Read the following passage carefully:
To mitigate systemic inefficiencies in the distribution of subsidized agricultural inputs, the State Department of Agriculture has recently transitioned from a decentralized, block-level manual approval system to a centralized algorithmic allocation framework. Under the new protocol, named 'Krishi-Net', farmer eligibility and input quotas—such as fertilizers and high-yield seeds—are determined automatically by correlating historical crop yield data, digitized land registry records, and real-time satellite imagery of soil moisture. The primary objective is to eliminate subjective administrative bias and local bureaucratic delays that have historically plagued the state supply chain.
Initial implementation reports indicate a 30% reduction in processing time and a significant drop in ghost beneficiaries. However, field officers have noted emerging structural anomalies. Farmers with fragmented landholdings, whose boundaries are poorly demarcated or completely missing in legacy digitized land registries, frequently receive insufficient quotas due to algorithmic misclassification. Furthermore, the algorithm strictly prioritizes resource allocation to regions demonstrating maximum immediate yield potential based on current soil moisture indices. Consequently, this inadvertently reduces subsidized allocations to drought-prone zones that are actively attempting to transition to sustainable dryland farming techniques, as their immediate yield metrics appear unfavorable.
The administration asserts that these anomalies represent minor transitional friction rather than fundamental design flaws, maintaining that the system's overarching macro-optimization logic remains sound and will eventually self-correct as data quality improves.
Based on the practical implications of the 'Krishi-Net' system described in the passage, which of the following policy interventions is the most logically valid administrative extension to address the current allocation anomalies?
- AReinstating the block-level manual approval system for all farmers, as the passage demonstrates that centralized algorithms are incapable of reducing processing times.
- BAbandoning the Krishi-Net protocol entirely because the administration has conceded that the fundamental design is inherently biased against drought-prone agricultural zones.
- Incorporating sustainable farming transition metrics into the algorithm's allocation criteria and establishing a localized verification process for fragmented landholdings.Answer
- DReplacing the subsidized input distribution with direct cash transfers to farmers' bank accounts, ensuring financial inclusion and eliminating the need for complex algorithms.