UPSC Mains 2016 GS3 Q10 — Crop Insurance
Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). (Answer in not more than 200 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- discussbring out
- Scope keywords
- vulnerability of Indian agriculturevagaries of natureneed for crop insurancesalient featuresPradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- Implicit sub-parts
- Contextualizing natural risks: beyond just monsoon (droughts, floods, unseasonal rains, pests).
- Economic rationale for insurance: debt traps, farmer suicides, and creditworthiness.
- Evolution/Necessity: why PMFBY is a shift from previous schemes like NAIS/MNAIS.
- Critical evaluation: briefly touching upon implementation challenges like claim settlement delays.
- Common pitfalls
- Spending 70% of the word count only listing PMFBY features while ignoring the 'need' and 'vulnerability' aspect.
- Treating 'vagaries of nature' as only meaning 'lack of rain' instead of a broader spectrum of climate risks.
- Failing to mention the low premium rates (1.5%, 2%, 5%) which is a core 'salient' feature.
- Providing a generic history of Indian agriculture instead of focusing on risk management mechanisms.
- Dimensions required
- Environmental/ClimaticEconomic/FinancialTechnological (use of drones/RS for assessment)Administrative/Policy
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 40-50 words to establish the link between climatic risks and rural distress (the 'Need'). Use 100-120 words to detail specific PMFBY features like premium caps, localized risk coverage, and tech integration. Reserve the final 30 words for a forward-looking conclusion on operational efficiency.
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