteria can live in the body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection. People with latent TB infection can’t spread TB bacteria to others.