Prelim Bits 04-07-2023 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

eSARAS

Ministry of Rural development launches eSaras Mobile App to Market products made by women of Self-help Groups.

• It is an initiative of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
• Ministry - Ministry of Rural Development.
• Aim - To collect and organize the authentic handcrafted products from across the country.
• It is an online platform for buying handicrafts and handloom items made by rural women registered with Self Help Groups.
• This online platform showcases the products made by self-managed Self Help Groups (SHGs) and federated institutions.
• The artisans get remunerated fairly with no middlemen to manipulate prices.
• Through this online portal, customers get access to 100% authentic handcrafted products emerging straight from the heart of India.
• eSaras Fulfilment Centre – It will be managed by the Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains (FDRVC).
• FDRVC is a not-for-profit company jointly constituted by the Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trusts.
• Fulfilment centre will be used to process, package and ship products that customers purchase through the eSaras portal and app.
• It will also handle the logistics required to bring an online order to a customer’s doorstep.

Reference

PIB | eSaras launched by ministry of rural development

Colombo Security Conclave

Scientists from Bangladesh, and Mauritius came to participate in a joint ocean expedition which has been held under framework of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC).

• Formation - It was formed in 2011.
• Secretariat – Colombo.
• Aim – To make maritime security, marine pollution response and maritime search & rescue priorities for the region.
• Function - It was formed as a trilateral maritime security grouping between India, Srilanka and Maldives operating in the Indian Ocean region.
• Focus areas – Maritime security, Countering terrorism and Cybersecurity.
• In 2020, Mauritius was added as a member of the grouping, with Bangladesh and the Seychelles as observers.
• Bangladesh and the Seychelles have been invited to join the group and are likely to join as full members.
• The small group provides an opportunity for India to address its own strategic concerns in the Indian Ocean while providing opportunity for the island and littoral nations to address their own challenges.
• In 2022, the group adopted an agenda of 5 pillars
  • Maritime safety and security
  • Countering terrorism and radicalisation
  • Combating trafficking and transnational organised crime
  • Cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure and technology
  • Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

Reference

The Print | Expedition held under the framework of the CSC

Dark Patterns

The government has set up a 17-member task force to prepare guidelines to protect consumers from dark patterns that has been used by e-commerce companies.

• Dark patterns are also known as deceptive patterns.
• It is the term used to describe the ways in which websites or apps make their users do things that the users do not intend to do or would not otherwise do, as well as to discourage user behaviour that is not beneficial for the companies.
• Example - An annoying advertisement with very small cross mark ‘X’ to make it go away.
• The term dark patterns was coined by Harry Brignull in 2010.
• The most common companies who uses dark patterns are Google, Facebook, Amazon and LinkedIn.
• Engaging in deceptive and manipulative conduct by using dark patterns in online interfaces constitutes ‘unfair trade practices’ under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• The Consumer Affairs Ministry has identified 9 types of dark patterns being used by e-commerce companies.

The United States and the United Kingdom have passed legislation to curb dark patterns. California banned dark patterns that made it difficult for consumers to exercise some of the rights that the law provides.

Reference

The Indian Express | Centre issues guidelines not to use dark patterns

Gutti Koya Tribes

Gutti Koya tribes erect Stone memorials in memory of community servants.

• History - They are an Adivasi tribe of Chhattisgarh, some of whom fled to Andhra Pradesh during the conflict between Chhattisgarh government-sponsored Salwa Judum and Naxalites.

Salwa Judum was a militia that was mobilised and deployed as part of counterinsurgency operations in Chhattisgarh, aimed at countering Naxalite activities in the region.

• Agriculture - They practiced ‘podu’ or shifting cultivation, and then shifted to paddy and cash crops from dryland agriculture.
• Scheduled Tribes Status - The Guttikoyas held ST status in Chattisgarh but they were not granted ST status in their migrated states such as Telangana.
• Cremation - It is the tribespeople’s custom to place a stone in memory of a deceased dignitary of the settlement to express their gratitude for their services.
• They bury the bodies of only 3 persons in the village—Vejji (physician), poojari (priest) and the community head.
• The Gutti Koya tribe appoints only men to these positions.
• They earn a living through animal husbandry and minor forest produce.

Reference

The Hindu | Red Corridor along A.P.-Chhattisgarh border

Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA)

Department of Telecommunications Launches Bharat 6G Alliance aimed at launching the next-generation technology in India.

• It is a collaborative platform consisting of public and private companies, academia, research institutions, and Standards development organizations.
• Objective - To understand the business and societal needs of 6G beyond technology requirements, foster consensus on these needs, and promote high-impact open research and development (R&D) initiatives.
• Its one of the main objectives is to deploy 6G technologies to act as a powerful force multiplier for India by 2030.
• Ministry - Ministry of Communications.
• It accelerates an active contribution to international standardization organizations such as 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• It seeks to position India at the forefront of 6G innovation and atleast 10% of the intellectual property rights (IPR) related to 6G technology originate from India.

Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF)

• Launch - The fund was launched by Department of Telecommunications /Universal Service Obligation (USO) in 2022.
• Aim - To bridge the digital divide by developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art technologies to build and develop the telecom ecosystem.
• 5% of annual collections from USOF will be available for TTDF Scheme.

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) aims to provide for quality and affordable mobile and digital services across the rural and remote areas of the country.

• The scheme entails grants to Indian entities to encourage and induct indigenous technologies tailor-made to meet domestic needs.

Reference

PIB | DoT Launches Bharat 6G Alliance