Agriculture & Farmer Schemes — Set 13

Correct Answer: B. 3

PM-KISAN provides three installments of ₹2,000 each in a year, totaling ₹6,000 annually. The installments are released at four-monthly intervals: April-July, August-November, and December-March. The dates and installment schedule are maintained centrally and transferred through DBT.

Correct Answer: B. Balanced use of chemical and organic fertilizers

National Fertilizer Policy promotes balanced and integrated use of both chemical and organic fertilizers. Overuse of nitrogenous fertilizers like urea has caused soil health degradation and water pollution. The policy aims to bring balance in NPK ratio and promote use of micronutrients and bio-fertilizers.

Correct Answer: B. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund supports development of post-harvest value chains through funding primary processing centers, cold chains, packaging units, and ripening chambers. This infrastructure reduces post-harvest losses and helps in adding value to agricultural produce. Better value chains enable farmers to realize higher prices for their produce.

Correct Answer: A. National Cooperative Development Corporation

NCDC stands for National Cooperative Development Corporation, which is a statutory corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture. It provides financial assistance to state governments and cooperative societies for development of agricultural marketing, processing, storage, and export. NCDC plays a key role in strengthening agricultural cooperatives.

Correct Answer: C. ₹2,275

The MSP for wheat is approximately ₹2,275 per quintal as declared in recent years. MSP for wheat has been consistently increased over the years to provide remunerative prices to wheat farmers. Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh are major states where government procures wheat at MSP through FCI and state agencies.

Correct Answer: B. Online portal for agricultural market prices

AGMARKNET is an online portal that provides agricultural market prices from markets (mandis) across India. It disseminates price and arrival data for various agricultural commodities. Farmers can check prices before deciding where to sell their produce, helping them get better prices. The portal is managed by Directorate of Marketing and Inspection.

Correct Answer: C. 1982

NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) was established on July 12, 1982 based on the recommendations of the Shivaraman Committee. It was set up by merging the agricultural credit functions of RBI and ARDC (Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation). NABARD is headquartered in Mumbai.

Correct Answer: B. Construction of rural godowns and storage facilities

Gramin Bhandaran Yojana provides capital investment subsidy for construction and renovation of scientific storage capacity in rural areas. It helps farmers store their produce scientifically to avoid distress sale immediately after harvest. The scheme provides 25% capital subsidy through NABARD and commercial banks for construction of rural godowns.

Correct Answer: B. Farmers who provide food for the nation

Annadaata is a term used with great reverence for farmers in India, meaning 'provider of food.' The term is widely used in government policy documents and speeches to honor farmers' contribution to food security. PM-AASHA scheme stands for 'Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan,' using this term to signify protection of farmer income.

Correct Answer: B. State-specific comprehensive agricultural development

State Agriculture Plan (SAP) under RKVY requires states to prepare comprehensive plans for agricultural and allied sector development based on their specific agro-climatic conditions and needs. This bottom-up planning approach ensures that interventions are tailored to local conditions. States get flexibility in choosing priority areas for development under their SAP.