Consider the following pairs:
| Programme/Project | Ministry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Drought-Prone Area Programme: Ministry of Agriculture | |
| 2. | Desert Development Programme: Ministry of Environment and Forests | |
| 3. | National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas: Ministry of Rural Development |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) None
All three pairs are wrongly matched. DPAP and DDP were run by the Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Resources). NWDPRA was run by the Ministry of Agriculture, so the answer is none.
- ✗ 1. The Drought Prone Area Programme belonged to the Ministry of Rural Development, not the Ministry of Agriculture. It was later merged into the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) under the same ministry.
- ✗ 2. The Desert Development Programme was also a Ministry of Rural Development scheme, and it too was merged into IWMP. It was not run by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
- ✗ 3. NWDPRA was a Ministry of Agriculture project, run by its Department of Agriculture & Cooperation. It was not a Ministry of Rural Development project. The pair swaps the two ministries.
Remember · DPAP, DDP and IWDP (merged into IWMP) sit with the Ministry of Rural Development. NWDPRA sits with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Sources
- PIB – Integrated Watershed Management for the Promotion of rainfed/dryland farming ↗ “Ministry of Rural Development Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP): Integration and Modification of the schemes of Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP), Desert Development Programme (DDP) and Integrated Waterland Development Programme (IWDP). … Ministry of Agriculture 1. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) 2. Soil Conservation in the Catchments of River Valley Project and Flood Prone River (RVP & FPR)”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
