Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to identify which of the given schemes or components are associated with the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY).
PMKSY is an umbrella scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries aimed at creating modern infrastructure for food processing, improving farm-to-market linkages, reducing wastage, and increasing the value realised by farmers.
Step 2: Key Approach:
The correct approach is to distinguish the components of PMKSY from other important agricultural schemes dealing with crop insurance and agricultural credit.
The two relevant components in the question are Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure and Operation Greens.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
• Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure:
This is an important component of PMKSY.
It focuses on establishing an integrated cold-chain infrastructure from the farm gate to the consumer.
Such infrastructure includes facilities for pre-cooling, sorting, grading, storage, transportation, and preservation of agricultural and horticultural produce.
The objective is to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the value of agricultural produce.
• Crop Insurance:
Crop insurance is not a component of PMKSY.
Crop insurance is primarily associated with the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which provides financial protection to farmers against specified crop losses arising from natural calamities, pests, and diseases.
• Operation Greens:
Operation Greens is associated with PMKSY and seeks to strengthen the supply chain for selected agricultural commodities by improving production, processing, storage, and marketing infrastructure.
Its broader objective is to reduce price volatility and improve the returns received by farmers.
• Farm Credit:
Farm credit is not a component of PMKSY.
Agricultural credit is provided through mechanisms such as the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and other institutional credit arrangements.
• Therefore, among the four statements, A and C correctly represent components associated with PMKSY.
Hence, the correct combination is A and C only.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct answer is (B) A and C only.