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Current Affairs 11th April 2023

 What is the wheat crop and when is it grown in India?

  1. What is the wheat crop and when is it grown in India? Answer: Wheat is a Rabi crop and is the main cereal crop in India. It is sown in October-December and harvested during April-June.

  2. What kind of soil is ideal for wheat cultivation in India? Answer: Soils with a clay loam or loam texture, good structure, and moderate water-holding capacity are ideal for wheat cultivation in India.

  3. Which are the major wheat-growing states in India? Answer: The major wheat-growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Gujarat.

  4. How does rain affect the wheat crop during the terminal grain filling and ripening period? Answer: Wheat is sensitive to rain and thunderstorms during the terminal grain filling and ripening period. When accompanied by high-velocity winds, the stems become prone to “lodging” or bending and even falling flat on the ground, which can damage the crop.

  5. What is the Centre's view on wheat production despite recent adverse weather conditions? Answer: The Centre is optimistic that wheat production would be close to 112 MT on account of increased acreage (area) of wheat and better yield this season, despite a slight production loss due to recent adverse weather conditions.

  6. What are the concerns related to recent weather events on wheat cultivation in India? Answer: The recent untimely spell of widespread rain followed by an unusual rise in heat has left wheat-growing farmers worried as wheat is sensitive to both heat stress and rain/thunderstorms during the terminal grain filling and ripening period. The crop damage scenario also comes against the backdrop of persisting high inflation and food security woes globally amid geopolitical uncertainties.

  7. What is the way ahead for wheat cultivation in India? Answer: A sizable section of farmers asserts that the inclement weather has adversely damaged the standing wheat crop. Moreover, if the country’s wheat production drops below the government estimate, it could lead to a hike in prices of wheat and wheat-based products in the domestic market. Any decline in wheat production can also lead to a potential foodgrain security issue.

Supreme Court of India sets strict guidelines for preventive detention laws

  1. What are preventive detention laws in India?

Answer-Preventive detention laws in India are a colonial legacy that allows the government to detain individuals without trial or conviction, for the purpose of preventing potential crimes they may commit in the future.

  1. What did the Supreme Court say about the potential abuse of preventive detention laws in India?

Answer-The Supreme Court said that preventive detention laws in India have a great potential to be abused and must be used only in the rarest of rare cases. The court also emphasized the need for checks and balances on the exercise of the power of the government.

  1. What is the duty of the courts in cases of preventive detention?

Answer-In cases of preventive detention, the courts are conferred with the duty to protect individual and civil liberties, and must give every benefit of the doubt in favor of the detenue. The slightest error in procedural compliances must result in favor of the detenue, and every procedural rigidity must be followed in entirety by the government.

  1. What was the outcome of the appeal filed by Pramod Singla?

Answer-Pramod Singla had filed an appeal challenging an order of the Delhi High Court which had rejected his plea to quash the detention order against him on the grounds of delay in considering his representation. The Supreme Court set aside the detention order and released him from custody.

UNDEF's grants and India


  1. What is the UN Democracy Fund and when was it launched? Answer: The UN Democracy Fund is a fund launched in 2005 on the sidelines of India-US nuclear cooperation deal, with the aim of spreading democratic ideals across the world.

  2. Who were the prime movers behind the UN Democracy Fund? Answer: India and the US were the prime movers behind the UN Democracy Fund.

  3. Who is George Soros and what is his connection to the UN Democracy Fund? Answer: George Soros is a philanthropist and billionaire who has been linked to some NGOs that receive grants from the UN Democracy Fund. In 2016, India put Soros's Open Society Foundations on a watchlist.

  4. What is India's stance on giving grants to NGOs funded by George Soros through the UN Democracy Fund? Answer: India, a founding member of UNDEF, has no objections to the Fund giving grants to NGOs funded by George Soros, while he is put on the watchlist in India underlining a contradiction that’s not new.

  5. How does the Modi government's high table diplomacy differ from its domestic political ideology? Answer: The imperatives of the Modi government's high table diplomacy and its domestic political ideology diverge noticeably, requiring Delhi to deploy a soft touch in the former while playing hardball at home for domestic audiences.

  6. How is the Advisory Board of the UN Democracy Fund constituted? Answer: The Advisory Board of the UN Democracy Fund is constituted by the Secretary General and includes eight largest Member State contributors and six other states to reflect diverse geographical representation, including one "small island" and developing states. It also has two individual members, and two CSOs.

  7. How does UNDEF decide which NGOs to give grants to? Answer: Each year, UNDEF solicits and receives up to 3,000 proposals from NGOs around the world. An Advisory Board considers these proposals, and recommends proposals for approval by the Secretary General. Between 30 to 50 are chosen every year. In 15 Rounds of Funding so far, UNDEF has supported over 880 two-year projects in more than 130 countries, according to the Fund's website.


State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22

  1. What is the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22 and what are its objectives? Answer: The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22 is a tool designed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in association with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) to track energy efficiency initiatives in the states and Union Territories (UTs) of India. The objective of the Index is to drive decarbonisation efforts in the states and outline recommendations to help them drive change in energy efficiency, which will contribute towards the fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

  2. What are the categories in the State Energy Efficiency Index and which states fall under them? Answer: The State Energy Efficiency Index has four categories, namely Front Runner, Achiever, Contender, and Aspirant. The states falling under these categories are as follows:

  • Front Runner category (>60 points): Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Telangana.
  • Achiever Category (50-60 points): Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Punjab.
  1. What is the World Homoeopathy Day and why is it celebrated? Answer: World Homoeopathy Day is observed every year on April 10th to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, who is the founder of homeopathy. It is celebrated to raise awareness about homoeopathy, its principles, and its contribution to global healthcare.

  2. What is homoeopathy and how does it work? Answer: Homoeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. It is a therapeutic system of medicine that is premised on the principle, "Similia Similibus Curentur" or 'let likes be treated by likes'. Homoeopathic medicines are prepared from traces of animal, plant, mineral, and other natural substances, by a standard method called dynamisation or potentisation. Homoeopathy works by curing the patient with medicines that possess the power of producing similar symptoms in a healthy human being simulating the natural disease, which it can cure in the diseased person.

  3. What steps have been taken by the Government of India to promote the homoeopathy system of medicine? Answer: The Government of India has taken several steps to promote the homoeopathy system of medicine, which include the following:

  • Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH): An apex research organization under the Ministry of AYUSH that undertakes, coordinates, develops, disseminates, and promotes scientific research in homoeopathy.
  • National AYUSH Mission (NAM): A Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of AYUSH implemented through States/UTs for the promotion and development of AYUSH systems of medicine, including homoeopathy.
  • National Commission for Homoeopathy: Established under the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020, to regulate the education and practice of homoeopathy.
  • Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H): Established to develop pharmacopoeial standards for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and homoeopathic drugs.
  • National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Kolkata: An Autonomous Institute under the Ministry of AYUSH that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in homoeopathy.

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