SSC
The first Indian state to make rooftop rainwater harvesting structures compulsory for all buildings was:
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Answer: Option C — Tamil Nadu
Detailed Solution
Tamil Nadu was the first Indian state to make rainwater harvesting structures compulsory for all buildings, including homes, in urban and rural areas.
About Tamil Nadu's rainwater harvesting programme:
- Tamil Nadu faced severe water shortages because of its dependence on the north-east monsoon, the over-use of groundwater and inter-state disputes over river water (such as the Kaveri dispute).
- In 2001, the state government made rainwater harvesting compulsory for new buildings, and in 2003 it was extended to all existing buildings, government and private, through amendments to the building rules.
- Buildings that did not install the structures by the deadline could have their water connections cut.
The campaign was led by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
The structures included rooftop collection pipes, recharge pits, percolation pits and storage tanks.
As a result, groundwater levels in cities such as Chennai rose significantly within a few years.
What is rainwater harvesting:
- It is the collection and storage of rainwater, especially from rooftops, for later use or to recharge groundwater.
- It reduces water scarcity, floods and soil erosion, and improves groundwater quality.
- Traditional water harvesting systems in India include the "eris" (tanks) of Tamil Nadu, the "khadins" and "tankas" of Rajasthan, the "kuhls" of Himachal Pradesh and the "zabo" of Nagaland.
National initiatives:
- "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain" (launched in 2021) with the slogan "Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls".
- The Ministry of Jal Shakti was formed in 2019.
- The Jal Jeevan Mission (2019) aims to provide tap water to every rural household.
- "Amrit Sarovar" mission (2022): to build or revive 75 water bodies in each district.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Kerala promotes rainwater harvesting but was not the first to make it compulsory for all buildings.
- ✗Rajasthan has traditional systems such as tankas and khadins.
- ✗Karnataka made it mandatory in Bengaluru later.
Quick tip
Remember: first state to make rainwater harvesting compulsory for all buildings = Tamil Nadu (2001-2003); "Catch the Rain" campaign = 2021; eri = Tamil Nadu; tanka and khadin = Rajasthan.
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Firsts in India & World — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Firsts in India & World, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.