MCQs - 2026-09

New initiatives for desertification control in 2026, aligned with UNCCD goals, typically encompass a multi-pronged approach. This includes promoting drought-resistant crops and water-efficient irrigation, undertaking large-scale afforestation, and crucially, integrating community participation and traditional knowledge for sustainable land management and restoration.

While industrial pollution control is crucial, the GCP primarily focuses on incentivizing direct environmental stewardship activities like afforestation, water conservation, waste management, and sustainable agriculture. Technological upgrades for pollution control, while beneficial, are not directly incentivized as a credit-generating activity under the current framework of GCP.

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has been designated as the primary agency responsible for developing and issuing guidelines for the registration of landowners and the generation of green credits under the GCP. This ensures scientific rigor and standardized methodologies.

The Green Credit Programme (GCP) aims to create a market-based mechanism to encourage environmentally positive actions. Its objectives include promoting afforestation, reforestation, sustainable agriculture, water conservation, waste management, and air pollution reduction, thereby facilitating the trading of environmental goods and services.

The Project 15B destroyers, including INS Surat, are equipped with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile as their primary offensive anti-ship and land-attack weapon. They also carry the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system.

The Project 15B program includes four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers: INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, INS Imphal, and INS Surat. All four are expected to be in service by 2026.

INS Surat is the fourth and final ship of the Project 15B Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers. This class is a follow-on to the Kolkata-class (Project 15A) destroyers.

INS Nilgiri is the lead ship of the Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigates. It was launched in 2019 and is expected to be commissioned by 2025.

A total of seven Project 17A stealth frigates are being built for the Indian Navy. Four are being constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).

The Project 17A frigates are known as the Nilgiri-class stealth frigates. These are follow-on ships to the Shivalik-class (Project 17) frigates, incorporating enhanced stealth features, advanced weapons, and sensors.