Centre plans to release onion buffer from September to bridge festive supply gap, curb price spike
Distilled Policy Brief
- The Centre plans to release onions from its buffer stock starting in September to ensure supply during the high-consumption period before fresh kharif arrivals reach markets.
- The intervention aims to bridge the seasonal supply gap and curb inflation by releasing buffer stocks, with onion prices having already crossed ₹50 per kg in several local markets.
- The calibrated release of onions from the buffer stock is expected to be implemented in phases, with the goal of ensuring adequate availability of onions during the festive and wedding season stretching from Durga Puja through the end of December.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the bilateral research and industrial cooperation engagements between India and Germany, consider the following statements: 1. Roundtables held with German research organizations, such as the Fraunhofer Institutes, prioritized key fields including microelectronics, power electronics, and smart manufacturing. 2. Expanding industry-academia innovation networks and collaboration in battery technologies form key components of the enhanced strategic cooperation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Both statements are correct. High-level roundtables with German research institutes, including Fraunhofer Institutes, focused on microelectronics, power electronics, smart manufacturing, battery technologies, and logistics. Furthermore, the engagement emphasized strengthening industry-academia innovation networks, science and technology cooperation, and advanced manufacturing capabilities between India and Germany.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.