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Q31 (IAS/2020) Economy › Agriculture & Rural Economy › Rural development policy Official Key

In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture ? 1. Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produce of all crops 2. Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies 3. Social Capital development 4. Free electricity supply to farmers 5. Waiver of agricultural loans by the banking system 6. Setting up of cold storage facilities by the governments Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 3 (2, 3 and 6 only). In economic terms, public investment refers to the creation of tangible or intangible assets that enhance long-term productive capacity, rather than mere fiscal transfers or subsidies.

  • Statement 2 (PACS Computerization) and Statement 6 (Cold storage facilities) are correct as they involve building physical and digital infrastructure that reduces wastage and improves credit efficiency, directly contributing to capital formation.
  • Statement 3 (Social Capital development) is correct because it involves enhancing the skills, cooperation, and capacity of the farming community, which acts as an intangible productive asset.
  • Statements 1, 4, and 5 (MSP, free electricity, and loan waivers) are classified as subsidies or revenue expenditures. While they provide immediate financial relief or income support, they do not result in the creation of new productive assets and are therefore excluded from the definition of "investment."

Thus, only statements 2, 3, and 6 qualify as investments that strengthen the structural foundation of Indian agriculture.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture ? 1. Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 1.7/10 · 3.3/10
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This is a classic 'Capital vs. Revenue Expenditure' concept disguised as an Agriculture question. The strategy is binary: classify every government spending item as either 'Asset Creation' (Investment) or 'Consumption Support' (Subsidy/Transfer). If it doesn't build a durable asset, it's not investment.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is fixing minimum support prices (MSP) for agricultural produce of all crops considered public investment in agriculture in India?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The government fixes the MSP for 22 mandated agricultural crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)."
Why this source?
  • Defines MSP as a government price-support mechanism fixed for specific mandated crops (22 crops) on CACP recommendations.
  • Shows MSP is a price-setting/procurement policy rather than described as an investment item.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The government has taken several measures to improve agricultural marketing and ensuring remunerative prices to farmers. These include procuring certain crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP)."
Why this source?
  • Describes MSP as part of measures to ensure remunerative prices and government procurement at MSP.
  • Frames MSP as a market/price support action (procurement/remuneration), not as capital or public investment spending.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"We further need to accelerate public investment in agriculture ... There is also dire need to strengthen investment in irrigation, both in medium and minor irrigation projects."
Why this source?
  • Discusses 'public investment in agriculture' in terms of infrastructure (e.g., irrigation projects) and acceleration of such investments.
  • Supports a distinction between public investment (physical/capital projects) and policy tools like MSP.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 10: Agriculture - Part I > 10.18 Previous Years Questions > p. 329
Strength: 4/5
“Select the correct answer using the code given below: • (a) (i) only• (b) (ii) only• (c) Both (i) & (ii)• (d) Neither (i) nor (ii)• 6. In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture? [2020] • (i) Fixing Minimum Support Price for agriculture produce of all crops• (ii) Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies• (iii) Social Capital Development• (iv) Free electricity supply to farmers• (v) Waiver of agricultural loan by the banking system• (vi) Setting up of cold storage facilities by the governments Select the correct answer using the code given below: • (a) (i), (ii) and (v) only• (b) (i), (iii), (iv) and (v) only”
Why relevant

The exam-style question explicitly lists 'Fixing Minimum Support Price for agriculture produce of all crops' among items to judge as 'public investment in agriculture', indicating this is a debated classification in textbooks.

How to extend

A student could use this to check official definitions of 'public investment' (capital formation vs revenue support) to see whether MSP matches the criteria.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 9: Subsidies > 9.5.1 Food Corporation of India (FCI) > p. 293
Strength: 5/5
“Minimum Support Price (MSP): The rate announced by GoI at which purchases are made from the farmers by GoI and State governments and their agencies for the central pool. The MSP is same for the entire country and there is no limit for procurement in terms of volume/ quantity provided that stock satisfies Fair Average Quality (FAQ). Central Issue Price (CIP): The price at which food grains (wheat and rice) are issued to the State governments/ UTs from the central pool at uniform prices for distribution under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)/NFSA. CIP is fixed by Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.”
Why relevant

Defines MSP as the rate at which government purchases are made from farmers for the central pool — showing MSP involves government procurement and expenditure.

How to extend

Combine this with the student's knowledge that government purchases/stocking create fiscal outlays to assess whether such outlays are treated as investment or revenue expenditure in public accounts.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 10: Agriculture - Part I > Issues with MSP: > p. 307
Strength: 4/5
“There are other spill over too, the most serious being deterring fresh, private investments in the sector—investors are attracted by freeing markets, not by restricting free play. [It is practically not possible for Govt. to procure all the crops at MSP all over India. If Govt will procure all the 25 crops at MSP from all over India (which will be a huge financial burden and practically not possible) then the farmers who are cultivating Fruits, Vegetables, livestock which consists of almost 50% of the value and for which there does not exist any MSP, then these farmers will also shift to those 25 crops.”
Why relevant

States it would be 'a huge financial burden and practically not possible' for the government to procure all crops at MSP — implying significant fiscal/recurring cost associated with MSP implementation.

How to extend

A student could link this to the idea that policies imposing recurring large fiscal burdens are typically treated as subsidies/transfer payments rather than capital investment.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Role of Subsidies in Cropping Pattern > p. 311
Strength: 5/5
“Subsidies include: Minimum Support Price (MSP), power subsidy, higher farm credit, etc. • Subsidies work as an incentive to the farmers for the production of crops even in the dry areas. • Rice and wheat aside, in recent years, cash crops sugarcane and cotton too have taken a larger share of the crop land due to better price incentives. However, States like”
Why relevant

Lists MSP under 'Subsidies' alongside power subsidy and farm credit, implying MSP functions like a price support/subsidy instrument.

How to extend

Using the standard distinction that subsidies are revenue expenditures, a student could infer MSP is more akin to subsidy/transfer than public capital investment.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 6: Economic Planning in India > I. Contribution in major Agricultural Sector Reforms: > p. 146
Strength: 3/5
“1. Implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for notified crops- After the advice by NITI Aayog in this regard, M/o Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare launched Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) in 2018 including three mechanisms: reux 19000 reic conairuna • Price Support Scheme (PSS) or Market Assurance Scheme • y sil is Price Deficiency Payment Scheme > Anodice • Pilot on Private Procurement Stockists Scheme प्रधानमंत्री उल्लेखन आये ग्रेसण अभियान”
Why relevant

Describes implementation of MSP through government schemes (PM-AASHA) with mechanisms like Price Support Scheme and Price Deficiency Payment, showing MSP is operationalised via targeted government programmes.

How to extend

A student could examine the nature of these schemes (procurement, payments) to judge whether they create durable assets (investment) or are income/support transfers.

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