Agriculture & Farmer Schemes — Set 16

Correct Answer: D. Ministry of Agriculture

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare is the nodal agency for RKVY at the Central level. States implement the scheme through their agriculture departments. An inter-ministerial National Level Sanctioning Committee approves state plans. RKVY has supported many innovative agricultural development programmes at the state level.

Correct Answer: C. 11 crore

PM-KISAN had approximately 11-12 crore (110-120 million) registered beneficiaries as of 2023. This makes it one of the largest direct benefit transfer schemes globally. The scheme has been praised for its swift implementation and ability to reach a large number of small and marginal farmers.

Correct Answer: C. Hailstorm, landslide, inundation, cyclone, and drought

PMFBY provides comprehensive coverage against multiple natural calamities including drought, flood, hailstorm, cyclone, typhoon, tempest, hurricane, and tornado. It also covers non-preventable risks like pest and disease attacks. The scheme covers yield losses, localized calamities, and post-harvest losses due to unseasonal rainfall.

Correct Answer: B. Indian Agricultural Research Institute

IARI stands for Indian Agricultural Research Institute, located in New Delhi (also known as Pusa Institute). It is one of the premier agricultural research institutes under ICAR. IARI developed famous HYV wheat varieties like Sonalika and Kalyan Sona that played a pivotal role in the Green Revolution.

Correct Answer: B. To protect farmers from price fall in perishable commodities not covered by MSP

Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) is activated to protect farmers when prices of perishable agricultural commodities fall sharply below production costs. It applies to commodities not under MSP procurement like tomato, onion, potato, apple, and other perishables. States request MIS when prices crash and Centre approves price support operations.

Correct Answer: B. 5 kg

National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 provides 5 kg of food grain per person per month to eligible households. Priority Household (PHH) beneficiaries get wheat at ₹2/kg and rice at ₹3/kg. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households get 35 kg per household per month at even lower prices.

Correct Answer: B. FCI and State agencies

Public Distribution System distributes food grains procured by Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state procurement agencies like PUNGRAIN (Punjab), MARKFED (Punjab), and state civil supplies corporations. FCI is the central agency responsible for procurement, storage, and distribution. The food grains are distributed through Fair Price Shops across the country.

Correct Answer: B. Direct procurement of crops at MSP when market prices fall below MSP

Price Support Scheme (PSS) under PM-AASHA involves direct procurement of specific crops at MSP by Central nodal agencies when market prices fall below MSP. This ensures farmers can sell their produce at MSP even when market prices crash. NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation) and other agencies implement PSS procurement.

Correct Answer: B. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation

NAFED stands for National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, established in 1958. It is one of the largest agricultural cooperative organizations in India. NAFED implements Price Support Scheme (PSS) for pulses, oilseeds, and other notified commodities when market prices fall below MSP.

Correct Answer: B. Antyodaya Anna Yojana

AAY stands for Antyodaya Anna Yojana, which targets the poorest of the poor under the Public Distribution System. Households identified under AAY get 35 kg of food grains per month at ₹2/kg for wheat and ₹3/kg for rice. The scheme was launched in 2000 to ensure food security for the most vulnerable sections of society.