Question

Assertion (A): Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy.

Reason (R): Agricultural contribution to country’s GDP is the highest among the three major sectors of the economy.

Options

• Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).

• Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).

• Assertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false.

• Assertion (A) is false but Reason (R) is true.

Answer 1

Assertion (A) is true but Reason (R) is false.

Explanation:

Agriculture is indeed the backbone of the Indian economy because it provides livelihoods to about 43% of the labour force, supplies raw materials to industries, contributes to food security, and supports the rural economy. However, the reason stating that agriculture’s contribution to the country’s GDP is the highest among the three major sectors is false. The agricultural sector’s share in India’s GDP has been decreasing over time and stood at around 16% in 2018-19, which is lower than that of the industrial and service sectors.