Which of the following is not an objective of National Food security Mission (NFSM)?

The correct answer is C) Strengthening credit facilities. NFSM, launched in 2007-08, targets production of rice, wheat, pulses and coarse cereals through area expansion, productivity gains, soil fertility restoration, and farm-level employment and income. Its interventions are technology-driven, not finance-driven.

• A) Distribution of high yielding variety seeds is a core NFSM intervention, supplying certified seed and HYV seed at subsidised rates.
• B) Demonstration of improved production technology is covered through cluster and frontline demonstrations on farmers' fields.
• D) Popularising newly released varieties is part of the mission's push to spread varietal improvement through demonstrations and seed chains.

The core concept here is the difference between a mission's technology package and the institutional finance system. Credit access is handled through the banking system and schemes such as the Kisan Credit Card, which NFSM does not run. For Mains, this distinction matters when you discuss why productivity gains often stall: technology reaches farmers, but input finance and institutional credit reach them unevenly.

Trap: Aspirants who see "farm support scheme" and pick the option that sounds most financial, without checking whether it is a mission-level objective.