Economic and Social Development Archives

2. There have been certain anomalies in India’s food management under the

There have been certain anomalies in India’s food management under the PDS which need immediate attention :

1. The percentage distribution of the economic cost of wheat and rice has been rising fast. The pooled cost of food grains accounts for two-thirds of the economic cost of wheat and rice. This has made the economic cost of food grains to the Food Corporation of India increase over the years.
2. Increasing costs of labour, fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs have made production of crops costlier over the time. This forced the Government to keep on increasing the MSPs of the crops, too.

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1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC SO-Steno – 2018

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Statement 1 is confusingly phrased and likely incorrect in its assertion about the “percentage distribution” and the “pooled cost accounting for two-thirds of the economic cost” (pooled cost *is* the economic cost for FCI, covering acquisition and distribution). However, the general point it attempts to make about the economic cost of food grains for FCI rising is true and a major anomaly. But the reasoning presented in statement 1 is flawed.
Statement 2 is correct. The increasing cost of agricultural inputs like labour, fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, and machinery directly raises the cost of cultivation for farmers. To ensure farming remains remunerative and to incentivize production, the government is compelled to periodically increase the MSPs for various crops. This increase in MSPs significantly contributes to the higher procurement cost for the Food Corporation of India (FCI), which is a major component of the economic cost of food grains under PDS.
Given the clear validity of statement 2 and the questionable phrasing and accuracy of statement 1’s causal link, only statement 2 represents a correctly stated anomaly/challenge and its reason.

Rising input costs in agriculture lead to increased MSPs, which in turn increases the economic cost of procurement and management of food grains for the government under the PDS.

The economic cost of food grains for FCI comprises the cost of procurement (including MSP, bonuses, procurement incidentals) and the cost of distribution (including freight, handling, storage, administrative overheads). The rising economic cost necessitates higher food subsidies, putting a strain on the government exchequer. Other anomalies in PDS include leakages, targeting issues, and storage losses.

3. Out of the many reasons forwarded by the experts responsible for the f

Out of the many reasons forwarded by the experts responsible for the failure of the land reforms in India, the following could be considered the most important ones :

Land in India is considered a symbol of social prestige, status and identity unlike the other economies which succeeded in their land reform programmes, where it is seen as just an economic asset for income-earning.
Political will which was required to affect land reforms and make it a successful programme.
Rampant corruption in public life, political hypocrisy and leadership failure in the Indian democratic system.

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1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

1 and 3 only

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC SO-Steno – 2018

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All three statements accurately reflect significant reasons cited by experts for the limited success and failure of land reforms in India. Land ownership in India is deeply intertwined with social status, power, and identity, making resistance to redistribution strong among vested interests. The lack of consistent and strong political will across different states and over time hindered effective implementation and enforcement of land reform laws. Widespread corruption in the bureaucracy responsible for implementation, political hypocrisy where leaders championed reforms but did not earnestly pursue them, and general leadership failures also contributed to the poor execution and outcomes of the reforms.

The failure of land reforms in India is multifaceted, stemming from socio-cultural factors (land as status symbol), political factors (lack of will, hypocrisy), and administrative factors (corruption, implementation issues).

Land reforms in India included measures like abolition of intermediaries (Zamindari, Ryotwari, Mahalwari systems), tenancy reforms (security of tenure, rent regulation, ownership rights), and ceiling on land holdings. Despite initial legislative efforts, implementation challenges, legal loopholes, lack of proper land records, and socio-political resistance severely limited the impact of these reforms, particularly the redistribution of surplus land.