UPSC Editorials Quiz : 13 September 2025

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The Atal Innovation Mission and the National Mineral Policy 2019 are broad initiatives that can support the REE sector, but they are not the only ones. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), under which IREL operates, has its own policies and programs for the development of the REE sector.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. India is heavily import-dependent for REEs, with over 75% of its imports coming from China. It is not a net exporter and does not supply a significant portion of the global demand.
• Statement 3 is correct. The production of REEs in India is primarily carried out by Indian Rare Earths Ltd. (IREL), a public sector undertaking under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Solution: C

• The E-Waste Recycling Eco Park in Holambi Kalan, Delhi, is explicitly designed to be developed and operated under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The specific framework for this partnership is DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer).

Under this model, a private entity is responsible for designing, constructing, and financing the project. It then operates the facility for a specified concession period (15 years in this case), generating revenue from it. At the end of the period, the ownership and operation are transferred back to the government authority, which is the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC). This model is chosen to leverage private sector efficiency and investment for a public infrastructure project.

Solution: C

• The Madhav Gadgil Committee (WGEEP) took a holistic and precautionary approach, recommending that the entire Western Ghats be declared an Ecologically Sensitive Area with a graded zoning system (ESA 1, 2, and 3). A cornerstone of its report was the emphasis on a bottom-up, democratic process with the Gram Sabha at its core.

In contrast, the Kasturirangan Committee took what was termed a more ‘pragmatic’ or ‘development-friendly’ approach. It rejected the comprehensive zoning and instead recommended that only about 37% of the Western Ghats (identified as ‘natural landscape’) be declared as ESA. This approach was seen as an attempt to balance environmental conservation with developmental needs, thereby diluting the strict protectionist stance and the role of people’s participation advocated by the Gadgil panel.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. The Aravalli Range is an ancient mountain range, far older than the Himalayas. It was formed during the Proterozoic Era through orogenic processes (folding), making it one of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world.
• Statement 2 is correct. The Aravalli Range has significant climatic and geographical importance. It runs in a northeast-southwest direction, effectively acting as a natural barrier that checks the spread of the Thar Desert eastwards into the Gangetic plains and the National Capital Region. Degradation of this range is a major environmental concern for this reason.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The Aravalli Range is divided into two main sections. Guru Shikhar (1,722 metres), the highest peak, is located in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. This area is part of the Sambhar–Sirohi range, which constitutes the southern part of the Aravallis. The Sambhar–Khetri range is the other section, located further northeast and is characterized by discontinuous ridges.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct. A Carbon Tax is a straightforward price-based instrument. The government sets a fixed price (tax) per tonne of CO₂ equivalent, which emitters must pay. It provides certainty about the price of carbon but not about the level of emission reductions.
• Statement 2 is correct. An Emissions Trading System (ETS) is a quantity-based instrument. A government sets a “cap” (a limit on total emissions), and companies can buy and sell emission allowances or permits. The price of these permits is determined by market dynamics, not fixed by the government.
• Statement 3 is correct. A Carbon Crediting Mechanism is distinct from a tax or cap-and-trade system. It focuses on creating a supply of carbon credits from specific projects (e.g., afforestation, renewable energy, methane capture) that result in verifiable emission reductions. These credits can then be sold to entities looking to offset their own emissions.
• Statement 4 is incorrect. In an ETS, the government sets the quantity (the cap on emissions), but the price is determined by the market. In a carbon tax, the government sets the price, but the quantity of emission reductions is determined by how the market responds to that price. A government does not set both in an ETS.