• Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center, New Delhi (RGCI) have installed the first-ever Made-in-India Surgical Robotic System, “SSI-Mantra”, devised by the new-age Indian med-tech start-up SS Innovations.
• The ingenious SSI Mantra, “a brainchild of robotic cardiac surgeon Dr Sudhir P Srivastava, will be signifying the beginning of a new era of surgical procedures in India, making robotic surgery accessible and affordable for the people.
• After two pilot projects where Dr Sudhir Rawal and his team from RGCI successfully performed a total of 26 surgeries with SSI Mantra, thereby validating safety, feasibility and effectiveness, the robot is now ready to provide an advanced method of surgery, which will be accessible to the general public at a much lower cost.

• Kerala is now the first and only state in the country to have its own internet service, according to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who made the announcement. The announcement followed the Department of Telecommunications’ granting of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence to the IT infrastructure project of the Kerala Fiber Optic Network Ltd (K-Fon), which aims to provide everyone in the state access to the internet.
• The principle behind the establishment of K-Fon is “non -discriminatory” treatment, which means that no service provider or business segment receives preferential treatment, as recommended by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
• K-Fon or Kerala Fiber Optic Network Ltd is a state government initiative that aims to eliminate the digital gap. As per the government, the infrastructure created by this project is expected to complement the state’s current telecom ecosystem.

Objectives of K-Fon

• Create a core network infrastructure (information highway) with non-discriminatory access to all service providers so that they can augment their connectivity gap.
• Provide a reliable, secure and scalable intranet connecting all government offices, educational institutions, hospitals, etc.
• Partner with Multiple System Operators, Telecommunication Service Providers, and Internet Service Providers for providing free internet to economically backward households.

Biodiversity Sensor Project

• A unique biodiversity sensor project is launched by Syngenta, a global agri-business major. It claimed to be the first such project in India. Syngenta has launched this project in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, Punjab (IIT-R). This project will help in studying the behaviour of insects around farms, particularly bees and butterflies.
• Along with this, the firm flagged off the Drone Yatra which will cover 10,000 Km across the country. This project will monitor to identify and quantify insect life around farms to get real-time data on biodiversity through a sensor.

KEY POINTS

• This project includes a centralized biodiversity data repository that can be shared and tracked.
• The biodiversity monitoring will be done by a modem-like sensor that has cameras to capture real-time images of the bees and butterflies.
• The species will be identified through an artificial intelligence-based algorithm.
• It will help the researchers to identify the types of insects and record the data.
• The data will be open source and free for anyone to access across the world.
• The blueprint of the project will also be made accessible for everyone to share ideas for development.
• The sensor will run on solar power and machine learning will also be used in capturing data.
• The drone yatra will cover 13 states and spread awareness about drone spraying.

• The Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Civil Aviation recently met in New Delhi. The subject of conversation was “DIGI YATRA”. Members of the committee who are also members of parliament (MPs) attended the meeting and offered some insightful ideas regarding the project.

What is ‘DIGI YATRA’?

• ‘DIGI YATRA’ is an initiative designed to ensure contactless, seamless processing of passengers at airports and is based on facial recognition technology (FRT).
• In essence, the idea envisions any traveller being able to pass through numerous checkpoints at the airport utilising a paperless and contactless procedure, establishing their identification through facial recognition and linking it to their boarding card.
• Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, claims that the system has addressed privacy issues.

How is ‘DIGI YATRA’ beneficial?

• It offers a decentralised, cost-effective, mobile wallet-based identity management technology that addresses privacy and data protection concerns while implementing Digi Yatra. After the amended Digi Yatra rules were approved, the DGCA published an AIC (Aeronautical Information Circular) on April 18, 2022.

How did the “DIGI YATRA” come into being?

• Under Section 8 of the Companies Act of 2013, the Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF) was established as a joint venture (JV) firm in 2019. AAI (26 percent of the shares) and BIAL, DIAL, GHIAL, MIAL, and CIAL are its shareholders. The remaining 74 percent of the shares are held equally by these 5 shareholders.
• To create the Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem, the Foundation was established (DYCE). The curator of the Passenger ID validation procedure would be the pan-Indian Digi Yatra Foundation. Additionally, it will foster agreement among Indian aviation stakeholders. Additionally, it would outline the local airport systems’ policies and requirements for compliance.
• The JV will regularly audit the different compliances and guidelines for the regional airport biometric boarding systems, including those related to security, picture quality, and data privacy (BBS).
• In first phase, Digi Yatra is proposed to be rolled out at two Airports namely Varanasi and Bengaluru in August 2022 and at five Airports namely Pune, Vijayawada, Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad by March next year. AAI will identify their airports where Digi Yatra would be implemented in phased manner.

• The district administration has launched a campaign to check the use of tobacco products in public places.
• The administration aims to make the district tobacco-free by 2025.
• The campaign was launched by the district Deputy Commissioner, DC Rana, while chairing a meeting of various experts of Himachal Pradesh Tobacco Control Progressive Centre and officers of various stakeholder departments.
• The meeting was organised under the aegis of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda.
• According to the DC, Emphasizing the need to ensure effective system for tobacco control at the panchayat-level, tobacco-free panchayat would be given a cash award of Rs five lakh. He directed the Rural Development Department and the Health Department to jointly take necessary steps at the panchayat-level. District-level Tobacco Control Coordination Committee, block-level flying squads have also been constituted.
• The DC directed to develop a mobile app for the monthly activities to ensure effective implementation of the coordination committee and flying squads.

• The State Government has awarded the silver medal to Mandi district in the tuberculosis (TB) eradication programme.
• According to the district Chief Medical Officer, the award was given after a survey was conducted in every district of the state in February and March.
• For TB detection, seven state-of-the-art machines are available in the district. The CM’s office has congratulated the district health department for their efforts.
• District Tuberculosis Officer urged the general public, including representatives of urban bodies and Panchayati raj institutions of the district to ensure their active participation in the programme.

• Praggnanandhaa, won the the Open A section of the 15th International Chess Open Paracin in the Serbian town of Paracin.
• The 16-year-old Praggnanandhaa beats Alexandr Predke, a Russian player competing under the flag of FIDE, the sport’s world governing body, in the Open A section of the event.
• Praggnanandhaa, who recently defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen in the Meltwater Champions Tour rapid chess tournament, remained unbeaten in the nine-round Swiss League tournament, winning seven games and drawing two.
• Praggnanandhaa, is from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization:

• It was founded in 1945 and its Headquarters are in Paris, France.
• A World Heritage Site is a place on earth having a special cultural or physical significance and outstanding universal value to humanity.
• It may be a building, a city, a complex, a desert, a forest, an island, a lake, a monument, or a mountain.

KEY POINTS:

• The Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh and the National Monuments Authority (NMA) has initiated steps to seek a declaration of the “Indus River” as an UNESCO World Heritage.
• Lieutenant Governor, Radha Krishna Mathur termed “Indus River” as the “Lifeline of Ladakh”.
• The Culture Department, Ladakh also plans to publish a Coffee Table Book on the river Indus so as to bring to light history and to generate awareness about the mighty “Indus”.
• According to MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, highlighted the need to consider the usage of water and developmental activities along and around the river in case the river Indus is declared as UNESCO World heritage.

• The Navy’s Kilo class submarine INS Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned from service at Visakhapatnam after 35 years in service.
• With this, the Navy now has 15 conventional submarines in service.
• She had many a firsts to her credit, including operationalisation of the indigenised sonar USHUS, indigenised satellite communication system Rukmani and MSS, inertial navigation system and indigenised torpedo fire control system.
• She also successfully undertook mating and personnel transfer with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel and was the only submarine to be awarded Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) rolling trophy for Innovation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Commissioned into the Navy in June 1987, Sindhudhvaj, was one of the 10 Kilo class submarines India acquired from Russia between 1986 and 2000.

• Bonalu is a popular festival celebrated in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. This festivity is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali.
• Bonalu is celebrated in the month of Ashada, which falls in July-August. On the first day, which was July 3, this year, special puja and ceremonies are held to worship Yellamma, an avatar of Mahakali.
• Apart from Yellamma, during the Bonalu festival, the different forms of Mahakali are worshipped, including Mysamma, Dokkalamma, Pedamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Poleramma and Ankalamma.

History and Significance

• The festival is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali. Basically, it’s all about thanking her for fulfilling the wishes of her devotees.
• The word “Bonam” signifies a meal or a feast in Telugu. During this, the devotees offer rice cooked with milk and jaggery in an earthen or brass pot, which is decorated with neem leaves, turmeric and vermilion.
• Women carry these pots on their heads to temples. The festival is celebrated with much excitement and religious fervour in the state.
• The festivity traces back to the 19th century. Reportedly, the twin cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad experienced an outbreak of deadly plague that claimed many lives. During that time, a military battalion from the state, which was deployed in Ujjain, prayed to Goddess Mahakali to help the people get rid of the plague. They also promised Mahakali that a temple will be constructed once the plague comes to an end.
• The devotees, as promised, built a temple for Goddess Mahakali.