National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) was established in 1998, under Charitable Endowments Act 1890, vide Government of India Notification dated 12th November 1998.
The NSDF supports sportspersons to excel in the field by providing opportunities to train under coaches of international repute.
It also provides technical, scientific and psychological support and also in getting exposure to international competitions.
Financial assistance is also provided to specific projects for promotion of sports and games sponsored by reputed Organizations/Institutes, provided the facilities so created are made available to a sizeable population of the area/region.
The office of NSDF is located in Shastri Bhavan in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Small Grants Program
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Program was established in the year of the Rio Earth Summit 1992.
It provides financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people's well-being and livelihoods.
It demonstrates that community action can maintain the fine balance between human needs and environmental imperatives.
UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in implementing the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and financed Small Grants Program (SGP) in India since 1997.
The program provides grants of up to $50,000 directly to local communities including indigenous people, community-based organizations and other non-governmental group.
The SGP has been working extensively in the areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change and land degradation.
SGP in India aims to support the vulnerable communities through community led approaches towards environmental conservation and livelihoods enhancement.
Projects under the SGP are implemented through
National Host Institution – Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
NGO partners and stakeholders that has presence in different parts of the country.
National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research
The scheme of National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR) aims to support high level research, education and innovation with respect to high performance of elite athletes.
It was previously named as Indian Institute of Sports Sciences and Research (IISSR).
The scheme has two components:
Setting up of NCSSR and
Other is focused on creation of support to Sports Sciences Departments in 6 Universities and Sports Medicine Departments in 6 Medical Institutions.
Some of the aims and objectives of NCSSR Scheme are as follows
Application of scientific principles to the promotion, maintenance and enhancement of sporting performance.
Developing athletes to their maximum potential and to prolong their competitive sporting career.
Management and rehabilitation of sports injuries
Guru Padbmasambhava
Odisha Chief Minister unveiled a 19-foot-high statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Gajapati district recently
He is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
He is also known as second Buddha
Historians claim that Guru Padmasambhava was born and brought up in Odisha before he left for Tibet.
In Tibetan, Guru Padmasambhava is generally referred to as Guru Rinpoche, which means “precious master.”
Ratoon Cropping
Ratoon cropping is a form of cultivation in which a second crop is allowed to grow from the remains of one already harvested.
It is also called stubble cropping as the new plants grow from the stubble of the harvested crop.
Sugarcane, pineapple and banana are crops in which this method is practiced.
Ratooning cannot be used endlessly as the yield and quality decrease after each cycle.
In sugarcane, for example, two or three ratooning crops are possible, after which fresh planting has to be done.
CUTLASS Exercise
INS Trikand of the Indian Navy, participated in a multinational training exercise ‘CUTLASS EXPRESS – 19’.
The aim of the exercise was to improve law enforcement capacity, promote regional security and progress inter-operability between the armed forces of the participating nations.
The exercise was conducted for the purpose of interdicting illegal maritime activity in the Western Indian Ocean.
During the exercise, Naval, Coast Guard and Marine Police personnel from a number of East African countries were jointly trained by mentors from USA, India, and Netherlands.
It was conducted with support of international organizations like the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Combined Maritime Force (CMF) and European Naval Forces (EUNAVFOR).
