Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion (A) and other as Reason (R) : Assertion (A) : Government has launched the ‘National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP)’ for period of 2020-30 Reason (R) : The objective of NIP is to provide equitable access to infrastructure for all. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

The correct option is D. The assertion is false, and the reason is true.

The National Infrastructure Pipeline was announced on 31 December 2019 and covers the period 2020-25, not 2020-30. The pipeline identified roughly 6,800 projects worth about Rs 110 lakh crore across sectors such as roads, railways, energy, urban infrastructure and social infrastructure. The mismatch in the time period is what makes the assertion false.

• Option A is wrong because it requires the assertion to be true.
• Option B is wrong for the same reason. Both statements cannot be true when the assertion is false.
• Option C is wrong because it says the assertion is true, which it is not.
• Option D is right. The reason, that NIP aims to provide equitable access to infrastructure for all, matches the stated goals of the pipeline in government documents.

Core concept: NIP is a project pipeline, not a fresh scheme. It is a list of projects across ministries and states, used to attract private and public investment. For Mains, it links to infrastructure financing, the role of DFIs and asset monetisation.

Trap: Aspirants often judge the reason first, find it plausible, and then mark the whole item as correct without checking the date in the assertion.