Current Affairs Based on The Assam Tribune and Indian Express
1. At the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, how much total investment (in ₹ crore) did CM Himanta Biswa Sarma report was already under implementation out of the proposals received?
A. ₹ 1,50,000 crore
B. ₹ 60,000 crore
C. ₹ 5,18,000 crore
D. ₹ 22,900 crore
Answer: B. ₹ 60,000 crore
Explanation:
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma noted that although proposals totalling ₹ 5.18 lakh crore were received, projects worth ₹ 60,000 crore had already begun implementation. This ₹ 60,000 crore figure reflected actual work underway at the time of the MoU‐signing ceremony. The ₹ 22,900 crore mentioned separately referred only to the 20 projects signed that day, not the cumulative amount already in progress.
Related Info:
The three major infrastructure projects approved—Guwahati ring road, Narangi‐Kuruwa bridge, and Guwahati–Silchar expressway—alone account for around ₹ 30,000 crore. The state government carefully vetted proposals to ensure seriousness and avoid gaps between pledges and execution.
2. During ISRO’s 101st mission (PSLV-C61), at which stage did an anomaly occur that resulted in mission failure?
A. First stage separation
B. Second stage ignition
C. Third stage motor case failure
D. Fourth stage payload deployment
Answer: C. Third stage motor case failure
Explanation:
About the 12th minute into flight, the third stage motor of PSLV-C61 developed a fault in its motor case, preventing the satellite from reaching its intended orbit. Prior to that point, the first and second stages had performed nominally, but the third stage anomaly forced mission termination. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath (Narayanan) confirmed that the motor case failure in the third stage was the root cause of the unsuccessful launch.
Related Info:
This marked the third PSLV failure, after the inaugural 1993 flight and a 2017 navigation satellite mission. PSLV-C61 had lifted off from Sriharikota at 5:59 am.
3. Which category of goods is still allowed to enter India through Northeast land ports from Bangladesh despite the new restrictions?
A. Readymade garments
B. Processed food items
C. Fish
D. Plastic finished goods
Answer: C. Fish
Explanation:
The DGFT notification specified that readymade garments, processed food items, plastics, PVC-finished goods, dyes, pigments, and wood furniture would no longer be permitted through land ports. Fish, along with LPG, edible oil, and crushed stone from Bangladesh, remains exempted and can still cross via Northeast land customs. The restrictions primarily affect about 93 percent of shipments to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, requiring most goods to use seaports instead.
Related Info:
In 2023–24, Bangladesh exported roughly USD 700 million in garments to India, now redirected through seaports. These curbs are seen as a response to Bangladesh’s own non-tariff barriers and diplomatic ties with China.
4. Under the Adani-Sparton agreement, which anti-submarine warfare (ASW) equipment will be locally assembled for the Indian Navy?
A. Sea mines
B. Torpedo systems
C. Sonobuoys
D. Surface-to-air missiles
Answer: C. Sonobuoys
Explanation:
Adani Defence & Aerospace signed a binding collaboration with Sparton to assemble and localise Sonobuoys and other ASW systems under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Sparton, acquired by Israel’s Elbit Systems in 2020, will supply the necessary electronics, sensors, and navigation subsystems. As a result, Adani becomes the first private Indian company to offer indigenous Sonobuoys to the Indian Navy.
Related Info:
In 2018, Adani paired with Elbit to manufacture Hermes 900 drones, and in 2020 they announced “mini” drone missile production. Sonobuoys are essential for underwater acoustic detection in anti-submarine operations.
5. How many Integrated Aquaparks has the Centre sanctioned in total, and how many of these will be in the Northeast?
A. 11 sanctioned; 2 in Northeast
B. 11 sanctioned; 4 in Northeast
C. 4 sanctioned; 4 in Northeast
D. 4 sanctioned; 2 in Northeast
Answer: B. 11 sanctioned; 4 in Northeast
Explanation:
Union Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced that the Centre has approved 11 Integrated Aquaparks nationwide, with four designated for northeastern states—Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and another yet to be inaugurated. The first such facility in the Northeast was inaugurated in Unakoti district of Tripura during a state fish festival. These Aquaparks aim to boost local fish production and support rural livelihoods by combining farming, processing, and marketing within one integrated unit.
Related Info:
Tripura’s new Aquapark is funded jointly by the Centre and the state, and similar facilities will be set up in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. The Centre will also promote dairy production to help Tripura achieve self-sufficiency in milk.
6. Who was Sati Radhika Aai, whose 569th ‘smriti divas’ was observed in Jorhat?
A. A 19th-century freedom fighter
B. A 16th-century Vaishnava social reformer
C. A 20th-century educationalist
D. A 17th-century poet
Answer: B. A 16th-century Vaishnava social reformer
Explanation:
Sati Radhika Aai, also known as Radhika Srimanta Sankardeva, lived in the 16th century and campaigned against caste discrimination and superstitious practices in Assam. The Jorhat commemoration featured a lamp-lighting ritual (“Namghan”) and speeches from SC student leaders. Local activists have long demanded a permanent memorial on Jorhat’s outskirts in her honour, and the event served to highlight her enduring legacy as a pioneer of social reform.
Related Info:
The programme was organised by the Anusuchit Jati Yuba Chatra Parishad with support from Ramdhnyi Kobirga Kabar Ganam and the Nimatri unit of the SC students’ body. Concurrently, the Bosco Institute launched its NE VIST innovation and entrepreneurship incubation programme in Bachung, Jorhat.
7. Why did the BCCI decide to pull out of upcoming ACC events, including the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup?
A. Financial constraints
B. Scheduling conflicts
C. Protest against ACC being headed by a Pakistani minister
D. Strengthening bilateral ties with Sri Lanka
Answer: C. Protest against ACC being headed by a Pakistani minister
Explanation:
The ACC is currently chaired by Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Moin Naqvi, who also serves as PCB Chairman. In response to recent Indo-Pakistan hostilities, the BCCI informed the ACC that India would stay away from all ACC events, including the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the Men’s Asia Cup in September. Indian officials stated that the decision aimed to isolate Pakistan cricket and that “the Indian team can’t play in a tournament headed by Pakistan.”
Related Info:
This move is seen as part of broader sports-diplomacy tensions, with India refusing to endorse any ACC-run event while Pakistan holds the chair. The Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup was scheduled to begin next month in Sri Lanka.
8. Until what date did Pakistan extend the closure of the Rahim Yar Khan airbase runway after the May 10 Indian strikes?
A. May 25, 2025
B. June 6, 2025
C. June 15, 2025
D. July 1, 2025
Answer: B. June 6, 2025
Explanation:
Following Indian air strikes on May 10 that damaged the runway, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority issued a NOTAM extending the closure of Rahim Yar Khan’s sole operational runway until June 6, replacing the previous closure date of May 18. This extension means no flights—military or civilian—can use that base for nearly a month as repairs proceed. The closure underscores the severity of the damage inflicted by the Indian strikes.
Related Info:
Rahim Yar Khan serves as a strategic airbase in southern Pakistan, and its runway closure disrupts regional air operations. The PCAA notice specifically cited runway damage from the May 10 strikes as the cause.
9. Which spacecraft and rocket will carry the Axiom-4 mission (with the first Indian private astronaut) to the ISS?
A. Soyuz spacecraft on Soyuz-FG rocket
B. Crew Dragon spacecraft on Falcon 9 rocket
C. Starliner spacecraft on Atlas V rocket
D. Orion spacecraft on Space Launch System
Answer: B. Crew Dragon spacecraft on Falcon 9 rocket
Explanation:
The Axiom-4 mission, now scheduled for no earlier than June 8, will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission will include Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with crew members from the United States, Poland, and Hungary. NASA and Axiom Space delayed the original late-May launch due to logistical reasons, and the new target date of June 8 remains dependent on final clearances and ISS scheduling.
Related Info:
This mission represents the first privately operated ISS flight with an Indian astronaut on board, under an agreement between ISRO and NASA. The official Axiom Space website will confirm the final launch date closer to June 8.
Daily Current Affairs 19 May 2025 | Based on The Assam Tribune & Indian Express | Download PDF