Q71. Which of the following best defines the structure of e-NAM?
Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms: RAS Prelims MCQs
99 RAS Prelims MCQs on agricultural development cover institutional reforms, technology and the Green Revolution. The abolition of intermediaries, tenancy laws, consolidation of holdings, cooperative farming, the 97th Amendment and the Green Revolution’s first phase are asked as facts, sequences and statements, with the explanations linking each reform to its State or year.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 71–80 of 99 questions
Q72. Which of the following is an exception to the prerequisites required by a state to integrate its mandis with the e-NAM platform?
Explanation
For a state to integrate its mandis with e-NAM, it must make specific legislative changes. These include providing for electronic trading, establishing a single-point levy for market fees, and issuing unified trading licenses valid statewide. However, there is no requirement to dismantle physical market yards. Physical infrastructure remains essential for the actual handling, grading, and storage of agricultural produce.
Q73. Read the following statements regarding e-NAM and select the correct answer from the options given below:
Statement I: The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the lead agency for implementing e-NAM.
Statement II: The introduction of e-NAM requires the immediate abolition of the existing physical APMC mandi infrastructure.
Statement I: The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the lead agency for implementing e-NAM.
Statement II: The introduction of e-NAM requires the immediate abolition of the existing physical APMC mandi infrastructure.
Explanation
The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium serves as the lead agency responsible for the implementation of the e-NAM platform across the country. While e-NAM introduces electronic trading, it does not require the immediate abolition of existing physical APMC mandi infrastructure. Instead, it works alongside physical markets to provide an additional, more efficient digital channel for price discovery and trade.
Q74. Consider the following benefits of e-NAM for farmers:
I. Real-time access to commodity prices across integrated mandis.
II. Expanded access to buyers outside their local region.
III. Guaranteed purchase of all their produce by the Central Government at MSP.
IV. Transparent price discovery through electronic auctioning.
Which of the above statement(s) indicating true benefits is/are correct?
I. Real-time access to commodity prices across integrated mandis.
II. Expanded access to buyers outside their local region.
III. Guaranteed purchase of all their produce by the Central Government at MSP.
IV. Transparent price discovery through electronic auctioning.
Which of the above statement(s) indicating true benefits is/are correct?
Explanation
e-NAM offers several advantages to farmers, such as real-time access to commodity prices in different markets and an expanded base of potential buyers beyond their local area. It also ensures transparent price discovery through electronic auctions. However, e-NAM itself does not guarantee the purchase of all produce by the government at MSP; that remains part of separate procurement policies.
Q75. Which of the following definitions most accurately describes ‘Contract Farming’?
Explanation
Contract farming is an arrangement where agricultural production is carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers. This forward agreement typically specifies the quality, quantity, and time of delivery of the produce, as well as a predetermined price. This system helps farmers secure a market for their output even before the actual sowing process begins.
Q76. Which of the following statements regarding contract farming is incorrect?
Explanation
Contract farming offers benefits like reduced price risk and access to quality inputs and technical advice from sponsors. It has seen success in various high-value crops across India. However, it is a common misconception that such agreements transfer the legal ownership of the land to the sponsor. The farmer retains full title and ownership rights throughout the entire contract period.
Q77. Match the Corporate Sponsors listed in List I with their Associated Contract Farming Crops in India in List II and select the correct answer using the options given below:
| Corporate Sponsors | Crops |
|---|---|
| A. PepsiCo | i. Poultry |
| B. SABMiller | ii. Extra Long Staple Cotton |
| C. Appachi Cotton | iii. Barley |
| D. Suguna Foods | iv. Potato |
Explanation
Several corporate entities in India use contract farming for their supply chains. PepsiCo is well-known for its work with potato farmers. SABMiller has engaged in barley procurement for its brewing operations. Appachi Cotton has focused on extra-long-staple varieties, while Suguna Foods is a major player in the integrated poultry sector, working closely with rural farmers.
Q78. What is the primary reason that small and marginal farmers are often excluded from contract farming arrangements by corporate sponsors?
Explanation
Small and marginal farmers often face exclusion from contract farming because managing a large number of individual smallholders involves high transaction costs for corporate sponsors. Companies often find it more efficient to deal with a few large farmers or organized groups rather than numerous individuals, making it difficult for the smallest cultivators to access these commercial opportunities.
Q79. Consider the following potential advantages of contract farming for the sponsor (buying company):
I. Assured supply of raw materials at an agreed time.
II. Guaranteed consistency and quality of agricultural produce.
III. Protection from sudden fluctuations in open market prices.
IV. Relief from the physical labor and direct supervision of farming operations.
V. Elimination of the need to maintain their own large agricultural estates.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. Assured supply of raw materials at an agreed time.
II. Guaranteed consistency and quality of agricultural produce.
III. Protection from sudden fluctuations in open market prices.
IV. Relief from the physical labor and direct supervision of farming operations.
V. Elimination of the need to maintain their own large agricultural estates.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Sponsors benefit from contract farming through an assured supply of raw materials and consistent quality of produce. It protects them from open market price volatility and removes the need to directly manage large agricultural estates. By shifting the physical labor and daily supervision to the farmers, companies can focus on processing and marketing while maintaining a reliable supply chain.
Q80. Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, eligible farmer families are provided an income support of how much amount per year?
Explanation
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme provides direct financial assistance to eligible farmer families across India. Under this central sector scheme, beneficiaries receive an annual income support of six thousand rupees. This amount is transferred directly into their bank accounts in three equal installments of two thousand rupees each, helping them meet various agricultural and domestic expenses.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 71 | (a) It is a pan-India electronic trading portal that networks existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market. |
| 72 | (c) Provision to completely dismantle physical market yards and shift solely to online trade. |
| 73 | (c) Statement I is true but Statement II is false. |
| 74 | (a) I, II and IV only |
| 75 | (b) Producing and supplying agricultural products under forward agreements at predetermined prices. |
| 76 | (c) The agreement inherently transfers the legal ownership title of the farmer’s land to the sponsoring company. |
| 77 | (a) A-iv, B-iii, C-ii, D-i |
| 78 | (a) High transaction costs associated with managing numerous small individual landholders. |
| 79 | (d) I, II, III, IV and V |
| 80 | (b) 6,000 in three equal installments |
Key facts from Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms
- Agriculture and allied sectors contribute about 18.3 per cent of India’s Gross Value Added.
- Madras was the first State in independent India to legislate for the abolition of the Zamindari system.
- The Rajasthan Tenancy Act, which gave statutory rights to tenants, was passed in 1955.
- Consolidation of holdings, which joins fragmented parcels into a compact block, has been most successful in Punjab and Haryana.
- The 97th Amendment Act, 2011 gave constitutional status to cooperative societies.
- M. S. Swaminathan is the chief architect of the Green Revolution, whose first phase was mainly confined to wheat and rice.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms?
This page has 99 practice MCQs on Agricultural Development: Institutional, Technological Aspects and Reforms (Indian Economy). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
What is the objective of consolidation of landholdings?
To amalgamate fragmented parcels of land into a single compact block. It reduces the cost of cultivation, saves time and makes irrigation and mechanisation easier, and it has worked best in Punjab and Haryana.
Which amendment gave constitutional status to cooperative societies?
The 97th Amendment Act of 2011. It made the right to form cooperative societies a fundamental right under Article 19 and added a Directive Principle on promoting them.
Who is the father of the Green Revolution in India?
M. S. Swaminathan is widely regarded as the chief architect of the Green Revolution in India. The first phase, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, was largely limited to wheat and rice in irrigated areas.