Science and Technology
QSim - Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit launched

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about QSim - Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit + about Quantum computing) + Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of science and technology)
What's the NEWS

• Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology, launched QSim - Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit, to enable Researchers and Students to carryout research in Quantum Computing in a cost effective manner
• QSim is an outcome of the project "Design and Development of Quantum Computer Toolkit (Simulator, Workbench) and Capacity Building".
• This is one of the first initiatives in the country to address the common challenge of advancing the Quantum Computing research frontiers in India.
• This project is being executed collaboratively by IISc Bangalore, IIT Roorkee and C-DAC with the support of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
  
  

Quantum Algorithms

• QSim allows researchers and students to write and debug Quantum Code that is essential for developing Quantum Algorithms.
• Quantum systems are highly sensitive to disturbances from environment, even necessary controls and observations perturb them.
• The available and upcoming Quantum devices are noisy and techniques to bring down the environmental error rate are being intensively pursued.
• QSim allows researchers to explore Quantum Algorithms under idealized conditions and help prepare experiments to run on actual Quantum Hardware.
• QSim can serve as an important educational / research tool providing an excellent way to attract students / researchers to the field of Quantum Technology and provides a platform to acquire the skills of ‘programming' as well as ‘designing' real Quantum Hardware.

QSim - Feature Highlights

• Intuitive UI: QSim offers a robust QC Simulator allowing students / researchers to create Quantum programs, visualize the instant circuit generation and simulated outputs.
• Simulate noisy Quantum logic circuits: Helps simulate Quantum circuits with and without noise and test how well various algorithms work with imperfect quantum components.
• Pre-loaded Quantum algorithms and Examples: QSim comes loaded with Quantum programs and algorithms providing a head start to the users. E.g. QFT, Deutsch Jozsa, Grovers and so on.

• Integrated with HPC: The quantum simulations are performed on powerful HPC resources allowing multiple users to submit jobs simultaneously with different QuBit configurations.

QSim - Offering Models

• PARAM SHAVAK QSim - Standalone system with Quantum Simulator in a box
• PARAM QSim Cloud - Available on cloud using HPC infrastructure PARAM SIDDHI AI (developed and deployed under NSM program)

Know! about Quantum Computing

• Quantum computing is the study of how to use phenomena in quantum physics to create new ways of computing based on the principles of quantum theory (which explains the behaviour of energy and material on the atomic and subatomic levels).
• Computers used today can only encode information in bits that take the value of 1 or 0-restricting their ability.
• Quantum computing, on the other hand, uses quantum bits or qubits. It harnesses the unique ability of subatomic particles that allows them to exist in more than one state (i.e., a 1 and a 0 at the same time).
• The power of quantum computers grows exponentially with more qubits.
• This is unlike classical computers, where adding more transistors only add power linearly.

Governance
Karmayogi Digital Learning Facility

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Karmayogi Digital Learning Facility + about Mission Karmayogi) + Mains ( GS II Governance)
What's the NEWS

• The "Karmayogi" Digital Learning Facility for Civil Servants inaugurated recently at the Institute of Secretariat Training & Management (ISTM), a premier Central Training Institution under the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).
• ISTM released 75 courses with a running time of 75 hours of digital content on the Karmayogi Digital Learning Lab platform.
• Objective - shift the working and functioning of the Civil Servants from ‘Rule to Role', so that they are equipped to perform the tasks assigned to them.

Mission Karmayogi

• It aims to create a dedicated work force not only of the Civil Services but more than that, it would serve the cause of the citizen at large.
• Such training modules will also be replicated at different State and Union Territory level also in due course, he added.
• The National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (‘NPCSCB') - "Mission Karmayogi" was approved by the Government on 2nd September, 2020
• The Objective is to enhance governance through Civil Services Capacity Building.
• NPCSCB has been carefully designed to lay the foundations for capacity building for Civil Servants so that they remain entrenched in Indian Culture and sensibilities and remain connected, with their roots, while they learn from the best institutions and practices across the world.
• The training of Civil Servants at various Academies is being restructured to include optimum use of the digital learning platform of Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT).
• The IGOT will augment the existing training mechanism with online module-based training coupled with certification on flexitime basis.
• The e-Learning mode provides unparalleled opportunities for training to a large number of civil servants scattered all over the country.

Prelims Factoids
Havana syndrome

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Havana syndrome)
What's the NEWS

• A disease -considered to be mysterious so far - called the 'Havana Syndrome' has left several US diplomats plagued with severe headaches, nausea, and possible brain damage this week.

Know! about Havana syndrome

• It was first detected in 2016 among spies and diplomats working at the American embassy in Havana.
• In late 2016, USA diplomats and other employees stationed in Havana (capital of Cuba) reported feeling ill after hearing strange sounds and experiencing odd physical sensations.
• Several countries have now reported cases of Havana syndrome.
• A person suffering from Havana syndrome exhibits a range of symptoms.
• These include nausea, hearing loss, memory loss, dizziness and tinnitus.
• The symptoms went away quickly for some, but for others, they have lingered on for a long time.
• The cause for Havana syndrome has not been ascertained yet.
• While investigations are on, the US agencies are still unsure of what causes Havana syndrome. They believed the syndrome was being "intentionally" caused.
• At first, Havana syndrome was said to be a "psychogenic illness". Eventually, a variety of theories started floating to explain the incidents.
• From the possibility of targeted microwaves or sonic attack to perhaps an espionage or hacking effort -- every possible reason for the cause of this mysterious syndrome has been weighed in but to no avail.
• In December 2020, a report by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) study revealed directed and pulsed radio frequency energy as the most "plausible" cause for this syndrome.

Know! about Microwave Weapons

• These are supposed to be a type of direct energy weapons, which aim highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.
• The high-frequency electromagnetic radiations heat the water in the human body and cause discomfort and pain. It works the same way as the kitchen appliance.
• In a microwave oven, an electron tube called a magnetron produces electromagnetic waves (microwaves) that bounce around the metal interior of the appliance, and are absorbed by the food.
• The microwaves agitate the water molecules in the food, and their vibration produces heat that cooks the food.
• Foods with a high water content cook faster in a microwave often than drier foods.

Prelims Factoids
Fourth edition of the EIU's "Safest City Index 2021

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Safe Cities Index 2021)
What's the NEWS

• Copenhagen city capital of Denmark has secured the top position in the "safest city in the world" study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

Know! about Safe Cities Index 2021

• The fourth edition of the Safe Cities Index 2021 was released from The Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by NEC Corporation.
• The report is based on the fourth iteration of the index, which ranks 60 cities across 76 indicators covering digital, health, infrastructure, personal and environmental security.
• It also include names of two Indian cities that secured their place among the top 50.
• While Delhi made it to the 48th rank, Mumbai secured the 50th position.
• Japan's Tokyo city and Singapore have been knocked off first and second spots respectively in a ranking of the world's safest cities by Copenhagen and Toronto after environmental security was added as a criterion in the ranking.
• This year, EIU also considered the impact of COVID-19 while ranking the cities.
• The cities were scored on five parameters and finally graded out of 100.
• The EIU survey is conducted every two years since 2015.

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)

• It is the research and analysis division of Economist Group providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, country risk service reports, and industry reports.
•  The EIU provides country, industry, and management analysis worldwide and incorporates the former Business International Corporation, a UK company acquired by its parent company in 1986

Other Index/Reports released by EIU

• Consensus Economics: Surveys of International Economic Forecasts
• Democracy Index
• E-readiness rankings
• Global Liveability Ranking
• Quality-of-Life Index

Government Initiative
MSP and Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about FRP + State Advised Prices (SAP) + Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• The Centre hiked the minimum price that mills have to pay to sugarcane growers, also known as the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), by Rs 5 per quintal to Rs 290 a quintal for 2021-22 (October-September) sugar season while ruling out any immediate commensurate increase in the sale price of sugar
• Earlier this month, the Supreme Court issued notices to States and major sugar producers to develop a mechanism to ensure that farmers are paid on time.

Know! what and who determines the Sugarcane prices in India

• Sugarcane prices are determined by the Centre as well as States.
• The Centre announces Fair and Remunerative Prices which are determined on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and are announced by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which is chaired by Prime Minister.
• The State Advised Prices (SAP) are announced by key sugarcane producing states which are generally higher than FRP.

Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for Sugar

• The price of sugar is market-driven & depends on the demand & supply of sugar.
• However, with a view to protecting the interests of farmers, the concept of MSP of sugar has been introduced since 2018.
• MSP of sugar has been fixed taking into account the components of Fair & Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane and minimum conversion cost of the most efficient mills.

Basis of price determination

• With the amendment of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, the concept of Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of sugarcane was replaced with the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)' of sugarcane in 2009-10.
• The cane price announced by the Central Government is decided on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• This is done in consultation with the State Governments and after taking feedback from associations of the sugar industry.

Prelims Factoids
RBI extends scope of tokenisation
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Tokenisation)
What's the NEWS

• The Reserve Bank of India has decided to extend the scope of tokenisation to include consumer devices - laptops, desktops, wearables (wrist watches and bands) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
• The facility was available only for mobile phones and tablets of interested card holders.

Know! about Tokenisation

• Tokenisation refers to replacement of actual card details with an alternate code called the "token", which will be unique for a combination of card, token requestor (the entity which accepts request from the customer for tokenisation of a card and passes it on to the card network to issue a corresponding token) and device.
• A tokenised card transaction is considered safer as the actual card details are not shared with the merchant during transaction processing.

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