NATIONAL AIR SPORTS POLICY 2022

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched National Air Sports Policy to promote sports events like aerobatics, hot-air ballooning, and paragliding.

POTENTIAL OF AIR SPORTS ECOSYSTEM IN INDIA.

• The air sports ecosystem in India has the potential to generate over 1 lakh direct jobs and generate annual revenue of Rs 10,000 crore.
• Besides the economic benefits, the sector is also expected to boost tourism, travel, infrastructure, and employment, especially in the hilly areas.
• The main aim is to promote the sector by providing a safe, affordable, accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable air sports ecosystem.
• The idea behind National Air Sports Policy 2022 is to engage migratory air sports professionals who move away from prominent air sports locations, especially during the winter season.

FEATURE OF NATIONA AIR SPORTS POLICY

• The aim of the National Air Sports Policy 2022 is to make India one of the top air sports nations by 2030.
• The policy document defines air sports as sports activity involving the medium of air.
• To govern the aero sports the four-tier structure will be established with the Air Sports Federation of India as the apex body.
• The Air Sports Federation will be an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• It listed 11 games under the category which includes aerobatic, aero modeling, rocketry, ballooning, amateur-built and experimental aircraft, and various other game.
• The safety standard for equipment, infrastructure, personnel, and training as per global best practices for the respective sport should be laid down by Air Sports Associations.
• An accident related to air sports has to be reported to the concerned air sports association in writing along with a copy to the ASFI within 48 hours.
• All people and organizations engaged in air sports have to compulsorily register as members of the Air Sports Association.
• To promote air sports activity the govt is likely to advocate for 5% or less of GST on equipment which presently is 18 to 28%.
• Any violation of the rule laid out by the policy will attract penalties up to a maximum of Rs 50,000.

OTHER GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

• Khelo India Programme – It has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in the country.
• National Sports Development Fund – Established in 1998 to help sportspeople with necessary aid to excel and to develop sports infrastructure.
• Sports Authority of India training centers scheme – To groom the Junior Level sportsperson in the age group of 12-18years.
• Khelo India Youth Game – This is a multidisciplinary grassroots game held for under 17 school students and under 21 college students.
• Special Area Game Scheme – This is to identify sporting talents in the age of 10-18years from the backward, hilly, and tribal areas of the country.

There is a need to utilize the energy of Indian youth below the age of 35 years who account for 70 per cent of the population of India, which is larger than the population of many countries.

FINANCIAL ACTION TASK FORCE

Pakistan got a respite from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as FATF announced that the country could be removed from the grey list. FATF is going to decide whether to take Pakistan off the ‘grey’ list at the end of its plenary session in Berlin in October.

Pakistan has been on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list since June 2018.

WHAT IS FATF

• It is an inter-governmental body that frames international standards seeking to prevent international financial crimes that aid terrorism.
• It was established in July 1989 by a G-7 Summit in Paris, initially to examine and build measures to combat money laundering.

• After the 9/11 attacks, the organization in October 2001 expanded its area to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing.
• In April 2012, it also added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
• Over 200 jurisdictions around the world have committed to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations through the global network of nine FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRB) and FATF memberships.

Composition:

• It currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and two regional organizations which are European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council, representing most major financial centers in all parts of the globe.
• India has been a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) since 2010.
• India is also a member of its regional partners, the Asia Pacific Group (APG) and the Eurasian Group (EAG).

Headquarters:

Its Secretariat is located at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) headquarters which is in Paris.

Lists under Financial Action Task Force (FATF):

• Grey List:

Countries that are considered a safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are given the Financial Acition Task Force (FATF) grey list.

The inclusion in the grey list serves as a warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.

• Black List:

Countries that are identified as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) are put on the blacklist. These countries support terror funding and money laundering activities.

The FATF revises the blacklist and grey list regularly by adding or deleting entries.

Right now, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are under High-risk Jurisdiction or black list. It always meets three times a year.

Why Pakistan is on the grey list???

The “grey list” is also known as the “increased monitoring list”.

Countries in Grey List:

• As of March 2022, there have been 23 countries on the FATF’s increased monitoring list or the grey list. To be removed from the grey list, a country has to complete the tasks recommended by the FATF
• If the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is completely satisfied with the progress, it removes the country from the grey list most recently Zimbabwe was taken away from the grey list, and before that Botswana and Mauritius.
• In the case of Pakistan, it first entered the list in 2008, then removed, and then was on it from 2012 to 2015. Since 2018, it has not been removed from the grey list.
• The Financial Action Task Force issued the 27-point action plan after placing Pakistan on the ‘Grey List’ in June 2018.

IMPACT ON ECONOMY DUE TO GREY LIST

• It signals to the global financial and banking system about increased risks in transactions with the country which has been put on a grey list.
• The grey-listed country faces complications in accessing international lending, especially from the world bank and the IMF.