Current Affair MCQ for 2025-10-16

Notes: A team from the Botanical Survey of India recently discovered a new species of balsam flower named Impatiens rajibiana. It was found in the natural forests of Shergaon in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. The plant grows in moist and shaded forest areas at an elevation of over 2,000 meters. It belongs to the family Balsaminaceae, commonly called balsams. Many balsam species are endemic, existing only in small regions. India has around 230 known balsam species, including Impatiens balsamina or touch-me-not. Between 2013 and 2017, over 16 new balsam species were discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

Notes: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently announced plans to extend the range of the Astra Mark 2 air-to-air missile to over 200 kilometres. Astra Mark 2 is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile developed by DRDO. More than 50 public and private industries, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), contributed to its development. The Astra Mark 1 missile with a 90–100 km range is already in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and integrated with LCA Tejas and Su-30 MKI jets. Astra Mark 2 will enhance India’s air combat superiority and may also be exported to friendly nations.

Notes: The Shi-Yomi district administration in Arunachal Pradesh will hold an environmental public hearing on November 12 for the 1,000 MW Naying Hydroelectric Project at Yapik community hall. The project is a run-of-the-river hydropower project on the Siyom (Yomgo) River in Arunachal Pradesh, to be implemented by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO). It includes a concrete dam, underground powerhouse, and tunnels, with construction likely to begin in 2028 and commissioning by 2032. The project will produce 4,966.77 GWh of electricity annually. The Siyom River, a right-bank tributary of the Brahmaputra, flows through Arunachal Pradesh, with Mouling National Park on its east bank.

Notes: India’s passport ranks 85th in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, down five places from 2024. Indian citizens can travel visa-free to 57 countries, down from 59 last year. The Henley Passport Index ranks all 199 passports based on visa-free mobility. Singapore tops the index with access to 193 destinations, followed by South Korea and Japan, showing Asia’s growing dominance. European countries like Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland feature prominently in the top 10. Indians can travel visa-free to 12 countries, including Bhutan, Indonesia, Mauritius, Nepal, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Notes: Unified Payments Interface (UPI) usage intensity is highest in Telangana, followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra, as per a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bulletin. The study used PhonePe transaction data, covering 58% of UPI volume and 53% of total transaction value, as a proxy for UPI intensity. The rise of UPI is reducing cash demand, reflected in declining ATM cash withdrawals as a percentage of GDP. Most peer-to-merchant (P2M) transactions are low-value, under ₹500, and the average ticket size is decreasing. High UPI usage is linked to urban centres, economic hubs, and migration-driven employment.</p>