Watershed management benefits – UGC NET Question

Statements A, B, C, E and F are correct and jointly describe objectives, measures and co-benefits of watershed management. They show how soil and water are conserved, how rainwater harvesting aids recharge, how community participation improves outcomes and how biodiversity can recover in treated areas. Statement D is wrong because watershed development is widely used for drought mitigation and livelihood support. Therefore, the correct answer is the combination A, B, C, E and F only.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it includes all true statements and excludes D, which denies key benefits of watershed development. It reflects the integrated ecological and livelihood focus of watershed programmes.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits F and thereby ignores the potential for biodiversity regeneration in treated watersheds. It also still excludes D but gives an incomplete picture of environmental benefits.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it excludes A and thus fails to mention the basic aim of watershed management. Without A, the central resource-conservation objective is lost.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it omits B, leaving out typical measures such as contour bunding and check dams, which are crucial to understanding how watershed activities are implemented.