Previous Year Question

All three pairs are incorrectly matched.

Pair 1—Incorrect

Drought-Prone Areas Programme—Ministry of Rural Development

• The Drought-Prone Areas Programme aimed to develop land, water and vegetation resources in areas repeatedly affected by drought.

• It was implemented as a watershed-based area-development programme.

• It was not under the Ministry of Agriculture; it was administered by the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Pair 2—Incorrect

Desert Development Programme—Ministry of Rural Development

• The Desert Development Programme aimed to control desertification, mitigate the effects of drought and conserve land and water resources.

• It covered both hot-desert and cold-desert regions.

• It was not administered by the Ministry of Environment and Forests; it was under the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development.

• The Drought-Prone Areas Programme and Desert Development Programme were subsequently combined with other watershed schemes under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme.

Pair 3—Incorrect

National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas—Ministry of Agriculture

• The project aimed to conserve land and water resources and enhance agricultural productivity in rainfed farming regions.

• It emphasised soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, moisture conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.

• It was not under the Ministry of Rural Development; it was implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture.