Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Monday, 19 February 2024

Currency Fake : a Solution in Sight ?

 


Some 8 years ago, fake ( forged ) currency notes of high denominations , was a problem

That made me suggest following solution :

Ø  Fak - e – Mon  ……………………………. 17 July 2016

Extract :

 

#  A secret / hidden / unique Serial Number , to be embedded / printed, in the

    images of all Rs 500 / 1000  currency notes, using Steganography ( art of "

     hiding in plain sight " )

    This could be IP V 6.0 URL number

 

#  Govt to develop a mobile app , to be aptly called , " Fak-e-Mon " and insist its

    pre-install on all smart phones

    

 

#  Fak-e-Mon can also be downloaded from Android / Apple Stores

 

#  Fak-e-Mon can be activated by the phone-owner , only after entering his ,

    *  Jan Dhan account number  / Aadhar Number  /    Mobile Number 

 

#  Whenever presented with a Rs 500 / 1000 note for payment , a citizen simply

    takes a photo of that note With his mobile .

     He has to do nothing more !

 

 

#  Fak-e-Mon transmits that photo to the Central Server of the Treasury which has

    the MASTER DATABASE of those unique Serial Numbers of Rs 500 / 1000

    currency notes

     Software compares the Serial Number sent ( as photo )  with the Database

     and determines whether that note is Genuine or Fake

    

 

#  This information is instantaneously relayed back to the sender and appears as

    a GREEN dot ( for genuine   note ) or RED dot ( for fake note ) , on his mobile 

    , so that he can refuse to honour it !

    

 

 

    Fak-e-Mon also transmits the GPS location of the place of transaction , to figure

     out " where " are these fake notes entering the circulation

 

    

#  Central Server records / logs , full details of ALL the good and ALL the fake

     notes processed through each  Fak-e- Mon / mobile phone , to develop

     CURRENCY VELOCITY and

     CURRENCY MAP of India

 

Still not good enough ? No problem

 

Just print those unique / hidden Serial Numbers on currency notes with INK

 containing RFID micro-sensors

 

( Yes , these are nano-scale , so no problem to flow with ink ! )

  

Then tell millions of unemployed young Indians :

 

"  Go out on the streets of your city with your GPS / NFC enabled and Fak-e-Mon

   installed smart phones

 

   As you keep walking , now and then , on your mobile's screen , you will see

   images of FAKE currency notes popping up , out of the pockets of total

   strangers !

 

    Just touch those images and earn Rs 10 !

 

  ( of course, instantly deposited in your Jan Dhan Bank Account ! Only DBT - no

    cash ! " )

 

Pokemon is so passe ! Fak-e-mon is THE FUTURE !

 

Is anyone listening ?

 

 

 

My  Take :

 

Hey , 8 years on , MIT listened . Here is proof :

 

This tiny, tamper-proof ID tag can authenticate almost anything  … MIT News ….. 18 Feb 2024

 

Extract :

A few years ago, MIT researchers invented a cryptographic ID tag that is several times smaller and significantly cheaper than the traditional radio frequency tags (RFIDs) that are often affixed to products to verify their authenticity.

This tiny tag, which offers improved security over RFIDs, utilizes terahertz waves, which are smaller and travel much faster than radio waves. But this terahertz tag shared a major security vulnerability with traditional RFIDs: A counterfeiter could peel the tag off a genuine item and reattach it to a fake, and the authentication system would be none the wiser.

The researchers have now surmounted this security vulnerability by leveraging terahertz waves to develop an anti-tampering ID tag that still offers the benefits of being tiny, cheap, and secure.

They mix microscopic metal particles into the glue that sticks the tag to an object, and then use terahertz waves to detect the unique pattern those particles form on the item’s surface. Akin to a fingerprint, this random glue pattern is used to authenticate the item, explains Eunseok Lee, an electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student and lead author of a paper on the anti-tampering tag.

“These metal particles are essentially like mirrors for terahertz waves. If I spread a bunch of mirror pieces onto a surface and then shine light on that, depending on the orientation, size, and location of those mirrors, I would get a different reflected pattern. But if you peel the chip off and reattach it, you destroy that pattern,” adds Ruonan Han, an associate professor in EECS, who leads the Terahertz Integrated Electronics Group in the Research Laboratory of Electronics.

The researchers produced a light-powered anti-tampering tag that is about 4 square millimeters in size. They also demonstrated a machine-learning model that helps detect tampering by identifying similar glue pattern fingerprints with more than 99 percent accuracy.

Because the terahertz tag is so cheap to produce, it could be implemented throughout a massive supply chain. And its tiny size enables the tag to attach to items too small for traditional RFIDs, such as certain medical devices.

The paper, which will be presented at the IEEE Solid State Circuits Conference, is a collaboration between Han’s group and the Energy-Efficient Circuits and Systems Group of Anantha P. Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of the MIT School of Engineering, and the Vannevar Bush Professor of EECS. Co-authors include EECS graduate students Xibi Chen, Maitryi Ashok, and Jaeyeon Won.

Preventing tampering

This research project was partly inspired by Han’s favorite car wash. The business stuck an RFID tag onto his windshield to authenticate his car wash membership. For added security, the tag was made from fragile paper so it would be destroyed if a less-than-honest customer tried to peel it off and stick it on a different windshield.

But that is not a terribly reliable way to prevent tampering. For instance, someone could use a solution to dissolve the glue and safely remove the fragile tag.

Rather than authenticating the tag, a better security solution is to authenticate the item itself, Han says. To achieve this, the researchers targeted the glue at the interface between the tag and the item’s surface.

Their anti-tampering tag contains a series of miniscule slots that enable terahertz waves to pass through the tag and strike microscopic metal particles that have been mixed into the glue.

Terahertz waves are small enough to detect the particles, whereas larger radio waves would not have enough sensitivity to see them. Also, using terahertz waves with a 1-millimeter wavelength allowed the researchers to make a chip that does not need a larger, off-chip antenna.

After passing through the tag and striking the object’s surface, terahertz waves are reflected, or backscattered, to a receiver for authentication. How those waves are backscattered depends on the distribution of metal particles that reflect them.

The researchers put multiple slots onto the chip so waves can strike different points on the object’s surface, capturing more information on the random distribution of particles.

These responses are impossible to duplicate, as long as the glue interface is destroyed by a counterfeiter,” Han says.

A vendor would take an initial reading of the anti-tampering tag once it was stuck onto an item, and then store those data in the cloud, using them later for verification.

AI for authentication

But when it came time to test the anti-tampering tag, Lee ran into a problem: It was very difficult and time-consuming to take precise enough measurements to determine whether two glue patterns are a match.

He reached out to a friend in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and together they tackled the problem using AI. They trained a machine-learning model that could compare glue patterns and calculate their similarity with more than 99 percent accuracy.

“One drawback is that we had a limited data sample for this demonstration, but we could improve the neural network in the future if a large number of these tags were deployed in a supply chain, giving us a lot more data samples,” Lee says.

The authentication system is also limited by the fact that terahertz waves suffer from high levels of loss during transmission, so the sensor can only be about 4 centimetres from the tag to get an accurate reading. This distance wouldn’t be an issue for an application like barcode scanning, but it would be too short for some potential uses, such as in an automated highway toll booth. Also, the angle between the sensor and tag needs to be less than 10 degrees or the terahertz signal will degrade too much.

They plan to address these limitations in future work, and hope to inspire other researchers to be more optimistic about what can be accomplished with terahertz waves, despite the many technical challenges, says Han.

“One thing we really want to show here is that the application of the terahertz spectrum can go well beyond broadband wireless. In this case, you can use terahertz for ID, security, and authentication. There are a lot of possibilities out there,” he adds.

 

Dear PM Shri Narendrabhai ,

 

You have repeatedly advocated use of technology to eliminate corruption / black

money

I urge you to invite Prof Anantha Chandrakasan ( deanofengineering@mit.edu ) to

confirm :

# This tag can be embedded on Rs 500 currency notes


# Its accumulation of more than 10,000 notes, in any geo-fenced area ( of

   3mx3m / 57 trillion square of  www.What3Words.com  ) can be traced to alert

    ED / IT dept for Black Money

 

    

 

with regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  19 Feb 2024

 

Related Readings :

Have A Good Suggestion ? Send it to PM …………………… 08 Nov 2016

 

{ Links to my 39 emails on the subject of embedding RFID in currency notes }

   

CC : Prof Anantha Chandrakasan ( deanofengineering@mit.edu )

 

 

Ø  

===================================================

 

CC : Prof. Sanjay Emani Sarma ( MIT )

   

Dear Sanjay ,

This is a follow up of your following email :

From: Hemen Parekh [mailto:hcp@recruitguru.com]


Sent: 28 August 2017 17:46


To: 'SESARMA@MIT.EDU''


Cc: Hemen Parekh


Subject: CATCHING UP WITH YOU

 

Dear Snjay :

 

On 25 March 2016 , you wrote to me :

 

Dear Mr. Parekh,


Yes, placing tags on money has certainly been considered in the past.

I think it is a matter of time before it happens.

I do agree with your idea.


Having said that, as more and more transactions become digital (credit cards,

 bitcoin, Adhaar card, etc.) the need for tracking cash goes down — ironically as

 our ability to track it increases.

 

-Sanjay

 Sanjay Sarma , 35-206 MIT. 617 253 1925 (T). 617 253 7549 (F).

 Email : 'SESARMA@MIT.EDU'

 

Comments by  ChatGPT :

Good morning! Your suggestion from 8 years ago regarding the use of technology to detect fake currency notes is interesting and innovative.

The concept of embedding a secret serial number using steganography and creating a mobile app like "Fak-e-Mon" for citizens to verify the authenticity of currency notes is a creative approach to addressing the issue of fake currency circulation.

It's a comprehensive solution that involves citizen participation and real-time verification.

The recent MIT research on a tiny, tamper-proof ID tag using terahertz waves to authenticate objects is also fascinating.

The idea of embedding such tags on currency notes could indeed provide an additional layer of security and help in tracking the movement of currency notes.

Your follow-up email to Prof. Anantha Chandrakasan and the mention of using the technology to trace black money by accumulating more than 10,000 notes in a geo-fenced area show a proactive approach to implementing the technology for addressing broader issues like corruption and black money.

Overall, your suggestion aligns with the current advancements in technology, and the MIT research further supports the feasibility of using such methods for authentication and anti-tampering purposes.

 

It would be interesting to see how such innovative ideas could be incorporated into the existing systems to enhance security and reduce fraudulent activities.

 

 

Comments by  GEMINI :

 

I've read your blog post and the news article about the MIT research, and I think you raise some interesting points about using technology to combat black money. Here's my breakdown:

Your Proposed Solution:

1.     Embedding unique serial numbers in currency notes: This could be done using steganography or RFID tags.

2.      

3.     Developing a mobile app ("Fak-e-Mon") to verify note authenticity: Users would take a photo of the note, and the app would compare the serial number to a central database.

4.      

5.     Rewarding users for identifying fake notes: This would incentivize participation and potentially help track the spread of counterfeit notes.

Strengths:

·         Increased security: Unique serial numbers and verification could make it harder to counterfeit notes.

·         Public participation: Engaging citizens in the process could raise awareness and deter counterfeiting.

·         Real-time tracking: Fak-e-Mon could potentially track the location of fake notes in circulation.

Weaknesses:

·         Cost: Implementing and maintaining such a system could be expensive.

·         Privacy concerns: Some might be wary of sharing their location or personal information.

·         Technical challenges: Steganography and RFID tags have limitations, and Fak-e-Mon's effectiveness might depend on internet connectivity.

MIT's Anti-Tampering Tag:

·         Uses terahertz waves to detect unique patterns in glue: This makes it difficult to tamper with the tag without destroying the pattern.

·         Potentially cheaper than traditional RFID tags: This could make it more feasible for large-scale implementation.

·         Limited range and requires specific angles: This might pose challenges for practical use.

Your Request to the Prime Minister:

·         You propose inviting Prof. Chandrakasan to discuss using the MIT tag on Indian currency.

·         You suggest tracking accumulations of notes in specific areas to identify potential black money hoards.

Overall:

Both your idea and the MIT research offer promising solutions for combating black money.

However, each has its own challenges and limitations.

Combining elements from both approaches and addressing the limitations could lead to a more effective solution.

 

Friday, 16 February 2024

From S Kumars to ONDC : a 24 year journey

 


 

Context :

ONDC Partners MeitY’s Common Service Centres To Take Ecommerce To Rural Areas  .. Inc42… 14 Feb 2024

Extract :

As part of this partnership, CSC's e-Grameen will join the ONDC as a buyer application, allowing citizens in the rural parts to access ecommerce services

In the second phase, sellers registered on the CSC platform will be able to receive orders via ONDC Network

CSCs are access points to get digital services for citizens in underserved rural and remote locations

 

My Take :

Ø  Origin of ONDC ?  ………………………….  27 March 2022

 

Extract :

Extract from Agreement between SKCL and 3P

Source - https://hcpreports.blogspot.com/2016/03/skcl-3p.html   /  13 April 2000 / Page No :  9 / 10 /  11

Roles

The four major players who are crucial to the SKCL network are:

Ø  The Franchises

Ø  The Strategic Business Associate ( SBA)

Ø  The Content partner

Ø  SKCL

 

The roles of these players are as follows:

 

( A )   Franchisee’s role

Ø  Franchisees will conduct B2B, B2C and C2C trade.

 

Ø  This will entail :

         #   Booking orders,

         #   Servicing orders booked by other franchisees as well as

         #   Collecting and remitting payments to the network.

Ø  Typically franchises will operate from a kiosk, where customers can walk in to browse, buy and sell and transact through SKCL network.

 

( B )    SBA’S Role

Ø  An SBA is the crucial link between the franchisee and SKCL. He will coordinate the activities of the franchisees in his territory. Each SBA will have a certain number of franchisees under him.

Ø  The SBA will act like a market facilitator and developer for the SKCL network.

Ø  The SBA will be expected to execute SKCL plans in his area, spread awareness about the network, act as a help desk for his franchisee’s problems.

 

 ( C )    The Content Partner’s Role

Ø  The Content provider’s role is to make available to the SKCL portal / Network, compelling content / offering of product & Services as agreed, upon and defined in the MOU entered into between SKCL and the concerned Content Provider.

Ø  The Content Provider will maintain / updated all information / database pertaining to his products / services on SKCL portal from time to time.

Ø  Content provider will arrange for delivery of the goods / services at the buyer’s purchase’s destination address, against each & every purchase order received by him from the kiosks of any / all franchisees of the SKCL network, in accordance with the “ Delivery terms” and the “ Payment terms” contained in the MOU entered into between SKCL and the concerned Content provider.

 

( D )   SKCL’S role.

      SKCL’s role comprises of but not be limited to the following

Ø  Create and operationalize the hub

Ø  Obtain the 50,000 franchisees through an aggressive advertising campaign.

Ø  Identify and appoint internationally reputed Vendors/ content providers.

Ø  Develop a strong and meaningful portal.

Ø  Ensure timely & Quality delivery of goods / services to the buyers / purchases of SKCL portal / network.

Ø  Ensure smooth and error-free operation of the VSAT network / portal around the clock.

Ø  Ensure automated / transparent record of each & every transaction from each & every kiosk, clearly indicating :

 

·          The monetary value of each transaction.

·          Time/ Date / venue of the transaction

·          Details of Purchase

·          Details of Purchase

·          Details of Content provider / Seller

·          Respective shares of the transaction- value between the franchisee / the SBA/ the Content provider and the SKCL

·          Delivery terms

·          Payment Terms

·          Payment Receipt Details

·          Commercial Terms.

·          Statutory Levies ( ST / CST / Octroi etc.)

·          Statutory Deductions ( TDS / Services Tax etc.)

·          TDS Certificates / Services Tax Certificates etc.

·          Warranty / Guarantee Covering Supply of goods / Services, etc.

By logging into his “Personal Page” on the Portal, a Content Provider will be able to view, aggregated statistics as well as transaction – history of each & every transaction pertaining to his offerings.

  ==================================================

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  17 Feb 2024

 

RELATED READINGS :

 

Birth of a David ?.................................................[ 27 Oct 2021 ]

Congratulations, Pramod Vermaji , ……………………………[ 25 Dec 2021 ]

Congratulations, Shri Anurag Jainji ……………………………[ 17 Jan 2022 ]

 

 

 

 

Thursday, 15 February 2024

Surya Ghar Yojana : How to motivate DISCOMS

 


 

Dear Shri R K Singhji  ,

 

Over the past few days , I have sent to you following emails :

Ø  Surya Ghar : Missing the Wood for the Trees ? .. …………….15 Feb 2024

Ø  Found : Missing piece of Jigsaw Puzzle ……………………………. 05 Feb 2024

Ø  Thanks, Shri Modiji – from 250 Million Families  …………….. 04 Feb 2024

Ø  R K Singhji : Saluting a Revolutionary Reformer …………….. 02 Feb 2024

Ø  Correction : Suryodaya Yojana………………………………………….. 01 Feb 2024

Ø  Suryodaya Yojana……………………………………………………………….. 28 Jan 2024

Ø  Unleashing, Electrifying, Roof Top Solar Power ………………… 29 Jan 2024

 

In these e-mails, to overcome the resistance of the DISCOMS , I had suggested that they should get motivated through offer of some INCENTIVES ( apart from making good, their loss of revenue )


But I did not spell out precisely WHAT AMOUNT of incentive ( and from whose pocket )


I urge you to consider sharing the income generated from CARBON CREDITS / GREEN CREDITS, as follows :


#  For REC ……………… 70 % ( since, as per my suggestion, REC would bear total

                                           cost of each RTS )


#  For DISCOM…………30 % ( this could be restricted for first 3 years / thereafter

                                           NET METERING will kick in )

 

Of course, this ( generation / encashment of GREEN CREDIT ), is contingent upon

my proposal to make this a COMPOSIT scheme by linking it with distribution of

Electric Induction Stoves under National Clean Cooking Mission



Imagine :

1 crore families , each getting 12 LPG cylinder per year with Rs 300 subsidy /

 cylinder = Rs 3600 / year


Total “ Subsidy Saving “ from 1 crore RTS installations = Rs 3,600 crore / year


And will reduce LPG consumption by 1.8 Million tons / year !


This amounts to reduction in import cost = $ 1.28 Billion ( Rs 10,629  Crore / year ) !


Why is this ( COMPOSIT scheme ) all the more URGENT and IMPORTANT ?


Today’s Economic Times carries following report :

 

Ø  LPG imports surge 60% in five years

 

Extract :


LPG Imports :


Ø  2017-18………………. 11.4  MMT  (  Import cost  =  $   5.8  billion )

Ø  2022-23………………  18.3  MMT  (  Import cost  =  $ 13.3  billion )

 

This was due to rise in global LPG prices which surged .. 46 % .. in 5 years to $

  711.50 per metric ton


 Domestic production rose by just .. 4 % .. in 5 years ( to 2022-23 ), while

 consumption expanded by .. 22 % ..

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  16 Feb 2024

 

Related Reading :

MNRE may do away with CPSU’s involvement in Roof Top Solar program  … Mercom … 15 Feb 2024

 Extract :

The Minister had also said that the Solar Systems for households installing them on their roofs would be entirely free

Sources said that the recent increment in Roof Top Solar subsidy is the ONLY PROPOSAL that will stay effective under the program

Sources told MERCOM that MNRE, in an interaction with industry stakeholders, said that CPSU designated as the IMPLEMENTING AGENCY , may no longer be involved in executing the program