Which of the following is the most crucial and logical inference that can be made from the above passage?
- (a) Rural people are giving up the use of polluting solid fuels due to their increasing awareness of health hazards.
- (b) Subsidizing the use of clean cooking fuels will solve the problem of India's indoor air pollution.
- (c) India should increase its import of natural gas and produce more electricity.
- (d) Access to cooking gas can reduce premature deaths in poor households. ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• The passage states that over 10 lakh premature deaths occur annually from household air pollution caused by polluting cooking fuels, with women and children in poor populations facing the greatest risk.
• It notes that while the fraction of the population using clean fuels is rising, the number using polluting solid fuels has remained static at about 70 crore for nearly 30 years.
• The core problem identified is the link between the use of polluting solid fuels and premature deaths in poor households.
• Therefore, the most logical inference is that providing access to clean cooking fuels (like gas) would directly address the cause of these deaths.
• Option (d) correctly infers that access to cooking gas can reduce premature deaths in poor households, aligning with the passage's emphasis on health risks and the need for clean fuels.
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Rural people are giving up the use of polluting solid fuels due to their increasing…
- The passage states that the number of people using polluting solid fuels has remained static for nearly 30 years, contradicting the claim that rural people are giving them up due to awareness.
- (b) Subsidizing the use of clean cooking fuels will solve the problem of India's indoor air…
- The passage does not mention subsidies as a solution, and stating that subsidizing clean fuels will 'solve' the problem is an overstatement not supported by the text.
- (c) India should increase its import of natural gas and produce more electricity.
- The passage does not suggest that India should increase imports of natural gas or produce more electricity as a specific policy recommendation; it only notes that the fraction using these fuels is rising.
Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.