Miscellaneous - Current Affairs, August 2017 PDF Download

10.1. OLYMPIC TASK FORCE
Why in news?
Prime Minister’s Olympic Task force has submitted its report with a comprehensive action plan to improve the
performance of Indian Sportspersons in Olympic Games.

Background

• In the background of performance of Indian Sportspersons in 2016 Olympic Games, Prime Minister has announced formation of Olympic Taskforce in 2016 to prepare a plan for effective participation of Indian Sportspersons in next three Olympics i.e. – 2020, 2024 and 2028.
• The taskforce members were – P.Gopichand, Abhinav Bindra, Rajesh Kalra, OmPathak, Viren Rasquinha, S. Baldev Singh, Prof. G. L. Khanna and Sandeep Pradhan.

Major Suggestions of Olympic Taskforce

• The Olympic Taskforce has suggested restructuring the role of Sports Authority of India (SAI) from just a facilitator to being a provider of training and preparation of elite athletes.
• SAI should provide academies of excellence for elite athletes to train them in train-to-compete and trainto- win stage.
• Replace the bureaucrats in SAI with qualified professionals and ending the concept of deputing government officers and professionalizing the body by hiring the specialists on contractual basis with clearly defined roles.
• SAI should also be given full financial autonomy along with ways to raise resources to run their programs.
• The Taskforce also suggested that the sports person should be considered active only till the age of 28 years, after which they should be “reskilled” as a Coach or referee, depending on their national ranking.

10.2. NATIONAL SPORTS TALENT PORTAL

• The Government of India launched the National Sports Talent Search Portal.
• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in order to attract sporting talent from across the country.
• The portal is also available as a Mobile App, which can be downloaded on the smartphones.
• All interested citizens can apply online using the portal for various schemes of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) through a three step simple process.
• Eligible youth will be called for selection trials. The admission to the schemes will be subject to fulfillment of the eligibility criteria and battery of tests as well as skill tests.

10.3. YUVA-DELHI POLICE SKILL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
Why in news?
Recently YUVA initiative, a skill development programme under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana was
launched.

More about YUVA

• It aims to connect with youth by upgrading their skill as per their competencies. It will help them to get a gainful employment under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna.
• Under this scheme, the Delhi police will open up skill development centres at the police stations.
• Delhi Police has tied up with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• National Skill Development Corporation shall be providing skill training to the youth under (PMKVY) and CII will provide job linked training through its Sector Skill Councils which are connected to industry and thereby provide job guarantee.

• Youth in the age group of 17-25 years who belong to  categories such as School dropouts, Juvenile offenders, Victims of crimes and families in dire state due to incarceration of the bread earner of the family, mostly from the underprivileged colonies have been identified from 13 districts of Delhi.

Significance

• Such an initiative will improve the reputation of Police force and increase its social interaction with the common masses.
• It will give an opportunity to past offenders to start afresh and find jobs.
• It will increase employability among the youth.

10.4. 'SHEMEANSBUSINESS' PROGRAMME

• Recently Odisha Government launched SheMeansBusiness program to train women entrepreneur and Self Help Groups (SHGs).
• Under the Scheme, 25,000 women entrepreneurs and Self Help Groups will be provided training on Digital Marking skills within next one year free of cost.
• Facebook will also develop a database of entrepreneurs and track their growth, turnover and profit after one year.
• This is a joint venture between MSME Department, Directorate of Mission Shakti and Facebook.

10.5. OPERATION ALL-OUT

• Recently Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police has notified that Operation All-Out will continue till Kashmir is freed from violence and peace prevails.
• Operation All-Out was launched in March 2017 to counter the militant violent attacks in Kashmir.
• This Operation is based on planning and intelligence gathering.
• Around 130 local and 128 foreign militant groups have been identified as targets e.g. Hizbul Mujahideen, Al- Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba etc.
• So far, many top leaders of militant groups have been killed such as Abu Dujana, Sabzar Bhat, Junaid Mattoo, Bashir Lashkari
• Previously in December 2014, Operation All out was also launched by Government in violence hit Assam against Bodo Militants. The operation proved to be a massive success.

10.6. SUNREF HOUSING PROJECT
Recently National Housing Bank (NHB) along with French Development Agency (FDA) and the European Union,have joined hands to launch SUNREF housing project in India.

• SUNREF (Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Energy Finance) Housing India will provide financing of €112 million to NHB, through a credit line of €100 million and a grant of €12 million financed by the European Union. The credit facility and grant agreements were signed with the NHB in July 2017.

10.7. GOBINDOBHOG RICE: GI TAG
Why in news?

• Gobindobhog rice, a speciality from Burdwan district of West Bengal, has got the geographical indication (GI) status. The region of Burdwan is known as the rice bowl of Bengal.

What is GI tag?

• The GI tag is an indication that is definite to  a specific geographical territory. It is used for agricultural, natural and manufactured goods having special quality and established reputation.
• The GI tag is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection Act), 1999.
• This Act is administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is also the Registrar of Geographical Indications.
• The registration of a GI is valid for 10 years after which it needs to be renewed

10.8. MERGER OF NCRB WITH BPRD
Government has recently notified the merger of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) with Bureau of Police
Research and Development (BPRD).

• NCRB is an attached office to the Ministry of Home Affairs which was established in 1986 to empower Indian Police with the power of information Technology solutions and criminal intelligence to enforce the law effectively.
• BPRD was established in 1970 as a national police organisation to study, research and develop on subjects and issues related to policing.
• Reason for merger
  • boost crime data collection and research efforts
  • improve administrative efficiency
  • optimum utilisation of resources
  • Better outcome to crime data collected by NCRB and research work done by BPRD.