UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A historic agreement was reached in the presence of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah on the settlement of pending payment issues among the Narmada Award beneficiary States of Maharashtra, Gu...
Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the constitution and legal basis of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal:
1. It was constituted in October 1969.
2. It was constituted under Section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.
3. Under Article 262 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court alone has the exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate inter-State river water disputes.
4. The States party to the dispute were Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Which of the above are correctly identified?
- It was constituted in October 1969.
- It was constituted under Section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.
- Under Article 262 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court alone has the exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate inter-State river water disputes.
- The States party to the dispute were Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q2. In the 1979 NWDT Award, the utilisable quantum of Narmada water shared among the party States was assessed at '75% dependability'. This expression most precisely means:
- A. the volume of water expected to be available in the river in at least 75% of the years, i.e., in three years out of four
- B. the fixed share of 75% of the total flow reserved for the upstream State of Madhya Pradesh
- C. the requirement that at least 75% of live storage be maintained in the Sardar Sarovar reservoir at all times
- D. the proportion — 75% — of the catchment area lying within the four party States
Q3. In which year did the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal deliver its final Award allocating the sharing of Narmada waters and Sardar Sarovar power among the party States?
- A. 1969
- B. 1979
- C. 1980
- D. 1987
Q4. The clearance to raise the Sardar Sarovar Dam to its full height in 2014 was granted by which body?
- A. Central Water Commission
- B. Narmada Control Authority
- C. Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited
- D. Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal
Q5. Which one of the following best describes the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada?
- A. A multipurpose terminal dam near Navagam (Gujarat) supplying irrigation, hydropower and drinking water to four States, whose construction began in 1987
- B. A run-of-the-river hydropower project commissioned in 1979 solely to supply power to Madhya Pradesh
- C. A drinking-water barrage completed in 1969 exclusively for Rajasthan
- D. A navigation-cum-flood-control dam built in 2000 on the river Tapi
Q6. The 2026 agreement among the four Narmada Award States resolved their long-pending issues through a 'one-time settlement'. In this context, the dispute that was settled principally concerned:
- A. the pending dues and sharing of the construction cost of the Sardar Sarovar Project among the party States
- B. a complete reallocation of the Narmada water shares fixed by the 1979 Award
- C. the exclusive right of Gujarat to the entire hydropower generated at the dam
- D. the redrawing of inter-State boundaries along the Narmada basin
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the 2026 Narmada settlement agreement:
1. It was reached in the presence of the Union Home and Cooperation Minister.
2. The Union Minister of Jal Shakti was present at the signing.
3. The four signatory States were Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
4. The settlement freshly reallocated the Narmada water shares originally fixed by the 1979 Award.
Which of the above are correctly identified?
- It was reached in the presence of the Union Home and Cooperation Minister.
- The Union Minister of Jal Shakti was present at the signing.
- The four signatory States were Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
- The settlement freshly reallocated the Narmada water shares originally fixed by the 1979 Award.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. Consider the following statements about the Narmada river:
1. It originates from Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh.
2. It flows westward and drains into the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat.
3. The largest share of the Narmada basin lies in Gujarat.
4. The Tawa is a tributary of the Narmada.
Which of the above are correctly identified?
- It originates from Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh.
- It flows westward and drains into the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat.
- The largest share of the Narmada basin lies in Gujarat.
- The Tawa is a tributary of the Narmada.
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 3
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. Flowing westward from its source, the Narmada traverses which of the following sets of States before entering the sea?
- A. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat
- B. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat
- C. Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
- D. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan
Q10. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), constituted in 2018, is best described as:
- A. a body created on the direction of the Supreme Court to implement the Tribunal's award and oversee regulated release of Cauvery water among the basin States
- B. a new tribunal that replaced the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal to re-hear the dispute afresh
- C. a permanent inter-State bench of the Supreme Court that alone hears all river water disputes
- D. a standing committee of the Central Water Commission that by itself allocates Cauvery water without State inputs
Q11. With reference to the original Narmada dispute and its 2026 settlement, consider the following statements:
1. Whereas the original dispute was adjudicated by a Tribunal constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the 2026 payment issue was resolved through a negotiated settlement facilitated by the Union Government.
2. The 1979 Award was delivered by the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal, whereas the 2026 settlement was facilitated in the presence of the Union Home and Cooperation Minister.
3. The Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in 1990, in the same year as the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Whereas the original dispute was adjudicated by a Tribunal constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the 2026 payment issue was resolved through a negotiated settlement facilitated by the Union Government.
- The 1979 Award was delivered by the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal, whereas the 2026 settlement was facilitated in the presence of the Union Home and Cooperation Minister.
- The Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in 1990, in the same year as the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3