UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — CAG audit highlights major gaps in Green India Mission
Q1. The National Action Plan on Climate Change, as described by the Government in 2025, now covers nine thematic areas. Which one of the following is the mission area that was added after the original set of missions, and is the most recent addition to the NAPCC framework?
- A. The mission on sustainable habitat, dealing with urban planning, waste management and building energy codes
- B. The mission on strategic knowledge for climate change, dealing with climate research and knowledge networks
- C. The mission on human health, dealing with climate-sensitive health risks and adaptation
- D. The mission on sustaining the Himalayan eco-system, dealing with glaciers and mountain biodiversity
Q2. Consider the following statements comparing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) as originally constituted with its present form:
1. The NAPCC was launched in June 2008 with eight national missions.
2. The Government's present description of the NAPCC covers nine national missions, the additional thematic area being human health.
3. The missions on sustaining the Himalayan eco-system and on strategic knowledge for climate change are both implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The NAPCC was launched in June 2008 with eight national missions.
- The Government's present description of the NAPCC covers nine national missions, the additional thematic area being human health.
- The missions on sustaining the Himalayan eco-system and on strategic knowledge for climate change are both implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. The National Mission for a Green India is described as a '10 million hectare' mission. Which one of the following correctly states what this figure denotes?
- A. Improvement in the quality of forest cover on 10 million hectares of degraded forest land, with no separate target for creating new cover
- B. Increase in forest/tree cover on 5 million hectares and improvement in the quality of forest cover on another 5 million hectares of land
- C. Increase in forest/tree cover on 10 million hectares, of which 5 million hectares must lie in urban and peri-urban landscapes
- D. Increase in forest/tree cover on 3 million hectares through agro-forestry and improvement in quality on 7 million hectares of moderately dense forest
Q4. Among the land categories for which the Green India Mission sets targets for qualitative improvement of forest cover and ecosystems, the largest single area target is prescribed for which one of the following?
- A. Moderately dense forests showing signs of degradation, targeted for canopy and density improvement
- B. Degraded grasslands, targeted for restoration of productivity and ground cover
- C. Wetlands and their catchments, targeted for restoration of hydrological and ecosystem services
- D. Open degraded forests, targeted for restoration of density and ecosystem services
Q5. With reference to the CAG performance audit of the Green India Mission tabled in 2026, consider the following statements:
1. The audit examined implementation over the period 2015-16 to 2024-25.
2. The audit covered 16 States and Union Territories.
3. Against a target of 1.4 million hectares, the quality of forest cover was improved on about 0.11 million hectares.
4. Against a target of 1.4 million hectares, forest cover was increased on about 0.34 million hectares.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The audit examined implementation over the period 2015-16 to 2024-25.
- The audit covered 16 States and Union Territories.
- Against a target of 1.4 million hectares, the quality of forest cover was improved on about 0.11 million hectares.
- Against a target of 1.4 million hectares, forest cover was increased on about 0.34 million hectares.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 4 only
Q6. The scheme examined in the 2026 CAG performance audit is implemented at the Union level by the same ministry that also runs the National Afforestation Programme and the Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme. Which one of the following is that ministry?
- A. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, which anchors the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
- B. The Ministry of Jal Shakti, which anchors the National Water Mission and its State-specific action plans
- C. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which also coordinates the NAPCC
- D. The Ministry of Rural Development, which anchors large-scale rural natural resource works
Q7. Under the law made by Parliament, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India holds office for a fixed term, or until attaining the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier. That fixed term is of how many years?
- A. Four years
- B. Five years
- C. Six years
- D. Seven years
Q8. Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General relating to the accounts of the Union, such as the audit of a centrally sponsored mission, are submitted to the President, who causes them to be laid before each House of Parliament. This requirement flows from which one of the following Articles of the Constitution?
- A. Article 148
- B. Article 149
- C. Article 150
- D. Article 151
Q9. Consider the following statements regarding how forest cover is assessed and classified in the India State of Forest Report:
1. Forest cover is assessed for all lands more than one hectare in area with a tree canopy density of more than 10 per cent, irrespective of ownership and legal status.
2. Lands with a canopy density between 40 and 70 per cent are classified as very dense forest, while those with a canopy density above 70 per cent are classified as moderately dense forest.
3. In the 2023 assessment, tree cover accounted for a smaller share of the country's geographical area than forest cover, the two together amounting to 25.17 per cent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Forest cover is assessed for all lands more than one hectare in area with a tree canopy density of more than 10 per cent, irrespective of ownership and legal status.
- Lands with a canopy density between 40 and 70 per cent are classified as very dense forest, while those with a canopy density above 70 per cent are classified as moderately dense forest.
- In the 2023 assessment, tree cover accounted for a smaller share of the country's geographical area than forest cover, the two together amounting to 25.17 per cent.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q10. With reference to the India State of Forest Report, which one of the following statements is correct?
- A. It is brought out every five years by the National Remote Sensing Centre under the Department of Space, in consultation with State Forest Departments
- B. It is brought out on a biennial cycle by the Forest Survey of India, and its 2023 edition was the eighteenth report in the series
- C. It is brought out annually by the Forest Survey of India and assesses exclusively those lands that are notified as Recorded Forest Areas
- D. It is prepared entirely through ground-based field inventory by State Forest Departments, without the use of satellite-based mapping
Q11. Budget analyses of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change note that the Green India Mission has under-utilised its budgetary allocation in every year beginning from a particular financial year. Which one of the following is that first year of the continuous under-utilisation streak?
- A. 2015-16
- B. 2020-21
- C. 2022-23
- D. 2024-25
Q12. Consider the following statements about India's forestry and carbon sink instruments:
1. Funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority are utilised by States and Union Territories as per the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 and the rules framed under it in 2018.
2. The Nagar Van Yojana envisages the creation of 600 Nagar Vans and 400 Nagar Vatikas in the country during the period 2020-21 to 2026-27.
3. India's Nationally Determined Contribution includes creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
4. The 2023 forest assessment reported that India had already created an additional carbon sink of about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent since 2005, thereby exceeding this Nationally Determined Contribution target ahead of schedule.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority are utilised by States and Union Territories as per the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 and the rules framed under it in 2018.
- The Nagar Van Yojana envisages the creation of 600 Nagar Vans and 400 Nagar Vatikas in the country during the period 2020-21 to 2026-27.
- India's Nationally Determined Contribution includes creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
- The 2023 forest assessment reported that India had already created an additional carbon sink of about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent since 2005, thereby exceeding this Nationally Determined Contribution target ahead of schedule.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 4 only