Today's Headlines - 03 August 2023
UIDAI is using AI to tackle payment frauds
GS Paper - 3 (ITC)
As more frauds related to the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) come to the fore, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has turned to artificial intelligence-based systems in a bid to limit the cases — this includes developing technologies around fingerprinting and facial recognition. The UIDAI has rolled out an in-house Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology-based Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR) modality which is able to check the liveness of a fingerprint to detect the use of cloned fingerprint during the authentication process.
How does the Aadhaar fingerprint technology work?
The technology was rolled out in February this year and uses a combination of both finger minutiae and finger image to check the liveness of the fingerprint captured.
The measure was implemented after instances of people creating fake fingerprints using silicone to syphon off money from unsuspecting individuals’ bank accounts were reported.
The problem gets compounded on account of the fact that a large part of the AePS user base is in rural areas.
In effect, the AI-based technology is able to identify whether the fingerprint is from a real, or ‘live’ finger, or a cloned one.
Payment frauds on the rise
According to the Home Ministry, in the financial year 2020-21, 2.62 lakhs financial crimes, such as money laundering, bribery, corruption and different kinds of frauds, were reported. The number jumped to 6.94 lakhs in 2022, a report, released by the Standing Committee on Finance — headed by BJP MP Jayant Sinha — said.
Citing data it received from the supervised entities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the committee noted that payment-related frauds are on the rise in India – In FY21, the volume of such frauds was a little over 700,000, which by FY23, increased to close to 20 million.
According to the information submitted to it by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), in the year 2022, out of 6,94,424 complaints related to financial frauds only in 2.6 per cent of cases an FIR was registered.
The details shared with Parliament revealed that between November 2021 and March 2023, more than 2,000 complaints related to AePS were received by the offices of the RBI’s ombudsman.
#upsc #news #headline #UIDAI #payment #frauds #ITC #adhaar #system #FMR #FIR #machine #work #syphon #rural #areas #RBI #reserve #bank #india #ombudsman #cases #financial #bribery #corruption #silicone #cloned #I4C #indian #cyber #crime #coordination #tackle
UIDAI is using AI to tackle payment frauds
GS Paper - 3 (ITC)
As more frauds related to the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) come to the fore, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has turned to artificial intelligence-based systems in a bid to limit the cases — this includes developing technologies around fingerprinting and facial recognition. The UIDAI has rolled out an in-house Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology-based Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR) modality which is able to check the liveness of a fingerprint to detect the use of cloned fingerprint during the authentication process.
How does the Aadhaar fingerprint technology work?
The technology was rolled out in February this year and uses a combination of both finger minutiae and finger image to check the liveness of the fingerprint captured.
The measure was implemented after instances of people creating fake fingerprints using silicone to syphon off money from unsuspecting individuals’ bank accounts were reported.
The problem gets compounded on account of the fact that a large part of the AePS user base is in rural areas.
In effect, the AI-based technology is able to identify whether the fingerprint is from a real, or ‘live’ finger, or a cloned one.
Payment frauds on the rise
According to the Home Ministry, in the financial year 2020-21, 2.62 lakhs financial crimes, such as money laundering, bribery, corruption and different kinds of frauds, were reported. The number jumped to 6.94 lakhs in 2022, a report, released by the Standing Committee on Finance — headed by BJP MP Jayant Sinha — said.
Citing data it received from the supervised entities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the committee noted that payment-related frauds are on the rise in India – In FY21, the volume of such frauds was a little over 700,000, which by FY23, increased to close to 20 million.
According to the information submitted to it by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), in the year 2022, out of 6,94,424 complaints related to financial frauds only in 2.6 per cent of cases an FIR was registered.
The details shared with Parliament revealed that between November 2021 and March 2023, more than 2,000 complaints related to AePS were received by the offices of the RBI’s ombudsman.
#upsc #news #headline #UIDAI #payment #frauds #ITC #adhaar #system #FMR #FIR #machine #work #syphon #rural #areas #RBI #reserve #bank #india #ombudsman #cases #financial #bribery #corruption #silicone #cloned #I4C #indian #cyber #crime #coordination #tackle
Today's Headlines - 23 August 2023
The vegetated canopies for creating green spaces
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)
As Europe battles scorching temperatures this summer and wildfires blaze across the continent from the Mediterranean to Spain, the role of climate change in making heatwaves hotter and more frequent has come into focus. At a broader level, greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have heated the planet by about 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. These grim predictions have brought attention to a range of mitigation measures. One such initiative to bring greenery back to urban spaces in Spain involves installing vegetated awnings or canopies.
What are vegetated canopies?
Introduced in Santa Maria Street in Valladolid, Spain, the awnings are tensioned sail-like structures that have been anchored to the facades of surrounding buildings. They mimic natural canopies found in forests and various plant species.
The lightness and ease of installation of the ‘Greenshades’ allow for shade and the presence of greenery in commercial streets and public spaces, where trees or other vegetation are often absent.
Here is how they work:
The sails with anchors and supports are prepared by laying down the specific geotextile substrate or material. An irrigation system is installed at the highest side, from where the water falls by gravity, soaking the entire substrate.
In addition to water, fertilizer keeps the vegetation in perfect condition. The excess water is collected at the lowest point and into a connected drainage system.
The seed mixture is then projected onto the geotextile. After four months, the shade is expected to be completely covered with vegetation.
The awnings can be placed in streets, where planting trees may not be feasible owing to the lack of space. The plants grow hydroponically, with a water supply point and water outlet for draining purposes.
What are their advantages?
The plants chosen for these awnings belong to species that are optimised for the absorption of gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.
The substrate also absorbs sound waves, reducing noise pollution. A square metre of a vegetated canopy generates the oxygen required by a person for the whole year, apart from filtering harmful gases, according to the company.
The hanging planter also allows for the centralisation of water and light installations.
This is meant to induce savings as the lights are equipped with movement sensors that illuminate the street according to its need.
The adoption of such canopies could eventually contribute to urban biodiversity, creating a healthier ecosystem that supports a variety of wildlife.
#upsc #news #headline #vegetated #canopies #greenspace #enviroment #europe #battle #temperature #wildfires #blaze #mediterranean #emissions #spain #climatechange #heatwaves #hotter #preindustrial #structures #forests #greenery #commercial #greenshades #mimic #natural #work #gravaity #planting #lackofspace #hydroponically #gases #species #carbonmonoxide #hangingplanter #wildlife #biodiversity #ecosystem #illuminate
The vegetated canopies for creating green spaces
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)
As Europe battles scorching temperatures this summer and wildfires blaze across the continent from the Mediterranean to Spain, the role of climate change in making heatwaves hotter and more frequent has come into focus. At a broader level, greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have heated the planet by about 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. These grim predictions have brought attention to a range of mitigation measures. One such initiative to bring greenery back to urban spaces in Spain involves installing vegetated awnings or canopies.
What are vegetated canopies?
Introduced in Santa Maria Street in Valladolid, Spain, the awnings are tensioned sail-like structures that have been anchored to the facades of surrounding buildings. They mimic natural canopies found in forests and various plant species.
The lightness and ease of installation of the ‘Greenshades’ allow for shade and the presence of greenery in commercial streets and public spaces, where trees or other vegetation are often absent.
Here is how they work:
The sails with anchors and supports are prepared by laying down the specific geotextile substrate or material. An irrigation system is installed at the highest side, from where the water falls by gravity, soaking the entire substrate.
In addition to water, fertilizer keeps the vegetation in perfect condition. The excess water is collected at the lowest point and into a connected drainage system.
The seed mixture is then projected onto the geotextile. After four months, the shade is expected to be completely covered with vegetation.
The awnings can be placed in streets, where planting trees may not be feasible owing to the lack of space. The plants grow hydroponically, with a water supply point and water outlet for draining purposes.
What are their advantages?
The plants chosen for these awnings belong to species that are optimised for the absorption of gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.
The substrate also absorbs sound waves, reducing noise pollution. A square metre of a vegetated canopy generates the oxygen required by a person for the whole year, apart from filtering harmful gases, according to the company.
The hanging planter also allows for the centralisation of water and light installations.
This is meant to induce savings as the lights are equipped with movement sensors that illuminate the street according to its need.
The adoption of such canopies could eventually contribute to urban biodiversity, creating a healthier ecosystem that supports a variety of wildlife.
#upsc #news #headline #vegetated #canopies #greenspace #enviroment #europe #battle #temperature #wildfires #blaze #mediterranean #emissions #spain #climatechange #heatwaves #hotter #preindustrial #structures #forests #greenery #commercial #greenshades #mimic #natural #work #gravaity #planting #lackofspace #hydroponically #gases #species #carbonmonoxide #hangingplanter #wildlife #biodiversity #ecosystem #illuminate