APSC Current Affairs: Assam Tribune Notes with MCQs and Answer Writing (19/05/2025)
For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, staying updated with current affairs is vital. This blog covers most important topics from the Assam Tribune today (19-05-2025). These issues are key for both APSC Prelims and Mains preparation, offering insights into the APSC CCE Syllabus.
✨ Current Affairs Crash Course for the APSC Prelims 2025
🟢 Topic: Advantage Assam 2.0: Rs 60,000 Crore Projects Underway in Assam
📘 GS Paper 3: Infrastructure | Investment & Economy
📘 GS Paper 2: Government Policies | Ease of Doing Business
📘 APSC GS Paper 5: Assam-specific Industrial & Economic Development
🔹 Introduction
The Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, held in February 2025, aimed to boost investment and industrial growth in Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that projects worth over ₹60,000 crore have already entered the implementation phase. This initiative showcases Assam’s emergence as a viable destination for infrastructure and sectoral investment, particularly in agriculture, dairy, horticulture, and waste management.
🔑 Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
| Total Proposals Received | ₹5.18 lakh crore |
| Targeted Implementation in 1st Year | ₹1.50 lakh crore |
| Ongoing Projects | ₹60,000 crore worth of projects under execution |
| MoUs Signed Recently | 20 MoUs worth ₹22,900 crore |
| Key Infrastructure Projects | Guwahati Ring Road, Narangi-Kuruwa Bridge, Guwahati-Silchar Express Highway |
| Focus Sectors | Waste management, dairy, agriculture, horticulture, solar and ethanol |
⚙️ Prelims Pointers
Advantage Assam: Flagship investment summit of the Assam government. First edition in 2018, second in 2025.
Guwahati-Silchar Express Highway: Strategic for inter-valley and inter-state connectivity.
Narangi-Kuruwa Bridge: Proposed over Brahmaputra to ease congestion and improve urban mobility.
Brownfield Fertilizer Plant at Namrup: A ₹10,000 crore initiative to revive Assam’s industrial base.
Ease of Doing Business (EoDB): Assam ranked among top achievers in DPIIT’s Business Reform Action Plan.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Significance of the Initiative
Economic Diversification: Moves beyond oil and tea-based economy to manufacturing and agri-industries.
Employment Generation: Promotes labor-intensive sectors like food processing, dairy, and logistics.
Regional Development: Infrastructure projects aim to connect Upper and Lower Assam, hill and plain areas.
Boost to Rural Economy: Focus on agro-based industries aligns with Assam’s agrarian base.
Private Sector Participation: Use of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for large-scale execution.
B. Challenges to Implementation
| Challenge | Explanation |
| Land Acquisition | Delay in clearing land for industrial and transport corridors |
| Environmental Clearances | Projects near Brahmaputra floodplains require strict norms |
| Logistical Bottlenecks | Inadequate warehousing and last-mile roads in hill areas |
| Investor Follow-through | Not all MoU signings lead to real investments |
| Skilled Workforce Deficit | Migration of youth leads to shortage in critical skills locally |
C. Government Initiatives
Single Window Clearance Portal: For faster business approvals.
Industrial Policy of Assam 2019: Focuses on incentives for MSMEs and logistics hubs.
Assam Startup Policy: Encourages innovation in tech, agri-tech, and manufacturing.
PM Gati Shakti Yojana: Integration of Assam’s industrial corridors with national infra grid.
Northeast Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS): Central subsidy for industries in NE states.
D. Way Forward
Sustainable Infrastructure: Integrate climate resilience and green construction norms.
Digital Mapping of Projects: Use GIS and dashboards for real-time monitoring.
Skill Development: Align Skill India programs with local needs (logistics, cold storage, agri-processing).
Investor Aftercare Mechanism: Help resolve post-MoU issues to convert intent into execution.
Urban-Rural Integration: Ensure rural areas benefit from urban industrial expansions.
📚 Relevant Reports & Policies
Economic Survey of Assam 2024-25
NITI Aayog: Strategy for NE Transformation (2023)
Make in India and Invest India programs
State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) – infrastructure sustainability focus
UN SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
🧩 Conclusion
The Advantage Assam 2.0 summit is not just a business conclave but a strategic pivot to industrial transformation and balanced regional growth. Its success will depend on efficient execution, stakeholder coordination, and sustainability of development.
🟢 Topic: ISRO to Set Up Satellite Data Station in Assam
📘 GS Paper 3: Science and Technology | Space Technology & Applications
📘 GS Paper 2: e-Governance | Government Initiatives
📘 GS Paper 5 (APSC): Assam-specific Technological Development | Disaster Management
🔹 Introduction
In a significant development, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it will set up a satellite data reception and dissemination centre in Assam. The facility will enhance real-time access to satellite data for agriculture, forest management, disaster warning, and governance—particularly for the North Eastern Region (NER), which remains one of the least-connected areas in India’s spatial data network.
🔑 Key Points
| Feature | Description |
| Announced By | Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) |
| Location | To be set up in Assam (exact district to be finalized) |
| Purpose | Satellite imagery for disaster management, agriculture, land use, forest cover, and planning |
| Beneficiary Region | Entire North Eastern Region (NER) |
| Support Agency | North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC), Meghalaya |
| Data Utilisation | For flood forecasting, crop assessment, biodiversity monitoring, border surveillance |
⚙️ Prelims Pointers
NE-SAC: A joint initiative by ISRO and DoNER, based in Meghalaya, for satellite-based applications in Northeast India.
RISAT, CARTOSAT, and INSAT: ISRO’s earth observation satellites that provide high-resolution imagery.
Bhuvan Portal: ISRO’s geo-platform offering spatial data for public and planning use.
GSAT Series: Communication satellites used for telemedicine, e-governance, and distance learning.
Vedas Platform: Visualization of Earth observation Data and Archival System by ISRO.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Significance of the Satellite Centre in Assam
Real-time Disaster Warning: Flood-prone Assam can benefit from predictive models using rainfall and river flow data.
Agriculture Monitoring: Satellite data helps track crop health, soil moisture, and estimate productivity.
Forest and Land Use Tracking: Real-time forest fire detection and encroachment mapping.
Border Security: Enhances surveillance in sensitive areas bordering Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China.
Planning Support: Provides scientific data for smart cities, infrastructure, water bodies, and wetland rejuvenation.
B. Benefits for the Northeast
| Sector | Impact |
| Disaster Management | Satellite-fed flood early warning systems for Brahmaputra valley |
| Infrastructure | Planning of roads, bridges, and urban settlements using geo-tagged maps |
| Climate Monitoring | Forest cover and carbon stock estimation to support SAPCC |
| Education & Research | Boost to local universities and tech institutions in space data analytics |
| Tourism & Culture | Mapping of heritage sites and trekking routes via satellite platforms |
C. Challenges to Address
Digital Infrastructure Gap: Remote NE areas may face bandwidth and hardware issues
Manpower Shortage: Lack of trained professionals in geospatial and remote sensing tech
Data Interpretation Lag: Need for state-level institutions to rapidly process and act on satellite data
Coordination Gaps: Between ISRO, state departments, and NE-SAC in implementation
Security Concerns: Data integrity and cyber-protection for sensitive geographical information
D. Way Forward
Create State GIS Cells: Assam should operationalize a nodal body for geospatial integration across departments
Local Capacity Building: Set up diploma and MSc courses in remote sensing at Gauhati University, IIT Guwahati, etc.
Data to Governance Pipelines: Integrate satellite feeds into district e-governance dashboards
Community Application: Use satellite data to help local farmers, disaster volunteers, and planners
Collaboration with NE-SAC: Ensure seamless transfer of raw and processed satellite data across NE states
📚 Relevant Schemes and Institutions
Digital India Geospatial Mission (DIGM)
North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC)
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) – uses satellite for risk modelling
Bhuvan Panchayat 3.0 – Geospatial decision support for local governance
SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
🧩 Conclusion
The proposed ISRO satellite data centre in Assam will be a game-changer for evidence-based planning, disaster resilience, and governance in the Northeast. By embedding geospatial intelligence into state decision-making, Assam can emerge as a national model for space-based development in frontier regions.
🟢 Topic: India, Iran Sign Long-Term Agreement on Chabahar Port
📘 GS Paper 2: International Relations | India’s Neighbourhood and West Asia
📘 GS Paper 3: Infrastructure | Trade & Security
📘 APSC GS Paper 5: India’s Strategic Connectivity & Act East/Connect Central Asia Policies
🔹 Introduction
India and Iran signed a 10-year agreement for the long-term operation of Chabahar Port, marking a strategic step to enhance regional trade connectivity and counterbalance China’s presence in the Indian Ocean. The deal empowers India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) to manage Shahid Beheshti Terminal, expanding India’s influence across Central Asia, Afghanistan, and the INSTC trade corridor.
🔑 Key Points
| Feature | Description |
| Port Name | Chabahar Port (Shahid Beheshti Terminal) |
| Agreement Tenure | 10 years, with possible extension |
| Signed Between | India Ports Global Ltd. (IPGL) and Iran’s PMO (Ports & Maritime Org.) |
| Significance | First Indian overseas port management under long-term framework |
| Trade Corridor Supported | International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) |
| Alternative To | Pakistan’s Gwadar Port (developed by China under CPEC) |
| Linked Nations | India, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics, Russia |
⚙️ Prelims Pointers
Chabahar Port: Located in southeastern Iran, outside the Strait of Hormuz; key to India’s regional outreach.
Gwadar Port: Chinese-developed port in Pakistan under CPEC, close to Chabahar.
INSTC: A 7,200 km multi-modal transport route connecting India to Russia via Iran and Central Asia.
India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL): Indian government-owned entity operating Chabahar terminal.
Zaranj–Delaram Highway: India-built road in Afghanistan connecting to Chabahar route.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Strategic Significance for India
Bypass Pakistan: Provides India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing hostile Pakistani territory.
Countering China’s Maritime Footprint: Acts as a strategic response to China’s Gwadar Port and BRI in IOR.
Connectivity with Eurasia: Strengthens India’s role in INSTC and deepens ties with Iran and Russia.
Gateway to Energy Markets: Enhances India’s access to Iranian oil and Central Asian gas.
Boost for Northeast & Assam: Opens potential for Northeast exports to Central Asia via Kolkata–Chabahar link.
B. Challenges in Execution
| Challenge | Explanation |
| US Sanctions on Iran | Risk of secondary sanctions on Indian firms |
| Iran–West Tensions | Volatile geopolitical environment near Strait of Hormuz |
| Security Risks in Sistan-Balochistan | Active insurgent groups pose threat to logistics |
| Funding and Bureaucracy | Delays in equipment procurement, shipping lines |
| Infrastructure Linkages | Need to align Indian rail and shipping logistics with Chabahar plans |
C. Government Measures and Plans
Chabahar–INSTC Linkage: Integration of port operations with railway lines into Russia via Azerbaijan
IPGL Autonomy: IPGL given greater operational flexibility under MEA-MoPSW coordination
Sagarmala Integration: Chabahar considered in India’s maritime vision blueprint
Trade Promotion: APEDA and FIEO exploring export of Indian tea, rice, textiles via Chabahar
Joint Security Taskforce: India-Iran to coordinate port security protocols
D. Way Forward
De-dollarization of Port Trade: Use of local currencies or barter arrangements to avoid sanctions impact
Greater Engagement with Central Asia: Cultural, academic, and business linkages to deepen INSTC use
Digital Port Management: AI-based cargo and customs clearance at Chabahar
Include NE Exports: Special logistics link from Guwahati/Kolkata to Chabahar for tea, oil, silk
Public Diplomacy: Position Chabahar as India’s “peace port” and symbol of regional cooperation
📚 Relevant Treaties and Initiatives
India-Iran MoU on Chabahar (2015, 2018)
INSTC (2000) – Multi-modal route connecting India to Europe via Iran
UNCTAD Port Performance Index
India’s Connect Central Asia Policy
Iran’s Chabahar Free Trade Zone Policy
🧩 Conclusion
The Chabahar Port deal is a geopolitical and economic milestone for India, marking its first long-term overseas port operation. It offers a strategic maritime alternative, a gateway to Central Asia, and a diplomatic lever amidst China’s growing Indo-Pacific presence. With sustained engagement, it can also serve as a bridge between Northeast India and Eurasia.
🟢 Topic: Assam Government Announces Statewide Survey of Divyangjan (Persons with Disabilities)
📘 GS Paper 2: Welfare Schemes | Vulnerable Sections | Social Justice
📘 GS Paper 1 (APSC): Society | Rights of Persons with Disabilities
📘 GS Paper 5 (Assam-specific): Inclusive Governance | Assam’s Social Welfare Policies
🔹 Introduction
In a move aimed at improving targeted service delivery and rights-based inclusion, the Assam Government has initiated a Statewide Survey of Divyangjan (PwDs). This is expected to generate a comprehensive database to guide policymaking, implement the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and improve access to healthcare, education, mobility, and welfare schemes for differently-abled citizens.
🔑 Key Points
| Feature | Details |
| Announced By | Department of Social Welfare, Assam |
| Coverage | All 35 districts across Assam |
| Primary Focus | Identification and classification of PwDs |
| Types of Disabilities Included | Physical, intellectual, mental, visual, hearing, neurological, and multiple disabilities |
| Survey Mode | Digital and manual, in collaboration with local Anganwadi and ASHA workers |
| Use of Data | To issue Unique Disability ID (UDID), and design inclusive policies |
| Timeline | Completion targeted by March 2026 |
| Key Partners | Health Department, Panchayati Raj, District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) |
⚙️ Prelims Pointers
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: Recognizes 21 types of disabilities (up from 7 in the 1995 Act).
UDID Project: Centralized digital ID for tracking welfare benefits to Divyangjan.
Assam’s Divyang Janani Suraksha Yojana: Provides maternity care for disabled mothers.
Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan): Ensures accessibility in built environment, transport, and ICT.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Celebrated annually on 3rd December.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Significance of the Survey
Data-Driven Welfare: Enables identification of needs-based benefits and real-time tracking of beneficiaries.
Equity in Development: Addresses under-representation and neglect of PwDs in existing social schemes.
Empowerment & Participation: Helps plan inclusive infrastructure, education, and job access.
Compliance with RPwD Act: Strengthens Assam’s commitment to constitutional and legal obligations.
Gender & Rural Sensitivity: Enables better planning for rural disabled women and children.
B. Challenges in Implementation
| Challenge | Explanation |
| Underreporting | Social stigma leads to hiding of disability status |
| Surveyor Training Gaps | Grassroots workers may lack classification expertise |
| Digital Divide | Manual enumeration still required in hilly/remote areas |
| Certification Delays | Disability medical boards not uniformly available across districts |
| Infrastructure Inaccessibility | Public spaces often not accessible to PwDs |
C. Steps Taken by the Government
Capacity Building: Training of ASHAs, AWWs, VDPs in PwD identification
Inclusion in Orunodoi 2.0: Ensures guaranteed DBT support to eligible PwDs
UDID-linked Welfare Schemes: Streamlines benefits like scholarships, pensions, assistive devices
Interdepartmental Convergence: Health, Education, Urban Development, and Transport working together
Monitoring Dashboard: Real-time tracking of coverage and registration by district
D. Way Forward
Real-Time GIS Mapping: Identify PwD population clusters for targeted intervention
Assistive Tech Access: Promote distribution of hearing aids, screen readers, wheelchairs
Inclusive Skill Development: Set up Divyang-specific training under Skill India in Assam
Disability Budgeting: Create dedicated fund lines in state and panchayat budgets
Community Awareness Campaigns: Use local media and schools to reduce stigma and promote inclusion
📚 Relevant Acts & Schemes
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016
National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2006)
UDID Project (2016)
Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (2015)
Assam Disability Pension Scheme
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) – ratified by India
🧩 Conclusion
The statewide survey of Divyangjan in Assam is a foundational step toward inclusive and data-driven social justice. By aligning policy with people’s lived realities, it can help turn rights into outcomes—ensuring that no one is left behind in Assam’s development journey.
APSC Prelims Practice Questions
✅ Topic 1: Advantage Assam 2.0 – ₹60,000 Cr Projects Underway
Q1. Consider the following infrastructure projects announced under the Advantage Assam 2.0 initiative:
- Guwahati Ring Road
- Narangi-Kuruwa Bridge
- Guwahati-Silchar Express Highway
- Sivasagar-Golaghat Inland Port
Which of the above are correctly associated with the initiative?
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. All of the above
✅ Answer: A. 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
- The Sivasagar-Golaghat Inland Port is not part of the Advantage Assam 2.0 project list as reported. The other three were explicitly mentioned in the summit update.
Q2. “Advantage Assam” initiative is primarily associated with which of the following?
A. Agricultural subsidy distribution
B. Industrial investment promotion
C. River rejuvenation and water harvesting
D. Biodiversity mapping of Brahmaputra basin
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
“Advantage Assam” is Assam’s flagship investment promotion summit, focused on industrialization, infrastructure, and private sector participation.
✅ Topic 2: ISRO Satellite Data Centre in Assam
Q3. Which of the following institutions supports satellite-based applications in the North Eastern Region?
A. National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
B. North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC)
C. Bhuvan Planning Commission
D. Indian Institute of Astrophysics
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
- NE-SAC is a joint venture of ISRO and the Ministry of DoNER, located in Meghalaya, focused on space applications in Northeast India.
Q4. The “Bhuvan Portal,” developed by ISRO, is primarily used for:
A. Booking satellite launch slots
B. Accessing spatial data for planning and governance
C. Telecommunication frequency allocation
D. Astronomical event prediction
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
Bhuvan is ISRO’s public geo-platform that allows users to access satellite imagery and geospatial data for urban planning, disaster response, and environmental monitoring.
✅ Topic 3: India–Iran Chabahar Port Agreement
Q5. Which of the following correctly describes the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)?
A. An east-west maritime route connecting China and India via the Indian Ocean
B. A UN-mandated refugee corridor in Central Asia
C. A multi-modal trade route connecting India with Russia via Iran and Central Asia
D. A pipeline project connecting Iran with Europe
✅ Answer: C.
Explanation:
The INSTC is a 7,200 km trade corridor using sea, rail, and road to link India (via Chabahar), Iran, Central Asia, and Russia.
Q6. Which port in Pakistan is often compared with Chabahar in terms of geopolitical significance?
A. Karachi Port
B. Gwadar Port
C. Pasni Port
D. Bandar Abbas Port
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
Gwadar Port is a key part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and is geographically close to Iran’s Chabahar Port, making them strategic rivals in the region.
✅ Topic 4: Assam’s Statewide Survey of Divyangjan
Q7. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 increased the number of recognized disabilities from:
A. 5 to 18
B. 7 to 21
C. 10 to 22
D. 8 to 20
✅ Answer: B.
Explanation:
The 2016 Act expanded the list from 7 to 21 recognized disabilities, including autism, thalassemia, multiple disabilities, and mental illness.
Q8. The Unique Disability ID (UDID) Project launched by the Government of India is aimed at:
A. Digitizing health records of all citizens
B. Tracking pension disbursement for rural beneficiaries
C. Creating a centralized database of persons with disabilities
D. Linking school children’s performance to Aadhaar
✅ Answer: C.
Explanation:
The UDID Project ensures that persons with disabilities are issued a standardized identity card and database, streamlining access to schemes and benefits.
APSC Mains Practice Question
📝 Mains Question:
Q. Discuss the strategic significance of the Chabahar Port agreement between India and Iran. How does it complement India’s broader connectivity and regional trade vision?
*(GS Paper 2 – International Relations | GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure & Trade Connectivity)
Word Limit: 250
✅ Model Answer:
🔹 Introduction
India’s signing of a 10-year operational agreement for Chabahar Port marks a watershed moment in its regional connectivity strategy. Located in Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan province, Chabahar provides direct access to Central Asia and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan and countering China’s growing influence via Gwadar Port and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
🔍 Strategic Significance
- Alternative Trade Route: Helps India access landlocked Central Asian Republics and Russia via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
- Bypassing Pakistan: Enhances India’s ability to supply humanitarian aid and trade with Afghanistan without transiting through Pakistan.
- Maritime Diplomacy: Positions India as a responsible and reliable partner in regional infrastructure development.
- Counterbalance to China: Counters Chinese investments in Gwadar and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
- Boost to India’s Energy Security: Facilitates imports from Iran and Central Asia when sanctions ease.
⚠️ Challenges
| Area | Challenge |
| US Sanctions | May deter Indian firms or global banks from engaging with Iran |
| Regional Instability | Volatile security situation in Iran’s border regions |
| Logistics Gaps | Limited integration with Indian and regional rail/road networks |
| Operational Delays | Bureaucratic and funding delays in port equipment and customs |
🛠️ Way Forward
- De-risk via Local Currencies or Barter Systems to avoid dollar-based sanctions.
- Integrate Chabahar with PM Gati Shakti logistics framework.
- Enhance security protocols through Indo-Iranian coordination.
- Promote trade from Northeast India (e.g., tea, silk) via Kolkata-Chabahar-Asia route.
- Synchronize with INSTC and Sagarmala for multimodal efficiency.
🧩 Conclusion
Chabahar Port is not merely a commercial venture—it is a strategic lever in India’s foreign policy, promoting connectivity, diplomacy, and economic leadership in the region. With prudent diplomacy and strategic investment, it can serve as India’s gateway to Eurasia.
✨ APSC Prelims Crash Course, 2025
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