RAS question
Opium (afeem) cultivation in Rajasthan is primarily done in which districts?
Correct answer: (C) Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh.
In Rajasthan, licensed opium cultivation is primarily associated with Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh, both of which are named in the official list of districts where licit opium poppy cultivation is permitted.
Explanation
Opium cultivation in Rajasthan is not permitted as an ordinary crop across the state. It is a notified and regulated activity carried out under licence for medicinal use. The Narcotics Control Bureau's Annual Report 2019 states that licit opium poppy cultivation is confined to notified tracts. The Central Bureau of Narcotics issues licences to cultivators who meet government conditions. In Rajasthan, the report names Kota, Jhalawar, Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh among the notified opium-poppy districts. It also describes opium as a substance obtained from the opium poppy and identifies diversion from licit sources to the illicit market as a concern. Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh are therefore the best answer. Western districts, the Jaipur-Alwar belt, and combinations containing a district not on the list fall outside this notified geography.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Narcotics Control Bureau report's official list of Rajasthan districts where licensed opium-poppy cultivation is permitted includes neither Jodhpur nor Barmer. Both are districts of western Rajasthan.
- (B) The report's notified list includes Kota but not Bundi. This option therefore combines one listed district with one non-listed district instead of the Chittorgarh-Pratapgarh pair.
- (D) The Narcotics Control Bureau report's list of Rajasthan districts where licensed opium-poppy cultivation is permitted includes neither Jaipur nor Alwar. Both are districts of eastern Rajasthan.
Concept
Rajasthan's agricultural geography treats opium as a specialised, regulated narcotic crop rather than an ordinary cash crop. Its district-wise distribution connects physical geography and the regional economy with government regulation and the state's administrative system.