Defence
Artificial Intelligence powered grievance management application launched

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the AI powered grievance management application) + Mains ( GS II Governance )
What's the NEWS

• Defence Minister launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application developed by Ministry of Defence with the help of IIT-Kanpur.

Know! about it

• This is the first AI based system developed to improve grievance redressal in the Government.
• AI-powered application will automatically handle and analyse the complaints of the people and would reduce human intervention, save time and bring more transparency in their disposal.
• The AI tool developed as part of the initiative has capability to understand the content of the complaint based on the contents therein. As a result, it can identify repeat complaints or spam automatically.
• Based on the meaning of the complaint, it can categorise complaints of different categories even when key words normally used for such search are not present in the complaint.
• It enables geographical analysis of complaints in a category including analysis of whether the complaint was adequately addressed or not by the concerned office.
• Easy user-friendly search enables user to formulate his own queries/categories depending on management requirements and seek performance results based on the query.
• Given that lakhs of complaints are received on CPGRAMS portal of DARPG, this application will have great use in understanding the nature of complaints, geographies from where they emanate and policy changes which can be introduced to create systemic improvements to address these grievances.
• A tripartite MoU for the project was signed among Department of Defence, MoD, DARPG and IIT, Kanpur on August 04, 2020.
• The release of this application marks the introduction of AI-based innovations into governance and administration.
• This project is first of its kind initiative of the Government for using AI, data science and Machine Learning techniques in grievance redressal.
• The success of this project in MoD will pave the way for extension of this application across other Ministries.
• The web-based application has been jointly developed by Department of Defence, MoD; DARPG and a team of IIT Kanpur

Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)

• It is an online web-enabled system over NICNET developed by NIC, in association with Directorate of Public Grievances (DPG) and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• CPGRAMS is the platform based on web technology which primarily aims to enable submission of grievances by the aggrieved citizens from anywhere and anytime (24x7) basis to Ministries/Departments/Organisations who scrutinize and take action for speedy and favourable redress of these grievances.
• Tracking grievances is also facilitated on this portal through the system generated unique registration number.

Issues which are not taken up for redress :

• Subjudice cases or any matter concerning judgment given by any court.
• Personal and family disputes.
• RTI matters.
• Anything that impacts upon territorial integrity of the country or friendly relations with other countries.

Public Grievances Redressal

• It is one of the flagship initiatives for the reformation in governance started by the Indian central government through addressing the grievances of general public.
• It was created in June 2007 by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances.
• Under the public grievance mechanism any citizen of India can raise their problems, grievance or pleas to the central govt and state government Ministries and Departments.
• Grievances can be submitted to all important portfolio ministers and departments.
• The system has been designed in-house by the National Informatics Centre team.
• Prime Minister is the supreme head of the public grievances.

Governance
Legal Information Management & Briefing System (LIMBS)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about LIMBS + about NDIAC + AIC) + Mains ( GS II Governance- transparency and accountability)
What's the NEWS

• Law Minister expressed his appreciation for the Legal Information Management and Briefing System (LIMBS) initiative of the Department

Legal Information Management & Briefing System (LIMBS)

• It is a web based portal developed by Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice for monitoring and handling of various court cases of Govt. Departments and Ministries.
• Joint Secretary (Revenue), Department of Revenue is the Nodal Officer of DoR for LIMBS. Commissioner, Directorate of Legal Affairs (DLA) has been nominated as the project coordinator for LIMBS in CBIC.
• Cases pertaining to Supreme Court are uploaded & updated on LIMBS by DLA.
• Cases pertaining to High Court and Tribunals are being uploaded by the concerned Commissionerate.
• Instructions for uploading and updating cases on LIMBS have been issued from DLA to field formation from time to time.

Objective:

• To create a National Portal of all cases pending in various courts/ Tribunals as a part of the e-Governance initiative. Once completed, information relating to all court/ tribunal cases being handled by the various Ministries/ Departments and other organs of the Government of India will be available on a single web-based online application.

New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) and Arbitration Council of India
Relevance IN - Prelims (about NDIAC + AIC) + Mains ( GS II Governance - arbitration mechanism)
What's the NEWS

• The Law Minister stated that to develop India as an international arbitration hub, the Arbitration Council of India (ACI) and the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) are required to be set up.
• The establishment of these institutions will not only help in reduction of litigation for appointment of arbitrators, but would promote institutional arbitration, which is the need of the hour.
• This would help the country in promotion of ease of doing business (EODB) environment, particularly with regard to enforcing of contracts and help in further improving of India's position in the World Bank ranking on EODB.

Know! about NDIAC

• The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) is an autonomous institution based in New Delhi, to conduct arbitration, mediation, and conciliation proceedings.
• It was established in 2019 and declared as an Institute of National Importance by an Act of Parliament.

The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC), Act 2019

• It was enacted with a view to provide for the establishment and incorporation of the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre for the purpose of creating an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration and to make it a hub for institutional arbitration and to declare the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre to be an institution of national importance.
• The Act replaced the ordinance on the subject which had come into force on 2nd March, 2019.
• As per section 5 of the Act, NDIAC will be headed by a Chairperson, who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court or a Judge of a High Court or an eminent person, having special knowledge and experience in the conduct or administration of arbitration, law or management, to be appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
• Besides, it will also have two Full-time or Part-time Members from amongst eminent persons having substantial knowledge and experience in institutional arbitration, both domestic and international.
• In addition, one representative of a recognized body of commerce and industry shall be nominated on rotational basis as a Part-time Member.
• The Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice; Financial Adviser nominated by Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance and Chief Executive Officer, NDIAC will be ex-officio Members.

The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2019

• The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• The Act contains provisions to deal with domestic and international arbitration, and defines the law for conducting conciliation proceedings.

Key features of the Bill are:
Arbitration Council of India:

• The Bill seeks to establish an independent body called the Arbitration Council of India (ACI) for the promotion of arbitration, mediation, conciliation and other alternative dispute redressal mechanisms.
• Its functions include: (i) framing policies for grading arbitral institutions and accrediting arbitrators, (ii) making policies for the establishment, operation and maintenance of uniform professional standards for all alternate dispute redressal matters, and (iii) maintaining a depository of arbitral awards (judgments) made in India and abroad.

Composition of the ACI:

• The ACI will consist of a Chairperson who is either: (i) a Judge of the Supreme Court; or (ii) a Judge of a High Court; or (iii) Chief Justice of a High Court; or (iv) an eminent person with expert knowledge in conduct of arbitration. Other members will include an eminent arbitration practitioner, an academician with experience in arbitration, and government appointees.

Appointment of arbitrators:

• Under the 1996 Act, parties were free to appoint arbitrators. In case of disagreement on an appointment, the parties could request the Supreme Court, or the concerned High Court, or any person or institution designated by such Court, to appoint an arbitrator.
• Under the Bill, the Supreme Court and High Courts may now designate arbitral institutions, which parties can approach for the appointment of arbitrators.
• For international commercial arbitration, appointments will be made by the institution designated by the Supreme Court.
•  For domestic arbitration, appointments will be made by the institution designated by the concerned High Court.
• In case there are no arbitral institutions available, the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court may maintain a panel of arbitrators to perform the functions of the arbitral institutions.
• An application for appointment of an arbitrator is required to be disposed of within 30 days.

Relaxation of time limits:

• Under the Act, arbitral tribunals are required to make their award within a period of 12 months for all arbitration proceedings.
• The Bill seeks to remove this time restriction for international commercial arbitrations. It adds that tribunals must endeavour to dispose off international arbitration matters within 12 months.

Arbitration:

• It is a process in which disputes resolve between the parties by appointing an independent third party who is an impartial and neutral person called arbitrator. Arbitrators hear both the parties before arriving at a solution to their dispute.

Conciliation:

• It is a process in which disputes resolve between the parties by appointing a conciliator who helps (amicable) the disputed parties to arrive at a negotiated settlement. Settling the dispute without litigation, it is an informal process. He does so by lowering tensions, improving communication, interpreting issues, providing technical help.

Education
School Innovation Ambassador Training Program
Relevance IN - Prelims (about School Innovation Ambassador Training Program)
What's the NEWS

• Union Education Minister and Tribal Affairs Minister will jointly launch the ‘School Innovation Ambassador Training Program' for 50,000 School Teachers on 16th July 2021.

Know! about the programme

• The innovative and one of its kind training program for School Teachers , it aims at training 50,000 school teachers on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, IPR, Design Thinking, Product development, Idea generation etc.
• The program has been designed by Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education and AICTE for School Teachers based on its "Innovation Ambassador Training Program for Higher Educational Institution's faculty members". The training will be delivered in online mode only.

Space Awareness
Mission Unity 22.

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Virgin Galactic space plane Unity + Suborbital spacecraft) + Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of space)
What's the NEWS

• British billionaire Richard Branson soared more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and safely returned in the vehicle's first fully crewed test flight to space, a symbolic milestone for a venture he started 17 years ago.
• Branson, one of six Virgin Galactic Holding Inc employees strapped in for the ride, touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism, with the company he founded in 2004 poised to begin commercial operations next year.
• The Virgin Galactic space plane Unity landed safely in New Mexico after a trip meant to make human spaceflight

Know! about the first fully crewed test flight to space

• The recent launch of the VSS Unity passenger rocket plane marked the company's 22nd test flight of its SpaceShipTwo system, and its fourth crewed mission beyond Earth's atmosphere.
• It was also the first to carry a full complement of space travelers - two pilots and four "mission specialists,"
• Space flight reached its high-altitude launch point at about 46,000 feet, where Unity was released from mothership and fell away when crew ignited vehicle's rocket.

• Spaceplane's contrail was visible from ground when it soared through upper atmosphere.
• At the apex of climb, rocket shut down and crew experienced few minutes of microgravity before spaceplane shifted into re-entry mode.
• Virgin has planned at least two further test flights of spaceplane before starting its regular commercial operation in 2022.

Know! about Suborbital spacecraft

• When an object travels at a horizontal speed of about 28,000 km/hr or more, it goes into orbit once it is above the atmosphere.
• Satellites need to reach that threshold speed in order to orbit Earth.
• Such a satellite would be accelerating towards the Earth due to gravity, but its horizontal movement is fast enough to offset the downward motion so that it moves along a circular path.
• Any object travelling slower than 28,000 km/hr must eventually return to Earth.
• These are suborbital flights, because they will not be travelling fast enough to orbit Earth once they reach there.
• Such a trip allows space travellers to experience a few minutes of "weightlessness".

Know! the difference between Orbital and Suborbital
Orbital

• The speed that an object must maintain to remain in orbit around a planet is called Orbital velocity.
• Imagine throwing a ball. The ball travels in an arc through the air before hitting the ground. If you were to put a small rocket on the ball which makes it travel so fast that its arc shape would perfectly match the curvature of the Earth.
• Then the ball achieves orbit and would fly at a consistent height above our planet.

Suborbital

• The suborbital flight will have lower speeds compared to the orbital.
• A suborbital rocket doesn't possess the power to achieve orbit.
• It will move up to a certain height and then fall back down once its engines are shut off.

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