Hon’ble Vice President of India to launch Letter of Authorisation for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas and Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission Document

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Rainfed Area Development (RAD) scheme explicitly promotes Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) rather than monoculture. It integrates multi-cropping and rotational cropping with allied activities like horticulture, livestock, fishery, and agro-forestry to diversify income and build resilience. Official guidelines actively discourage single-cropping (monoculture) systems. Statement 2 is Incorrect: As the name implies, RAD targets rainfed areas (regions lacking assured irrigation) to build resilience against climate variability. It does not focus on expanding water-intensive crops like rice in already irrigated regions. Statement 3 is Correct: The core objective of RAD is to make rainfed agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative, and climate-resilient. By diversifying income sources through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS), RAD aims to minimize the risks associated with climatic variability (such as droughts, heat stress, or floods) and crop failure, ensuring stable livelihoods for farmers. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations guides its global work through a strategic framework aimed at supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The core organizing principle of this framework is the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems to achieve the "Four Betters". The "Four Betters" are officially defined as:
1. Better Production: Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.
2. Better Nutrition: Ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving access to healthy diets.
3. Better Environment: Protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
4. Better Life: Promoting inclusive economic growth and reducing inequalities, leaving no one behind. The Blue Transformation is a specific FAO vision and programmatic priority area that aims to secure and maximize the contribution of aquatic food systems (fisheries and aquaculture) to achieve these overarching "Four Betters". Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they include fabricated pillars such as "better ocean", "better coral reefs", "better estuaries", or "better mangrove vegetation", which are not part of the FAO's official strategic framework. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

* The terms "kulyavapa" and "dronavapa" denote measurements of land used in ancient India. * Kulyavapa: This refers to the area of land required to sow one "kula" of grain. The exact amount of land a kula represented could vary depending on the region and type of grain. * Dronavapa: This signified the area required to sow one "drona" of grain. Similar to kula, the size of a drona could also vary based on location and grain type.

* The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) announces the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for certain staple crops and some key commercial crops. * Barley, Finger millet, Groundnut, and Sesamum are crops for which MSP is typically announced by the government. These are important food or oilseed crops and support farmer income. * Areca nut and Coffee are considered cash crops and MSP is generally not announced for them. * Turmeric can be classified as a spice crop, and MSP announcements for spices is not very common, Therefore, the most options for which CCEA announces MSP are 2, 4, 5 and 6.

✅ Statement I: Correct
India produces about 80% of the world’s turmeric and exports around 65% globally. ✅ Statement II: Correct
India grows over 30 turmeric varieties like Alleppey Finger, Erode, Sangli, Salem, Nizamabad, and Rajapore. ✅ Statement III: Correct
Major producing states include Telangana (largest), Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Correct Answer: (D) All statements are correct.

Out of the listed statements about the Soil Health Card Scheme : Statement 1 is Incorrect: Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation is not a primary objective of the scheme. Statement 2 is Incorrect: Banks don't directly use soil cards to assess loan quantum. Loan approvals depend on various factors like land ownership, crop type, and credit history. Statement 3 is Correct: A key objective of the scheme is to promote the judicious use of fertilisers. By informing farmers about their soil's nutrient status, the scheme encourages them to apply only the required amount of fertilisers, reducing overuse and potential environmental damage. Therefore, the correct answer is 3 only (checking the overuse of fertilisers in farmlands).Hence, option B is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is correct. The Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion aims to demonstrate improved production and post-harvest technologies in an integrated manner with a cluster approach. Statement 2 is also correct. Millets are mainly grown in regions of low annual rainfall and poor arid soil. It is inadequate, small, marginal and tribal farmers, who cannot afford costly irrigation practices, depend on the cultivation of millets. Hence these farmers benefit from the scheme and have a larger stake in this scheme. Statement 3 is not correct. There is no such provision to encourage commercial crop farmers to shift to millet cultivation.

✅ Statement I: Correct
*RGM aims to conserve indigenous breeds, benefiting small farmers and landless labourers by improving animal productivity.* ✅ Statement II: Correct
*Launched in December 2014, the mission promotes scientific breeding, genetic upgradation, and conservation of indigenous breeds.* Correct Answer: (C) Both Statements I and II are correct.

Public investment in agriculture refers to government expenditures aimed at improving the agricultural sector, including infrastructure development, technological improvements, and providing institutional support. Statement 1 is incorrect: Fixing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a policy decision, not an investment. While it affects the agricultural sector, it is not a direct public investment in terms of capital expenditure. Statement 2 is correct: The computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) is a public investment because it involves government funds directed towards modernizing agricultural credit systems, enhancing efficiency, and accessibility for farmers. Statement 3 is correct: Social Capital development is a public investment in agriculture, as it involves building networks and community-based resources that help farmers improve productivity and access to resources. Statement 4 is incorrect: Free electricity supply is more of a subsidy, not a direct public investment in the form of capital expenditure. Statement 5 is incorrect: Waiver of agricultural loans is a policy measure aimed at alleviating farmer debt but does not qualify as an investment in infrastructure or capital. Statement 6 is correct: The setting up of cold storage facilities by the government is a direct public investment aimed at improving agricultural infrastructure and reducing post-harvest losses. Hence, option C is the correct answer.

The question is asking about the raw materials that can be used for the production of biofuels according to India's National Policy on Biofuels. Cassava is a starch-rich root vegetable that can be used to produce biofuel. Damaged wheat grains, which are unfit for human consumption, can also be used to produce biofuel. Groundnut seeds are not mentioned in the National Policy on Biofuels as a raw material for biofuel production. Horse gram is also not mentioned in the National Policy on Biofuels as a raw material for biofuel production. Rotten potatoes, which are unfit for human consumption, can be used to produce biofuel. Sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and it is grown commercially for sugar production. It can also be used to produce biofuel. Therefore, according to India's National Policy on Biofuels, Cassava, Damaged wheat grains, Rotten potatoes, and Sugar beet can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels.

Statement 1 is correct. The article explicitly states, 'The Letter of Authorisation (LoA) is a mandatory provision under the Guidelines for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas by Indian-Flagged Fishing Vessels, 2025.' Statement 2 is incorrect. The article states, 'the LoA is vessel-specific, non-transferable'. Statement 3 is correct. The article mentions, 'Vessels issued with an LoA are required to comply with conservation and management measures prescribed by the relevant Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs)'.

The article states, 'The Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission (2026–2036) is a flagship Blue Economy initiative of the Government of Odisha aimed at unlocking the State’s offshore and deep-sea fisheries potential and establishing Odisha as a leading deep-sea fishing and marine export hub.' This directly aligns with option B.

The article highlights that the LoA initiative 'will strengthen Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and fisheries cooperatives by facilitating their participation in sustainable deep-sea and high-seas fisheries, enhancing access to high-value resources and creating greater income opportunities for fishers.' It also mentions 'enhancement of seafood exports, compliance with global sustainability standards and advancement of the national vision of a prosperous and inclusive Blue Economy.' Option B comprehensively covers these contributions.