UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Farmers’ group flags welfare risk for lakhs of people in West Bengal

Q1. As argued by the petitioner farmers' group before the Supreme Court in June 2026, approximately how many ration cards in West Bengal could become inactive if beneficiary status under the PDS is linked to Special Intensive Revision (SIR) classifications?

  • A. 5 lakh to 10 lakh
  • B. 15 lakh to 25 lakh
  • C. 35 lakh to 60 lakh
  • D. 75 lakh to 90 lakh

Q2. The statutory right to highly subsidised foodgrains through the Targeted Public Distribution System, whose denial was at the heart of the 2026 West Bengal ration plea, is guaranteed under which one of the following?

  • A. The Essential Commodities Act, 1955
  • B. The National Food Security Act, 2013
  • C. The National Social Assistance Programme guidelines, 1995
  • D. The Right to Information Act, 2005

Q3. With reference to the Annapurna Scheme and the Priority Household (PHH) entitlement under the NFSA, both invoked in the West Bengal welfare-linkage controversy, consider the following statements: 1. The Annapurna Scheme provides 10 kg of foodgrains per person per month, whereas a Priority Household is entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month. 2. The Annapurna Scheme targets indigent senior citizens eligible for, but not receiving, old age pension, whereas PHH entitlement is based on inclusion in the NFSA priority list. 3. The Annapurna Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, whereas NFSA PDS entitlements are administered through the food and public distribution machinery. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Annapurna Scheme provides 10 kg of foodgrains per person per month, whereas a Priority Household is entitled to 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month.
  2. The Annapurna Scheme targets indigent senior citizens eligible for, but not receiving, old age pension, whereas PHH entitlement is based on inclusion in the NFSA priority list.
  3. The Annapurna Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, whereas NFSA PDS entitlements are administered through the food and public distribution machinery.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. In the West Bengal orders challenged before the Supreme Court in 2026, welfare access was reportedly linked to classifications generated during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Which of the following are correctly identified as such SIR-derived elector classifications cited in the plea? 1. Dead 2. Shifted 3. Deleted 4. Absentee Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Dead
  2. Shifted
  3. Deleted
  4. Absentee
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. In the context of the welfare schemes flagged in the West Bengal case, the Annapurna Scheme is best defined as a scheme that provides:

  • A. 10 kg of foodgrains per month free of cost to indigent senior citizens who are eligible for but not receiving old age pension
  • B. a monthly cash pension to all citizens above 60 years of age irrespective of income
  • C. 35 kg of subsidised foodgrains per household to the poorest Antyodaya families
  • D. free maternity benefit and nutritional support to pregnant and lactating women