Development of cold water fisheries

* 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.

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 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a government-sponsored crop insurance scheme. Statement 1 is Incorrect: Under this scheme, farmers have to pay a uniform premium of 2% for all Kharif crops, 1.5% for all Rabi crops, and 5% for commercial/horticultural crops. The premium rate is not uniform for all crops in all seasons. Statement 2 is Correct: The scheme does cover post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains. Hence, option B is the correct answer.

Araghatta, also known as the 'Persian wheel' or 'Norias', was a device used in medieval India for lifting water from wells or rivers for irrigation purposes. It typically consisted of a large wheel fitted with pots or buckets along its circumference. As the wheel rotated, the pots would fill with water from a water source and then empty into a trough, channel, or aqueduct for distribution to fields or other areas requiring irrigation.

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.

✅ 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.

✅ 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.

* Statement 1 is correct. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other agricultural databases, India does have more arable land than China. As of recent data, India's arable land is approximately 157 million hectares, whereas China's arable land is around 119 million hectares. * Statement 2 is incorrect. While India has a substantial amount of irrigated land, China has implemented extensive irrigation projects and has a higher proportion of its arable land irrigated. As a percentage of arable land, China's irrigated land is higher than that of India. * Statement 3 is also incorrect. China has a higher average agricultural productivity per hectare compared to India. This is due to several factors, including technological advancements, better infrastructure, and more effective agricultural practices in China.

* Statement 1 is correct. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2022, with an estimated 251 km3 annual withdrawal from an estimated 20 million wells and tube wells, India is the world's greatest groundwater user. This accounts for more than a quarter of the total groundwater extracted internationally. * Statement 2 is incorrect. India uses about 89% of this groundwater for irrigation. Major share of total groundwater extracted by India is utilised for irrigation purposes and not for drinking and sanitation purposes.

* 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 1 is correct. The article states PMMSY aims to address critical gaps in fish production, technology, post-harvest infrastructure, and fishers' welfare, including cold water fisheries. Statement 2 is incorrect. FIDF addresses infrastructure gaps in fisheries and aquaculture generally, not solely for deep-sea fishing vessels. The article mentions it addresses 'infrastructure gaps in fisheries and aquaculture'. Statement 3 is correct. The guidelines provide specifications for augmenting production of commercially important coldwater fish species like Rainbow Trout, Golden Mahseer and Snow Trout.

Statement 1 is correct. The article mentions promotion of emerging technologies such as RAS and Biofloc. Statement 2 is incorrect. ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research (ICAR-CICFR), Bhimtal, is responsible for developing intensive trout production and year-round breeding of Golden Mahseer. ICAR-CIFT, Kochi, has supported fish processing and Ready-to-Eat facilities. Statement 3 is correct. The article states that IoT-based water quality monitoring and digital market platforms are promoted for fish farmers in remote and mountainous regions.

The article explicitly mentions the notified clusters for cold water fisheries development as Anant Nag District in Jammu and Kashmir, Pithoragarh District in Uttarakhand, Kargil District in Ladakh, and Kullu District in Himachal Pradesh. Leh is not mentioned as a notified cluster, while Kargil is.