10 April 2023

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

 1 – TRAI: GS II – Statutory and Non-Statutory Bodies:

Context:

• A Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) consultation paper on the “convergence” of broadcasting and content regulations has drawn criticism from content suppliers, broadcasters, and telecom carriers.

Goals of the TRAI include:

• The mission of TRAI is to create the conditions essential for the growth of the nation’s telecommunications sector.
• Before, the Central Government was in charge of regulating telecom services, including the setting/revising of prices.
• It also aims to foster an atmosphere with open and fair policies that promotes equality of opportunity and fosters healthy competition.
• New Delhi serves as the main office for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

What Constitutes TRAI as a Whole?

• Members: The Chairperson, two full-time members, and two part-time members that make up the TRAI are chosen by the Government of India.
• Terms for Members: The Chairman and the other Members shall hold office for terms of three years each, or until their respective ages of 65, whichever occurs first.
• The power to exercise ultimate control belongs to the chairperson.
• The TRAI meetings are under their control.
• One of the Authority members may be chosen by the Central Government to serve as TRAI’s vice-chairperson.
• The vice-chairperson performs and exercises the chairman’s functions when the chairman is absent.

Removal of Members: The Central Government has the authority to remove any TRAI member if they:

• has been found to be bankrupt.
• convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude.
• due to a physical or mental handicap, no longer able to perform the duties of membership.
• It is not in the public’s interest for them to continue serving in office because they have misused their position.

TRAI’s meetings:

• The meeting’s chairperson may occasionally organise the gathering. The meetings are under their control.
• When the chairman is not present, the vice-chairperson runs the meeting.
• If there is no vice-chairperson, any member of the authority may be appointed to preside over the meeting.
• During meetings, the majority of the participants voted on issues.
• The Chairman (or the participant presiding the meeting) casts a tie-breaking, deciding vote in the event of a tied vote.

What are the goals of TRAI?

• Gives Recommendations: The TRAI’s responsibility is to provide recommendations on the pursuing matters:
• It is important to introduce a new service provider.
• License revocation for breaking the terms and conditions of the license.
• measures to facilitate the spread of telecommunications services by promoting efficiency and competition in their operation.
• technological developments that have an impact on the services that service providers supply.

Source The Hindu

2 – Tiger Population in India: GS III – Environment-related issues:

Context:

• India is home to at least 3682 tigers, according to estimates from the most recent tiger census, which was made public on Sunday. The numbers are not exactly comparable even if there appears to have been an increase since the last census in 2018, as it has not yet been possible to ascertain the maximum and minimum range of the tiger population.

The number of tigers in India:

• The Indian government has been working to conserve and safeguard tigers through a number of initiatives and programmes, including the creation of tiger reserves, anti-poaching measures, habitat protection, and community participation activities. These programmes have been successful in stabilising and even expanding tiger populations in some areas.
• Despite these conservation efforts, tigers in India continue to face a number of threats, including habitat destruction, poaching, and conflicts with humans. To ensure the long-term survival of tigers in India, continue these conservation efforts and address the underlying threats to tigers and their habitats.
• India’s success in preserving and expanding its tiger populations offers hope for the future of this magnificent animal. India makes a substantial contribution to the worldwide campaign to preserve and safeguard tigers. Together, we can ensure the tigers’ continued existence in India and across the rest of their territory.
• The methods used to count tigers are chosen based on local environmental conditions and distinctive habitats. The results from several methodologies are frequently combined to create a more accurate estimate of the tiger population. The tiger census in India is a collaborative effort amongst many stakeholders and partners with the goal of conserving and protecting the tiger populations in the country.

These include:

• The main agency in charge of overseeing and safeguarding tigers in India is the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). It provides the governments with both monetary and technical assistance for conducting the tiger census.
• State Forest Departments: State forest departments play a vital role in conducting the tiger census by performing field-level duties such as setting up camera traps, collecting samples, and training field staff.
• Organizations working to conserve wildlife: Government officials typically rely on the expertise and technical support of wildlife NGOs and conservation organisations when conducting the tiger census. Also, they help spread the word about how important tiger conservation and protection are.
• Scientists and researchers: Researchers and scientists from universities, research institutions, and wildlife organisations develop and put into practise the methodologies needed to count tigers, analyse the data, and interpret the results.
• Local Communities: Local communities, especially those near tiger habitats, support the tiger census by sharing sighting reports, assisting with data gathering, and taking part in awareness initiatives.

Source The Hindu

3 – Artificial Intelligence: GS III – Science and Technology:

Context:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is a topic that is catching the attention of legislators, business leaders, and politicians worldwide. Currently, the majority of established democracies use AI approaches to improve legislative procedures and laws. For instance, AI technologies can assist legislators in a variety of ways, such as by producing responses for them, enhancing the calibre of their research, learning about any Bill, preparing briefings, and providing details on certain House rules, legislative drafting, amendments, interventions, etc. They can also assist legislators in making informed decisions by providing them with information on common complaints, media perspectives, and the voices of organisations that are concerned with serving the interests of citizens.

About AI:

• It describes how machines perform tasks that in the past required human intelligence.
• It includes, among other things, advancements in neural networks, artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, big data, and self-learning algorithms.
• Although the idea has its origins in Greek mythology, stored programme computers weren’t invented until the contemporary day.
• There are millions of algorithms and programmes all around us that understand human directions and do tasks similar to those performed by humans. Facebook’s list of suggested friends for users and the pop-up pages that display while browsing the internet notifying users of upcoming bargains for their preferred apparel and shoe companies are both the result of artificial intelligence.

How AI Is a Different Technology:

• Robotic automation that is powered by hardware is different from AI. Instead of automating manual labour, AI successfully completes regular, large volume computerised jobs.
• It’s common to mix up AI and machine learning. The broader field of artificial intelligence (AI), which includes innovations like natural language processing, inference algorithms, neutron networks, etc., includes more than just machine learning.
• Evolution
• The Dartmouth Conference, when the term “artificial intelligence” was first created in 1956, was organised by American computer scientist John McCarthy. After that, the notion that machines might analyse societal issues using competitiveness and knowledge data caught on all across the world.
• The study used to be funded in part by the government, and there were several targeted programmes.
• Every aspect of science raises ethical questions, but this is particularly true when one takes into account the idea of allowing machines to understand and behave like people. During the late 1970s and the early 1990s, funding from the government for AI research came to an end.
• In the 21st century, AI had a resurgence thanks to concurrent advances in computer power, enormous amounts of data, and theoretical knowledge.
• AI methods are currently a key element of the technology industry, helping to solve many challenging problems in computer science. From Apple Siri to self-driving cars, AI is advancing swiftly.

Source The Hindu

4 – Periyar Tiger Reserve – GS III – Environment-related issues:

Context:

• The Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) was recognized as the best-managed tiger reserve in the nation once more.
• The reserve received a management effectiveness evaluation (MEE) score of 94.38%, placing first among the 51 reserves examined. Satpura and Bandipur came in second (93.18%) and Nagarhole third (92.42%) in the MEE cycle for 2022.
• The research claims that MEE is the most crucial tactic for enhancing management perspectives of reserves and their associated landscape connectivity.
• 32 criteria, including the status of the tiger conservation strategy, the availability of staff and other resources, the sufficiency of those resources, the availability of human resources skilled in wildlife conservation, and the population trend of threatened species were evaluated throughout the process.

Location:

• Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala are where it is situated (saddled in the southern region of Western Ghats).

Formation:

• A tiger reserve was established in 1978, while a sanctuary was established in 1950. Its name comes from the River Periyar, whose source is deep inside the reserve.

Drainage:

• The two principal rivers that traverse the reserve are the Mullayar and the Periyar.

Flora:

• The sanctuary is made up of tropical evergreens, semi-evergreens, moist deciduous trees, and grasslands.
• There are about 1966 different species of blooming plants in the sanctuary.
• The Western Ghats are home to about 516 of these specifically.
• There are about 300 distinct kinds of medicinal plants living in the sanctuary.
• The region is home to a number of native species, including the tree Syzygium periyarensis, the orchid Habenaria periyarensis, and the climber Mucuna pruriense thekkadiensis.

Fauna:

• Animals: lion-tailed macaque, elephant, tiger, Nilgiri Tahr, etc.
• Birds include kingfishers, racket-tailed drongos, the large Malabar hornbill, darters, and cormorants.
• King cobras, monitor lizards, and pythons are examples of reptiles.

Tribals:

• Six tribal tribes, including the Mannans, Paliyans, Malayarayans, Mala Pandarams, Uralis, and Ulladans, reside in the reserve.

Source The Hindu