General Awareness - 5 (DSSSB Grade II)

Developing a vegetational cover is the most comprehensive approach to restoring ecological balance in mined areas. Plants help stabilize soil, prevent erosion, restore nutrient cycles, and create habitat for other organisms. While preventing soil erosion is important, vegetation establishment addresses multiple ecological processes simultaneously and initiates natural succession.

The HBJ (Hazira-Bijaipur-Jagdishpur) pipeline connects Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh - it does not extend to Maharashtra. This 1,750 km gas pipeline was commissioned in 1987 and is one of India's major natural gas distribution networks. Maharashtra is connected to other gas networks but not the HBJ pipeline.

NH 9 connects Hyderabad to Pune (or Mumbai), NOT Delhi to Mumbai. The Delhi-Mumbai connection is NH 8. The other options are correctly matched: NH 3 (Agra-Mumbai), NH 4 (Chennai-Thane via Mumbai), NH 2 (Delhi-Kolkata).

Kolkata (including Haldia port complex) is a tidal harbour - ships must wait for high tide to navigate. Mumbai is a natural harbour with deep water access. Chennai and Vishakhapatnam are artificial harbours with less tidal dependence.

Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust - JNPT) was established as India's first high-tech port with modern container handling facilities and computerized operations. Located near Mumbai, it was designed to handle containerized cargo efficiently using state-of-the-art technology available at its inception. This marked a shift from traditional labor-intensive port operations to technology-driven systems.

The indigenous tribes of the Andaman Islands, such as the Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarwa, and Sentinelese, are classified as Negrito. This racial category is characterized by short stature, dark skin with tightly curled hair, and is believed to represent one of the earliest human migrations out of Africa. Negrito is distinct from Negroids (African racial classification) and other categories listed.

Konyak is a Naga tribe native to Nagaland in Northeast India, not Kerala. Option (c) is incorrectly matched. All other options are correct: Tharu (Uttar Pradesh), Gaddi (Himachal Pradesh), and Toda (Tamil Nadu) are all correctly paired with their respective states. The question asks for the INCORRECT match.

A high ratio of non-workers to workers indicates rapid population growth because it suggests a large dependent population (children, elderly) relative to the working-age population. This demographic structure is characteristic of populations with high birth rates and growing numbers of young people. Option D correctly identifies this implication.

The Gulf of Khambhat is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. It has the potentiality of harnessing tidal power. The difference in water height from low tide and high tide is potential energy. To capture sufficient power from the tidal energy potential, the height of high tide must be at least five meters (16 feet) greater than low tide.

A federation is an association of states that come together to form a new political entity where both the central government and the states derive their power from a common constitution. Neither dominates the other - each has its own sphere of authority. Options A, B, and C incorrectly describe dominance, dependence, or interference rather than constitutional division of power.

The Antyodaya Programme, launched on 5th October 1975, was aimed at uplifting the poorest of the poor (Antyodaya means 'rise of the last person'). It focused on improving the condition of the weakest sections of society through employment generation and asset creation. The program was not limited to scheduled castes or urban areas specifically, but targeted all economically vulnerable persons at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

Correct option is (3).

Correct option is (4).

Correct option is (2).

The Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) programme requires a minimum of 10 women to form a group to receive government assistance and support for income-generating activities.