UPPSC 2020 Prelims GS Paper-I · Question 45 of 150

Correct — B, Devlali (Maharashtra) and Danapur (Bihar). India's first Kisan Rail — a dedicated train for moving perishable farm produce (vegetables, fruit, milk, etc.) — ran on the Central Railway between Devlali (Deolali, in Nashik district, Maharashtra) and Danapur (near Patna, Bihar). It was flagged off on 7 August 2020 (the stem's '8 August' reflects the inaugural-week service); the two terminal stations, Devlali and Danapur, are the fact tested here.

• (a)Ghaziabad and Howrah — This pairs a Uttar Pradesh city with Kolkata and has no connection to the first Kisan Rail, which ran Devlali–Danapur.
• (c)Nasik and New Delhi — The Nashik end is close (the origin, Devlali, lies in Nashik district), but the first Kisan Rail's destination was Danapur in Bihar, not New Delhi.
• (d)Nasik and Ahmedabad — Again the Nashik end is near-right, but the destination was Danapur (Bihar), not Ahmedabad — so the pairing is wrong.

The Kisan Rail scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2020-21, provides multi-commodity, multi-consignment refrigerated/ventilated trains so farmers can move perishables quickly to distant markets. The first service linked surplus-producing Maharashtra (Devlali/Nashik) with Bihar (Danapur), and Indian Railways later offered freight support for perishables carried on such trains.

This is a scheme-plus-route recall. The trap is that three options mention Nashik/Nasik (the correct origin area) but wrong destinations; the correct terminal pair is Devlali–Danapur (Maharashtra to Bihar).

• First Kisan Rail: Devlali (Deolali, Nashik dist., Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar), on Central Railway.
• Flagged off 7 August 2020; a dedicated train for perishable agricultural produce.
• The Kisan Rail scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2020-21.
• Indian Railways later subsidised the freight for fruits and vegetables carried by Kisan Rail.

• Being lured by options that name Nashik/Nasik (correct origin) but the wrong destination.
• Confusing Kisan Rail (rail, perishables) with Krishi Udan (air cargo for farm produce).

Scheme 'firsts' with a route or place — UPPSC likes the terminal stations of the first Kisan Rail (Devlali–Danapur) and the budget that launched the scheme.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Kisan Rail scheme was announced in which of the following?

  • (a)Union Budget 2020-21
  • (b)NITI Aayog Strategy for New India @75
  • (c)Economic Survey 2018-19
  • (d)National Agriculture Policy 2000

  Answer(a) Union Budget 2020-21 — the Kisan Rail (and Krishi Udan) were announced in that budget.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Kisan Rail services are primarily meant to transport which of the following?

  • (a)Perishable agricultural produce
  • (b)Coal
  • (c)Iron ore
  • (d)Cement

  Answer(a) Perishable agricultural produce — vegetables, fruit, milk and similar items needing quick movement to market.