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Which state is known as the 'Bread Basket of India'?
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Answer: Option C — Punjab
Detailed Solution
Punjab is known as the "Bread Basket of India" (also the "Granary of India" and the "Food Bowl of India") because of its very high production of wheat and rice.
Why Punjab is the Bread Basket:
Although it has only about 1.5 per cent of India's geographical area, Punjab produces a large share of India's wheat and rice and contributes a major share of the grains procured for the central pool (used for the Public Distribution System).
It has fertile alluvial soil deposited by its rivers.
It has an extensive irrigation network of canals and tube wells. The Bhakra-Nangal Dam on the Sutlej river was a major irrigation project.
It has one of the highest yields of wheat and rice per hectare in India.
The Green Revolution:
Punjab was at the centre of the Green Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s.
High-yielding varieties (HYV) of wheat, developed by the American scientist Norman Borlaug (Nobel Peace Prize, 1970) in Mexico, were introduced in India with the help of M. S. Swaminathan, the "Father of the Green Revolution in India".
The use of high-yielding seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation and machinery greatly increased food production.
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, founded in 1962, played a key role.
About Punjab:
The name "Punjab" means "land of five rivers": the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. After the Partition in 1947, only the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej flow through Indian Punjab.
Challenges:
- Over-use of groundwater has led to a sharp fall in water tables.
- Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides has affected soil health.
- The burning of paddy stubble after harvest contributes to air pollution in north India.
Other agricultural facts:
- Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of wheat in India.
- West Bengal is the largest producer of rice in India.
- Madhya Pradesh is called the "Soya State" and has received the "Krishi Karman Award" many times.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of wheat and sugarcane.
- ✗Madhya Pradesh is called the "Soya State".
- ✗West Bengal is the largest producer of rice.
Quick tip
Remember: "Bread Basket of India" = Punjab (Green Revolution; PAU Ludhiana; Bhakra-Nangal); largest wheat producer = Uttar Pradesh; largest rice producer = West Bengal; Punjab = "land of five rivers".
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Agriculture in India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Agriculture in India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers agriculture in India: cropping seasons (kharif, rabi and zaid), major food and cash crops and their leading producer states, irrigation, the Green, White, Blue and other agricultural revolutions, and allied activities such as animal husbandry and fisheries. Questions usually ask which crop belongs to which season, which state is the largest producer of a crop, and which revolution relates to which product. For example, the White Revolution relates to milk and was led by Verghese Kurien, and the Blue Revolution relates to fisheries. Producer rankings can change from year to year, so check the latest data for those questions. Practise the agriculture in India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.