13 Jun 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. AI/ML based UCC - Detect System
2. Launch of ‘Anjadip’ ASW SWC
3. Launch of ‘Sanshodhak’ SVL
4. Animal Derived Class - D Medical Device
5. Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

1. AI/ML based UCC – Detect System

Syllabus – GS3, Communication network challenges.

Prelims – TRAI, AI/ML based UCC – Detect System. 

Context – TRAI has directed all access providers to deploy AI/ML-based UCC-Detect System under TCCCPR, 2018.

Details –

• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed telecom service providers (TSPs) to deploy Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-based systems to detect, identify, and act against the senders of Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) that are not registered in accordance with the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations, 2018.
• Entities that are not registered with the access providers and use 10-digit mobile numbers for sending commercial communications through messages or calls are called Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs).
• UCC is a source of inconvenience to the public and despite various measures taken by the TSPs, UCC from UTMs is still there. At times, UTMs trap the customers into sharing their critical information resulting in financial loss to the customers.
• UTMs are continuously evolving new methods and techniques to send UCC and the current UCC-detect systems deployed by Access Service Providers are not efficient enough to detect such UCC.
• In order to bring uniformity, TRAI has directed all Access Service Providers to deploy AI/ML-based UCC-Detect Systems capable of constantly evolving to deal with new signatures, new patterns and new techniques used by UTMs. Access providers have also been directed to share intelligence with other access providers using the DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) platform.

2. Launch of ‘Anjadip’ ASW SWC

Syllabus – GS3, Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology.

Prelims – Anjadip – ASW SWC

Context – ‘Anjadip’- an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) shallow water craft (SWC) was launched.

Details –

• ‘Anjadip’- the third of the eight ships of ASW SWC built by Kolkata-based GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers) for the Navy was launched at the Larsen and Toubro facility in Kattupalli Port, Tamil Nadu.
• The contract between GRSE and the Ministry of Defence to build eight ships was signed in 2019. As per the contract, four ships are built by GRSE, Kolkata while the remaining four ships have been subcontracted to Larsen and Toubro, Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.
• The vessel was named after the island of Anjadip located off Karwar Port, Karnataka signifying its strategic maritime importance. 
• The ‘Arnala’ class of ships built by GRSE would replace the current ‘Abhay’ class of Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes of the Navy and are designed to undertake submarine operations in coastal waters, low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO), and subsurface surveillance among others.
• The ASW SWC ships will have 80% indigenous content. Each ship measuring 77m will have a displacement of 900 tons with a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1800 NM.

3. Launch of ‘Sanshodhak’ SVL

Syllabus – GS3, Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology.

Prelims – Sanshodhak SVL 

Context – Sanshodhak – a Survey Vessels Large (SVL) ship was launched at Kattupalli, Chennai.

Details –

• ‘Sanshodhak’, the fourth of four ships of the Survey Vessels (Large) Project built by Larsen & Toubro and GRSE was launched at Kattupalli, Chennai. Sanshodhak means ‘Researcher’.
• The first three ships of the project, launched earlier are named Sandhayak, Nirdeshak and Ikshak.
• The contract between MoD and GRSE, Kolkata to build four SVLs was signed in October 2018.
• SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhayak Class survey ships, with new-generation hydrographic equipment to collect oceanographic data.
• SVL ships are 110 m long, and 16m wide with a displacement of 3,400 tons.
• SVL ships have over 80% indigenous content by cost and are in alignment with the government’s vision of ‘Make in India‘ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

4. Animal Derived Class – D Medical Device

Syllabus – GS3, Indigenisation of Technology

Prelims – SCTIMST, Cholederm

Context – Indian Drugs Controller approved the first indigenously developed animal-derived tissue engineering scaffold for healing skin wounds with minimal scarring. 

Details –

• An advanced wound care product developed by the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), named Cholederm, has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) as a Class D medical device.
• Cholederm is a wound healing material derived from the extracellular matrix of decellularised gall bladder of pigs and tissue engineered as membrane forms of scaffold, by the researchers at the Division of Experimental Pathology in the Biomedical Technology wing of SCTIMST.
• Cholederm heals different types of skin wounds including burn and diabetic wounds in rats, rabbits and dogs faster than similar products available in the market with minimum scarring.
• In 2017, SCTIMST transferred the technology to M/s Alicorn Medical Pvt Ltd, a startup biopharmaceutical firm.
• The development of an animal-derived class-D medical device is a milestone achievement for SCTIMST and also for Alicorn Medical.
• The introduction of Cholederm to the Indian market would reduce the treatment cost from 10,000 to 2000 making it affordable for a common man.
• Since the application of the scaffold to treat cardiac injuries was a cumbersome process, the team is now attempting to develop injectable gel formulations of the scaffold.

5. Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI)

Syllabus – GS3, Industries; Mineral Resources.

Prelims – GSITI – Athi Uttam Accreditation.

Context – GSITI gets accredited as “Athi Uttam”.

Details – 

• The Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI), Hyderabad under the Ministry of Mines has been awarded with accreditation by the National Accreditation Board of Education & Training (NABET) in recognition of its services in the field of earth science training.
• An on-site assessment was conducted by the team from CBC (Capacity Building Commission), NABET and QCI (Quality Control of India) and awarded the Certificate of Accreditation with the grading of ‘Athi Uttam’.

About GSITI –

• GSITI was established in 1976, with its headquarters in Hyderabad. It is a national training facility under the Ministry of Mines that provides training and capacity building to multiple stakeholders including Central and State Departments, PSUs like ONGC, OIL, etc, and national academic institutions like IITs, NITs, colleges, etc.
• GSITI has six regional training divisions (RTD) located at Hyderabad, Jaipur, Nagpur, Lucknow, Shillong, and Kolkata.
• GSITI has four Field Training Centres (FTC) at Chitradurga (Karnataka), Raipur (Chattisgarh), Zawar (Rajasthan) and Kuju (Jharkhand).

Read the previous PIB articles here.

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