TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS 29.3.2024

1. CORE SECTOR OUTPUT GROWTH SPURTS TO 6.7% IN FEBRUARY

• India’s eight core sectors’ output growth spurted to a three-month high of 6.7% in February
• Led by double-digit upticks in coal, natural gas and cement
• Fertilizers’ production fell 9.5% to record the sharpest contraction since May 2021
• The 8 Core sectors – Core industries contributing to the growth include: Coal, natural gas, cement, steel, crude oil, electricity, and refinery products
• Meanwhile, fertiliser production declined by 9.5% in February 2024
• Index of Core Industries (ICI) was revised to reflect a 4.1% rise, compared with the previous estimate of 3.6%
• These eight core sectors contribute 40.27% to the country’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP)

2. CHILD ACCUSED OF POCSO OFFENCE TO BE TRIED AS PER THE JJ ACT

• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (JJ Act)
• These are two significant pieces of legislation in India designed to protect the rights and well-being of children.
• POCSO Act, 2012 – Aimed specifically at protecting children (under 18 years of age)
• From sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and pornography
• Provides a child-friendly system for reporting, recording of evidence, investigation, and trial of offences
• Prescribes stringent punishments for those convicted of committing sexual offences against children
• Establishes Special Courts for the trial of such offences
• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act
• The JJ Act, primarily, addresses two main categories:
• Children in need of care and protection, and Children in conflict with the law
• It provides for a juvenile justice system which includes the care, protection, development, treatment, social reintegration of children
• Also adjudication and disposal of matters relating to children in conflict with the law
• Defines a “child” as a person who has not completed 18 years of age
• Emphasizes the need to handle children in conflict with the law under a reformatory, rather than a punitive, approach
• Integration of POCSO with JJ Act The Kerala High Court’s ruling emphasises that children charged with offences under the POCSO Act should be prosecuted as per the provisions of the JJ Act
• This reflects the principle – That even when a child is an offender in a sexual assault case, the child’s status as a minor needs to be considered
• Highlighting the importance of treating them within the framework of juvenile justice □ Rather than attributing criminal intent as would be the case with adults
• It underscores the legal recognition of the need for a child[1]specific approach
• That takes into account the developmental stage and rehabilitative needs of the child
• Even in cases where the child has committed a serious offence This approach aims at ensuring that the child offender is given an opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration into society, in alignment with the broader objectives of child protection and welfare enshrined in both the POCSO and JJ Acts

3. HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE WORLD WASTE 1 BILLION MEALS A DAY SAYS UN REPORT

• Food Waste Index Report 2024
• A study jointly authored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), a U.K.-based non-profit
• Findings –  Global food waste is immense: 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated in 2022, amounting to 132 kg per capita and nearly 20% of all food available to consumers
• Households are the major contributor: 60% of food waste happens at home, followed by food service (28%) and retail (12%)
• Data gaps hinder progress: Many low- and middle-income countries lack proper systems to track food waste, making it difficult to monitor progress towards reducing it
• Food waste isn’t just a rich-country problem: Average household waste levels are similar across income categories. Hotter climates might see more waste due to fresh food consumption and limited cold storage
• Food waste is a climate villain: It contributes 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and significantly impacts biodiversity
• Rural areas waste less: This might be due to utilizing food scraps for animals or composting
• Recommendations –  Improve data collection: Expand and strengthen data infrastructure to effectively track and monitor food waste, particularly in developing nations Address misconceptions: Raise awareness that food waste is a global problem impacting everyone, not just wealthy countries
• Prioritise food waste reduction in climate strategies: Governments should integrate food loss and waste reduction into their plans to combat climate change
• Implement targeted policies: Develop policies that address food waste across all sectors (household, food service, retail) in both developed and developing countries

4. KARNATAKA HC STEPS IN HELPS NRI COUPLE ADOPT UGANDAN CHILD

• A unique situation in cross-border adoption faced by an NRI couple in India
• An NRI (Non-Resident Indian) couple adopted a child from Uganda with legal approval from the Ugandan High Court
• This adoption wasn’t recognised under current Indian laws for cross-border adoption
• The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) offered a “support letter,” which wouldn’t legally validate the adoption in India
• The Karnataka High Court acknowledged the legal gap and urged the Indian government to go beyond the current regulations
• The Court requested the government to issue an “approval” or a “no objection certificate” to formally recognize the adoption despite the legal hurdle
• Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) plays a role in regulating and overseeing adoption in India, specifically for:
• Monitoring and regulating adoptions: CARA is responsible for ensuring proper procedures are followed in both
• In-country (within India) adoptions – Inter-country (cross-border) adoptions
• Following legal guidelines: They operate under the framework of adoption regulations set by the Indian government

5. SKYROOT AEROSPACE SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRES STAGE 2 OF VIKRAM 1 LAUNCH VEHICLE IN A.P SRIHARIKOTA

• Successful Test Firing of Vikram-1 Stage-2
• A Step Towards Private Spaceflight in India: significant development in India’s space sector Skyroot Aerospace, a leading Indian space company, conducted a successful test fire of the second stage (Kalam-250) of their Vikram-1 launch vehicle
• This stage is crucial for propelling the rocket through Earth’s atmosphere and into space during launch.
• A successful Vikram-1 launch would mark a historic moment for India, being the country’s first private orbital rocket launch
• Skyroot had a successful suborbital launch of Vikram-S in November 2022 – India’s first private rocket launch
• The test firing lasted 85 seconds and achieved a peak thrust exceeding expectations
• Technical details about the Kalam-250 stage.
• Construction Material – High-strength carbon composite
• Propellant Type – Solid fuel (Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Terpolymers)
• Guidance System – Carbon ablative flex nozzle High-precision electro-mechanical actuators for thrust vector control
• India’s Private Space Industry

ONE LINER

1. The 148^th Assembly of the Inter – Parliamentary Union (IPU) will take place in Geneva Switzerland
2. The fourth edition of the Shanghai Cooreration Organisation (SCO) startup forum was organized in New Delhi