Context:

Recently, Remarks by a Hindi actor to the effect that Hindi is the national language of India sparked a controversy over the status of the language under the Constitution.

Key Points:

• Under Article 343 of the Constitution, the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The international form of Indian numerals will be used for official purposes.
• In the constituent assembly discussions, it was decided that English would continue to be used for a period of 15 years.The Constitution said that after 15 years, Parliament may by law decide on the use of English and the use of the Devanagari form of numbers for specified purposes.
• Article 351:It is the Union government’s duty to promote the spread of Hindi so that it becomes “a medium of expression for all elements of the composite culture of India” and also to assimilate elements of forms and expressions from Hindustani and languages listed in the Eighth Schedule.

• Transnistria is a tiny breakaway region of Moldova.
• It lies between Moldova to its west and Ukraine towards its east
• Often described as a “remnant of the Soviet Union”, Transnistria declared independence like Moldova did soon after the break-up of the Soviet Union.
• Transnistria is not recognised as independent even by Russia and its economy is dependent on Russia for subsidies and free gas.
• Most Transnistrians have dual citizenship of Russia and Transnistria or triple citizenship of Moldova, Transnistria, and Russia

Aim:

• To facilitate higher investment flows for both countries,
• To ensure mutually beneficial and guarantee a maximum advantage in trade for both countries.

Benefits of India-UAE CEPA

• India will benefit from preferential market access provided by the UAE, especially for all labour-intensive sectors. Such as Gems and Jewellery, Textiles, leather, footwear, sports goods, plastics, furniture, agricultural and wood products, engineering products, medical devices, and Automobiles
• Both sides have also agreed to a separate Annex on Pharmaceuticals to facilitate access to Indian pharmaceuticals products, especially automatic registration and marketing authorisation in 90 days for products meeting specified criteria.

CEPA is expected to increase the total value of bilateral trade in goods to over US$100 billion and trade in services to over US$15 billion within five years

Jute Industry in India

• In India, Jute is primarily grown in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Andhra Pradesh. (West Bengal, Bihar and Assam account for almost 99% of India’s total jute production)
• The seeds are planted between April and May and harvested between July and August.
• Jute production is a labour-intensive industry. It employs about two lakh workers in West Bengal alone and 4 lakh workers across the country
• India is the largest producer of jute followed by Bangladesh and China. However, in terms of acreage and trade, Bangladesh takes the lead accounting for three-fourths of the global jute exports in comparison to India’s 7%.

About Jute:

• Temperature: Between 25-35°C
• Rainfall: Around 150-250 cm
• Soil Type: Well drained alluvial soil.

Important Facts:

• India’s pharma sector witnessed a growth of 103% since 2013-14, from Rs. 90, 415 crores in 2013-14 to Rs. 1,83,422 crore in 2021-22.
• India’s pharma exports in 2021-22 sustained positive growth despite the global trade disruptions.
• The trade balance continues to be in India’s favor.
• The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world’s 3rd largest by volume and 14th largest in terms of value.
• India’s top five pharma export destinations are the US, UK, South Africa, Russia, and Nigeria.
• The current market size of the domestic pharmaceutical industry is $50 billion.
• India allows 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in greenfield (new) pharma projects under the automatic route. For brownfield pharma, or investments in existing companies, up to 74%, FDI is allowed under the automatic route, and approval is required beyond that.

• The office of the PSA, established in 1999, aims to provide advice to the Prime Minister and cabinet on matters related to science, technology and innovation.
• It is currently a Secretary level position.
• First Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the government of India was Dr. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

About Basavanna

• Basavanna was a philosopher, statesman, Kannada poet and a social reformer during the reign of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I in Karnataka.
• Basavanna spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as
• Basavanna rejected gender or social discrimination, superstitions and rituals.
• He introduced new public institutions such as the Anubhava Mantapa (or, the “hall of spiritual experience”), which welcomed men and women from all socio-economic backgrounds to discuss spiritual and mundane questions of life, in open.
• As a leader, he developed and inspired a new devotional movement named Virashaivas, or “ardent, heroic worshippers of Shiva”. This movement shared its roots in the ongoing Tamil Bhakti movement, particularly the Shaiva Nayanars traditions, over the 7th- to 11th-century.

Key Takeaways:

• The 36th edition of AAHAR was jointly organized by APEDA and the India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) at Pragati Maidan this week.
• AAHAR is a part of the series of export promotion initiatives taken by APEDA, which works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to showcase agricultural and processed food products to the global players
• The millets are a rich source of protein, fibre, minerals, iron, calcium and have a low glycemic index. In March, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has declared 2023 as International Year of Millets.
• Exporters from the country’s North-East region, as well as Himalayan states such as Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, have dedicated stalls set up by APEDA.
• Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), women entrepreneurs, millet exporters, and start-ups, among others, are among the participant
• APEDA has put on display Geographical Indication(GI) agricultural products at AAHAR.

The products include:

1. Punjab – Basmati Rice,
2. Karnataka – Gulbarga Tur Dal,
3. Maharashtra –Sangli Raisin, Kolhapur Jaggery,
4. Manipur – Chak-Hao and Kachai Lemon,
5. Mizoram – Ginger and Chili,
6. Sikkim – Large Cardamom,
7. Kerala – Navara Rice, Pokkali Rice, Kaipad Rice,
8. Himachal Pradesh – Kala Jeera, Chulli Oil,
9. West Bengal – Gobindobhog Rice, Tulaipanji Rice, Banglar Rasgulla,
10. Rajasthan – Bikaneri Bhujia and
11. Odisha – Kandhamal Haladi.

About World Tuna Day:

• World Tuna Day is observed globally on 2nd May every year.
• This day is established by the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness about the importance of tuna fish.

Tuna is a significant source of food for humans as the fish has several rich qualities such as Omega 3, Vitamin B12, proteins and other minerals

About Whitley Gold Award:

• Snow leopard expert and wildlife conservationist Charudutt Mishra has won the prestigious Whitley Gold Award for his contribution to involving indigenous communities in the conservation and recovery of big cat species in Asia’s high mountain ecosystems.
• Princess Anne presented the award to Mishra at London’s Royal Geographic Society. This is his second Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) Award. He got the first in 2005.

About Charudutt Mishra

• Mishra is co-founder of Mysore (Karnataka)-based Nature Conservation Foundation and executive director of the Snow Leopard Trust.
• Mishra established India’s first community-based initiatives to save the endangered snow leopard. These include innovative livestock insurance programmes to boost income and discourage retaliatory killings and locally-managed wildlife reserves on community land.