MCQs - 2026-08

Project Tiger, a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in April 1973 by the Government of India to protect tigers in the country.

The Western Ghats primarily span across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Gujarat has a very small portion of the Western Ghats, and the major tiger conservation efforts and expansions in this region are concentrated in the other listed states.

Expanding Project Tiger to include new corridors in the Western Ghats aims to connect fragmented tiger populations, allowing for gene flow and preventing genetic isolation. This helps in maintaining the long-term viability of tiger populations.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established by the Central Government under Section 8 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, to implement the provisions of the Act.

The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that provides a legal framework for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. India is a party to both the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol, and the new policy aligns with its principles.

The new National Biodiversity Policy (approved in 2023) aims to promote the sustainable use of biological resources and ensure the equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use, in line with the Nagoya Protocol. It also emphasizes in-situ and ex-situ conservation, and the involvement of local communities.

The National Mission for Green India (GIM) was launched in 2011 as one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal ministry responsible for the implementation of the National Mission for Green India.

The GIM aims to increase forest and tree cover by 5 million hectares and improve the quality of forest ecosystems, thereby enhancing ecosystem services and increasing carbon sinks. While urban forestry is a component, it's not the primary objective. Commercial plantations and fire reduction are related but not the core goals.

Exercise Desert Cyclone is a joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the UAE Land Forces.