UPSC Key: Somnath Swabhiman Parv, World’s largest rice producer, and America’s return to interventionism

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about India’s temple architecture in detail.

— Read about the architecture of Somnath Temple.

— What is the significance of Somnath Temple in India’s cultural history?

— Read about Mahmud of Ghazni’s invasion of Somnath in 1026 and its impact.

— How does the Somnath temple symbolise resilience and cultural continuity in the face of adversity?

— What early sites and structures represent the beginnings of temple building in India?

— How does temple architecture reflect the intersection of religion and politics in early India?

Key Takeaways:

— The year 2026 is significant for the Somnath Temple. It has been 1,000 years since the first attack on this great shrine. It was in January of 1026 that Mahmud of Ghazni attacked this Temple, seeking to destroy a great symbol of faith and civilisation, through a violent and barbaric invasion.

— Yet, one thousand years later, the Temple stands as glorious as ever because of numerous efforts to restore Somnath to its grandeur. One such milestone completes 75 years in 2026. It was during a ceremony on May 11th 1951, in the presence of the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, that the restored Temple opened its doors to devotees.

— The first invasion of Somnath a thousand years ago in 1026, the cruelty that was unleashed upon the people of the town and the devastation that was inflicted upon the shrine have been documented in great detail in various historical accounts.

— Imagine the impact it had on Bharat and the morale of the people. After all, Somnath had great spiritual significance. It was also on the coast, giving strength to a society with great economic prowess, whose sea traders and seafarers carried tales of its grandeur far and wide.

— In the 1890s, Swami Vivekananda visited Somnath and that experience moved him. He expressed his feelings during a lecture in Chennai in 1897.

— The sacred duty of rebuilding the Somnath Temple after independence came to the able hands of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A visit during Diwali time in 1947 moved him so much that he announced that the Temple will be rebuilt there. Finally, on May 11th 1951, a grand Temple in Somnath opened its doors to devotees and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was present there. 

— Since time immemorial, Somnath has brought together people from different walks of life. Centuries ago, Kalikal Sarvagna Hemchandracharya, a respected Jain monk, came to Somnath. 

Do You Know:

— Temples in the Indian subcontinent survive in an intelligible and coherent form from at least the fifth century CE. The tradition, however, dates back much earlier to the times when they were makeshift or built in perishable material. Artefacts associated with temples – like the Garuḍa pillar from Besnagar and Śivaliṇga from Gudimallan dated to around 120 BCE and 80 BCE, respectively – corroborate the antiquity of this tradition. 

— The Indian temple architecture is broadly characterised by two overarching traditions, namely the Nāgara or northern building tradition and Draviḍa or southern building tradition. Although geographically defined, they are not exclusive to the two regions. 

— In addition to these two, Indian art treatises include a third type of building tradition called the “Vesara” or hybrid. The etymological bearing of the term has led scholars in the past to understand this category as a synthesis of the northern and southern artistic traditions and associate it with the geographically fitting Deccan region. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How Indian temple architecture is rooted in art, religion, and politics

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the new Circuit House near Somnath Temple at Veraval. Which of the following statements are correct regarding Somnath Temple? (UPSC CSE 2022)

1. Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.

2. A description of Somnath Temple was given by Al-Biruni.

3. Pran Pratishtha of Somnath Temple (installation of the present day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

EXPLAINED

America’s return to interventionism

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of National & International importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: “If you break it, you own it.” The words of former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, one of the American architects of the 2003 Iraq War, would come to mind after the audacious capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro by America’s elite Delta Forces on Saturday (January 3).

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Monroe Doctrine?

— What is the status of India’s ties with Venezuela and US? 

— How have US sanctions on Venezuela impacted India–Venezuela trade relations?

— Read about the India-US relations. 

— What are the implications of the US capturing of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro?

— Read about the principle of non-intervention in international relations?

— What is the strategic significance of Venezuela’s oil reserves?

— What is fentanyl? How severe is the problem of fentanyl trafficking?

— Map work: Locate Venezuela on map. (Refer atlas)

Key Takeaways:

— US President Donald Trump, a big critic of the US invasion of Iraq and someone who promised to be a peacemaker when he took office around one year ago, has clearly upended that commitment. At a briefing on Sunday, he justified the operation as being in line with an over 200-year-old foreign policy agenda set under the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which warned European powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere.

— This Doctrine, which Trump has now rebranded as the “Don-roe Doctrine,” has been relegated to foreign policy sidelines for years now, with most administrations in Washington DC having sought to distance themselves from it. Trump’s move, which he first signalled in the new US security strategy last month, marks a worrying reassertion of the doctrine.

— But this tallies with his actions over the past year, when the US demonstrated increasing willingness to use military force around the globe. Just in the last week, Trump ordered airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. He threatened an intervention in Iran, after widespread demonstrations in Tehran. Earlier in 2025, Trump had targeted nuclear facilities in Iran, attacked drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen, militants in Somalia and Islamic groups in Iraq.

— But why Venezuela? Not a tough question to answer. Venezuela is home to the largest proven crude reserve on Earth, but the actual oil output from the South American nation is minuscule. The South American country is estimated to be sitting on over 300 billion barrels worth of crude — about a fifth of the world’s global reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). However, it produces only about 1 million barrels of oil per day — about 0.8% of global crude production. Chevron is an American company, and the only foreign oil major with exposure to Venezuelan crude.

— Trump clearly has oil on his agenda. He said on Saturday that the US would take control of Venezuela’s reserves and field American companies to invest “billions of dollars” to “refurbish” the country’s oil industry. 

— Named after former President James Monroe, this Monroe Doctrine is one of the most consequential American foreign policy agendas of the last century. Initially a largely symbolic document, it stated American opposition to new or expanding European involvement in the Americas after centuries of colonial rule.

— Progressively, the US extended this tenet to consider South and Central America a strategic backyard that should be under the sphere of American influence. This went on to become a significant element of American foreign policy intervention in the region for decades, which was increasingly criticised by academics and policy wonks for being used as an alibi to justify meddling in Latin America.

— Most recent administrations in DC had moved away from this policy. Trump has now conclusively reversed that stance, building on his earlier attempts to support the current right-leaning Argentinian administration and oppose the left-wing government in Brazil.

Between 1898 and 1994, the US government intervened successfully to change governments in Latin America a total of at least 41 times, ostensibly to protect its interests and counter Communism.

— It’s not yet clear if the US will become an occupying force or install a leader approved by it in Caracas. At one point during Saturday’s conference, Trump seemed to suggest Venezuela’s Vice President and current interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, had agreed to help the US run the country. But Rodriguez gave a live address to the nation shortly after Trump’s press conference to denounce what she called the US attack on her nation.

From the Explained Page- “Trump’s plans to revive Venezuela oil sector will take years, cost billions”

— Oil is no stranger to conflict. Unsurprisingly, it has emerged as the key factor in America’s capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday (January 3).

— Soon after Maduro’s capture, US President Donald Trump said Washington would take control of Caracas’s oil sector and that American majors would pump in billions of dollars to revive the struggling Venezuelan oil industry and fix its broken oil infrastructure.

— This is what he didn’t say: It will take several years of work to fix the infrastructure — debilitated by years of sanctions and economic crises — and boost output. And American oil companies have made no comment yet on such a long-term commitment.

— Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, but accounts for less than 1% of global production.

— This is one of the reasons why experts and industry insiders don’t expect a major change in prices in the near term. The market is also well-supplied and global demand is relatively subdued.

— Notably, the recent US blockade of Venezuela and seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers did not have a significant impact on international oil prices. If the US does succeed in effectively controlling Venezuela’s oil industry, more of its oil is likely to flow globally, potentially having a bearish impact on oil prices. But this is something to see over the long run.

— As for India, the country appears to be well-shielded from any direct impact in the near term, as Indian refiners do not import Venezuelan crude. With the upward pressure on international oil prices also expected to be muted, given an oversupplied market, it is unlikely to create a major pain point for India, which is the world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil and depends on imports to meet over 88% of its oil needs.

— However, India stands to gain if Trump can get Caracas to agree to his terms going forward, as that could potentially make the Venezuelan oil industry sanctions-free and open for business.

From the Front Page- “Delhi tightrope walk on Caracas: ‘Deep concern,’ need for dialogue”

— In a carefully calibrated statement, the day after the US attacked Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, India Sunday expressed “deep concern” at the developments and called upon “all concerned to address issues peacefully through dialogue, ensuring peace and stability of the region”.

— Neither did it condemn the US action nor invoke the respect for international law or the UN charter.

— Without mentioning the US action in Venezuela, it described it as “recent developments in Venezuela:” a more neutral framing of the military intervention by the US.

Broadly, there were four points that the Indian statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs made.

— India’s statement — as compared to the statement of the P-5 countries — sought to maintain the diplomatic tightrope walk, where it doesn’t criticise the Trump administration but it seeks peace and stability of the region. This is rooted in the diplomatic dilemma it faces: on the one side is Trump’s unilateral move and, on the other, many in the Global South are looking at India for leadership against violations by the US President.

— But since India and the US are still negotiating a bilateral trade deal, months after Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs, including a 25 per cent penalty over Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, Delhi has been careful in its framing against Washington. India has also been tapering off Russian imports although it feels it was singled out by the US President who did not move against China and Europe over their purchase of Russian oil.

Do You Know:

— Venezuela has the largest oil reserves globally, estimated at over 300 billion barrels or a fifth of the proven oil reserves all over the world. The world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, is second to Venezuela in terms of proven oil reserves. But Venezuela produces around 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, while global output is over 100 million bpd.

— The relatively insignificant oil production by Venezuela, despite massive potential, is a result of a combination of factors that include US sanctions on the country’s oil and gas sector constraining its energy exports, apart from a severe economic crisis in Venezuela and a debilitating lack of investment in the country’s oil and gas infrastructure. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget: Beyond Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro’s Capture — What you must know for the UPSC Exam

📍With Maduro’s capture, Trump uses ‘war on drugs’ to effect regime change in Venezuela

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Consider the following statements with respect to Venezuela’s crude oil:

1. It is home to the largest proven crude reserve on Earth.

2. It accounts for more than 15% of global production.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 Nor 2

 

NATION

Chouhan: India has surpassed China, is now world’s largest rice producer

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and economy. 

Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II, III: Indian & World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India & the World, Government policies and interventions, Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country.

What’s the ongoing story: India has become the world’s largest rice producer, surpassing China, with a total output of 150.18 million tonnes during 2024-25, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are the Climate Conditions required for rice cultivation?

— What are the factors behind India emerging as the world’s largest rice producer?

— What are the top 3 rice-producing countries in the world?

— How are high-yielding seed varieties increasing agricultural productivity in India?

— What are the concerns related to rice production?

— What are the challenges associated with new seed varieties?

— Read about the world’s first genome edited (GE) rice varieties and their characteristics.

Key Takeaways:

— Speaking at an event, Chouhan said, “India has surpassed China in rice production and has become the world’s largest producer.”

— India’s rice production has reached 150.18 million tonnes, compared to China’s 145.28 million tonnes, Chouhan said, describing it as an “extraordinary achievement.”

— On this occasion, Chouhan released 184 new varieties of 25 crops. These include 122 of cereals, 24 of cotton (including 22 Bt cotton), 13 of oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, six each of pulses and sugarcane, and one each of jute and tobacco.

— These new high-yielding seed varieties would boost crop production and enhance farmers’ income, Chouhan said.

— The NSC, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, has announced the declaration of a final dividend of Rs. 33.26 crore for the Financial Year 2024-25, representing 30% of its Profit After Tax.

Do You Know:

— The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed the world’s first genome edited (GE) rice varieties with superior yields, drought and salinity tolerance, and high nitrogen-use efficiency traits.

— Two of its affiliate institutions — the Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) at New Delhi — have bred improved GE mutants of the popular Samba Mahsuri (BPT-5204) and Cottondora Sannalu (MTU-1010) varieties using CRISPR-Cas SDN-1 (Site-Directed Nucleases-1) technologies.

— These have been named ‘Kamala’ and ‘Pusa DST Rice 1’. They have better stress tolerance, improved yields, and climate adaptability without any compromises with their existing strengths.

— DRR DHAN 100 (KAMALA): Developed by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad, this variety promises significantly higher yields, improved drought tolerance, and early maturity compared to its parent variety, Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget: What to know about gene editing for UPSC as world’s first GE rice varieties make headlines

Previous year UPSC Prelims Questions Covering similar theme:

(3) Among the following crops, which one is the most important anthropogenic source of both methane and nitrous oxide? (UPSC CSE 2022)

(a) Cotton

(b) Rice

(c) Sugarcane

(d) Wheat

(4) “System of Rice Intensification” of cultivation, in which alternate wetting and drying of rice fields is practiced, results in:  (UPSC CSE 2022)

1. Reduced seed requirement

2. Reduced methane production

3. Reduced electricity consumption

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of society? (UPSC CSE 2021)

Before deaths, journey to top: How Indore swept Swachh rankings year after year

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: For seven years in a row, till 2023, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry’s annual ranking found Indore to be the cleanest city in the country. So well did Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, along with a few other consistent top performers, do in the Swachh Survekshan that in 2024 the Ministry was compelled to announce a separate category for them so as to give the rest of the around 4,000 municipalities in the country a chance at the top spot.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Read about the Swachh Survekshan Index?

— What are the key highlights of Swachh Survekshan 2024-25?

— Read about the Swachh Bharat Mission. 

— What is the significance of the Swachh Survekshan in addressing emerging urban sanitation challenges?

— Understand Indore’s water contamination case from perspectives of various stakeholders- Citizen, victims, Primary Health Centre, State government and central government

— What are the primary reasons for water contamination in India?

— What are water borne diseases?

Key Takeaways:

— In the new category — called the Super Swachh League — Indore, along with Gujarat’s Surat and Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai, once again emerged as the best among the best in 2024-2025.

With the previous top performers kept out of the national ranking, Ahmedabad won the cleanest city tag for the period.

— Such was Indore’s performance that under the Ministry’s Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) in September 2025, it signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Depalpur in MP to guide it in improving its cleanliness ranking.

— So when last week 10 people died and scores took ill – over 200 are still in hospital, according to health department data – after drinking water got contaminated with sewage in Indore’s Bhagirathpura neighbourhood, the city’s “cleanest in the country” tag was called into question.

— In 2017, the year Indore got the top rank for the first time, and when the second annual Swachh Survekshan was conducted, the ranking, which covered 434 cities, split the parameters into three categories — municipal documentation, independent observation and citizen feedback. — Municipal documentation, that is the self-documentation by the cities, accounted for 45% of the score and covered the city’s performance on door-to-door collection; sweeping and transportation of garbage; processing and disposal of waste; open-defecation free (ODF) status and availability of toilets; information, education and behaviour change communication; and capacity building. 

— Indore topped this category, with 875 marks out of 900, with its nearest rival, Bhopal, getting 829. For the independent observation category, however, MP’s capital city had more points (483) than Indore’s 435. In citizens’ feedback category, though, Indore again scored 496 over Bhopal’s 487, winning the overall top spot. The Swachh Survekshan 2017 report noted that Indore had 100% door-to-door waste collection and segregation at source.

— From 2017 to 2022, Indore clinched the top spot each year; in 2023, it shared the rank with Surat. By 2023, the annual ranking had grown to cover 4,416 urban local bodies. Over the years, the ranking changed to cover different aspects of sanitation. For instance, the 2023 ranking gave more weightage to plastic waste management, disabled-friendly toilets and cleaning of backlanes. Here too, Indore once again ranked number one, with 100% door-to-door waste collection, remediation of dumpsites and cleanliness of residential areas, markets and public toilets. 

— The 2023 report shows that Indore was given the “Water+” certification by the Ministry, which means that no untreated waste water is discharged into the open environment or water bodies. This is a step up from the certification of open defecation free (ODF), which the government had declared the country had achieved in 2019.

— For the most recent ranking, 2024-2025, Indore was kept out of the national competition and put in the Super Swachh League category, where all the cities that have got the top ranks in the past years competed for the “cleanest of the cleanest” tag. Indore shared the top prize in that category with Surat and Navi Mumbai. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Indore tragedy points to rot in urban governance

📍Knowledge Nugget: Why Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards is a must-read for your UPSC exam

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India? (UPSC CSE 2013)

1. Arsenic

2. Sorbitol

3. Fluoride

4. Formaldehyde

5. Uranium

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2, 4 and 5 only

(c) 1, 3 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (UPSC CSE 2020)

 

THE IDEAS PAGE

CBAM isn’t the end, it could be start of a green story

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government Policies and interventions, Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Nancy Gupta writes-“Indian steelmakers rang in the new year with a grim reality: The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has exited its transitional phase and entered definitive implementation, slapping real carbon costs onto every tonne of steel, aluminium and cement crossing into Europe.”

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the CBAM? What is the objective of adopting CBAM by the EU?

— What are India’s reservations against CBAM?

— Read about the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

— What are the major challenges associated with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission targets?

— What can be the impact of the EU’s CBAM on India’s exports?

— What is presented as climate action is also a tool for industrial protection and revenue generation. Analyse.

— What is the status of the India-EU trade deal?

Key Takeaways:

— “Indian steelmakers do not need January’s carbon invoices from Brussels to feel the sting of Europe’s CBAM. Post-Covid, India’s iron and steel exports to the EU more than doubled, from USD 2.7 billion in FY21 to nearly USD 6 billion in FY22, briefly accounting for over 9 per cent of all exports to the bloc.”

— “But once CBAM’s transitional reporting phase began, that boom reversed sharply: By FY25, steel exports had already fallen 30 per cent versus FY24, even as total exports held steady, and by FY26, when CBAM’s definitive phase kicks in, iron and steel shipments crashed by over 51 per cent.”

— “India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission’s 5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTpa) target by 2030 is imperative for decarbonising the steel sector, utilising clean hydrogen to produce greener steel through Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). However, progress lags: Only 3 GW of electrolyser capacity has been awarded by mid-2025, against the 60-100 GW needed, keeping India reliant on imports as costs remain three times higher than global benchmarks.”

— “To accelerate green hydrogen and renewable energy capacity, India should liberalise imports not just of final green products but also intermediate goods and essential inputs, many not inherently green, used in their production. As of 2024, India’s average applied tariff stands at 11.4 per cent, double the global average of around 6 per cent.”

— “Building green steel plants costs three times more than traditional ones, requires massive renewable energy backups, and pure green hydrogen won’t surpass old methods until around 2040 without incorporating some cleaner blends. CBAM shortens the timeline: Indian exporters must reduce emissions now and prove it, or risk losing sales to Korea’s ready hydrogen centres and Japan’s partnerships.”

— “India’s abundant RE, low‑cost ore and 5 MMTpa ambition can dominate green metals. We either spend a decade fighting climate tariffs at WTO, or build the carbon pricing architecture that makes Indian steel the world’s cleanest and most competitive. CBAM isn’t the end; it could be India’s origin story as a green superpower.”

Do You Know:

— The CBAM or Carbon Tax was first introduced by the European Union in 2021.  It taxes certain products coming in from other countries based on their carbon emissions footprint in their production process. For instance, if the imported steel was produced through a process that entailed higher emissions than the emissions standards for that product in Europe, it would be taxed.

— CBAM allows industries in Europe to remain competitive while continuing to maintain high environmental standards. It prevents these industries from relocating their production to countries where the production might be cheap owing to less strict emission norms, a situation described as carbon leakage. In the process, it hopes to contribute to reducing global emissions.

— The National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2023,  recognising the role of Green Hydrogen in India’s ambitions of energy independence by 2047 and Net Zero by 2070.  

— Supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), NGHM views Green Hydrogen as a sunrise sector for India. It has the objective of making India a global hub for the production, usage and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget: What is Carbon Tax and why is it important for UPSC exam?

📍Knowledge Nugget: What you must know about India’s green hydrogen plants for the UPSC exam

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(6) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023)

Statement-I: Carbon markets are likely to be one of the most widespread tools in the fight against climate change.

Statement-II: Carbon markets transfer resources from the private sector to the State.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I

(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I

(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

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PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (a)  2. (a)  3. (b)   4. (d)  5. (c)  6. (b)

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