Which was the first Indian state to set up a ‘Special Agriculture Zone’?

Correct option is C

(c) Uttarakhand

The concept of Special Agriculture Zones (SAZs) was introduced to promote region-specific agricultural development by providing dedicated support infrastructure, subsidies, and institutional mechanisms. The first Indian state to implement this concept was Uttarakhand, which launched SAZs in 2011 to encourage integrated farming, especially in its hilly and mountainous regions. These zones were aimed at boosting crop productivity, ensuring efficient use of resources, and improving farmers' livelihoods through focused interventions.

The scheme included:

• Soil health management
• Assured power and irrigation
• Seed and equipment banks
• Market linkage and storage support

This initiative made Uttarakhand the pioneer in establishing Special Agriculture Zones in India.