City Innovation Exchange
- City Innovation Exchange (CiX) platform was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- CiX, through an ‘open innovation’ process, engages with innovators to design-test-deliver on solutions to pressing urban challenges.
- Designed on philosophy of ‘everyone is an innovator’, it brings together Citizen Organisations-Academia-Businesses-Government to co-create for the future of Urban India in a transparent and sustainable manner.
- CiX platform will ease the discovery, design & validation of solutions through a user centric process that will reduce barriers for innovators and cities to discover fitting solutions.
- It will help in the flow of ideas ‘outside in and inside out’, enhancing the skills and capacity required to deliver smart urban governance.
- Smart Cities Mission will partner with Startup India, Atal Innovation Mission, AGNIi and other initiatives in the Indian Innovation ecosystem.
Information Technology Rules 2021
- Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 has been framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and it supersedes the IT Rules, 2011.
- It will ensure a harmonious, soft-touch oversight mechanism in relation to social media platform, digital media and OTT platforms etc.
- Part- II of these Rules to Social Media shall be administered by Ministry of Electronics and IT.
- These Rules empower the users of digital platforms to seek redressal for their grievances on infringement of their rights.
- If due diligence is not followed by the intermediaries, including social media, safe harbour provisions will not apply to them.
- Grievance Officer, appointed by intermediaries, shall acknowledge the complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within 15 days.
- Ensures online safety and dignity of users, especially women, by removing or disabling the contents within 24 hours of receipt of complaints of contents.
- A distinction between social media intermediaries and significant social media intermediaries is made, based on the number of users.
- Chief Compliance Officer shall be appointed for ensuring compliance with the Act and Rules.
- Nodal Contact Person shall be appointed for 24x7 coordination with law enforcement agencies.
- Part-III on Ethics Code in relation to digital media shall be administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- This Code of Ethics prescribes the guidelines to be followed by OTT platforms and online news and digital media entities.
- OTT platforms would self-classify the content into 5 age based categories - U (Universal), U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+, A (Adult).
- Publishers of digital news would observe Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India and the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act.
- A three-level grievance redressal mechanism has been established under the rules with 3 levels of self-regulation.
BRICS India 2021
- India hosts BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting, which is the first meeting on the BRICS under India Chairship in 2021.
- [BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa]
- Under the theme “BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation”, India’s approach is focused on strengthening collaboration through Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus. To know more about BRICS, click here.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme
- The Union Cabinet approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for the pharmaceuticals and IT hardware sectors.
- PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals will be for 9 years (2020-21 to 2028-29)
- PLI scheme for IT hardware such as laptops, tablets, all-in-one PCs and servers will be for 4 years.
- To know more about Production Linked Incentive Scheme, click here.
Swachh Iconic Places
- Ministry of Jal Shakti has selected 12 iconic sites to be transformed into ‘Swachh Tourist Destinations’ under Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G).
- Sites - Ajanta Caves, Sanchi Stupa, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Sun Temple, Ramdevra, Golconda Fort, Chandigarh Rock Garden, Dal Lake, Mathura Banke Bihari Temple, Agra Fort, Bengal Kalighat Temple.
- SIP initiative aims at enhancing the experience of visitors by improving the sanitation and cleanliness standards at and around the sites.
- It is coordinated by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Tourism Ministry, Ministry of Culture and the concerned State/UT governments.
Cadmium doped Silver Antimony Telluride
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has found a new material called Cadmium doped Silver Antimony Telluride (AgSbTe2), which is lead-free.
- [Bengaluru-based JNCASR is an autonomous institution of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India]
- This new material can efficiently convert waste heat to electricity to power our small home equipment and automobile.
- This single material has three seemingly different properties - high electrical conductivity of metals, high thermoelectric sensitivity of semiconductors, and low thermal conductivity of glasses.
- [Thermoelectric energy conversion allows generation of electrical voltage when one end of a material is heated while keeping the other side cold.]
- As there is no lead in this new material, it can be used for mass-market applications.
Source: PIB, The Hindu
