Daily Current Capsules - 19th August 2020

Information Technology
Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge


Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge) + Mains ( GS III indigenization of technology and developing new technology. +Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers)

What's the NEWS

• Union Minister of Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, launched "Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutionsfor #Aatmanirbhar Bharat" to provide further impetus to the strong ecosystem of Start-up, innovation and research in the country.
• IIT Madras and Center for Development of Advance Computing (CDAC) have developed two microprocessors named SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA (64 bit) respectively using Open Source Architecture under the aegis of Microprocessor Development Programme of Ministry of Electronics and IT.

• "Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar Bharat" seeks to invite innovators, startups and students to use these microprocessors to develop various technology products.
• The "Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge" is part of the series of proactive, preemptive and graded measures taken by Ministry of Electronics and IT to spur the technology led innovation ecosystem in the country
• Open to students at all levels and startups, the Challenge demands contestants to not only tinker with these Swadeshi Processor IPs & facilitate them with innovating the frugal solutions for societal needs but also make available the entire home-grown ecosystem around Swadeshi Processors to develop the complex designs for catering to both global and domestic requirements in near future.
• Financial support to the tune of Rs. 4.30 Crore at various stages of the Challenge for developing the hardware prototype and incubating a start-up is being offered.
• The Challenge spread over 10 months, kick-starts with registration process at https://innovate.mygov.in on 18th August 2020 and culminates in June 2021

• A MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Delhi Police for extending the Ayurveda Preventive and Promotive health services in the residential colonies of Delhi Police.
• These services are to be provided through a mobile unit named ‘Dhanwantari Rath' and Police Wellness Centres and are to be catered by AIIA, supported by Ministry of AYUSH.

• AYURAKSHA a joint venture of AIIA, an autonomous Institute under Ministry of AYUSH and Delhi Police aims for maintaining the health of frontline COVID warriors like Delhi police personal through Ayurveda immunity boosting measures.
• In continuation of the project, Ayurveda Preventive and Promotive health care are now planned to be extended to the families of Delhi Police personnel.
• Dhanwantari Rath and Police wellness centres would be outreach OPD services of AIIA and aimed to benefit the Families of Delhi Police through Ayurveda Preventive health care services.
• Dhanwantari Rath - Mobile unit of Ayurveda health care services would consist a team of Doctors who would be visiting Delhi Police colonies regularly.

• The Union Home Ministry has approved the renaming of Manduadih railway station in Uttar Pradesh as 'Banaras'

• The Uttar Pradesh government had sent a request for renaming the railway station in Varanasi district.
• A 'no objection certificate' has been issued for changing the name of the Manduadih railway station to 'Banaras'
• The home ministry considers proposals for name change according to the existing guidelines in consultations with agencies concerned.
• It gives its approval to any proposal for change of name of any place after taking no-objections from the Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts and Survey of India
• For changing the name of a village or town or a city, an executive order is needed.
• The renaming of a state requires amendment of the Constitution with a simple majority in Parliament

• The Vice-President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu virtually announced Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020.

• This year, a special category for higher educational institutions for women has been introduced to encourage women and bringing gender parity in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship, top place for which was secured by Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women under this category.
• This year, ARIIA announcement included classification of the institutes into two broad categories and six sub categories.
• Among these, IIT Madras bagged the top position under the category of Institutes of National Importance, Central Universities, and Centrally Funded Technical Institutes
• IIT Mumbai and IIT Delhi clinched the second and third place respectively.
• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore stood at the fourth place, while IIT Kharagpur was at fifth in the prestigious Institutes of National Importance and central universities category.
• Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai got the top position under Government and Government Aided Universities
• College of Engineering, Pune under Government and Government Aided Colleges
• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar under Private or Self-Financed Universities and S R Engineering College, Warangal under Private or Self-Financed Colleges were declared on top positions respectively.

• Ministry of Education has taken several policy initiatives and new programs to make Innovation an integral part of Higher Education System in India.
• One such initiative was the establishment of Ministry's Innovation Cell to ensure that various activities and hackathons pertaining to Innovation and entrepreneurship are taken forward at Higher Educational Institute level in a very systematic way.

• Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) is an initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Govt. of India to systematically rank all major higher educational institutions and universities in India on indicators related to "Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development" amongst students and faculties.
• The ranking, which aims to promote innovation among Indian educational institutions, assess colleges and varsities on criteria ranging from support for entrepreneurship development to innovative learning method, intellectual property generation, technology transfer and commercialisation among other aspects.

• Budget, Expenses to Support & Revenue Generated (20 Marks)
• Infrastructures & Facilities to Support Innovations and Start-ups (10 Marks)
• Awareness Activities for Promoting Idea Generation and Innovation (20 Marks)
• Promotion and Supporting Entrepreneurship Development (20 Marks)
• Intellectual Property (IP) Generation, Technology Transfer and Commercialization (14 Marks)
• Innovative Learning Methods & Courses (10 Marks)
• Innovations in Governance of the Institution (6 Marks)