Ans: C

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The north-western belt of India extends from the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat to the Aravalli range in Rajasthan. Petroleum and natural gas are the principal resources in this belt. Deposits of other minerals are small and scattered. However, it is known for its reserves and production of several non-ferrous metals, particularly copper, silver, lead, and Zinc.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Tertiary coal occurs in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. It is extracted from Darangiri, Cherrapunji, Mewlong, and Langrin (Meghalaya); Makum, Jaipur, and Nazira in upper Assam, Namchik – Namphuk (Arunachal Pradesh); and Kalakot (Jammu and Kashmir).  The south-western plateau region of India extends over the Karnataka plateau and adjoining Tamil Nadu plateau and is rich in metallic minerals, particularly iron ore, manganese, and bauxite, as well as some non-metallic minerals.

Ans: A

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Coal in India occurs in two important types of coal fields. They are the Gondwana coal fields and the Tertiary coal fields. The Gondwana coal fields produce 98% of the coal that is produced in India overall, with the remaining 2% coming from tertiary coal fields. 

Statement 2 is correct: About 80 percent of the coal deposits in India are of the bituminous type and are of non-coking grade. Bituminous coal is a type of coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen or asphalt.  It is a medium-grade coal with a high heating capacity. Non-coking coal is coal with poor coking properties, i.e., it does not soften and form cakes like coking coal during carbonization in the coke oven.

Ans: D

Exp

Statement 1 is correct: Regulating and damming rivers affect their natural flow, causing poor sediment flow and excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the reservoir, resulting in rockier stream beds and poorer habitats for the rivers’ aquatic life. Dams also fragment rivers, making it difficult for aquatic fauna to migrate, especially for spawning. The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge the existing vegetation and soil, leading to their decomposition over a period of time.

Statement 2 is correct: Rainwater harvesting is the storage of rainwater during the monsoon season for the purpose of using it during periods of water scarcity.  The benefits of collecting rainwater are numerous. It reduces the demand on the municipal water supply. It allows for the storage of seasonal rains for use during off-peak times. Harvesting systems reduce erosion, property flooding, and contamination by reducing the majority of runoff from businesses and homes.  Tamil Nadu is the first state in India to make rooftop rainwater harvesting structures compulsory for all houses across the state. There are legal provisions to punish defaulters.

Statement 3 is correct: Underground Water is unevenly distributed depending on rainfall, the nature of the land, and its slope, specifically in high rainfall areas, plains, and porous rocks. It is highly used in areas with less rainfall, i.e., Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, and Tamil Nadu.

Ans: A

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Common Property Resources (CPR)  are the land owned by the state meant for the use of the community. They can be defined as the community’s natural resources, where every member has the right of access and usage with specified obligations, without anybody having property rights over them. Community forests, pasture lands, village water bodies, and other public spaces where a group larger than a household or family unit exercises rights of use and carries responsibility for management are examples of CPRs. 

Statement 2 is correct: CPRs provide fodder for the livestock and fuel for the households, along with other minor forest products like fruits, nuts, fibre, medicinal plants, etc. In rural areas, such land is of particular relevance for the livelihood of the landless, marginal farmers, and other weaker sections since many of them depend on income from their livestock due to the fact that they have limited access to land.

Ans: B

Exp:

The land-use categories as maintained in the Land Revenue Records are as follows : (i) Forests;  (ii) Land put to Non-agricultural Uses (iii) Barren and Wastelands (iv) Area under Permanent Pastures and Grazing Lands (v) Area under Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves (not included is Net sown Area) (vi) Culturable Waste-Land (vii) Current Fallow (viii) Fallow other than Current Fallow (ix) Net Area Sown 

Pair 1 is correct: Current Fallow is the land that is left without cultivation for one or less than one agricultural year. Fallowing is a cultural practice adopted to give the land rest. The land regains its fertility through natural processes.

Pair 2 is incorrect:  Culturable Waste-Land is any land that has been left fallow (uncultivated) for more than five years. It can be brought under cultivation after improving it through reclamation practises.

Area under Miscellaneous Tree Crops and Groves (not included in Net Sown Area): The land under orchards and fruit trees is included in this category. Much of this land is privately owned.

Pair 3 is correct: Barren and Wastelands are those lands that may be classified as wastelands, such as barren hilly terrains, desert lands, ravines, etc., which normally cannot be brought under cultivation with the available technology.