Option (a) is correct.

Explanation: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) authorities are planning for the revival of aromatic rice Mushk Budji.

• Statement 1 is not correct: Mushk Budji is the indigenous aromatic rice variety from Kashmir. It is likely to get a major boost in its yield with the J&K authorities planning to expand its cultivation area to 5,000 hectares in the next three years.  
• Statement 2 is correct: Mushk Budji, mostly grown on over 250 hectares in five villages of Kokernag in south Kashmir, received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag due to the concerted efforts by the agriculture department.
• Statement 3 is not correct: The high-cost traditional variety of rice was on the verge of extinction due to disease susceptibility and poor yield potential and was pushed to a few pockets of the Valley. The agriculture department brought in a new variety of Mushk Budji seeds resistant to diseases and changing climatic conditions. 

Option (b) is correct.

Explanation: Recently, Israel declared war on Hamas following a deadly attack by Hamas on its territory.

• Statement 1 is not correct: Israel is bordered by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria. It shares maritime borders with Cyprus. 
  • The borders with Syria (Golan Heights), Lebanon (Shebaa farms) and the Palestinian territories (West Bank and the Gaza Strip) are still disputed. 
• Statement 2 is correct: The two-state solution was proposed by the Peel Commission, which was formed by Britishers in 1937. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) proposed the two state solution in 1947. 
  • UNSC resolution 1397 affirmed a vision of a region where two States lived side by side within secure and recognized borders.  
  • It also called upon the two sides to cooperate in the implementation of the Tenet work plan and Mitchell Report recommendations with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement. 
  • However, over the years, it never materialised. 

Option (c) is correct.

Explanation: Kerala government to move a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court seeking to issue directions to the Governor to decide on the eight Bills passed by the Kerala legislature.

• Statement I is correct: Article 136 contains the provision of special leave to appeal by the Supreme Court. This provision contains the four aspects as under:
  • It is a discretionary power and hence, cannot be claimed as a matter of right.
  • It can be granted in any judgement whether final or interlocutory.
  • It may be related to any matter: constitutional, civil, criminal, income-tax, labour, revenue, advocates, etc.
  • It can be granted against any court or tribunal and not necessarily against a high court. 
• Statement II is not correct: The Supreme Court is authorised to grant in its discretion special leave to appeal from any judgement in any matter passed by any court or tribunal in the country (except military tribunal and court martial). 

Option (b) is correct.

Explanation: Recently, the Rs 44,605-crore Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) secured the final forest clearance.

• Statement 1 is not correct:  KBLP is a river-interlinking project that aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh to Betwa in Uttar Pradesh  through the construction of Daudhan Dam and a canal linking the two rivers. Both Ken and Betwa are the tributaries of the Yamuna.
• Statement 2 is correct: KBLP will lead to the submergence of a major portion of the core area of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Panna Tiger Reserve was included in the global network of biosphere reserves by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2020.
• Statement 3 is correct: The Ken river has its origin from the north-west slopes of the Kaimur hills in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The important tributaries of Ken are Alona, Bearma, Sonar, Mirhasan, Shyamari, Banne, Kutri, Urmil, Kail and Chandrawal. 

Option (d) is correct.

Explanation: 

• Pair 1 is correctly matched: Krishna Raja Sagara Dam is often called as KRS Dam is named after Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV of Mysore, this dam is built over the River Cauvery/Kaveri.
• Pair 2 is correctly matched: Kakrapar Dam is constructed over Tapi River and located in Kakrapar village in Surat district.
• Pair 3 is correctly matched: Kota Barrage is the fourth construction in the Chambal Valley Project over River Chambal. It was built to store the waters stored by the three previous dams of the project Gandhi Sagar Dam, Jawahar Sagar Dam and Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, and then channelize it to the dry areas of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Pair 4 is correctly matched: Bhakra Dam is a concrete gravity dam across the Sutlej River, and is in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Its reservoir, known as the “Gobind Sagar”.