2010 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2010 · General Studies
Question 146: Economy and Social Development
In India, during the last decade the total cultivated land for which one of the following crops has remained more or less stagnant ?
aRice
bOilseeds
cPulses
dSugarcane
AnswerThe answer is (c).
The area under pulses has stayed more or less stagnant at roughly 22 to 23 million hectares for many years, because pulses are largely grown as a rain-fed crop on marginal land and have lost ground to wheat, rice and oilseeds in better-irrigated areas. Productivity has also stagnated, which is why India has to import pulses. Remember: pulses are the classic case of stagnant area and yield.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Rice area moved with irrigation and the monsoon; it is not the standard example of stagnation.
- (b) Oilseed area has shown more movement over the decade.
- (c) Right: the area under pulses has been more or less stagnant.
- (d) Sugarcane area has changed with prices and cane payments.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2010, General Studies, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.