TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 07.11.2024

1. BILATERAL

INDIA, ASEAN NATIONS TO LOOK AT LINKING PAYMENT SYSTEMS

• Key takeaways about India and ASEAN cooperation:
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Sharing:India will share its expertise in DPI, including Aadhaar and UPI, with ASEAN nations.
• Payment System Linkage:India and ASEAN will explore linking their payment systems through digital solutions for cross-border transactions.
• Cooperation Areas:Collaboration will focus on education, healthcare, agriculture, and climate change.
• Maritime Security:Both sides emphasized maintaining peace, maritime safety, freedom of navigation, and overflight in the region.
• Fintech and Cybersecurity:They agreed to explore partnerships in fintech innovation and expand cooperation on cybersecurity.
• AI Cooperation:Collaboration on AI development, skills, infrastructure, and responsible use of AI technologies is planned.
• Joint Statements:Two joint statements were issued, one on digital transformation and the other on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership.
• Geopolitical Context:The summit took place amid tensions in the South China Sea and the crisis in Myanmar.

2. ECONOMY

CAN INDIA ESCAPE MIDDLE – INCOME TRAP?

• What is the Middle-Income Trap?
• Countries experience strong growth during early development, reaching middle-income status.
• Growth then stagnates, preventing them from reaching high-income levels.
• Characterized by slowing income per capita growth, often around 11% of US per capita income, according to the World Bank.
• How Can India Avoid It?
• Investment:Increase investments in infrastructure, education, and technology.
• Technology Infusion:Adopt and adapt new technologies from around the world.
• Innovation:Foster a domestic environment that encourages innovation.
• Neutral State Intervention:The government should act as a neutral facilitator, rewarding successful companies and allowing underperformers to fail, similar to South Korea’s approach. This requires avoiding favoritism and ensuring fair competition.
• Address Premature Deindustrialization:Find new growth engines beyond manufacturing, potentially in the service sector, as manufacturing’s role in driving growth has diminished.
• Inclusive Growth:Ensure that economic growth translates into real wage growth for workers to boost consumption demand.
• Balance State Intervention with Democracy:Learn from South Korea and Chile but avoid authoritarian practices. Find ways to promote growth while upholding democratic values

3. POLITY

KERALA MLAs UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSE SIMULTANEOUS ELECTION PLAN

• One Nation, One Election:
• Concept:This proposal advocates for holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha (Parliament) and all State Legislative Assemblies. Currently, elections are held at different times for different states, depending on the term of the respective assemblies.
• Rationale:Proponents argue that simultaneous elections would save costs, reduce the disruption caused by frequent elections, and allow the government to focus on governance rather than constant campaigning. They also believe it could reduce the influence of populist measures often employed during election cycles.
• Concerns:Critics raise concerns about the feasibility and potential implications of such a system. Some of the main arguments against it include:
• Constitutional Amendments:Implementing simultaneous elections would require significant amendments to the Constitution, potentially altering the federal structure of the country.
• Impact on Regional Issues:Holding combined elections might overshadow state-specific issuesand give undue prominence to national narratives.
• Disruption in Case of Mid-term Polls:If a state government falls before its term is complete, holding fresh elections for both the state and the nation could be disruptive and logistically challenging.
• Centralization of Power:Critics argue that it could lead to a centralization of power, diminishing the importance of state governmentsand potentially undermining the federal structure by tilting the balance of power towards the Centre.
• Parliamentary Democracy: Relevance to the Issue:The resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly argues that the “One Nation, One Election” proposal is “detrimental to the parliamentary democratic system.”
• This suggests a concern that simultaneous elections might affect the functioning of the parliamentary system and the relationship between the executive and the legislature.
• State Legislatures and Local Self-Government: Role in Indian Polity:State legislatures are responsible for governing their respective states, while local self-government institutions (like municipalities and panchayats) handle local governance.
• Relevance to the Issue:The Kerala Assembly resolution expresses concern that the simultaneous election proposal could weaken the powers and rights of state legislatures and make local self-government institutions irrelevant.
• This highlights the potential impact on decentralized governanceand the importance of these institutions in the Indian political system.
• Resolution in the Kerala Assembly: Significance:The unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly, with support from both the ruling and opposition parties, signifies a strong opposition to the “One Nation, One Election” proposal within the state.
• It reflects the concerns of the state government and its representatives about the potential implications of this proposal for Kerala’s governance and autonomy.

4. ENVIRONMENT

THE BLUE BLOODED SEA CREATURE ON ODISHA’S COASTLINE

• Horseshoe Crab, an ancient marine creature found on Odisha’s coastline. Species and Significance:
• Horseshoe Crabsare not true crabs but belong to a separate class calledMerostomata, often referred to as “living fossils” due to their unchanged morphology over millions of years.
• Two species are found in India:Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda(mangrove horseshoe crab) andTachypleus gigas(coastal horseshoe crab), both inhabiting the Odisha coast.
• Their blue blood containslimulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), a vital component in testing the sterility of injectable drugs. This has led to their exploitation for biomedical purposes.
• Breeding Behavior: Tidal Influence:Horseshoe crabs come ashore to breed during high tides, particularly during full moon and new moon periods.
• Specific Sand Requirements:They prefer sandy beaches with a specific grain size for optimal water retention, crucial for egg incubation.
• Nesting and Incubation:Females lay hundreds of eggs in clutches, and the eggs incubate in the sand for around 40-42 days.
• Current Situation in Odisha: Dwindling Population:Horseshoe crab populations along the Odisha coast have significantly declined, raising concerns among scientists and conservationists.
• Habitat Degradation:Loss of habitat due to human activities like shoreline fortifications (stone patching, geotubes), and the destruction of mangrove forests and sandy beaches are major threats.
• Fishing Threats:Horseshoe crabs often get entangled in fishing nets and die as bycatch. Trawlers are particularly harmful.
• Lack of Data:Despite their importance, there’s a lack of comprehensive data on horseshoe crab populations in India, making conservation efforts challenging. The IUCN categorizes them as “data deficient.”

5. AWARDS

S.KOREA’S HAN KANG WINS NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE

• Han Kang Wins Nobel Prize:South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.
• Reason for Award:The Swedish Academy recognized her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life.”
• Kang is known for her innovative and experimental prose style, exploring universal themes of the human condition.
• Key Themes:Her work often focuses on women battling patriarchy, violence, grief, historical injustices, and the connection between body and soul.
• Breakthrough Novel:The Vegetarian(2007), translated into English in 2015, brought her international acclaim and won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016.
• Other Notable Works:Human Acts,The White Book,Greek Lessons, and the forthcomingWe Do Not Part.
• Focus on History and Trauma:We Do Not Partexplores a hidden massacre in 1940s Korea and the impact of the past on the present.
• First Korean Winner:Han Kang is the first Korean author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• Power of Literature:The academy highlighted her ability to “speak the truth” through her writing

ONE LINER

1. Tamil Nadu government launched ‘Nallosai’ in college and Katral Inithu in schools to help students to develop holistic skills in arts, science, sports information technology and soft and work skills after schools/college hours
2. Indian astronomers have mapped the variation in the sun’s rotation speed from its equator to its poles for the first time.

QUESTIONS

1. What new fashion forecasting initiative was launched by India’s Textile Ministry?

Ans: VisioNxt Fashion Forecasting Initiative with ‘Paridhi 24×25’

2. When and where was the Khel Utsav 2024 organized?

Ans: August 27-30, 2024, at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.