UPSC CSE Prelims
Sustainable Development Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 2 — 2 only

❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were not proposed by the Club of Rome in 1972. The Club of Rome published 'The Limits to Growth' report in 1972, which discussed environmental sustainability concerns. The concept of SDGs was proposed by Colombia at a preparatory event for the Rio+20 Conference held in Indonesia in July 2011. The SDGs were formally adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 global goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. These goals address global challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. The target year for achieving these goals is 2030, which is why they are also referred to as the 2030 Agenda.

Detailed Explanation:

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: SSI uses single-bud chip setts raised in nurseries instead of traditional multi-budded setts, reducing seed requirement from ~3 tonnes/acre to just 75 kg, significantly lowering seed cost.

✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Wide spacing (4-5 feet between rows) in SSI enables highly effective use of drip irrigation, maintaining optimal moisture levels and reducing water consumption compared to flood irrigation.

❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: SSI promotes judicious use of fertilizers and encourages organic inputs/bio-fertilizers but does not mandate complete exclusion of chemical/inorganic fertilizers; it focuses on efficient application.

✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Wider row spacing in SSI provides ample space and sunlight for intercropping with pulses, vegetables, or oilseeds, offering greater scope than conventional dense planting methods.