Question

Which factor is not responsible for low agricultural productivity in India?

• A. Lack of credit facilities to the farmers.
• B. Reclamation of degraded lands.
• C. Uncertain monsoons and lack of irrigational facilities.
• D. Small land holdings constrain farmers from adoption of mechanized operations.

Hint:

Carefully read the question to see if it asks for a "cause" or a "solution." In this case, three options are problems (causes), and one is a solution. Identifying the odd one out is the key.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify which of the given options is a solution to or an improvement for agriculture, rather than a cause of low productivity, based on general agricultural knowledge and the context of the passage.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{(A) Lack of credit facilities: This is a major socioeconomic constraint for farmers, preventing them from investing in better inputs, thus causing low productivity.} \\ \bullet & \text{(B) Reclamation of degraded lands: "Reclamation" means recovering or restoring land that was unproductive. This is an action taken to improve productivity, not a cause of low productivity.} \\ \bullet & \text{(C) Uncertain monsoons and lack of irrigational facilities: This is a key physical factor mentioned in the passage ("assured water supplies" were a part of the Green Revolution strategy) that leads to uncertain yields and low productivity.} \\ \bullet & \text{(D) Small land holdings: The passage mentions that "Ninety percent of the farmers in India are marginal farmer with low land holdings." Small holdings make mechanization difficult and economies of scale impossible, thus contributing to low productivity.} \\ \end{array}\]

Step 4: Final Answer:
Reclamation of degraded lands is a measure to improve productivity, not a factor responsible for low productivity.