Organizations in news | Current Affairs Compilation for UPSC Prelims 2022 | Nov. 2021 to March 2022

Dear Friends,

This post is a part of our current affairs series for the UPSC IAS Prelims 2022. In this series, we are covering important current affairs from the period July 2021 to 31st April 2022.

This post covers all the current affairs linked to important Organizations in news from Nov. 2021 to March 2022.

To Read Other Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC Prelims 2022 – Click here

Organizations in news

National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) 

News: The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) for three years. 

About the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) 

Type: It is a statutory body created as per the provisions of the NCSK Act, 1993. 

Tenure of the commission: It was initially set up in 1994 for three years. Later the validity of the Act was extended till 2004. However, the NCSK Act ceased to have effect from 2004. 

After that, the tenure of the NCSK has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time through resolutions. The tenure of the present Commission is up to 31st March 2022. 

Mandate of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) 

• Recommend the Government regarding specific programmes for welfare of Safai Karamcharis, 
• Study and evaluate the existing welfare programmes for Safai Karamcharis, 
• Investigate cases of specific grievance of Safai Karamcharis, 

• To study and monitor the working conditions of Safai Karamcharis,  
• Make reports to the Central or State Governments on any matter concerning Safai Karamcharis.
  

Moreover, as per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the NCSK has been assigned the following work: 

– To monitor the implementation of the Act 

– Tender advice for its effective implementation to the Centre and State Governments, and enquire into complaints regarding contravention/non-implementation of the provisions of the Act.   

Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) 

News: The Union government has asked the States to share more intelligence inputs through the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC).  

About the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) 

It is a common counter-terrorism grid under the Intelligence Bureau. It was made operational in 2001 following the Kargil War. 

Purpose: It is the nodal agency for the exchange of intelligence collected by various agencies and police forces across the country. 

Headquarters: The national-level MAC is located in Delhi, while state capitals have subsidiary MACs (SMACs) where daily meetings are held to analyse inputs received in the previous 24 hours. 

Note: Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) is different from Crime Multi-Agency Centre (Cri-MAC). Cri-MAC was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2020 to share information between various police forces on heinous crimes and other issues related to interstate coordination. 

National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) 

News: National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) has regained the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation. 

About the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) 

NDTL is a premier analytical testing & research organization established as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It is the only laboratory in the country responsible for human sports dope testing.  

Significance of NDTL getting back the accreditation 

NDTL accreditation was suspended in 2019 because of its failure to comply with global standards. 

During the suspension period, urine samples collected by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) were being sent primarily to the WADA-accredited lab in Doha. 

The process had made the anti-doping programme very expensive for the country because of the significant cost involved in sending samples abroad. 

Hence, getting back the accreditation will reduce the cost and will be a boost to India’s efforts to achieve the highest global standards of excellence in sport.  

Global Center of Excellence in Affordable and Clean Energy (GCoE-ACE) 

News: A virtual function was held to mark the launch of the Global Centre of Excellence in Affordable and Clean Energy (GCoE-ACE) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad (IITDh), Karnataka. 

About Global Centre of Excellence for Affordable and Clean Energy (GCoE-ACE) 

Aim: To boost research in affordable and clean energy. 

Partners: Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Govt. of India; Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF), SELCO Foundation, and IIT Dharwad. 

Supported by: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) donation from HHSIF. 

Geological Survey of India (GSI) 

News: Geological Survey of India (GSI) celebrated its 172nd Foundation Day. 

About Geological Survey of India (GSI) 

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was set up in 1851. Currently, it is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines. 

Purpose: It was primarily set up to find coal deposits for the Railways. Over the years, GSI has grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country. 

Functions: To create and update national geoscientific information and mineral resource assessment. These functions are achieved through ground surveys, air-borne and marine surveys, mineral prospecting, seismotectonic study and carrying out fundamental research. 

Significance: It is the second-oldest survey organization in India, after Survey of India (founded in 1767). 

Headquarters: GSI is headquartered in Kolkata. It has six regional offices located in Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. 

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 

News: Union Minister of Home Affairs attended the 37th Foundation Day celebrations of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) as the Chief Guest in New Delhi. 

About National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 

It was established in 1986. It is an Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL). 

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) 

Headquarters: New Delhi 

Initiatives undertaken by NCRB 

Reports: NCRB brings out three annual reports i.e. Crime in India, Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India and Prison Statistics India. These reports are principal reference points for police officers, researchers, media & policymakers. 

Central fingerprint bureau: The World’s First fingerprint Bureau was set up in Calcutta in 1897. A CFPB was established at Shimla in 1905. However, it was closed in 1922 as a result of the retrenchment proposals of the Inchcape Committee.  

The Present CFPB came into existence in 1955 under the administrative control of the Intelligence Bureau at Delhi. It was relocated to Kolkata in 1956.  The administrative control of CFPB shifted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 1973, and since 1986, this has been under the administrative control of NCRB. 

Other initiatives: Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) and Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) project  

Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) 

News: The Government has constituted a 20-member Empowered Group of Secretaries to monitor the development and implementation of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP). 

About the Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) 

Chaired by: It is a 20 member body chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. 

Members: It will include the chairman of the Railway Board and secretaries from various ministries as its members. 

Secretariat: The Logistics division in the Department of Commerce will act as the Secretariat to the Group. 

The mandate of EGoS: The terms of reference for the Empowered Group are, 

• Review and monitor implementation of the NMP to ascertain the logistics efficiency, 
• Adopt a framework for undertaking any amendments to the NMP, 
• Coordinate any changes to the projects already included in the NMP, 
• Set a timeframe for synchronisation of various activities for construction of roads, railways along with all utility services in an area-based approach, 
• Issue appropriate directions for achieving the objectives under NMP, 

• Address demand-side requirements such as transporting bulk goods based on the requirement of various ministries. 

National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) 

News: The Government of India has appointed eight judicial and ten technical members at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). 

About NCLT 

It is a quasi-judicial body constituted under Section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013 in 2016. It was established based on the recommendation of the V. Balakrishna Eradi committee on the law relating to insolvency and the winding up of companies. 

Purpose: The tribunal deals with matters mainly related to companies law and insolvency law. 

Term of Members: The Companies Act fixes the term of office of chairperson and members of all NCLTs at five years or 65 years, whichever is earlier. 

Appeals: Decisions of the NCLT may be appealed to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). The decisions of NCLAT may further be appealed to the Supreme Court of India on a point of law. 

Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) 

News: A two day National Symposium on “Transforming Human Resource Development in the context of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020” took place recently. During the event, experts called for aligning RCI activities and programmes to transform the Human Resource in the field of special education and disability rehabilitation. 

About RCI  

It was initially set up as a registered society in 1986. In 1992, the Rehabilitation Council of India Act was enacted by Parliament, and it became a Statutory Body in 1993. 

Functions of RCI 

1. To develop, standardize and regulate training programmes/ courses at various levels in the field of Rehabilitation and Special Education. 
2. To maintain the Central Rehabilitation Register for qualified professionals/ personnel and promote research in Special Education. 
3. To take punitive action against unqualified persons delivering services to persons with disabilities. 

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) 

News: Finance Minister releases postage stamp to commemorate distinguished service and contribution of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in protecting the nation. 

About DRI 

It is the apex anti-smuggling agency of India, constituted in 1957. It works under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Ministry of Finance. 

Mandate: It is tasked with detecting and curbing smuggling of contraband, including drug trafficking and illicit international trade in wildlife and environmentally sensitive items. It is also responsible for combating commercial frauds related to international trade and evasion of Customs duty. 

DRI has also been designated as the lead agency for the Anti-Smuggling National Coordination Centre (SCord). 

Note: Central board of Indirect taxes (CBIC) is the nodal national agency responsible for administering Customs, GST, Central Excise, Service Tax & Narcotics in India. It is part of the Department of Revenue under Union Ministry of Finance. It is headquartered in New Delhi.