Current Affairs Quiz — 02 April 2025
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Under US Executive Order 14257 of 2 April 2025, from which date did the 10% baseline tariff on imports from all trading partners apply?
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Correct answer: B — 5 April 2025
White House (EO 14257): the additional 10% ad valorem duty applies to goods entered on or after 12:01 a.m. EDT on 5 April 2025; country-specific Annex I rates apply from 9 April 2025.
Under which US law did the President declare a national emergency in the reciprocal-tariff Executive Order of 2 April 2025?
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Correct answer: A — International Emergency Economic Powers Act
White House (EO 14257): the order invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the National Emergencies Act, and declares a national emergency with respect to the trade-deficit threat.
'Mission 500', recalled in India's official response to the US reciprocal tariffs, aims to raise India-US bilateral trade to US$ 500 billion by:
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Correct answer: C — 2030
PIB (Commerce): the leaders announced 'Mission 500' on 13 February 2025, aiming to more than double bilateral trade to US$ 500 billion by 2030.
Under US Executive Order 14257 of 2 April 2025, the higher country-specific reciprocal tariff rates listed in Annex I were to apply from:
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Correct answer: D — 12:01 a.m. EDT, 9 April 2025
Executive Order 14257 (White House): the 10% baseline applied from 12:01 a.m. EDT on 5 April 2025, and the country-specific Annex I rates from 12:01 a.m. EDT on 9 April 2025.
Consider the following goods with respect to the reciprocal tariffs under US Executive Order 14257: 1. Steel and aluminium articles already subject to Section 232 duties 2. Copper, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors listed in Annex II 3. All agricultural products Which of the above are exempted from the reciprocal tariffs by the order?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 2 only
Executive Order 14257: exempted goods include steel and aluminium articles and automobiles subject to Section 232 duties of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and Annex II products such as copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, lumber, certain critical minerals and energy. The order has no blanket exemption for agricultural products.
How many kilometres of national highways did NHAI construct in FY 2024-25?
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Correct answer: C — 5,614 km
PIB (MoRTH): NHAI constructed 5,614 km of national highways in FY 2024-25 against the target of 5,150 km.
Which of the following modes did NHAI use to monetise assets worth ₹28,724 crore in FY 2024-25? 1. Toll Operate Transfer 2. Infrastructure Investment Trust 3. Toll securitisation Select the correct answer using the code given below.
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Correct answer: D — 1, 2 and 3
PIB (MoRTH): NHAI leveraged three modes for monetisation, Toll Operate Transfer (TOT), Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) and Toll Securitisation, for a total of ₹28,724 crore.
NHAI's capital expenditure in FY 2024-25, an all-time high, was over:
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Correct answer: B — ₹2,50,000 crore
PIB (MoRTH): NHAI's capital expenditure reached an all-time high of over ₹2,50,000 crore (provisional) against a target of ₹2,40,000 crore, up from ₹2,07,000 crore in FY 2023-24.
How many locomotives did Indian Railways produce in FY 2024-25?
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Correct answer: A — 1,681
PIB (Railways): Indian Railways produced a record 1,681 locomotives in FY 2024-25, up from 1,472 in FY 2023-24.
Which unit produced the most locomotives (700) in FY 2024-25?
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Correct answer: B — Chittaranjan Locomotive Works
PIB (Railways): Chittaranjan Locomotive Works manufactured 700 locomotives, Banaras 477, Patiala 304, and Madhepura and Marhowrah 100 each.
Which locomotive class accounted for the largest number (1,047) of the 1,681 locomotives produced by Indian Railways in FY 2024-25?
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Correct answer: C — WAG-9/9H
PIB (Railways): of the 1,681 locomotives, 1,047 were WAG-9/9H freight locomotives, followed by 272 WAP-7 and 148 WAG-9 Twin.
MOIL, which reported record output in FY 2024-25, is mainly a producer of which ore?
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Correct answer: D — Manganese ore
PIB (Steel): MOIL recorded its best-ever performance with record manganese ore production of 18.02 lakh tonnes and record manganese ore sales.
What was MOIL's manganese ore production in FY 2024-25?
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Correct answer: C — 18.02 lakh tonnes
PIB (Steel): MOIL's manganese ore production was a record 18.02 lakh tonnes, 2.7% higher year on year; 15.87 lakh tonnes was the sales figure.
Besides manganese ore, MOIL reported record production of which product in FY 2024-25, at 12,000 MT?
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Correct answer: D — Ferro manganese
PIB (Steel): MOIL recorded ferro manganese production of 12,000 MT in FY'25, 18% higher year-on-year.
With which company did the Indian Navy sign a Make-I Project Sanction Order on 2 April 2025 to develop a 6 MW marine diesel engine?
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Correct answer: D — Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited
PIB (Defence): the Project Sanction Order under Make-I was inked between the Indian Navy and Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited.
Consider the following statements about the 6 MW marine diesel engine project signed on 2 April 2025: 1. The prototype will have over 50% indigenous content. 2. The Government of India will fund 70% of the ₹270 crore cost. 3. The engines are meant only for Indian Navy submarines. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Defence): the prototype has over 50% indigenous content and 70% funding from the Government. Statement 3 is incorrect: the engines are for main propulsion and power generation on Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard ships.
Besides the 6 MW prototype, the Project Sanction Order signed with Kirloskar Oil Engines on 2 April 2025 also covers detailed design for diesel engines of which range?
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Correct answer: B — 3-10 MW
PIB (Defence): the order also includes development of detailed design for 3-10 MW diesel engines.
By how much per month did the Arunachal Pradesh cabinet raise old-age, disability and widow pensions on 2 April 2025?
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Correct answer: A — Rs 300
The Arunachal Times and India Today NE: all three pensions under the Chief Minister's Social Security Scheme were increased by Rs 300 per month.
On 2 April 2025, Arunachal Pradesh lowered the eligibility age for widow pension from 40 years to:
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Correct answer: B — 18 years
The Arunachal Times and India Today NE: the age eligibility for widow pension was lowered from 40 to 18 years, making the Chief Minister's Widow Pension Scheme universal.
Under Arunachal Pradesh's extended Chief Minister's Bal Seva Scheme, approved on 2 April 2025, each registered orphaned child will receive monthly assistance of:
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Correct answer: C — Rs 1,500
The Arunachal Times and India Today NE: children covered will get Rs 1,500 per month until the age of 18, in addition to Mission Vatsalya support; earlier only COVID orphans were covered.