[Mission 2023] QUED ( Questions from Editorials ) 3 November 2022

Solution: c)

Some initiatives by the Government of India on better production include Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, which promotes organic farming; Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, which focuses on more crops per drop for improved water use, and Soil Health Management which fosters Integrated Nutrient Management under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.

For improving food access, especially for vulnerable populations, the Government of India drives programmes such as the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman Yojana (PM POSHAN Scheme), and take-home rations.

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Solution: d)

Millets — which fell out of fashion a few decades ago — have received renewed attention as crops that are good for nutrition, health, and the planet. Millets are climate-smart crops that are drought-resistant, growing in areas with low rain and infertile soil. They are hardier than other cereals, more resilient to changes in climate, and require less water to cultivate (as much as 70% less than rice), and less energy to process (around 40% less than wheat). Since they need fewer inputs, they are less extractive for the soil and can revive soil health. Additionally, their genetic diversity ensures that agrobiodiversity is preserved.

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Solution: c)

Tejaswini Rural Women Empowerment Programme implemented by the UN-affiliated International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Madhya Pradesh.

Tejaswini programme showed that growing millets meant a nearly 10 times increase in income from ₹1,800 per month in 2013-14 to ₹16,277 in 2020-21, with better food security. Women were key to villages adopting millets, as they were able to demonstrate that millets were easier to grow and led to better outcomes.

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Solution: c)

The Indian Ocean Commission (COI) is an intergovernmental organisation that links African Indian Ocean nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion (an overseas region of France), and Seychelles.

India is an observing member.

The IOC was created in 1982 in Port-Louis, Mauritius, and institutionalised in 1984 by the Victoria Agreement (Seychelles).

Solution: c)

It refers to the oil extracted from the extreme outer layer of rice called chaff. In recent times, it is being claimed as one of the healthiest cooking oils, because of its high smoke point of 232 °C (450 °F) and extreme mild flavour. These qualities make it apt for stir-frying and even deep-frying.

Considered as a popular cooking oil in Asian countries, it has also been recommended by The American Heart Association and The World Health Organization (WHO), as a effective choice to keep cholesterol under control.

It is rich in Oryzanol, which is proven to reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

Rice bran oil has balanced fatty acid composition which includes saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. This oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and is also free from trans-fats.