WHAT IS OPERATION OLIVIA AND 'KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY MISSION'? HOW RDSO BECAME INDIA'S FIRST SDO? 

WHAT IS OPERATION OLIVIA AND 'KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY MISSION'? HOW RDSO BECAME INDIA'S FIRST SDO? 

WHAT IS OPERATION OLIVIA?

Recently, Coast Guard has enforced laws and launched Operation Olivia to protect Olive Ridley Turtles in Odisha.

Operation Olivia was first launched by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in the early 1980s. This operation helps protect the Olive Ridley turtles every year when they start nesting on the Odisha coast for breeding in November to December.

Under this, Coast Guard assets such as Fast Patrol Vessels, Interceptor Crafts, Air Cushion Vessels, and Dornier Aircraft are monitored round the clock from November to May.

Current Scenario

Between November 2020 and May 2021, the Coast Guard has dedicated 225 ship days and 388 aircraft hours. They have protected 3.49 lakh turtles.

Olive Ridley

Olive Ridley tortoises are listed as vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Sea turtles found in India are included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They are also listed in Appendix I of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora.

These collective nests are called Arribada. Gahirmatha, Astaranga Coast, Devi River estuary, and Rushikulya are the 4 Arribada sites of the Odisha coast in India.

What is a KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY MISSION?

Kerala launches 'Knowledge Economy Mission'. The Government of Kerala has launched a 'Knowledge Economic Mission' to boost job prospects by supporting knowledge workers.

Key Points

The initiative was announced in the state budget on June 4. The Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) was being led by the Kerala Development, and they will submit a comprehensive project report before July 15.

Knowledge-Economy Mission

The project will be launched to bring the ongoing efforts to employ educated people and support 'knowledge workers' under a program.

Plans will be made to provide basic amenities and social security system for knowledge workers working close to their homes and interacting with employers.

For innovation and funding purposes, a 'Knowledge Economy Fund' will be created. Knowledge-Economy Fund has increased from ₹200 crores to ₹300 crores to promote skills and strengthen the higher education system and technological transformation.

Kerala Digital Workforce Management System

Kerala Digital Workforce Management System was established by APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. It has registered more than 27,000 job aspirants to date.

This system is a sub-mission of the Kudumbashree Mission. It provides training to workers and officers of K-DISC and the Additional Skill Acquisition Program (ASAP).

HOW RDSO BECAME INDIA'S FIRST SDO? 

RDSO became India's first Standard Development Organization (SDO)

The Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) wing of Indian Railways has become the first institute in India to be declared a Standards Development Organization.

Key Points

The Standard Development Organization has been tagged under the "One Nation One Standard" mission of the Bureau of Indian Standards.

• According to the Ministry of Railways, this is a unique initiative by the two organizations under which the Government of India will prepare a blueprint for the rest of India's premier research and standard development organizations to adopt such standards.
• BISlaunched the 'National Standards Body 'scheme to achieve the government's vision of "One Nation One Standard."
• The National Standards Body Scheme also provides for the “Recognition of SDOs.”

National Standards Body Scheme

BIS has launched this scheme intending to consolidate and integrate the existing capabilities and dedicated domain-specific expertise available with various organizations in India engaged in the development of standards in specific areas.

RDSO 

RDSO in Lucknow is the only research and design wing of the Ministry of Railways. It is India's leading standard-setting body that undertakes standardization work for the railway sector.

What is meant by SDO accreditation?

With the accreditation of SDO (Standard Developing Organization), the standard building processes of RDSO (Research Design & Standards Organization) will become more focused on consensus-based decision making. It will comprehensively engage all the stakeholders like industry, academia, testing houses, users, recognized laboratories, etc., in making standards from the initial stages.

With this tag, competition among industries will increase, resulting in cost reduction and quality improvement.

It will also reduce import dependency and give a boost to the Make in India initiative.