TNPSC Current Affairs April 16, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs April 16, 2020 (16/04/2020)

Topic: General Administration, Latest Diary of Events

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has said that around 11,077 undertrials have been released from prisons nationwide as part of the mission to decongest jails following the COVID-19 pandemic.

NALSA has also been providing assistance to prisoners who were eligible to be released on parole or interim bail under the relaxed norms, through its panel lawyers.

About NALSA:

NALSA has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide free legal services to weaker sections of society.

The aim is to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reasons of economic or other disabilities. ‘Nyaya Deep’ is the official newsletter of NALSA.

Topic: International Diary of Events

MK 54 lightweight torpedo

US Department of State has approved a Foreign Military Sale to India of 16 MK 54 all round up lightweight torpedoes.

MK 54 lightweight torpedo was known as the Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo (LHT). It weighs around 608 pounds, while its warhead weighs around 96.8 pounds and is highly explosive. These torpedoes are used by US surface ships, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters and are their primary anti-submarine warfare weapon.

Topic: Public Awareness and General Administration, Political System in India

Spitting an offence: Section 51 of Disaster Management Act

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines for Lock Down 2.0 that was extended till May 3, 2020. According to the new guidelines, spitting in the public was made offensive under National Disaster Management Act.

Key facts:

The guidelines also had made wearing masks in public places mandatory. Spitting has been made punishable under Section 51 of Disaster Management Act. Refusal to abide by the order shall lead to imprisonment till one year. Under the section, a person denying to obey orders passed under the act is punishable.

Topic: Public Awareness and General Administration, Political System in India

Colour coding to help manage COVID-19 pandemic

The government has decided to divide all districts across the country into hotspots, non-hotspots and green zones.

The health and family welfare ministry has identified 170 hotspot districts, 207 non-hotspot districts reporting cases and 359 green zone districts not reporting any cases across the country.

These numbers will increase or decrease based on fresh cases of novel coronavirus infection.

Why this classification was necessary? What are its implications?

This will help in managing the Covid-19 pandemic as well as partial opening up of economic activities during the extended period of the nationwide lockdown. This would help in management of hotspots and spread of pandemic.

How are the districts divided?

The health ministry used two criteria to classify the districts as hotspots — the absolute number of cases and the speed of growth in cases.

The technical definition followed to classify the districts is any district reporting more than six cases would be classified as hotspot district or red zone.

Any hotspot district with more than 15 cases would be treated as a district witnessing outbreak.

Which districts are under red zone?

Delhi and NCR, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Thane, Yavatmal, Sangli, Buldhana, Ahmednagar, and Latur in Maharashtra, and Chennai, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Erode, Dindigul, Karur, Madurai, Namakkal, Ranipet, Tiruchirapalli, Tiruppur and Theni in Tamil Nadu.

Topic: International Events

South Korea ruling party won election

The ruling democratic party of President Moon Jae won the election taking 180 seats. The opposition United Future Party took 103 seats. There are 300 seats in the South Korea National Assembly.

South Korea was the first country to hold national election among the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 14,000 polling booths set up for elections and at every polling booth the temperature of the voters was checked before they were allowed to vote.