TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS (ENGLISH) – 10.01.2025

SUBJECT: HISTORY

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC)spanned 2.5 million sq. km across modern-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan (2600–1900 BCE).
Its undeciphered script has hindered understanding of its societal structure, culture, and connection with contemporary civilizations like Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalinannounced a ₹5 million prize for deciphering the script.
A recent project by Tamil Nadu’s State Department of Archaeology explored parallels between Indus seals and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions, suggesting potential cultural contact.
The “Dravidian Hypothesis” suggests the Indus script represents Proto-Dravidian roots, linking IVC to modern Dravidian languages.
Scholars like Iravatham Mahadevan have studied structural similarities with Tamil-Brahmi and stressed the cultural overlap
The INSCRIPT project documented 419 signs from Indus seals, correlating them with patterns in Tamil Nadu artifacts.
Evidence suggests a shared linguistic or cultural legacy, reinforcing theories of ancient trade and migration between the IVC and South India

2. THE RIGHT TO FOOD AND THE STRUGGLE WITH THE PDS

SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES

Reports of households being excluded from PDS rolls in Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar.
Specific focus on marginalized communities like the Musahars in Bihar.
Several marginalized families lack ration cards, affecting access to essential food supplies.
Errors during biometric verification removed eligible individuals from rolls.
Fair Price Shops (FPS) release insufficient quantities of food grains.
Corruption persists due to systemic flaws
Bureaucratic requirements like caste certificates and residence proofs delay inclusion.
These requirements lack a legal basis under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013.
Middlemen charge up to ₹3,000 for issuing ration cards.
Procedural delays often stretch from four to eighteen months
NFSA 2013aims to provide subsidized food grains to 75% of rural and 50% of urban populations.
Relates to Article 21(Right to Life) and Article 47(Duty of the State to raise nutrition).

3. CENTRE YET TO WAKE UP FROM ITS SLUMBER ON DAM SAFETY ACT: SC

SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY

The Dam Safety Act, 2021, was enacted to prevent dam-related disasters and ensure the safe operation of dams.
The Act mandates the constitution of a National Committee on Dam Safety within 60 days of its commencement.
Establishment of a National Committee on Dam Safety(to ensure dam maintenance and safety standards).
Constitution of State Dam Safety Organizations (SDSO).
Non-implementation despite a legal mandate.
Threat to public safety due to delayed preventive measures.
A three-judge bench led by Justice Surya Kant criticized the Union Government for not fully implementing the law, remarking that it “exists only on paper.”
The court was hearing a plea regarding the safety of the129-year-old Mullaperiyar Damin Kerala.
Petitioner Mathews Nedumpara argued that a breach in the dam could endanger lakhs of lives.
Kerala sought a reduction in the permissible water level from 142 feet to 120 feet, citing safety risks.
The court noted the lack of progress since 2021, including failure to reconstitute the monitoring committee, which must be renewed every three years.

4. BORDER FENCING ON IN WEST BENGAL DESPITE BGB OBJECTIONS : BSF

SUBJECT: DEFENSE

BSF continued erecting fences at Kaliachak, Malda district, despite objections from the Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB).
Issue of fencing gained momentum due to political instability in Bangladesh
India-Bangladesh border length:2,216 km; significant stretches remain unfenced.
Prevent illegal immigration.
Curb cross-border smuggling and trafficking.
Aligns with India’s border management strategies under the MHA.
Addresses bilateral concerns under the Indo-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement (2015)

5. RIVER INTERLINKING THE FOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER

SUBJECT: STATES/ POLITY

Proposed to address water scarcity in Bundelkhand by transferring surplus water from the Ken River to the Betwa River.
Includes a dam in Panna Tiger Reserve, threatening biodiversity.
Cost: ₹45,000 crore
Environmental costs outweigh perceived benefits.
Imbalance in hydrological systems impacts biodiversity, river health, and livelihoods.
Ignores ecological principles and sustainable water management.
Florida’s Kissimmee River channelization led to ecological disasters.
Aral Sea desiccation from unsustainable water management.
Focus on efficient irrigation systems and sustainable agriculture.
Involve local stakeholders in water management decisions.