TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS (ENGLISH) – 04.01.2025

SUBJECT: ENVIRONEMENT

Four major UN summits in2024on biodiversity (Colombia), desertification (Saudi Arabia), plastics (South Korea), and climate change (Azerbaijan)ended without meaningful resolutions.
Divergence between developed and developing nations on financial support and technology transfer was a central issue.
Developing countries face economic constraints, debt burdens, and climate vulnerabilities.
Developed nations reluctant to commit adequate financial and technological support.
Biodiversity conservation stalled due to disagreements on financing sustainable land-use practices.
Plastics treaty opposed by plastic-dependent economies.
Discussions on climate finance under the Paris Agreement failed due to differences on emission accountability.
Lack of measurable mechanisms to monitor commitments by nations.
Developing economies are most affected due to delays in action on critical issues.
Delay in addressing biodiversity loss, desertification, climate change, and plastic pollution.
Vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted.
Erosion of trust in multilateral negotiations and weakening of global cooperation mechanisms.

2. EXCESSIVE NITRATES FOUND IN GROUNDWATER IN 440 DISTRICTS

SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY

440 districts in India report excessive nitrates (>45 mg per liter) in groundwater, up from 359 in 2017.
High nitrate levels are a result of overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
The Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) highlighted that 56% of districts face this issue, posing health and environmental hazards.
Nitrate toxicity poses significant risks to children’s health and overall environmental stability.
Uranium contamination(>30 ppb) was found in regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
States with chronic nitrate issues: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
Rising concerns in southern regions, such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
Maharashtra reported the highest contamination at35.74%, followed by Telangana (27.48%) and Andhra Pradesh (23.5%).
Groundwater over-extraction: 60.4% of extraction levels remain unsustainable since 2009.
Irrigation practices and subsidized fertilizers: Key drivers of contamination.
Monsoon rains exacerbate contamination, with32.66% of samples contaminated post-monsoon.

3. SCORPENE CLASS SUBMARINE AMONG 3 FRONTLINE PLATFORMS TO BE INDUCTED BY NAVY ON JAN 15

SUBJECT: DEFENCE

INS Vagsheer: Sixth and final Scorpene-class submarine.
INS Surat: Fourth Project-15B stealth destroyer.
INS Nilgiri: Lead ship of Project-17A stealth frigates.
Commissioning date: January 15, 2025.
Enhances India’s naval combat capabilities and underscores its indigenization progress.
Demonstrates advancements in stealth technology, radar reduction, and integration of advanced weapon systems.
All platforms are designed and manufactured domestically at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL), Mumbai, with collaboration from France for Scorpene submarines.
INS Nilgiri: Represents a major upgrade from the Shivalik-class frigates.
Features stealth technology and advanced radar signatures
INS Surat: Advances in stealth destroyer design with improved navigation and weaponry.

4. TACKLING DELIMITATION BY REVERSING POPULATION CONTROL

SUBJECT: POLITY

Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu expressed concerns over potential delimitation changes that could reduce representation for southern states in Parliament due to successful population control efforts.
Representation Imbalance:States with controlled populations may lose representation, affecting the federal structure.
Population Control Policies:Andhra Pradesh previously enacted a law limiting candidates with more than two children from contesting local elections, now reconsidered for reversal.
China: The one-child policy led to adverse socio-economic consequences, including a dependency burden and skewed demographics.
Japan and South Korea: Pro-natal policies have had limited success in reversing population declines.
Variations in fertility rates across states are narrowing, but population momentum still influences representation.
Rapid fertility decline may require migration to balance regional workforce requirements

5. SCHOOL ENROLMENT DOWN BY OVER A CRORE IN 2023-24 – REPORT

SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES

Total enrolment dropped to 24.8 crore in the academic year 2023-24, marking a fall of 6% (1.22 crore students) compared to 2018-19.
Enrolment numbers have been around26 crore for the past four years, with the current decline attributed to enhanced data validation through UDISE+.
Bihar: From 2.49 crore (2018-19) to 2.13 crore (2023-24), a loss of36.55 lakh students.
Uttar Pradesh: From 4.44 crore to 4.16 crore, a drop of28.26 lakh students.
Maharashtra: Decline from 2.32 crore to 2.13 crore, a loss of18.55 lakh students
Introduction of Aadhaar-linked validation in UDISE+ helped identify and eliminate duplicate or ghost entries.
Separate Unique Educational IDs (EIDs)for each student created to ensure accurate data.
Improved data verification for government schemes like Samagra Shiksha,PM Poshan, and National Scholarships