UPSC Prelims 2014 Q4: Indian Economy – Agriculture & Rural Development
Consider the following pairs: Programme/Project - Ministry
1. Drought - Prone Area Programme : Ministry of Agriculture
2. Desert Development Programme : Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas : Ministry of Rural Development
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 3 only
- (c) 1, 2 and 3
- (d) None
Answer: (d) None
Explanation
Programmes and their Ministries
| Pair | Verdict | Actual Ministry |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Drought-Prone Area Programme : Ministry of Agriculture | Incorrect | Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Resources) |
| 2. Desert Development Programme : Ministry of Environment and Forests | Incorrect | Ministry of Rural Development |
| 3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas : Ministry of Rural Development | Incorrect | Ministry of Agriculture |
The three programmes:
| Programme | Started | Aim |
|---|---|---|
| Drought-Prone Area Programme | 1973-74 | Reduce the impact of drought |
| Desert Development Programme | 1977-78 | Check desertification |
| National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas | 1990-91 | Raise rainfed farm output |
The first two were merged into the Integrated Watershed Management Programme in 2009.
Answer: (d) None.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Both programmes belong to the Ministry of Rural Development.
- (b) Incorrect. The rainfed watershed project is with the Ministry of Agriculture.
- (c) Incorrect. All three pairs are wrongly matched.
- (d) CORRECT. None of the pairs is correctly matched; the Ministries are swapped.
Key point
DPAP and DDP: Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Resources). NWDPRA: Ministry of Agriculture. DPAP and DDP merged into IWMP (2009).
Remember
DPAP and DDP = Rural Development; NWDPRA = Agriculture.
Common mistakes
- Guessing by subject: drought to Agriculture, desert to Environment.
- Forgetting the Department of Land Resources under Rural Development.
- Not expecting 'None' to be the answer.
Exam tip
Land and area programmes sit with Rural Development; the rainfed farming one sits with Agriculture.
Sources
- Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development — Integrated Watershed Management Programme
- Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare — National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas