UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

Question 1

As originally approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018, the umbrella scheme PM-AASHA comprised how many component schemes?

Accepted Answer

Three

Answer

Two

Answer

Four

Answer

Five

Question 2

Consider the following statements comparing the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) under PM-AASHA:
1. Under PDPS no physical procurement is undertaken; instead the difference between the MSP and the selling or modal price is paid directly to pre-registered farmers.
2. While PSS covers pulses, oilseeds and copra, PDPS is confined to oilseeds.
3. A State opting for PDPS for an oilseed crop in a season must apply it to the entire State, and may simultaneously run PSS for that same crop in the same season in the same State.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 3

The Price Support Scheme, Price Deficiency Payment Scheme and Market Intervention Scheme components of PM-AASHA are implemented by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Answer

The Department of Consumer Affairs, which alone administers every price-related intervention of the Union Government

Answer

The Department of Food and Public Distribution, which is the sole authority for all MSP-linked procurement in the country

Answer

The Department of Agricultural Research and Education, which operationalises all field-level schemes of its parent Ministry

Question 4

Consider the following statements about PM-AASHA as approved at its inception and as it stands today:
1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2018 as a New Umbrella Scheme, subsuming the erstwhile Price Support Scheme with modifications.
2. Its stated objective is confined to assuring remunerative prices to farmers, the concern of protecting consumers from price volatility having no place in the scheme's objectives.
3. Under the approval continuing the scheme, the Price Stabilisation Fund and the Market Intervention Scheme were converged into the PM-AASHA umbrella.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 5

Within the continued PM-AASHA umbrella, the Price Stabilisation Fund component — used for price-stabilisation interventions and daily price monitoring — is managed by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

Answer

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, functioning as the Central Nodal Agency for the fund

Answer

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Answer

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Question 6

Consider the following statements about the parameters of PM-AASHA as continued by the Union Government:
1. The total financial outgo approved for the continuation is Rs. 35,000 crore, spread over the Sixteenth Finance Commission cycle.
2. The Government guarantee for procurement of notified pulses, oilseeds and copra at MSP has been renewed and enhanced to Rs. 45,000 crore.
3. Coverage under the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme has been raised from 25 per cent to 40 per cent of the State's production of the oilseed concerned.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 7

Which one of the following correctly describes the circumstances in which the Market Intervention Scheme component of PM-AASHA is invoked?

Accepted Answer

A State/UT requests it for a perishable agricultural or horticultural commodity for which MSP is not applicable, and market prices have fallen by at least 10 per cent against the previous normal season

Answer

A State/UT requests it for a notified oilseed for which MSP is fixed, and market prices have fallen below MSP during the peak harvesting period

Answer

A State/UT requests it for any horticultural commodity, once the Centre notifies a shortfall of at least 20 per cent in national production of that commodity

Answer

A State/UT requests it for a perishable commodity for which MSP has been fixed, and market prices have fallen by at least 25 per cent against the previous normal season

Question 8

With reference to the Market Intervention Scheme as a component of PM-AASHA, consider the following statements:
1. It is implemented at the request of a State/UT Government for perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities such as tomato, onion and potato.
2. The procurement/coverage limit of the production quantity of the crop concerned has been raised from 20 per cent to 25 per cent.
3. A State may, in place of physical procurement, opt to pay the difference between the Market Intervention Price and the selling price directly into the farmer's bank account.
4. For Tomato, Onion and Potato, transportation and storage expenses of the operations undertaken by Central Nodal Agencies are borne by the State Government concerned.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

3 only

Answer

2 and 4

Question 9

Procurement to the extent of 100 per cent of a State's production through Central Nodal Agencies, announced for a further four years up to 2028-29, applies to which one of the following sets of crops?

Accepted Answer

Tur, Urad and Masur

Answer

Chana, Moong and Masur

Answer

Tur, Moong and Chana

Answer

Urad, Groundnut and Moong

Question 10

From the 2024-25 season onwards, Central Nodal Agencies may procure a notified pulse, oilseed or copra at MSP under the Price Support Scheme up to what share of the national production of the crop concerned?

Accepted Answer

25 per cent

Answer

20 per cent

Answer

40 per cent

Answer

100 per cent

Question 11

With reference to the measures adopted under PM-AASHA to reduce farmers' dependence on middlemen, consider the following statements:
1. Procurement by Central Nodal Agencies is made directly from pre-registered farmers having legitimate land records.
2. MSP payments due to farmers are routed through the concerned Agricultural Produce Market Committee, which disburses them in cash after deducting mandi charges.
3. NAFED operates the e-Samridhi platform covering the process from farmer registration to final payment.
4. NCCF operates the e-Samyukti platform for the same purpose.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

2 only

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

3 and 4

Answer

2 and 4

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

Q1. As originally approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018, the umbrella scheme PM-AASHA comprised how many component schemes?

Q3. The Price Support Scheme, Price Deficiency Payment Scheme and Market Intervention Scheme components of PM-AASHA are implemented by which one of the following?

Q5. Within the continued PM-AASHA umbrella, the Price Stabilisation Fund component — used for price-stabilisation interventions and daily price monitoring — is managed by which one of the following?

Q7. Which one of the following correctly describes the circumstances in which the Market Intervention Scheme component of PM-AASHA is invoked?

Q9. Procurement to the extent of 100 per cent of a State's production through Central Nodal Agencies, announced for a further four years up to 2028-29, applies to which one of the following sets of crops?

Q10. From the 2024-25 season onwards, Central Nodal Agencies may procure a notified pulse, oilseed or copra at MSP under the Price Support Scheme up to what share of the national production of the crop concerned?