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GS Paper: GS3-07.E-Technology in the aid of farmers

  • Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

    Why in News?

    The government highlighted the achievements of SMAM, including wider access to farm machinery, Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), and drone-based precision farming.

    Key Facts

    • Launched in 2014-15 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana).
    • Promotes mechanization among small & marginal farmers, women, SC/STs, FPOs, SHGs, and rural entrepreneurs.
    • Supports:
      • Subsidies for farm machinery
      • Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs)
      • Farm Machinery Banks (FMBs)
      • Hi-Tech Hubs
      • Training, testing, and demonstrations
      • Drone-based agriculture

    Financial Assistance

    • 40% subsidy for general farmers.
    • 50% subsidy for SC/STs, small & marginal farmers, and North Eastern States.
    • Funding pattern: 60:40 (Centre:State) for most states, 90:10 for NE & Himalayan states, and 100% Central funding for UTs

    Achievements (2014-15 to 2025-26)

    • ₹9,404.47 crore central assistance.
    • 21.61 lakh farm machines distributed.
    • 27,554 CHCs established.
    • 25,608 Farm Machinery Banks created.
    • 646 Hi-Tech Hubs established.

    Drone Promotion

    • ₹52.5 crore allocated.
    • 40,928 drone demonstrations over 40,918 hectares (2023-24 to 2025-26).
    • ICAR institutes, KVKs, and SAUs receive 100% support (up to ₹10 lakh per drone).
    • FPOs receive 75% grant.

    Special Features

    • 30% of total funds earmarked for women farmers.
    • Special incentives for North Eastern States, including up to 100% subsidy for small machinery.

    Significance

    • Enhances farm productivity and efficiency.
    • Reduces labour dependence and cost of cultivation.
    • Promotes precision farming and post-harvest mechanization.
    • Improves access to modern machinery for small farmers.

    [2023] Which one of the following best describes the concept of ‘Small Farmer Large Field’?

    [A] Resettlement of a large number of people, uprooted from their countries due to war, by giving them a large cultivable land which they cultivate collectively and share the produce

    [B] Many marginal farmers in an area organize themselves into groups and synchronize and harmonize selected agricultural operations

    [C] Many marginal farmers in an area together make a contract with a corporate body and surrender their land to the corporate body for a fixed term for which the corporate body makes a payment of agreed amount to the farmers

    [D] A company extends loans, technical knowledge and material inputs to a number of small farmers in an area so that they produce the agricultural commodity required by the company for its manufacturing process and commercial production

  • “In the villages itself no form of credit organization will be suitable except the cooperative society.”–All India Rural Credit Survey. Discuss this statement in the background of agricultural finance in India. What constraints and challenges do financial institutions supplying agricultural finance face? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients?

  • How can the Digital India program help farmers to improve farm productivity and income? What step has the government taken in this regard?

  • How does e-Technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce?

    e-Technology in agriculture refers to the use of digital tools, ICT platforms, mobile apps, and online services to bridge the information gap and connect farmers to modern markets.

    Role of e-Technology in Agricultural Production

    Access to real-time information – Provides timely weather forecasts, pest alerts, and irrigation advisories. Eg- Kisan Suvidha app.

    Digital nutrient management – Soil Health Card and digital soil maps guide fertilizer application – reduce input costs and improve productivity.

    Precision farming – Drones, IoT sensors, and mobile-linked devices help farmers optimise water, fertilizers, and pesticides

    Information on scientific practices like seed treatment methods, crop-specific guidance etc. Eg- Farming Leader channel on Youtube

    ICT tools, KVK portals, and helplines provide remote crop advisory, enabling timely decisions. Eg- m-Kisan app

    Facilitates crop monitoring through remote sensing technologies, drones etc. Eg- Drone Didi initiative

    Financial inclusion under JAM and DBT under PM KISAN increases capital investment and promotes diversification to high value crops

    Role of e-Technology in Agricultural Marketing

    Access to transparent price information – e-NAM, Agmarknet display mandi prices – help farmers avoid distress sales.

    Direct linkages with buyers through online bidding reduces dependence on middlemen.

    Wider market reach – Eg- e-NAM integrates 1,500+ mandis – allows inter-state trade and better price realization.

    Digital payments – UPI-linked systems ensure quick, direct payments.

    Improved post-harvest logistics – Apps provide information on transport availability, storage, cold-chain, and warehouse booking. Eg- e-NWR

    Branding – Social media and e-commerce platforms help farmers directly sell processed or organic produce to consumers. Eg- BigBasket

    When science meets scale, when innovation becomes inclusive, when technology drives transformation, the foundation for great achievements is laid – PM Modi

  • How does nanotechnology offer significant advancements in the field of agriculture? How can this technology help to uplift the socio-economic status of farmers?

    Nanotechnology refers to the science and application of materials at the nanoscale (1-100 nm), where particles exhibit unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. In agriculture, these nano-sized materials make farming more productive and sustainable.

    Nanotechnology offering significant advancements in agriculture

    Nano-fertilisers improve nutrient-use efficiency to 90-100% – boosts yields. Eg- Nano-urea and nano-DAP introduced by IFFCO.

    Controlled-release nano-pesticides reduce chemical load, minimise residue on crops, and improve efficacy against pests. Eg- nano-Silver

    Bridging micronutrient deficiency – Eg- Nano Zinc and Nano Copper liquids.

    Enables nanoscale gene delivery – quickly and safely transport DNA into plant cells – Improves crop breeding

    Soil health improvement – Nano-clays and nano-zeolites enhance soil moisture retention and restore degraded soils in dry regions.

    Crop Protection – Applying silica nanoparticles to leaves shield plants from high temperatures.

    Precision agriculture – Nanosensors monitor soil moisture, nutrient levels, and plant health.

    Post-harvest protection – Nano-coatings on fruits and vegetables extend shelf life by 2-3 times.

    Irrigation efficiency – Nanomaterials remove contaminants and improve water quality for irrigation.

    Seed quality enhancement – Nanopriming improves seed vigour and early germination.

    Nano-Biosensors can identify plant diseases at an early stage through biomarker detection

    Food Packaging – Eg- use of nanocomposites in making antimicrobial and oxygen-barrier coatings – reduce spoilage and food waste.

    Role of nanotechnology in uplifting the socio-economic status of farmers

    Reduced input costs – Nano-fertilisers cut fertilizer usage by 50%

    Higher yields and productivity due to improved nutrient uptake by crops

    Nano-coatings and nanosensors reduce post-harvest losses (currently 15-20%).

    Improved climate resilience – nano-enabled seed treatments help stabilise production during droughts, heatwaves, and soil degradation

    Access to premium markets – Residue-free nano-pesticides help farmers sell to export markets with strict safety standards.

    Local production of nano-inputs, nano-coatings, and sensor devices can generate rural micro-enterprises and FPO-led businesses.

    Health and environmental benefits – Reduced chemical use lowers health expenditures, improves soil fertility, and supports sustainable long-term income.

    Challenges of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

    High cost and limited awareness of nano-inputs limit large scale adoption.

    Nanophytotoxicity can hinder plant growth, reduce photosynthesis, and affect seed germination.

    Bioaccumulation concerns – Nanoparticles may accumulate in vital organs through food chains, with unclear long-term health effects.

    Groundwater contamination risk due to leaving of Mobile nanoparticles into aquifers.

    Toxicity to pollinators – Continuous exposure to nanoparticles through pollen can harm bees.

    Lack of regulatory standards – India lacks clear biosafety guidelines and permissible limits

    Pollution risks as Non-biodegradable nanoparticles may remain in ecosystems.

    When science meets scale, when innovation becomes inclusive, when technology drives transformation, the foundation for great achievements is laid – PM Modi

    Food Processing

  • What are rare-earth elements and why is everyone looking for them?

    Introduction

    Rare-earth elements comprise a group of 17 metallic elements, 15 lanthanides along with scandium and yttrium, used extensively in modern high-performance technologies. Their unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties make them indispensable for permanent magnets, phosphors, catalysts, optics, and electronic components. The strategic importance of REEs arises not from their rarity in the Earth’s crust, but from the technological difficulty of separating them at industrial purity and scale.

    Why in the News

    Rare-earth elements are attracting renewed global attention as countries reassess their technological and strategic vulnerabilities. Despite not being geologically scarce, their low concentration, chemical similarity, and separation difficulty make them expensive and environmentally intensive to process.

    What are rare-earth elements and why are they misnamed?

    1. Definition: Includes 15 lanthanides (lanthanum to lutetium) plus scandium and yttrium due to similar chemical behaviour.
    2. Misnomer: Not rare in abundance, but rarely found in concentrated, separable form.
    3. Geological spread: Occur mixed together in minerals such as bastnäsite, monazite, and clay-hosted deposits.
    4. Core challenge: Chemical similarity prevents easy isolation, increasing processing cost and complexity.

    Why are rare-earth elements technologically critical?

    1. Magnetic properties: Enable high-strength permanent magnets used in motors, generators, and wind turbines.
    2. Electronic efficiency: Support miniaturisation and energy efficiency in electronics.
    3. Optical functions: Act as phosphors for lighting, screens, lasers, and medical imaging.
    4. Industrial use: Essential for catalysts, ceramics, glass polishing powders, and alloys.
    5. Defence relevance: Required for precision-guided munitions, radar, and communication systems.

    Why is separation of rare-earth elements so difficult?

    1. Chemical similarity: Most REEs exist as +3 ions with nearly identical size and charge.
    2. Processing intensity: Requires multi-stage solvent extraction, often repeated hundreds of times.
    3. Energy consumption: Separation is energy-intensive and time-consuming.
    4. Precision limitation: Small differences in chemical behaviour demand sequential separation, not bulk isolation.
    5. Purity requirement: Advanced technologies require near-perfect elemental purity, raising costs.

    How does rare-earth processing differ from oil refining?

    1. Oil analogy limit: Unlike hydrocarbons with distinct boiling points, REEs cannot be separated by simple distillation.
    2. Sequential extraction: Separation depends on minute chemical preferences of solvents.
    3. Scale challenge: Industrial scaling multiplies waste, water use, and chemical consumption.
    4. Operational risk: Small inefficiencies cascade into high economic losses.

    What are the environmental costs of rare-earth extraction?

    1. Waste generation: Produces large volumes of toxic tailings and radioactive by-products.
    2. Water consumption: Requires copious water use during beneficiation and leaching.
    3. Chemical hazards: Involves strong acids, organic solvents, and bases.
    4. Radioactive risks: Some deposits co-occur with thorium or uranium, complicating waste disposal.
    5. Regulatory burden: Environmental safeguards raise entry barriers for new producers.

    Why does China dominate the rare-earth value chain?

    1. Integrated control: Dominates mining, refining, magnet-making, and downstream manufacturing.
    2. Processing capability: Controls majority of separation and refining infrastructure, not just extraction.
    3. Cost advantage: Lower environmental compliance historically reduced production costs.
    4. Market share: Accounts for ~94% of rare-earth magnet production globally.
    5. Strategic leverage: Ability to influence global supply through export controls and quotas.

    Why mining alone does not ensure strategic autonomy?

    1. Value-chain asymmetry: Mining without processing leads to export of raw ore and import of finished products.
    2. Technology gap: Separation expertise is more critical than geological reserves.
    3. Supply vulnerability: Dependence on foreign refining undermines industrial and defence security.
    4. Policy implication: Strategic minerals require end-to-end ecosystem development, not extraction alone.

    Conclusion

    Rare-earth elements represent a strategic paradox: geologically abundant yet economically scarce. The article demonstrates that processing capability, not mineral reserves, determines strategic power in the rare-earth sector. As clean energy transitions accelerate and technology dependence deepens, control over rare-earth value chains will increasingly shape global industrial competitiveness, environmental governance, and geopolitical leverage.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2013] With growing scarcity of fossil fuels, the atomic energy is gaining more and more significance in India. Discuss the availability of raw material required for the generation of atomic energy in India and in the world.

    Linkage: This question links directly to control over critical raw materials nuclear fuels and rare-earths alike that determines technological and strategic autonomy. Like atomic energy, rare-earth elements highlight that availability of resources alone is insufficient; processing capability and supply-chain control are decisive in emerging energy and technology transitions.

  • AgriEnIcs Programme

    Why in the News?

    The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology announced the transfer of technology for agricultural and environmental solutions developed under the Agricultural and Environmental Electronics (AgriEnIcs) Programme.

    What is AgriEnIcs Programme?

    • Overview: A national initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) integrating electronics, IT, and digital technologies into agriculture and environmental management.
    • Objective: To promote research, development, deployment, and commercialization of advanced tools for precision agriculture and sustainable resource monitoring.
    • Nature of Programme: Serves as a national R&D and technology translation platform connecting academia, industry, and government for innovation-driven solutions.
    • Implementing Agency: Led by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Kolkata as nodal agency, with participation from IITs, ICAR institutes, and private entities.
    • Development: All technologies designed and tested in India for affordability and rural scalability.
    • Strategic Vision: Strengthens India’s push toward AI- and IoT-enabled agri-systems, aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India.

    Key Features:

    • Integrated Tech Approach: Combines AI, IoT, machine vision, and sensor networks for intelligent agricultural and environmental systems.
    • Collaborative Framework: Operates through partnerships among MeitY, C-DAC, academic, and industrial institutions to speed up technology transfer.
    • Multi-Domain Focus: Addresses dairy health monitoring, crop quality estimation, odour detection, and waste-management automation.
    • AI & ML Applications: Enables predictive diagnostics, real-time data analytics, and automated decision support in farm operations.
    • Sensor-Based Systems: Deploys wearable sensors, vision devices, and automated analyzers for livestock, grain, and environment monitoring.
    • Scalable Architecture: Interoperable with AgriStack, Ayush Grid, and other government data platforms for nationwide expansion.

  • Reforming the steel framework

    Introduction

    Independence Day speeches are often symbolic, but in 2025 the Prime Minister shifted focus to frontier technologies, semiconductors, clean energy, AI, quantum computing, and defence indigenisation. Unlike earlier years, this vision was paired with the acknowledgment that bureaucratic inertia and regulatory red tape remain India’s toughest hurdles. The central challenge is whether India’s governance structures can keep pace with its technological ambitions.

    Significance of the 2025 Speech by the Prime Minister 

    • Future focus: Strong emphasis on frontier areas like semiconductors, EVs, and jet engines.
    • Symbolic push: The PM asked if fighter jet engines should not be Indian-made.
    • Bold promise: India will shed dependency in two decades.
    • Data milestone: India is the largest per capita data consumer (32 GB), ahead of China and the US.

    India’s current position in technology and self-reliance

    • Strength in mid-tech: Success in fintech, data access, and digitisation
    • Emerging hubs: Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Gurugram drive high-tech growth.
    • Import dependency: India depends heavily on imports in semiconductors, defence hardware, AI hardware, and clean energy technologies.
    • Global presence: Firms like Nvidia and IBM rely on India’s talent pool, but domestic ecosystems remain thin.

    Bureaucratic Challenges that obstruct deep-tech ambition

    • Colonial bureaucratic legacy: The Westminster model prioritised control over innovation and accountability.
    • Rigid steel frame: The “steel frame” of the civil services designed to ensure subservience to colonial administrators remains rigid even a century after the Public Service Commission’s creation in 1926.
    • Unrealised reforms: The Veerappa Moily Committee (2005) suggested domain experts and ethics codes-still pending.
    • Lateral entry limits: Attempts at inducting experts face systemic resistance.

    Why are regulatory and judicial reforms critical?

    • Persistent red tape: The Deregulation Commission (2025) was set up to identify redundant compliance norms, but structural bottlenecks persist.
    • Judicial backlog: Slow dispute resolution and investment climate, affectshigh-tech sectors.
    • Comparative lessons:
      • US & China: Despite different models, both empower political leadership over bureaucracy to push national interests.
      • UK: Even Britain debates its bureaucratic model, Dominic Cummings under Boris Johnson pushed for external competition and greater ministerial control.

    How does this link to Viksit Bharat@2047?

    • Ambition vs. architecture: India’s goal of becoming a deep-tech powerhouse is contingent not just on financial investment but on restructuring governance.
    • Symbolic timing: The UPSC centenary in 2026 is a historic chance for overhaul.
    • Future-readiness: Without structural reform, Atmanirbhar Bharat may remain aspirational.

    Conclusion

    India’s ambition to lead in deep-tech must be matched with institutional reform. The PM’s 2025 speech acknowledged that Atmanirbharta is as much about fixing bureaucratic bottlenecks as building jet engines or quantum labs. The centenary of UPSC offers an opportune moment to align India’s governance with its 2047 goals.

    Value Addition
    Committees on Civil Service Reforms

    1. Santhanam Committee (1964)

    • Focus: Preventive corruption measures.
    • Key suggestion: Creation of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

    2. Kothari Committee (1976)

    • Focus: Recruitment and exam structure of Civil Services.
    • Key suggestion: Recommended 3-stage exam (Prelims, Mains, Interview), which is still followed today.

    3. Satish Chandra Committee (1989)

    • Focus: Review of recruitment and selection.
    • Key suggestion: Increased emphasis on aptitude and ethics in recruitment.

    4. Hota Committee (2004)

    • Focus: Ethics, transparency, and performance.
    • Key suggestion: Right to Information, performance-linked incentives, citizen charters.

    5. Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) – Veerappa Moily (2005–2009)

    Most comprehensive civil service reform report (15 volumes). Key suggestions:

    • Lateral entry of domain experts.
    • Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct.
    • Citizen-centric administration
    • Performance-based appraisal system.
    • Training in e-governance and modern management practices

    6. Punchhi Commission (2010) – on Centre-State relations

    • Relevant link: Stressed need for civil service neutrality in federal governance.

    7. Baswan Committee (2016)

    1. Focus: UPSC exam age and attempts.
    2. Key suggestion: Reduce maximum age for UPSC CSE (though not implemented).

    8. Current initiatives 

    • Lateral entry into Joint Secretary and Director-level posts.
    • Mission Karmayogi (2020): National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) to train officers with competency-based framework.
    • Deregulation Commission (2025): Identifying and scrapping redundant compliances.

    Mapping Microthemes

    • GS Paper-II: Civil Service Reform, Regulation, Judiciary
    • GS Paper -III: Tech missions, Defence Indigenisation, Atmanirbhar Bharat
    • GS Paper -IV: Accountability, Ethics in governance

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2016] Civil Services “Traditional bureaucratic structure and culture have hampered the process of socio-economic development in India.” Comment.

    Linkage: PM Modi’s Independence Day 2025 address highlighted that despite India’s technological advances, the colonial-era bureaucratic “steel frame” continues to obstruct innovation, investment, and governance reforms. The traditional bureaucratic structure—designed for control rather than development—remains a bottleneck in achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat. Thus, the speech directly echoes the UPSC 2016 theme that outdated bureaucratic culture hampers socio-economic transformation.

  • NIPGR’s gene-edited Japonica Rice shows increased Phosphate uptake

    Why in the News?

    Scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Delhi, have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to enhance phosphate uptake and utilization in japonica rice.

    Back2Basics: CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing

    • What It Is: A powerful gene-editing tool that allows targeted changes to DNA sequences.
    • Full Form: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9.
    • Nobel Prize: Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this discovery.
    • Key Components:
      • Cas9 Enzyme: Acts as molecular scissors to cut DNA at a specific location.
      • Guide RNA (gRNA): Directs Cas9 to the exact DNA sequence to be edited.
    • How It Works?
      • A gRNA is designed to match the target DNA.
      • Cas9 and gRNA form a complex inside the cell.
      • The complex binds to the target and cuts the DNA.
      • The cell’s repair system modifies the DNA—adding, deleting, or changing genetic material.

    About Japonica Rice:

    • Overview: Japonica is one of the two major cultivated rice subspecies, the other being Indica.
    • Research Use: The Nipponbare variety of Japonica was used in recent gene-editing experiments.
    • Why Japonica is Preferred in Studies:
      • High regeneration potential in tissue culture
      • Easier genetic transformation and faster growth in lab conditions
    • Relevance to India: While not widely cultivated in India, Japonica acts as a model variety for testing before applying results to Indian Indica varieties.

    Key Features of the Japonica Rice Study:

    • Gene Editing Technique: Used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit a 30 base-pair repressor binding site on the promoter of the OsPHO1;2 gene.
    • Outcomes of the Edit:
      • Enhanced phosphate uptake from the soil
      • Improved phosphate transport from root to shoot
      • Yield increased by up to 40% using only 10% of the usual phosphate fertilizer
      • Normal seed traits retained: size, shape, starch, and phosphate levels
    • Significance: Demonstrated precise, minimal gene editing as a proof-of-concept that can be adapted to Indian rice varieties.
    [UPSC 2018] With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements:

    1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests.

    2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.

    3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    Options: (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only * (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

     

  • [pib] Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at 97

    Why in the News?

    The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) celebrated its 97th Foundation Day, marking nearly a century of contributions to Indian agriculture.

    About ICAR:

    • Overview: ICAR is an autonomous organization under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
    • Establishment: It was established on 16 July 1929 as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, following the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Agriculture.
    • Legal Framework: It functions as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
    • Headquarters: ICAR is headquartered in New Delhi and serves as the apex body for coordinating and managing agricultural research and education across the country.
    • Structure: ICAR oversees a vast network of 113 research institutes and 74 agricultural universities, making it one of the largest national agricultural systems globally.
    • Functions: It supports research in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal sciences, and natural resource management.

    Key Accomplishments of ICAR:

    • Record Agricultural Production: India achieved record foodgrain production of 353.95 million tonnes in 2024–25. It became the largest global producer and exporter of rice and the top producer of milk (239.3 million tonnes), while ranking second in wheat, horticultural output, and fish production (18.42 million tonnes).
    • Major Initiatives and Campaigns: It launched programmes such as One Scientist One Product, 100 Days 100 Varieties and Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (reaching 1.35 crore farmers).
    • Crop Science Research: Developed 679 field crop varieties, including 27 bio-fortified ones; introduced the world’s first genome-edited rice; improved varietal replacement in pulses and oilseeds; supported basmati rice exports worth ₹50,000 crore.
    • Horticultural Innovation: Released 83 new varieties across fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, and medicinal plants; distributed over 22 lakh high-quality planting materials; set up 9 Clean Plant Centres for disease-free germplasm.
    • Fisheries Development: Implemented precision shrimp farming systems with high efficiency; developed low-carbon marine fish products and nutraceutical feeds; standardized breeding for 7 fish species.
    • Natural Resource Management: Created a National Soil Spectral Library with 40,000 samples; developed 35 Good Agricultural Practices; promoted climate-resilient villages and crop diversification; reduced methane emissions in rice by 18% using microbial consortia.
    • Livestock Sector Contributions: Registered 10 indigenous breeds; developed 5 vaccines and 7 diagnostic kits; distributed over 14.09 lakh poultry germplasm; introduced smart sensors for dairy quality monitoring.
    • Major National Programmes: Launched the Global Centre of Excellence on Millets (Shree Anna), genome editing in 40 crops, the Second National Gene Bank, the MAHARISHI (Millets and Ancient Grains) Initiative, and national missions on edible oils, cotton, and emerging biotic threats.
    [UPSC 2018] With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements:

    1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests.

    2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.

    3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    Options: (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only* (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3