Which one of the following statements about the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) is not correct?

Introduction / Context:
The National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) is an important initiative of the Government of India aimed at supporting adaptation measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, particularly on vulnerable sectors and regions. Knowing the nature of this fund, its implementation structure and its time frame is part of environment and climate policy awareness. This question presents four statements about NAFCC and asks which one is not correct.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Statement A: The fund assists national and State level activities to meet the cost of adaptation measures.
Statement B: The scheme has been taken up as a Central Sector Scheme.
Statement C: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the national implementing entity for the fund.
Statement D: The scheme has been in force since the financial year 2015–16.
We must identify the statement that does not match official information.

Concept / Approach:
NAFCC was established to support adaptation projects in vulnerable sectors such as agriculture, water, forestry and coastal zones. It is designed as a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, meaning the central government bears the full financial cost. The fund supports State level projects with national significance, so Statements A and B are correct in spirit and design. The scheme was operationalised around 2015–16, so Statement D is also correct. However, the national implementing entity for NAFCC is the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), not the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Therefore, Statement C is not correct.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine Statement A. The objective of NAFCC is indeed to help meet the costs of adaptation measures at both national and State levels, especially through State driven projects that address climate impacts. So Statement A is correct. Step 2: Examine Statement B. Government documents describe NAFCC as a Central Sector Scheme, which means the entire funding comes from the central government budget. Therefore Statement B is correct. Step 3: Examine Statement D. The fund was launched around 2015–16, and budget allocations for NAFCC began in that financial year, so Statement D is correct. Step 4: Examine Statement C. The national implementing entity that appraises and oversees projects under NAFCC is NABARD, not ICAR. ICAR focuses on agricultural research and may participate in adaptation related research but is not designated as the national implementing entity for this fund. Step 5: Therefore, Statement C is the one that is not correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification comes from reading official notifications on NAFCC, which clearly identify NABARD as the national implementing entity. Additionally, in many State project notes and environment ministry documents, NABARD is repeatedly mentioned as the agency responsible for project appraisal and management under NAFCC. These sources also confirm that the scheme is a Central Sector Scheme and that it has been operational since the mid 2010s. No such document names ICAR as the implementing entity for the fund, confirming that Statement C is wrong.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
As choices to the question asking for the incorrect statement, options A, B and D are wrong because those statements are actually factually correct. They cannot be selected when we are specifically asked to pick the statement that is not correct.

Common Pitfalls:
A common confusion arises from the fact that both NABARD and ICAR are prominent in agriculture related policies. Candidates sometimes assume that anything linked to climate change and agriculture must involve ICAR. Another pitfall is neglecting the concept of a Central Sector Scheme versus a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, which can lead to doubt about Statement B. To avoid these issues, learners should memorise at least the main implementing agency for each major climate fund and understand basic scheme classifications.

Final Answer:
The statement that is not correct is option C, because the national implementing entity for the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change is NABARD, not the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.