20th December 2024

Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect as TB is caused by a bacterium (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), not a virus. Statement 2 is correct; latent TB is not contagious but can become active. Statement 3 is incorrect; people with HIV have a higher, not lower, risk of developing active TB. Statement 4 is correct; TB can indeed be transmitted through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. The Ganges River Dolphin is classified as 'Endangered', not 'Critically Endangered', on the IUCN Red List. Statement 2 is also incorrect. While the Ganges River Dolphin is primarily found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system, it is also present in the Karnaphuli-Sangu river system in Bangladesh.

Explanation: While all the statements contain elements of truth, statement a) is the most accurate and directly supported by the recent Supreme Court judgment. The Court has indeed directed the Union government to develop a comprehensive policy for the management and preservation of sacred groves across India. Statements b), c), and d) are partially correct but do not fully capture the specific directive of the Supreme Court or may contain slight inaccuracies in their phrasing, making them less suitable as the best answer in this context.

Explanation: Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct. SGBs are indeed government securities issued by the RBI on behalf of the Government of India. Each unit represents one gram of gold and offers a fixed interest rate of 2.5% per annum. The bonds are redeemable in Indian rupees based on the average closing price of 999 purity gold. However, statement 4 is incorrect. The government has actually reduced the number of SGB tranches from 10 per year to just two, not increased them.

Explanation: All three statements are correct. Hydrothermal vents are underwater springs located near tectonic plate boundaries. The water emerging from these vents can indeed reach temperatures up to 370°C, as it interacts with magma in tectonically active regions. These vents support unique ecosystems based on chemosynthesis, where organisms utilize chemicals enriched with minerals and metals to create food, similar to how plants use sunlight for photosynthesis.

Explanation: Both statements are correct. The Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) is indeed a program aimed at exploring the deep ocean and developing technologies to utilize its resources. The mission is estimated to cost Rs. 4,077 crore over a five-year period and is planned to be implemented in phases, with the first phase (2021-2024) having an allocation of Rs. 2,823.4 crore.