Master10 Proprietary Question Bank - Automated scraping, spidering, or harvesting is strictly prohibited.
India Cluster329 Verified Questions
Forest Types of India & India State of Forest Report (ISFR) GK Questions & Answers
The forest cover and natural vegetation of India are classified according to the Champion and Seth classification system (1968), which delineates 16 major forest types based on precipitation, temperature, elevation, and soil regimes. Tropical Moist Deciduous forests constitute the dominant natural vegetation across India, prevalent in areas receiving 100 to 200 centimetres of rainfall, supporting commercial timber species such as teak (Tectona grandis), sal (Shorea robusta), and sandalwood. Tropical Wet Evergreen forests thrive in high-rainfall zones (>200 cm) in the Western Ghats, Northeast India, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, featuring dense, multi-layered canopies with species like rosewood and ebony. Tropical Dry Deciduous forests occupy transitional zones with 70 to 100 centimetres of rainfall. Littoral and Swamp (Mangrove) forests grow along deltaic coastlines, notably the Sundarbans and Bhitarkanika. The Forest Survey of India (FSI), an organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, publishes the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR). The report assesses forest cover categorized into Very Dense Forest (canopy density >70%), Moderately Dense Forest (40-70%), and Open Forest (10-40%) using satellite remote sensing.
High-yield conceptual summaries for competitive exams and rapid revision.
Champion and Seth classification (1968) categorizes Indian forests into 16 major forest types grouped into 5 broad climatic zones.
Tropical Deciduous forests (moist and dry) represent the most widespread vegetation biome in India, dominated by teak and sal timbers.
Tropical Wet Evergreen forests are characterized by continuous multi-stratified canopies in areas with annual precipitation exceeding 200 cm.
Mangrove ecosystems along tidal coastlines (Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika) feature halophytic vegetation adapted to saline, oxygen-deficient muddy soils.
Forest Survey of India (FSI) conducts biennial remote sensing assessments, classifying forest canopy density into Very Dense (>70%), Moderately Dense (40-70%), and Open (10-40%).
Showing 25 Curated Questions329 Total in Bank
1ID: GK-AGRI-00152
mediumRural Credit, NABARD & Agro-Schemes
TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), established in 1987, functions under which Union Ministry to ensure fair prices for tribal forest produce?
Verified Explanation
TRIFED is a national-level apex organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, marketing Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) through Tribes India outlets.
2ID: GK-DMGT-00334
easyCyclones, Floods & Glacial Lake Outburst Floods
Which portal operated by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) utilizes MODIS and SNPP-VIIRS satellite data to transmit near-real-time forest fire alerts across Indian states?
Verified Explanation
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) operates the 'Van Agni' Geo-portal (Fire Disaster Management System), which processes thermal anomalies detected by MODIS and SNPP-VIIRS satellite sensors to disseminate real-time SMS/email alerts to state forest departments.
3ID: GK-SCHM-00581
hardMGNREGA, PM-KISAN & NRLM
Which major statutory reform was enacted under the Indian Forest (Amendment) Act, 2017 to boost commercial cultivation under the restructured National Bamboo Mission?
Verified Explanation
The Indian Forest (Amendment) Act, 2017 amended Section 2(7) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to exclude bamboo grown in non-forest areas from the definition of a 'tree', removing transit permit and felling restrictions to encourage private bamboo cultivation.
4ID: GK-INDM-00504
mediumStates, Capitals & Union Territories
Which Indian state has the highest percentage of forest cover relative to its total geographical area as per the India State of Forest Report (ISFR)?
Verified Explanation
Mizoram has the highest forest cover percentage in India, with over 84.5% of its total geographical area under forest canopy according to FSI reports.
5ID: GK-INDM-00554
mediumStates, Capitals & Union Territories
Which Indian state holds the distinction of having the largest total geographical area under forest cover (in square kilometres) according to the India State of Forest Report?
Verified Explanation
As per the Forest Survey of India (ISFR), Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover by area in the country (over 77,000 sq km), followed by Arunachal Pradesh.
6ID: GK-INDM-00633
hardGeneral India Facts & Superlatives
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), which Indian state records the highest percentage of forest cover relative to its total geographical area (exceeding 84%)?
Verified Explanation
Mizoram has the highest forest cover as a percentage of total geographical area (84.53%), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%) and Meghalaya (76.00%).
7ID: GK-INDM-00911
easyIndian States & UTs: Capitals, Emblems & Facts
According to the official India State of Forest Report (ISFR), which Indian state encompasses the largest forest cover in terms of total geographical area?
Verified Explanation
According to the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR) published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover by area in the country (~77,493 sq km), followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
8ID: GK-INDM-00912
mediumIndian States & UTs: Capitals, Emblems & Facts
Among all Indian states, which state possesses the highest percentage of forest cover relative to its total geographical area (over 84%) according to the India State of Forest Report?
Verified Explanation
Mizoram holds the highest percentage of forest cover in proportion to its total geographical area at approximately 84.53%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (~79.33%) and Meghalaya (~76.00%) as per official assessments by the Forest Survey of India.
9ID: GK-STUT-00146
mediumState Capitals & Formation
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), which Indian state has the highest percentage of its geographical area covered under forest (~84.5%)?
Verified Explanation
Mizoram leads all Indian states in forest cover as a percentage of total geographical area, with over 84.5% forest cover according to Forest Survey of India reports.
10ID: GK-MNRL-00101
hardMineral Belts, Iron Ore & Metallic Deposits
The massive Chiria and Gua iron ore deposits (estimated to hold over 2 billion tonnes of prime hematite ore in the Saranda Forest of West Singhbhum, Jharkhand) serve as captive mines for which corporate entity?
Verified Explanation
The Chiria iron ore deposit in the Saranda Forest of West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) is India's single largest contiguous iron ore deposit (with estimated reserves exceeding 2 billion tonnes) and is held as a captive mining lease by Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) to supply its Bokaro, Rourkela, and IISCO steel plants.
11ID: GK-MNRL-00451
easyMajor Mineral Belts & The Chota Nagpur Plateau
Which major iron ore mining complexes operated by SAIL are located within the sal-forested Saranda forest range in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand?
Verified Explanation
The Saranda forest in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand hosts SAIL's captive iron ore mines—Gua, Kiriburu, and Meghahatuburu—which supply high-grade hematite iron ore to Bokaro and Rourkela steel plants.
12ID: GK-HLTH-00219
mediumUniversal Immunization & Disease Control
Which hard tick species serves as the principal vector transmitting Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD / Monkey Fever) in the Western Ghats region of India?
Verified Explanation
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), an endemic flaviviral hemorrhagic fever first identified in the Kyasanur forest of Shimoga district (Karnataka), is transmitted primarily by the bite of infected nymphs of Haemaphysalis spinigera hard ticks.
13ID: GK-HLTH-00276
easyUniversal Immunization & Disease Control
Which viral hemorrhagic disease, transmitted primarily by the hard tick Haemaphysalis spinigera, was first detected in the Kyasanur forest of Shimoga district, Karnataka in 1957?
Verified Explanation
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), colloquially known as 'Monkey Fever', is a tick-borne flavivirus infection first identified in 1957 in the Kyasanur forest of Shivamogga (Shimoga), Karnataka. It causes high fever, hemorrhagic manifestations, and neurological symptoms in humans and primates. Forest workers and tribal communities along the Western Ghats are primarily at risk.
14ID: GK-HLTH-00402
mediumUniversal Immunization Programme & Epidemic Control
Which tick vector is responsible for transmitting the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD or 'Monkey Fever') virus, endemic to forested districts of the Western Ghats?
Verified Explanation
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic fever caused by a Flavivirus and transmitted primarily by forest ticks belonging to the genus Haemaphysalis (principally Haemaphysalis spinigera), with black-faced langurs and bonnet macaques acting as sentinel hosts.
15ID: GK-HLTH-00460
mediumUniversal Immunization Programme & Epidemic Control
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as 'Monkey Fever', is a viral hemorrhagic fever endemic to the Western Ghats transmitted to humans primarily by the bite of which vector?
Verified Explanation
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is caused by a flavivirus transmitted primarily by hard ticks, particularly Haemaphysalis spinigera. First identified in the Kyasanur forest of Shivamogga district, Karnataka in 1957 following monkey mortalities, it causes sudden high fever, frontal headache, and hemorrhagic manifestations.
16ID: GK-HLTH-00529
hardUniversal Immunization Programme & Epidemic Control
In the enzootic transmission cycle of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), which primate species is regarded as an exceptional sentinel whose sudden unexplained forest mortality serves as an early harbinger of an outbreak?
Verified Explanation
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD / Monkey Fever) is caused by a tick-borne flavivirus. In the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, the black-faced tufted gray langur (Semnopithecus entellus) and the bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) are highly susceptible to fatal infection. When infected monkeys die, infected larval Haemaphysalis spinigera ticks detach and quest in forest leaf litter, biting forest workers and villagers. Sudden monkey deaths thus serve as an alert sentinel for public health authorities.
17ID: GK-HLTH-00582
mediumUniversal Immunization Programme & Epidemic Control
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as 'monkey fever', is an endemic tick-borne viral hemorrhagic disease first identified in which Indian state?
Verified Explanation
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is a flavivirus infection transmitted by Haemaphysalis ticks. It was first isolated in 1957 from a sick monkey in the Kyasanur forest of Shimoga district, Karnataka.
18ID: GK-TAX-00038
mediumFinance Commission & Tax Devolution Formula
What weightage was allocated to 'Forest and Ecology' in the horizontal tax devolution formula of the 15th Finance Commission?
Verified Explanation
The 15th Finance Commission assigned a 10.0% weightage to 'Forest and Ecology' (calculated based on dense and moderately dense forest cover in each state) to compensate states for the ecological services they render and the economic costs of maintaining forest areas.
19ID: GK-TAX-00273
easyFinance Commission & Devolution
What percentage weight was allocated to 'Forest and Ecology' by the 15th Finance Commission in determining the share of divisible pool taxes for each state?
Verified Explanation
The 15th Finance Commission assigned a 10% weight to 'Forest and Ecology' in its horizontal tax devolution formula. This criterion measures each state's share of dense and moderately dense forest cover relative to the aggregate forest cover of all states, compensating states for the ecological opportunity cost of maintaining forest cover.
20ID: GK-TAX-00350
hardFinance Commission & Fiscal Devolution
Which Finance Commission introduced the 'Forest Cover' criterion for the first time in the horizontal tax devolution formula, later expanded to 'Forest and Ecology' with 10% weight by the 15th FC?
Verified Explanation
The 14th Finance Commission headed by Dr. Y.V. Reddy introduced the 'Forest Cover' criterion (with 7.5% weight) to compensate States for the fiscal disability and opportunity costs of preserving ecological and forest resources. The 15th FC enhanced this to 'Forest & Ecology' with a 10% weight.
21ID: GK-TAX-00452
mediumFinance Commission & Fiscal Devolution
What official data source was used by the 15th Finance Commission to determine the 'Forest and Ecology' criterion (10% weight) in horizontal tax devolution?
Verified Explanation
The 15th Finance Commission used data on dense forest and moderately dense forest cover from the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) to allocate the 10% weight for Forest and Ecology.
22ID: GK-TAX-00520
mediumFinance Commission & Fiscal Devolution
Which Finance Commission was the first to introduce a formula-based environmental grant specifically rewarding States for maintaining green cover and standing forest carbon sinks?
Verified Explanation
The Thirteenth Finance Commission (2010-2015), chaired by Dr. Vijay Kelkar, was the first to introduce a dedicated formula-based grant of ₹5,000 crore for forest cover to compensate States for the economic disabilities imposed by conserving standing forests. This paved the way for 'Forest and Ecology' to become a major horizontal devolution criterion.
23ID: GK-TAX-00585
hardFinance Commission & Fiscal Devolution
Which Finance Commission first introduced the 'Forest Cover' criterion (with a 7.5% weight) into the horizontal tax devolution formula to compensate states for preserving ecological capital?
Verified Explanation
The 14th Finance Commission (chaired by Dr. Y.V. Reddy) pioneered the inclusion of 'Forest Cover' as an explicit criterion with a 7.5% weight in the horizontal devolution formula for the period 2015-20. The 15th Finance Commission subsequently expanded this concept into 'Forest and Ecology' and increased its weight to 10%, calculating shares based on very dense and moderately dense forest cover to compensate states for the opportunity costs of land conservation.
24ID: GK-TRIBE-00009
hardHistorical Tribal Uprisings & Leaders
The Rampa Rebellion of 1922–1924, waged in the Eastern Ghats against the oppressive Madras Forest Act of 1882 and restrictions on 'podu' (shifting cultivation), was led by which charismatic leader?
Verified Explanation
Alluri Sitarama Raju led the Rampa Rebellion (Manyam Rebellion) from 1922 to 1924 in the Godavari agency tract of Andhra Pradesh, organizing tribal fighters against British forest exploitation using guerrilla warfare.
25ID: GK-TRIBE-00014
easyFifth & Sixth Schedules, PESA & FRA 2006
What is the statutory cut-off date prescribed under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) for occupation of forest land?
Verified Explanation
Section 4(3) of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 explicitly lays down 13 December 2005 as the statutory cut-off date. Forest rights are recognized for forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who were in primary occupation of forest land prior to this date.