With reference to organic farming in India, consider the following statements:
- 1.‘The National Programme for Organic Production’ (NPOP) is operated under the guidelines and directions of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
- 2.‘The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority’ (APEDA) functions as the Secretariat for the implementation of NPOP.
- 3.Sikkim has become India’s first fully organic State.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Statement 1 is wrong: NPOP was launched by the Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, not by the Ministry of Rural Development. Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
- ✗ 1. NPOP began in 2001 under the Department of Commerce (Ministry of Commerce and Industry), mainly to certify organic products for export. It does not run under the Ministry of Rural Development.
- ✓ 2. APEDA, which also works under the Commerce Ministry, acts as the Secretariat for implementing NPOP.
- ✓ 3. Sikkim converted its entire agricultural area to certified organic by 2015 and was formally declared a 100 per cent organic state in 2016, the first in India.
Remember · NPOP: launched 2001 by the Commerce Ministry; APEDA is its Secretariat. Sikkim was declared India's first fully organic State in 2016.
Sources
- APEDA refutes unfounded allegations in Organic Cotton Certification, PIB, 27 July 2025 ↗ “was launched in 2001 by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt of India for exports of Organic products and APEDA acts as the Secretariat for the implementation of the NPOP.”
- Sikkim Statehood Day (May 16), explainer, PIB Ministry of Information & Broadcasting ↗ “Sikkim is the first 100 per cent organic state in the country. The process of converting Sikkim into a 100 per cent organic state was fast-tracked in 2010 with the launch of the Sikkim Organic Mission.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·