UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Environment Minister chairs Review Meeting on Action Plans of Rajasthan and Punjab to tackle Air Pollution in Delhi-NCR
Q1. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas functions as a statutory body under the administrative purview of which one of the following Union ministries?
- A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- B. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- C. Ministry of Jal Shakti
- D. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Q2. Under the Commission for Air Quality Management Act, 2021, the Commission coordinates the actions of certain State Governments. With reference to the States whose territories/adjoining areas fall within its coordinating mandate, consider the following:
1. Rajasthan
2. Punjab
3. Himachal Pradesh
4. Uttar Pradesh
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Rajasthan
- Punjab
- Himachal Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. The most recent comprehensive revision of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi-NCR — which shifted certain Stage III and Stage IV actions into earlier stages — was notified by the CAQM in which year?
- A. 2025
- B. 2022
- C. 2020
- D. 2017
Q4. Which one of the following best describes the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as applied to Delhi-NCR?
- A. A set of staged emergency measures that are triggered when Delhi's average AQI crosses specified thresholds
- B. A five-year city-specific clean air action plan targeting a percentage reduction in PM10 levels
- C. A statutory penalty schedule prescribing fines on industries that exceed emission norms
- D. A financial-assistance scheme subsidising crop-residue management machinery for farmers
Q5. Under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), how many cities (non-attainment and Million Plus cities together) have been identified across the country for time-bound air-quality improvement?
Q6. With reference to the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), consider the following:
1. It covers non-attainment cities that exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for five consecutive years.
2. It is implemented by the MoEFCC with the CPCB monitoring and enforcing measures.
3. It aims at a reduction of up to 40% in PM10 levels (or attainment of national standards) by 2025-26.
4. It provides financial assistance at 50% of machinery cost to farmers for crop-residue management.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It covers non-attainment cities that exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for five consecutive years.
- It is implemented by the MoEFCC with the CPCB monitoring and enforcing measures.
- It aims at a reduction of up to 40% in PM10 levels (or attainment of national standards) by 2025-26.
- It provides financial assistance at 50% of machinery cost to farmers for crop-residue management.
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 2
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 only
Q7. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, providing the statutory base for air-pollution control and the establishment of Pollution Control Boards, was first enacted in which year?
- A. 1981
- B. 1974
- C. 1986
- D. 1987
Q8. Under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the powers and functions of the Central Board are exercised at the national level by which one of the following?
- A. The Central Pollution Control Board constituted under the Water Act, 1974
- B. The Commission for Air Quality Management
- C. The National Green Tribunal
- D. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change acting directly
Q9. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Crop Residue Management (CRM) extends financial support to certain States/UTs to curb stubble burning affecting Delhi-NCR. Consider the following:
1. Punjab
2. Haryana
3. Uttar Pradesh
4. Rajasthan
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as beneficiaries of the scheme?
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q10. The high-level ministerial review of the Action Plans of Rajasthan and Punjab, chaired by the Union Environment Minister on 06 January 2026, was which one in the series of such Delhi-NCR review meetings?
- A. Fifth
- B. Third
- C. Fourth
- D. Sixth
Q11. With reference to the institutional framework for air-quality governance in the NCR, consider the following pairings:
1. CAQM — a statutory body established under the CAQM Act, 2021
2. EPCA — dissolved upon the establishment of the CAQM
3. CAQM jurisdiction — Delhi and adjoining areas of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
4. EPCA — constituted in the NCR in the year 2015
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- CAQM — a statutory body established under the CAQM Act, 2021
- EPCA — dissolved upon the establishment of the CAQM
- CAQM jurisdiction — Delhi and adjoining areas of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
- EPCA — constituted in the NCR in the year 2015
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q12. With reference to how the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 differ from the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, consider the following statements:
1. The 2016 Rules were notified in supersession of the 2000 Rules.
2. The 2016 Rules mandate source segregation of waste into wet, dry and domestic hazardous streams, unlike the earlier regime.
3. Unlike the 2000 Rules, the 2016 Rules restrict their applicability solely to metropolitan municipal areas.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 2016 Rules were notified in supersession of the 2000 Rules.
- The 2016 Rules mandate source segregation of waste into wet, dry and domestic hazardous streams, unlike the earlier regime.
- Unlike the 2000 Rules, the 2016 Rules restrict their applicability solely to metropolitan municipal areas.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3