UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 42
With reference to the usefulness of the by-products of sugar industry, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Bagasse can be used as biomass fuel for the generation of energy.
- Molasses can be used as one of the feedstocks for the production of synthetic chemical fertilizers.
- Molasses can be used for the production of ethanol.
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Correct Option: C
Explanation: Sugar-mill bagasse can generate steam and electricity; molasses is fermented into ethanol. Molasses is not the usual feedstock for manufacturing synthetic chemical fertilisers.
Statement/Pair-wise Analysis:
Statement/Item 1: Correct - Fibrous bagasse is a combustible biomass used for cogeneration.
Statement/Item 2: Incorrect - Molasses is mainly an organic by-product for fermentation/feed uses, not a feedstock for conventional synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.
Statement/Item 3: Correct - Molasses sugars can be fermented to alcohol/ethanol.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - excludes true item 3.
B: Incorrect - includes false item 2 and excludes true item 1.
C: Correct - selects all and only the accurate statements/pairs.
D: Incorrect - includes false item 2.