Why is it in the News?

Earlier this year, Ola, the Indian multinational ridesharing company, introduced Krutrim AI as "India's own AI," with plans for substantial enhancements to its initial iteration to expand its foundation upon launch.

What is Krutrim AI?

• Krutrim AI is a generative AI assistant that converses in 10+ languages, including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati, etc., making it India’s own AI by an artificial intelligence startup.
• It was founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of Ola Cabs.
• Krutrim AI has been natively created to ensure a creative AI tool designed for over 1.4 billion Indians to provide 100% contextually relevant responses.
• It is a critical milestone in developing public-facing artificial intelligence in India.

These are 4 benefits of Krutrim AI:

• • Supports multiple Indian languages.
  • Native experience is built to cater to cultural diversity.
  • They are trained on local language tokens and sources.
  • Allows user interaction without charge on its free version.

What is the Tech Behind Krutrim AI?

• Krutrim AI uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) — a component of AI — to understand the nuances of human language, including colloquialisms and cultural contexts.
• Machine Learning (ML) algorithms enable it to learn from vast data sets and improve its responses over time.
• Moreover, Deep Learning, a sophisticated branch of ML, helps it recognize patterns and analyze complex data, which could be crucial for Krutrim AI’s performance.
• While the exact technologies used are not disclosed, these methodologies align with the AI’s demonstrated functions.

How Krutrim AI Works?

• Krutrim AI works through prompts given in the chat field, similar to other generative AI chatbots.
  • Generative AI chatbots like Krutrim AI are large language models that understand prompts in the language used for daily communication and respond with language similar to humans.
• Krutrim AI allows users to reply, modify the details, or add additional elements to the response, similar to the experience a user would have with a human assistant.

Benefits of Using Krutrim AI:

• Krutrim AI offers 4 benefits.
  • Multilingual as it responds in over 10 Indian languages, which is helpful for users not proficient in English.
  • Cultural context provides a native experience, as Krutrim’s training data was specifically geared towards being culturally relevant and understanding the Indian context.
  • The development of (AI) start-up Krutrim was done natively from the ground up.
    • It is trained on over 2 trillion language tokens, with the largest representation of Indian languages in the artificial intelligence landscape.
• Krutrim’s base model offers a free AI chatbot experience, with a premium version (Krutrim Pro) in the works, that will have larger knowledge-based capabilities.

Why is it in the News?

A recent review revealed that only a handful of vaccines offer durable protection lasting beyond 20 years.

About Post-vaccination immunity:

Mechanism:

• The fundamental immunological process involves the production of memory B cells in lymph nodes, providing long-term protection against diseases.
• These memory B cells recognize antigens delivered by vaccines, prompting the production of potent antibodies upon encountering similar antigens from foreign objects like viruses, effectively eliminating infections.
• T cell support is essential for the activation of memory B cells, thus vaccines stimulating T cells are capable of inducing their production.
• Notably, certain vaccines, such as polysaccharide typhoid and pneumococcal vaccines, may not prompt the production of B cells.
• To extend the duration of immunity conferred by memory B cells, frequent boosters may be necessary, ranging from six months to several years.
• However, the presence of memory B cells alone does not guarantee protection, as the effectiveness of vaccines in triggering their production varies.
• Long-lasting plasma cells (LLPCs) migrate from lymph nodes to the bone marrow, where they may persist for decades, constituting a crucial aspect of vaccine-induced immunity.
• Every vaccine aims to generate LLPCs in the bone marrow for lifelong protection, with vaccines like those for measles and rubella known to stimulate LLPC production.
• Notably, some potent vaccines, such as mRNA COVID-19 shots, may not effectively activate LLPCs in the bone marrow.
• For vaccines to confer long-term protection, they must generate both memory B cells and LLPCs in the bone marrow, with variations in vaccine effectiveness in producing these cells explaining differences in their durability.

Why is it in the News?

Kerala's shift towards an alternative approach for the implementation of smart electricity meters, sidelining the Central government's Rs 3 lakh crore project, poses a challenge to the Union Government's initiative of replacing 250 million traditional meters with smart meters in all households by March 2025.

About the Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP):

• The Indian government has initiated the Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP) to revolutionize the country's energy sector through the implementation of smart meters.
• By replacing 25 crore conventional meters, the SMNP aims to enhance the operational efficiency and revenue management of distribution companies (DISCOMs).
• Under the leadership of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of four National Public Sector Enterprises, the scheme is set to make waves in the energy sector.
• EESL, comprised of NTPC Limited, PFC, REC, and POWERGRID, operates under the Ministry of Power and is committed to undertaking the necessary capital and operational expenditures with zero upfront investment from states and utilities.
• The Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model facilitates the recovery of smart meter costs via the monetization of energy savings resulting from improved billing accuracy, reduced meter reading costs, and increased efficiency.
• In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the strategic deployment of these smart meters adheres to industry standards.

Smart meters offer a multitude of advantages:

• • Consumers can monitor their electricity usage and make informed decisions to reduce their bills.
  • Utilities benefit from enhanced operational efficiency, enabling better power demand management.
• Web-based Monitoring: The interconnected smart meter network can mitigate utilities' commercial losses, enhance revenue generation, and propel power sector reforms.
• The Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP) paves the way for a more efficient and sustainable energy landscape in India, revolutionizing the way utilities operate and consumers engage with their electricity usage.

What are Smart Meters?

• A smart meter serves as an advanced tool for recording electricity consumption and voltage levels, offering a significant upgrade over traditional metering systems.
  • While conventional meters simply measure power usage, smart meters take it a step further by transmitting real-time data to utility providers at intervals of 15 minutes or hourly.
• Smart meters truly live up to their name by utilizing internet connectivity to facilitate two-way communication.
  • On one hand, they empower consumers with up-to-date information on energy usage patterns, enabling them to make informed decisions and manage consumption more efficiently.
  • On the other hand, utility providers gain valuable insights for monitoring purposes and ensuring accurate billing.
• In essence, smart meters pave the way for improved energy management, increased transparency, and enhanced efficiency, catering to the evolving needs of both consumers and utility providers in today's digital era.

Why is it in the News?

During the celebration of Holi across India, Bhang, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant or true hemp, is widely favored for consumption.

What is Cannabis?

• Cannabis is found mainly in the Indo-Gangetic plains – in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal – along with the Deccan region.
• Cannabis is termed Ganzai in Telugu, Ganja in Tamil, and Bangi in Kannada.
• The cannabis plant can be 4 to 10 feet tall at maturity.
• Its plant also grows on wastelands and can easily be spotted on roadsides.
• Three products can be obtained from the plant – fiber, oil, and narcotics.
• Bhang is obtained from the seeds and leaves of the plant, which are reduced to powder.
• Then, the powder is filtered and prepared for drinking, mixed often with cold, flavored milk or thandai on Holi.

Additional Uses and Benefits of Cannabis:

• According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), cannabis ash can be applied to animals' skin in cases of hematoma, a condition characterized by blood clotting outside of blood vessels.
• Hemp-seed oil is employed in varnish industries as a substitute for linseed oil and in soft soap manufacturing, as well as possessing numerous medicinal properties.
• In Himachal Pradesh, cannabis cultivation is concentrated in Chhota/Bada Bhangal of Kangra and the Karsog area of Mandi district.
• While cultivating cannabis for addictive narcotics is illegal, states permit regulated cultivation for industrial or horticultural purposes, focusing on fiber and seed extraction.
• Cannabis-based treatments, such as bhang application on paddy seeds, can enhance germination and control threadworms in paddy nurseries, particularly in the temperate regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Heated and crushed cannabis leaves are often transformed into a paste to alleviate pain from a honey bee or wasp stings.

Why is it in the News?

Effective execution of elections demands thorough planning, where a crucial aspect is the meticulous formulation and implementation of the District Election Management Plan (DEMP).

About the District Election Management Plan (DEMP):

• The District Election Management Plan (DEMP) is a comprehensive document designed to ensure the smooth conduct of elections, employing statistics and analysis.
• According to the Election Commission of India, the DEMP must be prepared at least six months before the tentative poll day.
• Collaboration among election officials, administrative authorities, law enforcement agencies, etc., is crucial for the execution of the DEMP.

Key components of the DEMP include:

• District Profile: A district profile providing foundational electoral strategy, featuring political maps outlining constituencies, key demographic and infrastructure statistics, and a brief on the district’s administrative setup and socio-economic features.
• Polling Stations: Detailed strategies for enhancing the availability and accessibility of polling stations, ensuring essential facilities such as ramps, electricity, lighting, drinking water, toilets, and internet connectivity.
• Special Attention to PwD and Senior Citizens: Addressing the requirements of voters with disabilities and senior citizens through dedicated help desks, round-the-clock control rooms, home voting options, and advanced postal ballot voting for essential service personnel.
• Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Plan: Integration of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) plan, focused on increasing electoral participation.

• • Planning, training, welfare, and deployment strategies for election personnel, along with training initiatives for district-level teams to enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and equip all election personnel with the necessary skills and knowledge.

Regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)?

• Management of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is vital to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, encompassing strategies for secure storage, availability, transportation, and maintenance of both EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs).
• The District Election Management Plan (DEMP) contributes to enhancing the voting process by ensuring its organization and accessibility to all voters.
• Furthermore, the principles employed in the DEMP, such as meticulous planning, collaboration, and transparency, offer valuable insights applicable beyond elections, providing lessons for broader governance.
• The emphasis on advanced planning, data-driven decision-making, and stakeholder collaboration highlighted by the DEMP is instrumental in addressing challenges effectively.