CURRENT AFFAIRS
31 May, 2025
1. TOBACCO CRISIS IN INDIA: COUNTRY TOPS GLOBAL MALE CANCER RATES AMID RISING USE & WEAK REGULATIONS –
• India now ranks first globally in male cancer incidence and mortality, driven by high tobacco use and rising affordability of harmful products.
Tobacco Use in India
• Widespread Use: India is home to over 270 million tobacco users.
• According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-17 ( GATS 2 ), 199 million Indians use smokeless tobacco(SLT), 72 million smoke bidis, and 37 million smoke cigarettes.
India is home to 70% of the world’s SLT users.
• Use across Genders: According to GATS2 data, nearly 42% of men and 14% of women in India use tobacco.
• Cultivation Hubs: Tobacco is cultivated mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat, supporting livelihoods but worsening public health burdens.
• Heavy Economic Burden: Tobacco use cost India ₹1.77 lakh crore in 2017–18, amounting to 1.04% of GDP, with smoking contributing 74% of this burden.
2. DIU BECOMES INDIA’S FIRST 100% SOLAR-POWERED DISTRICT –
• Diu, a Union Territory district, has become the first in India to meet 100% of its electricity needs with solar energy, achieving a generation capacity of 11.88 MW.
• This achievement highlights India’s progress in renewable energy adoption, especially at the district level.
Significance
• Demonstrates the economic viability of solar energy infrastructure with investment recovery.
• Supports India’s climate commitments and energy transition goals.
• Shows effective implementation of PM-Surya Ghar Yojana in urban-rural energy access.
3. INDIA-MONGOLIA JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE NOMADIC ELEPHANT –
• The 17th edition of the India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise, dubbed Nomadic Elephant, is set to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• This military collaboration will be held from 31st May to 13th June 2025. It is an annual event alternating between India and Mongolia.
• The previous exercise took place in Umroi, Meghalaya, in July 2024. This exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the two nations’ armed forces.
4. EVALUATION OF CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEMES –
• The Government of India has initiated a comprehensive evaluation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) and Central Sector Schemes (CSs). This exercise aims to assess the effectiveness and relevance of these schemes over the next five years, starting from April 2026.
• The evaluation aligns with the 16th Finance Commission cycle and follows a workshop led by key officials from the Ministry of Finance.
Purpose of the Evaluation-
• The evaluation aims to improve public expenditure quality. It seeks to ensure that each scheme has a defined sunset date and undergoes outcome reviews.
• This strategy was first articulated in the Union Budget Speech of 2016. The Government believes that rigorous evaluations can lead to better resource allocation and enhanced scheme effectiveness.
5. INDIAN SPACE SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT –
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2024 on 22nd April 2025. This report marks the state of space situational awareness activities in India.
• It aims to protect national space assets from various hazards, including space debris and natural objects. The ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Operations Management (IS4OM) oversees these efforts.
Space Situational Awareness Activities
• ISRO conducts Space Situational Awareness (SSA) to monitor and manage risks to space assets. This includes close approach risk assessments and predicting uncontrolled atmospheric re-entries. The ISSAR is compiled annually to inform stakeholders about the current space environment.
Global Launch Statistics
• In 2024, there were 261 launch attempts globally, with 254 successful missions resulting in 2578 operational satellites being added. This year marked a peak in space launch activities. However, the total number of objects placed in orbit was lower than in 2023, primarily due to fewer launch events.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state ?
a) Uttarakhand
b) Himachal Pradesh
c) Sikkim
d) Maharashtra
Q2. Which district in India has become the first to meet its entire power demand with solar energy ?
a) Leh
b) Diu
c) Cochin
d) Surat
Q3. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) inaugurated the Quantum Technology Research Centre (QTRC) in which city ?
a) New Delhi
b) Chennai
c) Hyderabad
d) Bhopal
Q4. With reference to the E-Hansa aircraft, consider the following statements:
1. It is powered entirely by battery-electric propulsion.
2. It features a bubble canopy and an advanced glass cockpit.
3. It supports training for both Private Pilot License (PPL) and Commercial Pilot License (CPL).
4. It is indigenously developed under the HANSA-3 NG programme.
How many of the above statements are correct ?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) Only three
d) All four
Explanation-
• Statement 1 is incorrect — the E-Hansa is part of a green aviation initiative but is not described as entirely battery-electric; it uses the Rotax 912 iSc3 Sport Engine, a fuel-efficient internal combustion engine.
• Statements 2, 3, and 4 are correct: it features an advanced glass cockpit, a bubble canopy, is meant for PPL and CPL training, and is indigenously developed under the HANSA-3 NG programme.
Q5. The ‘Seven Summits’ challenge, which was in the news recently, is related to what ?
a) International Scientific Research Program
b) Seven most difficult trekking routes of mountaineering
c) Journey to the seven highest waterfalls of the world
d) Climbing the highest peaks of seven continents
Explanation-
• The ‘Seven Summits’ challenge is a prestigious achievement in mountaineering, in which the mountaineer has to climb the highest peaks of all the seven continents of the earth. Recently, 16-year-old Vishwanath Karthikeya Padakanti has created history by completing this challenge.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B | B | A | C | D |