Daily Current Capsules

25th September 2020

Science and Technology

RAISE 2020

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about RAISE 2020 ) + Mains ( GS III Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology)
What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and NITI Aayog will organize a Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020,' from October 5-9, 2020.

Know! all about RAISE

• RAISE 2020 will be a global meeting of minds to exchange ideas and chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility, among other sectors.
• Delegates and experts in research, policy and innovation on Artificial Intelligence will join from across the globe.
• The RAISE 2020 Summit will feature some of the most exciting startups working in Artificial Intelligence-related fields.
• Startups chosen through the AI Solution Challenge will showcase their solutions in the AI Startup Pitch fest
• This is part of Government of India's continuing support to tech entrepreneurs and startups by providing exposure, recognition and guidance.

Know! the role of AI

• AI has emerged as a catalyst across industries and can play a transformative role in accelerating development.
• The Summit will explore in-depth, the role of AI in accelerating social empowerment.
• RAISE 2020 has tracks like AI for Health, Agriculture, Education, Skilling, Mobility, Fintech, Research, Inclusive AI, Future of Work, and Responsible AI
• The Summit will serve as a platform for the meeting of some of the best minds in the world on AI.
• RAISE 2020 will facilitate an exchange of ideas to create mass awareness about the need to ethically develop and practice AI.

Know! more about RAISE 2020:

• RAISE 2020 is a first of its kind, global meeting of minds on Artificial Intelligence to drive India's vision and roadmap for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment through responsible AI.
• Organized by Government of India along with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the event will witness robust participation from global industry leaders, key opinion makers, Government representatives and academia.

Government Schemes
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) + Mains ( GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)
What's the NEWS

• 25th September, 2014 was declared the ‘Antyodaya Diwas' in honour of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya's 98th Birth Anniversary.
• It was the same day when the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) revamped it's existing skill development program called Aajeevika Skills as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

• To commemorate Antyodaya Diwas 2020, MoRD is celebrating this day for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)
• DDU-GKY is now a demand driven placement-linked skilling initiative which seeks to enable rural poor youth to benefit from national and international employment opportunities.
• The spirit of Antyodaya Mission lies in ‘reaching out to the last person'. Ministry of Rural Development is also working towards this motto through reaching to all eligible rural youths of India.
• Over the period of time, DDU GKY has proven to be an effective rural development initiative for rural youths by providing both market linked skilling and sustainable wage employment opportunities.

• The Ministry of Rural Development implements DDU-GKY to drive national agenda for inclusive growth, by developing skills and productive capacity of the rural youth from poor families.
• There are several challenges preventing India's rural poor from competing in the modern market, such as the lack of formal education and marketable skills.
• DDU-GKY bridges this gap by funding training projects benchmarked to global standards, with an emphasis on placement, retention, career progression and foreign placement.

• Enable Poor and Marginalized to Access Benefits
• Demand led skill training at no cost to the rural poor
• Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women 33%)
• Shifting Emphasis from Training to Career Progression
• Pioneers in providing incentives for job retention, career progression and foreign placements
• Post-placement support, migration support and alumni network
• Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates
• Nurturing new training service providers and developing their skills
• Greater emphasis on projects for poor rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir (HIMAYAT),
• The North-East region and 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts (ROSHINI)
• All program activities are subject to Standard Operating Procedures that are not open to interpretation by local inspectors.
• All inspections are supported by geo-tagged, time stamped videos/photographs.

• Rural Youth:15 - 35 Yrs
• SC/ST/Women/PVTG/PWD: upto 45 Yrs

Implementation Model

• DDU-GKY follows a 3-tier implementation model.
• The DDU-GKY National Unit at MoRD functions as the policy-making, technical support and facilitation agency.
• The DDU-GKY State Missions provide implementation support; and
• The Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) implement the programme through skilling and placement projects.
• DDU-GKY is applicable to the entire country.
• The scheme is being implemented currently in 13 States/UTs across 460 districts partnering currently with 82 PIAs covering 18 sectors.

Agriculture
Centralized Farm Machinery Performance Testing Portal

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Centralized Farm Machinery Performance Testing Portal) + Mains ( GS III transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched in the public domain, the "Centralized Farm Machinery Performance Testing Portal"

Centralized Farm Machinery Performance Testing Portal

• It has been developed by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare as a further step to improve services of farm machinery testing institutions and bringing out transparency in the entire process of testing and evaluation of machines.
• This portal will facilitate manufacturers in applying, communicating and monitoring the progress of testing of their machines in a seamless manner as it is easily accessible from any location and from any device connected to the Internet.
• It offers the possibility of integrated management in a unified manner within the organization and thus will help in improving the efficiency of the testing institutes thereby reducing testing time for various agricultural machines and equipments.

• Agricultural mechanization is a central indispensable support to make farm operations efficient and productive.
• It contributes in increasing the efficiency and productivity of all direct as well as indirect inputs used in the crop production system besides, reduction in drudgery associated with various farm operations.
• The programs and schemes of the Government of India on farm mechanization have resulted in progressive increase in the availability of farm power per unit area for performing various agricultural operations.
• The shift has also helped in diversification of agriculture from conventional crops to commercial crops.

• Testing of farm machines is important aspect of agricultural mechanization which benefits both buyers i.e. farmers as well as to the manufacturers of agricultural machinery.
• Testing and evaluation of agricultural machinery encourages improvement in quality and functional suitability.
• Comparable data for similar machines is available to manufacturers, which help them in improving the design of their product and open up avenues in commercialization of agricultural machinery not only on national level but also Globally.

Miscellaneous
International Convention of Road Traffic
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Geneva Convention on Road Traffic)
What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has advised the States and Union Territory administrations to stamp International Convention of Road Traffic of 19th September 1949 on the first page of International Driving Permit, IDP issued by them.

Why this advisory?

• Many countries are not accepting the International Driving Permit issued to Indian citizens and that officials there ask for the validation of IDP in accordance with International Convention of Road Traffic of 19th September 1949.

The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (signed and ratified by India)

• The Convention on Road Traffic, commonly known as the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, is an international treaty promoting the development and safety of international road traffic by establishing certain uniform rules among the contracting parties.
• The convention addresses minimum mechanical and safety equipment needed to be on board and defines an identification mark to identify the origin of the vehicle.
• The Convention was prepared and opened for signature by the United Nations Conference on Road and Motor Transport held at Geneva from 23 August to 19 September 1949.
• It came into force on 26 March 1952.
• The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic was concluded in Geneva on 19 September 1949.
• The convention has been ratified by 101 countries. Since its entry into force on 26 March 1952, in signatory countries ("Contracting Parties") it replaces previous road traffic conventions

Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968. (neither signed nor ratified by India)

• Many of the contracting parties have also ratified the newer convention the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968.
• In signatory countries of the 1968 Vienna Convention, this replaces previous road traffic conventions including the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, in accordance with Article 48 of the Vienna Convention.

International Driving Permit

• One of the main benefits of the convention for motorists is the obligation on signatory countries to recognize the legality of vehicles from other signatory countries.
• The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic is one of three conventions that governs International Driving Permits.
• The other two are the 1926 Paris International Convention relative to Motor Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
• The 1949 Geneva Convention states that an IDP remains valid for one year from the date of issue.

Miscellaneous
Ayush for Immunity Campaign
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Ayush for Immunity and e-marathon )
What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of AYUSH has joined hands with Rajagiri College of Social Sciences and Rajagiri Business School, Kochi to organise a novel e-marathon, as a part of the Ministry's three-month campaign called "Ayush for Immunity", focussing on desirable health-promotive and disease preventive steps.

Know! all about the e-marathon

• The theme of the e-marathon is "Recharge Mental Health: During and beyond the Covid-19 Pandemic".
• The Rajagiri e-marathon is designed to promote physical and mental well-being of the people of all age-groups, across geographies.
• The participants of e-marathon can take part in the event in timings of their choice and at safer places.
• They also have a long duration of 10 days at their disposal to complete the running challenges.
• A wellness app will integrate the individual running reading of the participants to a central server (computer) so that all participants will be connected via the centralised software application.

• The conclusion of the event will coincide with the "Vihara" focus of the "Ayush for Immunity" campaign, which will be spread over the month of October, 2020.
• This event aims to enhance the social nearness of people while observing physical distance.
• The event incorporates an entire wellness campaign with yoga, meditation, webinars and entertainment.

Prelims Factoids
Indian Navy, Royal Australian Navy Passage Exercise (PASSEX)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about PASSEX Exercise)
What's the NEWS

• PASSEX underway between Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy in Eastern Indian Ocean Region.
• The exercise involves participation of HMAS Hobart from the Australian side and Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Karmuk.

Know! more about PASSEX

• The exercise, aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other, would involve advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firings, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and Cross Deck Flying Operations.
• PASSEXs are regularly conducted by Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other's ports or during a rendezvous at sea.
• This exercise being conducted in the East Indian Ocean Region, reflects the growing strength of Indo-Australian bilateral relations as comprehensive strategic partners, particularly in defence cooperation in the maritime domain.
• The two navies have built a robust relationship through regular exercises such as AUSINDEX conducted biennially.