Correct Answer: Processing agricultural products  

Solution : The agro-processing industry involves processing agricultural products to add value and extend their shelf life, such as turning milk into cheese or tomatoes into tomato sauce.

Correct Answer: Biomedical waste

Solution : Biomedical waste is a type of urban waste generated from healthcare facilities, hospitals, and laboratories.

Correct Answer: Regulating agricultural marketing in specified areas

Solution : The correct answer is (c) Regulating agricultural marketing in specified areas.

APMC is a statutory body established by state governments in India to regulate and supervise the marketing of agricultural produce within designated market areas. The main objective of APMC is to ensure fair trade practices, protect the interests of farmers, and provide a transparent platform for buying and selling agricultural commodities.

The key functions of the APMC include:

1. Regulating market practices: APMCs regulate the buying, selling, and storage of agricultural produce in designated market yards or mandis. They enforce rules and regulations to prevent unfair practices, ensure transparency in transactions, and protect farmers from exploitation.

2. Setting up market infrastructure: APMCs establish and maintain market yards, auction platforms, warehouses, cold storage facilities, and other necessary infrastructure for the smooth functioning of agricultural markets.

3. Price discovery: APMCs facilitate price discovery mechanisms through transparent auctions, negotiations, and competitive bidding processes. They provide a platform where buyers and sellers can interact and determine fair prices for agricultural produce.

4. Quality control and grading: APMCs enforce quality standards for agricultural commodities and provide grading services to ensure consistency and reliability in the quality of produce traded in the markets.

5. Collection of market fees and charges: APMCs collect market fees, levies, and charges from buyers and sellers as per the state regulations. These fees contribute to the maintenance and development of market infrastructure.

Correct Answer: It reduced the reliance on subsistence farming
 

Solution : Commercial agriculture played a significant role in the economic changes of the 19th-century rural society by reducing the reliance on subsistence farming, as farmers increasingly grew cash crops for export rather than food crops for local consumption.

Correct Answer: It caused a reduction in agricultural biodiversity.

Solution : A major criticism of the focus on wheat and rice in the Green Revolution was that it caused a reduction in agricultural biodiversity, as farmers shifted away from traditional and diverse cropping patterns.

Correct Answer: By examining the shifts in land ownership patterns

Solution : Correct Option: Option 2
Explanation: Historians use Ain-i-Akbari to understand the impact of Akbar's administrative reforms on rural society by examining the shifts in land ownership patterns, which were a crucial aspect of his efforts to restructure agrarian relations.

Correct Answer: Increase in agricultural exports

Solution : A significant economic change in 19th-century rural society due to British policies was the increase in agricultural exports. The colonial demand for cash crops such as indigo, cotton, and tea led to a shift in agricultural practices and contributed to the growth of commercial agriculture.

Correct Answer: Agricultural runoff

Solution : The correct answer is (D) Agricultural runoff.

Non-point source pollution refers to the pollution that does not originate from a single, identifiable source. It occurs when pollutants are carried into water bodies through runoff from diffuse sources, such as agricultural fields, urban areas, and natural landscapes. These sources are characterized by widespread and scattered pollutant inputs, making it challenging to trace the exact origin of the pollution.

Among the options provided, agricultural runoff best represents a non-point source of water pollution. When rainfall or irrigation water runs off agricultural fields, it can carry various pollutants, including fertilizers, pesticides, sediment, and animal waste, into nearby water bodies. These pollutants can degrade water quality, harm aquatic ecosystems, and negatively impact human health.

Correct Answer: Insufficient support for small farmers

Solution : A major criticism of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy is that it provides insufficient support for small farmers, with much of the funding going to larger agricultural enterprises.

Correct Answer: Agricultural reforms

Solution : The correct answer is (b) agricultural reforms.

The Green Revolution in India was a major agricultural initiative that took place during the 1960s and 1970s. It aimed to increase agricultural productivity and food production through the adoption of modern agricultural practices, technologies, and inputs.

The Green Revolution focused on implementing agricultural reforms to address the challenges of food scarcity and ensure food security for the growing population. The key components of the Green Revolution included the introduction of high-yielding varieties of seeds, increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, improved irrigation systems, and better farm management practices.