UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Jal Shakti Minister Shri C.R. Paatil Inaugurates Landmark Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation Initiatives under Namami Gange Mission
Q1. The first-ever nationwide riverine dolphin estimation exercise in India (survey period 2021–2023) placed the total riverine dolphin population at exactly how many individuals?
- A. 4,285
- B. 5,410
- C. 6,327
- D. 7,120
Q2. Under which one of the following is the Gangetic river dolphin accorded the highest degree of legal protection within India?
- A. Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
- B. Schedule III of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
- C. Appendix I of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)
- D. Schedule I of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002
Q3. The original Namami Gange Programme (Phase-I), launched with a budgetary outlay of ₹20,000 crore, was sanctioned for a five-year period ending in which of the following?
- A. March 2019
- B. March 2020
- C. March 2021
- D. March 2026
Q4. With reference to the Namami Gange Mission-II, consider the following statements:
1. It was approved with a total budgetary outlay of ₹22,500 crore.
2. Of this outlay, ₹11,275 crore is earmarked for new projects and interventions.
3. It extends the Namami Gange Programme up to March 2026.
4. The original Phase-I programme (2014-15) had an outlay of ₹30,000 crore.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- It was approved with a total budgetary outlay of ₹22,500 crore.
- Of this outlay, ₹11,275 crore is earmarked for new projects and interventions.
- It extends the Namami Gange Programme up to March 2026.
- The original Phase-I programme (2014-15) had an outlay of ₹30,000 crore.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. With reference to the institutional framework of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), consider the following statements:
1. It was registered as a society in 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
2. It originally functioned as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
3. The NGRBA was constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
4. NMCG functions administratively under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- It was registered as a society in 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- It originally functioned as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
- The NGRBA was constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- NMCG functions administratively under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 3 and 4
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q6. What did the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 primarily accomplish?
- A. It dissolved the NGRBA and constituted the National Ganga Council as the apex authority for the river
- B. It merged the NMCG into the Central Pollution Control Board
- C. It established the Wildlife Institute of India as a statutory body
- D. It launched the Namami Gange Programme with a ₹20,000 crore outlay
Q7. With reference to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), consider the following statements:
1. It is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
2. It was established at Dehradun in 1982.
3. It coordinates the rangewide riverine and estuarine dolphin estimation exercises.
4. It was created as a statutory body under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- It is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- It was established at Dehradun in 1982.
- It coordinates the rangewide riverine and estuarine dolphin estimation exercises.
- It was created as a statutory body under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 3 and 4 only
- D. 2, 3 and 4
Q8. In terms of its institutional character, the Wildlife Institute of India is best described as which one of the following?
- A. An autonomous institute for wildlife research, training and advisory services
- B. A statutory regulatory authority constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
- C. A constitutional body dealing with environmental protection
- D. A central university empowered to award degrees under the UGC Act
Q9. Using India's first Dolphin Rescue Ambulance inaugurated at the Wildlife Institute of India in 2026, how many Gangetic dolphins were reported rescued and released?
Q10. The Dolphin Rescue Ambulance and the Aqua Life Conservation Monitoring Centre at WII were inaugurated as initiatives implemented by which one of the following?
- A. National Mission for Clean Ganga, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti
- B. Central Pollution Control Board, under the MoEFCC
- C. National Ganga Council, functioning as the direct executing agency
- D. National Biodiversity Authority, under the MoEFCC
Q11. The Ganga river basin, the largest river basin in India, extends over approximately what proportion of the country's total geographical area?
- A. About 11%
- B. About 20%
- C. About 27%
- D. About 35%
Q12. Comparing the Ganges river dolphin with other freshwater/river dolphins, consider the following statements:
1. The baiji (Yangtze river dolphin) is considered functionally extinct, whereas the Ganges river dolphin still survives in the wild.
2. The Indus river dolphin, like the Ganges river dolphin, is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
3. The Indus river dolphin occurs in the wild only within India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The baiji (Yangtze river dolphin) is considered functionally extinct, whereas the Ganges river dolphin still survives in the wild.
- The Indus river dolphin, like the Ganges river dolphin, is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
- The Indus river dolphin occurs in the wild only within India.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3