Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 27 July 2024 | Download PDF

• AI Mission, With fresh budgetary allocation, the IT Ministry looks to procure up to 500 GPUs.

About IndiaAI Mission:

• Initial Steps:
  • Tender to procure 300 to 500 GPUs for private sector AI development.
  • Focus on AI compute, skilling, data sets, and applications.
• Mission Goals:
  • Establish computing capacity of over 10,000 GPUs.
  • Develop foundational AI models with over 100 billion parameters.
  • Models trained on datasets covering major Indian languages for sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and governance.
• Public-Private Partnership Model:
  • 50% viability gap funding for computing infrastructure.
  • Rs 4,564 crore earmarked for building computing infrastructure.
  • Rs 2,000 crore allocated for deeptech startup financing.
• IndiaAI Innovation Research Centre:
  • Develop and deploy large foundational AI models.
  • Focus on indigenous Large Multimodal Models and domain-specific foundational models.
  • Rs 2,000 crore allocated for the research centre.
• Educational Support: Financial support for 4,000 BTech, 400 MTech, and 600 PhD candidates focusing on AI in premier institutions.

• In a significant cultural achievement for India, “Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty” from Assam has been officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

Key points:

• The announcement was made on July 26, 2024, during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi. 
• This marks the 43rd property from India to be included on the list.
• This is the third World Heritage Property from Assam, following Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, both inscribed under the Natural category in 1985.

About Moidams:

• Location: Foothills of the Patkai Ranges in eastern Assam.
• Historical Context:
  • Created by the Tai-Ahom people who arrived in Assam in the 13th century.
  • Charaideo was established as their first city and site of the royal necropolis.
  • Moidams were constructed from the 13th to the 19th century CE.
• Construction:
  • Early mounds were made of wood; later ones built with stone and burnt bricks.
  • Known as “home-for-spirit,” incorporating natural elements like hills, forests, and water.
  • Documented in Changrung Phukan, traditional Tai-Ahom literature.

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that the Government launched the National Program for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), also known as Mission Karmayogi, to recognize and enhance the crucial role of Civil Services in achieving India’s developmental aspirations and national priorities.

About Mission Karmayogi:

• Launch Date: September 2020
• Objective: To enhance the capacity and competency of civil servants to align with India’s developmental aspirations and national priorities.
• Key Components:
  • iGOT Karmayogi: An online learning platform offering courses and training programs.
  • Competency Framework: Focuses on improving domain knowledge, functional skills, and behavioral competencies.
  • Capacity Building Commission: Oversees the implementation and regulates standards.
• Governance:
  • Prime Minister’s Human Resource Council: Provides strategic direction.
  • Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit: Manages the implementation.
• Implementation Approach:
  • Emphasizes continuous learning and development.
  • Involves both on-site and digital learning methods.
  • Encourages a shift from rule-based to role-based human resource management.
  • Target Audience: All civil servants from the central and state governments.
• Innovative Features:
  • Customized learning paths for individual needs.
  • Real-time monitoring and evaluation of progress.
  • Integration of best practices and global learning resources.
  • Mission Karmayogi aims to create a competent civil service that can effectively tackle current and future challenges, driving India’s growth and development.

• Scientists discover ‘dark oxygen’ produced on a deep-ocean floor where the Sun doesn’t shine.

About Dark oxygen:

• Discovery of Dark Oxygen: New evidence suggests oxygen can be produced by electrolysis on the ocean floor, challenging traditional views of the origin of life.
• Photosynthesis vs. Electrolysis:
  • Traditionally, oxygen supporting life is produced by photosynthetic organisms (plants, algae).
  • New discovery shows oxygen can be produced 4,000 meters below the surface through electrolysis.
• Polymetallic Nodules: Electric voltage in seabed mineral masses (polymetallic nodules) can split seawater into oxygen and hydrogen.
• Dark Oxygen:
  • Oxygen produced in the absence of sunlight is termed “dark oxygen”.
  • Previous evidence of bacteria producing oxygen without photosynthesis (e.g., Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera).
• Significance of Discovery:
  • First evidence of oxygen production at the seafloor.
  • Challenges the belief that deep-sea oxygen comes solely from the atmosphere and photosynthesis.
• Implications for Origin of Life:
  • Questions the long-standing understanding of how life began on Earth.
  • Suggests dark oxygen production in the deep sea is more significant than previously thought.

• New data from the NOvA experiment adds to the mystery of neutrino mass.

About NOvA experiment:

• Experiment Purpose: Study of neutrinos, one of nature’s most elusive particles.
• Management: Managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab).
• Location: Fermilab is located outside of Chicago, USA.
• Neutrino Beam: Fermilab sends a beam of neutrinos 500 miles north to Ash River, Minnesota.
• Research Focus: Measuring neutrinos and their antimatter partners, antineutrinos, at both locations.
• Phenomenon Studied: Neutrino oscillation, which is the change in type of neutrinos as they travel.
• Aim: To learn more about the ordering of neutrino masses.

• For the fiscal year 2024-25, the Odisha government has allocated Rs 21,200 crore for public healthcare, representing a 32% increase from the previous year’s budget of Rs 16,048 crore.
• This allocation constitutes approximately 8% of the total state budget.

Key points:

• The previous flagship health assurance scheme, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), has been renamed to Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY).
• The state will also implement the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
• GJAY: Rs 5,450 crore allocated for cashless healthcare services in both government and private facilities.

New Eye Care Scheme:

• Surendra Sai Divya Drushti Yojana: Aimed at providing universal free eye care.
• Includes eye screenings, cataract and glaucoma surgeries, treatment for corneal disorders, and free spectacles distribution.

• Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi clarified that no decision has been taken to change the name of the state’s premier sports awards named after Biju Patnaik.

About:

Original Award: 

• The Biju Patnaik Sports Award, established by the previous Naveen Patnaik government, was named in honor of Biju Patnaik, a former Chief Minister of Odisha and father of Naveen Patnaik.

Details of the Award:

• Inception: The Biju Patnaik Sports Award was first introduced by Naveen Patnaik’s administration.

Categories: Initially, the award was given in five categories:

• Lifetime achievement
• Outstanding performance in sports and games
• Excellence in coaching
• Best contribution to the promotion of sports
• Excellence in sports journalism

Additional Categories: The latest notification includes three new categories:

• Para sports person of the year
• Upcoming athlete of the year (junior category)
• Sports technical officer/support staff
• Prize Money: The prize money across all categories remains largely unchanged.

• The Mohan Majhi government has rebranded several schemes initiated by the previous BJD regime in Odisha.
• Renaming aims to reflect new objectives and focus areas of the current administration.

Renamed Schemes:

• KALIA Scheme: Now called CM-Kisan Yojana.
• Millet Mission: Rebranded as Shree Anna Yojana.
• Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha: Renamed to Viksit Gaon, Viksit Odisha.
• Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana: Changed to Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana.
• Mo School Abhiyaan: Now known as Panchasakha Sikshya Setu Abhiyaan.

Investment Summit:

• Make in Odisha Conclave: Renamed to Utkarsha Utkal.
• Goal: Attract domestic investment of over Rs. 2.5 lakh crore and FDI of over 2 billion USD by 2029.

Budget Allocations:

• CM-Kisan Yojana: Allocated Rs. 1935 crore.
• Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana: Rs. 5450 crore allocation.
• Viksit Gaon, Viksit Odisha: Allocated Rs. 1000 crore.
• Panchasakha Sikshya Setu Abhiyan: Rs. 332 crore allocated.

New Initiatives:

Vikasit Gaon Vikasit Odisha:

• Aim: Provide urban amenities in rural areas.
• Budget: Rs. 1000 crore.

Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana:

• Implementation: In convergence with Ayushman Bharat PM-Jay Yojana.
• Budget: Rs. 500 crore for cashless treatment at private and government hospitals.

Additional Renaming of Schemes:

• Biju Setu Yojana: Now Setu Bandhan Yojana with Rs. 1990 crore allocation.
• LAccMI Scheme: Renamed to Gramanchal Paribahan with Rs. 1085 crore allocation.

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