RAS question
How many interest-free crop loan beneficiary farmers does Rajasthan have?
Correct answer: (D) 77 lakh.
Rajasthan has provided interest-free short-term crop loans worth Rs 42,765 crore to over 77 lakh farmers.
Explanation
Rajasthan has reached over 77 lakh farmers through interest-free short-term crop loans, not a lower rounded estimate. First India quotes Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma as saying that Rajasthan had provided interest-free short-term crop loans worth Rs 42,765 crore to over 77 lakh farmers. The 2.48 lakh new farmers who received crop loans worth Rs 433 crore form a separate subset, not the total beneficiary count. The total beneficiary count under the interest-free short-term crop-loan support is 77 lakh-plus farmers.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 95 lakh is above the reported beneficiary count; First India gives over 77 lakh farmers, not 95 lakh.
- (B) 62 lakh understates the reported coverage because over 77 lakh farmers received the interest-free short-term crop loans.
- (C) 45 lakh is too low for the total beneficiary figure; the supported count is over 77 lakh farmers.
Concept
Rajasthan's welfare-scheme landscape includes agriculture credit through cooperatives. State-budget and government-scheme coverage often depends on the latest quoted beneficiary count or outlay.