19th May 2025

Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) is a strategic infrastructure initiative that connects the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata to India's Northeast states via Myanmar, bypassing Bangladesh.

Statement 2 is correct. The project includes a sea route from Kolkata Port to Sittwe Port in Myanmar (approximately 539 km), followed by an inland waterway through the Kaladan River from Sittwe to Paletwa (approximately 158 km).

Statement 3 is incorrect. The high-speed highway from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) to Panchgram (near Silchar) is being executed in Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) under the PPP model, not under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model. HAM combines elements of both EPC and Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) models.

Statement 4 is correct. The project aims to reduce dependence on the Siliguri Corridor (known as the "Chicken's Neck"), which is the narrow strip that connects Northeast India with the rest of the country.

Explanation:
Option c is correct. India's trade restrictions on Bangladesh are indeed a calibrated response to Bangladesh's persistent non-tariff barriers on Indian exports. The restrictions apply selectively to certain products (such as readymade garments, wooden furniture, plastic goods, etc.) and specific entry points (Land Customs Stations and Integrated Check Posts in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, as well as LCS Changrabandha and Fulbari in North Bengal). This approach aims to address trade imbalances while maintaining some channels for bilateral trade.

Option a is incomplete as while the remarks by Bangladesh's interim leader did contribute to tensions, they were not the primary reason for the trade restrictions, which were more directly related to trade practices.

Option b is incorrect because the restrictions do not affect all Bangladeshi exports or all entry points. Certain categories like fish, LPG, edible oil, and crushed stone are exempted, and readymade garments can still be imported via Kolkata and Nhava Sheva seaports.

Option d is incorrect as the restrictions were not implemented based on the total value of Bangladesh's exports to India reaching a specific threshold.

Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct. The Supreme Court declared illegal the Ministry of Environment's 2017 notification and 2021 Office Memorandum (OM) that allowed ex-post facto/retrospective environmental clearance (EC) for projects that commenced without prior approval.

Statement 2 is correct. The judgment specified that environmental clearances already granted under the now-invalidated instruments will remain valid, ensuring stability for existing projects.

Statement 3 is correct. The judgment references the M.C. Mehta case, which established the concept of 'absolute liability' in environmental jurisprudence, as part of the constitutional and legal framework for environmental protection.

Statement 4 is correct. The Court explicitly stated: "We, therefore, make it clear that hereafter, the Central Government shall not come out with a new version of the 2017 notification which provides for the grant of ex-post facto EC in any manner."

Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct. The Gyan Bharatam Mission is indeed a revamped version of the National Manuscripts Mission that was initially launched in 2003 under the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

Statement 2 is correct. The Union Government significantly increased the financial allocation for the manuscripts initiative from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore in the 2025 Budget to address the scale of the challenge and integrate modern technology into the preservation ecosystem.

Statement 3 is correct. The mission aims to conserve manuscripts, which are defined as handwritten compositions on paper, bark, cloth, metal, palm leaf, or any other material dating back at least seventy-five years that have significant scientific, historical, or aesthetic value.

Statement 4 is incorrect. The NMM has so far prepared metadata for only 52 lakh manuscripts, not all one crore manuscripts targeted under the initiative. The mission aims to cover more than one crore manuscripts, but this work is still in progress.

Explanation:
Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. The Chenchu tribe does not practice shifting cultivation as their primary livelihood. They are primarily a food-gathering tribe residing in the Nallamalai forests. They collect forest products like roots, fruits, tubers, beedi leaf, mohua flower, honey, gum, tamarind, and green leaves, and occasionally work as forest laborers, but mostly rely on their native skills to hunt and gather food.

Pair 2 is correctly matched. The Chenchu language indeed belongs to the Dravidian language family. Many Chenchus also speak Telugu.

Pair 3 is correctly matched. A Chenchu village is known as "Penta" where houses are grouped together based on kinship. Close relatives live nearby and distant ones farther away, with small conjugal families predominating.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched. Chenchu religious practices are not exclusively animistic with no Hindu influences. While they do worship a number of deities, they have also adopted certain religious practices from Hindus. For ages, the Chenchus have been associated with the famous Srisailam temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva and Devi Brahmaramba) in Andhra Pradesh and enjoy special privileges there.

Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct. The Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve is indeed India's largest conservation reserve, covering an area of 1585 sq. km in the Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh.

Statement 2 is incorrect, but not for the reason that might be immediately apparent. The Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve serves as a wildlife corridor, but it connects the Kibber and Chandra Taal wildlife sanctuaries, not the Pin Valley sanctuary as stated. This is a subtle but important geographical distinction.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The conservation reserve will be managed through a Conservation Reserve Management Committee that will include representatives from local Panchayats, not exclude them. This inclusive approach aims to balance the needs of local communities and wildlife conservation priorities.

Statement 4 is correct. The Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve is known for high-density habitats of snow leopards within Himachal Pradesh and is home to other rare species including the Tibetan wolf, bharal (blue sheep), Himalayan ibex, kiang (wild ass), and the Tibetan argali.