Question 27 from UPSC CSE 2014 - Geography

Question

Consider the following pairs: Programme/Project - Ministry
1. Drought-Prone Area Programme - Ministry of Agriculture
2. Desert Development Programme - Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas - Ministry of Rural Development
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. None

Strategy: Analyze keywords for administrative responsibility. Recall that most rural development and watershed programs are under the Ministry of Agriculture, not Environment or Rural Development. Note that Statement 3 is incorrectly attributed to the Ministry of Rural Development, as it is handled by the Ministry of Agriculture. Use factual recall to eliminate all pairs as incorrectly matched.

Key Info: - **Drought-Prone Area Programme (DPAP):** Launched in 1973-74, this program aims to tackle drought effects through soil and water conservation. It is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
- **Desert Development Programme (DDP):** Started in 1977-78, this program focuses on ecological restoration and combating land degradation in desert regions. It is also under the Ministry of Agriculture.
- **National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA):** Initiated in 1990-91, this project targets the sustainable development of rainfed farming through watershed management. It is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare.
- **Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change:** This ministry is responsible for biodiversity, environmental policy, and forest management, not rural development schemes.
- **Ministry of Rural Development:** This ministry typically manages poverty alleviation, employment programs like MGNREGA, and rural infrastructure, but not these watershed-specific projects.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: 1, 2, and 3