UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on India’s fertiliser subsidy regime and variations in rice productivity (Week 138)

QUESTION 2

Discuss the causes behind regional variations in rice productivity in India and suggest strategic interventions to promote equitable agricultural development.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the need for reforming India’s fertiliser subsidy regime and suggest measures to align it with sustainable agriculture goals.

Relevance: This question is relevant to GS-3 as it directly links agricultural subsidies, fiscal sustainability, and environmental concerns. The topic integrates themes of agricultural reforms, climate-resilient farming, efficient resource use, and sustainable development, which are core focus areas in UPSC mains. It also connects with current debates on nutrient-based subsidies, DBT, and long-term food security.

Note: This is not a model UPSC answer. It only provides you with a thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— India’s fertiliser subsidy needs to be reformed to address huge fiscal costs, soil degradation from overuse, nutrient imbalance, environmental damage, and market distortions favouring urea, by shifting to smart subsidies via DBT, promoting balanced farming, encouraging nano-fertilizers, integrating AgriStack, and linking support to sustainable practices, ensuring farmer welfare, food security, and ecological balance.

— Agri-GDP growth is expected to be only 3.1% in FY26, a significant decrease from 4.6% the previous year, FY25. The fundamental cause of the low consumer price inflation is the virtual collapse in some food prices.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— Even with its Mission on Pulses and Oilseeds, the government hopes to achieve atmanirbharta (pulse self-sufficiency). Crop-neutral incentive structures are required, as current incentives favour water and fertilizer-intensive crops such as rice, sugarcane, and wheat. This is the result of substantial subsidies provided by states and the federal government, particularly free or heavily subsidised power and fertilisers, specifically urea.

— The food subsidy is the difference between the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) economic cost of acquiring, stocking, and distributing rice and wheat and the amount it receives from PDS beneficiaries.

Need for Reform

(i) The second-largest expense in India is subsidies, which creates a fiscal burden.

(ii) Overuse contaminates groundwater with nitrate, which results in emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide and Blue Baby Syndrome.

(iii) Price controls affect small farmers by encouraging misuse, creating illegal markets, and diverting urea for industrial use.

(iv) Overuse of nitrogenous fertilisers lowers productivity, damages soil health, and results in micronutrient shortages.

Conclusion:

Measures to align it with sustainable agriculture goals

— Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) can be replaced with digital vouchers (e-RUPI style) for targeted, transparent, and leak-proof delivery to farmers in order to achieve Sustainable Alignment.

— Achieving sustainable alignment would also be aided by encouraging precise and balanced farming practices, such as providing incentives for complex fertilisers, micronutrients, fertigation (drip irrigation), and tailored blends.

— Minimising reliance on conventional chemicals by promoting sustainable alternatives including organic farming, biofertilizers, and nano-urea.

— To encourage greener energy, rationalise energy subsidies and connect solar irrigation (PM-KUSUM) with fertiliser programs.

(Source: For government’s reform drive to succeed, rationalise agri subsidies)

Points to Ponder

Read more about subsidies in fertilisers

Read about PM-KUSUM scheme

Related Previous Year Questions

How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers? (2017)

What are the different types of agriculture subsidies given to farmers at the national and at state levels? Critically analyse the agricultural subsidy regime with reference to the distortions created by it. (2013)

QUESTION 2: Discuss the causes behind regional variations in rice productivity in India and suggest strategic interventions to promote equitable agricultural development.

Relevance: This question is highly relevant to GS-3 as it addresses agricultural productivity, regional disparities, and inclusive growth. The issue is linked to efficient use of natural resources, water sustainability, MSP-procurement bias, and crop diversification.

Note: This is not a model UPSC answer. It only provides you with a thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Recently, India surpassed China as the world’s largest rice production in 2024-25. India produced approximately 150 million metric tonnes, while China produced 145.28 million tonnes in that year. India currently accounts for approximately 28% of world rice output.

— A decade ago, however, India’s rice production was 104.4 million metric tonnes, while China’s was 148.5 million metric tonnes, indicating a consistent increase in Indian output and a stagnation in Chinese output.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— India’s rice production has increased steadily over the years. Between 1969-70 and 2024-25, the area (for all seasons) under paddy cultivation increased by more than 36%, yield tripled and production almost quadrupled.

Key Causes of Variation

— Warm, humid weather is ideal for rice growth. More rice is produced in locations with consistent monsoon rainfall or an abundance of water from rivers and coastal regions, like South India’s delta regions. On the other hand, regions with erratic monsoons, frequent floods, or droughts find it difficult to sustain high yields.

— Rice productivity is better in well-irrigated areas, particularly in river deltas like the Godavari and Krishna.

— Rice is best grown on fertile alluvial soils that retain water effectively. However, issues like sodic soils in some areas or saline coastal soils lower productivity.

— Higher production is attained by states like Punjab and Haryana that make extensive use of high-yielding seed varieties, fertilisers, and farm equipment. But excessive and uneven fertiliser use is also a problem, particularly in northern areas.

— Despite having significant natural potential, rice production is limited by inadequate storage, low market access, unstable electricity, and inadequate water management systems, particularly in the Northeast.

— In certain regions of the nation, crop diseases like rice blast and mineral deficits like zinc, phosphorus, and potassium lower output.

Conclusion:

Strategic Interventions for Equitable Development

— Encouraging micro-irrigation, lowering water consumption, and managing groundwater sustainably through the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

— Encouraging the use of climate-resilient, high-yielding cultivars and providing smallholders with digital farming tools.

— Using programs like e-NAM to strengthen rural infrastructure (roads, storage, marketplaces). Improve extension services, give prompt credit, and fortify Minimum Support Price (MSP) systems.

(Source: India has surpassed China in rice production. But this love for paddy is not without pitfalls)

Points to Ponder

Read more about issues with paddy cultivation

Read state wise paddy production (leading producer)

Related Previous Year Questions

Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India. (2025)

What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low income trap? (2018)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 136)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 137)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 136)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 137)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 136)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 137)

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