5th October 2020, Static Quiz on Indian Economy

Solution: a)
Justification: MSP is like a price signal to provide incentives to the farmers for raising the production of particular crops whose MSP has been set higher. MSP is decided by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). However, a buffer stock is created by the government to distribute foodgrains in the deficit areas and among the poorer strata of society at a price lower than the market price also known as Issue Price.

Solution: a)
Justification: Statement 3: CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. It came into existence in January 1965.
Statement 1 and 2: It is mandated to recommend minimum support prices (MSPs) separately for five groups of commodities namely Kharif crops, Rabi crops, Sugarcane, Raw Jute and Copra.
This to incentivize the cultivators to adopt modern technology, and raise productivity and overall grain production in line with the emerging demand patterns in the country. However, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) of the Union government takes a final decision on the level of MSPs and other recommendations made by CACP. Currently, the Commission comprises a Chairman, Member Secretary, one Member (Official) and two Members (Non-Official). The non-official members are representatives of the farming community and usually have an active association with the farming community. The Commission also makes visits to states for on-the-spot assessment of the various constraints that farmers face in marketing their produce, or even raising the productivity levels of their crops. Based on all these inputs, the Commission then finalizes its recommendations/reports, which are then submitted to the government. The government, in turn, circulates the CACP reports to state governments and concerned central Ministries for their comments.

Solution: c)
Justification: Statement 1: NERAMAC, inter alia, facilitates processing of horticulture produce; assists processing units to market their products; and helps in developing linkages of farmers with the market.
Statement 2: NERAMAC in pursuance of the objectives mentioned above, has provided support to large number of farmers, particularly those growing pineapple, ginger and large cardamom. It has also undertaken marketing of processed items sourced from local entrepreneurs.

Solution: a)
Justification: PMKSY is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the Ministry like Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, etc. It also covers new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities. The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri- Waste.

Solution: d)
Justification:
Statement 1: Bringing them under Priority Sector Lending (PSL) will help provide additional credit for food processing activities and infrastructure thereby, boosting food processing, reducing wastage, create employment and increasing farmers’ income.
Statement 2: To provide impetus to investment in food processing and retail sector, govt. has allowed cent per cent FDI in trading including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured and / or produced in India. This will benefit farmers immensely and will create back – end infrastructure and significant employment opportunities.
Statement 3: A Fund of Rs. 2000 crore in NABARD has been established to make available affordable credit at concessional rate of interest to designated food parks and agro processing units in the designated food parks.

Solution: a)
Justification: Statement 1: KVKs are supposed to act as knowledge and resource center in the field of agriculture in the district and would build models of technology uptake and farmers’ empowerment leading to support Government of India’s initiative of doubling farmers’ income.
Statement 2 and 5: The KVK scheme is functioning on 100% Central funding pattern under the ambit of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE). Till 31.3.2017, 669 KVKs have been established, which are functioning as district level Farm Science Centers, the mandate being, Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its Application and Capacity Development.
Statement 3 and 5: The activities include on-farm testing of technologies and demonstrations, capacity development of farmers and extension personnel, functioning as a knowledge and resource center of agricultural technologies, providing farm advisories using ICT and other media means on varied subjects of interest to farmers.

Solution: c)
Justification: Agriclinic and Agribusiness Centers Scheme aims to promote the establishment of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centers (ACABC) all over the country.
Statement 1: Agri-clinics provide support in the following areas:
 Soil health
 Cropping practices
 Plant protection
 Crop insurance
 Post-harvest technology
 Clinical services for animals, feed and fodder management
 Prices of various crops in the market, etc.
Statement 2: Such ventures may include maintenance and custom hiring of farm equipment, sale of inputs and other services in agriculture and allied areas, including post-harvest management and market linkages for income generation and entrepreneurship development. The scheme by NABARD concerning these centers covers full financial support for training and handholding, provision of loan and credit-linked back ended composite subsidy.

Solution: b)
Justification: Others are Rice Export App, Pusa Krishi App, Agro Collect- Krishi Gyan App, e-NAM Portal, etc. Statement 1: Once in the Farmers’ Portal, a farmer will be able to get all relevant information on specific subjects around his village/block /district or state. This information will be delivered in the form of text, SMS, email and audio/video in the language he or she understands. Farmers will also be able to ask specific queries as well as give valuable feedback through the Feedback module specially developed for the purpose.

Solution: b)
Justification: The project envisages use of Space Technology and geoinformatics (GIS, GPS and Smartphone) technology along with high resolution data from UAV/Drone based imaging for improvement in yield estimation and better planning of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs), needed for crop insurance programme. A green cover can be monitored using GIS based maps and based on these findings appropriate policy responses can be designed for specific areas.

Solution: a)
Justification: In order to develop a competent structure for providing demand driven consultancy services and capacity building of the stake holders in the agricultural extension management, one SAMETI in each of the seven States has been established. SAMETIs are to provide HRD/Training support to organize programmes for capacity building in agricultural management and extension training for the stake holders of NATP. SAMETIs are declared autonomous with greater flexibilities in structure and functioning and responsible for organizing need-based training programmes for project functionaries from different line departments as well as the farming community.

Mandate of the SAMETIs
 To function as agricultural management and training institute at State level.  To provide consultancy in areas like project planning, appraisal and in agricultural management and extension training.
 To develop and promote the application of management tools for effective agricultural extension services.  To organize need-based training programmes for middle level and grass-root level agricultural extension functionaries.
 To conduct problem oriented studies in agricultural management, communication, participatory methodologies, post-harvest technology and marketing.
 To take up HRD/training activities including preparation of SREP for ATMAs.