Daily Current Capsules

01st September 2022

Science and Technology
Innovation Challenge for the development of Machine Aided Translation System (IC-MATS) launched

What's the NEWS

• The Innovation Challenge for the development of Machine Aided Translation System (IC-MATS) was launched by , the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Govt of India
• In March 2019, the Office of PSA announced nine National S&T Missions on the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council.
• One of the missions, the ‘Natural Language Translation Mission' intends to make science and technology accessible to all citizens in their mother tongue.
• Using a combination of machine and human translation, the mission is aimed at enabling access to teaching and research material bilingually - in English and one's native Indian language.

• The Innovation Challenge for the development of Machine Aided Translation System (IC-MATS) was launched under the Natural Language Translation Mission.
• It is primarily divided into three stages: Stage-I (Ideation Stage), Stage-II (Prototype Stage), and Stage-III (Solution Building Stage).
• The Challenge is targeted at involving industries and start-ups to develop machine-aided translation systems using open-source translation platforms and text corpus available in the public domain, including those available on the language technology platform, Bhashini (https://bhashini.gov.in) built by MeitY

• The Government of India established the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) in November 1999.
• The PSA's office aims to provide pragmatic and objective advice to the Prime Minister and the cabinet in matters of Science and Technology.
• The Office of PSA was placed under the Cabinet Secretariat in August, 2018.

• An overarching council that facilitates the PSA's Office to assess the status in specific science and technology domains, comprehend challenges, formulate interventions, develop a futuristic roadmap and advise the Prime Minister accordingly.
• The Office of PSA supported by the project management team at Invest India, is facilitating the delivery and progress of all Nine national missions under PM-STIAC.

1. Natural Language Translation
2. Quantum Frontier
3. Artificial Intelligence
4. National Biodiversity Mission
5. National Biodiversity Electric Vehicles
6. Bio Science for human health
7. Waste to wealth mission
8. Deep ocean exploration
9. Angi

Natural Language Translation

• The ‘Natural Language Translation' mission of the PM-STIAC aims to make opportunities and progress in science and technology accessible to all in their mother tongue and remove the barrier that a requirement of a high-level of proficiency in English poses.
• Using a combination of machine and human translation, the mission will eventually enable access to teaching and researching material bilingually - in English and one's native Indian language.

Personalities in NEWS
PM pays homage to the Puli Thevar on his birth anniversary

What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister, has paid tributes to brave Puli Thevar on his birth anniversary.

• Puli Thevar was an 18th century Tamil warrior who fought against the British.
• Puli Thevar was a Tamil Palaiyakkarar who ruled Nerkattumseval, situated in the Sankarankoil taluk, Tenkasi, formerly Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu.
• He is notable fighting against East India Company at 1759 - 1761 in India.
• Ondiveeran and Venni Kaladi were the generals of Thevar's army, to fight against the East India company.
• He is known for the Polygars revolt against the British.
• He maintained a good relationship with the Kingdom of Travancore but later the allegiance was broken by one Yusuf Khan.

Factoids
PM greets everyone on Nuakhai

What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister has greeted the nation on the auspicious occasion of Nuakhai.
• Nuakhai or Navakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh in India.
• Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season.
• It is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadraba (August-September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Governance
EAC-PM Releases the Competitiveness Roadmap for India@100

What's the NEWS

• The Competitiveness Roadmap for India@100 was released by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)
• The roadmap, is a part of the India Competitiveness Initiative
• The roadmap is a collaborative endeavour between the EAC-PM and The Institute for Competitiveness
• The Competitiveness roadmap for India@100 is based on the Competitiveness framework developed

• The India@100 roadmap guides the way for India to become a high-income country by 2047 through sector-specific and region-specific policies based on the ‘4 S' principles.
• The ‘4 S' guiding principles redefine our approach to attaining prosperity by stressing the need for prosperity growth to be matched by social progress, to be shared across all regions within India, to be environmentally sustainable, and to be solid in the face of external shocks.
• The Competitiveness Roadmap for India@100 provides the basis for a renewed approach to India's growth and development strategy.

Know! about Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PMEAC)

• It is a non-constitutional, non-permanent and independent body constituted to give economic advice to the Government of India, specifically the Prime Minister.
• The council serves to highlight key economic issues facing the country to the government of India from a neutral viewpoint.
• It advises the Prime Minister on economic issues like inflation, microfinance, and industrial output.