🏛️ Legacy IAS – Bangalore | UPSC Civil Services Coaching
Agriculture & Farmer Welfare Schemes
GS Paper III – Indian Economy | All Major Agriculture Schemes | Updated with Current Affairs 2024–25 | PYQs + MCQs
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Quick Reference
Income Support
Crop Insurance
Irrigation
Market Access
Soil & Organic
Food Security
Social Security
Umbrella Schemes
Current Affairs
Mains PYQs
Practice MCQs
1. Quick Reference — All Major Schemes
| Scheme | Year | Ministry | Key Focus | Key Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM-KISAN | 2018 (operational 2019) | Agriculture | Income support to farmers | ₹6,000/yr; ~9.8 Cr beneficiaries (19th installment) |
| PMFBY | 2016 | Agriculture | Crop insurance | 4.19 Cr farmers (2024-25); ₹1.83 lakh Cr claims paid |
| PMKSY | 2015 | Jal Shakti | Irrigation — Har Khet Ko Pani | Amalgamates AIBP, IWMP, OFWM |
| PM-AASHA | 2018 | Agriculture | MSP-based price support | PSS + PDPS + PPPS components |
| PM-KMY | 2019 | Agriculture | Farmer pension at 60 | ₹3,000/month; ≤2 ha farmers; age 18–40 |
| e-NAM | 2016 | Agriculture | Online agricultural market | 1,000+ mandis; SFAC as lead agency |
| RKVY-RAFTAAR | 2007 (restructured 2017) | Agriculture | Holistic agri development | 60:40 (Centre:State); 90:10 for NE |
| NFSM | 2007 | Agriculture | Food grain production | Rice, Wheat, Pulses, Coarse cereals, Commercial crops |
| PMKSY-PKVY | 2015 | Agriculture | Organic farming clusters | ₹20,000/acre/3 yrs; 50+ farmer clusters |
| Soil Health Card | 2015 | Agriculture | Soil nutrient advisory | 12 parameters; card every 3 years; 22 Cr+ issued |
| MIDH | 2014 | Agriculture | Horticulture development | Horticulture output surpassed foodgrains |
| PSF | 2014 | Consumer Affairs | Price volatility control | Onion, Potato, Pulses; interest-free loans to states |
| NMSA | 2014 | Agriculture | Sustainable/climate-resilient agri | Under NAPCC; integrates MGNREGS, IWMP, RKVY |
2. Income Support Schemes
What it is: Income support of ₹6,000 per year to all land-holding farmer families, transferred directly to bank accounts in three installments of ₹2,000 each.
- Eligibility: All landholder farmer families — husband, wife, and minor children — regardless of landholding size (initially only small/marginal; universalised in 2019)
- Exclusion: Income taxpayers, institutional landholders, government employees (above a threshold), constitutional post-holders
- Identification: State/UT governments identify eligible families from land records; list published at village level for transparency
- Technology: PM-KISAN Portal + mobile app with AI chatbot (integrated with Bhashini for multilingual support); mandatory e-KYC and Aadhaar-bank linkage
- Progress (2024-25): 19th installment released February 24, 2025 — ~9.8 crore farmers; ₹22,000 crore disbursed. Total disbursed since inception: ₹4.09 lakh crore+ (21 installments)
- Coverage: Originally targeted 14.5 crore farmers; current active beneficiaries ~9.3–9.8 crore after e-KYC based de-duplication
- Key limitation: Excludes tenant farmers and sharecroppers (not landholder families on land records)
UPSC Trap: PM-KISAN was operationalised from December 1, 2018 (retrospectively), though formally announced in Interim Budget 2019. It is a Central Sector scheme (100% central funding), not Centrally Sponsored. The 19th installment (Feb 2025) reached ~9.8 crore farmers — not the originally targeted 14.5 crore, due to e-KYC based verification cleaning out ineligible beneficiaries.
What it is: Umbrella scheme to ensure farmers receive remunerative MSP prices for their produce, announced in Union Budget 2018. Comprises three components:
- 1. Price Support Scheme (PSS): Physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra by central nodal agencies (NAFED, FCI) with proactive State Government role. Central Government bears all procurement costs and losses.
- 2. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS): Covers all oilseeds with notified MSP. Difference between MSP and market/modal price paid directly to pre-registered farmers' bank accounts. No physical procurement involved.
- 3. Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS) — Pilot: Private agencies procure at MSP in selected districts when market prices fall below MSP. Maximum service charge: 15% of notified MSP.
UPSC Key: PDPS does NOT involve physical procurement — it is a direct cash transfer for the price difference. This makes PDPS different from PSS. PSS covers pulses, oilseeds, copra; PDPS covers all oilseeds. PM-AASHA does NOT cover rice and wheat — those continue under TPDS/FCI procurement.
3. Crop Insurance — PMFBY
What it is: Government-sponsored crop insurance scheme covering farmers against crop loss from natural disasters, pests, and diseases. Replaced NAIS and MNAIS. Follows "One Nation – One Crop – One Premium" principle.
- Premium rates (farmer's share): 2% for Kharif crops; 1.5% for Rabi crops; 5% for Horticulture/Commercial crops
- Premium subsidy: Difference between actuarial premium and farmer's share shared equally by Centre and State (50:50). No upper limit on subsidy — farmers get full sum insured.
- Optionality (2020 amendment): Made optional for both loanee and non-loanee farmers (earlier mandatory for loanee farmers taking crop loans)
- Risks covered: Natural fires, lightning, storms, hailstorms, cyclones, floods, droughts, dry spells, pests, diseases, post-harvest losses (up to 14 days), prevented sowing (up to 25% of sum insured)
- Technology: Drones, satellites, smartphones for rapid loss assessment; minimises manual crop-cutting experiments (CCEs)
- RWBCIS: Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme — continues alongside PMFBY; uses weather parameters (not actual yield) as proxy
- 4.19 crore farmers enrolled (2024-25) — 32% increase over 3.17 crore in 2022-23
- Total farmer applications since inception (2016–2024-25): 78.4 crore
- Claims paid: ₹1.83 lakh crore to 22.67 crore farmer applications
- Non-loanee applications: 522 lakh (2024-25) vs 20 lakh (2014-15) — massive voluntary uptake increase
- Now the world's largest crop insurance scheme by farmer applications
Critical Issue: States have been slow in premium subsidy release; many farmers faced delayed claims. 2020 amendment making scheme optional led to drop in some states. Premium cost has become a concern — states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand opted out of PMFBY at various points.
4. Irrigation — PMKSY
Vision: Extend irrigation coverage to every field ("Har Khet Ko Pani") and improve water-use efficiency ("More Crop Per Drop"). End-to-end solution from water source creation to field-level application.
- Formed by amalgamating 3 schemes: Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) + Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) + On-Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of NMSA
- Governance: National Steering Committee (NSC) under PM; National Executive Committee (NEC) under Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog
- Long-Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF): Set up under NABARD to fast-track completion of incomplete major and medium irrigation projects
- Per Drop More Crop (micro-irrigation): Promotes drip and sprinkler irrigation — funded under PMKSY
- AIBP: Focuses on completing long-pending major and medium irrigation projects (99 projects identified initially)
- Water budgeting for agriculture, households, and industries
- Explores use of treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture
UPSC Key: PMKSY is implemented jointly by Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Rural Development. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) for solar pumps complements PMKSY by decarbonising irrigation. Under PM-KUSUM, solar-powered irrigation pumps replace diesel pumps.
5. Market Access & Infrastructure
What it is: Pan-India electronic trading portal networking existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. Provides single-window service for all APMC-related information and services.
- Lead agency: Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC)
- Software: Provided free by Central Government to states; grant of up to ₹30 lakh per mandi for equipment and infrastructure
- Funding: Agrotech Infrastructure Fund (AITF)
- Features: Mobile app, BHIM payment facility, MIS dashboard, grievance redressal, integration with Farmer Database, soil testing services, assaying lab for quality grading
- Coverage: 1,000+ mandis integrated across India
- Key reform: Enables inter-mandi (cross-state) and FPO-level trading; promotes cashless transactions and transparent price discovery
- Beneficiaries: Farmers, local traders, bulk buyers, processors, exporters
Limitation: e-NAM's success is constrained by: (1) States not willing to amend APMC Acts to allow trading outside mandis; (2) Poor internet connectivity in rural areas; (3) Non-standardisation of quality grading and assaying; (4) Resistance from commission agents (arthiyas). Most transactions still physical.
RAFTAAR = Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation. Gives states flexibility and autonomy to plan agriculture development based on local agro-climatic conditions.
- Fund allocation: 60:40 (Centre:State); 90:10 for NE and Himalayan states
- Post-2017 focus: Pre- and post-harvest infrastructure; agri-entrepreneurship; innovation; agri-startups
- Decentralised planning: State Agriculture Plans (SAPs) and District Agriculture Plans (DAPs) — bottom-up approach
- RAFTAAR streams: (1) Infrastructure & Assets + Production Growth; (2) National Priority sub-schemes for Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneur Development
- Youth focus: Agri-clinics, agri-business centres, start-up incubation through RKVY-RAFTAAR agri-startups
- Incentivises states to increase allocation for agriculture and allied sectors
What it is: Government-launched digital platform connecting farmers, FPOs, and logistics service providers for transportation of agricultural and horticultural produce.
- Connects farm gates to regulated markets, FPO centres, village haats (GrAMs), warehouses, railway stations, airports, processing units, wholesale and retail markets
- Helps reduce post-harvest losses by ensuring timely, efficient transport
- Improves supply chain efficiency; enhances farmer income through better market access
6. Soil Health, Organic Farming & Sustainable Agriculture
What it is: Provides farmers with crop-wise, farm-specific soil nutrient status and fertiliser recommendations, aimed at promoting judicious nutrient management and reducing input costs.
- 12 parameters tested: Macronutrients: N, P, K | Secondary nutrient: S | Micronutrients: Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo | Physical: pH, EC, OC
- Cards issued to all farmers every three years
- Crop-wise recommendations specific to each farm's soil condition
- Implemented across all states and UTs by Department of Agriculture
- Strengthens Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs); collaborates with ICAR and SAUs
- Over 22 crore Soil Health Cards issued since launch
Significance: India uses 3–4 times more fertiliser per unit of output compared to developed countries — largely due to overuse of urea. Soil Health Cards promote rational, balanced fertiliser use, reducing input costs while maintaining or improving productivity. Linked to PM's "Dharti Mata" initiative for soil health.
What it is: Promotes organic farming through cluster-based approach under the Soil Health Management (SHM) component of NMSA. Uses Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification.
- Cluster formation: 50+ farmers forming a cluster with minimum 50 acres of land
- Target: 10,000 clusters covering 5 lakh acres in 3 years
- Financial support: ₹20,000 per acre over 3 years — covers seeds, crop harvesting, transport to market
- No certification cost on farmers — PKVY funds PGS certification
- PGS Certification: Participatory Guarantee System — community-based, peer verification (not third-party certification like NPOP)
- Promotes traditional resources, organic input production; links certified produce to markets
- Beneficiaries: Organic farmers, especially NE states (Sikkim model), food processing and export sectors
Sikkim Connection: Sikkim became the world's first fully organic state in 2016 — a landmark achievement supported by PKVY and state-level organic farming policies. PKVY uses the cluster approach for both organic conversion and market access — avoiding the high cost of individual NPOP certification.
What it is: One of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). Focuses on climate-resilient agriculture, especially in rainfed areas, through integrated farming, water efficiency, and soil health.
- Key components: Integrated Farming Systems; efficient water management; soil health management; capacity building
- Coordinates with NFSM, National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), and National Mission on Agriculture Extension & Technology (NMAET)
- Tests pilot models in selected blocks using MGNREGS, IWMP, RKVY resources
- PKVY and Soil Health Management (SHM) are sub-components
- Promotes "More Crop Per Drop" — water-use efficiency in rainfed agriculture
7. Food Security & Production Missions
What it is: Centrally Sponsored Scheme to overcome stagnating food grain production and address rising consumption needs. Bridges yield gaps through improved technologies and better farm management.
- 5 components: NFSM-Rice | NFSM-Wheat | NFSM-Pulses | NFSM-Coarse Cereals | NFSM-Commercial Crops
- Targets districts with high potential but relatively low current productivity
- Rejuvenates soil fertility; distributes seeds, micro-nutrients, farm machinery
- Focus on pulses and coarse cereals (under-supported compared to rice and wheat under MSP)
- India is world's largest pulse producer but still imports 3-4 MT annually — NFSM-Pulses addresses this
What it is: Umbrella scheme integrating the earlier National Horticulture Mission (NHM, 2005), Horticulture Mission for NE & Himalayan States (HMNEH), and other horticulture schemes.
- India: 2nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables globally
- Milestone: Under MIDH, horticulture production first surpassed food grain production — ~351 MT vs ~330 MT
- Supports cold chain, post-harvest management, packhouses, nurseries
- Region-specific strategies; special focus on NE states and hilly areas
- Promotes export of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices
- Fund allocation: 85:15 (Centre:State) in general areas; 100% Centre for NE and Himalayan states
What it is: Fund to regulate price volatility of critical agri-horticultural commodities. Originally (2014) under DAC&FW; transferred to Department of Consumer Affairs (DOCA) in 2016.
- Initially: Onion and Potato only; Pulses added later
- Provides interest-free loans to State Governments and central agencies for procurement and distribution
- Losses in operations shared between Centre and States
- Managed by Price Stabilisation Fund Management Committee (PSFMC)
- Operates through direct procurement from farmers/farmer organisations at farm gate/mandi
8. Social Security for Farmers
What it is: Voluntary, contributory pension scheme providing social security to small and marginal farmers (landholding up to 2 hectares) upon reaching age 60.
- Pension: ₹3,000 per month on reaching age 60
- Eligibility: Small and Marginal Farmers (≤2 ha land); age 18–40 years at entry
- Monthly contribution: ₹55–₹200 depending on entry age (matched equally by Central Government)
- Equal government contribution into Pension Fund (Life Insurance Corporation of India manages the fund)
- Voluntary — farmer's choice; no mandatory enrollment
- Excludes farmers covered under EPFO, ESIC, NPS, or receiving pension from another government scheme
UPSC Trap: PM-KMY is for Small and Marginal Farmers (≤2 ha) and targets age group 18–40 — not all farmers. PM-KISAN, by contrast, covers all landholder farmers. The two schemes work together — PM-KISAN income support during farming years; PM-KMY pension in retirement.
9. Umbrella Schemes — Krishonnati Yojana
🌿 Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana (2016)
Consolidates 12 sub-schemes/missions for holistic, scientific development of agriculture and allied sectors, aimed at increasing farmers' income through enhanced production, productivity, and better market returns.
- Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
- National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)
- National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
- Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE) — includes ATMA
- Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP)
- Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM)
- Sub-Mission on Plant Protection & Plant Quarantine (SMPPQ)
- Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics & Statistics (ISACES)
- Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC)
- Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM)
- National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGP-A)
Why Umbrella Schemes? Pre-2016, India had dozens of standalone agriculture schemes with overlapping objectives, duplicated expenditure, and fragmented delivery. Umbrella schemes ensure convergence of resources, unified monitoring, and holistic outcomes across the entire agri-value chain — from seeds to market.
10. Current Affairs 2024–25 High Priority
PM-KISAN
💰 PM-KISAN 19th Installment — February 24, 2025
- PM Modi released 19th installment at Bhagalpur, Bihar — ~9.8 crore farmers; ₹22,000 crore disbursed
- Total disbursed since inception (21 installments by Nov 2025): ₹4.09 lakh crore+ to 11 crore+ farmer families
- Mandatory e-KYC + Aadhaar-bank linkage + Farmer Registry now required for enrollment
- AI Chatbot on PM-KISAN app (integrated with Bhashini — multilingual support) launched for farmer grievances
- Integration with Digital Agriculture Mission's Farmer Registry (Agristack) — Farmer ID linked to PM-KISAN benefits
PMFBY
🛡️ PMFBY — World's Largest Crop Insurance (2024-25)
- 4.19 crore farmers enrolled in 2024-25 — highest since inception; 32% increase over 2022-23
- Total claims paid since 2016: ₹1.83 lakh crore to 22.67 crore farmer applications
- Non-loanee farmer applications: 522 lakh (2024-25) vs 20 lakh (2014-15) — voluntary uptake growing
- PMFBY now world's largest crop insurance scheme by farmer applications
- Technology push: Yield estimation via satellite, remote sensing, drones replacing manual crop-cutting experiments (CCEs)
- WINDS (Weather Information Network Data Systems) portal — provides hyper-local weather data to improve claim settlement accuracy
PM-KUSUM
☀️ PM-KUSUM — Solar Energy for Agriculture
- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan — three components: solar pumps for farmers, solarisation of grid-connected pumps, agro-solar power plants on barren land
- Aims to replace diesel-powered irrigation pumps → reduces farmer input cost; generates additional income via solar power sale
- Target: 35 lakh solar pumps + 15 lakh grid-connected solar pumps + 10,000 MW decentralised solar plants
- Complements PMKSY's irrigation coverage with energy-efficient, climate-friendly pumping
- Budget 2024-25 enhanced allocations for PM-KUSUM under energy-agriculture convergence
Agristack
💻 Agristack & Farmer Registry — Digital Agriculture Mission 2024
- Digital Agriculture Mission (approved September 2024, ₹2,817 crore) — creates Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture
- Agristack: Farmer Registry (Farmer ID linked to land records, Aadhaar); Geo-referenced village maps; digital crop sowing data
- Target: 11 crore Farmer IDs — 6 crore in 2024-25, 3 crore in 2025-26, 2 crore in 2026-27
- Farmer ID integrates PM-KISAN, soil health cards, PMFBY enrollment — reduces duplication; improves targeting
- Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES): GPS/drone-based yield estimation replacing manual CCEs in 400 districts (2024-25)
e-NAM
🏪 e-NAM Expansion & FPO Integration
- 1,000+ mandis integrated across India; farmers can trade remotely without physical presence at mandi
- FPO (Farmer Producer Organisation) module added — 10,000 FPOs being linked to e-NAM for collective bargaining
- Integration with WDRA (Warehouse Development and Regulatory Authority) — pledge-based financing against warehouse receipts for farmers
- Commodity-wise quality parameters standardised for grading; quality-based price discovery improving
New Scheme
🌿 National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) — November 2024
- Budget: ₹2,481 crore; promoted as standalone scheme separate from PKVY
- Target: 1 crore farmers across 15,000 clusters; 10,000 Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs)
- Promotes Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) — uses indigenous cow dung/urine-based inputs: Jeevamrit, Bijamrit
- Builds on Andhra Pradesh's ZBNF success (~7 lakh farmers by 2021)
- Reduces chemical input cost; improves soil health; complements PKVY and NMSA goals
11. UPSC Mains PYQs
10 Marks
⏱ ~12 minutes | 150 words
GS Paper IIIAgriculture2019
Explain the significance of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). What are the key concerns in its implementation?
Introduction: PMFBY — launched 2016 as flagship crop insurance; now world's largest by farmer applications (4.19 crore, 2024-25); replaced NAIS and MNAIS.
Significance:
Significance:
- Low premium burden: 2% (Kharif), 1.5% (Rabi), 5% (Horticulture) — democratises insurance access
- Full sum insured without deduction — no cap on government subsidy
- Covers wide risks: natural disasters, pests, diseases, post-harvest losses (14 days), prevented sowing
- Technology integration: drones, remote sensing, WINDS portal — faster claims
- Non-loanee farmer inclusion: 522 lakh in 2024-25 vs 20 lakh in 2014-15 — voluntary uptake growth
- Claims paid: ₹1.83 lakh crore to 22.67 crore applications since 2016
- Delayed claims: State premium subsidy arrears cause insurance companies to delay payouts
- State opt-outs: Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal exited PMFBY — high premium cost
- 2020 optionality: Making scheme optional reduced coverage in some states; loanee farmers now not compulsorily enrolled
- Crop-cutting experiments (CCEs): Manual CCEs still widespread; technology replacement slow
- Exclusion of tenant farmers and sharecroppers from formal insurance access
- Awareness gap: Most non-loanee farmers unaware of enrollment procedures
15 Marks
⏱ ~18 minutes | 200 words
GS Paper III2022Farmers' Income
Discuss the various government initiatives aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to farmers and improving their income. Critically evaluate their effectiveness.
Introduction: Doubling Farmers' Income (DFI) by 2022 (Ashok Dalwai Committee) → Viksit Bharat by 2047 target. Multiple interventions across income support, price support, insurance, and market access.
Key Initiatives:
Way Forward: FPO strengthening; agri-logistics improvement; Agristack for targeted delivery; natural farming to reduce input costs; crop diversification away from rice-wheat monoculture.
Key Initiatives:
- PM-KISAN: ₹6,000/yr direct income support; 9.8 crore beneficiaries; ₹4.09 lakh crore+ disbursed. Limitation: Excludes tenants; fixed amount eroded by inflation; doesn't incentivise production improvement.
- MSP + PM-AASHA: MSP raised annually (CACP recommendation → CCEA approval); PM-AASHA (PSS, PDPS, PPPS) ensures MSP reaches farmers. Limitation: Only ~6% of farmers actually sell at MSP (NSSO data); concentrated in wheat/rice; pulses/oilseeds procurement sporadic.
- PMFBY: Risk coverage for crop loss; ₹1.83 lakh crore claims paid. Limitation: Delayed claims; state opt-outs; excludes tenants.
- PMKSY: Irrigation expansion; micro-irrigation efficiency. Limitation: Slow project completion; groundwater exploitation in irrigated areas.
- e-NAM: Transparent price discovery; 1,000+ mandis. Limitation: Poor adoption; APMC resistance; digital literacy gap.
- RKVY-RAFTAAR: Post-harvest infrastructure, agri-entrepreneurship. Limitation: States vary widely in utilisation.
Way Forward: FPO strengthening; agri-logistics improvement; Agristack for targeted delivery; natural farming to reduce input costs; crop diversification away from rice-wheat monoculture.
10 Marks
⏱ ~12 minutes | 150 words
GS Paper III2021Water
"The PMKSY scheme follows a demand-driven approach to irrigation development." Comment. Discuss the key features and challenges of PMKSY.
Demand-Driven Approach: Unlike earlier supply-driven irrigation projects (centrally directed), PMKSY invests at the farm level — farmers provide feedback on water availability and needs through local-level planning. District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) and State Irrigation Plans (SIPs) guide resource allocation based on actual demand, not bureaucratic targets.
Key Features:
Key Features:
- Amalgamates AIBP, IWMP, OFWM — single programme, unified command
- "Har Khet Ko Pani" — expand irrigated area; "More Crop Per Drop" — micro-irrigation efficiency
- Long-Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) under NABARD — fast-track stalled projects
- PM-KUSUM integration — solar pumps replace diesel irrigation
- Water budgeting across agriculture, households, industries
- Slow completion of long-pending irrigation projects (of 99 AIBP projects, many remain incomplete)
- Focus on micro-irrigation excludes majority of small farmers who lack investment capacity
- Inter-state water disputes complicate basin-level coordination
- Groundwater overextraction in already-irrigated areas (Punjab, Haryana) worsens despite PMKSY
- Forest clearance delays for watershed projects in tribal/hilly areas
12. Practice MCQs — Agriculture Schemes
Q 1
Consider the following statements about PM-KISAN:
1. PM-KISAN provides ₹6,000 per year in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each to all land-holding farmer families.
2. The scheme was originally restricted to small and marginal farmers (up to 2 hectares) but was later universalised to cover all farmers.
3. PM-KISAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with cost sharing between Centre and States.
4. Tenant farmers and sharecroppers who do not own cultivable land are excluded from the scheme.
Which are CORRECT?
1. PM-KISAN provides ₹6,000 per year in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each to all land-holding farmer families.
2. The scheme was originally restricted to small and marginal farmers (up to 2 hectares) but was later universalised to cover all farmers.
3. PM-KISAN is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with cost sharing between Centre and States.
4. Tenant farmers and sharecroppers who do not own cultivable land are excluded from the scheme.
Which are CORRECT?
Statement 3 is WRONG: PM-KISAN is a Central Sector scheme — 100% funded by the Government of India. It is NOT a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (which involves Centre-State cost sharing). This is a frequent UPSC trap — the distinction between "Central Sector" (100% Centre) and "Centrally Sponsored" (shared funding) matters. Statements 1 ✅ (₹6,000/yr in 3 installments of ₹2,000), 2 ✅ (originally small/marginal farmers only; universalised to all landholder families in 2019), and 4 ✅ (tenant farmers/sharecroppers excluded as they don't appear in land records — a key equity criticism) are all correct. Correct answer: (b).
Q 2
Which of the following correctly describes the three components of PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanRakshan Abhiyan)?
PM-AASHA (2018) has three components: PSS — physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra by NAFED/FCI at MSP; PDPS — no physical procurement; difference between MSP and market price transferred directly to pre-registered farmers' bank accounts (covers all notified oilseeds); PPPS (pilot) — private agencies procure at MSP in selected districts; service charge ≤15% of MSP. Key distinctions: PSS involves physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds, copra; PDPS is cashless (only oilseeds); PPPS involves private sector participation. PM-AASHA does NOT cover rice/wheat procurement — those continue under TPDS/FCI framework. Correct answer: (b).
Q 3
With reference to PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana), consider the following:
1. Farmers pay 2% premium for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for horticultural crops.
2. There is an upper limit on government subsidy — farmers can only claim up to 75% of the sum insured.
3. The scheme was made optional for loanee farmers (taking crop loans) from 2020.
4. The Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) was replaced by PMFBY.
Which are CORRECT?
1. Farmers pay 2% premium for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for horticultural crops.
2. There is an upper limit on government subsidy — farmers can only claim up to 75% of the sum insured.
3. The scheme was made optional for loanee farmers (taking crop loans) from 2020.
4. The Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) was replaced by PMFBY.
Which are CORRECT?
Statement 2 is WRONG: There is NO upper limit on government subsidy — farmers can claim against the full sum insured without any reduction. This is a core feature of PMFBY distinguishing it from earlier schemes (NAIS had a cap). Statement 4 is WRONG: PMFBY replaced NAIS (National Agriculture Insurance Scheme) and MNAIS (Modified NAIS). The Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) continues alongside PMFBY — it was NOT replaced. RWBCIS uses weather parameters as a proxy for yield estimation, different from PMFBY's actual yield-based assessment. Statements 1 ✅ (correct premium rates) and 3 ✅ (2020 amendment made PMFBY optional even for loanee farmers — a major policy change) are correct. Correct answer: (c).
Q 4
Which of the following schemes was formed by amalgamating the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), and On-Farm Water Management (OFWM)?
PMKSY (2015) was specifically formed by amalgamating three existing schemes: (1) AIBP — for completing major/medium irrigation projects; (2) IWMP — for watershed development; (3) OFWM component of NMSA — for on-farm water management and micro-irrigation. This amalgamation ended fragmentation — earlier, irrigation projects were funded through multiple programmes with separate bureaucratic channels. PMKSY brings them under one platform with two clear goals: "Har Khet Ko Pani" (coverage) and "More Crop Per Drop" (efficiency). The Long-Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) under NABARD was additionally created to fast-track stalled projects. Correct answer: (c).
Q 5
Consider the following about Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY):
1. PKVY is a flagship scheme under the Soil Health Management (SHM) component of NMSA.
2. Under PKVY, clusters of 50+ farmers covering at least 50 acres adopt organic farming together.
3. PKVY uses NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) certification — a third-party certification system.
4. Financial support under PKVY is ₹20,000 per acre over three years for seeds, harvesting, and market transport.
Which are CORRECT?
1. PKVY is a flagship scheme under the Soil Health Management (SHM) component of NMSA.
2. Under PKVY, clusters of 50+ farmers covering at least 50 acres adopt organic farming together.
3. PKVY uses NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production) certification — a third-party certification system.
4. Financial support under PKVY is ₹20,000 per acre over three years for seeds, harvesting, and market transport.
Which are CORRECT?
Statement 3 is WRONG: PKVY uses PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) certification — a community-based, peer-verification system where farmers in the cluster certify each other. This is NOT NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production), which involves costly third-party certification by accredited agencies. PGS was specifically chosen for PKVY because it is low-cost and community-driven, removing the barrier of expensive individual certification for small farmers. NPOP is typically used for export-oriented organic produce. Statements 1 ✅ (PKVY is under SHM-NMSA), 2 ✅ (50+ farmers, 50 acres minimum per cluster), and 4 ✅ (₹20,000/acre/3 years) are correct. Correct answer: (c).
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