Why does the Government of India promote the use of 'Neem-coated Urea' in agriculture?
Show answer
Answer: B. Neem coating slows the release of nitrogen from urea in soil, so more of it reaches the plant and less is lost. It also makes urea unattractive for diversion to industrial use.
Watch for: The words 'not at all' in option C overstate a real benefit.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because neem does not increase nitrogen fixation by microbes.
- C. Wrong because nitrous oxide emissions are reduced, not stopped altogether.
- D. Wrong because neem-coated urea is not a weedicide.
Source to check: Department of Fertilizers, notification of 25 May 2015 making 100% neem-coated urea mandatory (New Urea Policy 2015); ICAR notes on nitrification inhibitors
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.