RAS question
Doubling Farmers' Income committee was headed by:
Correct answer: (C) Ashok Dalwai.
The Doubling Farmers' Income Committee was headed by Dr Ashok Dalwai.
Explanation
The official ICAR page identifies Dr Ashok Dalwai, IAS, as Chairman of the Committee on Doubling Farmers' Income. The committee was constituted in April 2016, reported in September 2018, and set out seven sources for doubling farmers' income by 2022-23. Those sources were higher crop productivity, higher livestock productivity, better resource-use efficiency, increased cropping intensity, diversification, better price realisation, and a shift towards non-farm jobs. RAS preparation connects the committee with Dr Ashok Dalwai's chairmanship and with the broader income-doubling strategy, rather than treating it as a generic agriculture slogan.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Arvind Subramanian was the Chief Economic Adviser, while the Indian Council of Agricultural Research names Dr Ashok Dalwai as Chairman of the Committee on Doubling Farmers' Income.
- (B) The Niti Aayog CEO is linked to a different committee, not to the Doubling Farmers' Income Committee chaired by Dr Ashok Dalwai.
- (D) M.S. Swaminathan chaired a different commission, whereas the Indian Council of Agricultural Research identifies Dr Ashok Dalwai with the Doubling Farmers' Income Committee.
Concept
RAS Indian Economy preparation covers agriculture policy committees and their recommendations. Such committees connect a named chairperson with a policy objective and a compact set of reform levers.