1. Consider these statements about the Great Nicobar Project. (1) The National Green Tribunal left in place the environmental clearance given to the project. (2) The project covers an international transshipment port as well as a greenfield airport. (3) The NGT quashed the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019. Which statements are correct?
Answer: C. The tribunal sustained the environmental clearance, and the project also includes a port, airport, power plant and township. On the ICRZ 2019 notification the NGT only asked for compliance and did not set it aside.
2. Under the Urban Challenge Fund, what minimum share of project funding must cities mobilise through market routes such as bonds and PPPs?
Answer: A. The Centre pays 25% of the project cost, and cities are expected to raise at least half through municipal bonds, loans or PPPs, encouraging fiscal discipline and market financing.
3. Why is there a proposal to broaden the mandate of the banking reform committee?
Answer: E. The system no longer revolves only around banks, with credit moving through NBFCs, fintech, capital markets, insurance and pensions, so reforms need to cover the wider ecosystem.
4. Consider these recent changes by the Reserve Bank of India to the External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) framework. (1) The all-in-cost cap was removed. (2) On-lending for real estate business became permitted. (3) The pool of eligible borrowers was widened. Which are correct?
Answer: B. The cap on all-in-cost was dropped and more participants became eligible, but on-lending for real estate stays barred as a prudential safeguard.
5. For whom is NPCI's 'UPI One World' mainly meant?
Answer: D. It is a prepaid wallet that lets overseas visitors pay through UPI in India smoothly, without needing an Indian bank account.
6. Currency in Circulation in India has hit a record high. What is true of the cash-to-GDP ratio?
Answer: C. Even with record currency in circulation, the ratio of cash to GDP has dropped, suggesting digital payments, UPI above all, are powering the additional growth.
7. What is the chief purpose of SEBI approving natural gas futures on NSE?
Answer: A. These futures give transparent prices and let producers and consumers protect themselves against volatility, which strengthens the energy market.
8. Which feature is part of RBI's recent stricter collateral rules for capital market intermediaries?
Answer: E. Loans must be 100% secured, and shares pledged carry a minimum haircut of 40%, which lowers systemic risk and excess leverage in markets.
9. What is the MahaVISTAAR platform of Maharashtra chiefly built to do?
Answer: C. The platform brings together research-based advisories, pest alerts, weather updates and market information as a digital tool to help farmers decide.
10. How does Amul's 'Sarlaben' AI assistant mainly help dairy farmers?
Answer: D. This AI voice assistant guides farmers on managing animal disease, feeding and dairy hygiene, so they depend less on in-person veterinary visits.
11. UNEP FI is a partnership between UNEP and which group?
Answer: A. It links UNEP with banks, insurers and investors.
12. What is the maximum cashless treatment amount under PM RAHAT?
Answer: C. The scheme covers up to ₹1.5 lakh.
13. What corpus did the Union Cabinet approve for Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0?
Answer: C. The fund has a corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
14. Under which policy is India prioritising bio-based chemicals and enzymes?
Answer: B. The notes name the BioE3 Policy of the Department of Biotechnology.
15. Where was India's first CBDC-based Public Distribution System launched?
Answer: B. Amit Shah launched it in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.