UPSC Prelims Bits: October 19, 2022

Table of Contents

India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD)

The India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) was held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on October 18, 2022.

Gandhinagar Declaration: Outcome of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) 2022 was the Gandhinagar Declaration which charted out new areas for enhancing the India-Africa defence and security partnership.
India-Africa Security Fellowship Programme: it was launched by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh in keeping with the new proposals of the Gandhinagar Declaration.
- He released its brochure by handing it over to Director General, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA).

India-Africa Security Fellowship Programme will be hosted by MP-IDSA, the knowledge partner for the IADD.
The fellowship will give an opportunity to African scholars to pursue research on defence and security issues in India.
The fellows would be attached with the MP-IDSA for a period of 1-3 months. A stipend would also be provided to the scholar.

UIDAI has once again topped amongst all Group A Ministries, Departments and Autonomous Bodies for resolving public grievances in the rankings report published by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) for the month of September 2022.
- This is the second consecutive month The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has topped the said rankings.

UIDAI has been a top performer in resolution of Public Grievances received through CPGRAMS, and making continuous efforts to make Aadhaar holders experience better.
UIDAI has a strong grievance redressal ecosystem in place comprising of UIDAI HQ, its Regional Offices, Technology Centre, and engaged contact centre partners.
- A coherent system is enabling UIDAI to resolve around 92% of CRM Grievances within a week.
UIDAI is gradually rolling out state-of-the-art Open-Source CRM solution. The new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution has been designed with advanced features to enhance UIDAI service delivery to residents.
- The new CRM Solution has the capability to support multi-channels like phone call, email, Chatbot, web portal, social media, letter, and walk-in through which the grievances can be lodged, tracked and resolved effectively.
Pan-India rollout of phone and IVRS services in 12 languages has been completed.
- This gives residents a completely new user experience with unique features on IVRS like check Aadhaar enrollment/update status, tracking of Aadhaar PVC card status, information on enrolment centre location etc.

Recently, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Indian Urban Housing Conclave-2022’ (IUHC2022) at Rajkot, Gujarat.

About: ‘Indian Urban Housing Conclave’ will provide a platform to all stakeholders to demonstrate their technologies as well as deliberate upon various options of technologies, materials and processes for large scale adoption and mainstreaming in different type of housing construction suitable for different Geo-climatic regions of the country.
Associated ministry : India Urban Housing Conclave 2022 is a three-day event being organised by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India from 19-21 October 2022.
Significance: It will create enabling eco-system for further adoption by Public/Private Agencies, R&D and Technical Institutions, Construction Agencies, Developers, Contractors, Start-ups and other stakeholders.
- Further, beneficiaries (house owners) will have access to innovative, rapid and cost-effective construction technologies and materials for use.
- It will also help devising strategies, action plan and roadmap for achieving the vision of “Future Ready Urban India” focussed on urban housing during the ‘Amrit Kaal’.

The Ministry of Steel has extended the last date of receiving applications under National Metallurgist Award – 2022 to 31^stOctober 2022.
- Earlier the last date for receiving the application was fixed to 11^thOctober 2022.
Application under the Award Scheme will be received via online only through the NMA portal.

Background: National Metallurgists Day Awards, was instituted in 1962 by the then Ministry of Steel & Mines.
About: National Metallurgist Award is given to recognize and honor outstanding contributions of Metallurgists in the metallurgical field covering operation, research, design, education, waste management and energy conservation.
- The awards are given on an annual basis, only to Indian nationals.
Objective:To recognize outstanding contribution of metallurgists working in Iron & Steel sector covering the fields of manufacturing, research, design, education, waste-management, energy conservation and their specific contribution to achieve objectives of ATMA NIRBHAR BHARAT.
Mode of Nominations:Nominations for the award shall be invited online on the Ministry of Steel’s Portal or the centralized portal being developed by MHA.
- Nominations will be through companies/ organizations or from the public through self-nomination.
Date of National Metallurgist Award: It is given on 3rd February every year.
- It was on 3rd Feb 1959 when the then President Dr Rajendra Parasad commissioned the first Blast Furnace of the country after independence, at Rourkela.