Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 16 July 2021

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 16 July 2021

::NATIONAL::

Launched Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application developed by Ministry of Defense in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur

This is the first AI based system developed to improve grievance redressal in the Government. The AI tool developed as part of the initiative has capability to understand the content of the complaint based on the contents therein. As a result, it can identify repeat complaints or spam automatically.
Easy user-friendly search enables user to formulate his own queries/categories depending on management requirements and seek performance results based on the query. Given that lakhs of complaints are received on CPGRAMS portal of DARPG, this application will have great use in understanding the nature of complaints, geographies from where they emanate and policy changes which can be introduced to create systemic improvements to address these grievances.
ShriRajnath Singh lauded Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) for playing an important role in the reform of the Public Grievances Redressal System, saying that resolving the grievances of people is a great service in itself. He added that the active involvement of reputed institutions like IIT Kanpur will further bolster the system and resolve the grievances of people in a transparent and effective manner.
A tripartite MoU for the project was signed among Department of Defence, MoD, DARPG and IIT, Kanpur on August 04, 2020.
The release of this application marks the introduction of AI-based innovations into governance and administration. This project is first of its kind initiative of the Government for using AI, data science and Machine Learning techniques in grievance redressal. The success of this project in MoD will pave the way for extension of this application across other Ministries.
The MoD and IIT, Kanpur intend to drive their collaboration forward in the coming years, seeking to better leverage the use of AI for the disposal of citizens' complaints. The web-based application has been jointly developed by Department of Defence, MoD; DARPG and a team of IIT Kanpur comprising of Professors Shalabh, NisheethSrivastava and PiyushRai.

::INTERNATIONAL::

US Senate passes law to ban imports of products from China's Xinjiang region

The U.S. Senate passed legislation that would ban products imported from China’s Xinjiang region, the latest move to pressure Beijing over what Washington says are major human rights abuses against the Muslim Uyghur community.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which cleared the Upper chamber by unanimous consent on Wednesday, is intended to bar the import of products made through forced labor, which is allegedly being used in the northwestern Chinese region.
“The message to Beijing and any international company that profits from forced labor in Xinjiang is clear: no more,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement. “We will not turn a blind eye to the CCP’s [Chinese Communist Party’s] ongoing crimes against humanity, and we will not allow corporations a free pass to profit from those horrific abuses.” The measure now heads to the House of Representatives, which must pass it if it is to reach President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

::ECONOMY::

Union minister Puri ‎calls Saudi Arabia to convey concerns over high oil prices

A day after he spoke to his UAE counterpart, Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri ‎spoke to Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia. He had on Saturday spoken to his Qatari counterpart.
Continuing his oil diplomacy, Petroleum minister ‎Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday called OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia to convey India's concerns about high oil prices which have pushed fuel rates to record high.
A day after he spoke to his UAE counterpart, Puri ‎spoke to Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia. He had on Saturday spoken to his Qatari counterpart.
"Saudi Arabia is a central player in international energy market," he tweeted. "I conveyed my desire to work with His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz to bring greater predictability and calm in the global oil markets, and also to see hydrocarbons become more affordable."
As fuel prices climbed to a record high, Puri has started dialling oil-producing nations to impress upon them for a need to make prices affordable for consumers.
Puri, who last week called Energy Minister of Qatar, on Wednesdaydialled his counterpart in the UAE, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber.

:: SCIENCE AND TECH::

The number of forms to be filled for seeking authorization to operate drones will be reduced from 25 to six

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued draft rules to ensure ease of using drones in India on the basis of "trust, self-certification and non-intrusive monitoring", an official statement said today.
The number of forms to be filled to operate drones in the country have been reduced to six in draft Drone Rules, 2021' in comparison to 25 forms mentioned in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021, it said.
The Unmanned Aircraft System Rules, 2021 came into force on March 12 this year. The Drone Rules, 2021, once notified, will supersede the UAS Rules, 2021.
The fee, in the draft rules, has been reduced to nominal levels and de-linked from the size of the drone, the statement said.
The draft rules have also abolished the requirement of various approvals, including certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing drones, operator permit, authorisation of R&D organisation and student remote pilot licence, it said.
No flight permission will be required up to 400 feet in green zones and up to 200 feet in the area between 8 and 12 km from the airport perimeter, the draft rules stated.

::SPORTS::

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Thomas Bach warns athletes against 'political demonstrations' on podiums

The IOC this month relaxed its Rule 50, which had previously forbidden athletes from any protests but now allows them to make gestures on the field, provided they do so without disruption and with respect for fellow competitors.
Athletes should not make "political demonstrations" or express their private views on the medal podium at the Tokyo Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.
While athlete protests at the Olympics are rare, at the 1968 Mexico City Games, Black U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos were expelled after they bowed their heads and raised black-gloved fists on the podium to protest racial inequality.