Which bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with POORTI Agri Services Pvt. Ltd. to help farmers purchase agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds?

Introduction / Context:
Indian banks increasingly partner with agri technology platforms and service providers to improve access to agricultural inputs and credit for farmers. Such collaborations are an important part of rural development and financial inclusion. This question focuses on a specific agreement in which a bank joined hands with POORTI Agri Services Pvt. Ltd., a platform that enables farmers to order farm inputs online. Knowing which bank signed this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) helps candidates link banking awareness with agriculture and digital rural services.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The MoU is between a bank and POORTI Agri Services Pvt. Ltd.
- The purpose is to enable farmers to buy inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and seeds.
- Options include State Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank.
- Standard banking current affairs information is assumed.

Concept / Approach:
The partnership between a bank and POORTI Agri Services Pvt. Ltd. aims to give farmers easier access to quality agricultural inputs by combining finance and an online ordering platform. In this specific case, Bank of Baroda entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with POORTI. The idea was to offer credit support and digital payment options to farmers using the POORTI platform so they could purchase seeds, fertilizers and other inputs conveniently. Therefore, among the listed options, Bank of Baroda is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall relevant banking current affairs related to agriculture and digital platforms.
Step 2: Identify that POORTI Agri Services Pvt. Ltd. is linked with an MoU involving Bank of Baroda.
Step 3: Eliminate options where there is no known partnership of this specific type with POORTI, such as Central Bank of India or Punjab National Bank in this context.
Step 4: Note that although State Bank of India has many rural initiatives, the specific POORTI MoU is associated with Bank of Baroda.
Step 5: Select “Bank of Baroda” as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify this, recall that competitive exam magazines and banking awareness notes often mention a headline similar to “Bank of Baroda signs MoU with POORTI Agri Services to help farmers purchase farm inputs.” This exact pairing of names makes it easier to remember. If a learner has revised banking news summaries, the name Bank of Baroda will stand out when POORTI is mentioned, confirming that this is the correct match.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- State Bank of India: While SBI is very active in the agricultural sector, it was not the bank mentioned in connection with the POORTI Agri Services MoU in this particular news item.
- Central Bank of India: Not associated with the specific POORTI collaboration referenced in the question, so this choice would be incorrect.
- Punjab National Bank: Also involved in many rural finance initiatives, but the highlighted MoU with POORTI was signed by Bank of Baroda, not PNB.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes guess State Bank of India whenever they see any rural or agricultural initiative, because SBI is the largest public sector bank. While SBI does lead many schemes, other public sector banks like Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and others also sign specific MoUs. It is important to connect the correct pairings: POORTI with Bank of Baroda in this instance. Keeping a small table of “bank plus partner” combinations during exam preparation can significantly reduce such confusion in current affairs questions.

Final Answer:
The bank that signed an MoU with POORTI Agri Services Pvt. Ltd. for enabling farmers to purchase agricultural inputs is Bank of Baroda.