Assam Current Affairs (APSC Exams 2021) MCQ – October’2021

Community paddy transplantation is an age old practice in Assam, which has depleted to a great extent in the last few years. To counter this, all the 120 farm families of Majpara village of Goalpara district of Assam are continuing the tradition of community paddy transplantation in community land. This year it was done on morning hours of 3rd August, where both men and women of all the families participated in different activities of uprooting from seedbed, carrying to field and transplantation in a festive mood.

Q) 120 farm families of Majpara village of ________district of Assam are continuing the tradition of community paddy transplantation in community land.

Goalpara
Sivasagar
Karbi Anglong
Tinsukia

The Union Government has recently taken another decision on three states adjoining international borders while black laws like AFSPA continue. Following the decision, border security forces in Assam, Punjab and West Bengal will be given more power to BSF in a shorter time than ever before. BSF in the state will henceforth be able to carry out arrests, seizure of goods and search operations without the permission of local police in the area covering 50 km from the international border. The BSF will also get this power in Assam, Punjab and West Bengal as well as the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
It may be recalled that the total length of the border area of Assam touching Bangladesh is about 262 km. Four districts of Assam are adjacent to the international border of Bangladesh. The four districts are Dakshin Shalmara, Mankachar, Dhubri, Kachar and Karimganj. That is, with the increase in the capacity of BSF, BSF will now get direct authority in most parts of these four districts as well as in some parts of the districts adjoining the districts.

Q) How many districts of Assam are adjacent to the international border of Bangladesh ?

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 (AFSPA) was briefly introduced in Assam in 1990. The act has been in force in Assam since then. On August 28, the state government again declared the entire Assam as a disturbed region and extended the period of the act by another six months. The AFSPA is still in force in several states, including Assam and Manipur in the northeast. Imram Sharmila started her hunger strike in Manipur on November 5, 2000 protesting AFSPA.

Q) The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 (AFSPA) was briefly introduced in Assam in which year ?

1980
1990
1999
1989

However, opposition parties and national parties in Assam have not reacted in this regard. While contacting two top leaders of newly formed nationalist political parties informed that they were not aware of the issue. Similarly, a top leader of a national organisation also expressed ignorance about the issue and said he would take cognizant of the matter and comment.
October 6, the day of the death of Mozammil Haque, the first martyr of the 1972 language movement, was celebrated in Mangaldai as a ʼMother Tongue Dayʼ by the Assam Sahitya Sabha.
Darang District – r Shaheed Mozammil Haque’s memorial located on the banks of Bega River.

Q) Who was the first martyr of the 1972 language movement, and the day of martyrdom is celebrated in Mangaldai as a ʼMother Tongue Dayʼ by the Assam Sahitya Sabha?

Mozammil Haque
Chandan Barua
Mukul Kumar
Shailen Rai

Gogamukh, Dhemaji: A large police force arrested AJYCP activists, including President Rana Pratap Baruah, General Secretary Palash Changmai, AGS Ratul Borgohin, on Tuesday evening around 7 pm at Gogamukh.
The AJYCP has started an indefinite blockade against the Lower Subansiri Hydropower Project on Tuesday morning.
The project had been pending for a long while due to local agitation. The protest against the dam stems from the several dam safety and administrative issues involved.
The project is in conflict with the 1980 Brahmaputra Board Act as there was transfer of the work of Water Resources Department of Subansiri Basin from the Brahmaputra Board to the public and private sector.
According to the assessment of the Indian Institute of Technology at Roorkee, there is increased seismic threat level to the dam.
It flows to India through Miri hills in Arunachal Pradesh.

Q) Which of the following statement is incorrect in the context of Subansiri Hydropower Project ?

Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project(SLHEP), is a dam that is undergoing construction along the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
It is being built on the Subansiri river, which originates in the Tibet Plateau. Subansiri is the largest tributary of Brahmaputra River.
None of the above

According to the World Bank, a billion people are still living without power. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that by 2030, 674 million people will still be without electricity. The IEA predicts that the vast majority, nearly 90% of this number will be in sub-Saharan Africa. The Energy for Growth Hub reports that 3.5 billion people – almost half of the world’s population – face the daily challenges of not having access to reliable power. Energy poverty and financial poverty go hand in hand. In 2015, the United Nations (UN) noted “Energy lies at the heart of both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.” The UN focuses on phasing out coal in stages to ultimately achieve a goal by 2050 of 92% of usable power coming from renewable energy sources. The UN drives global strategic initiatives to address the different poverty by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) created in 2015. There are 17 goals in all, that have specific, vital targets to elevate the conditions for the populations. Goal 7 (SDG-7) is created specifically to solve the problem of affordable and clean energy for all. With SDG-7, The UN commits to ending energy poverty by “ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030.” Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) is the global leader of the cluster formed by the International Association of Universities (IAU) for SDG 7 and is engaged in dialogue with Strathmore University, Kenya and Qatar University for collaboration in affordable and clean energy.

Q) Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) is the global leader of the cluster formed by the International Association of Universities (IAU) for SDG______:

Leading poet, novelist and Sahitya Akademi winner Rita Chaudhary urged the state government not to destroy the sal trees (Shorea robusta) on the road connecting Dabaka to Akashiganga.

Q) Rita Chaudhary seen in news is a famous ______:

Doctor
Novelist
Geographer
Scientist

Q) Protesters in Dabaka are demanding protection of ______trees in road construction from Dabka to Akashiganga.

Pine
Sal
Chir
None of the above

Already protesters in Dabaka are demanding protection of Sal trees. The photo and videos of the protest went viral on social media.
Locals fear that the evergreen environment of the Dobaka reserve forest will be lost.
Preparations have already begun to widen the 12-km area of the national highway through the forest. The road will be constructed from Dabka to Akashiganga. The forest department has also given permission for construction of roads through the Dabaka forest. About 4,000 precious sal trees will be cut for construction of the roads. Threats will also come down to forest animals.
Assam cabinet nod to Rs 2,500cr for paper mills, microfinance borrowers
The Assam cabinet on Thursday approved Rs 2,500 crore to acquire assets of two defunct paper mills of PSU Hindustan Paper Corp (HPC) and waive microfinance loans availed by poor women. Briefing the press after the cabinet meeting here, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Rs 700 crore was sanctioned for the paper mills and Rs 1,800 crore as the first instalment to repay microfinance loans.
The cabinet approved a Rs 700-crore package for the two paper mills. Out of this, Rs 570 crore will go as a relief package to pay the dues of the employees, while the remaining will be used to pay other bills like electricity charges and payment to the liquidator,” he said. After the due formalities, the 470 acres of land owned by the HPC’s unit at Panchgram and Nagaon mill in Jagiroad will be transferred to the Assam government,

Q) The Assam cabinet approved Rs _______crore to acquire assets of two defunct paper mills of PSU Hindustan Paper Corp (HPC) and waive microfinance loans availed by poor women.

2000
1300
2500
3300

Venkaiah Naidu stresses on water conservation
Naidu noted the legacy of the hillock in the heart of Guwahati city where the heritage centre is located as it was the base camp of the all-powerful Ahom general, Lachit Borphukan. Later, Naidu inaugurated the northeast’s first-of-its-kind PET-MRI wing at the State Cancer Institute in Gauhati Medical College Hospital. He said the medical profession should be taken as a mission and not for commission. “Do it with passion for the sake of the nation,” he urged the medical fraternity.
Chief minister Sarma said the PET-MRI wing will greatly augment cancer treatment in the region. Set up with a total project cost of Rs 62 crore, this has been India’s fourth such PET-MRI machine installed at a government hospital equipped with “time of flight” tech.

Q) Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the northeast’s first-of-its-kind PET-MRI wing at the State Cancer Institute in _______-Medical College Hospital.

Gauhati
Sikkim
Shillong
Kohima

Q) Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre on the banks of river_______ has been inaugurated.

Kapila
Brahmaputra
Ganga
Subansiri

that once used to be the base camp of the Ahom Army that resisted the Mughals from entering vast parts of Assam in the 1671 battle of Saraighat.
Ramsar Site tag sought for Chandubi lake:
Environment researchers have requested the Assam government to send a proposal to the Centre to designate the famous Chandubi lake as a ‘Ramsar Site’ wetland of international importance as the recognition can transform the waterbody’s socio-economical and environmental needs. The wetland has rich natural resources and the potential to generate livelihood.
The ‘Ramsar Convention on Wetlands’ is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Assam has only one Ramsar site wetland, the Deepor Beel.
Chandubi Lake
Chandubi Lake is a natural lake located in Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council of Kamrup Districtin Assam. This lake is situated at a distance of 64 kilometers from the city of Guwahati accessible through National Highway 37. The lake is located at the foot of Garo hills surrounded by Assam and Meghalaya. The place is calm and peaceful covered by deep forest, tea garden and small and distinct villages. It is a natural sightseeing and picnic spot for the people of Assam. Chandubi Lake attracts great amount of migratory birds during winter. The beauty of the lake and its surroundings lays a charm that lures a huge number of tourists who visit the place to relax in the lap of nature.

Q) Environment researchers have requested the Assam government to send a proposal to the Centre to designate the famous ______lake as a Ramsar Site.

Padum
Pukhuri
Son
Chandubi

Assam CM launches land revenue streamlining reforms
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday launched ‘Mission Basundhara’ aimed at empowering people to resolve their land-related issues through an online system. Terming the initiative as a historic and decisive step, the chief minister asserted that through this mission, middlemen would be eliminated from the system. “Securing land rights of the indigenous population is the prime objective of the mission and public, especially poor and disadvantaged sections, must be facilitated to get their land-related works done through ‘Mission Basundhara’,” an official statement quoting the Chief Minister said. A total of Rs 225 crore would be spent on the implementation of the programme and the mission would be able to rebuild all lost land records of the state, the chief minister said.
Updating records in a mission mode is a major goal of ‘Mission Basundhara’ by offering nine land revenue related services online, including mutation and reclassification of land, Sarma said. The application period in the portal is from October 2, 2021, to November 30, 2021, and the disposal shall be within May 10, 2022, Sarma said. As part of the second component of the mission, a polygon survey would be conducted of yet-to-be surveyed 672 non-cadastral villages of the state by March 31, 2022.

Q) Assam government launched ‘Mission Basundhara’ aimed at empowering people to resolve their _________-related issues through an online system.

Pension
Education
Land
None of the above

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced the Centre’s approval to an over Rs 3,000-crore externally aided project (EAP) for building the eighth bridge over the Brahmaputra river near Guwahati and also performed the ‘bhoomi pujan’ for another EAP worth Rs 2,200 crore for a 120-MW hydel project in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.
This run-of-the-river project over Kopili river will help increase electricity supplied from clean energy by 469 gigawatt hour (GWh) by 2025 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
In her last engagement, she launched the Assam’s Right to Public Services portal. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the portal is a way forward for electronic delivery of ARTPS notified public services to people. “Our government is committed to bringing about fast, effective and resilient reforms in governance in tandem with the rapidly transforming world,” he added.

Q) Centre permitted Rs ________crore project for 8th bridge over Brahmaputra river.

2200
3400
3000
1200

Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation of improvement and upgrading work of a 90-km road from Haflong Tinali to Lower Haflong at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore to be implemented under ADB-aided Assam Road Network Improvement Project (ARNIP).

Q) Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation of improvement and upgrading work of a _______-km road from Haflong Tinali to Lower Haflong .

Assam govt schools to record flora, fauna for biodiversity study
Every government-run school, even those in the remotest parts of Assam, will henceforth have to document the flora and fauna found in the area as this would help in mapping and recording the state’s rich biodiversity with the help of experts and enhance knowledge.
With an objective of promoting the flora and fauna and rich biodiversity of the state, education minister Ranoj Pegu on Thursday launched the School Biodiversity Register (SBR) at the State Mission Office of Samagra Shiksha in the presence of principal secretary to the education department, B Kalyan Chakravarthy, and mission director, Samagra Shiksha, Assam, Roshni Aparanji Korati. The register will also empower to develop a baseline database for biodiversity so that proper assessment on various parameters such as endangered and extinct species can be done.
The SBR, a brainchild of Chakravarthy, has been designed as a record of knowledge, perception and attitude of people about natural resources, plants and animals, their utilization and conservation in a village or a panchayat which would further form a database in every school where all common species of flora and fauna would be available.

Q) Which of the following state govt schools decided to record flora, fauna for biodiversity study?

Assam
MP
Telangana
Kerala

Assam CM launches ‘Anna Mahotsav’, gives free ration under PMGKY
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally inaugurated the ‘Anna Mahotsav’, in which he distributed free ration under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKY) at a programme held at Nalbari through which an additional 5 kg food grains will be given to nearly 59 lakh beneficiaries who are holding NFSA cards.
In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, PM Narendra Modi initiated the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana from April to June 2020 during the first phase of the pandemic. After the success of the first phase, second phase was initiated from July to November, 2020. The third phase was announced during the second wave of the pandemic in which every ration card holder under National Food Security Act will receive 5 kg of food grains from April-November 2021.
This ‘Anna Mohatsav’, efforts have been taken to generate awareness about PMGKY so that targeted beneficiaries can be brought under the ambit of the scheme in the state.

Q) Which of the following efforts have been taken to generate awareness about PMGKY so that targeted beneficiaries can be brought under the ambit of the scheme in the state ?

Bhog Sewa
Bhoj Vitran
Anna Mohatsav
None Of The Above

Mixed response to Centre’s oil palm mission in NE, experts fear ecological effect
Oil palm farmers are excited that several northeastern states inspired by the Centres National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) have undertaken oil palm cultivation in a big way. However, experts and a section of politicians have diverse opinions over the possible adverse impact on the environment and wildlife. Farmers supported by the state governments in Assam, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland had undertaken oil palm cultivation in a limited manner around 10 years ago.
The Assam, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh governments have already undertaken ambitious plans to expand oil palm cultivation to a few lakh hectares of land.

Q) The Central government in August launched the Rs _________crore National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm as a new centrally sponsored scheme with a special focus on the northeast region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

12040
15040
10040
11040

Assam gets approval for eighth medical college
The number of medical colleges in Assam has gone up to eight with a new one in Lakhimpur town in northern part of the state getting approval from the National Medical Commission to start classes for the ongoing session.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter and said, with the new medical college in Lakhimpur, the number of MBBS seats in the state has risen to 1,100.

Q) Assam got approval for which number medical college?

4^th
7^th
9^th
8^th

New master plan for Dibrugarh under AMRUT scheme unveiled
A new master plan for Dibrugarh in Assam was unveiled on Monday, which proposes to expand the area of the town and set up six satellite townships. The new plan for the town was revealed by Ahmedabad-based Nektor Engineers & Project Consultants (NEPC) at a programme here. NEPC was assigned to formulate the Dibrugarh City Master Plan 2045 after it was selected under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Under the urban development programme, the government seeks to provide basic services like water supply, sewerage and transport to city dwellers.
master plan also proposes construction of an industrial corridor and inner and outer ring roads.

Q) A new master plan for Dibrugarh in Assam was unveiled under _______ ,which proposes to expand the area of the town and set up six satellite townships.

PUDA
AMRUT
Smart City Project
All of the above

Guwahati airport’s operations handed over to Adani Group
The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati was handed over to the Adani Group for operations, management and development responsibilities.
Beginning the process of developing and modernising the Northeast’s foremost airport, the symbolic key of the airport was handed over by Ramesh Kumar, Airport Director of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). To Utpal Baruah, Chief Airport Officer of the new airport operator at an event held midnight.
In 2018, the government of India included the Guwahati airport in the group of six airports — Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangalore, Jaipur and Thiruvananthapuram — set for privatisation for operations, management and development (OMD) for a period of 50 years.

Q) The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati was handed over to the ______for operations, management and development responsibilities.

Reliance Group
TATA Group
Adani Group
None of the above

One-day awareness program on PM Matsya Sampada Yojana held in Cachar
A one-day physical awareness program on Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) was held at Borjalenga in Cachar district.
Ganesh Borah, Fishery Development Officer informed that as many as 261 stakeholders including fish farmers, fishery professionals, and unemployed youths covering three districts of Barak Valley took part in the program.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched on 10th September 2020.
The aim of the scheme is to bring about Blue Revolution through the sustainable development of the fisheries sector over a period of five years (2020-2025.) PMMSY was announced in the union budget 2019-20.
It has an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crores for its implementation during a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/UTs, as a part of AatmaNirbhar Bharat Package.
odal Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Q) PM Matsya Sampada Yojana has duration of _____years .

Assam Cabinet approves measures to improve power connectivity
The Assam Cabinet gave its nod to various measures for improving power connectivity in the state, including expansion of the electrification network.
The Cabinet approved the electrification of 4,80,249 households, mainly under on-grid mode, and sanctioned Rs 1718.18 crore for the purpose. Electrification of 48,231 Anganwadi Centres and 13,120 primary schools at Rs 161.42 crore was also approved by the Cabinet. It decided to instal 9,000 distribution transformers, 70 prefabricated compact substations and 11 power transformers, besides repairing 4,200 damaged transformers for Rs 250.08 crore for improving voltage stability and reducing power distribution losses.
Approval was also given for installing 6,20,100 smart meters to improve billing process and energy accounting, thereby reducing commercial losses. Administrative approval was given to estimate for project preparation and implementation of an Asian Infrastructure Bank-aided project to improve secondary roads of the state.

Q) The assam cabinet decided to release Rs _______crore as grant-in-aid to Moitri Society under the Mission for Overall Improvement of Thana for Responsive Image (Moitri) scheme for 2021-22.

120
150
100
180

Under Moitri schemes, police stations of the state are being revamped with better infrastructural facilities.
The cabinet also approved the creation of a directorate of Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture and its subordinate offices.
IIT-Guwahati starts course in data science, artificial intelligence
The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) has launched a new B.Tech programme in data science and artificial intelligence. The first batch of students will be admitted through the ongoing JEE Advanced 2021 counselling.
The vast opportunities that this field offers will fulfil the demands of having sufficiently qualified graduates to serve the nation in the future.
There is a growing demand for highly trained professionals in the fields of DSAI and this newly introduced course will emphasise on extending training in both theoretical as well as practical perspectives.

Q) The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) has launched a new B.Tech programme in__________:

Bitcoin technology
Big data analytics
Data science and artificial intelligence
None of the above

Portal for pension cases of state employees to come up in Assam
The minister also said that Rs 508.60 crore loan will be raised by the state government from NABARD for projects under the RIDF-XXVII (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund), to be repaid within seven years.
The cabinet further decided to allot lands to Mising Language & Cultural Research Centre in Dhemaji and NGO Barpeta Zila Mahila Samity in Barpeta.

Q) Rs 508.60 crore loan will be raised by the state government from NABARD for projects under the RIDF-XXVII (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund), to be repaid within ________years.

The Assam Cabinet decided that a dedicated portal for pension cases of state government employees will be launched to expeditiously provide post-retirement remuneration to pensioners. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said the portal will be named as ‘Kritagyata’.
This portal will be the front-end for processing all pension cases and for matters related to pay fixation. Pension Seva Kendras will be set up by AMTRON (Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd) in all districts for government employees.

Q) The Assam Cabinet decided that a dedicated portal named _______ for pension cases of state government employees will be launched to expeditiously provide post-retirement remuneration to pensioners.

Suraksha
Suvidha
Kritagyata
Sarvagya

Guwahati air quality index dips
As hazy skies are back to haunt the state capital, the city’s air quality dipped to the “moderate” category, which causes breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases, with a steady reduction in ambient temperature and lack of rain.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”. Above 500 AQI is “severe-plus emergency” category.
The variation in AQI values is primarily due to variation in PM 2.5 values, which are seasonal weather characteristics.

Q) What is the incorrect statement with reference to National Air Quality Index?

Launched in 2014 with outline ‘One Number – One Color -One Description’ for the common man to judge the air quality within his vicinity.
The measurement of air quality is based on five pollutants.
AQI has six categories of air quality.
It has been developed by the CPCB in consultation with IIT-Kanpur and an expert group comprising medical and air-quality professionals.

Assam among 5 states vulnerable to extreme climate events’
Assam, which has witnessed rainfall deficit of over 20% for the sixth time since 2010, is among the five states that are highly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, droughts and cyclones, according to a new study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
The study, “Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability – A District-Level Assessment” done by Delhi-based think-tank CEEW, has faulted unsustainable landscape, lack of infrastructure planning and human-induced microclimate change as the key drivers of this high vulnerability.
The northeastern zone, including Assam, Manipur, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, is only highly exposed to extreme flood events. Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Karbi Anglong, Hailakandi, Tinsukia and Dhemaji districts are also the flood hotspots in India.

Q) Assam is among _______states vulnerable to extreme climate events.

Drones to map 700 villages in Assam
There are around 22,724 villages in Assam, of which 700 had no maps so far and so posed hurdles in executing government projects and buying and selling of land.
The project, assisted by the Survey of India, started this week at No. 1 Singimari village under Hajo revenue circle in lower Assam’s Kamrup district. Once the neighbouring states settle the inter-state border dispute with Assam, drones will also demarcate the borders of frontier villages once for all, government sources said.
Maps of a large number of villages were prepared in the state in the 1960s and 70s through the conventional mode, but several hundred, including many in the border areas, remain unmapped. “

Q) The Assam government has launched the process of mapping ______ odd villages through drones, which in future could help in demarcating borders with other states in the region.

500
900
1000
700

Assam Seba opens portal to store internal exam marks
The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (Seba), on Monday launched a digital portal for schools to save marks of internal exams for an error-free formula-based evaluation in case the final or board exams are disrupted in the future due to Covid or any other circumstances. The portal will store marks of internal examinations conducted by schools and district-level internal examination committees.
State education boards faced great difficulty this year after the Class X and XII board examinations were cancelled as the boards did not have compilations of past records of the internal assessment examinations.

Q) The Board of Secondary Education of which state launched a digital portal for schools to save marks of internal exams for an error-free formula-based evaluation?