Table of Contents
Q1) As per census 2011 , what percent of population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities?
A) 60 %
B) 54.6%
Q2) Agriculture contributes __________ per cent to the country’s Gross Value Added (current price 2015-16, 2011-12 series)?
A) 12 %
B) 15 %
C) 17 %
D) 19 %
Q3) As per 4th Advance Estimates for 2015-16, total production of rice tonnes is lower by ___ million tonnes than the preceding year?
A) 2 million
B) 1.2 million
C) 1.17 million
D) 1.5 million
Q4) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is administered by which ministry?
A) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers welfare
B) Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
C) Ministry of Panchayati Raj
D) Ministry of Home Affairs
ndia inks $318 million World Bank loan for Tamil Nadu irrigation scheme
World Bank provided USD 200 million loan for farm sector in Assam
Q5) The Kisan Credit Card Scheme is in operation throughout the country and is implemented by?
A) commercial banks
B) cooperative banks
C) Regional Rural Banks
D) All of the above
Q6) Which among the following is not the crop insurance scheme launched by GOI?
A) Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme
B) National Crop Insurance Programme
C) Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme
D) Cash Crop Insurance Scheme
• The Economic Survey 2017-18, highlighted that the percentage of agricultural workers of the total workforce would drop to 25.7 per cent by 2050 from 58.2 per cent in 2001.
Soil health app
• Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched a mobile app on soil health for benefit of field-level workers, on Tuesday.
• The government has distributed soil health cards to 10 crore farmers so far against the target of 12 crores. (December 2017)
• The mobile app on soil health was launched at Jajjar Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Haryana on the occasion of the World Soil day 5th December
• “The app will benefit field-level workers as it will automatically capture GIS
(Geographical Information Systems) coordinates while registering sample details at the time of sample collection in the field and indicate the location from where the sample has been collected,”
E-Rakam
• E-RaKAM is a first-of-its-kind initiative that leverages technology to connect farmers of the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world through internet and e-RaKAM centres.
• E-RaKAM is developed by MSTC Limited and supported by marketing & logistics partner CRWC Limited. (Central Warehousing Corporation )
• E-RaKAM is a digital initiative bringing together the farmers,FPOs, PSUs, civil supplies and buyers on a single platform to ease the selling and buying process of agricultural products
Launched by
Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan
• Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched a mobile application which can forewarn farmers about diseases affecting the livestock.
• The app – Livestock Disease Forewarning (LDF) – has been developed by ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI)
• ICAR-NIVEDI has identified 13 priority diseases with a strong database and provides monthly livestock disease alerts to the state and Central animal husbandry departments.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched options trading in guar seed on the commodity bourse NCDEX and asserted that the new initiative will benefit farmers and ensure better prices in the coming days.
Higher production has led to fall in prices of some agri-commodities in some places
NCDEX is the second exchange after MCX to launch options trading in commodities. In October 2017, MCX had launched gold options. Guar seed is the first agri-commodity options.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched the Hortinet app for providing internet based electronic services to the stakeholders for facilitating farm registration, testing and certification of Grape, Pomegranate and Vegetables for export from India to the European Union in compliance with standards.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched an interactive mobile app, ‘Mannu,’ designed by the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management- Kerala (IIITM-K) to help farmers check the suitability of a desired crop, at Kanakakunnu Palace
By using the app, farmers get authentic information about the status of 20 soil nutrients for any location. Based on the soil nutrient status, the app suggests the suitable crop for the selected geographic location.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar launched the Jai Kisaan App, a farmer engagement app packed with features and functions to fulfill the needs of the farmers community in India.
The Jai Kisan app is a one-stop solution on agricultural information and cultivation, covering crop nutrition, protection, seeds, and diagnostic services.
• Other benefits of the application include access to commodity market prices and a five day weather forecast, to assist the farmer in making critical decisions related to his farm income.
• With the intent to become the one-stop resource for the rural household, the Jai Kisaan app has set a target of 10,000 user base by the end of March 2018
Seven-point Strategy
1. Increase in production
It is important to improve irrigation efficiency to increase production. Therefore, our overnment has increased the irrigation budget. ‘Per Drop More Crop’ is our motto. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana has been launched to mitigate the drought effect and to ensure ‘water to every farm’. Hence, pending medium and large projects have also been expedited. Watershed development and water harvesting & management projects have been put on the fast track.
2. Effective use of input cost
For the first time, our government has introduced Soil Health Card Scheme to inform farmers about nutrients status of the soils. This is reducing the cultivation cost as farmers are following the recommendations and going for balanced use of fertilisers. In addition, the Government has curbed illegal use of urea and ensured adequate supply through Neem Coated Urea scheme. The government is also encouraging organic farming. The adoption of new technologies in agriculture such as space technology is helping in better planning through forecasting of crop production, agricultural land-use mapping, drought prediction, and utilisation of fallow paddy fields for Rabi crops. Apart from this, farmers are getting timely information and advisory services through online and telecom mediums such as Kisan Call Centre and Kisan Suvidha App.
3. Reduction of post-harvest losses
One of the biggest problems of the farmers is storage after harvesting as a result they are forced to sell their products at a lower cost. Therefore, the government is encouraging farmers to use warehouses and avoid distressed sales. Loans against negotiable warehouse receipts are being provided with interest subvention benefits. To protect farmers from losses, the government is focusing on storage facilities and integrated cold chains in rural areas.
4. Value Addition
The government is also promoting quality through food processing. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana has been started and Rs.6, 000 crore has been allocated for this project. Under this scheme, food-processing capabilities will be developed by working on the forward and backward linkage of agro processing cluster, which will benefit 20 lakh farmers and create employment opportunities for about 5, 00,000.
5. Reforms in Agriculture Marketing
The Central Government is emphasizing on the need of reforms in agriculture marketing. e-NAM was launched with three reforms and so far, 455 mandis have been linked to this platform. Online trading has begun on various mandis. In addition, the government has circulated model Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act, which includes private market yards and direct marketing. In addition, the Government is also orking on a Model Act to promote contract farming.
6. Risk, Security and Assistance
The Government has initiated Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to reduce the possible risks. The scheme creates a security shield. The lowest rate has been fixed for Kharif and Rabi crops. Maximum rate is 2% and 1.5% respectively. The scheme covers standing crops as well as pre-sowing to post-harvesting losses. Not only that, 25% of the claim is settled immediately online. New technologies like Smartphones, satellite imagery and drones facilities are being utilised to carry out faster assessments of crop loss under PMFBY. From this Kharif season, the farmers can also avail customer service centre and online banking facilities to deposit their premium. The Government has revised the norms for assistance from SDRF and NDRF. Now, the government is providing compensation if at least 33% of the crop is damaged. Compensation amount has been increased to 1.5 times.
7. Allied Activities
I. Horticulture: The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme is playing an important role in doubling the income of farmers. For this, we are providing better planting materials, improved seed and protected cultivation, high-density plantation, rejuvenation, and precision farming.
II. Integrated Farming: Our government is also using Integrated Farming System (IFS). In addition to agriculture, the focus is also on horticulture, livestock, and bee keeping. This scheme will not only increase farmers’ income, it will also mitigate the effect of drought, flood, and other natural disasters.
III. White Revolution: Indigenous breeds of cows are being conserved under Rashtriya Gokul Mission. The genetic makeup is improving and increasing the production of milk. The government is set to establish Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund. In addition, Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme is generating self-employment opportunities. White Revolution has been expedited to increase the income of the farmers.
IV. Blue Revolution: Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries is a new initiative and it includes activities such as inland fisheries, Aquaculture, Mariculture undertaken by National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB). Apart from this Deep Sea Fishing scheme has also been initiated.
V. Sub-Mission on Agroforestry: For the first time Sub-Mission on Agroforestry has been nitiated with an aim to promote inter-cropping. Under this scheme, “Med Per Ped” campaign has also been included.
VI. Beekeeping: A large number of farmers/beekeepers are being trained for bee keeping. The bee keepers and honey societies/companies/firms are being registered. Integrated Bee Keeping Development Centres (IBDC) are being established in the states.
VII. Rural Backyard Poultry Development: Under this scheme, supplementary income and nutritional support are provided to poultry farmers. Awareness program sensitizing sheep, goat, pig and duck farmers about opportunities to enhance income through Rural Backyard Poultry Development mission is being carried out.
Q7) Which commission was set up with a view to evolve a balanced and integrated price structure, is mandated to advice on the price policy (MSP) of 23 crops?
A) Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices
B) Commission for Minimum Support Price
C) Commission for farmer welfare
D) None of the above
Q8) Which is one of the important factors in the determination of MSP of mandated crops?
A) Cost of production
B) Cost of raw material
C) Total yield in a year
D) Total demand of the market
Q9) The ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) observed the year 2016 as which International year as declared by the United Nations?
A) Year of pulses
B) Year of cash Crops
C) Year of Oil Seeds
D) None of the above
Q10) Ecological niche modelling (ENM) was done in the field for which endemic threatened plant species of Thar Desert?
A) Ceropegia bulbosa
B) Acacia planifrons.
C) Polygala irregularis
Q11) Forecasting studies of rice yields using DSSAT (Decision Support System for agrotechnology Transfer) rice model predicted that, all states in the eastern region are likely to experience reduced yields of below or equal to 10% during midcentury climate change scenarios except which state?
A) Jharkhand
B) Bihar
C) Uttar Pradesh
D) Madhya Pradesh
Q12 ) A new fish species of Indian chub mackerel (Scomber indicus) was discovered from where?
A) Coast of Gujarat
B) Coast Of Kerala
C) Coast of Odisha
D) Coast of Tamil Nadu
Q13) Under the Indigenous Breed Project how many breeding bulls of Gir, Sahiwal and Kankrej were inducted in the third set for progeny testing?
1) 40
2) 26
3) 39
4) 55
Q14) The Livestock census is being conducted ___________by all states/UTs of the country?
A) Quinquennially
B) Quadrennially
C) Biennially
D) Triennially
Q15) What is the rank of India in Milk Production?
A) Second
B) Third
C) First
D) Fifth
Q16) Presently India is the ______ largest fish producing and ________ largest aquaculture nation in the world?
A) First ; Second
B) Second ; Second
C) Third ; Third
D) Second; Third
Q17 ) The Election Commission of India (ECI) was constituted in which year?
A) 1948
B) 1949
C) 1950
D) 1951
Q18) What is the full form of VVPAT?
A) Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail.
B) Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail
C) Voter Verification Paper Audit trails
D) Voting Verification Paper Audit trail
Q19) Based on performance criteria laid down in the ________________, the Commission grants recognition to political parties as national or state parties?
A) Elections Symbols (reservation & allotment) Order 1968
B) Elections Symbols (reservation & allotment) Order 1970
C) Elections Symbols (reservation & allotment) Order 1950
D) Elections Symbols (reservation & allotment) Order 1972
Q20 ) During the last 64 years, the Commission has conducted _______ General Elections to the Lok Sabha and about ______ General Elections to State Legislative Assemblies.
A) 16 ; 365
B) 20 ; 240
C) 21 ; 350
D) 15; 300
Q21) Election Commission of India has MoUs with __________ countries, besides having MoUs with UNDP, International IDEA and IFES.
A) 19
B) 28
C) 40
D) 16
Q22) The first such Municipal Corporation was set-up in the former Presidency Town of ________ in 1688.
A) Kolkata
B) Bombay
C) Madras
D) Gujarat
Q23) The Governor of a state may reserve any bill for the consideration of the Who?
A) Prime Minister
B) President
C) Chief Minister
D) Both the houses
Q24) The objective of the Financial Assistance for professional documentation of good governance initiatives is to provide financial assistance up to ________________ lakh to support professional documentation and dissemination of good governance initiatives by the state/UT governments.
A) 2 lakh
B) 3 lakh
C) 5 lakh
D) 4 lakh
Q25) The Cabinet Secretariat functions directly under the _________?
A) Prime Minister
B) President
C) Finance Minister
D) Home Minister
Finance Minister (FM) announced 1.5x input cost MSP (Minimum Support Prices) prices for Kharif crop to farmers.
• The first is A2, which covers the actual paid out cost of what farmers invest in a crop every season. This covers expenses such as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and agricultural labourers.
• The second, A2+FL covers the actual costs plus the implied economic value of family members working on the farm – work for which farmers would otherwise employ agricultural labourers from outside.
• The third, C2 includes A2+FL as well as the rent and interest on the owned land and capital assets.
• The government announced full implementation of eNAM system (online agriculture marketplace) by March 2018, which would empower the farmers with ample bargaining power to fetch justified prices.
• Jaitley also announced an Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund that would have a corpus of Rs 2,000 crore to develop and upgrade infrastructure in 22,000 Grameen Agricultural Markets and 585 state-run Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee markets, where farmers are obliged to sell their produce
Crop insurance – The 21 percent increased allocation towards
Crop insurance schemes, at Rs 13000 crores, will help in stabilizing and stabilizing farmer incomes and protecting farmers from anomalies of weather, crop damage and market dynamics.
• Irrigation reforms – The government has allocated Rs 2600 crore towards irrigation reforms
• Institutional credit to farmers –The allocation for rural insti tutional credit has been enhanced to Rs 11 lakh crores which would increase the volume and penetration of institutional credit.
• Increasing the subsidy for Fertilizers – The budget has substantially enhanced the amount allocated towards fertilizer subsidies, both urea and nutrient bases subsidies by almost 8 percent to Rs 70000 crore, which would provide relief to Urea and Non urea fertilizer ompanies.
Moreover this would also help lubricate the pan India DBT implementation.
Deduction to farm producer companies – The budget has proposed to extend the benefit of 100 percent tax deduction on profits to Farm producer Companies with net turnover below Rs 100 crores
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