No proposal of privatization of Defence PSUs,OFB

The Centre has accredited a total of 236 academies across the country under Khelo India Scheme for the training of the Khelo India Athletes. In a written reply of question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur informed the initiative of Khelo India envisages support to national, regional and state sports academies. He said, under this scheme, 360 Khelo India Centres (KICs) and 24 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs) have been notified. The Minister said, under the State Level Khelo India Centre Scheme, his Ministry has decided to establish 1,000 Khelo India Centres across the country.Replying to another question, Thakur said, the government is taking care of training and competitive exposure to sportspersons preparing for international sports events including Olympics.He said, help being provided under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPs) with aim to customized training of medal prospects.

-The Manipur Government has decided to appoint Olympic Silver Medalist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu as Additional Superintendent of Police (Sports) in the Police Department.  While speaking to media persons on Monday in Imphal Chief Minister N. Biren Singh announced that Mirabai Chanu would also be rewarded with one crore rupees as announced by the government earlier. Moreover, the State Government had decided to establish a World Class Weightlifting Academy in the state soon.He said that all the Tokyo Olympic participants from Manipur would be given 25 lakh rupees each. Olympian Judoka Likmabam Sushila Devi would be promoted from the post of Constable to Sub-Inspector.The lone Judoka for Indian contingent was out of the game as she was defeated at the hand of Hungarian Eva Csernoviczki in the Elimination round.

-In West Bengal, a two-member Inquiry Commission, comprising retired Supreme Court Justice M.B. Lokur and former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya, has been set up to probe the reported interception through spyware.The decision was taken at a State Cabinet meeting on Monday in Kolkata.The commission would investigate the matter and submit its report to the State Government within six months. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later told reporters that West Bengal has become the first state to set up an Inquiry Commission over Pegasus row.

-In a major boost to agricultural produce exports from Uttarakhand, the first consignment of vegetables was dispatched to United Arab Emirates from Uttarakhand on Monday.The consignment included curry leaf, okra, pear and bitter gourd sourced from the farmers of Haridwar.Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been carrying out promotional activities to bring Uttarakhand on the agricultural and processed food products export map of India. Ministry of Commerce and Industry has said that APEDA is planning to provide financial assistance for setting up a pack house in Uttarakhand. It said that APEDA would continue to focus on the Uttarakhand region both in terms of capacity building, quality upgradation and infrastructure development by linking buyers to farmers through strengthening the entire supply chain of agricultural produce.

-Union Government has said that there is no proposal of privatization of Defence Public Sector Undertaking, DPSUs and Ordinance Factory Board, OFB which are under the administrative control of Department of Defence Production. This was stated by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.The Minister added that however, to enhance functional autonomy, efficiency and unleash new growth potential and innovation in Ordinance Factories, the Cabinet Committee on Security in its meeting held last month, has approved to convert the production units of OFB into seven DPSUs