120. Which programme directly rewards tree planting and environmental restoration through green credits?
[SSC CGL Tier I 2025]
A. Soil Health Card
B. Green Credit Programme
C. PM-AASHA
D. PMFBY
Answer: B. Green Credit Programme
Explanation: The Green Credit Programme is an environmental incentive framework for specified voluntary activities. Plantation and ecological restoration are among its central elements; it is not itself a crop-insurance or agricultural procurement policy.
119. Why did NABARD and ICAR enter a collaborative agreement in 2025?
[RRB Group D 2025]
A. Urban heat mapping
B. Climate-resilient farming
C. Emergency policing
D. Commercial banking web design
Answer: B. Climate-resilient farming
Explanation: The partnership sought to combine agricultural research and rural financial or development institutions to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture. Adaptation is particularly important for farmers facing uncertain rainfall, extreme temperatures and changing pest pressures.
118. Put Rajasthan’s gross fixed capital formation sectors in descending order by share: construction, manufacturing, agriculture and mining.
[RPSC RAS Prelims 2025]
A. Manufacturing, Mining, Agriculture, Construction
B. Construction, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Mining
C. Construction, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining
D. Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining, Construction
Answer: C. Construction, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining
Explanation: The Rajasthan Economic Review sectoral data place construction first in capital formation, followed by manufacturing and agricultural activities; mining is lower among the four. Gross fixed capital formation records investment in long-lived productive assets rather than current output.
117. Which portal was described as integrating several agriculture schemes across Union ministries in 2025?
[RRB Group D 2025]
A. Krishi Nivesh
B. FarmOne
C. Kisan Setu
D. AgriConnect
Answer: A. Krishi Nivesh
Explanation: Krishi Nivesh was presented as a one-stop interface for agriculture-related investment and scheme information. A consolidated portal can make programmes easier for prospective investors, farmers and rural enterprises to locate.
116. Which crop was associated with British colonial plantation expansion among peasants of Assam?
[SSC CHSL 2025]
A. Cotton
B. Tea
C. Wheat
D. Rice
Answer: B. Tea
Explanation: Tea became a central plantation crop in Assam under colonial rule. Commercial plantation development reorganised land use and labour to serve external demand, leaving a lasting imprint on the regional agricultural economy.
115. Which is a typical kharif crop among rice, wheat, watermelon and mustard?
[SSC CHSL 2025]
A. Rice
B. Wheat
C. Watermelon
D. Mustard
Answer: A. Rice
Explanation: Rice is commonly sown with the southwest monsoon and harvested later in the rainy-season agricultural cycle. Wheat and mustard are major rabi crops, while watermelon is often associated with the summer zaid season.
114. India is a member of the International Grains Council; is Council membership mandatory for importing or exporting rice and wheat? Select the correct combination.
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2024]
A. India member only
B. Mandatory membership only
C. Both statements true
D. Neither statement true
Answer: A. India member only
Explanation: India participates in the International Grains Council, which provides grain-market information and cooperation. Council membership is not a legal prerequisite for a country to buy or sell wheat or rice internationally.
113. Under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme, which are correct:
1. Fully centrally funded;
2. Cadastral maps digitised;
3. Records of Rights transliteration into constitutionally recognised Indian languages initiated?
[UPSC CSE Prelims 2024]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. All three
Answer: D. All three
Explanation: The modernisation programme uses central funding to computerise land records, digitise cadastral maps and improve access to Records of Rights. Multilingual transliteration can make records easier for citizens across language boundaries.
112. What economically justifies subsidies for agricultural production?
[SSC CGL Tier I 2024]
A. Benefits only machinery companies
B. Rewards primarily wealthy farmers
C. Represents service-sector spending
D. Promotes technology adoption and lowers cultivation costs
Answer: D. Promotes technology adoption and lowers cultivation costs
Explanation: Support for inputs such as seeds, power and fertiliser can reduce costs faced by cultivators. It also encourages adopting improved agricultural technology, though poorly designed subsidies may create distortions and environmental costs.
111. In the State List of the Seventh Schedule, which subjects concerning agricultural land fall within State jurisdiction:
1. Tax on agricultural income;
2. Duties on succession to agricultural land;
3. Estate duty on agricultural land?
[UPSC CDS (General Knowledge) 2024]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: The Seventh Schedule allocates taxes on agricultural income, succession duties involving agricultural land and estate duty involving such land to State legislative powers. Constitutional division of taxation distinguishes agricultural land from several non-agricultural taxation fields.
