Medium Level – GK Questions

UDAY addresses DISCOM losses through debt restructuring, operational improvements, and tariff rationalization to enable sustainable power sector growth.

While hydropower is renewable, large dams can cause social displacement, affect aquatic biodiversity, and alter river hydrology, requiring careful planning.

NMSA, under NAPCC, focuses on climate adaptation, resource conservation, and livelihood security for farmers through integrated approaches.

Climate-smart agriculture enhances adaptive capacity, reduces vulnerability to weather extremes, and contributes to mitigation through sustainable practices.

Soil Health Cards help farmers optimize input use, improve productivity, and maintain soil health through site-specific nutrient management.

ZBNF, promoted in India, uses practices like bijamrita, jiwamrita, mulching, and intercropping to enhance soil fertility and reduce farmer indebtedness.

PKVY supports farmers in adopting organic practices, certification, and marketing to enhance soil health, biodiversity, and farm income sustainably.

Conservation agriculture enhances soil health, water retention, and biodiversity while reducing erosion and input costs for sustainable farming.

Green chemistry promotes sustainable practices like atom economy, safer solvents, renewable feedstocks, and energy efficiency to minimize environmental impact.

Formaldehyde, emitted from paints, adhesives, and furniture, is a VOC that can cause respiratory irritation and is classified as a carcinogen.

Bioaccumulation of persistent pollutants like mercury or DDT in tissues can lead to toxic effects and biomagnification up the food chain.

Nutrient enrichment triggers algal blooms; subsequent decomposition depletes dissolved oxygen, causing fish kills and ecosystem imbalance.

Ozone (O3) in the stratosphere protects from UV radiation, but at ground level it is a harmful pollutant and greenhouse gas.

Photochemical smog forms when sunlight triggers reactions between NOx and VOCs, producing ozone, PAN, and other secondary pollutants harmful to health.

Active transport encourages physical activity, lowers greenhouse gases, reduces noise, and creates people-friendly urban spaces.

Integrated waste management prioritizes waste reduction, resource recovery, and safe disposal to minimize environmental and health impacts.

AMRUT aims to ensure basic urban infrastructure services for improved quality of life, especially for the poor and disadvantaged.

Vegetated building surfaces provide insulation, absorb CO2, filter pollutants, reduce stormwater runoff, and enhance urban biodiversity.

Smart Cities leverage ICT, IoT, and data analytics for efficient service delivery, resource management, and citizen engagement in urban governance.

Sustainable cities prioritize compact design, multimodal transport, resource efficiency, and livability to reduce ecological footprint and enhance quality of life.