current affairs october 2018 - Exambazaar.com

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CURRENT AFFAIRSCURRENT AFFAIRSOCTOBER 2018OCTOBER 2018

Important Current Affairs for IAS, SSC, Bank, RRB and Other

Government Exams

WITH SYNOPSISWITH SYNOPSIS

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Current Affairs Digest Oct 2018


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APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

01 Oct Gita Gopinath appointed IMF Chief Economist

02 Oct Facebook appoints Adam Mosseri as Instagram Head

02 Oct IMF, World Bank, OECD all have female Chief Economists

02 Oct Altico Capital India elevates Naina Lal Kidwai to Chairman's post

04 Oct Indian American Rita Baranwal to head US nuclear energy division

04 Oct Chanda Kochhar quits ICICI Bank, Sandeep Bakhshi to succeed as MD, CEO

04 Oct Arkady Dvorkovich is new FIDE president

04 Oct Srinivasan Swamy is new IAA chairman

05 Oct Justice Surya Kant takes oath as Himachal Chief Justice

05 Oct Rakesh Sharma to become MD, CEO of IDBI Bank for 6 months

05 Oct PS Narasimha resigns as Additional Solicitor General

06 Oct Brett Kavanaugh wins US Supreme Court fight

06 Oct Pravin Srivastava appointed as India's third Chief Statistician

09 Oct Former SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya joins ChrysCapital

10 Oct Tushar Mehta appointed as the new Solicitor General of India

10 Oct AirAsia India appoints Tata group veteran Sunil Bhaskaran as MD and CEO

10 Oct RBI board gets two new directors - Sachin Chaturvedi and Revathy Iyer

11 Oct HDFC Bank appoints Vinay Razdan as Chief Human Resources Officer

11 Oct Bank of Baroda's MD and CEO P S Jayakumar gets one-year extension

17 Oct Armenian PM Nikol Pashinian resigns to trigger snap election

17 Oct PepsiCo India announces Viraj Chouhan as Chief Communications Officer

17 Oct MJ Akbar's resignation accepted by Prime Minister

18 Oct Coca-Cola names Brian Smith as COO from January

18 Oct Nestle's Asia Chief Martello quits to join as Unilever CEO

19 Oct Facebook hires PM Nick Clegg as Global Affairs Head

20 Oct Dr. Lotay Tshering wins in Bhutan general election

22 Oct Goldman names Todd Leland new Asia investment banking head

22 Oct Cameroon's Paul Biya wins seventh presidential term

23 Oct K.N. Radhakrishnan elevated to Director and CEO of TVS Motors

24 Oct CBI Row: Verma, Asthana sent on leave, Nageswar Rao takes interim charge as Director




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24 Oct Wipro appoints ex-SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya as independent Director

24 Oct Patil new CJ of Bombay HC, five High courts get new chief justices

24 Oct Saurabh Kumar appointed India's envoy to Myanmar

25 Oct Indian-American Neil Chatterjee appointed chairman of FERC

25 Oct Paytm Payments Bank appoints ex-SBI official Satish Gupta as MD, CEO

25 Oct Bangladesh Army appoints Susane Giti as first woman Major General

26 Oct Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe replaced with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa

27 Oct IRS officer SK Mishra appointed as Enforcement Directorate chief

29 Oct Jair Bolsonaro wins Brazil presidential race

29 Oct Angela Merkel to quit as German chancellor in 2021

30 Oct Aditya Puri re-appointed as MD and CEO of HDFC Bank

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

01 Oct Sports Spain's Ana Carrasco makes history as first female world moto champion

01 Oct Sports Manu Bhaker named India's flag-bearer at Youth Olympic Games

01 Oct People James P. Allison, Tasuku Honjo win Nobel Prize for Medicine

01 OctBusiness and

Economy12 Indian firms in Forbes' best regarded companies list

01 Oct People PM Modi, French President to receive Champions of the Earth Award

01 Oct National Vayoshreshtha Samman 2018 conferred on Oct 1 International Day of Older Persons

02 Oct National Maharishi Dayanand cleanest Govt University under HEI Swachhata Ranking Awards 2018

02 Oct People Actor Lakshmi awarded Karnataka's Dr. Rajkumar Award for lifetime achievement

02 Oct People US Congressional Gold Medal to be posthumously awarded to Gandhi

02 Oct People Ashkin, Mourou, Strickland win Nobel Prize in Physics

03 Oct People Winter, Arnold, Smith win Nobel Chemistry Prize

04 Oct

Science,

Technology,

Environment

Haryana Best State in Swachh Survekshan Grameen Awards 2018

04 OctBusiness and

EconomyMukesh Ambani emerges richest Indian for 11th consecutive year

04 Oct Sports Prithvi Shaw becomes the second youngest Indian to score a century in Tests

05 Oct Sports Virat Kohli quickest to 24th Test century after Bradman

05 Oct










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05 Oct People Nobel Peace Prize goes to Congolese Dr. Denis Mukwege, Yazidi rights activist Nadia Murad

06 Oct Sports KV Kaushal hits first double century in Hazare Trophy

08 Oct Sports Youth Olympics 2018: Thangjam Tababi Devi's silver India's first judo medal

08 Oct People Nobel Economics Prize awarded to William D. Nordhaus, Paul M. Romer

08 Oct National ESIC wins ‘ISSA GOOD Practice Award, Asia and the Pacific 2018’

08 Oct Sports Asian Para Games 2018: Javelin thrower Sandeep smashes world record

09 Oct Sports Para Asian Games: Bhyan, Thakur and Narwal wins 3 more gold medals

09 Oct Sports Manu Bhaker claims India's first ever gold in shooting at Youth Olympics

10 Oct Sports Asian Para Games 2018: Gold for archer Harvinder Singh

11 Oct International World Bank 'Human Capital' rankings: Singapore, S Korea take top spots

11 Oct People J-K policeman Naik given 'Shaurya Chakra' posthumously

12 Oct People Guadeloupean author Maryse Conde wins alternative Nobel

12 Oct National India elected to influential UN rights council with highest number of votes

12 Oct People Young Innovator Award for Jawwad Patel from Hyderabad

13 Oct People Assam Police officer Lohit Sonowal awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously

15 Oct People MoD dedicates DRDO website to former president APJ Abdul Kalam

17 Oct Books & Authors Anna Burns wins Man Booker Prize with Troubles tale 'Milkman'

19 Oct People Minal Patel Davis awarded Presidential award for combating human trafficking

19 Oct People Piyush Goyal to receive Carnot Prize for rural electrification effort

19 OctBusiness and

EconomyIndia slips one spot to become ninth most valuable nation brand

20 OctRegional and

StateKulgod wrested the best village tag by MoRD

21 Oct Sports Delhi Half Marathon: Gemechu smashes women's record, Belihu wins men's

22 Oct Sports Punia wins silver, becomes first Indian with two World Wrestling Championship Medals

22 Oct International World War I Memorial for Indian soldiers in France to open on Nov 10

23 OctBusiness and

EconomyInvest India wins UN award for investments in sustainable development

24 Oct People Karnataka's Maharishi Valmiki award for Ex-PM HD Deve Gowda

24 Oct People Nag, Panjabi, Gawande named in Time Magazine's Health Care 50 2018 list

24 Oct People Innovator Sonam Wangchuk awarded honorary D.Litt degree by Symbiosis

24 Oct Books & Authors 'To Kill a Mockingbird' chosen as best-loved novel in US

People PM Modi awarded the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize










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24 Oct

24 Oct People Kohli becomes the fastest to score 10,000 ODI runs

25 Oct Books & Authors Malayali author Benyamin's 'Jasmine Days' wins first JCB Prize for literature

25 Oct

Science,

Technology,

Environment

Making water from air wins the Hertz couple USD 1.5 million XPrize

25 Oct PeopleTagore Award for Cultural Harmony for 2014 (Rajkumar Singh), 2015 (Chhayanaut) and 2016

(Sutar)

25 Oct

Science,

Technology,

Environment

Indian nuclear reactor at Kaiga sets world record of 895 day run

25 Oct NationalIndia wins Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management Award,

2018

25 Oct International World's largest airport to open in Istanbul

26 Oct People Pakistani lawyer Asma Jahangir wins UN Human Rights Prize posthumously

26 OctBusiness and

EconomyBEML received Top Challengers, Best Mining Equipment Seller Award 2018

28 Oct Sports Roger Federer beats Marius Copil to win 99th title in Basel

28 Oct Sports Kenyan Abraham Kiptum sets new half-marathon best time

29 Oct Sports Hamilton wins F1 title, Verstappen wins Mexican Grand Prix

29 OctBanking

AwarenessIndia tops as Asia's most Investment Savvy Economy

30 Oct

Science,

Technology,

Environment

Parker Solar Probe smashes record for closest approach to Sun: NASA

31 Oct Sports Advani first to win Asian snooker title

IMPORTANT DATES

01 Oct National Vayoshreshtha Samman 2018 conferred on Oct 1 International Day of Older Persons

05 Oct International October 5: World celebrates International Teachers' Day

07 Oct Defence Air Force Day 2018 on Oct 8

09 Oct International World Post Day on October 9

09 Oct National National Postal Week 9th – 15th October

13 Oct International World Egg Day on Oct 12

15 Oct West Bengal CM praises 'Anandadhara' on Oct 15 'International Day of Rural Women'










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Regional and

State

16 OctBusiness and

EconomyWorld Food Day: Modi government building ecosystem for ‘Agripreneurs’

23 Oct

Science,

Technology,

Environment

3rd Decadal International Year of Reefs 2018

25 Oct International World's largest airport to open in Istanbul

26 Oct National Vigilance Awareness Week 2018 to be observed from 29th Oct-3rd Nov

27 Oct Defence Indian Army's Central Command celebrates Infantry Day

30 OctRegional and

StateClean Air Week from 1st to 5th November to control pollution in Delhi

31 Oct National Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Rathore flag off 'Run for Unity' in Delhi










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1. National

GOVERNMENT POLICIES & SCHEMESGOVERNMENT POLICIES & SCHEMES

01 Oct G ram Panchayat Dev elo pm ent Plan to be prepared under Sabki Yo jana, Sabka VikasG ram Panchayat Dev elo pm ent Plan to be prepared under Sabki Yo jana, Sabka Vikas

Under ‘Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas’ Campaign from 2nd October to 31st December 2018, structured

Gram Sabha meetings will be held for preparing Gram Panchayat Development Plan for the next

financial year 2019-2020.

P O INTS TO NO TEP O INTS TO NO TE

The Gram Panchayat Development Plan aims to strengthen the role of 31 lakh elected Panchayat leaders and 2.5 crore

SHG Women under DAY-NRLM in effective gram sabha. There will be a Public Information Campaign of all

programmes in Gram Panchayat office and on Gram Samvad App.

The structured Gram Sabha meetings will have presentations by frontline workers/supervisors on 29 sectors –

Agriculture, Land improvement, Minor irrigation, Animal husbandry, Fisheries, Social Forestry etc.

As part of this Campaign, it is also proposed to complete the exercise of Mission Antodaya (MA) data collection in

respect of all Gram Panchayats.

04 Oct Cabinet appro v es establ ishm ent o f Mental Health Centre in Seho reCabinet appro v es establ ishm ent o f Mental Health Centre in Seho re

Cabinet has approved, in partial modification of the earlier decision taken on 16.05.2018, the

establishment of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) in Sehore District

(Bhopal-Sehore highway) instead of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.


NIMHR will be the first of its kind in the country in the area of mental health rehabilitation.

It will serve as an institution of excellence for capacity building in human resource and research in the area

of mental health rehabilitation, and also recommending body suggesting models/protocols for effective

rehabilitation of persons with mental illness.










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04 Oct 'Digi Yatra' Bio m etr ic-based digital pro cessing at airpo rts released'Digi Yatra' Bio m etr ic-based digital pro cessing at airpo rts released

Air passengers can soon use facial recognition technology to enter any airport in the country under

the recently unveiled Digi Yatra initiative.


The civil aviation ministry is looking to make ticket booking, airport entry and boarding pass security check-in digital.

The technology will soon be operational at Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports. The Airports Authority of India (AAI)

plans to roll out the initiative at Kolkata, Varanasi, Pune and Vijayawada airports by April next year.

Centralised registration system for passengers and each of them would get a unique ID on booking the tickets. A

biometrics-based digital processing system for passenger entry and related requirements at the airport using the ID

will be facilitated.

06 Oct EC launches ‘ cVigi l ’ App to curb po l l fraudstersEC launches ‘ cVigi l ’ App to curb po l l fraudsters

The Election Commission launched this mobile application for citizens to share proof of malpractices

by political parties, candidates and activists would be available for use ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha

elections.


It provides facilities for uploading geo-tagged photographic and video evidence, which can also be done without

disclosing the sender’s identity.

The evidence will be sent to a control room, which will then alert the field units and flying squads for immediate

action.

The Commission had launched the application’s beta version in July, following a pilot project in Bengaluru in the run-

up to the Karnataka Assembly polls in May.

07 Oct Aadhaar m ust fo r seek ing t reatm ent under AB-PMJAY 2nd t im eAadhaar m ust fo r seek ing t reatm ent under AB-PMJAY 2nd t im e

Aadhaar is not mandatory to avail benefits for the first time under the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan

Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) scheme.


In case the Aadhaar number is not available, beneficiaries have to at least provide documents to prove that they have

enrolled for the 12-digit unique identity number.

Under the scheme, the government will provide a coverage of ₹5 lakh per family annually, for secondary and tertiary

care hospitalisation.










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09 Oct UIDAI plans Aadhaar Sev a Kendras in 53 cit iesUIDAI plans Aadhaar Sev a Kendras in 53 cit ies

These new centres will be run on the model of Passport Seva Kendras and will be operational from

2019.


The centres are aimed at offering convenience to individuals looking to avail Aadhaar enrolment and updates.

services.

The list of cities where these centres will come up include Agra, Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Amritsar, Bhopal,

Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Dehradun, Goa, Guwahati, Hubli, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kota and

Lucknow, Mumbai amongst others.

13 Oct Ho using Minist ry no t ifies m o dified Land Po o ling Po licyHo using Minist ry no t ifies m o dified Land Po o ling Po licy

The modified land policy aims at developing smart and sustainable neighborhoods. It would be

applicable in the urbanizable areas of urban extensions in 95 villages of Delhi.


A Single Window System is being created for implementation of policy in DDA. All processes of receiving applications,

verifications, grant of approvals and licenses, etc. shall be online and will be completed in a time bound manner.

A two-stage Grievance Redressal Mechanism within DDA has been introduced for clear operationalization and

implementation of the policy.

14 Oct Passengers can fi le 'Zero FIR ' thro ugh m o bile app fro m o nbo ard t rainsPassengers can fi le 'Zero FIR ' thro ugh m o bile app fro m o nbo ard t rains

The passenger now need not wait for the next station to lodge a complaint, passengers can also

complain offline on this app and will be immediately investigated by the RPF. The app will also

have a panic button for women in distress.


This project under which complaints of harassment, theft and crime against women can be lodged through a

mobile application is already ongoing in Madhya Pradesh and will be replicated across the country soon.

Zero-FIR means that an FIR can be filed in any police station (i.e.: irrespective of place of incident/jurisdiction) and the

same can be later transferred to the appropriate police station.










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16 Oct Mo U signed between Lady Irwin Co llege and Mo RD fo r ROSHNIMo U signed between Lady Irwin Co llege and Mo RD fo r ROSHNI

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural

Development and Lady Irwin College have signed a MoU for establishing ROSHNI – Centre of Women

Collectives led Social Action. ROSHNI is technically and financially supported by UNICEF India.


DAY-NRLM aims to reach out to 8-10 crore rural poor households in a time bound manner, and, stay engaged with

them till they come out of abject poverty.

This is also referred to DAY-NRLM’s Dashasutra (10 principles) strategy. Since launch, 5.39 crore women have been

mobilised for SHGs and over 47 lakh SHGs created.

A model that brings the much needed undiluted focus on women’s nutrition and demonstrates layering of FHNW

interventions on DAY-NRLM platforms is Swabhimaan. Launched in 2016, it is a collaborative initiative of DAY- NRLM

and UNICEF India in five poorest DAY-NRLM resource blocks in four districts of three Indian states: Bihar, Chhattisgarh

and Odisha.

17 Oct Child sexual abuse v ict im can fi le a co m plaint at any t im e: WCD Minist ryChild sexual abuse v ict im can fi le a co m plaint at any t im e: WCD Minist ry

The Ministry of Law after examining the provisions of POCSO Act with regard to provisions of CrPC

has advised that there appears no period of limitation of time or age mentioned in Section 19 in

regard to reporting of the offences under the POCSO Act, 2012.


Now any victim, at any age, can complain the sexual abuse faced by him/her as a child. Victims can report the cases

through POCSO e-Box.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), came into force on 14 Nov 2012, defines a child as any

person below the age of 18 years and provides protection to all children under the age of 18 years from the

offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography.











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24 Oct G o v ernm ent co nst itutes G o M to prev ent sexual harassm ent at wo rkplaceG o v ernm ent co nst itutes G o M to prev ent sexual harassm ent at wo rkplace

The GoM will recommend action required for effective implementation of the existing provisions, as

well as for strengthening the existing legal and institutional frameworks for addressing issues related

to sexual harassment at workplace.


The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act is the key legislation for

preventing and protecting women against sexual harassment in the workplace.

The Ministry of Women & Child Development has also launched an Electronic Complaints Box (She-Box) that enables

women, irrespective of their work status, to raise their voice against sexual harassment at workplace.

25 Oct MHRD launches IMPRESS , SPARC to pro m o te science, so cial science researchMHRD launches IMPRESS , SPARC to pro m o te science, so cial science research

The Centre announced the formal launch of two schemes to promote higher education research in

India: IMPRESS, dealing with social science and SPARC, involving foreign collaboration mainly in

science research, coordinated by IIT Kharagpur.


Imp act f u l P o l i cy R esearch i n So ci a l Sc i en ces sch eme ( IM P R ESS )Imp act f u l P o l i cy R esearch i n So ci a l Sc i en ces sch eme ( IM P R ESS )

Selection would be merit-based from present and retired faculty from quality public and private institutions

Would entail ₹414 crore funding of 1500 projects on policy themes in the social sciences at the cost of ₹20-25

lakh per project

Scheme for P romotion o f Academic and Research Co l laborat ion (SP ARC)Scheme for P romotion o f Academic and Research Co l laborat ion (SP ARC) aims at improving the research

ecosystem of India’s higher educational institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between

Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world.

Those universities that are in the top 500 in QS or top 100 in NIRF — and departments in the top 200 in QS —

are eligible to participate

The research areas — where the selected teams of eight, a mix of top Indian and foreign institutions, would

undertake research — include fundamental research, advanced electronics, communication, structural

genomics and affordable healthcare, among others

Would entail a spending of ₹418 crore on 600 research proposals










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26 Oct Mo di ado pts fo ur v i l lages, asks o ther MPs at least ado pt threeMo di ado pts fo ur v i l lages, asks o ther MPs at least ado pt three

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), a scheme started by PM asking all MPs to adopt three

villages as for holistic development. A fter adopting Jayapur, Nagapur and Kakarhia villages, Modi

decided to also adopt Domari village on the banks of Ganga as a model village for holistic

development.


A total of 1448 villages have been adopted so far.

Four BJP MPs -- Udit Raj from Delhi, Chandu Lal Sahu from Chhattisgarh, and Ravindra Khushwaha and Hari Narayan

Rajbhar from Uttar Pradesh - have all adopted a fourth village now in their respective constituencies, taking a cue

from the PM.

Background: Background: SAGY was launched on October 11, 2014, with the objective of creating model gram panchayats in

different parts of the country with a special focus on enabling every poor household to come out of poverty. The

guidelines said that each MP, both from the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha will identify a gram sabha to be taken up

immediately and two gram sabhas a little later for development as Adarsh Grams by March 2019.

28 Oct NRIs can fi le RT I appl icat io ns no wNRIs can fi le RT I appl icat io ns no w

The ministry in its previous response had said, 'Only citizens of India have the right to seek

information under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005.'


They can file RTI applications to seek governance-related information, the government has said, correcting its earlier

stand.

Activist, Commodore (retired) Lokesh Batra, wrote to it pointing out that the transparency act allows every Indian to

seek information.

MOU'S / AGREEMENTSMOU'S / AGREEMENTS










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30 Oct Prim e Minister addresses the India-Italy Techno lo gy Sum m itPrim e Minister addresses the India-Italy Techno lo gy Sum m it

Modi announced the launch of the next phase of the India-Italy Industrial Research and Development

Cooperation program which will enable our industry and research institutes to develop new products.


Highlighting the Indian Space Program, he said that that India is now able to send space satellites of many countries

including Italy's and that it showcases India's capability of creating innovative solutions at low cost.

He also expressed happiness in the enhanced cooperation between India and Italy in the field of Life Style Accessories

Design, LAD. He added that special focus will be given for Leather sector and Transportation & Automobile Design ,

TAD.

COMMITTEES & MEETSCOMMITTEES & MEETS

05 Oct M/o Sk i l l Dev elo pm ent launches a Task Fo rce fo r Clo sing the Sk i l ls G apM/o Sk i l l Dev elo pm ent launches a Task Fo rce fo r Clo sing the Sk i l ls G ap

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched a Task Force bring together leaders from business,

Government, civil society, and the education and training sectors to accelerate the future-proofing of

education and training systems in the country, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.


Shri Pradhan also released reports on ‘Future of Work in India’, an enterprise survey on future of work in India and

‘Young India and Work’, a survey of youth aspirations in India.

The “Closing the Skills Gap” Task Force will be a significant step to accelerate the impact on skills development already

achieved by bringing together relevant stakeholders to act collectively.

The Task Force is the second country-led public-private collaboration of the World Economic Forum’s Closing the

Skills Gap Project after South Africa.

09 Oct '2nd Wo rld Co nference o n Access to Medical Pro ducts ' held'2nd Wo rld Co nference o n Access to Medical Pro ducts ' held

Shri J P Nadda inaugurated the 2nd World Conference on Access to Medical Products: Achieving the

SDGs 2030 to achieve all public health goals.


It will give people the access to medicines and ensure healthy lives and promote well-being of all people of all ages.

It will also promote regulatory and health collaboration among the countries of the South-East Asia Region.

Access to medical products and creating an enabling legal and trade environment for public health will help in

achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda.










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12 Oct India elected to influent ial UN r ights co unci l with highest num ber o f v o tesIndia elected to influent ial UN r ights co unci l with highest num ber o f v o tes

India received 188 votes, the highest polled by any of the 18 countries elected in the voting.


India's presence on the Council will be important because it will facilitate an international commission of inquiry into

allegations of human rights violation in Kashmir.

It pledged that it will continue to support international efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia

and related intolerance.

15 Oct India ranks 103 o n G lo bal Hunger IndexIndia ranks 103 o n G lo bal Hunger Index

India has been ranked at the 103rd position among 119 countries on the Global Hunger Index

prepared by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.


India is among the 45 countries that have "serious levels of hunger".

It ranks countries based on four key indicators

1. Undernourishment

2. Child mortality

3. Child wasting, and

4. Child stunting

India is ranked below many neighbouring countries, including China (25th spot), Nepal (72), Myanmar (68), Sri Lanka

(67) and Bangladesh (86). Pakistan is placed at the 106th position.

Zero is the best score and a reading above 100 is the worst.










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16 Oct G o v t launches 'Swastha Bharat Yatra' to create awareness abo ut safe fo o dG o v t launches 'Swastha Bharat Yatra' to create awareness abo ut safe fo o d

The campaign has been launched by the central government, in association with states, from

October 16 on occasion of the World Food Day. The The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

( FSSAI) is leading this campaign to create consumer awareness about eating safe and nutritious

food for becoming healthy.


In this campaign, over 7,500 volunteer cyclists and a convoy including the 'Eat Right Mobile Unit' and 'Mobile

Food Testing Unit' would stop at 2,000+ locations and conduct in-city and en-route activities to propagate the

message of 'Eat Right India' from October 16 to January 27,2019.

The 'Swasth Bharat Yatra' was launched simultaneously at Leh (in Jammu & Kashmir), Panaji (Goa),

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Puducherry, Ranchi ( Jharkhand) and Agarthala (Tripura).

The government is also making foods available at a cheaper rates to people through a public distribution system and

other welfare schemes with an annual subsidy of about Rs 2 lakh crore.

16 Oct NIT I Aayo g to launch guidel ines fo r PPP to t reat no n-co m m unicable diseasesNIT I Aayo g to launch guidel ines fo r PPP to t reat no n-co m m unicable diseases

The contribution of non-communicable diseases (NCD) to the overall disease burden in the country

has increased over the years. In the past many district hospitals in the country have focused mainly

on communicable diseases and reproductive and child health.


The NITI Aayog and MoHFW has worked with State Govts. and representatives from the healthcare industry to

develop the Model Concessionaire Agreements (MCA) to supplement efforts for the provision of prevention and

treatment services for non-communicable diseases (Cardiac Sciences, Oncology, and Pulmonary Sciences) at the

district hospital particularly especially in tier 2 & 3 cities.

21 Oct Perm anent AYUSH representat iv e o n WHO no w: Mo S Shripad NaikPerm anent AYUSH representat iv e o n WHO no w: Mo S Shripad Naik

He also informed that the institutes of Yoga and Naturopathy will be set up in various parts of the

country and that AYUSH has entered into MoUs with 12 countries in WHO on faculty teaching,

research and student exchange programme.


The institute of Yoga and naturopathy has already been set up in Jhajjar in Haryana while work on setting up a similar

facility is underway at Nagamanglam (Tamil Nadu).

An institute of naturopathy is coming up at Pune at Rs 1000 crore and The National Institute of Medicinal plant will be

set up in Vidarbha (Maharashtra).

Also AYUSH Mission is planning to set up hospitals, each having capacity of 50 beds, in all districts of the country.










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24 Oct CCI Po l icy No te o n ‘ Making Markets Wo rk fo r Affo rdable Healthcare’CCI Po l icy No te o n ‘ Making Markets Wo rk fo r Affo rdable Healthcare’

Major issues that affect the healthcare sector: (i) Information asymmetry in the

pharmaceutical/healthcare sector significantly restricts consumer choice (ii) shortage of healthcare

professionals owing to high cost of medical education and (iii) inadequacy in health insurance.


The Policy Note endeavours to determine the extent to which choice and competition can improve outcomes in Public

health delivery.

The key issues and recommendations are as: Ro le o f intermediaries in drug price bui ld - up, Ro le o f intermediaries in drug price bui ld - up, Q ual i tyQ ual i ty

perception behind pro l i ferat ion o f branded generics, perception behind pro l i ferat ion o f branded generics, V ert ical arrangements in heal thcare serv icesV ert ical arrangements in heal thcare serv ices

and Regulat ion and competi t ion.Regulat ion and competi t ion.

The Commission will continue to enforce antitrust rules in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector to ensure that

effective competition is not undermined in these markets.








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24 Oct Cabinet appro v es Adjudicat ing Autho rity fo r speedy dispo sal o f benam i casesCabinet appro v es Adjudicat ing Autho rity fo r speedy dispo sal o f benam i cases

Benami transaction refers to transactions made in a fictitious name, or the owner is not aware of the

ownership of the property, or the person paying for the property is not traceable.


The Union Cabinet has approved the appointment of Adjudicating Authority and establishment of Appellate Tribunal

under Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPT), 1988. Benches of Adjudicating Authority may sit in

Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.

The appointment of the Adjudicating Authority would provide first stage review of administrative action under the

PBPT Act.

Establishment of the proposed Appellate Tribunal would provide an appellate mechanism for the order passed by the

Adjudicating Authority under the PBPT Act.

The rules and all the provisions of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act came into force on November 1, 2016.

25 Oct President inaugurates Internat io nal Arya Mahasam m elan 2018 in DelhiPresident inaugurates Internat io nal Arya Mahasam m elan 2018 in Delhi

The President said that Swami Dayanand Saraswati had worked for eradication of discrimination in

society on the basis of caste, creed and sect and motivated everyone to become Arya – that is - the

best. It is our duty to take the work of Swami Dayanand Saraswati further.


The President was happy to note that this Mahasammelan with discuss on the issues such as prevention of

superstition, modernization, women empowerment, tribal welfare, and management of natural calamities

We will be celebrating 200th birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati in 2024 and also celebrate the 150th

anniversary of the Arya Samaj in 2025.

29 Oct G andhian Tho ught and Swachhata sem inar o rganized in WardhaG andhian Tho ught and Swachhata sem inar o rganized in Wardha

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) organized this seminar as a part of Gandhi's

150th birth year celebrations, c entered on the Gandhian ideology on sanitation and the

implementation of the same through the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).


The seminar included addresses on topics such as appropriate technologies in rural sanitation, organic waste

management, and preventive sanitation linked with Nai Talim and industrialization

An international medley version of “V aishnav a Jana Toh” , Gandhi j i ’s fav ouri te bhajan“V aishnav a Jana Toh” , Gandhi j i ’s fav ouri te bhajan , developed by the

Ministry of External Affairs and includes contribution by 124 countries was shared in the seminar.

Picking up from the Gandhian ideology on safe sanitation practices, Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission in

2014, which has shown significant progress with the rural sanitation coverage having increased from 39% to over 95%

today.










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OTHERSOTHERS

01 Oct Vayo shreshtha Sam m an 2018 co nferred o n Oct 1 Internat io nal Day o f O lder Perso nsVayo shreshtha Sam m an 2018 co nferred o n Oct 1 Internat io nal Day o f O lder Perso ns

India's VP M. Venkaiah Naidu conferred the 'Vayoshreshtha Samman 2018' on the eminent senior

citizens and institutions in recognition of their services towards the cause of the elderly persons


V ay oshreshtha SammanV ay oshreshtha Samman is a Scheme of National Awards instituted by D/o Social Justice & Empowerment initially

in 2005 and upgraded to the status of National Awards in 2013, for institutions involved in rendering distinguished

service for the cause of elderly persons especially indigent senior citizens and to eminent citizens in recognition of

their service/achievements.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to observe 1st O ctober, 1999 as the Internat ional1st O ctober, 1999 as the Internat ional

Year o f O lder P ersonsYear o f O lder P ersons and to promote the theme "A Society for All Ages".

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot said that in the year 2017, the Ministry has started a new programme 'Rashtriy aRashtriy a

V ay oshri Yo janaV ay oshri Yo jana ', which aims at providing physical aids and assistive living devices viz. wheel chairs, hearing aids,

spectacles, support sticks etc. to the older persons of below poverty line category. So far, more than 53000 senior

citizens have been benefitted under this Yojana.

02 Oct Maharishi Dayanand cleanest G o v t Univ ers ity under HEI Swachhata Ranking AwardsMaharishi Dayanand cleanest G o v t Univ ers ity under HEI Swachhata Ranking Awards

20182018

Out of 6,029 Higher Educational Institutions, the 51 best institutions were chosen in eight different

categories. Maharishi Dayanand University, Haryana was awarded the cleanest Government

University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu among Technical Institutions.


1. Tech n i ca l In st i t u t i o n s/U n i v ers i t i es (R esi d en t i a l ) : Tech n i ca l In st i t u t i o n s/U n i v ers i t i es (R esi d en t i a l ) : Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil

Nadu

2. Tech n i ca l C o l l ege (R esi d en t i a l ) : Tech n i ca l C o l l ege (R esi d en t i a l ) : Panimalar Engineering College, Tamil Nadu

3. Tech n i ca l C o l l ege (No n - R esi d en t i a l ) : Tech n i ca l C o l l ege (No n - R esi d en t i a l ) : Easwari Engineering College, Tamil Nadu

4. G o v ern men t U n i v ers i t i es : G o v ern men t U n i v ers i t i es : Maharishi Dayanand University, Haryana

5. U n i v ers i t y (R esi d en t i a l ) : U n i v ers i t y (R esi d en t i a l ) : Symbiosis International University, Maharashtra, followed by O.P. Jindal Global

University, Sonipat, Haryana

6. U n i v ers i t y (No n - R esi d en t i a l ) : U n i v ers i t y (No n - R esi d en t i a l ) : ITM University, Chhattisgarh

7. C o l l ege (R esi d en t i a l ) : C o l l ege (R esi d en t i a l ) : MCMDAV College for Women, Chandigarh

8. C o l l ege (No n - R esi d en t i a l ) : C o l l ege (No n - R esi d en t i a l ) : Sri Parasakhti College of Education for Women, Tamil Nadu










19



02 Oct Vice President inaugurates NHRC’ s Internat io nal Hum an Rights Co nclav eVice President inaugurates NHRC’ s Internat io nal Hum an Rights Co nclav e

National Human Rights Conclave is being organized as a part of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the

National Human Rights Commission.


The number of complaints received by the NHRC has risen from 496 in 1993 to 79,612 cases in 2018.

The International Conclave is aimed at providing the platform to the national human rights institutions of various

countries, global networks of NHRIs, government and non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders to

share their views and to deliberate on the road ahead on important human rights concerns.

07 Oct IndiaSki l ls 2018, the Co untry’ s biggest sk i l l co m pet it io n, co ncludesIndiaSki l ls 2018, the Co untry’ s biggest sk i l l co m pet it io n, co ncludes

India Skills 2018 was the second edition of the nationwide competition organized by the Ministry of

Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to identify, recognize, promote and reward the best talents

in various skills.


23 states actively participated in organizing the competitions at the state and regional levels in which over 50

thousand participants took part. 450 participants took part in the 3-day national level competition organized in New

Delhi.

08 Oct ES IC wins ‘ ISSA G OOD Pract ice Award, Asia and the Pacific 2018’ES IC wins ‘ ISSA G OOD Pract ice Award, Asia and the Pacific 2018’

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has won the ‘ISSA Good Practice Award’ for

Administrative Solution for Coverage Extension at the “Regional Social Security Forum for Asia and

the Pacific” held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia recently.


The award recognizes the measures taken by ESIC for extension of coverage-SPREE (Scheme for Promoting

Registration of Employers and Employees), reduced rate of contribution rates for 24 months in newly

implemented areas and raising the wage limit for coverage under the ESI Act, etc.

The ESI Corporation hosts ISSA Liaison Office for South Asia at New Delhi. The Liasion Office coordinates with

the Member countries and Social Security Institutions in Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Iran on

activities of ISSA related to social security.










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09 Oct India in bo tto m 10 o f Ox fam index o n effo rts to reduce ineq ualityIndia in bo tto m 10 o f Ox fam index o n effo rts to reduce ineq uality

India ranked 147 out of 157 countries, in terms of its commitment to reducing inequality, according to

the Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index developed by Oxfam and Development Finance

International.


The index ranks 157 countries on their policies on social spending, tax, and labour rights.

Denmark topped the list. South Korea, Namibia and Uruguay are taking strong steps to reduce inequality.

Nigeria, Singapore, India and Argentina are among a group of governments that are performing poorly.

09 Oct Nat io nal Po stal Week 9th – 15th Octo berNat io nal Po stal Week 9th – 15th Octo ber

With the nation-wide launch of 650 branches and 3250 access points, India Post Payments Bank

(IPPB), has become a banker to millions of unbanked and under-banked Indians.


More than 12 lakh IPPB accounts have been opened so far, with a balance of more than Rs. 13 crores. All the 1.55 lakh

Post Offices in the country will be linked to the IPPB system by December 31, 2018.

The Department has set up and operationalized 221 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) in partnership with

the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and processed more than 15 lakh passport appointments so far.

More than 1600 villages in the country have been covered under the Sampoorna Bima Gram (SBG) Yojana.

10 Oct Unio n Cabinet sanct io ns Rs 3, 074 cro re to set up 2 new IISERsUnio n Cabinet sanct io ns Rs 3, 074 cro re to set up 2 new IISERs

The permanent campuses of the new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) are

to be established in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh and Berhampur, Odisha.


Tirupati centre was part of Andhra Pradesh package while Berhampur centre was a budget announcement.

1,855 students will study in both the institutions that will be operational from December 21. Both the states have

given land for the construction of these campuses and the total cost is Rs 3,070.12 crore










21



10 Oct Shri Vi jay G o el inaugurates the Online Assurances Mo nito r ing SystemShri Vi jay G o el inaugurates the Online Assurances Mo nito r ing System

The Online Assurances Monitoring System (OAMS), developed by the Union Ministry of

Parliamentary Affairs, will make information regarding assurances paperless and available in digital

format.


All assurances being culled out by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs through e-Office would be reflected on this

system and various Ministries/Departments, Lok Sabha Secretariat and Rajya Sabha Secretariat would communicate

for all purposes through this system.

Information regarding OAMS, including data and figures, is available on the web portal oams.nic.in.

11 Oct UG C issues no t ice o n Refund o f Fees and No n Retent io n o f o r iginal cert ificatesUG C issues no t ice o n Refund o f Fees and No n Retent io n o f o r iginal cert ificates

No student will be required to submit any original academic and personal certificates at the time of

submission of admission form and students’ will get refund of fee from the Institution if they withdraw

their admission from the programme – Shri Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister for HRD


This notification shall be applicable to Under Graduate, Post Graduate and Research Programmes run by Universities

included under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, all Colleges under their affiliating domain and Institutions declared as

Deemed to be Universities

The HEIs can now charge fees in advance o n l y f o r t h e semest er/ y ear i n w h i ch a st u d en t w an t s t oo n l y f o r t h e semest er/ y ear i n w h i ch a st u d en t w an t s t o

en gage i n acad emi c act i v i t i es en gage i n acad emi c act i v i t i es and collecting advance fees for the entire programme of study is strictly

prohibited.The institute will be required to ref u n d t h e f eesref u n d t h e f ees , in case a student withdraws from the

programme according to the time of withdrawal.









http://oams.nic.in/



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11 Oct NIT I Aayo g's AIM and IBM India design S tudent Internship Pro gram m eNIT I Aayo g's AIM and IBM India design S tudent Internship Pro gram m e

The internship will see 38 students receive a two-week paid internship, and 14 teachers from Atal

Tinkering Labs (ATL) across the country to come together and ideate, collaborate and innovate. The

two-week program is designed so students can experience the corporate environment and gain

exposure to new technologies.


These students will be equipped with the skills for new collar careers in areas like artificial intelligence, Internet-of-

Things, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and blockchain. Apart from being trained in emerging technologies, students

will also be coached in critical workplace skills.

Top-performing students are selected for industry exposure to strengthen their technical skills and prepare them for

future jobs.

12 Oct 'Rai l Partner ' App to pro v ide authent ic rai l data'Rai l Partner ' App to pro v ide authent ic rai l data

This app is rolled out for Indian Railways by the passenger marketing wing of the commercial

department of Southern Railway provides an array of information and services and acts as a direct

communication medium between passengers and Railways.


This app will come in handy for the visually challenged also as they can use the ‘talk back’ facility on their

smartphones.

It provides direct call facilities to 20 most required helplines and support services in all divisions such as on-board

medical assistance, RPF, GRP, women helpline, e-catering, child helpline, UTS-on-mobile, vigilance, etc., and also the

phone numbers of all major stations of Southern Railway.

It works both offline and online for reserved train timings.

13 Oct #MeTo o m o v em ent : Wo m en cal l o ut their past to rm ento rs o n so cial m edia#MeTo o m o v em ent : Wo m en cal l o ut their past to rm ento rs o n so cial m edia

It began in the US against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. In the past few days, several

women in India have taken to Twitter and Facebook to describe in gut-wrenching detail the sexual

abuse and assault they had been subject to at work, naming their alleged perpetrator.


Some prominent names in the allegations include writer Chetan Bhagat, former journalist and Minister of State for

External Affairs MJ Akbar, filmmakers Vikas Bahl and Sajid Khan, actor Alok Nath and lyricist Vairamuthu.

In short time since the movement began online, the consequences of bypassing any kind of verification of

allegations have also come to light.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said she would set up a panel of legal experts to

look into the allegations .










23



14 Oct Mo di to fo und m useum fo r Indian PMs at Teen Murt i Enclav eMo di to fo und m useum fo r Indian PMs at Teen Murt i Enclav e

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh, who are members of the NMML society,

also former PM Manmohan Singh and many historians have opposed the new museum saying the

present museum is a respect both history and heritage.


Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri will lay the

foundation stone for the museum at Teen Murti Estate, the official residence of India's first prime minister

Jawaharlal Nehru.

The new museum which will include memorabilia of prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri onwards, will come up on a

plot of land within the Teen Murti Estate and is expected to cost Rs 2.70 billion.

16 Oct IITs do m inate fi rst -ev er QS Indian univ ers ity rank ingsIITs do m inate fi rst -ev er QS Indian univ ers ity rank ings

IIT Bombay tops the 'QS India University Rankings', with IITs Madras (3), Delhi (4), Kharagpur (5),

Kanpur (6), Roorkee (9) and Guwahati (10) grabbing seven of the top 10 slots.


Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore comes in at second position, with University of Hyderabad and University

of Delhi marked at seventh and eighth respectively.

The results reveal that research productivity at leading Indian institutions is increasing and the impact of such research

is gradually rising.

16 Oct Nat io nal Inst itute o f Ho m eo pathy to be o pened at NarelaNat io nal Inst itute o f Ho m eo pathy to be o pened at Narela

Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation stone of National

Institute of Homeopathy at Narela, today. This will be established as an extension of NIH Kolkata.


This Institute will be established in 10 acres of land which has been taken over from DDA and is proposed to be a 100

bedded hospital and centre of excellence in high quality research and treatment in Homoeopathy. The total cost of

project would be Rs. 302 crore.

The institute will offer Post-graduate courses in seven disciplines and intake will be 7 students per Department per

Academic Year. The intake of PhD students will be 10 students per year.

Also,the Ministry has started the admission process into AYUSH UG courses by using the merit list of National

Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) conducted by CBSE. Further, for Post Graduate courses, a National level common

entrance test namely, All India Post Graduate Entrance Test (AIAPGET) was conducted.








https://www.business-standard.com/topic/hardeep-singh-puri



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21 Oct Mo di inaugurates Nat io nal Po l ice Mem o rial o n Nat io nal Po l ice Co m m em o rat io n DayMo di inaugurates Nat io nal Po l ice Mem o rial o n Nat io nal Po l ice Co m m em o rat io n Day

The Prime Minister announced an award in the name of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, to honour the

police and paramilitary personnel, involved in disaster response operations.


The award would be announced every year, recognizing the bravery and courage displayed in saving lives of people,

in the wake of a disaster.

21 October is observed as the Police Commemoration Day in memory of the 10 policemen killed in an ambush by

Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area.

The National Police Memorial has been erected on 6.12 acres of land in Chanakyapuri, Delhi.

21 Oct PM addresses 75th Anniv ersary o f Fo rm at io n o f Azad Hind G o v ernm entPM addresses 75th Anniv ersary o f Fo rm at io n o f Azad Hind G o v ernm ent

PM Modi hoisted the National Flag at Red Fort and unveiled the plaque to commemorate the 75th

Anniversary of formation of Azad Hind Government, represented the vision laid down by Netaji

Subhas Chandra Bose, of a strong undivided India.


Azad Hind government was actively involved in nation building and had even started its own bank, currency and

stamps.

PM Modi recalled that Netaji laid down the foundation for equal opportunity for women in armed forces, through the

formation of Rani Jhansi Regiment.

An award in the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was also announced earlier, to honour those involved in

disaster response operations. This award would be given every year.








https://www.exambazaar.com/eqad



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23 Oct PM Mo di to launch 'Main Nahin Hum ' po rtal fo r IT pro fessio nalsPM Mo di to launch 'Main Nahin Hum ' po rtal fo r IT pro fessio nals

The portal, which works on the theme 'Self4Society', will enable IT professionals and organisations to

bring together their efforts towards social causes on one platform


The portal is expected to catalyse greater collaboration towards the weaker society by utilizing the benefits of

technology.

Modi will meet with key leader from the industry and address a gathering of IT professionals, employees and

organisations to support the cause.

24 Oct Cabinet appro v es set t ing up o f Indian Inst itute o f Sk i l ls in PPPCabinet appro v es set t ing up o f Indian Inst itute o f Sk i l ls in PPP

The setting up of IISs at different locations across the country in Public Private Partnership (PPP) will

be explored based on demand and available infrastructure.


The setting up of IISs shall augment the global competitiveness of key sectors of Indian economy by providing high

quality skill training, applied research education and a direct and meaningful connection with industry.

By leveraging advantages of private sector enterprise and public capital in terms of Government land, it would create

new institutes of expertise, knowledge and competitiveness.

25 Oct India wins Co m m o nwealth Asso ciat io n fo r Public Adm inist rat io n and Managem entIndia wins Co m m o nwealth Asso ciat io n fo r Public Adm inist rat io n and Managem ent

Award, 2018Award, 2018

The CAPAM Awards celebrate the spirit of innovation in the public service by recognizing

organizations that have made significant contributions to improve governance and services in the

public sector.


CAPAM has been announcing its International Innovations Awards (IIA) Programme bi-annually, since 1998.

The initiative entitled “Unnayan Banka - Reinventing Education Using Technology of Banka District, State of Bihar has

been awarded under the Category “Innovation Incubation”. It is an initiative which envisages 'Quality education for all’

especially for those at the bottom of the Pyramid, using latest technologies.

Another initiative entitled “Unified Agriculture Markets” of Co-operation Department of Government of Karnataka has

also been selected under the Category ‘Innovation in Public Service Management’. This initiative has also been

awarded the overall Gold Award for CAPAM Awards, 2018.










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26 Oct Vigi lance Awareness Week 2018 to be o bserv ed fro m 29th Oct -3rd No vVigi lance Awareness Week 2018 to be o bserv ed fro m 29th Oct -3rd No v

This week, through various outreach activities, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) seeks to

motivate stakeholders to collectively participate in the fight against corruption and also aims at

raising public awareness regarding the detrimental consequences of corruption. Theme for this year

is ‘Eradicate Corruption - Build a New India’.


The CVC observes the Vigilance Awareness Week every year during the week in which the birthday of Sardar

Vallabhbhai Patel (31st October) falls.

A new feature this time is the establishment of ‘Integrity Clubs’ in schools and colleges to cultivate ethical

values in the leaders of tomorrow.

“Awareness Gram Sabhas” are also organized for dissemination of awareness in Gram Panchayats to sensitize the rural

citizens about the ill-effects of corruption. In 2017, 67,131 such Gram Sabhas were organized during the Vigilance

Awareness Week.

27 Oct Aids and Assist iv e Liv ing Dev ices Dist r ibuted to Div yangjans and Senio r Cit izens inAids and Assist iv e Liv ing Dev ices Dist r ibuted to Div yangjans and Senio r Cit izens in

Adip-Rv ycam pAdip-Rv ycam p

This camp was organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD),

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Department at Satbari, Chattarpur, New Delhi.


The categories of Divyangjans have been increased from 7 to 21 and the reservation quota of Divyangjans has been

increased from 3% to 4% , the Universal ID Card for Divyangjans is in progress.

Under ADIP Scheme, 352 beneficiaries were distributed with Aids and related equipments.

31 Oct Unio n m inisters Rajnath S ingh, Ratho re flag o ff 'Run fo r Unity' in DelhiUnio n m inisters Rajnath S ingh, Ratho re flag o ff 'Run fo r Unity' in Delhi

The over one km Run for Unity is organised as a mark of celebrating the 143rd birth anniversary of

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. October 31 is observed as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

every year to coincide with the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.


In Bhubaneswar, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the marathon, while Defence

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off and participated in the 'Run For Unity' in Chennai.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the marathon

in Guwahati.

The 'Run for Unity' was inaugurated last year by Narendra Modi.










27



31 Oct PM Narendra Mo di inaugurates 'S tatue o f Unity' in ho no ur o f Sardar PatelPM Narendra Mo di inaugurates 'S tatue o f Unity' in ho no ur o f Sardar Patel

The imposing monument, touted as the world's tallest statue (182-metre), is twice the height of

Statue of Liberty and is built on an islet, Sadhu Bet, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada

district, Gujarat. Modi would also inaugurate the 'Wall of Unity' (a monument defining India's

unity) near the statue.


After inaugurating the Wall of Unity, Modi would offer floral tributes to Patel, whose birth anniversary falls on

October 31.

It occupies over 20,000 square meters and is surrounded by a 12 square kilometre artificial lake,other major

attractions include inauguration of a 17-km-long Valley of Flowers, a tent city for tourists near the statue and a

museum dedicated to the life and times of Patel.

A viewing gallery at a height of 135 metres has been created inside the statue to enable tourists to have a view of

the dam and nearby mountain ranges.








https://www.exambazaar.com/exam



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2. International


01 Oct U.S ., Canada agree o n free t rade pact to replace NAFTAU.S ., Canada agree o n free t rade pact to replace NAFTA

Canada and the U.S. made a deal on a new free trade pact that will include Mexico, it will replace the

25-year-old NAFTA, which Trump had threatened to cancel.


It includes stronger protections for workers, tough new environmental rules, and updates the trade relationship to

cover the digital economy and provides groundbreaking intellectual property protections.

Ottawa will now open its dairy market further to U.S. producers, and in return Washington left the dispute settlement

provision unchanged.

It adds provisions to prevent manipulation of the trade rules, including covering currency values, and controls over

outside countries trying to take advantage of the duty-free market.

01 Oct India s igns 17 defence, t rade pacts with UzbekistanIndia s igns 17 defence, t rade pacts with Uzbekistan

Both sides agreed to hold joint military exercises in counter-terrorism, cooperate in military

education and military medicine, set up a joint working group to support mutually beneficial defence-

related activities and a defence wing at Uzbekistan embassy.


Delhi and Tashkent also agreed to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy and outer space as India eyes uranium

supply from Uzbekistan. The two sides with high stakes in Uzbekistan also agreed to have regular dialogue in

stabilising the landlocked country.

Uzbekistan may offer its territory to set up an Indian defence manufacturing unit.

Uzbekistan has the best-equipped armed forces in Central Asia and during the post-Soviet era it has maintained the

largest military force in the region.

India and Uzbekistan set an annual bilateral trade target of $1 billion to be achieved within two years and the 17 pacts

included several investment and trade related initiatives.










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04 Oct Cabinet appro v es am endm ent o f CECA between India and S ingapo reCabinet appro v es am endm ent o f CECA between India and S ingapo re

Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to the Second Protocol amending the Comprehensive

Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to enhance bilateral trade and will deepen the Economic

Cooperation between India and Singapore


The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between India and Singapore was signed on 24th

August 2018.

It will also improve utilization of CECA.

04 Oct Cabinet appro v es 2 India, Russia Mo Us o n co o perat io n in MSME Enterpr ises andCabinet appro v es 2 India, Russia Mo Us o n co o perat io n in MSME Enterpr ises and

Ro ad Transpo rtRo ad Transpo rt

The Union Cabinet has approved two MoUs 1) Between National Small Industries Corporation Ltd.

(NSIC) - a PSU of Ministry of MSME, India and JSC - Russian Small & Medium Business Corporation

(RSMB Corporation), 2) On Bilateral Cooperation in the Road Transport and Road Industry.


M o U 1:M o U 1: The objective of the MoU is to promote cooperation between the Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

of the two countries. It would provide a structured framework and enabling environment to the MSME sector

of the two countries to understand each other's strengths, markets, technologies, policies etc.

MoU 2:MoU 2: Increased co-operation, exchange and collaboration with Russia will contribute to establish a long-term and

effective bilateral relationship of communication and cooperation in road transportation and road industry and

Intelligent Transport System (ITS).

05 Oct India to set up fast t rack , s ingle-windo w m echanism fo r Russian inv estm entsIndia to set up fast t rack , s ingle-windo w m echanism fo r Russian inv estm ents

This is in addition to the Russia Desk that had been set up earlier to promote Russian investments in

India.


Bilateral trade between the countries increased from $6.2 billion to $7.5 billion in 2016-17.

The two countries could cooperate in sectors such as energy resources, gold and diamonds, timber, infrastructure

development, digital technologies and agriculture, among others.










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05 Oct Eight pacts s igned after Narendra Mo di-Vladim ir Put in sum m itEight pacts s igned after Narendra Mo di-Vladim ir Put in sum m it

Some of the highlights other than S-400 air defence shield and navy warships included India's

manned space mission, co-operation in surface railways and metros and building

locomotives. Both the countries agreed to explore opportunities for joint collaboration in sectors

like precious metal, minerals, natural resources and forest produce.


S- 400 Triumf Surface to Air Missi les (SAM): S- 400 Triumf Surface to Air Missi les (SAM): The deal comes at a time when the United States and Russia are

engaged in some of the biggest geopolitical conflicts since the cold war, with US imposing sanctions on countries that

attempt to buy military hardware from Russia.

Space Explorat ion: Space Explorat ion: A crucial MoU was signed between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the

Federal Space Agency of Russia ‘ROSCOSMOS' on joint activities in the field of human spaceflight programme

Gaganyaan.

Cochin Sh ipy ard pact w ith Russia to boost w ater transport : Cochin Sh ipy ard pact w ith Russia to boost w ater transport : India’s Cochin Shipyard signed a pact with

Russian firm United Shipbuilding Corporation to boost water transport.

Rai lw ay s: Rai lw ay s: The MoC includes the implementation of a ‘speed-upgradation project’ in the Nagpur-

Secunderabad section, installation of a single traffic-control centre for efficient management of rail traffic at

the local level, efficient practices in freight and cargo operations, development of multi-modal terminals and

a mutual exchange of the advanced technologies used by the two countries.

Agricu l ture: Agricu l ture: The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Indian Potash Ltd and producers of phosphate-

containing fertilisers PhosAgro Friday announced joint investments in mineral fertiliser production in Russia

and India. As per the agreement, PhosAgro is expected to supply mineral fertilisers to Indian firms on a long-

term basis.

Economy : Economy : Russia and India also agreed upon encouraging the use of national currencies while engaging in

bilateral trade.

Agreement on consultat ion betw een the foreign min istries o f Russia and Ind ia: Agreement on consultat ion betw een the foreign min istries o f Russia and Ind ia: To execute a

comprehensive policy vis-a-vis international relations of the two countries.

06 Oct Atal Inno v at io n Missio n, S IRIUS s ign Mo U fo r co o perat io n between studentsAtal Inno v at io n Missio n, S IRIUS s ign Mo U fo r co o perat io n between students

To promote a spirit of collaborative innovation, young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs and Russia's

SIRIUS Educational Foundation came together at a four-day Indo-Russian ATL innovation boot-camp

from October 1st to October 4th.


Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and

entrepreneurship in India.

Fund “Talent and success” is an unitary, non-profit, non-standard educational organization. The activities of the

Foundation are aimed to identify and support children and young people who have shown outstanding abilities.










31



08 Oct First fo reign space agency o pens in Abu DhabiFirst fo reign space agency o pens in Abu Dhabi

The French ambassadors to the UAE have opened the first foreign space agency to set up a

representation office in the UAE, of the French Space Agency called Centre National d’Etudes

Spatiales (CNES).


The move was made during a visit to the capital by CNES president, Jean-Yves Gall.

Ludovic Pouille is the French ambassador to the UAE.

In April 2015, only one year after the creation of the UAE Space agency, France had been the first foreign country to

sign a MoU with the agency. The partnership allows both countries to mutually exchange competencies and

conduct common projects and aims to allow new missions to be developed jointly.

10 Oct Cabinet appro v es India, Finland Mo U o n env iro nm ent pro tect io nCabinet appro v es India, Finland Mo U o n env iro nm ent pro tect io n

The MoU includes partnership in air and water pollution prevention and purification, waste

management and climate change and is expected to bring in the latest technologies and the best

practices for better protection and conservation of environment.


Promotion of circular economy, low-carbon solutions, sustainable management of natural resources conservation of

marine and coastal resources, integrated water management of oceanic or sea islands are also included in the

agreement.











32



10 Oct Cabinet appro v es India, Ro m ania Mo U in the field o f to ur ismCabinet appro v es India, Ro m ania Mo U in the field o f to ur ism

Romania is a potential tourism market for India, , which received approximately 11,844 tourists from

the European nation last year. This MoU will be instrumental in increasing arrival from this source

market.


The MoU was signed in September, 2018 during the visit of the Vice-President of India to Romania.

The main objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding are:

To exchange information and data related to tourism.

To exchange visits of Tour Operators Media/ Opinion Makers for promotion of two way tourism.

To exchange experiences in the areas of promotion, marketing, destination development and management.

To promote safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.

10 Oct Cabinet appro v es India, Lebano n Mo U in agr iculture and al l ied secto rsCabinet appro v es India, Lebano n Mo U in agr iculture and al l ied secto rs

The MoU will promote understanding of best agricultural practices in the two countries and will help

in better productivity at farmer fields as well as improved global market.


It will help to increase agriculture production and productivity by getting access to best practices and market

worldwide.

It will also lead to innovative techniques for increasing production and productivity, leading to strengthening of food

security.

12 Oct India-Azerbai jan s ign pro to co l o n t rade, science and techno lo gy co o perat io nIndia-Azerbai jan s ign pro to co l o n t rade, science and techno lo gy co o perat io n

The 5th meeting of India-Azerbaijan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Economic,

Science and Technology Cooperation (IA-IGC) was held on 11-12 October, 2018 in New Delhi.


Trade turnover between India and Azerbaijan in January-August 2018 was USD 657.9 million.

Both sides agreed to take measures to enhance trade relations and expand business relations between the two

countries.

It was decided to send trade delegations to raise awareness regarding economic developments and reforms in the two

countries and have regular exchange of information about trade exhibitions, fairs, conferences and other business

events.










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14 Oct India s igns pact with Liechtenstein fo r acco unt info rm at io n swapIndia s igns pact with Liechtenstein fo r acco unt info rm at io n swap

India sees Liechtenstein as an important partner in fighting overseas black money and is hoping

the agreement will help it to access information related to Indian account holders in Liechtenstein.


After Switzerland, Liechtenstein and India now signed an agreement for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account

Information, in Vaduz on October 11.

Earlier, Liechtenstein Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) had supported India in establishing an FIU of its own and to

second its admission into the Egmont Group in 2007 and on March 28, 2013, India and Liechtenstein signed the

Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) in Berne, which entered into force on January 20, 2014.

The countries are currently celebrating 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between

them .

15 Oct EU ado pts new chem ical weapo ns sanct io nsEU ado pts new chem ical weapo ns sanct io ns

The new sanctions mechanism targets those who use and develop chemical weapons, as part of a

crackdown in the wake of the Skripal attack. This gives the European Union the power to impose

restrictive measures on anyone identified as being involved in the development or deployment of

chemical weapons, regardless of their location or nationality.


EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg agreed to the new measures, which will freeze the assets held in the

block by targeted individuals and organisations and ban them from travelling to any of the 28 member states.

The targeting of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter by a Soviet-designed chemical agent - Novichok

in Salisbury in March caused outrage around the world.

15 Oct India, China launch jo int t raining fo r AfghanistanIndia, China launch jo int t raining fo r Afghanistan

China's ambassador Luo Zhaohui said the joint training of 10 Afghan diplomats at the Indian Foreign

Service Institute was the first step in China-India-Afghanistan cooperation that was agreed at a

summit between President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this year.


Within Afghanistan, India and China have been on opposite sides, with China relying on its old ally Pakistan to

stabilise Afghanistan by various means.

India, on the other hand, has invested billions of dollars in economic projects and training of military officers to

strengthen the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban. For its part, Pakistan sees the expansive

diplomacy in Afghanistan by its old rival, India, as a way to encircle it.

India-China cooperation in Afghanistan should be extended to countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives,

Myanmar and even Iran, said Luo.










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18 Oct Do nald T rum p withdraws fro m 144-year-o ld po stal t reaty with ChinaDo nald T rum p withdraws fro m 144-year-o ld po stal t reaty with China

The treaty allowed Chinese companies to ship small packages to the United States at a steeply

discounted rate, undercutting American competitors and flooding the market with cheap consumer

goods.


The Universal Postal Union treaty, first drafted in 1874, sets fees that national postal services charge to deliver mail and small

parcels to countries around the world. A UN body sets lower international rates for packages from certain countries, a move

originally designed to support poorer nations.

The withdrawal is part of a concerted push by Trump to counter China’s dominance and punish it for what the

administration says is a pattern of unfair trade practices.

China has been the biggest beneficiary of the treaty since its inception in 1870s but now the US wants countries to set

their own rates for parcels weighing under 2kg.

Due to lower rates, foreign packages cost the US about $300 million each year.








https://www.exambazaar.com/exam-eligibility



35



20 Oct US , China agree to m ult i lateral air enco unter co de ado pted by ASEANUS , China agree to m ult i lateral air enco unter co de ado pted by ASEAN

The voluntary, non-binding guidelines on air encounters build on an existing code to manage sea

encounters adopted last year by ASEAN and its "plus" partners - Australia, China, India, Japan,

New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States. The world's two biggest economies

joined as well.


The pact was necessary because of Asia's rising growth and increase in maritime and air traffic in the region.

Tensions have remained in the dynamic South China Sea, as China, Vietnam, Phillipines, Malaysia and Brunei assert

their claims over the region which has increased the necessity of this pact.

The framework seeks to advance a 2002 Declaration of Conduct of Parties of the South China Sea, which has been

repeatedly ignored by China.

The air code has been hailed as the first multilateral deal of its kind, although such arrangements exist at bilateral

levels.

21 Oct U.S . to pul l o ut o f Interm ediate Range Nuclear Fo rces t reaty with RussiaU.S . to pul l o ut o f Interm ediate Range Nuclear Fo rces t reaty with Russia

The INF treaty was signed between the then U.S. president Ronald Reagan and his USSR counterpart

Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles.


The reason stated by President Trump is that Russia has violated the treaty repeatedly. These rumors were squashed

by the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov who called it a scandalous statement.

The treaty forced both countries to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 300-

3,400 miles.

It offered protection to the United States' European allies and marked an agreement at the center of the arms race

during the Cold War.

22 Oct India, Myanm ar s ign Mo U o n o perat io nal isat io n o f S it twe Po rtIndia, Myanm ar s ign Mo U o n o perat io nal isat io n o f S it twe Po rt

The MoU is for the appointment of a private operator of the Sittwe Port that will boost connectivity

and help in creating local job opportunities.


It will offer new infrastructure for trade, and help in job creation and development.

The MoU was signed on behalf of the Government of India by Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary and by U Win Khant,

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport and Communications on behalf of the Government of Myanmar.

Border cooperation, bilateral cooperation, peace process and Northern Rakhine state were also discussed.










36



22 Oct India, China s ign intel shar ing pactIndia, China s ign intel shar ing pact

The pact is expected to set up mechanism for cooperation between internal security establishments

of the two countries for the first time and is being signed during visit of Zhao Kezhi, China's Minister

of Public Security.


The proposed pact will cover areas of intelligence sharing, exchange programme, sharing of best practices,

cooperation in disaster mitigation besides others .

While Singh is the head of eight central armed police forces with a combined strength of about 10 lakh personnel,

Zhao is responsible for day-to-day law enforcement in China and commands about 19 lakh personnel.

The scheduled meeting may lead to a future India-China agreement on exchange of sentenced prisoners, there are at

least 10 Indians in Chinese prisons and an equal number of Chinese citizens in Indian prisons.

24 Oct Cabinet appro v es India-S ingapo re Mo U to set up fintech jo int wo rk ing gro upCabinet appro v es India-S ingapo re Mo U to set up fintech jo int wo rk ing gro up

Both countries will improve their regulatory connect to exchange best practices by sharing

experience on policies and regulations related to fintech.


It will encourage a collaboration of entrepreneurs and startups of both countries to develop fintech solutions for

business and financial sector.

It will benefit both the countries in the fields of development of Application Programming Interface, Regulatory

sandbox, security in payment and digital cash flow.

It will also lead to integration of Ru-Pay network for electronic transfers, UPI-FAST payment link, Aadhaar Stack and e-

KYC in ASEAN region.

24 Oct Cabinet appro v es Bi lateral Inv estm ent Agreem ent between India, TaipeiCabinet appro v es Bi lateral Inv estm ent Agreem ent between India, Taipei

BIA between India Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei and Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC)

in India is likely to increase investment flows between the parties and will provide appropriate

protection to investments on a reciprocal basis between ITA and TECC.


It is likely to increase the comfort level and boost the confidence of investors by assuring a level playing field and

non-discrimination in matters related to investments, and would help project India as a preferred foreign direct

investment (FDI) destination.










37



24 Oct Cabinet appro v es Mo U am o ngst BRICS nat io ns in so cial and labo ur sphereCabinet appro v es Mo U am o ngst BRICS nat io ns in so cial and labo ur sphere

In the MoU signed on 3 August, 2018 during BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, South

Africa), Labour and Employment Ministers (LEM) Meeting, the parties have agreed to cooperate and

hold mutual events in the prominent areas viz. labour legislation and enforcement, protection of

workers' rights with focus on vulnerable groups, Employment and labour market policies,

Professional education, skills and training and Social protection. rd


The MoU provides a mechanism for cooperation, collaboration and maximum synergy amongst BRICS member

countries with the common objective of inclusive growth and shared prosperity in the newindustrial revolution.

The Draft MoU between BRICS countries regarding cooperation in the social and labour sphere was discussed,

deliberated and finalized in the 2nd meeting of BRICS EWG .

24 Oct Cabinet appro v es Ex tradit io n T reaty between India and MalawiCabinet appro v es Ex tradit io n T reaty between India and Malawi

The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders.


The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi on Wednesday approved the signing and ratification of the extradition treaty

between India and Malawi.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told media that the two

countries have signed the treaty.











38



26 Oct India, Bangladesh S ign Mo Us fo r Waterways Co nnect iv ityIndia, Bangladesh S ign Mo Us fo r Waterways Co nnect iv ity

This inland and coastal waterways connectivity between the two countries helps the trade and cruise

movements. The two countries have signed an agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla Ports in

Bangladesh for movement of goods to and from India.


An addendum to ‘Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade’ (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh has been signed

for inclusion of Dhubriin India and Pangaonin Bangladesh as new Ports of Call.

Further, both sides agreed to declare Badarpur on river Barak (NW 16) as an Extended Port of Call of Karimganj in

Assam and Ghorasal of Ashuganj in Bangladesh on reciprocal basis.

30 Oct Agreem ents s igned between India and Japan during v is it o f PM to JapanAgreem ents s igned between India and Japan during v is it o f PM to Japan

Japan announced joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA) submitting the instrument of

ratification on 29th October 2018. Japan will be the 71st country to sign and 48th country to ratify the

ISA FA.


The 32 agreements signed include the following fields:

D ef en ce an d S t rat eg i c : D ef en ce an d S t rat eg i c : Implementing arrangement for deeper cooperation between Japan Maritime Self-

Defence Force and Indian Navy

D i g i t a l an d New Tech n o l o g i esD i g i t a l an d New Tech n o l o g i es

Heal t h care an d Wel l n essHeal t h care an d Wel l n ess

F o o d V a l u e C h ai n an d A gri cu l t u re A reasF o o d V a l u e C h ai n an d A gri cu l t u re A reas

Eco n o mi c: Eco n o mi c: MoU between Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India and NEXI, Japan

P o st a l : P o st a l : MOC in Postal Field between the Ministry of Communications, Government of India and the Ministry

of Internal Affairs and Communications, Government of Japan.

G . S& T , A cad emi c Ex ch an ges an d En v i ro n men tG . S& T , A cad emi c Ex ch an ges an d En v i ro n men t

Sp o rt s : Sp o rt s : signed between Sports Authority of India (SAI), India and University of Tsukuba, Japan for academic

exchanges and sports cooperation

Ex ch an ge o f No t es o f L o an A greemen t s f o r Ex ch an ge o f No t es o f L o an A greemen t s f o r seven Yen loan projects

G 2B/B2B A greemen t sG 2B/B2B A greemen t s

COMMITTEES & MEETSCOMMITTEES & MEETS










39



03 Oct EU backs Marrakesh acco rd to pro duce disabled-fr iendly bo o ksEU backs Marrakesh acco rd to pro duce disabled-fr iendly bo o ks

The 28-nation European Union ratified the 2013 Marrakesh treaty to ease access to reading material

for people who are print-disabled the world over.


It will now expand to 70 countries across the globe, and over 2,70,000 titles would be available to be shared globally.

The governments will adopt laws authorising the conversion of books into accessible formats such as Braille, e-text,

audio and large print by designated organisations.

They will also exchange these alternative formats across national borders without clearance by copyright owners.

12 Oct G 20 Meet ing held in Bal iG 20 Meet ing held in Bal i

The Final G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting under the 2018 Argentine

Presidency and the final BRICS Deputies Meeting under the 2018 South African Chairmanship were

held on 11th -12th October 2018 in Bali, Indonesia.


The G-20 FMCBG meeting centered on key risks facing the global economy, enhancing a resilient international

financial architecture and emphasized on the need for G-20 nations to take co-ordinated action so as to ensure that

the negative spillover effects of global risks on EMDEs are minimized.

The BRICS Finance Deputies meeting focused on reviewing the progress achieved by the BRICS Forum in 2018 as well

as deliberating on the way forward under the upcoming 2019 BRICS Chairmanship of Brazil.

India gives unequivocal support for New Development Bank (NDB)’s Membership expansion and need for setting-up

of an Independent BRICS Rating Agency.

23 Oct India – Czech Jo int Co m m issio n o n Eco no m ic Co o perat io n held in PragueIndia – Czech Jo int Co m m issio n o n Eco no m ic Co o perat io n held in Prague

The 11th India – Czech Republic Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation (JCEC) was held on 22 –

23 October 2018. The deliberations were marked with the mutual desire to further expand and

strengthen relations between the two countries in the economic field.


Czechoslovakia is preparing a project called Czech Industrial Cluster (CIC) near Bengaluru comprising administrative

and production units and will serve as a hub for Czech companies that intend to settle down in India.

Both sides shared the view that establishing direct flights between India and the Czech Republic would create

favourable conditions for mutual tourism development.










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23 Oct India, Iran, Afghanistan ho ld fi rst t r i lateral o n Chabahar po rt pro jectIndia, Iran, Afghanistan ho ld fi rst t r i lateral o n Chabahar po rt pro ject

The Chabahar port is being considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and

Afghanistan with central Asian countries.


In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed the pact for the usage of Chabahar port as a transit and trnasport

corridor.

The port will also play a major role to enable trade relations between India and Iran, circumventing Pakistan and will

help in the economic growth of Afghanistan.

The committee will discuss to harmonize transit, roads, customs and consular matters for improving the route and

reducing logistics.

29 Oct India, Japan agree to ho ld 2+2 dialo gue to enhance security in Indo -Pacific regio nIndia, Japan agree to ho ld 2+2 dialo gue to enhance security in Indo -Pacific regio n

Modi along with Shinzo Abe reviewed developments in bilateral relations and explored new areas of

cooperation, focusing on shared vision for peace & prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. They also agreed to

oppose protectionism in trade.


Both nations also signed currency swap agreement worth $75 billion. Swap agreement will aid in bringing greater

stability to foreign exchange and capital market.

Modi underlined that 21st century belongs to Asia, which will be heralded by stronger ties between India-Japan.

OTHERSOTHERS

05 Oct Octo ber 5: Wo rld celebrates Internat io nal Teachers ' DayOcto ber 5: Wo rld celebrates Internat io nal Teachers ' Day

World Teachers Day or International Teachers' Day is celebrated annually on 5th October since 1994.

More than 100 nations actively take part in the celebration of the day globally.


Every year a theme is chosen to celebrate the day, last year the theme was "Engaging Teachers" while this year's

the theme is "The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher".

This year, the World Teachers' Day will mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of the Human

Rights (1948).










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09 Oct Wo rld Po st Day o n Octo ber 9Wo rld Po st Day o n Octo ber 9

October 9 was declared World Post Day by the UPU (Universal Postal Union) Congress held in Tokyo,

Japan in 1969. The purpose of this day is to create awareness about the importance of postal sector.


U P U :U P U : India was one of the earliest members to become a part of the UPU, a United Nations’ agency,

headquartered in Bern, Switzerland.

Ind ia's P ostal Netw ork:Ind ia's P ostal Netw ork: India has the largest postal network in the world with more than 1.5 lakh post office and

5.6 lakh employees.

World ’s h ighest post o f f ice:World ’s h ighest post o f f ice: Located in Hikkim at Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh at 15,500 feet.

P O Sav i n gs Sch eme:P O Sav i n gs Sch eme: The approximate number of account holders of the Indian post office saving scheme is

33.03 crore with an outstanding balance over Rs 6 crore.

Ind ia P ost P ay ments Bank (IP P B):Ind ia P ost P ay ments Bank (IP P B): Launched in early September 2018. IPPB offers three types of savings accounts

- regular, digital and basic. This will be a zero balance savings account providing an interest rate of 4% per annum.

Master o f P osts:Master o f P osts: King Henry VII established a position called Master of the Posts, later called Postmaster General.

Benjamin Franklin served as first Postmaster General until November 7, 1776.

Last Telegram: Last Telegram: The Telegram service in the UK was abolished in 1977 while India sent its last telegram in

2013. The first telegram was sent from Calcutta to Diamond Harbour in the year 1850.

11 Oct Wo rld Bank 'Hum an Capital ' rank ings: S ingapo re, S Ko rea take to p spo tsWo rld Bank 'Hum an Capital ' rank ings: S ingapo re, S Ko rea take to p spo ts

The World Bank Group launched Human Capital Index (HCI) to rank countries based on their

success in developing human capital, in effort to boost education, healthcare investment. India is

placed at the 115th position, lower than Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh.


Singapore topped the poll for its universal healthcare system, education exams results and life expectancy figures. In

Singapore, 98 percent of students reach the international benchmark for basic proficiency in secondary school.

It is followed by South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Finland.

The report ranked 157 economies on parameters like child mortality, health and education.

African countries fared the worst in the rankings, with Chad and South Sudan taking the two lowest spots.










42



11 Oct Malaysia's Cabinet agrees to abo lish death penaltyMalaysia's Cabinet agrees to abo lish death penalty

The government decided to scrap the capital punishment due to strong domestic opposition and the

decision was welcomed by rights advocates.


Capital punishment in Malaysia is currently mandatory for murder, kidnapping, possession of firearms and drug

trafficking, among other crimes. The penalty is exclusively carried out by hanging in Malaysia - a legacy of

British colonial rule.

Communications and multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo confirmed the cabinet had resolved to end the death

penalty.

Once the death penalty is scrapped, Malaysia will have the moral authority to fight for the lives of Malaysians facing

death sentences abroad.

13 Oct Wo rld Egg Day o n Oct 12Wo rld Egg Day o n Oct 12

International Egg Commission has declared the second Friday of October every year as World Egg

Day.


The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries organized 'World Egg Day' on 12 October to make

people aware about the positive aspects of eggs.

India is the third highest producer of eggs in the world and they are high value proteins and provide a wide variety of

other nutrients like vitamins, essential amino acids and minerals etc. crucial for growth and good health.

14 Oct Po pe to cano nize 20th Century ico ns Oscar Ro m ero , Paul VIPo pe to cano nize 20th Century ico ns Oscar Ro m ero , Paul VI

Pope Francis canonized two men at St. Peter's Square as prophets who shunned wealth and looked

out for the poor. They are Pope Paul VI and martyred Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero.


Paul presided over the final sessions of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 church meetings that opened up the

Catholic Church to the world.

Romero was a martyr of the military oppression at the start of El Salvador's 1980-1992 civil war when he gave up his

security and life to be close to the poor and his people.

This was done before some 70,000 faithful, a handful of presidents and 5,000 Salvadoran pilgrims.










43



19 Oct Rwanda nam es 50 percent fem ale Cabinet , fo l lo wing Ethio piaRwanda nam es 50 percent fem ale Cabinet , fo l lo wing Ethio pia

The country has received international recognition for female representation in government, with

women making up 61 % of parliament members.


This move was taken by the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to promote "gender-balance" in the country.

The importance of increasing the number of woman in decision making roles will decrease gender discrimination and

gender based crimes.

Rwanda and Ethiopia have now joined a handful of countries, mostly European where women make up 50% or more

of ministerial positions in their governments.

20 Oct Saudi Arabia adm its Khasho ggi k i l led in Istanbul co nsulateSaudi Arabia adm its Khasho ggi k i l led in Istanbul co nsulate

Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said Khashoggi died after “discussions” at the

consulate devolved into an altercation


The investigations are underway by the Turkish authorities and it is stated the Jamal Khashoggi died during a fight at

the consulate with the authorities.

18 Saudi officials have been suspended and arrested which included Royal Court Advisor Saud al-Qahtani and

deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Asiri.

Khashoggi was a columnist for Washington Post and was critical of the crown prince, Mohammed Bin Salman.











44



22 Oct Wo rld War I Mem o rial fo r Indian so ldiers in France to o pen o n No v 10Wo rld War I Mem o rial fo r Indian so ldiers in France to o pen o n No v 10

The memorial is being built in Villers-Guislain village in northern France and will be inaugurated on

Nov 10 as it marks the centenary of the armistice announced during the WWI by an Indian dignitary.

The memorial is being built by noted sculptor Ram Sutar and has an Ashoka Chakra over it.


This will be first battlefield memorial to be built by the Indian armed forces.There is another war memorial in Nueve

Chappelle, but it was built by Commonwealth War Graves Commission in honour of the Indian soldiers who

died in France and Belgium.

The 500-square metre land was given for the memorial for 1 Euro by Villers-Guislain.

Nearly 1.5 million Indian soldiers participated in the WW I as part of the then British Indian Army.Some 74,000

Indian soldiers lost their lives.

23 Oct China o pens m ega-br idge l ink ing Ho ng Ko ng to m ainlandChina o pens m ega-br idge l ink ing Ho ng Ko ng to m ainland

The world’s longest sea-crossing bridge will be at the heart of an integrated Greater Bay Area (GBA)

covering 11 major neighbouring cities, which include Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.


The $20 billion bridge took almost a decade to build.

It includes an undersea tunnel allowing ships to pass through the Pearl River delta, the heart of China’s crucial

manufacturing sector.

It will cut the travel time from several hours to 30 minutes.

24 Oct Pakistan seeks IMF bai lo ut after Saudi Arabia’ s $6 bi l l io n suppo rt packagePakistan seeks IMF bai lo ut after Saudi Arabia’ s $6 bi l l io n suppo rt package

It will further seek aid from China as their Prime Minister is set to travel to China from November 3rd.


Prime Minister Imran Khan met with the Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and signed

agreements which will provide Pakistan with USD 3 billion to support balance payments and give oil worth USD 3

billion on deferred payments.

Pakistan needs about USD 10 billion in current fiscal year to support its imports and paying foreign debts.










45



25 Oct Wo rld's largest airpo rt to o pen in IstanbulWo rld's largest airpo rt to o pen in Istanbul

Dubbed as phase-1A of the project - Istanbul New Airport - will have a capacity to handle 90 million

passenger per year, making it the largest such facility in the world.


The new infrastructure facility will be named on O ctober 29 w hich marks the Republ ic Day o f Turkey . O ctober 29 w hich marks the Republ ic Day o f Turkey .

Air transport operations would be shifted from capacity-constrained Atatürk Airport to the new facility by December-

end.

The airport has been envisioned to have a total capacity of up to 200 million passengers, once all four phases are

completed in the next 10 years. The first phase has costed 7.5 billion Euro.

The new airport is also slated to become Turkish Airlines' new hub.

27 Oct Pakistan Suprem e Co urt im po ses ban o n air ing Indian co ntent o n TV channelsPakistan Suprem e Co urt im po ses ban o n air ing Indian co ntent o n TV channels

In 2016, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed a complete ban on airing

Indian content on local television and FM radio channels which has been re-imposed.


The Lahore High Court had previously ruled in the favour of airing Indian content in 2017 against the 2016 ban

declaring it null and void.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar announced the ruling in a case filed by the United Producers Association pertaining to the

broadcast of foreign content on local television channels in the Supreme Court Karachi registry.

The decision is a retaliation for the ban of Pakistani actors and artists in India.

30 Oct China-Pakistan Eco no m ic Co rr ido r: Bus serv ice to be launched o n No v 13China-Pakistan Eco no m ic Co rr ido r: Bus serv ice to be launched o n No v 13

The luxury bus service will be started by a private transport company between Lahore in Pakistan to

Kashgar in China.


The USD 50 billion CPEC, launched in 2015, is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's

resource-rich Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.

The 30-hour journey between the two destinations will cost Rs 13,000 while the return ticket will be for Rs 23,000.

Anyone with a valid Chinese visa and other identity documents can buy a ticket.

China and Pakistan have land route link used for trade and travel but it will be the first high-end direct bus service

between the two countries.










46



30 Oct 60 per cent wildl ife wiped o ut in last 50 years: Wo rld Wildl ife Repo rt60 per cent wildl ife wiped o ut in last 50 years: Wo rld Wildl ife Repo rt

The biannual report mapped serious threats to pollinators like bees, soil ecology and wetlands

which have direct repercussions on human food security and health.


Over-exploitation of nature has wiped out about 60 per cent of the wildlife and 87 per cent wetlands since 1970,

warns the WWF's Living Planet Report-2018.

The report also recorded increase in ecological consumption of natural resources by 190 per cent in the past 50

years.

India was among the countries with the lowest footprints. However, it was among the worst when it came to soil

biodiversity.

The report held over-exploitation of nature, through agriculture and deforestation as major causes behind the

findings. It also held invasive pollution, dams, fires, mining, and climate change as additional sources of pressure on

nature.










47



3. Regional and State


01 Oct Delhi RTOs go digital , wo n't entertain any paper appl icat io nsDelhi RTOs go digital , wo n't entertain any paper appl icat io ns

Services like learners’ and permanent driving licences, renewal and duplicate driving licence, change

of address in the licence, change of address and duplicate registration certificate, transfer of vehicle

ownership, issuance of NOC and hypothecation addition and termination, can all be availed online.


The regional transport offices or RTOs in Delhi will not entertain any paper based application as all sorts of transport

services have gone digital from October 1. One has to take a online appointment first if he or she feels there is a need

to visit the RTO.

For those without internet access can approach the helpdesks at the RTOs which will charge Rs 60 for filling and

completing the forms.

01 Oct Plast ic bags to be banned in Bihar fro m Octo ber 25Plast ic bags to be banned in Bihar fro m Octo ber 25

Plastic bags will be completely banned in urban areas of Bihar from October 25 and in rural areas

from November 25 this year, the state government informed the Patna High Court. The bench of

Chief Justice M R Shah and Justice Ashutosh Kumar was hearing a PIL for banning the use of plastic or

polythene bags.


Kishore made it clear that all types of plastic bags, irrespective of their thickness, would be banned in the state from

the mentioned dates.

The court had taken note of a news report in a Hindi daily on June 23 on the pollution in a pond located on the

premises of sacred Mahabodhi temple in Gaya. It had asked the state government to make a law for banning the use

of plastic bags along with a provision for penalty for its violators.










48



02 Oct Env iro nm ent Minist ry Sanct io ns R iv er Po l lut io n Abatem ent Pro ject in J and KEnv iro nm ent Minist ry Sanct io ns R iv er Po l lut io n Abatem ent Pro ject in J and K

Upon completion, the project will have a significant and direct beneficial impact in terms of reduction

of pollution load in the two rivers and improvement in their water quality. The project is scheduled for

completion by March 2021.


.EFCC Ministry has sanctioned a project for ‘Pollution abatement of rivers Devika and Tawi in Udhampur, Jammu &

Kashmir under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP)

The total sanctioned cost of the project is Rs. 186.74 crore, will be shared between the Government of India

and Government of J&K on 90:10 cost-sharing basis respectively.

02 Oct Jaladhara, ₹25, 000-cr water tap pro ject to be launched in APJaladhara, ₹25, 000-cr water tap pro ject to be launched in AP

Jaladharais a scheme towards achieving water security, by this month end involving 23,918 gram

panchayats (GPs).


It would be implemented in a phased manner and the government would have to incur an expenditure of about

₹25,000 crore in four years.

The objective of this is to provide safe drinking water to every household in rural areas. The government plans to

provide 70 litres per capita per day to every household.

Real time chlorination and quality checking, water level monitoring, etc would also be part of the project.

04 Oct Cabinet appro v es Metro Rai l Pro ject in Indo re and Bho palCabinet appro v es Metro Rai l Pro ject in Indo re and Bho pal

Both the projects, will have equity participation from Centre and States, and also have a public

private partnership component. The Bhopal project will cost ₹6,941.4 crore, while the Indore project

will cost ₹7,500.8 crore. The projects will be completed in four years.


The Indore project will run along the Ring Line (Bengali Square - Vijay Nagar - Bhawarsala - Airport - Patasia - Bengali

Square). The total number of stations on the line are 30.

The Bhopal project comprises two corridors of total length 27.87 Km -- Karond Circle to AIIMS (14.99 Km) and

Bhadbhada Square to Ratnagiri Tiraha (12.88 Km).










49



07 Oct Uttarakhand gets Rs 700 bi l l io n inv estm ent plans , Adani co m m its 65 bi l l io nUttarakhand gets Rs 700 bi l l io n inv estm ent plans , Adani co m m its 65 bi l l io n

Uttarakhand has got investment proposals worth Rs 700 billion through Destination Uttarakhand,

Investors’ Summit 2018 in Dehradun and most of the MoUs have been signed with an aim to

reach development in the state's hilly areas.


Among the investment proposals, the Adani Group has committed the largest sum of Rs 65 billion. The group plans

to invest Rs 50 billion in a metro rail project, and Rs 10 billion to upgrade power transmission. It will create a logistics

park at Rs 5 billion.

The state government has identified 12 sectors for focussed investments. These include wellness and AYUSH,

pharmaceuticals, information technology, horticulture and floriculture, natural fibres, tourism and hospitality, film

shooting, biotechnology, renewable energy, food processing and automobile.

08 Oct Dev elo pm ent o f G hagra r iv er as Nat io nal Waterway in Ut tar PradeshDev elo pm ent o f G hagra r iv er as Nat io nal Waterway in Ut tar Pradesh

Union Minister River Development Shri Nitin Gadkari will lay the foundation stone for the

development work of Ghagra river as National Waterway (NW)-40 at Basti in Uttar Pradesh, under

the Sagarmala Programme of Ministry of Shipping.


The waterway from Manjhighat at Ganga-Gaghra river confluence to Faizabad/Ayodhya along Gaghra River for a

length of 354 km was declared as NW-40 during the year 2016, as part of Government’s renewed push to develop

inland waterways sector in the country.

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under Ministry of Shipping has already initiated work in Phase –I with

project cost of Rs. 11.6 Cr and has constructed the floating terminal at Tanda/Kalwari to facilitate cargo & passenger

movement on River Ghagra & River Ganga.

Other projects under IWAI in Uttar Pradesh includ, Freight Village & Logistics Hub and Multimodal terminal at Varanasi

under the Jal Marg Vikas Project.










50



14 Oct Fo o d Minister Badal inaugurates PMKK Pat ialaFo o d Minister Badal inaugurates PMKK Pat iala

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) is where 1000 students will get free training in skill

Development every year in many Home Appliances and Mobile Phone Hardware Repair

Technician courses like Hair Stylist, Manual Arc Welding, Plumber, Field Technician.


It is the flagship scheme of Union Ministry of Skill Development and Enterpreurship under Government of India is

setting up 600 PMKK’s in identified districts,out of which 480 have been set up and are operational .

There are 25 sanctioned PMKK’s in Punjab, out of which 16 are operational, 21 PMKKs in Haryana are operational and

4 out of 8 sanctioned PMKKs are operational in Himachal Pradesh. UT Chandigarh has 1 PMKK Centre.

The aim of such vocational and skilling centre in the vicinity is to enable youth of the region to take benefit of

the courses being offered here and earn a livelihood.

15 Oct 'Ayushm an Bharat ' m erged with 'Swasthya Sathi ' in West Bengal'Ayushm an Bharat ' m erged with 'Swasthya Sathi ' in West Bengal

Narendra Modi’s flagship health insurance scheme ‘Ayushman Bharat’ has been merged with the

Mamata Banerjee government’s ‘Swasthya Sathi’ scheme in West Bengal under the name of

Swasthya Sathi.


There will now be only one medical insurance scheme in the state and the cost will be shared by the Centre and state

in a ratio of 60:40 under the merged scheme.

Swasthya Sathi scheme offers health protection to informal contractual workers in government departments and

people belonging to the deprivation index.

It also provides health cover to extended family members of the beneficiary, including their parents and spouse.

This will now benefit 6 crore people.











51



15 Oct Em ergency po l lut io n plan starts in DelhiEm ergency po l lut io n plan starts in Delhi

An emergency action plan has been rolled out Delhi to fight very poor and severe air pollution

level that will include steps like ban on diesel power generator sets and construction activity,

impounding of polluting vehicles and more.


Measures that have been implemented to improve air quality in Delhi include-

Ban on garbage burning, mechanised sweeping of roads, impounding of polluting vehicles and deploying traffic

police for smooth flow of traffic at vulnerable points.

Ban on construction activities, hike in parking fees, roll out of odd-even vehicle scheme might also be implemented.

Stopping garbage burning in landfills and other places, and enforcing all pollution control regulations in brick kilns

and industries would be implemented.

15 Oct West Bengal CM praises 'Anandadhara' o n Oct 15 'Internat io nal Day o f Rural Wo m en'West Bengal CM praises 'Anandadhara' o n Oct 15 'Internat io nal Day o f Rural Wo m en'

The 'Anandadhara' scheme, initiated in 2012, is an anti-poverty programme for the rural poor,

implemented through the organising of women into self-help groups (SHG), aims to support them for

livelihood collectives.


The state government also distributes animals for rearing among the rural women to ensure their economic

prosperity.

The International Day of Rural Women is celebrated on October 15 annually to honour the role of rural women in

enhancing agricultural and rural development globally.

On this day, Banerjee took to Twitter to state that empowerment of rural women was being done through self-help

groups in the state.

16 Oct WB ex tends fo o d security to 85 m n peo ple under Khadya Sathi schem eWB ex tends fo o d security to 85 m n peo ple under Khadya Sathi schem e

Special assistance is also being given to the people of Jangalmahal and Hill areas besides Aila-

affected areas and farmers of Singur, tea garden workers as well as the Toto tribe.


The World Food Day is celebrated worldwide on 16 October to celebrate founding of the Food and Agriculture

Organisation of the United Nations in 1945. It is a day of action dedicated to tackle global hunger.

It has ensured the food security of more than 8.5 crore people of Bengal.










52



16 Oct Wareho use o f PM Bhart iya Janaushadhi Par iyo jana at Bi laspur inauguratedWareho use o f PM Bhart iya Janaushadhi Par iyo jana at Bi laspur inaugurated

This Warehouse will facilitate seamless distribution of Jan Aushadhi generic medicines to all PMBJP

Kendra functional across the country.


The hi-tech Central Warehouse has been setup by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), today in Bilaspur,

Gurugram.

The Minister had yesterday inaugurated the Digital Cash Management System for Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya

Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), to be implemented as a partnership between BPPI and Bank of Baroda. This System

will be implemented at all PMBJP Kendras for purchasing medicines and cashless payment system with BPPI.

Shri Mandaviya informed that presently, there are more than 4200 PMBJP Kendra functional in 34 States/UTs, across

the country.

17 Oct Punjab go v ernm ent appro v es new sand, grav el m ining po l icyPunjab go v ernm ent appro v es new sand, grav el m ining po l icy

It enables the government to grant contracts by auction of mining blocks in strategically established

clusters through progressive bidding instead of the earlier process of auction by individual mines.


Move to ensure adequate supply to consumers, curb rampant illegal mining by granting mining blocks through

auction instead of individual mines.

It will also launch an online Punjab Sand Portal for sale of sand to all consumers, small or medium.It has also

approved the surrender of licenses in case they are unable to develop colonies or complete developmental work.

25 Oct Bihar co m pletes 100% electr ificat io n two m o nths befo re Saubhagya deadlineBihar co m pletes 100% electr ificat io n two m o nths befo re Saubhagya deadline

Bihar, the state which had the second-biggest job after Uttar Pradesh under the PM’s , has

completed its target of 100 percent electrification of willing households in the state. T Saubhagya

scheme his is almost two months ahead of the national deadline of December 31 fixed by the

Centre.


Bihar had nearly 32 lakh households to cover by electrification under the scheme that was launched a year ago.

UP has only managed to achieve 36 percent of its target so far and has over 88 lakh houses still out of the net of

formal electricity connections, raising doubts if UP will make the cut by December 31 but Bihar has managed to make

most of its districts full-electrified.

One reason behind this was the close coordination between Union power Minister RK Singh, who is an MP from

Bihar’s Arrah, and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.










53



29 Oct SC bans 15-yr -o ld petro l , 10-yr -o ld diesel v ehicles in NCR due to po l lut io nSC bans 15-yr -o ld petro l , 10-yr -o ld diesel v ehicles in NCR due to po l lut io n

The pollution levels are considered critical and horrible. Any vehicle which does not follow the

restriction will be impounded.


Citizens can directly lodge a complaint with the CPCB through social media.

It permitted the court-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to take pre-emptive steps under the

Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) without strict adherence to pollution stages delineated in the plan.

Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) also banned the plying of such vehicles in the NCR and the apex court had

rejected a plea against the NGT’s order.

30 Oct In a fi rst , perso ns with disabi l i t ies to get pick -up and dro p faci l i ty to v o te inIn a fi rst , perso ns with disabi l i t ies to get pick -up and dro p faci l i ty to v o te in

KarnatakaKarnataka

Persons with disabilities, who are eligible voters in Mandya, Shivamogga and Ballari Parliamentary

constituencies, and Ramanagaram and Jamkhandi Assembly constituencies, can inform the Election

Commission of the need for the facility using the commission’s Chunavana app.


The window is open till the midnight of November 1, so that adequate arrangements could be made. The facility will

be offered twice on election day (by-elections to three Parliamentary and two Assembly constituencies on Nov 3) — in

the forenoon and the afternoon.

In the May Assembly elections, the commission had made elaborate arrangements to make elections accessible

with booking of a wheelchair through the app, offering Braille facility to persons with visual disabilities and

separate queues at polling booths.











54



30 Oct Odisha launches disaster alert system fo r i ts co astOdisha launches disaster alert system fo r i ts co ast

The Odisha govt. launched the Early Warning Dissemination System, the first-of-its-kind technology in

India, to simultaneously warn coastal communities and fisher-folk about impending cyclone and

tsunami through siren towers.


It comprises technologies such as satellite-based mobile data voice terminals, digital mobile radio, mass messaging

system and universal communication interface for inter-operability.

Fishermen in deep sea can also be reached via mass SMS on their mobile phones through EWDS.

Six coastal districts —Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Puri and Ganjam — have been covered under the

EWDS.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated the EWDS to the public on the 19th anniversary of the Odisha Super Cyclone.


02 Oct ADB and India s ign $150 Mil l io n Lo an to Im pro v e NE Regio nal Co nnect iv ityADB and India s ign $150 Mil l io n Lo an to Im pro v e NE Regio nal Co nnect iv ity

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of lndia signed a $150 Million Loan to

finance continued improvements to road connectivity and efficiency of the International Trade

Corridor in West Bengal and North-Eastern Region of lndia.


The Project,approved in 2014, will reduce transaction costs along the targeted cross-border corridors substantially,

creating economies of scale and commercial prosperity within lndia and regionally with other SASEC member

countries.

The Tranche 2 Project will upgrade about 65 kilometers of lmphal-Moreh Section of National Highway in Manipur,

construction of about 1.5 km of an international bridge between lndia and Nepal, and completion of about 103 km of

a State Highway in Manipur between lmphal and Tamenglong under Project-I.

Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 67 members - 48 from the region. ln 2017, ADB operations totalled $32.2 billion,

including $11.9 billion in co-financing.










55



03 Oct India, ADB S ign $240 Mil l io n Lo an Fo r Safe Dr ink ing Water in West BengalIndia, ADB S ign $240 Mil l io n Lo an Fo r Safe Dr ink ing Water in West Bengal

GoI and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed $240 million loan for providing safe and sustainable

drinking water to about 1.65 million people in 3 districts of West Bengal affected by arsenic, fluoride,

and salinity.


The project aims to mitigate heath problems due to water contamination through provision of continuous potable

water through metered connections to about 390,000 individual households in three districts – Bankura, North 24

Parganas, and Purba Medinipur.

The project is supported by a grant of $3 million from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, financed by the

Government of Japan, and a $2 million grant from ADB’s Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund.

04 Oct India, ADB s ign $ 150 Mil l io n Lo an to suppo rt First G lo bal Sk i l ls Park in MPIndia, ADB s ign $ 150 Mil l io n Lo an to suppo rt First G lo bal Sk i l ls Park in MP

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and India signed the Loan to establish a Global Skills Park (GSP) in

Madhya Pradesh, the First Multi-Skills Park in India, to enhance the quality of Technical and

Vocational Education And Training (TVET) System in the State and create a more skilled workforce.


The new GSP campus, which will be established in Bhopal will consist of core Advanced Training Institutes including

the Center for Occupational Skills Acquisition and the Center for Advanced Agricultural Training as well as other

support services focusing on entrepreneurship, training of trainers, and skill-related research.

The campus will have training facilities focusing on skills for manufacturing, service, and advanced

agricultural jobs, benefitting about 20,000 trainees and trainers.

04 Oct India, ADB s ign $ 100 Mil l io n Lo an to expand Sewerage, Drainage in Ko lkataIndia, ADB s ign $ 100 Mil l io n Lo an to expand Sewerage, Drainage in Ko lkata

To target expansion of sewerage and drainage services in selected peripheral areas of Kolkata

Municipal Corporation (KMC) to at least 3,000 additional households and provide sewage treatment

for at least 100,000 households.


The Third and Final Tranche Loan under the $400 Million Multi Tranche facility, Kolkata Environmental Improvement

Investment Program, will target to expand sewerage and drainage coverage, provide sewage treatment and

strengthen capacity of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for resilient urban services.

The signatories to the tranche 3 loan agreement were Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary,

Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, who signed for Government of India; and Mr. Kenichi

Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, who signed for ADB.










56



04 Oct Tata-S iem ens to dev elo p Pune Metro Line-3Tata-S iem ens to dev elo p Pune Metro Line-3

It will be the country's first metro rail project on a public-private-partnership model to be developed

after the New Metro Rail Policy of 2017.


A consortium of Tata Realty and Infrastructure Urban Transport and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH has won

the contract to develop the Pune metro rail project's Line-3.

The 23.3-km elevated line will originate from Hinjewadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park and go via Balewadi to

Shivajinagar.

OTHERSOTHERS

02 Oct Andhra Pradesh ITDA launches Hanging Librar ies in scho o lsAndhra Pradesh ITDA launches Hanging Librar ies in scho o ls

The Integrated Tribal Development Agency has introduced ‘Hanging Libraries, i.e. books on a wall

hanging, in all the primary and upper primary schools in East Godavari district to strengthen primary

education in the agency area and provide an opportunity to the tribal boys and girls to access the

world of children literature.


The Rampachodavaram ITDA opted for the hanging library, with support from the Bengaluru-based non-profit

organisation Pratham Books, as there is no need to invest on racks and shelves. A library consists of a cloth or plastic

sheet containing several pockets.

Students of more than 300 schools now have access to the library units and are able to pick the book of their choice

from the lot.










57



03 Oct First Regio nal Co nference o n 'Wo m en in Detent io n and Access to Just ice'First Regio nal Co nference o n 'Wo m en in Detent io n and Access to Just ice'

The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Ministry of Home Affairs is organising the

Conference at Shimla in collaboration with the Prison Department, Himachal Pradesh on October 4-5,

2018 to provide a platform for the prison personnel of all ranks to share their candid views on various

operational as well as administrative issues.


The following themes have been identified for discussions and deliberations in respect of Women prisoners:

1. Reproductive Health Rights

2. Health Needs

3. Health, Skill, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Women Inmates and Their Children

4. Prison Reforms, Structural Managerial and Legal Issues & Comparison to Global Norms

5. Neuro-Criminology Program for the Offender

6. Transforming Prisons

07 Oct Qualco m m to inv est $400 m il l io n in Hyderabad fo r largest fo reign cam pusQualco m m to inv est $400 m il l io n in Hyderabad fo r largest fo reign cam pus

In what is being touted as the biggest investment by a marquee company after the formation of

Telangana, Qualcomm will be investing $400 million (Rs 3,000 crore) in setting up its largest campus

outside its San Diego headquarters in Hyderabad.


Qualcomm — which has a presence in India through its centres in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai — is

expected to kick off work on its Hyderabad campus in 2019.

The first phase of the project is slated to include a built-up space of 1.7 million sqft, housing about 10,000

employees.

US tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Uber already have their campuses in the city.

07 Oct Bundelkhand, UP to repl icate Maharashtra's Sujalam Suphalam dro ught m o delBundelkhand, UP to repl icate Maharashtra's Sujalam Suphalam dro ught m o del

Maharashtra government has implemented the programme in consort with non-government

organisations (NGOs), local communities and the private sector against the challenges of drought

and scarcity of water resources in some districts.


Initially, they will be implemented in Mahoba and Hamirpur districts of arid zone of Bundelkhand.

Under the programme, the exact location for the construction of watershed structures, including dams, ponds,

percolation ponds and farm ponds is identified and then the machines are deployed for digging. The existing water

bodies are also rid of silt, while the canals are widened and deepened to increase their storage capacity.










58



07 Oct BPCL to co m m issio n 2nd gen ethano l plant in Bargarh, Odisha by Dec 2020BPCL to co m m issio n 2nd gen ethano l plant in Bargarh, Odisha by Dec 2020

About 12 such refineries are proposed in different states in the country. The National Biofuel Policy of

India 2018 targets 20 per cent ethanol blending to petrol by the year 2030, however, due to non-

availability of Ethanol, the current Ethanol blending in Petrol is only around three per cent to four per

cent.


Setting up of 2G Ethanol plants will help achieve the target of Ethanol blending in petrol.

The Bargarh bio-refinery will utilize about 0.2 million tonnes of rice straw annually as feedstock.

The bio-refinery will contribute to the cleaner environment due to the usage of waste rice straw for ethanol

production thereby reducing waste straw burning in fields.

Blending of ethanol in petrol will also reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions as compared to fossil fuels.

The plant is based on a zero-liquid discharge plant (ZLD) technology where all the water will be recycled back into the

plant.

Also, this will generate employment for approx. 1200 people.

07 Oct HCL Techno lo gies to inv est ₹750 cr. in APHCL Techno lo gies to inv est ₹750 cr. in AP

In the first phase, HCL will invest ₹400 crore to build a R&D centre in Kesarapalli village in

Gannavaram. The two facilities in Andhra Pradesh will help create 7,500 jobs in 10 years.


Work on phase-I will commence with the foundation stone laying ceremony on October 8 and is expected to be

completed in seven years time.

Work on phase II will be taken up later in Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, in a campus of 20 acres. The

investment for this phase is expected to be ₹350 crore and will employ about 3,500 IT professionals in five years’ time.










59



07 Oct Ro bo t ic RBPRS system to be instal led in CherthalaRo bo t ic RBPRS system to be instal led in Cherthala

Red Button Public Robotic Spectrum (RBPRS), an intelligent robotic terminal to help the public to reach

out to police and track crimes, will be installed at two places in Cherthala, in Kerela.


RBPRS is developed by the Red Button Company and would be made operational at X Ray Junction and near KSRTC

Bus Station in two weeks.

When someone presses the red button in the robotic spectrum the intelligent Robotic Terminal will automatically send

the SOS alert displaying the exact location along with 360 degree multi level images captured of the location to the

police control room and to the nearest geo fenced mobile police vehicle.

The terminal is mounted with six infrared high definition cameras.

10 Oct Regio nal co nference o n ‘ G o o d G o v ernance Init iat iv es ’ begins in Ko him aRegio nal co nference o n ‘ G o o d G o v ernance Init iat iv es ’ begins in Ko him a

The 2 day Conference creates a common platform to share experiences in the formulation and

implementation of best practices in citizen centric governance, improved public service delivery

through e-governance, transparent, accountable and citizen-friendly effective administration.


The Conference, held under the theme “Capacity Building / Technology / Best Practices by Aspirational Districts”, is

being organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with

the Nagaland Government.

The northeast faces poor connectivity and limited outreach of banks while several blocks have no banking facility, the

conference will come up with an action plan and a roadmap which will not only help northeastern states but will also

provide solutions.











60



12 Oct Bihar 's fi rst q uake-resistant bui lding to ho use po l ice HQBihar 's fi rst q uake-resistant bui lding to ho use po l ice HQ

It is also an eco-friendly and green building with a helipad, spread across 6.7 acre and can withstand

earthquakes up to the magnitude 8 on Richter scale.


It will have an emergency control centre, and a helipad from where choppers can take off during an emergency.

The building will have solar energy backup of 12 days.

An ultra-modern forensic science laboratory has also been set up in the building.

15 Oct Tex t i le Mo S Ajay Tam ta inaugurates 46th edit io n o f IHG F Delhi Fair 2018Tex t i le Mo S Ajay Tam ta inaugurates 46th edit io n o f IHG F Delhi Fair 2018

Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair Overseas buyers from more than 110 countries are expected to

participate in (IHGF) and source home, lifestyle, fashion and textiles products.


It has the most extensive range of handcrafted products like home textiles, furnishings, carpets, decoratives,

tableware, furniture, garden & outdoor, bathroom accessories, spa and wellness, lamps & lighting, Christmas & festive

décor, handmade paper items, fashion jewellery and accessories.

The fair will remain open till 18th October, 2018.

It plays a vital role in increasing exports of handicrafts from the country.

15 Oct Ro ad Mo S launches Ro ad Mo S launches Yo uth Ro ad Safety Learners Licence Pro gram m e in DelhiYo uth Ro ad Safety Learners Licence Pro gram m e in Delhi

Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Chemical &

Fertilizer today launched the programme to bring a formal and structured training program for

young, first-time drivers as they apply for learner’s license.


The programme will be led by senior faculty members of IRTE covering varied aspects of responsible driving including

defensive driving, ill effects of driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and wearing of helmets spread over

two days.

It will help the government achieve its target of reducing road accidents by 50 percent by 2020.

In the first year, the programme will cover 20 universities with a total of 400 programme across the country.










61



16 Oct Yo gi Adityanath led UP go v t o ffic ial ly renam es Al lahabad as PrayagrajYo gi Adityanath led UP go v t o ffic ial ly renam es Al lahabad as Prayagraj

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who proposed to

rename the city ahead of the 2019 Kumbh Mela, officially renamed the historic city of Allahabad

to Pryagraj.


Rig Veda, Mahabharat and Ramayana also mention Prayagraj for Allahabad.

The people of entire Allahabad, the sages and seers wanted that Allahabad should be known as Prayagraj.

On a trip to Allahabad on Saturday last, the chief minister had said there was a proposal to rename the city ahead of

the 2019 Kumbh Mela.

17 Oct Sabarim ala tem ple o pens am id pro tests o v er SC o rderSabarim ala tem ple o pens am id pro tests o v er SC o rder

Sabarimala temple opened on 17 Oct for the first time since the Supreme Court allowed women of

menstrual age to enter the shrine but by all indications none from the "banned" age group could

make it to its hallowed precincts amidst a welter of protests and violent clashes.


Unfazed by the unfolding violence, Madhavi, from Andhra Pradesh in her 40s, tried to climb the Sabarimala hills to

reach the Lord Ayyappa temple but was forced to return to Pamba, menaced by agitated male devotees.

Both the Congress, the main opposition party in Kerala, and the BJP, which is desperately seeking to expand its

footprint in the state, have lent support to the agitation against the Supreme Court verdict.

The shrine will remain open for the 5-day monthly pooja during the Malayalam month of Thulam before being closed

on October 22.

18 Oct Bihar 's Shahi l i tchi gets G I tagBihar 's Shahi l i tchi gets G I tag

Geographical Indication ( Bihar produces 40 per cent of the litchi grown in the country on 38 per

cent of the area and t he GI) tag will help and benefit thousands of litchi growers in gaining access

to more markets and get better price in the country and abroad .


The famous Shahi litchi, is famous for its sweet, juicy, unique flavour and aroma, is mostly grown in Muzaffarpur and

neighbouring districts including East Champaran, Vaishali, Samastipur and Begusarai.

After Katrani rice, Jardalu mango and Magahi paan (betel v ine),Katrani rice, Jardalu mango and Magahi paan (betel v ine), Bihar's Shahi litchi has now become an

exclusive brand in the market with the GI tag.

A GI is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (town,

region, or country). Its acts as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities due to its geographical

origin.










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20 Oct Kulgo d wrested the best v i l lage tag by Mo RDKulgo d wrested the best v i l lage tag by Mo RD

It beat all 3.5 lakh gram panchayats across the country on development under Antyodya Scheme of

the Ministry of Rural Development.


The village of Kulgod which is located in Belgavi district, Karnataka has also been awarded the Gandhi Gram award at

State level.

There was an overall improvement in the fields of sanitation, irrigation and agriculture, drainage and piped water

supply in the region due to combined efforts of the authorities.

22 Oct President inaugurates Vishwashant i Ahim sa Sam m elan in MaharashtraPresident inaugurates Vishwashant i Ahim sa Sam m elan in Maharashtra

The event is being organised in Nasik, Maharashtra on October 22, 2018. Bhagwan Mahavir gave

special importance to ‘Apirigraha’ - not taking what is more than essential to live.


In the Jain tradition, the principle of ‘Ahimsa Paramodharma’ is distinguished for human welfare and compassion - not

just for the absence of physical violence.

The President talked about how humankind is exploiting nature indiscriminately due to which phenomena like

climate change are emerging as challenges and said that following the Jain tradition shows us a way out.








https://www.exambazaar.com/qp



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24 Oct SC al lo ws G reen Crackers between 8-10 pm o n Diwali in DelhiSC al lo ws G reen Crackers between 8-10 pm o n Diwali in Delhi

The Supreme Court order permitted green firecrackers and improved crackers and fixed a two-hour

time period, from 8pm to 10pm, for bursting them on Diwali and other festivals.


The permissible limit of sound and smoke of crackers will be approved by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety

Organisation (PESO).

No temporary licenses have been issued so far which will permit small scale shop owners to sell firecrackers.

SC has also banned the sale of firecrackers through e-commerce websites.

SHO will be held liable if banned firecrackers are sold in their area.

24 Oct NEET no t m andato ry fo r AYUSH aspirants in KarnatakaNEET no t m andato ry fo r AYUSH aspirants in Karnataka

Following an interim High Court order on admissions to Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani,

Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) courses, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) decided

that students who have not qualified in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) can seek

admission.


The first preference will be for students who have qualified NEET, If seats remain they will be allotted to students who

have appeared for the test but have not qualified.

This move comes after colleges complained that there were insufficient number of NEET qualified candidates during

the admission process.

24 Oct G SI's app-based landsl ide warning system begins funct io ning in W BengalG S I's app-based landsl ide warning system begins funct io ning in W Bengal

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has recently developed a Landslide Early Warning System (L-

EWS) for the people of Giddapahar, Paglajhora and 14th Mile villages in Kurseong block of Darjeeling

District in association with the district administration of West Bengal government,


Whatsapp messages and sirens on mobile phone apps will alert inhabitants of three most landslide-prone villages of

the country, at the slightest signals of landslides.

It utilizes the modern InSAR technology by placing five corner reflectors and rainfall threshold analysis for landslide

initiation resulted in the development of the people-centric L-EWS.

Eighteen such zones have been marked as extremely vulnerable to landslides.

A billboard showing details of landslide warning has been erected in Giddapahar and Paglajhora.










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25 Oct Madras HC upho lds disq ual ificat io n o f 18 AIADMK MLAsMadras HC upho lds disq ual ificat io n o f 18 AIADMK MLAs

The verdict means that by-elections will be held to the 18 seats represented by the MLAs, but the

Edappadi K Palaniswami government at present stays above the halfway mark of 116.


The 18 MLAs loyal to TTV Dhinakaran - who floated his own party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) after

exiting the AIADMK - are presently sequestered at the tourist town of Courtallam.

The MLAs were disqualified on September 18 last year under the anti-defection law .

In view of the split verdict with Indira Banerjee upholding the disqualification and Justice Sundar setting it

aside Justice S Vimala was appointed to hear the petitions afresh.

However, the apex court named Justice Sathyanarayanan, while declining to accept a prayer of the disqualified MLAs

who raised apprehension of "bias" and sought to transfer the matter to it.

27 Oct Swachh Bharat Sustainable Sanitat io n wo rksho p in NagpurSwachh Bharat Sustainable Sanitat io n wo rksho p in Nagpur

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, in coordination with the Water Supply and Sanitation

Department, Government of Maharashtra, organized the first in a series of regional review meetings

on Sustainable Sanitation.


The review meeting was held in Nagpur and was attended by representatives from 25 districts.

As majority of the districts have been declared open defecation free, the focus of the meeting was on quality and

sustainability.

They also made presentations on their status of sustainability indicators, such as geo tagging, ODF verification,

Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities.

29 Oct Nit in G adkari to fo und India's largest Dry Do ck at Co chin ShipyardNit in G adkari to fo und India's largest Dry Do ck at Co chin Shipyard

Cochin Shipyard will now be able to build specialized and technologically advanced large vessels. He

will also lay the foundation stone for three national highways projects in Kerala (on NH-66), costing Rs

1557 Crore.


The Dry Dock will give an impetus to “Make in India” initiative under Sagarmala and raise India’s share in global

shipbuilding to 2 percent. India currently occupies 0.66 % share in global shipbuilding market.

The new Dry Dock is being constructed at a cost of Rs 1799 Crore. The dock will be designed to handle both ship

building and repairs, and bear a load up to 600 T/m and will be equipped with international safety standards.

The project is expected to be completed by May 2021 and generate employment opportunities for about 2000 people.










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30 Oct Clean Air Week fro m 1st to 5th No v em ber to co ntro l po l lut io n in DelhiClean Air Week fro m 1st to 5th No v em ber to co ntro l po l lut io n in Delhi

This decision was taken in a meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Shri C.K. Mishra,

Secretary, EF&CC to discuss the urgent steps for air pollution mitigation and regulating fire crackers

in the light of the Supreme Court’s Order. For this, 52 teams have been formed to ensure compliance

and safety and take quick action.


On the issue of firecrackers, it was decided that the directions of the Supreme Court in the Order dated 23.10.2018

shall be followed strictly in Delhi and NCR, timings and locations as envisaged in the Order for bursting of firecrackers

would be strictly adhered to.

Further only eco friendly fire crackers would be sold after proper authorization has been obtained from PESO.










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4. Business and Economy


02 Oct Inco rpo rat io n o f LLPs m o v es co m pletely o nl ineInco rpo rat io n o f LLPs m o v es co m pletely o nl ine

Now one can start business by incorporating a company through an online process without visiting

any Government office which is another Milestone in the direction of “Ease of Doing Business”.


Central Registry Centre (CRC) was established in January 2016 for on-line incorporation of the company and

reserving its unique name.

Two online forms that were introduced for the purpose, are Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company

Electronically (SPICe) and Reserve Unique Name (RUN).

PAN and TAN are issued on near real time basis by integrating online process with the department of Income

Tax. DIN is also allotted to the individuals at the time of their appointment as Director in the Company. Every week,

2700 number of companies are incorporated through online company incorporation system.

03 Oct PIN co de o f o perat io ns m ade m andato ry fo r generat ing E-way bi l lPIN co de o f o perat io ns m ade m andato ry fo r generat ing E-way bi l l

Tightening the norms for issuance of e-way bill, the GST Network has made it mandatory for

businesses and transporters to mention PIN codes of places of loading and unloading of

consignments.


Quoting of PIN codes will help in calculating the correct distance and determine the validity of the electronic way or e-

way bill, which is used by businesses to transport goods worth over Rs 50,000 both within and outside a state.

The validity of the e-way bill is one day if the distance to be covered is less than 100 km. For every additional 100 kms

or part thereof, the validity of the bill goes up by one day.

Between April 1 when the system came into force and September 30, a total of 25.32 crore e-way bills have been

generated.










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03 Oct RBI al lo ws o i l co m panies to take addit io nal ECBs after rupee fal lsRBI al lo ws o i l co m panies to take addit io nal ECBs after rupee fal ls

The Reserve Bank allowed forex borrowings for working capital by oil marketing companies under

the automatic route with immediate effect. The overall borrowings under the revised norms have

been capped at $10 billion.


All the state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) will now be able to raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs) for

working capital purposes with a minimum average maturity of three to five years from all recognised lenders.

The rupee has lost over 15 per cent this year, prompting government and the RBI to launch a series of measures to

contain volatility including tariff hikes on imports.

03 Oct Suprem e Co urt upho lds G ST (Co m pensat io n to S tates) ActSuprem e Co urt upho lds G ST (Co m pensat io n to S tates) Act

The GST compensation tax has been declared as constitutionally valid, permitting collection of a cess

to compensate the states.


It is aimed at compensating the states that may suffer loss of revenue due to switching to new indirect tax regime.

Compensation tax was key for successful GST rollout last year but the Delhi High Court had ruled against levying

compensation tax.

05 Oct Serv ice pro v iders can use o ffl ine v er ificat io n m o des o f AadhaarServ ice pro v iders can use o ffl ine v er ificat io n m o des o f Aadhaar

UIDAI said service providers can use offline verification tools like eAadhaar and QR code that

leverage the unique ID without authentication, any access to biometrics, or revealing the 12-digit

number.


Using any of these options will allow service providers to establish the identity of an individual, and security layers

can be added to such verification including 'One Time Password' (OTP) mechanism.

Last week, in a verdict with far-reaching consequences, the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional validity of

'Aadhaar' but limited the scope of the controversial biometric identity project, ruling it is not mandatory for bank

accounts, mobile connections or school admissions.










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08 Oct Co al India inks pact with NLC fo r so lar , therm al po wer div ers ificat io nCo al India inks pact with NLC fo r so lar , therm al po wer div ers ificat io n

The JV company will generate 3000 MW of solar and 2000 MW of thermal electricity, which will help it

to evolve into an energy company rather than just being a miner.


Both Coal India and NLC will have an equal stake and the total investment is estimated to be around Rs. 120 billion.

JV will install 3000 MW of solar and 2000 MW of thermal power generators.

Solar plants will be built initially on Coal India’s mine areas. JV will be needing around 15,000 acres of land to set-up

the solar generating stations.

10 Oct CCI am ends co m binat io n rules o n withdrawal , refi l ing o f clearance no t icesCCI am ends co m binat io n rules o n withdrawal , refi l ing o f clearance no t ices

To provide faster disposal of merger and acquisition cases, the Competition Commission amended

the combination regulations with regard to withdrawal and refiling of notices seeking approvals.


With amendments coming into effect, the parties now can offer modifications to the combination even while

responding to the show cause notice.

Previously, combination rules allowed parties offer modifications before CCI forms a prima facie opinion regarding the

proposed merger and issues show cause notice.

However, combinations beyond a certain threshold mandatorily require approval from the regulator.

11 Oct G o v t hikes im po rt duty o n select co m m unicat io n i tem s to 20%G o v t hikes im po rt duty o n select co m m unicat io n i tem s to 20%

Duty has also been raised to 20 per cent from 10 per cent for base stations and for machines for the

reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data


The duty hikes would be effective from 12 October 2018.

Other items include electrical machinery and equipment, sound recorders, television image recorders and their parts.

This is done to cut non-essential imports to check the widening Current Account Deficit (CAD).The CAD widened to 2.4

per cent of the GDP in the first quarter of 2018-19.










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12 Oct Two -wheeler o wners can o pt fo r o ne-year CPA co v er , says IRDATwo -wheeler o wners can o pt fo r o ne-year CPA co v er , says IRDA

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) recently clarified that the

owner-driver should have the choice to opt for a one-year Compulsory Personal Accident (CPA) cover

or long-term CPA cover.


Recently, insurance costs for two-wheelers witnessed a steep hike after IRDA mandated five-year third-party (TP)

insurance and then increased compulsory personal accident (CPA) cover premium from Rs 50 per annum to Rs 750 per

annum.

A steep hike in the insurance cost has started hitting the sales of new two-wheelers as price-sensitive buyers, who are

already struggling to cope with rising oil prices, are not ready to pay several times more for insurance at once.

12 Oct Insurance claim canno t be denied fo r co m m o n l ifestyle diseases: NCDRC to LICInsurance claim canno t be denied fo r co m m o n l ifestyle diseases: NCDRC to LIC

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) asked the Chandigarh branch of

the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) India to pay the sum Rs 5,00,000 along with compensation Rs

25,000 and litigation cost Rs 5,000 within 45 days to Punjab-resident Neelam Chopra.


Neelam Chopra's husband, who was suffering from diabetes, had availed a life insurance claim in 2003 from the

company and did not mention about his disease while filling the proposal form. He died of a cardiac arrest in 2004.

After her husband's death, the company rejected it on the ground that the deceased had suppressed information

regarding his health at the time of effecting the policy and that the claim has become time barred.

The commission said suppression of any information relating to pre-existing disease if it has not resulted in death or

has no direct relationship to cause of death, would not "completely disentitle" the claimant for the claim.











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18 Oct In-fl ight co nnect iv ity: G o v ernm ent o kay with internet , but no t v o ice cal lsIn-fl ight co nnect iv ity: G o v ernm ent o kay with internet , but no t v o ice cal ls

The department of telecommunication has agreed for Data service but security remains the key

concern regarding voice services along with issues of gateway service.


In flight connectivity is available in most of the developed nations but have to be turned off as soon as they enter

Indian airspace.

Mobile phones will still be restricted during take-off and landing but can be used a cruising altitudes.

The DoT will approach the Law ministry to review the guidelines and has already started seeking applications for data

services under In flight connectivity guidelines.

TRAI had not objected to the use of the international gateway for providing in-flight connectivity.

To have the gateways in India, companies will need to make investments on the ground (for equipment) as well as in

space and will need upgrade of the aircraft and their capacity to offer internet services.

19 Oct G o v ernm ent im po ses ant i -dum ping duty o n certain steel pro ducts fro m ChinaG o v ernm ent im po ses ant i -dum ping duty o n certain steel pro ducts fro m China

India has imposed anti-dumping duties of up to USD 185.51 per tonne for five years on Chinese steel

to protect the domestic players.


In the anti-dumping investigation conducted by Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) after companies like

JSW Steel, Sunflag iron, Usha Martin filed a joint application, straight length bars and rods of alloy steel have been

found to have increased from China.

The product finds its use in application across various segments and sectors including forging, automobiles, auto

components, crankshaft, springs, gears etc.

19 Oct G o v ernm ent increases tenure o f FSAs between Co al India, S teel industryG o v ernm ent increases tenure o f FSAs between Co al India, S teel industry

It increases the tenure of fuel supply pacts to be signed with the steel industry to 10 years with a view

to reducing the sector's reliance on imports for the fuel.


The new FSA tenure would be applicable from the fourth tranche of auction of coking coal linkages for the steel sector

to be held shortly.

Sectors included are cement, steel/sponge iron, aluminium excluding fertilizers and urea.

Coking coal imports are expected to increase to 58 million tonnes in 2023 from 47 million tonnes in 2018.










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25 Oct G o gha-Dahej Ro -Pax Ferry serv ice ready to start after a successful t r ialG o gha-Dahej Ro -Pax Ferry serv ice ready to start after a successful t r ial

The PM’s dream project is ready to start under the Sagarmala programme of the Ministry of

Shipping. In this trial run,12 loaded trucks were transported by the Ro- Pax ferry from Dahej to Gogha

across the Gulf of Cambay, via the sea route.The project is first of its kinds in India as it is being

executed in the area of world’s 2nd highest tidal range.


The land route between the two places involves a 294 km or 8 hour drive, the travel time gets reduced to just 1.5

hours by sea. This is an important development for diamond and textiles traders & workers in Surat.

The initiative would not only reduce the travel time but also result in savings in fuel, reduction in CO2 emission and

reduction in road congestion.

The fully operational Ro Pax service with carrying capacity of 100 vehicles and 500 passengers will be opened on 27

October 2018.

27 Oct IRDAI m o o ts changes to l i fe insurance pro duct no rm sIRDAI m o o ts changes to l i fe insurance pro duct no rm s

Insurance regulatory authority of India (IRDAI) suggested extension of revival period to 5 years. The

move was required as investment norms governing traditional business make it difficult for providing

competitive returns to policyholders.


The current investment regulations mandating investment in certain asset classes limit the returns that may be

generated to enable better return for the policyholders.

IRDAI is an eight-member body that makes recommendations on the amendments required in the regulations.

28 Oct India's fi rst inland waterway m o v em ent begins with PepsiCoIndia's fi rst inland waterway m o v em ent begins with PepsiCo

PepsiCo will transport 16 containers, from Kolkata to Varanasi through inland waterways on October

30.


The vessel, called MV RN Tagore will take 9-10 days to reach Varanasi and will return with fertilizers from IFFCO's

Phulpur plant near Allahabad.

The project would enable commercial navigation of vessels with capacity of 1500-2,000 DWT and is environment

friendly and cost effective.

Government cleared the Rs 5,369-crore Jal Vikas Marg Project (JVMP) which connects Haldia to Varanasi that is 1,390 km

away.










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31 Oct Lo cat io n T rack ing and Em ergency Butto ns Mandato ry fo r al l new v ehiclesLo cat io n T rack ing and Em ergency Butto ns Mandato ry fo r al l new v ehicles

All new public service vehicles except auto rickshaws and eRickshaws, registered on and after 1st

January 2019, will have to be equipped with Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) with emergency buttons.


The VLT device manufacturers would assist in providing the back end services for monitoring.

This regulation is being brought in to ensure safety of passengers especially women.

Command centres will be set up by the state and will be coordinated with the local law and enforcement agencies.


05 Oct NTPC, IRCTC ink pact to set up Rai l Neer unit at S im hadri po wer plantNTPC, IRCTC ink pact to set up Rai l Neer unit at S im hadri po wer plant

Simhadri Super Thermal Power Project in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh will utilise patented

Flash Desalination Technology (FDT) developed by NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance

(NETRA) for production of quality water, Rail Neer, from sea / brackish water utilising waste heat from

flue gas of power plant.


NTPC has already set-up a facility for production of 100 tonnes per day of desalinated seawater at NTPC Simhadri

STPP using this FDT technology running since March 2017.

The NTPC and IRCTC are also exploring the feasibility to set up similar facility at Talcher and Solapur.











73



19 Oct PTC India to s ign PPAs with 7 fi rm s, 5 states fo r 1, 900MW po wer by Oct -endPTC India to s ign PPAs with 7 fi rm s, 5 states fo r 1, 900MW po wer by Oct -end

After this tender, Power trading solutions provider PTC India plans another round of 3,000 MW of

medium term PPAs to give some relief to stressed power projects as PPAs are required for getting

fuel supplies.


The seven companies which would ink PPAs are IL&FS Energy for 550 MW, RKM Powergen for 550 MW, SKS

Power for 300 MW, MB Power (Madhya Pradesh) Ltd for 175 MW, Jindal India Thermal Power for 175 MW,

Jhabua Power Ltd for 100 MW and JP Nilgiri Project for 100 MW.

Five states which would buy power from these plants are Telangana (550 MW), Tamil Nadu (550 MW), Haryana

(400MW), Bihar (200MW) and West Bengal (200MW).

PTC had finalised bids of 1,900 MW capacities last month at a tariff of Rs 4.24 per unit including the nominal

fixed cost of one paise per unit for supply of power for the medium term of 3 years.

19 Oct NASSCOM inks Mo U with Dubai Internet to expand Indian SMEs in MENANASSCOM inks Mo U with Dubai Internet to expand Indian SMEs in MENA

The MoU between the NASSCOM and Dubai Internet City (DIC) is first of its kind in the Middle East

and North Africa region. This MoU will serve as a major catalyst for Indian businesses to expand into

the region.


Dubai has welcomed an increasing number of Indian businesses over the past few months in a bid to strengthen

bilateral trade between the UAE and India, on track to hit $100 billion by 2020.This allows businesses to transact

directly in their national currencies.

Additionally, Indian tourist numbers to the city grew by 15 per cent last year, crossing the two million mark, the first

for any country in a single year.

19 Oct Tata S teel t ies up with Nether lands ' No uryo n fo r carbo n neutral i tyTata S teel t ies up with Nether lands ' No uryo n fo r carbo n neutral i ty

The companies will together explore the feasibility of a water electrolysis facility to produce hydrogen

and oxygen at Tata Steel's IJmuiden steelworks in the Netherlands.


This step is one of the initiatives to the company become carbon neutral from 2050.

The plant would save up to 350,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year if this is implemented.










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24 Oct 38 Mo Us s igned at Bhubaneswar S teel Co nclav e38 Mo Us s igned at Bhubaneswar S teel Co nclav e

Capital Goods (CG) producers from across the globe inked 38 MoUs with Indian steel companies

which will reduce imports for the steel sector worth Rs 39,400 crore at Bhubaneswar Steel Conclave.

It was organized by Ministry of Steel, in association with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and

MECON.


The National Steel Policy - 2017 envisages creation of 300 million tonnes (MT) of steel capacity in the country by 2030-

31 as against existing 130 MT, out of which Odisha has the potential to produce nearly 100 million tonne (MT), as the

State is home to sizeable mineral resource base and produces 14% of the country’s total mineral output.

Steel Minister, Chaudhary Birender Singh, said that in order to ensure that the MOUs signed today culminate into

manufacturing of capital goods, a purchase preference policy to cover all purchases of steel products, including capital

goods is being worked out by the Ministry of Steel.

24 Oct Cabinet appro v es Mo U between the ICAI and CPA AfghanistanCabinet appro v es Mo U between the ICAI and CPA Afghanistan

The MoU will establish mutual co-operation framework in the areas of Capacity Building of

"Afghanistan Accountancy Board (AAB)", strengthening the IT Capacity and Quality Assurance in

Afghanistan through facilitating Knowledge Transfer, Students and Members Exchange Programs,

Conduct of Seminars, Conferences and Joint Activities mutually beneficial to both the parties.


Afghanistan will help India and ICAI to facilitate indirect employment generation for Indian CAs through recognition

and acceptability amongst Afghanistan employers.

Back gro u n d Back gro u n d - The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body established by an Act

of Parliament of India, 'The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949', to regulate the profession of Chartered

Accountancy in India. Certified Professional Accountants Afghanistan (CPA Afghanistan )is an independent

regulator of accountancy profession in Afghanistan, which operates under the supervision of Ministry of

Finance, Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.










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26 Oct Uber Eats jo ins with CCD to launch v ir tual restaurant netwo rkUber Eats jo ins with CCD to launch v ir tual restaurant netwo rk

While the food would be cooked at CCD kitchens, Uber Eats would provide the technology, backend

and delivery logistics.


They will jointly launch a menu that will be app-and-delivery-only and will not be available at CCD outlets.

The first restaurant is expected to be launched in Bangalore in November.

CCD's network of 1750 outlets across the country will help in the expansion of this idea.

Depending on the success of the project, Uber Eats plans to launch the same idea in Latin America. It also has plans of

tying up with other restaurant chains to promote the expansion of this concept.

31 Oct PFC, PTC s ign Mo Us under Aggregated Po wer Pro curem ent Schem ePFC, PTC s ign Mo Us under Aggregated Po wer Pro curem ent Schem e

Agreements for 1900 MW capacity on Medium Term basis with PFC Consulting Limited as Nodal

Agency and PTC India Ltd. as Aggregator was signed on 29th October.


The PPAs are expected to lessen the burden and would lead to efficient utilization of capacities of some of the coal

based stressed power plants.

The procuring DISCOMs are - Telangana and Tamil Nadu for 550 MW each, West Bengal and Bihar for 200 MW

eachwhile Haryana has consented to sign for 400 MW.

OTHERSOTHERS











76



01 Oct 12 Indian firm s in Fo rbes ' best regarded co m panies l ist12 Indian firm s in Fo rbes ' best regarded co m panies l ist

Entertainment giant Walt Disney, with a market cap of $165 billion topped the list, followed by

hospitality major Hilton and Italian carmaker Ferrari at the second and third spots respectively.


Indian companies that made it to the coveted list include

1. Infosys (31)

2. Tata Consultancy Services (35)

3. Tata Motors (70)

4. Tata Steel (131)

5. Larsen & Toubro (135)

6. Grasim Industries (154)

7. HDFC (217)

8. General Insurance Corporation Of India (156)

9. Mahindra & Mahindra (164)

10. Asian Paints (203)

11. Steel Authority of India (227)

12. ITC (239)

03 Oct SIDBI launches Entrepreneurship Awareness Cam paign 'Udyam Abhilasha'S IDBI launches Entrepreneurship Awareness Cam paign 'Udyam Abhilasha'

The campaign would provide entrepreneurship training to around 15,000 youth across 115

Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog in 28 States, from 3 October to 8 October, 2018. rd th


SIDBI has partnered with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle, (CSC SPV) set up by the

Ministry of Electronics & IT, Govt. of India for implementing the campaign through their CSCs.

The objectives of the missionary campaign includes :-

1. to inspire rural youth to be entrepreneurs by assisting them to set up their own enterprise,

2. to impart trainings through digital medium,

3. to create business opportunities forCSC VLEs,

4. to encourage women entrepreneurship and

5. to assist participants to become bankable and avail credit facility from banks to set up their own enterprise.










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03 Oct India m o v es up to 28th rank in go v t e-paym ent ado pt io nIndia m o v es up to 28th rank in go v t e-paym ent ado pt io n

The 73-country survey, which was last conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit commissioned by

'Visa' in 2011, looks at availability of government electronic transaction services and the underlying

environment of mechanisms that support digitisation for all transactions in a market, such as policy

and infrastructure.


India holds the top ranking on business-to-government (B2G) and government-to-business (G2B), and comes third on

citizen-to-government (C2G) jointly with Argentina. India's overall ranking has moved up to 28th in 2018, from 36th in

2011.

Norway leads the pack in the 73-country ranking, followed by France and Denmark.

The survey said while the country has done well on financial inclusion, its overall performance in inclusiveness

dropped due to a lack of government integration of the informal economy.

04 Oct In a head-o n fight with Netfl ix and Am azo n Prim e Video , ZEE5 go es glo balIn a head-o n fight with Netfl ix and Am azo n Prim e Video , ZEE5 go es glo bal

Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL), the broadcast arm of the Subhash-Chandra-led Essel Group,

launched its over-the-top (OTT) service ZEE5 in over 190 countries in one go.


The platform will target the South Asian diaspora with content in 12 languages at an introductory price of $2-10 a

month.

The overall plan is to position ZEE5 as a destination for Indian content in global markets.

ZEE5 was launched earlier this year, replacing ZEEL’s existing OTT platforms DittoTV and OZEE.

04 Oct Mukesh Am bani em erges r ichest Indian fo r 11th co nsecut iv e yearMukesh Am bani em erges r ichest Indian fo r 11th co nsecut iv e year

Mr. Ambani (Net worth of USD 47.3bn) is also the year’s biggest gainer, adding USD 9.3 billion.

Wipro Chairman Azim Premji has retained the second spot with his wealth at USD 21 billion; while

Lakshmi Mittal is third with a net worth of USD 18.3 billion.


Mr. Mittal is followed by the Hinduja brothers at with a net worth of USD 18 billion and Pallonji Mistry with USD 15.7

billion. Other business magnates making the top 10 list are Shiv Nadar (USD 14.6 billion), Godrej family (USD

14 billion), Dilip Shanghvi (USD 12.6 billion), Kumar Birla (USD 12.5 billion) and Gautam Adani (USD 11.9

billion).

Biotechnology pioneer Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has emerged as the biggest percentage gainer of the year.










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05 Oct Reliance Health Insurance gets final no d fro m IRDAI to start o perat io nsReliance Health Insurance gets final no d fro m IRDAI to start o perat io ns

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Health Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital plans to

commence operations by the December quarter of 2018.


Health insurance in India has been amongst the fastest-growing insurance sectors, rising at 20 per cent annually and

is expected to double to over Rs 1,00,000 crore by 2021. Reliance Capital has designated Ravi Viswanath, who has

over two decades of global experience in health insurance, as CEO of the new health insurance company.

05 Oct G I Tag fo r Alpho nso fro m Ko nkanG I Tag fo r Alpho nso fro m Ko nkan

Alphonso Mango from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and other adjoining areas in Maharashtra gets a

Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. A Geographical Indication or a GI is a sign used on products that

have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that

origin.


Called the king of mangoes, Alphonso, known as 'Hapus' in Maharashtra, is prized in the domestic and

international markets for its taste, fragrance and vibrant colour.

The first product to get a GI tag in India was Darjeeling tea in 2004. There are 325 products from India that carry

this indication. Mahabaleshwar strawberry, Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Banarasi sarees, Banglar rasogolla of West

Bengal, Madhubani paintings of Bihar, Mysore silk of Karnataka and Tirupati laddus are some products with

GI tag.

09 Oct Alphabet shuts G o o gle Plus after user data expo sedAlphabet shuts G o o gle Plus after user data expo sed

Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Monday that up to 5,00,000 Google+ user accounts were potentially

affected by a bug that may have exposed their data to external developers between 2015 and

March 2018, and the company is shutting down the social network for consumers.


Shares of Alphabet Inc were down 2.6% at $1138.53.

The affected data is limited to static, optional Google+ Profile fields including name, email address, occupation,

gender and age.

Google opted not to disclose the issue partly due to fears of regulatory scrutiny










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09 Oct Lo ckheed Mart in, Tata to ho ld suppliers ' m eet in India fo r F-16 jets ' m anufactur ingLo ckheed Mart in, Tata to ho ld suppliers ' m eet in India fo r F-16 jets ' m anufactur ing

Prominent Indian industry partners are GE, Terma, Honeywell, Fokker, Israeli Aerospace Industries,

Elbit, UTC, Terma, Eaton, Moog, Parker, and other global defence industry leaders. Exclusive F-16

production integrates Indian industry into a USD 165 billion fighter aircraft sustainment market and

supports the 'Make in India' initiative.


The potential F-16 India Project will be highly strategic for India, especially to build new capabilities in the Indian

defence manufacturing sector

4,604 F-16s have been procured by 28 customers around the world till date. Approximately 3,000 operational F-16s are

flying today with 25 leading air forces, including the US Air Force.

Though Lockheed has offered to move its entire F-16 manufacturing base to India, India is yet to make a decision on it











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09 Oct NIT I Aayo g to ho ld Wo rksho p o n Best Pract ices in Internat io nal Arbit rat io nNIT I Aayo g to ho ld Wo rksho p o n Best Pract ices in Internat io nal Arbit rat io n

NITI Aayog is organising the workshop in collaboration with ICC International Court of Arbitration, in

New Delhi on 10 October 2018 to strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms, encourage ‘Make in

India’ and ‘Resolve in India’.


The workshop would cover basic concepts of international arbitration and include best practices on drafting, selection

of arbitrators, enforcement of arbitral awards, role of courts in the arbitration life cycle, etc.

It will have information sharing sessions to be conducted by world class faculty and practitioners from the United

Kingdom, Singapore, Paris and India.

10 Oct India to get free CCTV cam eras under $1.5Bn 'Secure Our City' cam paignIndia to get free CCTV cam eras under $1.5Bn 'Secure Our City' cam paign

The campaign will begin with Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.

Idea is to secure at least one city in every country by the end of 2025, with a plan to install a

maximum of 10,000 cameras in each city.


'Secure Our City' aims to fulfill our dream of a safe, secure and protected world for everyone," said Rijoy Thomas,

Chairman and CEO of the Abu Dhabi-based Secure Cam IT Solutions.

The countries short-listed for installation for phase one includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,

Bangladesh, The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, Holland and Australia in addition to India. The second phase

will focus on installations across other countries in the MENA region.

Cities from the states of Kerala and Goa will also benefit from it.

10 Oct Cabinet clears clo sure o f 2 jute PSUsCabinet clears clo sure o f 2 jute PSUs

The Union Cabinet approved the closure of the loss incurring Central Public Sector Enterprises

(CPSEs)- National Jute Manufactures Corporation Limited (NJMC) and its subsidiary Birds Jute and

Exports Limited (BJEL).


Disposal of fixed assets as well as current assets will be in accordance with the guidelines of DPE dated June 14, 2018

and accordingly a Land Management Agency (LMA) will be engaged for disposal of assets.

This helps in not burdening the exchequer with the expenditure of keeping the two PSUs running and the valuable

assets will be put for productive use, or for generating financial resources for developmental progress.

"The available land with both the CPSEs will be put up for public use/other government use for overall development

of society", the government said.










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12 Oct DIPP dev elo ps po rtal fo r fi l ing o f IEM, IL appl icat io nsDIPP dev elo ps po rtal fo r fi l ing o f IEM, IL appl icat io ns

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) said it has developed a portal for

facilitating filing of online applications for industrial entrepreneurs' memorandum (IEM) and

industrial licence (IL).


Applications for IEM and IL under the Industries Act are currently accepted through e-biz portal whereas applications

for manufacture of defence items under the Arms Act are received physically.

This portal will be available for public with effect from October 16 for filing application and no applications shall be

received through e-biz portal or in physical form.

14 Oct India Internat io nal S i lk Fair 2018 begins o n 16th Octo berIndia Internat io nal S i lk Fair 2018 begins o n 16th Octo ber

Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani, will inaugurate the 6th edition of India International Silk

Fair in New Delhi to give a platform to exporters to display their products and to overseas buyers an

opportunity to place orders and source their merchandise.


Over 108 exhibitors of silk and blended silk products manufactured in different parts of the country will display their

produce during the event.

Over 218 buyers from various countries will participate in the fair.

It is expected to generate business of over USD 20 million for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in

producing silk and blended silk garments, fabrics, accessories and floor covering.

16 Oct Wo rld Fo o d Day: Mo di go v ernm ent bui lding eco system fo r ‘ Agripreneurs ’Wo rld Fo o d Day: Mo di go v ernm ent bui lding eco system fo r ‘ Agripreneurs ’

An agricultural conclave was organised on World Food Day, 16 October with the theme being,

"Unleashing Potentials in Agriculture for Young Entrepreneurs (UPAYA)", because modern

technology is changing traditional agricultural practices and this will ensure a strong linkage between

agriculture and entrepreneurship.


It was organised by ICAR to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, scientists, farmers, technology

developers to create desired awareness and help build a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly in the

Agriculture sector, the government said.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research will take action to remove the suffering from hunger and ensure food

security and a nutritious diet for all.










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17 Oct India ranked 58th m o st co m pet it iv e eco no m y in WEF's indexIndia ranked 58th m o st co m pet it iv e eco no m y in WEF's index

On the list of 140 economies in the Global Competitiveness Report of World Economic Forum, the US

is at top, followed by Singapore(2) and Germany(3). Other countries in the top 10 include,

Switzerland (4th), Japan (5th), Netherlands (6th), Hong Kong (7th), United Kingdom (8th), Sweden

(9th) and Denmark (10th).


India with a score of 62.0 in the latest Global Competitiveness Report, is the largest gain among all G20 economies. It

moved 5 places up from 2017.

Neighbouring China was ranked at the 28th position in the overall list. India, however, remained the "South Asia's

main driving force .

India leads the region in all other areas of competitiveness except for health, education and skills, where Sri Lanka

boasts the highest healthy life expectancy (67.8 years) and the workforce with the highest amount of schooling (9.8

years).

The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 is a composite indicator that assesses the set of factors

that determine an economy's level of productivity based on 12 main drivers of productivity.











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19 Oct Indian SMEs part ic ipates in 8th Euro pean SME Co ngress in Indian SMEs part ic ipates in 8th Euro pean SME Co ngress in Po landPo land

A delegation of 32 Indian SMEs led by Ms. Alka Arora, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, is

participating in the 8th European Congress on SMEs at Kotawice, Poland. In order to fructify the

opportunities for Indian SMEs, the Congress will be an opportunity to make direct business relations

between European and Indian SMEs.


Inaugurating the event, Ms. Alka Arora said India is a home to more than 60 million MSMEs which have the ability to

access international markets and work as ancillaries to larger international firms providing livelihood to more than 100

million people.

The main theme of the event is “Business-Self-Government Together for Economy”.

The organizers have allotted a special session of 90 min for discussion about trade and business opportunities with

India and Indian SMEs.

19 Oct India s l ips o ne spo t to beco m e ninth m o st v aluable nat io n brandIndia s l ips o ne spo t to beco m e ninth m o st v aluable nat io n brand

India has slipped one position and Italy replaced India to secure the eighth spot according to 'Nation

Brands 2018' report.


India’s brand value has witnessed an increase of 5% — to $2,159 billion from $2,046 billion in 2016.

USA has topped the list with 23% increase in brand value followed by China with 25% increase.

It is calculated on the basis of national brand strength, national brand ratings, royalty rate revenues, weighted average

cost of capital and brand valuation.

22 Oct PM addresses India Carpet Expo at Varanasi v ia VideoPM addresses India Carpet Expo at Varanasi v ia Video

The PM noted that this is the first time that the India Carpet Expo is being organized at the Deendayal

Hastkala Sankul in Varanasi, and named Varanasi, Bhadohi and Mirzapur as important centres of the

carpet industry.


India is today the biggest producer of carpets, and has about 35 percent of the global marketshare.

He said the rising middle class, and the support provided to the carpet industry are two key factors behind the growth

in this sector and also appreciated the skills of the carpet makers, which have made the “Made in India carpet” a big

brand.










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22 Oct Wo m en o f India Organic Fest iv al to be held fro m Oct 26 - No v 4Wo m en o f India Organic Fest iv al to be held fro m Oct 26 - No v 4

The Women Ministry is organizing this event at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New

Delhi. This is aimed to boost organic culture and promote Women Organic Farmers and

Entrepreneurs.


The WOI Festival has given a successful platform to empower women farmers and entrepreneurs in a festive and

fruitful manner for the past 4 years.

Being the country's largest organic festival, it bears witness to the fact that women are the torchbearers of the nation's

organic movement.

For the first time, ‘The Vegan Project’ and Food Court with cooked-on-site delicacies will also be available.

22 Oct Tata So ns writes o ff ent ire Rs 286-bn inv estm ent in Tata Teleserv icesTata So ns writes o ff ent ire Rs 286-bn inv estm ent in Tata Teleserv ices

Tata Sons is in the process of transferring the consumer mobile business of Tata Teleservices to

Bharti Airtel and plans to merge enterprise segment with Tata communications.


The net profit of Tata Sons increased by 6 per cent to Rs 8.73 billion in 2017-18 from Rs 8.24 billion in 2016-17.

It suffered huge losses after three of its licenses were cancelled by Supreme Court due to irregularities in Spectrum

Allocation to the company and several new entrants.

23 Oct TCS am o ng to p 10 firm s to get fo reign labo ur cert ificat io n fo r H-1B v isasTCS am o ng to p 10 firm s to get fo reign labo ur cert ificat io n fo r H-1B v isas

Ernst and Young, a multinational professional services firm, has emerged as the top employer to

have received the certification, followed by Deloitte Consulting which received 69,869 H-1B specialty

occupations labour conditions programme.


The H-1B visas are the most sought-after among Indian IT professionals.

India's Tata Consultancy Services(TCS) is the only Indian company in top 10 for the year 2018.

Indian-American owned Cognizant Technology Crop comes at number three, followed by HCL America (42,820),K

Force Inc, and Apple.

California with 309,205 certifications topped the list of States for getting maximum H-1B labour certification, followed

by Texas, New York, New Jersey,Illinois, Washington and Pensylvania.










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23 Oct Inv est India wins UN award fo r inv estm ents in sustainable dev elo pm entInv est India wins UN award fo r inv estm ents in sustainable dev elo pm ent

The award was presented by Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to Deepak Bagla, the CEO of

Invest India, at the World Investment Forum, Geneva.


The awards, organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), honour investment

promotion agencies (IPAs) and showcase best practices in attracting investment into Sustainable Development Goals-

related projects.

Invest India received the award for supporting a major global wind turbines company in the establishment of a blade

manufacturing plant in India while committing to train local staff and produce 1 gigawatt of renewable energy.

24 Oct Mineral blo ck auct io n: G o v t m ulls s ingle windo w fo r green clearancesMineral blo ck auct io n: G o v t m ulls s ingle windo w fo r green clearances

Currently it's very difficult to get clearances like environment, forest and land rights. The steel and

mines ministries are trying to put single window clearance in place.


Around 50 mineral blocks have been auctioned so far since 2015. The government will earn a revenue of Rs 1.81 lakh

crore over the lease period from these blocks.

The price of copper is expected to increase in the future, therefore the concept of single window for clearances will be

beneficial for mining.











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24 Oct CCEA o kays Rs 7, 522 cr fund fo r creat ing infrastructure fo r fisher ies (FIDF)CCEA o kays Rs 7, 522 cr fund fo r creat ing infrastructure fo r fisher ies (FIDF)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by PM Modi, has given its approval for creation

of special Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) t o help boost annual

fish production to 20 million tonnes by 2022-23 and generate over 9.40 lakh employment

opportunities.


India's fish production is estimated at around 12 million tonnes annually.

The approval entails an estimated fund size of Rs 7,522 crore, comprising Rs 5,266.40 crore to be raised by the Nodal

Loaning Entities (NLEs), Rs 1,316.6 crore beneficiaries contribution and Rs 939.48 crore budgetary support from the

Government of India.

Under FIDF, loan lending will be over a period of five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23 and maximum repayment will be

over a period of 12 years inclusive of moratorium of two years on repayment of principal.

26 Oct PM Mo di inaugurated Kr ishi Kum bh in Luckno wPM Mo di inaugurated Kr ishi Kum bh in Luckno w

New technology will help the agricultural sector and also curb air pollution. He also appreciated UP

Government officials for augmenting the procurement of foodgrains.


PM Modi emphasized on alternative measures for crop stubble, instead of burning to reduce air pollution.

He reiterated his government's commitment to double farmer's income by 2022 by a series of steps to reduce farm

input costs and raise profits along with the installation of solar pumps in the future.

To improve research and development in the field of agriculture, Rice Research Centre will be set up at Varanasi.

He has also called for discussions regarding judicious use of water resouces, improving milk and honey production,

better technology for storage and latest technology in farming.

26 Oct BEML receiv ed To p Challengers , Best M ining Eq uipm ent Sel ler Award 2018BEML receiv ed To p Challengers , Best M ining Eq uipm ent Sel ler Award 2018

Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), a Mini Ratna Public Sector Undertaking, under the Ministry of

Defence, received the prestigious award for its excellent performance during financial year 2017-18

and Best Seller in Crawler Equipment- Dozers and Rigid Dump Truck segment for mining sectors.


At a function held at Delhi, CMDBEML Shri Deepak Kumar Hota has received the award from Construction Economist

Mr. Graham D Robinson.

The award is instituted by ASAAP Information Global Group and is awarded based on the performance evaluation –

‘that grew top line and bottom line, stayed profitable and managed to keep financial health within defined limits’.










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28 Oct Railway plans plane-l ike pressurised co aches in LehRailway plans plane-l ike pressurised co aches in Leh

The line will begin at Bilaspur, travel through Manali to reach Leh, along the India-China border. The

pressurized coaches will prevent difficulty in breathing due to high altitude.


At a height of 5,360 metres above the sea level, the 465-km strategically significant line to be built at a cost of Rs 833.6

bn will see railways' first pressurised coaches

They are being correctly used at Quinghay-Tibet line in China.

It will connect many important places along its journey, including Mandi, Sunder Nagar, Keylong, Karu and Darcha.

This line will be strategically important as it will connect Leh with the rest of the country during winters when roads

are blocked.

31 Oct Ease o f Do ing Business: India jum ps 23 no tches, no w at rank 77Ease o f Do ing Business: India jum ps 23 no tches, no w at rank 77

India moved 23 points in ease of doing biz to 77th place, becoming top ranked country in South Asia

for first time.


It is third among the BRICS countries and has climbed 53 notches in the past two years.

It is recognised in the list of the top 10 improvers for the second time.

It also ranks in the top 25 in the world on three indicators - getting electricity, getting credit and protecting minority

investors, department of industrial policy and promotion.

The DTF ( Distance to Frontier) score improved to 67.23 from 60.76 last year.










88



5. Banking Awareness


05 Oct FinMin k icks o ff Insurance ManthanFinMin k icks o ff Insurance Manthan

The finance ministry reviewed the progress of state run general insurance companies and also kick

started, ‘Insurance Manthan,’ to optimise their performance. Its aim is to develop comprehensive

reform agenda in six themes to modernise Public Sector GICs. Committed to work towards safety net

of all citizens.


The six point agenda includes – Sustainable and Prudent Business, Talent Management and Customer Orientation.

The government is expected to merge National Insurance, Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance by 2019.

07 Oct G o v t draft ing 'Asset Mo net isat io n Fram ewo rk 'G o v t draft ing 'Asset Mo net isat io n Fram ewo rk '

Asset Monetisation Framework will help the administrative ministries to fast track hiving off and sale

of non-core assets of central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) under their administrative control.


It is being drafted by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).

The nine CPSEs whose non-core assets have been identified for hiving off are Pawan Hans, Scooters India, Air India,

Bharat Pumps & Compressors, Project & Development India Ltd (PDIL), Hindustan Prefab, Hindustan Newsprint,

Bridge and Roof Co and Hindustan Fluorocarbons.










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07 Oct IPOs, FPOs, ESo Ps exem pted fro m STT fo r av ai l ing o f co ncessio nal 10% LTCGIPOs, FPOs, ESo Ps exem pted fro m STT fo r av ai l ing o f co ncessio nal 10% LTCG

Initial public offerings, bonus, rights issues and ESoPs will be eligible for concessional rate of 10 per

cent long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax even if the Securities Transaction Tax has not been paid

earlier.


The finance ministry also decided to exempt certain transaction from payment of STT for availing the concessional 10

per cent LTCG rate.

These include IPO, follow-on public offer (FPO), bonus or rights issue by a listed company, acquisition approved by

Court/NCLT/SEBI/RBI, acquisition pursuant to exercise of ESOPs.

In case the STT has not been paid and the transactions are not in the exempt list, the usual LTCG tax rate of 20 per

cent would apply of sale of shares.

08 Oct NHB enhance refinance l im it to Rs 30, 000 cro re to t ide o v er l iq uidity crunchNHB enhance refinance l im it to Rs 30, 000 cro re to t ide o v er l iq uidity crunch

The National Housing Bank (NHB) has increased the refinance limit from 24,000 to Rs 30,000 crore

for housing finance companies for 2018-19 because of the current liquidity position of the sector.

Now, eligible Housing Finance Companies & Other entities will have increased availability of fund.


The move will help alleviate the liquidity crunch that the sector is facing following series of defaults by group

companies of IL&FS Ltd.

The NHB is the Principal Agency to promote Housing Finance Institutions, currently 97 in number, and to provide

financial support to eligible institutions.










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08 Oct MDs at exchanges, depo sito r ies , to hav e 2 term s o f 5 years eachMDs at exchanges, depo sito r ies , to hav e 2 term s o f 5 years each

The board of SEBI in June approved changes to regulations governing Market Infrastructure

Institutions (MIIs) wherein the first term in stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations

may be extendable by another term, subject to satisfactory performance review.


Appointment of the Managing Director shall be for a term not exceeding five years, subject to a maximum age limit of

65 years. In addition, a cooling-off period of one year should be applicable prior to appointment as a PID in another

MII, while that of three years for a director to become a shareholder director in the same institution or a director in its

subsidiary.

"A person shall be nominated as a Public Interest Director (PID) for a maximum of three terms, across a depository/a

recognised stock exchange / a recognised stock exchange / a recognised clearing corporation, subject to a maximum

age limit of 75 years," said the SEBI in two separate notifications dated October 3.

16 Oct RBI lays guidel ines to m o v e m o ney between different m o bile walletsRBI lays guidel ines to m o v e m o ney between different m o bile wallets

These guidelines would allow seamless payments between different mobile wallets, in a move that

could further boost the use of digital payments in the country. RBI says companies can now use a

state-backed payments network to make digital wallets inter-operable.


Mobile wallets such as the one run by SoftBank and Alibaba-backed Paytm have become popular in India after a ban

on high-value currency in late 2016 pushed people to pay digitally.

Digital payments in India are projected to grow five-fold to about $1 trillion by 2023.

19 Oct RBI eases no rm s fo r banks to lend m o re to NBFCs, HFCsRBI eases no rm s fo r banks to lend m o re to NBFCs, HFCs

RBI enhances single-borrower exposure limit to 15% of the bank's capital from the earlier 10% limit.


The RBI has been taking series of steps to infuse liquidity in the system. It has also been undertaking open market

operations at regular intervals to add liquidity.

It also gave banks an incentive to use part of their government securities pool to meet liquidity coverage ratio

(LCR) norms if they provide additional credit to finance companies.








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23 Oct RBI l i fts ban o n Fino Paym ents Bank to add new custo m ersRBI l i fts ban o n Fino Paym ents Bank to add new custo m ers

Paytm Payments Bank and Airtel Payments Bank were also barred from onboarding new customers

earlier because of misusing the customer base of their wallet and telecom parents respectively in

order to create payment bank accounts.


Fino Payments Bank had been unable to enrol new customers since the end of May after RBI found the bank to be

non-compliant with the operational guidelines.

The bank currently has more than 400 banking outlets and over 50,000 access points.

Currently there are five payment banks operating in the country - Paytm, Airtel, Fino and Aditya Birla-Idea Payments

Bank and India Post Payments Bank.

Earlier in July, the RBI had lifted the ban on Airtel Payments Bank. The payment bank had been banned due to

allegedly violating Know-Your-consumer norms including opening accounts without specific or clear consent from the

customers in December 2017.

29 Oct RBI al lo ws banks fo r fi re audit o f currency chests by appro v ed agenciesRBI al lo ws banks fo r fi re audit o f currency chests by appro v ed agencies

Banks maintaining currency chests are required to get fire audit done once in a two years. There are

3,975 currency chests in the country, with as many as 2,575 being managed by State Bank of India.


It relaxed norms for the fire audit of currency chests allowing banks to get it done from approved agencies in case of

shortage of staff at district fire offices.

In April 2016, the RBI had directed banks having currency chests to ensure conducting of fire audits bi-annually by the

officials from the district fire department.











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MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONSMERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

10 Oct Cabinet appro v es the m erger o f regulato ry bo dies NCVT , NDSACabinet appro v es the m erger o f regulato ry bo dies NCVT , NDSA

National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) and the National Skill Development Agency (NDSA)

are to be merged into the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)


The NCVET will regulate the functioning of entities engaged in vocational education and training, both long-term and

short-term, and establish minimum standards for the functioning of such entities

The merger is expected to achieve the twin objective of enhancing aspirational value of vocational education and of

increasing skilled manpower furthering the agenda of making India the skill capital of the world.

OTHERSOTHERS

01 Oct MCA takes co ntro l o f IL and FS , 6-m em ber bo ard led by Uday Ko tak set upMCA takes co ntro l o f IL and FS , 6-m em ber bo ard led by Uday Ko tak set up

Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, Uday Kotak, Tech Mahindra chief Vineet Nayyar, former Sebi

chief GN Bajpai, ICICI Bank non-executive chairman GC Chaturvedi, former IAS officers Malini

Shankar and Nand Kishore are the board members.


An AAA-rated entity for decades, the IL&FS, has over Rs 16,500 crore of standalone debt and Rs 91,000 crore of

consolidated debt. Banks and insurance companies have the largest exposure to IL&FS. In the last two months, both

the parent company and its subsidiaries have defaulted on a number of repayment obligations.

A six-member board has also been formed which will report to the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) to check a

contagion that could have impacted the financial sector.

The step comes after IL&FS announced that its shareholders had approved a plan to raise funds via debt and equity

issuances.










93



03 Oct IFC ex tends Rs 1, 000 cro re green lo an to Aditya Bir la FinanceIFC ex tends Rs 1, 000 cro re green lo an to Aditya Bir la Finance

International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank group member, extended a seven-year long-

term loan of Rs 1,000 crore to ABFL to finance renewable energy projects.


The government plans to increase the country's renewable energy capacity to 175 GW, comprising solar, wind,

biomass, and small hydro, by 2022.

The project complements IFCs India Country Strategy for FY17-21, which commits to enabling electricity access for 60

million people, creation of 25 GW of installed renewable capacity, and contributing 11 per cent to the total energy-

related greenhouse gas avoidance potential.

04 Oct 78 Indian co m panies and perso ns debarred by Wo rld Bank in 201878 Indian co m panies and perso ns debarred by Wo rld Bank in 2018

Olive Health Care and Jay Modi from India are 2 of 78 firms and individuals barred during fiscal year

2018 to fight corruption and safeguard donor resources.


In addition to the 78 debarments, five firms were sanctioned with conditional non-debarment, which means they

remain eligible to participate in World Bank-financed projects but will be debarred if they do not meet certain agreed-

upon conditions.

Other India-based companies include- Angelique International Limited, Family Care, Madhucon Projects Ltd, R KD

Construction Pvt Ltd, Tatve Global Environment Pvt Ltd, SMEC (India) Pvt Ltd, and Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

04 Oct Mo biKwik launches 'Bo o st ' to o ffer instant lo an within 90 seco ndsMo biKwik launches 'Bo o st ' to o ffer instant lo an within 90 seco nds

This is the first-of-its-kind of credit disbursal product, wherein loans of up to Rs. 60,000 are

sanctioned as well as disbursed in a matter of 90 seconds.


MobiKwik has partnered with a number of NBFCs to offer this service to its users.

MobiKwik is the first wallet player to disburse loan amount in the user's mobile wallet.

The loan process includes 4 simple steps:

Select Boost on the MobiKwik App

Activate Boost for instant loan

Insert PAN and other KYC details to view loan offer

Accept loan offer and get instant disbursal.










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04 Oct IRDAI to m o v e to r isk -based superv is io n o f insurersIRDAI to m o v e to r isk -based superv is io n o f insurers

IRDAI has decided to move to a risk-based supervisory (RBS) framework, from a compliance-based

approach, that will enable it to focus more on entities posing higher risks.


In doing so, the regulator would also be able to use its resources efficiently and achieve effective supervision.

It advised insurers and intermediaries to initiate steps to lay greater focus on identification and assessment of risk of

each activity they undertake.

05 Oct RBI Mo netary Po l icy Rev iew: Repo rate unchanged at 6.5%RBI Mo netary Po l icy Rev iew: Repo rate unchanged at 6.5%

Over two-thirds of 61 economists had said in a Reuters poll the RBI would hike the repo rate at

least once by the end of 2018, and over half of them had expected a 25 basis points raise.


This comes as a relief to loan seekers and borrowers, who were bracing for a 25 basis points increase, which could

have led to a rise in borrowing costs.

The decision was taken by a committee meeting led by RBI Governor Urjit Patel.

Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 6.25 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF)

rate and the Bank Rate at 6.75 per cent.

06 Oct RBI sets no rm s fo r e-t rading platfo rm sRBI sets no rm s fo r e-t rading platfo rm s

Trading on electronic platforms is being encouraged across the world as it enhances pricing

transparency, processing efficiency and risk control.


The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued guidelines for operating Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs) to transact in

eligible instruments.

As per the norms, ETPs mean any electronic system, other than a recognised stock exchange, on which transactions in

eligible instruments take place.

No entity will operate an ETP without obtaining prior authorisation of the Reserve Bank under its directions.










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15 Oct RBI to buy Rs 120 bn G -Secs under OMO to cater fo r durable l iq uidity needsRBI to buy Rs 120 bn G -Secs under OMO to cater fo r durable l iq uidity needs

The purchases will be done on through multi-security auction using the multiple price method, the

eligible participants should submit their offers on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-

Kuber) system between 10.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon on October 17 and physical offers will be

accepted only if in case of system failure.


The result of the auction will be announced on the same day.

Payment to successful participants will be made during banking hours on October 19.

This decision was based on an assessment of prevailing liquidity conditions.

16 Oct State So cial Security Bo ards to m anage so cial security co rpusState So cial Security Bo ards to m anage so cial security co rpus

The government plans to cut central organisations Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) of the power to manage social security corpus of

nearly 10 crore employees as part of a move to create a single window system for social security

benefits at state level and increase the number of subscribers fivefold.


The move would help extend social security cover to more than 50 crore workers across the country, increase

compliance on the part of the employers, along with creating a single window system across states for all kinds of

social security including medical insurance, maternity benefits and disability cover.

The Centre will frame the basic social security scheme that would be applicable to workers across the country to

ensure migrant workers continue to enjoy benefits under the scheme.

Once the social security code is approved by Parliament, the government will notify a few districts where the idea will

be tested.











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20 Oct Internat io nal Finance Co rpo rat io n launches $1-bi l l io n m asala bo ndsInternat io nal Finance Co rpo rat io n launches $1-bi l l io n m asala bo nds

By pioneering the offshore rupee market through masala bonds, IFC succeeded in setting an AAA

pricing benchmark for the market by strategically issuing bonds for tenors of three, five, seven, 10,

and 15 years.


The main aim is to boost capital flows into the country and fund the investment activities in India.

The first tranche of $100 million of IFC’s masala bond programme opened at the London Stock Exchange on 18th

October.

The bonds will be helpful the areas of affordable housing, SME finance, distressed assets resolution, renewable

energy, logistics, and disruptive technologies.

20 Oct Bitco in ATM launched in Bengaluru m all by Uno co inBitco in ATM launched in Bengaluru m all by Uno co in

The finance ministry banned banks and regular financial institutions from being part of the bitcoin

network in February. Indians could no longer buy and sell bitcoins, unless they had an overseas

account .Now, to help users overcome this challenge, cryptocurrency exchange Unocoin has

launched this ATM.


Unocoin, which was founded in December 2013, said the next few kiosks will be set up in Delhi and Mumbai, it is

renamed as a kiosk after people were mistaking it for a regular ATM .

Customers of Unocoin and its unit Unodax can deposit or withdraw cash between Rs 1,000 and Rs 10,000 per

transaction per day, in denominations of Rs 500.

In India, the government does not consider cryptocurrencies legal tender or coin and will take all measures to

eliminate use of these cryptoassets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system.

22 Oct Paytm po wers Japan's new wallet 'PayPay'Paytm po wers Japan's new wallet 'PayPay'

PayPay has announced that it would be giving electronic money equivalent to 500 yen to each

customer downloading the app and authenticating it with a valid number.


It is a smartphone based settlement which is a joint venture of SoftBank Corp and Yahoo Japan Corporation and is

backed by Paytm.

It is based on the QR technology, similar to Paytm and will not charge any "user scan fee" for the next 3 years.

Customers can select two types of payment, credit cards and electronic money through the app.

Paytm is planning to expand its user base into Europe after Japan.










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22 Oct IL and FS bo ard appo ints 3 adv iso rs to dev elo p reso lut io n planIL and FS bo ard appo ints 3 adv iso rs to dev elo p reso lut io n plan

Arpwood Capital and JM Financial have been appointed as the financial and transaction advisors

(FTAs), while Alvarez and Marsal (A&M) as the restructuring advisor to the company's board,

according to a release.


Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) said the new move is to execute a resolution plan for the debt-

ridden company.

The FTA's will advise solutions towards the new resolution whereas the A&M will assist in maintaining strict controls

and managing liquidity.

22 Oct IBC panel suggests UN m o del law fo r cro ss-bo rder inso lv ency casesIBC panel suggests UN m o del law fo r cro ss-bo rder inso lv ency cases

The Insolvency Law Committee (ILC), chaired by Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas submitted

its report to Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley. The UN model law, UNCITRAL Model Law of

Cross Border Insolvency, 1997, provides a comprehensive framework to deal with cross-border

insolvency issues.


The model law deals with four major principles of cross-border insolvency, including direct access to foreign

insolvency professionals and foreign creditors to participate in or commence domestic insolvency proceedings against

a defaulting debtor.

Although the proposed framework would enable in dealing with Indian companies having foreign assets and vice

versa, it still does not provide for a framework for dealing with enterprise groups.

The other advantages are greater confidence generation among foreign investors, adequate flexibility for seamless

integration with the domestic insolvency law and an improved mechanism for international cooperation.

22 Oct Syndicate Bank gets Rs 728-cr capital infusio n fro m go v ernm entSyndicate Bank gets Rs 728-cr capital infusio n fro m go v ernm ent

The bank said that the finance ministry had conveyed on October 17 of getting government sanction

for release of Rs 728 crore towards contribution of the preferential allotment of equity shares during

2018-19.


This capital infusion was possible due to preferential allotment to shares.

Central Bank of India will get Rs 2,354 crore in return to preferential allotment of shares to the government.

As part of PSBs' recapitalisation, the government in October 2017 had announced a massive Rs 2.1 lakh crore infusion

in the course of 2017-18 and 2018-19 with the objective of strengthening them in the face of mounting non-

performing assets (NPAs).










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29 Oct India to ps as Asia's m o st Inv estm ent Sav v y Eco no m yIndia to ps as Asia's m o st Inv estm ent Sav v y Eco no m y

More than two-thirds of the India's affluent class prefer to use various investment products to

achieve their financial goals and greater social mobility. T he #1 financial goal for India's

emerging affluents is saving for their children's education which is also the top savings priority

across the markets in the study.


The 'Emerging Af f luent Study 2018– Cl imbing the P rosperi ty Ladder'Emerging Af f luent Study 2018– Cl imbing the P rosperi ty Ladder' examines the views of emerging

affluent consumers – individuals who are earning enough to save and invest – from 11 markets across Asia, Africa and

the Middle East.

68 percent of Indian people belonging to this segment are using investment products to achieve their

financial goals, as compared to an average figure of 57 percent.

The study said, 31 per cent of emerging Indian affluents are selecting mutual funds, 25 percent choosing fixed income

investments and 22 percent equity investments. All figures are higher than the average in the study, which are 16, 19

and 18 percent, respectively.











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30 Oct NSDL starts Paym ents Bank o perat io nsNSDL starts Paym ents Bank o perat io ns

The RBI said that NSDL Payments Bank has commenced operations. It is the 7th bank out of the 11

which were granted approval in August 2015.


Vodafone m-Pesa Ltd is the only applicant left to set up its payments bank. Three applicants have surrendered their

licences.

Payments bank is a differentiated bank providing a limited range of products, such as acceptance of demand deposits

and remittances of funds.

It can accept a restricted deposit, which is currently limited to ₹1 lakh per customer. But these banks cannot

extend loans or issue credit cards.

Other payments banks that have started operations are India Post Payments Bank, Airtel Payments Bank, Paytm

Payments Bank, Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank and Jio Payments Bank.










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6. Science, Technology and Environment


01 Oct SATAT pro m o tes Co m pressed Bio -G as as an alternat iv e, green t ranspo rt fuelSATAT pro m o tes Co m pressed Bio -G as as an alternat iv e, green t ranspo rt fuel

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, MoP&NG launched an innovative initiative to set up Compressed Bio-Gas

(CBG) production plants and make available CBG in the market for use in automotive fuels.


Sh Pradhan said that the Government is keen to set up 5000 CBG plants in next 5 years. There will be no restriction on

the technology choice and Government is incurring Rs 75,000 Crore capital expenditure for setting up infrastructure

for City Gas distribution network.

The Minister said that currently 42 lakh households are getting PNG supply, and there is a commitment to cover 2

crore households in 300 districts by the suppliers.

Bio-gas is produced naturally through a process of anaerobic decomposition from waste / bio-mass sources like

agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal solid waste, sewage treatment plant waste, etc.

10 Oct Nit in G adkari Says No t ificat io n o f E-Flo w fo r G anga is a S ignificant S tepNit in G adkari Says No t ificat io n o f E-Flo w fo r G anga is a S ignificant S tep

The Central Government notified the minimum environmental flows for River Ganga that has to be

maintained at various locations on the river. Environmental flows are the acceptable flow regimes

that are required to maintain a river in the desired environmental state or predetermined state.


The notification of e-flow for the river would go a long way in ensuring its continuous flow.

Reiterating the Government’s commitment towards an Aviral and Nirmal Ganga, the Minister informed that the draft

Ganga Act will soon be sent to the Cabinet for approval.

It will ensure that the river has at least the minimum required environmental flow of water even after the river flow

gets diverted by projects and structures for purposes like irrigation, hydropower, domestic and industrial use etc.










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15 Oct Shri RK S ingh launches Po wer Dept . award schem e under 'Saubhagya'Shr i RK S ingh launches Po wer Dept . award schem e under 'Saubhagya'

Shri RK Singh, Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy announced an award

scheme under Saubhagya to felicitate the DISCOMs / Power Department of the States and their

employees for achieving 100 per cent household electrification in their area of operations.


There will be two quantums of award in each of the three categories.

Under first quantum of award, the 1st DISCOM / Power Department to achieve 100% household electrification

by 30th November 2018 would be provided cash award of Rs. 50 Lakh.

The second quantum of award includes cash award of Rs. 100 Crore as grant to the concerned DISCOM/Power

Department to be spent in distribution infrastructure development in their area of operation.

The scheme aims to provide last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining households in rural as

well as urban areas.

Eight States which have already achieved more than 99 per cent household electrification prior to launch of

Saubhagya (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu), are ineligible

for participation under the award scheme.

22 Oct UN grants India $43 m n to bo o st cl im ate resi l ience fo r co astal co m m unit iesUN grants India $43 m n to bo o st cl im ate resi l ience fo r co astal co m m unit ies

The grant is a part of more than $1 billion approved by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for 19 new

projects to help developing countries tackle climate change,supported through the United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP).


The 19 new projects amount to a total investment from GCF of $1,038 million, and including co-financing the projects

will channel over $4,244 million of climate finance for low-emission, climate-resilient development.

Over 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 will be sequestered through restored ecosystems over the next 30 years.

The Government of India will finance an additional $86.8 million towards the new project to mainstream and

accelerate the impacts of the GCF grant.










102



24 Oct Only Bharat S tage VI co m pliant v ehicles to be so ld fro m Apri l 2020: SCOnly Bharat S tage VI co m pliant v ehicles to be so ld fro m Apri l 2020: SC

The Bharat stage emission standards are standards instituted by the government to regulate

output of air pollutants from motor vehicles. No vehicle that can only use will be sold and

registered across the country after April 1, 2020 Bharat Stage IV(4) fuel


The BS IV norms have been enforced across the country since April 2017.

In 2016, the Centre had announced that the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by

2020.

The manufacturers had argued that they were allowed to manufacture BS-IV vehicles till March 31, 2020 and they

should be granted reasonable time to sell their stock.

29 Oct Twelv e Pro jects Wo rth Rs 929 Cro re Appro v ed Under Nam am i G angeTwelv e Pro jects Wo rth Rs 929 Cro re Appro v ed Under Nam am i G ange

The Executive Committee (EC) of the National Mission for Clean Ganga approved the projects in its

16th meeting today. Two Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been sanctioned for Delhi for

creating 340 MLD waste treatment capacity at a cost of Rs 580 Crore.


In Delh iIn Delh i , the first is an STP of 318 MLD capacity at C o ro n at i o n P i l l arC o ro n at i o n P i l l ar. The second is a project in C h at t arp u rC h at t arp u r

assembly constituency where various sewage pumping stations and 9 STPs of total 22.5 MLD capacity will be

constructed.

For UPFor UP , projects for inspection and monitoring of industries, STPs and CETPs by third party technical

institutions, an amount of 0.98 Cr has been sanctioned for strengthening of UP Pollution Control laboratories

have been approved

For For West Ben galWest Ben gal , two projects have been sanctioned for upgrading the STP in K an ch arap araK an ch arap ara from 13 MLD

to 18 MLD capacity, along with its operation and maintenance for the next 15 years. Another project has been

sanctioned for H i l sa fi sh eri es i mp ro v emen tHi l sa fi sh eri es i mp ro v emen t at F arrak a b arrageat F arrak a b arrage .

OTHERSOTHERS










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02 Oct Hyperlo o pTT unv ei ls fi rst ful l -scale passenger capsule 'Quintero One' in SpainHyperlo o pTT unv ei ls fi rst ful l -scale passenger capsule 'Quintero One' in Spain

It will be ready for passengers in 2019. The 5-tonne capsule has 72 sensors, 75,000 rivets and 7,200

square metres of fibre.


It will be delivered to HyperloopTT's research and development centre in Toulouse, France, for additional assembly

and integration into the system.

It proposed to set up the system in India's Andhra Pradesh state, connecting Anantapur-Amaravati-Vijayawada and

Visakhapatnam.

02 Oct Tro pical Depressio n Ro sa m akes landfal l in Mex icoTro pical Depressio n Ro sa m akes landfal l in Mex ico

Rosa hit Mexico's Baja California peninsula, dumping heavy rains on the Pacific Coast and

threatening the southwestern United States with flash flooding.


The rest of the western US also faced heavy rain. Dangerous debris flows and landslides are also possible in

mountainous terrain.

It was moving northwest at 17 kilometres per hour.

At least 12 people died and 8 are missing in flash floods in the states of Michoacan and Sinaloa.

03 Oct PM inaugurates first assem bly o f the Internat io nal So lar Al l iancePM inaugurates first assem bly o f the Internat io nal So lar Al l iance

The same event also marked the inauguration of the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial

Meeting, and the 2nd Global RE-Invest (Renewable Energy Investors’ Meet and Expo).


The Prime Minister said the target is to generate 40 percent of India's total energy requirements in 2030, by non fossil

fuel based sources.

Secretary General of United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres said that he would convene a Climate Summit next

December to bring climate action to the top of international agenda.

International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the

Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.










104



03 Oct Ex trem ely distant so lar system o bject 2015 TG 387 disco v eredEx trem ely distant so lar system o bject 2015 TG 387 disco v ered

The object Planet X, at the edge of the solar system far beyond Pluto , which completes one orbit

around the Sun every 40,000 years, was discovered about 80 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun.


This is done by Carnegie's Scott Sheppard and his colleagues from Northern Arizona University and the University of

Hawaii.

For context, Pluto is around 34 AU, so 2015 TG387 is about two and a half times further away from the Sun than Pluto

is right now.

The new object is on a very elongated orbit and never comes closer to the Sun.

03 Oct India launches 'Operat io n Sam udra Mait r i ' to help tsunam i-hit Indo nesiaIndia launches 'Operat io n Sam udra Mait r i ' to help tsunam i-hit Indo nesia

India has launched a massive operation to provide assistance to the earthquake and tsunami victims,

dispatching two aircrafts and three naval ships carrying relief material to the Central Sulawesi

province of Indonesia.


The C-130J aircraft is carrying a medical team along with tents and equipments to set up a field hospital. The C-17

aircraft is carrying medicines, generators, tents and water to provide immediate assistance.

Three Indian Navy ships -- INS Tir, INS Sujatha and INS Shardul -- have also been mobilised to carry out humanitarian

assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

04 Oct TCS signs Mo U with Univ ers ity o f To kyo o n techno lo gy research co l labo rat io nTCS s igns Mo U with Univ ers ity o f To kyo o n techno lo gy research co l labo rat io n

The partnership is the latest addition to TCS' Co-innovation Network (COIN'M) to bring together the

best of academia, research, tech start-ups, and alliance partners from across the world to

collaborate and conceptualize innovation that helps customers in their digital transformation

journeys.


Tata Consultancy Services and the University of Tokyo (IIS, UTokyo), have signed a memorandum of understanding

(MoU) to collaborate on technology research and facilitate interpersonnel exchange.

The partnership also paves the way for an exchange of scholars and researchers between the two organisations










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04 Oct First 'exo m o o n' o uts ide o ur so lar system disco v eredFirst 'exo m o o n' o uts ide o ur so lar system disco v ered

The exomoon is a large gaseous world the size of Neptune that is unlike any other known moon and

orbits a gas planet much more massive than Jupiter.


The exomoon is exponentially larger than our solar system's biggest moon. Jupiter's moon Ganymede has a diameter

of about 5,260 km. The exomoon is estimated to be roughly the size of Neptune, the smallest of our solar system's

four gas planets, with a diameter of about 49,000 km.

The exomoon and its planet orbit Kepler-1625, a star similar in temperature to our sun but about 70% larger.

The exomoon orbits roughly 3 million km from its planet and its mass is about 1.5% that of its planet.

04 Oct Haryana Best S tate in Swachh Surv ekshan G ram een Awards 2018Haryana Best S tate in Swachh Surv ekshan G ram een Awards 2018

PM Modi gave awards to top Ranked State, District and State with maximum citizen participation

based on the National Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018. Haryana was ranked as the best State

while Satara District of Maharashtra was ranked as the best district.


Uttar Pradesh was rewarded for maximum citizens’ participation.

As part of Swachh Survekshan Grameen, 6786 villages in 685 Districts across India were covered. 27,963 public

places namely schools, anganwadis, public health centres, haat/ bazaars/religious places in these 6786

villages were visited by an independent agency for survey.











106



04 Oct 2nd G lo bal RE-INVEST India-ISA Partnership Renewable Energy Inv esto rs Meet2nd G lo bal RE-INVEST India-ISA Partnership Renewable Energy Inv esto rs Meet

The 2nd Global RE-INVEST from 3-5 October 2018 at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, will

provide an international forum to established players as well as new segments of investors and

entrepreneurs to engage, ideate and innovate.


RE-INVEST is a global platform to explore strategies for development and deployment of renewables.

It showcases India’s clean energy market and the Government’s efforts to scale up capacity to meet the national

energy demand in socially, economically and ecologically sustainable ways.

05 Oct 21 IORA Co untr ies ado pt the Delhi Declarat io n o n Renewable Energy21 IORA Co untr ies ado pt the Delhi Declarat io n o n Renewable Energy

The declaration was adopted post the 2nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Renewable Energy

Ministerial Meeting held at the 2nd Global Re-Invest India-ISA Partnership Renewable Energy

Investor’s Meet & Expo in Greater Noida.


The Delhi Declaration on Renewable Energy in the Indian Ocean Region calls for collaboration among IORA member

states in meeting the growing demand for renewable energy in the Indian Ocean littorals, development of a common

renewable energy agenda for the Indian Ocean region and promote regional capacity building.

The IORA was set up with the objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within

the Indian Ocean Region with 21 Member States and 7 Dialogue Partners.

The last Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting was held on 21st January, 2014 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

India, Australia, Iran IR, Indonesia Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania,

Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE, Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman are members of

IORA.










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06 Oct Launch o f Methano l Co o king Fuel Pro gram o f India in Assam o n Oct 5Launch o f Methano l Co o king Fuel Pro gram o f India in Assam o n Oct 5

Assam Petro-chemicals, a state-owned company, launches Asia's first cannisters based and India's

first "Methanol Cooking Fuel Program".


500 households inside the Assam Petro Complex will be the first pilot project, scaling it to 40,000 households in Uttar

Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Goa and Karnataka.

The cooking medium can directly substitute LPG, Kerosene, Wood, Charcoal and any other fuel for cooking. The

gaseous form, Methanol - DME, can be blended in 20% ratio with LPG. LPG-DME blending program is expected to

kickstart in the country by next year.

The cost of energy equivalent of one cylinder of LPG for Methanol is Rs. 650, compared to Rs. 850 per cylinder

resulting in a minimum of 20% Savings.

Assam Petrochemicals Limited has been manufacturing methanol for the last 30 years and is in the process of

upgrading their 100 TPD methanol plant to 600 TPD by Dec 2019.

06 Oct India Internat io nal Science Fest iv al (IISF-2018) begins in Luckno wIndia Internat io nal Science Fest iv al (IISF-2018) begins in Luckno w

Union Minister of Science &Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan today inaugurated few of the major

events at the four day science festival in Lucknow including Young Scientists’ Conference, Global

Indian Science & Technology Stakeholders’ Meet (GIST) and the Mega Science, Technology & Industry

Expo.


IISF is conceivably the biggest platform in India that brings together students, researchers, artists and general public to

celebrate our nation’s achievements in science and technology.

Major attention are two World record attempts in IISF 2018, one of which is a World Record attempt to “isolate

DNA” by 500 students from class 8th to 10th standard.

09 Oct Hurr icane Michael m enaces Flo r ida after fatal f lo o ding in Central Am ericaHurr icane Michael m enaces Flo r ida after fatal f lo o ding in Central Am erica

Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in 35 counties along Florida's Panhandle

and Big Bend regions. Michael was packing sustained winds of up to 85 miles per hour (140 kph).


Currently ranked as a Category 1 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson wind scale, Michael could grow into a Category

3, becoming the second major hurricane in the Atlantic basin this year following Florence last month.

According to the National Hurricane Center,the storm is expected to unleash coastal storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.7

meters) along Florida's Panhandle and dump as much as a foot (30 cm) of rain across Florida, Georgia and South

Carolina.










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09 Oct App MedWatch Launched by IAF o n Air Fo rce DayApp MedWatch Launched by IAF o n Air Fo rce Day

The Indian Air Force has launched an innovative mobile health App named ‘MedWatch’ to provide

correct, scientific and authentic health information to air warriors and all citizens of India.


It is the first mobile health app in the three Armed Services.

The app is conceived by the doctors of IAF and developed in house by Directorate of Information Technology (DIT)

with ZERO financial outlay.

The app is available on www.apps.mgov.gov.in and comprises of host of features like information on basic First Aid,

Health topics and Nutritional Facts; reminders for timely Medical Review, Vaccination and utility tools like Health

Record Card, BMI calculator, helpline numbers and web links.

10 Oct Wo rld's o nly carbo n negat iv e co untry Bhutan co unts green co stWo rld's o nly carbo n negat iv e co untry Bhutan co unts green co st

Bhutan holds the record for being the world's only carbon negative country, as it absorbs 3 times

more CO2 than it emits, thanks mainly to the lush forests covering 72% of its land.


Under its 11th five-year-plan, Bhutan aims to reduce "substantially" its forest fuel imports by 2020.

It will also increase the number of its electric cars.

In May, Bhutan opted out of an India-backed regional road connectivity project mainly over concerns that trucks

coming in from other countries will pollute its air.








http://www.apps.mgov.gov.in/



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12 Oct Central Univ ers ity o f Jam m u signs Mo U with ISRO to set up Space Applicat io nsCentral Univ ers ity o f Jam m u signs Mo U with ISRO to set up Space Applicat io ns

CenterCenter

ISRO and CUJ will set up the Satish Dhawan Center for Space Science in the University to help in

tapping potential of space applications for the region of J&K in various fields like disaster

management, health, education, communication, weather forecasting, land use planning, etc.


It will also have facilities for Geospatial Data analysis that will help in sustainable use of natural resources and

planning land-use pattern.

A Disaster Management Center will also be set up here that would be able to take up research in the area of different

disasters like flood, landslides, forest fires, drought and climate change.

Another MoU was signed to create awareness amongst young minds about space research and related fields, wherein

a two day workshop was inaugurated at the CUJ campus.











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12 Oct New Wo rld Bank fund to insure against cl im ate disastersNew Wo rld Bank fund to insure against cl im ate disasters

The World Bank on Friday launched a new USD 150 million fund intended to help insure

vulnerable countries against natural disasters and the increasing risk of climate change-linked

crises.


This announcement follows a string of recent natural disasters across the world including record storms and a series

of deadly quakes in Indonesia, where the Bank and International Monetary Fund are currently meeting.

The Global Risk Financing Facility (GRiF), set up with money from Germany and Britain, will finance the creation of

disaster insurance and other risk mechanisms so funds are available immediately when crises hit.

12 Oct Micro so ft and Nit i Aayo g partner to deplo y AI so lut io nMicro so ft and Nit i Aayo g partner to deplo y AI so lut io n

Microsoft will provide Niti Aayog advanced AI-based solutions such as farm advisory services,

healthcare screening models at primary health centers along with building capacity for AI through

education.


It will also set up a Microsoft – NITI Aayog Problem to Solution Incubation Test Bed within its premises in Bangalore

to develop AI driven solutions for societal problems mutually identified with NITI Aayog.

13 Oct IIT G uwahat i fabr icates superio r scaffo ld fo r cart i lage repairIIT G uwahat i fabr icates superio r scaffo ld fo r cart i lage repair

A team led by Biman B. Mandal has fabricated the biphasic scaffold where the top portion is highly

porous and spongy thus mimicking the cartilage, while the bottom portion is reinforced with silk fibre

thus imparting more stiffness and less porous to mimic the bone.


They have made scaffolds using both wild silkworm and mulberry silk and found scaffolds made of non-mulberry silk

were better.

It is also possible to take a patient’s bone marrow stem cells and seed them on the scaffold.Validation of the scaffold

that was seeded with cartilage and bone cells was first done through in-vitro studies.

This was first tested on rabbits. The researchers are planning to test the scaffold on larger animals, preferably pigs.

The fibre-reinforced scaffold mimicking the bone was 10 times stronger than the sponge-like portion.










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16 Oct Mo U S igned Between ICFRE, NVS , KVS to Pro m o te Env iro nm ental AwarenessMo U S igned Between ICFRE, NVS , KVS to Pro m o te Env iro nm ental Awareness

Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed, by Indian Council of Forestry Research and

Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, with Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and Kendriya Vidyalaya

Sangathan (KVS) to launch the programme 'PRAKRITI' for a period of 10 years.


The MoUs have been signed with the objective to promote awareness about forests and environment, to stimulate

interest among the students of NVS and KVS in maintaining a balanced environment and society and also to provide

a platform to school children to learn practical skills towards judicious use of our resources.

ICFRE, through its nine Institutes and five Centres located across the country, is guiding, promoting and coordinating

forestry research, extension and education at the national level.

NVS was established with the primary objective to provide modern quality education to talented children,

predominantly from the rural areas,it has 660 functional residential schools at present and KVS was established in

1963 to provide uninterrupted education to wards of the transferable Central Government employees.

16 Oct Minister o f PNG to launch Phase II o f Indian S trategic Petro leum Reserv esMinister o f PNG to launch Phase II o f Indian S trategic Petro leum Reserv es

In line with the integrated energy policy of Government, Union Cabinet Shri Dharmendra Pradhan

accorded 'in principle' approval for Phase-II SPR program which involves creation of additional 6.5

MMT of storage in underground rock caverns and associated facilities at Chandikhol, Odisha (4.0

MMT) and Padur-II, Karnataka (2.5 MMT)


In order to explore feasibility of commercialisation of the Phase I SPR at Padur and the proposed Phase II SPRs at

Chandikhol, Odisha and Padur II, Karnataka, it is planned to solicit investment partners and pursue the initiatives of

Phase II SPRs through PPP mode of implementation for construction, filling, and operation respectively and also

filling and operation of the existing Phase I SPR at Padur.

The roadshow will outline the Phase I and Phase II SPR programs along with technical details, plausible financial

models and the implementation modalities.










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17 Oct Apple granted seco nd patent fo r i ts fo ldable sm artpho neApple granted seco nd patent fo r i ts fo ldable sm artpho ne

The second patent is focused on a flexible hinge and the use of a fabric for its housing. Patently

Apple, an Apple-centric blog focused on the company's latest Intellectual Property (IP) developments.


It includes a flexible hinge between first and second housing portions with the flexible portion being made out of

fabric.

The first patent comprised of a display that could be opened and closed like a book was granted in November 2016.

Samsung has released a teaser with a similar bendable display and foldable device technology whereas Huawei is

scheduled to release a similar device by November.

17 Oct China successful ly tests wo rld's largest unm anned dro ne Feiho ng-98China successful ly tests wo rld's largest unm anned dro ne Feiho ng-98

China has successfully tested the world's largest unmanned transport drone which can carry a

payload of 1.5 tonnes at Baotou test site in Northern China.


Feihong-98 (FH-98), developed and modified by the China Academy of Aerospace Electronics Technology, made a

successful test flight at Baotou test site in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

It's prototype is Shifei Y5B.

The FH-98 has a maximum takeoff weight of 5.25 tonnes, a maximum capacity of 1.5 tonnes and 15 cubic metres, a

flight height of 4,500 metres, a cruising speed of 180 kilometers per hour, and a maximum range of 1,200 kms.

18 Oct CSIR dev elo ps affo rdable Water Dis infect io n System 'OneerTM'CS IR dev elo ps affo rdable Water Dis infect io n System 'OneerTM'

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR),

Lucknow has developed “OneerTM” which was transferred to M/s Bluebird Water Purifiers, New Delhi

in the presence of M/o Science & Tech and VP, CSIR, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.


It is an innovative technology for “Drinking Water Disinfection System” useful for continuous treatment of water and

eliminates all disease causing pathogens to provide safe drinking water to domestic and communities settings as per

National and International standards prescribed for potable water (BIS, WHO etc.).

O neer w i l l prov ide access to safe and clean drink ing w ater at a cost o f just 2 P aise / L tr.O neer w i l l prov ide access to safe and clean drink ing w ater at a cost o f just 2 P aise / L tr. The

Community level model is of 450 LPH capacity and can be scaled up to 5000 to 1 lakh L/day.

The technology will be helpful especially for rural people since it can be solar powered and this development is in line

with the ‘Make in India’ Mission.










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18 Oct India to ho st G lo bal Aq uaculture Co nference 'G OAL 2019' in ChennaiIndia to ho st G lo bal Aq uaculture Co nference 'G OAL 2019' in Chennai

US based non-profit organisation Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) previously held GOAL 2018 in

Ecuador. It is dedicated to advocacy, education, and leadership in responsible aquaculture through its

conference.


The 20th installment is slated to be conducted in Chennai from October 21-24 next year.

India has exported seafood worth $7.08 billion during 2017-18 mainly to US, South East Asia, China, European Union

and Japan.

GAA administers the best aquaculture practices and third-party aquaculture certification programme which asks

stakeholders to be compliant with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), Global Social Compliance Programme

(GSCP) and Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI).

18 Oct Largest galaxy cluster cal led 'Hyperio n' in ear ly univ erse fo undLargest galaxy cluster cal led 'Hyperio n' in ear ly univ erse fo und

Hyperion has a calculated mass more than one million billion times that of the Sun, making it the

largest and most massive structure to be found so early in the formation of the universe.


This discovery of the super cluster will help us understand the evolution of the big bang.

It is believed to be created 2 billion years after big bang and was detected with the help of Visible Multi Object

Spectrograph.

The spectrograph is hosted by the Chile-based Very Large Telescope and the discovery was made by a team led by

Olga Cucciati of the National Institute of Astrophysics in Bologna, Italy.











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19 Oct G ujarat wo m an beco m es Asia's fi rst -ev er to giv e birth v ia t ransplanted uterusG ujarat wo m an beco m es Asia's fi rst -ev er to giv e birth v ia t ransplanted uterus

This is the 12th time in the world when a woman has given birth to a baby after undergoing uterus

transplant, that too, from the same uterus that she was born from.


She was operated on with her mother's uterus in Pune's Galaxy Care hospital on May 18, 2017 as it was not working

after three abortions.

Then the embryo is transferred into her uterus, 32 weeks later, a healthy baby girl was born today through cesarean

section.

19 Oct China to launch ‘ m an-m ade m o o ns’ to lo wer electr ic ity co stsChina to launch ‘ m an-m ade m o o ns’ to lo wer electr ic ity co sts

China is planning to launch its own ‘artificial moon’ by 2020 to replace streetlamps. Chengdu, a city in

southwestern Sichuan province, is developing 'illumination satellites' that will shine in tandem with

the real moon, but are eight times brighter.


The first man-made moon will launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, with three more to follow in

2022 if the first test goes well.

By reflecting light from the sun, the satellites could replace streetlamps in urban areas, saving an estimated 1.2 billion

yuan (USD 170 million) a year in electricity costs for Chengdu.

Before China, in the 1990s, Russian scientists reportedly used giant mirrors to reflect light from space in an

experimental project called Znamya or Banner.

As China’s space programme races to catch up with that of the United States and Russia, a number of ambitious

projects are in the pipeline, including the Chang’e-4 lunar probe — named after the moon goddess in Chinese

mythology - which aims to launch later this year.

20 Oct China-bui lt wo rld’ s largest am phibio us plane AG 600 co m pletes m aiden fl ight testChina-bui lt wo rld’ s largest am phibio us plane AG 600 co m pletes m aiden fl ight test

AG600 is powered by four domestically-built turboprop engines and has a range of 12 hours,

developed and built by the state-owned aircraft firm Aviation Industry Corporation of China.


It took off for the first time from the Zhanghe Reservoir and later landed on the water in Hubei province’s Jingmen.

It completed its first water taxiing trials at a high speed of 145 kilometres earlier in this month.

It will be mainly used for maritime rescue, fighting forest fires and marine monitoring, according to an earlier report by

the state-run Xinhua news agency.










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20 Oct Euro pe, Japan send spacecraft o n sev en-year jo urney to MercuryEuro pe, Japan send spacecraft o n sev en-year jo urney to Mercury

Mercury's extreme temperatures, the intense gravity pull of the sun and blistering solar radiation

make for hellish conditions.


The Ariane 5 rocket lifted off from its launchpad in Kourou, at the European Space Center in French Guiana.

The project is termed as BepiColombo and has been built at the cost of $1.5 billion. It is expected to arrive at its

destination in December 2025.

When it arrives it will release two probes - Bepi and Mio, that wil investigate the surface of Mercury and its associated

magnetic fields.

21 Oct IIT Delhi students help funerals go green with co w dung lo gsIIT Delhi students help funerals go green with co w dung lo gs

The “environment-friendly technique” also seeks to reduce deforestation by cutting down

dependence on wood. “Arth, an initiative by Enactus IIT-D, targets replacing wood as a fuel at Delhi’s

crematoriums,” said Faraz Mazhar, a member of the group.


The team has also developed a prototype drying machine which can dry up to 5000 kg of dung based on the

greenhouse principle to reduce pollution.

They also solved the problem of excess of cow dung at gaushalas which used to be disposed off into water bodies

which led to their pollution and clogging.










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21 Oct 4th NIT I Lecture Ser ies o n 22nd Octo ber o n Them e 'AI fo r ALL'4th NIT I Lecture Ser ies o n 22nd Octo ber o n Them e 'AI fo r ALL'

NITI Aayog has signed statements of intent with industry leaders such as Google, Microsoft and IBM

to enable use of AI in key sectors of development.


Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will attend the 4th edition of NITI Lecture series in NewDelhi in which the key note

address will be delivered by Jensen Huang, President and Co-Founder, NVIDIA Corporation.

The Union Budget 2018 had mandated the Niti Aayog to come up with a national programme on employing artificial

intelligence towards national development since the Aayog has published a National Strategy for artificial intelligence

(AI).

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Growth' is part of this national Strategy.

The Aayog has launched multiple projects in areas of precision agriculture, creating AI led healthcare

solutions, and bridging India's diversity of languages by creating a digital 'Ek Bharat , Shrestha BharatEk Bharat , Shrestha Bharat '

platform using Natural Language Processing (NLP).

It has also proposed setting up of a Centre o f Research Excel lence (CO RE)Centre o f Research Excel lence (CO RE) to focus on developing better

understanding of existing core research

The 'NITI Lectures: Transforming Ind iaNITI Lectures: Transforming Ind ia ' was inaugurated by Modi in August 2016 featuring eminent

speakers from across the world.











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22 Oct NASA nam es G am m a-ray co nstel lat io ns after G o dz i l la, HulkNASA nam es G am m a-ray co nstel lat io ns after G o dz i l la, Hulk

21 gamma-ray constellations were constructed in celebration of its Fermi Gamma-ray Space

Telescope's 10th year celebrations which included 3000 gamma ray sources.


The names also include famous landmarks, such as Sweden’s recovered warship, Vasa, the Washington Monument

and Mount Fuji in Japan.

Gamma rays are the strongest form of light and can convert matter during suitable conditions.

The telescope scans the entire night sky daily to detect emissions from pulsars, nova outbursts, the debris of

supernova explosion and giant gamma ray bubbles.

22 Oct Fo ssi l o f Piranha-l ike fish disco v ered fro m Jurassic Perio dFo ssi l o f Piranha-l ike fish disco v ered fro m Jurassic Perio d

Named Piranhamesodon pinnatomus, it is the earliest known example of a bony fish able to slice

flesh rather than simply swallowing prey. Piranhas are freshwater fish that inhabit rivers and lakes in

South America.


It was unearthed in Southern Germany and had razor sharp tooth enabling it to attack larger victims.

It is 9cm long and lived in sponge and coral reefs of Solnhofen archipelago, which is Bavaria now and comes from a

group of fishes called pycnodontids.

This is an example of convergent evolution in the process of adapting to the environment.

22 Oct 'Har it Diwali -Swasth Diwali ' launched by Env iro nm ent Minist ry'Harit Diwali -Swasth Diwali ' launched by Env iro nm ent Minist ry

Keeping in view the adverse effects of Diwali (air pollution), Ministry has initiated a “Harit–Diwali”

campaign in 2017-18 wherein large number of school children especially from eco-clubs participated

and took pledge to minimize bursting of crackers and also discouraged the neighborhood and their

friends from bursting of crackers.


The above campaign was extremely successful and the air quality had not deteriorated post Diwali in 2017 unlike what

was experienced in 2016.

The Ministry has initiated the similar campaign, but this year the campaign has been extended Pan-India.

The “Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali” campaign is now merged with “Green Good Deed” movement that has been initiated

as a social mobilization for conservation and protection of environment.










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23 Oct Po werful Hurr icane Wil la bears do wn o n Mex ico ’ s Pacific co astPo werful Hurr icane Wil la bears do wn o n Mex ico ’ s Pacific co ast

Hurricane Willa, an extremely dangerous a Category 4 storm, weakened slightly as it veered toward

popular tourist resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast on Monday, prompting government warnings for

people to leave high-risk areas and take cover.


Willa, which earlier in the day had been a Category 5 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, was blowing maximum

sustained winds of near 150 miles per hour (240 kph) by evening with higher gusts, the U.S. National Hurricane Center

(NHC) said.

Nearly three years ago to the day, Hurricane Patricia, one of the most powerful storms on record, struck Mexico close

to Puerto Vallarta with winds that tore down trees, moved cars and forced thousands of people to flee

homes.

23 Oct NASA CubeSat beam s back im age o f MarsNASA CubeSat beam s back im age o f Mars

The twin, low-cost MarCO CubeSat which are sharing a ride with InSight Mars lander were designed

to find out if they could survive the journey to deep space.


Named MarCO-A and MarCO-B, they are equipped to demonstrate communication ability in the attempt to land on

Mars.

MarCO-B is fitted with a wide exposure camera which clicked the image from a distance of roughly 12.8 million

kilometres.

They have travelled 399 million kilometres already and are yet to travel 85 million kilometres more to be ready for

InSight's landing on Mars.

23 Oct 3rd Decadal Internat io nal Year o f Reefs 20183rd Decadal Internat io nal Year o f Reefs 2018

The International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs (STAPCOR – 2018) with the

theme “Reef for Life” was inaugurated by the Environment,Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on 22nd

October at Bangaram coral Island of Lakshadweep.


In his inaugural address, the Minister highlighted the importance of coral reefs and the need for its protection,

emphasising on converting science into adequate policies for conservation.

Chief Wildlife Warden and Secretary, Environment & Forests, Lakshadweep Administration Shri Damodhar A.T., IFS,

narrated the effect of climate change and global warming along with Elnino on the corals lead to heavy bleaching

internationally during the year 1998.

This lead to the foundation of STAPCOR with a decision to have a international conference in every 10 years to review

the status and progress of coral reefs all over the world.










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24 Oct Test fl ight o f dr iv er less ho v er-tax i Vo lo co pter to take place in S ingapo reTest fl ight o f dr iv er less ho v er-tax i Vo lo co pter to take place in S ingapo re

Resembling a helicopter, Volocopter's electric air taxis take off and land vertically. They are based on

drone technology and can fly two people for about 30 kilometers.


It is specifically designed for inner city missions and can withstand mild turbulence around skyscrapers.

This German based company is ready to set up a production and design centre in Singapore to support its expansion

plans.

24 Oct Centre giv es no d to BRICS nat io ns ' pact o n env iro nm ental co o perat io nCentre giv es no d to BRICS nat io ns ' pact o n env iro nm ental co o perat io n

The MoU signed during the 10th BRICS Summit in July in Johannesburg, South Africa identifies various

areas of cooperation, including air quality, water, biodiversity, climate change and waste

management, and is expected to bring in latest technologies and best practices for better

environment protection.


It also stresses cooperation on implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and Sustainable

Development Goals (SDG).

The pact acknowledges the responsibility of the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -

comprising more than 40 per cent of the world's population, towards the protection, preservation and sustainability

of the environment.











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25 Oct Making water fro m air wins the Hertz co uple USD 1.5 m il l io n XPrizeMaking water fro m air wins the Hertz co uple USD 1.5 m il l io n XPrize

The first XPrize, for USD 10 million, went to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and aviation pioneer Burt

Rutan in 2004 for SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned space flight. The XPrize

competition, created by a group of philanthropists, entrepreneurs and others, is awarded for

futuristic ideas aimed at protecting and improving the planet.


David Hertz and Laura Doss-Hertz were awarded USD 1.5 million XPrize for Water Abundance.

It consisted of a system that uses shipping containers, wood chips and other detritus to produce as much as 2,000

litres of water a day at a cost of no more than 2 cents.

They settled on creating little rainstorms inside shipping containers by heating up wood chips to produce the

temperature and humidity needed to draw water from the air and the wood itself.

25 Oct Dr Jitendra S ingh inaugurates 10th Nuclear Energy Co nclav eDr Jitendra S ingh inaugurates 10th Nuclear Energy Co nclav e

The Union MoS for Atomic Energy and Space, Singh said that India has vindicated the vision of the

founding father of country’s Nuclear Energy Programme, Dr Homi J. Bhabha, when he had said that

India’s nuclear programme will be used for peaceful purposes.


Dr Singh said during the Energy Conclave on ‘Nuclear Power- Towards a Clean & Base Load Energy’ that the Cabinet

has given its approval for construction of 10 units of India’s indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR).

The Government has amended sections of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 through the Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill,

2015, which would enable Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) to form joint venture companies with other

Indian PSUs to meet the additional funding requirements for further expansion of our nuclear power programme.

The “Hall of Nuclear Power” is India’s first permanent exhibition on nuclear power, has been built in the national

capital that helps the students and the younger generation to understand the basics of nuclear energy.

25 Oct Indian nuclear reacto r at Kaiga sets wo rld reco rd o f 895 day runIndian nuclear reacto r at Kaiga sets wo rld reco rd o f 895 day run

The indigenous nuclear reactor powered by domestic fuel has been operating continuously since

May 16, 2016.


The 220 MW atomic power reactor in Unit 1 at Kaiga in Karnataka set a world record among Pressurised Heavy

Water Reactors (PHWR) by running continuously for 895 days.

Kaiga stands first among PHWRs and second in terms of all kinds of nuclear reactors in terms of continuous

operation.

It started commercial operation on November 16, 2000.










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27 Oct 24th edit io n o f Techno lo gy Sum m it fro m 29 Oct at New Delhi24th edit io n o f Techno lo gy Sum m it fro m 29 Oct at New Delhi

India will host the 24th edition of Technology Summit with Italy as the partner country. It will be

inaugurated on 29th October, 2018 by Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Prof. Michele Geraci.


The valedictorian session will be addressed by the Prime Ministers of India and Italy.

The 200 member Italian delegation will include business leaders, scientists, heads of research and scientific

organizations and technocrats.

The summit will facilitate the convergence of key elements of knowledge economy - science, technology and

innovation, research and development and higher education.

Aerospace, Cleantech, Cultural Heritage, Education, Heath care, ICT and Renewable energy are the seven focus sectors

for this year’s summit.

27 Oct India Mo bile Co ngress 2018 co ncluded o n 27 Oct in DelhiIndia Mo bile Co ngress 2018 co ncluded o n 27 Oct in Delhi

It is a marquee event which provided a peep into the exciting future in the rapidly evolving area of

digital communications and allowed delegations from over 20 countries to participate in it.


The event was inaugurated on October 25th by Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Communications.

More than 300 companies showcased their latest technologies, products, services and applications.

Honorable Ministers from the European Commission, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Lao PDR led their respective

delegations, and participated in plenary sessions.

The companies which participated are Samsung, Intel, Ericsson, Nokia, Cisco, NEC, Accenture, KPMG, E&Y, Facebook,

Huawei, Sterlite, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio, Airtel, and BSNL.

30 Oct Typho o n Yutu st r ikes Phi l ippinesTypho o n Yutu st r ikes Phi l ippines

Philippine disaster officials said the storm was less powerful than Mangkhut, which struck six weeks

ago and left more than 100 dead.


Yutu made landfall early Tuesday with sustained winds of 150 kilometers (95 miles) per hour and gusts up to 210 kph.

Nearly 10,000 people fled their homes ahead of Yutu's arrival because they live in low-lying areas susceptible to

flooding and rivers tend to overflow their banks.










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30 Oct Netherlands to be Partner Co untry 25th DST – CII Techno lo gy Sum m it 2019Netherlands to be Partner Co untry 25th DST – CII Techno lo gy Sum m it 2019

Environment Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan announced the Silver Jubilee edition of Technology Summit -

2019, highlighting the successful bilateral research cooperation between India and Netherlands in

sectors such as affordable medical devices, urban water systems, big data and Internet of Things

(IoT).


Dr. Vardhan also proposed to take the 25th Technology Summit 2019, to the next level, by inviting global participation

during the next year Summit and making it truly a global event.

H.E. Marten Van Den Berg, Ambassador to India, Kingdom of Netherlands shared that the visit of their Prime Minister

to India in May this year has marked the start of collaboration for 10 years of Science, Technology & Innovation

collaboration between the two countries.

30 Oct Parker So lar Pro be sm ashes reco rd fo r clo sest appro ach to Sun: NASAParker So lar Pro be sm ashes reco rd fo r clo sest appro ach to Sun: NASA

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, mankind’s first mission to ‘touch’ the Sun, has set a new record for

closest approach to the sun by a human-made object. It passed the current record of 42.73 million

km (26.55 million miles) from the Sun's surface.


The previous record was set by the German-US Helios 2 satellite back in April 1976. It set a time speed record of

close to 70km/s (43 miles/s).

The expectation is that Parker Solar Probe will eventually reach peak speeds around 190km/s (690,000km/h;

428,700mph). It was launched in August and is expected to follow a trajectory around the corona of the sun.

At its closest approach, the probe will get to just 6.12 million km (3.83 million miles) from the star's surface.










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31 Oct NASA's Kepler telesco pe ret ires after finding tho usands o f planetsNASA's Kepler telesco pe ret ires after finding tho usands o f planets

The unmanned space telescope, which launched in 2009, combined cutting-edge techniques in

measuring stellar brightness with the largest digital camera outfitted for outer space observations at

that time, leaves a legacy of more than 2,600 planet discoveries from outside our solar system,

many of which could be promising places for life.


The most recent analysis of Kepler's discoveries concludes that 20 to 50 percent of the stars visible in the night sky are

likely to have small, possibly rocky, planets similar in size to Earth, and located within the habitable zone of their

parent stars.

The latest data, from Campaign 19, will complement the data from NASA's newest planet hunter, the Transiting

Exoplanet Survey Satellite, launched in April.

TESS builds on Kepler's foundation with fresh batches of data in its search of planets orbiting some 200,000 of the

brightest and nearest stars to the Earth, worlds that can later be explored for signs of life by missions such as NASA's

James Webb Space Telescope.

31 Oct So ftBank and Essel gro up to jo int ly dev elo p 500-MW So lar Park in IndiaSo ftBank and Essel gro up to jo int ly dev elo p 500-MW So lar Park in India

SoftBank plans to invest $1 trillion in the energy sector. The agreement will enable the Softbank

Group to expand its portfolio further by helping build the powerplant in Rajasthan.


The investment from SoftBank will help to fast forward the construction of the plant to 6 months from 12-15 months.

Subhash Chandra-led Essel Group has plans to expand its solar power portfolio by developing its own parks.











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7. Defence

02 Oct India-Russia Exercise Av iaindra 2018 takes place in Lipetsk , RussiaIndia-Russia Exercise Av iaindra 2018 takes place in Lipetsk , Russia

The aim of the exercise was to formulate and validate use of airpower in anti-terrorist operation in a

bilateral scenario and to learn best practices from one another and it also includes simulator

training.


The second edition of Exercise Aviaindra, a Biennial Air Force level exercise between Indian and the Russian

Federation, was conducted from 17 Sep 18 to 28 Sep 18.

The exercise included briefing on Aerospace safety and anti-terrorist air operations.

02 Oct IBSAMAR-VI k icks o ff at S im o ns To wn, So uth Afr icaIBSAMAR-VI k icks o ff at S im o ns To wn, So uth Afr ica

The 6th edition of IBSAMAR, a joint Multi – National Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian

and South African Navies, is being held from 01 – 13 Oct 18.


The Indian Navy is represented in IBSAMAR VI by Guided Missile Frigate Tarkash, Guided Missile Destroyer Kolkata,

Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I, Seaking and Chetak helicopters as well as a MARCOS contingent.

The last edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR V) was conducted off Goa, from 19 – 26 Feb 16. The aim of the exercise is to

undertake collective training for participating navies, building interoperability and mutual understanding as well as

sharing of best practices.

04 Oct Three new defence div is io ns to hav e jo int cyber , space and special fo rces team sThree new defence div is io ns to hav e jo int cyber , space and special fo rces team s

A special forces cell that will include commandoes from the three services could significantly

upgrade India’s abilities to carry out covert operations across borders as it would combine assets of

the Marcos (Navy), Garuds (Air Force) and Para Special Forces (Army).


The new divisions will bring together Army, Air Force and Navy’s personnel and assets on a single platform.

The special forces division is likely to be headed by an Army officer. The other two structures for combating cyber

and space threats could have rotational heads from the services.










125



05 Oct India, Vietnam ho ld jo int dr i l l in Bay o f BengalIndia, Vietnam ho ld jo int dr i l l in Bay o f Bengal

The Indian Coast Guard conducted its maiden joint exercise with the Vietnam Coast Guard in the Bay

of Bengal, off the coast of Chennnai to acquaint themselves with each other’s capabilities and other

purposes.


The exercise, called Sahyag HOP TAC-2018 was also aimed at enabling the Coast Guard units of the two countries,

strengthening the working-level relationship to rescue lives at sea and refining joint operation procedures.

Three Indian Coast Guard ships- ICG Shaurya, Arnvesh and C-431 and two helicopters- ICG Dornier and Chetak, took

part in the exercise showcasing the search and rescue (SAR) capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard.

From Vietnam, their Coast Guard vessel, CSB 8001, took part in the joint exercise.

05 Oct India, Russia fo rm ally ink the $ 5.2 bi l l io n deal fo r S -400 air defence systemIndia, Russia fo rm ally ink the $ 5.2 bi l l io n deal fo r S -400 air defence system

The S-400 Triumf is an advanced surface-to-air missile system, developed by Russia’s state-

owned company Almaz-Antey, and can shoot down hostile aircraft and ballistic missiles. The air

defence system is expected to be delivered by the year 2020.


The the S-400 Triumf is an advanced surface-to-air missile system, developed by Russia’s state-owned company

Almaz-Antey, and can shoot down hostile aircraft and ballistic missiles.

China has acquired the first set of S-400 system including the command post, radar stations and launching stations.

The S-400 may also be purchased by countries such as Algeria, Belarus, Iran and Vietnam, thus reducing the American

sphere of influence.










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06 Oct Successful night t r ial o f Pr ithv i -II nuclear m issi le in OdishaSuccessful night t r ial o f Pr ithv i -II nuclear m issi le in Odisha

Prithvi-II was previously successfully test-fired during night time on February 21 this year from the ITR

at Chandipur.


Inducted into the Armed forces of the country in 2003, the nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the

first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme

The surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was launched from a mobile launcher from

launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore around 8.30 pm.

The missile is capable of carrying 500 to 1,000 kilogramme of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin

engines.

07 Oct Varanasi to get 5 param il i tary Rapid Act io n Fo rce basesVaranasi to get 5 param il i tary Rapid Act io n Fo rce bases

Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok

Sabha, will be a RAF, i.e. a specialised anti-riot and crowd control paramilitary unit of the country.


The force is part of the Central Reserve Police Force, the country's largest paramilitary force. A single RAF battalion has

a strength of just over 1,000 personnel and it is equipped with gadgets and non-lethal weapons like pump action

guns, tear smoke grenade launchers and others to enforce security and law and order in case of protests or riot-like

situations.

The new RAFs will be set up in Varanasi, Jaipur, Mangalore, Hajipur (Bihar) and Nuh.

The 10 old RAF battalions are based in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Aligarh, Coimbatore,

Jamshedpur, Bhopal and Meerut.










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07 Oct Bilateral m arit im e exercise JIMEX between India, Japan beginsBilateral m arit im e exercise JIMEX between India, Japan begins

JIMEX-18 began in Visakhapatnam. Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships Kaga, an

Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, and Inazuma, a guided missile destroyer, arrived to mark the

commencement of JIMEX.


The Indian Navy would be represented by three indigenously-designed warships and a fleet tanker. The participating

ships are INS Satpura, a multi-purpose stealth frigate, INS Kadmatt, an anti-submarine warfare corvette, missile

corvette and INS Shakti, the fleet tanker.

The ships of the two Navies have been working in close coordination in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden

(GoA) for the past few years.

JMSDF ships participated in the recently concluded MALABAR-18 off Guam (along with Indian and US Navy units) in

the Pacific Ocean in June and biennial multilateral exercise RIMPAC-18 off Hawaii, USA.











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07 Oct Air Fo rce Day 2018 o n Oct 8Air Fo rce Day 2018 o n Oct 8

To mark the 86th anniversary of IAF and in keeping up with the tradition, IAF has planned a grand

Parade cum Investiture Ceremony at Air Force Station Hindan (Ghaziabad).


The air display will commence with flag bearing sky divers of famous Akash Ganga Team, who will jump from an An-32

aircraft.

Flypast will comprise of Mi-17 V5 and Rudra helicopters, Dornier, C-130J and C-17 transport aircraft, Jaguar, Bison, MiG-

29, Mirage-2000 and SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft. Dakota, Tiger Moth and Harvard of the IAF Vintage flight will also

participate in the flypast.

Post flypast, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will carry out aerobatic display in front of the audience.

08 Oct G o v ernm ent sets up S trategic Po l icy G ro up to assist Nat io nal Security Co unci lG o v ernm ent sets up S trategic Po l icy G ro up to assist Nat io nal Security Co unci l

Strategic Policy Group (SPG), under NSA, will assist the National Security Council and advise the

prime minister on matters of national security and strategic interests among other tasks.


It is headed by NSA Ajit Doval and its members include the NITI Aayog vice chairman, the cabinet secretary, the chiefs

of the three defence services, the RBI governor, the foreign secretary, the home secretary, the finance secretary and

the defence secretary.

It will be the principal mechanism in the formulation of national security policies.

The other members are secretaries of Department of Revenue, Atomic Energy, Space, Intelligence Bureau and National

Security Council Secretariat.

08 Oct Pakistan successful ly test -fi res nuclear-capable G hauri bal l ist ic m issi lePakistan successful ly test -fi res nuclear-capable G hauri bal l ist ic m issi le

"Ghauri Ballistic Missile can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads up to a distance of 1,300

kms," it said in a statement.


Ghauri ballistic missile is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads up to a distance of

1,300 kilometers, bringing many Indian cities under its range. The launch was conducted by Army Strategic Forces

Command.

In April, Pakistan successfully test fired an enhanced version of the indigenously-built Babur cruise missile

that can deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons with a range of 700 kilometres.










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12 Oct 5th Di l l i Ser ies Seapo wer Sem inar co ncludes at INA, Ezhim ala5th Di l l i Ser ies Seapo wer Sem inar co ncludes at INA, Ezhim ala

The Seminar on “Geopolitical Impact of Sea Power” concluded on 12 October 2018 at the Indian Naval

Academy (INA).


The topics went like 'Naval Strategy for Trade Protection', ‘The Battle of Diu’, ’China’s Belt and Road Initiative’,

‘Assessing China’s Engagement in India’s Maritime Neighborhood’ and ‘Gunboat Diplomacy’.

The two days event was attended by several serving and retired senior Naval Officers, eminent academicians and

distinguished luminaries.

13 Oct Raksha Mantr i address o n ‘ India-France Defence Engagem ent ' at IRSEMRaksha Mantr i address o n ‘ India-France Defence Engagem ent ' at IRSEM

Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman is on maiden official visit to France on the invitation of French

Defence Minister Ms Florence Parly from October 10 - 13, 2018.


She highlighted a strong India-France strategic partnership, of which the defence ties are a key component.

Indian Government’s ‘Make-in-India’ initiative opens doors to not only a huge market but is also an attractive

investment destination for defence production and development, including for third country exports, for the French

defence industry.

She underlined that growing India-France maritime cooperation, especially in the Indian Ocean region, will be crucial

in order to preserving the strategic interests.

She also mentioned about deep-rooted thread of military history the countries share, referring to the supreme

sacrifice of 9,300 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives on the French soil, fighting in the World Wars. A total of

1,40,000 Indian soldiers fought in various theatres of the First World War in France and Belgium.

13 Oct Arm y Co m m anders Co nference in Delhi o n 09 - 15 Octo ber 2018Arm y Co m m anders Co nference in Delhi o n 09 - 15 Octo ber 2018

The Army Commanders’ Conference aims to formulate important policy decisions through collegiate

deliberations.


The first study is focused on the operational structures to make them efficient, future ready by taking into account the

operational situation on Western and Northern Borders.

The second study is on re-organisation of the Army Headquarters aimed at integration and preclude the redundancies.

It also deliberated on the enhancing linguistic skills in the Indian Army. The necessity and methodology to enhance

expertise in Indian and international languages has been established.










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16 Oct G o a Marit im e Sym po sium 2018 o n Oct 16G o a Marit im e Sym po sium 2018 o n Oct 16

Towards fostering friendly relations with our maritime neighbours, the Indian Navy, through the

Naval War College, Goa is hosting the event, which is a follow-on to the maiden Goa Maritime

Conclave held in 2017, is likely to be attended by senior naval officers and representatives from 16

Indian Ocean littoral countries.


The event is aimed at establishing academic excellence and sharing of ideas amongst India’s maritime neighbours in

the Indian Ocean Region on common issues of maritime interest.

The theme for the one day symposium is “Building Stronger Maritime Partnerships in IOR.” The focus of the

symposium is on capacity building among IOR Navies to tackle emerging maritime threats, as well as discussing

cooperative strategies for enhancing interoperability among partner maritime agencies.

The symposium was inaugurated by the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM, ADC, at INS Mandovi

at Goa on 16th October 2018.

19 Oct S itharam an ho lds bi lateral talks with US , ASEAN co unterparts in S ingapo reS itharam an ho lds bi lateral talks with US , ASEAN co unterparts in S ingapo re

Defence Ministers from ASEAN countries and that of Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South

Korea, Russia, and the US have gathered here for the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting

(ADMM) and the 5th ADMM-Plus, at Singapore.


The talks were necessary in promoting strategic dialogues, regional security architecture and practical cooperation

between the countries.

India and Singapore will extend their bilateral defense collaboration and is likely to hold bilateral meetings for

exchange of logistics and naval vessels.

India and Singapore will also hold the annual 2 week naval exercise, SINBEX in Bay of Bengal in the coming weeks.











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26 Oct First indigeno usly o v erhauled Su-30MKI handed o v er to IAFFirst indigeno usly o v erhauled Su-30MKI handed o v er to IAF

The twin-finned, twin-jet multi-role Su-30MKI is capable of attaining speeds of Mach 2 (double the

speed of sound or 2,120 kmph) at high altitudes and can carry guns, missiles, bombs, rockets and

other weaponry.


Established in April 1974, the 11 BRD, Ojhar is the only fighter aircraft repair depot of the IAF and undertakes repairs,

renovations and overhaul of frontline fighters like the MIG-29 and now the Su-30MKI.

From 1983, it undertook the overhaul of 28 MIG-21 aircraft and later set up a facility in 1986 to overhaul MIG-23s of

which 248 were overhauled till May 2015.

The aircraft, developed by Russia, is now built at HAL under licence for the IAF since the past nearly two decades.

27 Oct Indian Arm y's Central Co m m and celebrates Infantry DayIndian Arm y's Central Co m m and celebrates Infantry Day

In October 1947, tribals and troops of the newly-formed Pakistani Army attacked the state of Jammu

and Kashmir and had threatened Srinagar, this day is the commemoration of the first victorious

military action led by the Infantry in Jammu and Kashmir after Independence.


The liberation of the valley from Pakistani invaders was done by troops from the First Batalion, Sikh Regiment who

landed in Srinagar airfield on October 24th, 1947.

The infantry also undertakes numerous civic action projects for citizens in remote and inaccessible parts of India.

27 Oct Defence Minist ry appro v es upgrade o f Co ast G uard's 17 Do rnier aircraftDefence Minist ry appro v es upgrade o f Co ast G uard's 17 Do rnier aircraft

The Coast Guard has a fleet of Dornier aircraft which plays a pivotal role in maritime surveillance.

The decision to upgrade was taken by Defence Acquisition Council, which will reportedly cost 950

crores.


The ICG (Indian Coast Guard) protects the national interests in maritime zones of the country which includes

surveillance of sea areas of approximately 2.01 million square km of India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

It is also the nodal agency for maritime pollution response.

The upgrades will include state-of-art technology, spares, special maintenance tools and special test equipment. It will

done by Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL).

The DAC has also approved for equipping three air crafts with Pollution Surveillance System.










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30 Oct India co nducts successful night t r ial o f nuclear-capable Agni-I m issi leIndia co nducts successful night t r ial o f nuclear-capable Agni-I m issi le

The missile with a strike range of beyond 700 km has a specialised navigation system. It has already

been inducted in the Indian Army.


Strategic Forces Command of Indian Army test-fired the missile and the night trial of Agni missile was successful. The

missile was test fired off APJ Abdul Kalam island, Odisha as a part of user trial.

The night trial of the ballistic missile with a strike range of 700 km was first conducted in April 2014.










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8. Sports

01 Oct Spain's Ana Carrasco m akes histo ry as fi rst fem ale wo rld m o to cham pio nSpain's Ana Carrasco m akes histo ry as fi rst fem ale wo rld m o to cham pio n

She became the first woman to win a world motorcycling title when she won the Superbike

Supersport 300 division.


The 21-year-old from Murcia, riding a Kawasaki, fought her way up from 25th on the grid to finish 13th at the season

decider on the French circuit of Magny-Cours.

Carrasco finished the season with a one-point lead over competitor Mika Perez.

01 Oct Manu Bhaker nam ed India's flag-bearer at Yo uth O lym pic G am esManu Bhaker nam ed India's flag-bearer at Yo uth O lym pic G am es

Teenage shooting star Manu Bhaker was named as the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent for

the 3rd Youth Olympic Games to be held in Buenos Aires from October 6-18.


A contingent of 68 members, including 46 athletes, will depart for Argentina to compete in 13 sports during the

prestigious event.

Goa Olympic Association Secretary Gurudutta D Bhakta will be the Chef-de-Mission of the contingent India.

04 Oct Prithv i Shaw beco m es the seco nd yo ungest Indian to sco re a century in TestsPrithv i Shaw beco m es the seco nd yo ungest Indian to sco re a century in Tests

Prithvi Shaw, age 18, is now the 7th youngest cricketer overall to score a Test century. The list

include four Pakistanis, two Indians besides a Bangladesh and Zimbabwe batsmen. Bangladesh's

Mohd Ashraful is on top of the list.


He reached the milestone during the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Saurashtra Cricket

Association Stadium in Rajkot.

He is also the 15th Indian cricketer to score a century in his debut Test match.










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05 Oct Virat Ko hl i q uickest to 24th Test century after Bradm anVirat Ko hl i q uickest to 24th Test century after Bradm an

The Indian skipper surpassed Australia’s Steve Smith and went up to the second spot in the list of

centurions among active players, behind South Africa's Hashim Amla on 28.


Smith, who is serving a one-year ball-tampering ban, has 23 centuries in 64 Tests.

Kohli reached his 24th century in his 123rd innings, while Australia’s Bradman took just 66 knocks to achieve the

same feat.

It was the second century of the Indian innings after 18-year-old opener Prithvi Shaw made 134 on Day 1 to become

India’s youngest batsman to score a century on debut.

06 Oct G o o gle Do o dle celebrates Sum m er Yo uth O lym pic G am es 2018G o o gle Do o dle celebrates Sum m er Yo uth O lym pic G am es 2018

Google celebrated the start of the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held in Buenos Aires,

Argentina from October 6 to 18 through an animated bird doodle participating in different sporting

events such as weightlifting, gymnastics and swimming.


It will feature new sports like breakdancing, sport climbing, roller sports and karate, and many new disciplines and

events such as BMX freestyle, kiteboarding, beach handball, futsal and acrobatic gymnastics.

The Summer Youth Olympic Games 2018 will feature participants from 200 countries with Kosovo and South Sudan

making their debut.

Teenage shooting star Manu Bhaker was named as the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent.

06 Oct Tata Mo to rs inks 3-year pact with Pro Kabaddi League as Asso ciate Spo nso rTata Mo to rs inks 3-year pact with Pro Kabaddi League as Asso ciate Spo nso r

Concurrently, Tata Motors would extend their commercial support to PKL franchise UP Yoddha as the

principal sponsor for the second consecutive year.


The Commercial Vehicles Business Unit (CVBU) of Tata Motors has signed a three-year-long partnership with the Pro

Kabaddi League (PKL) as associate sponsors from this season.

Through this partnership, the company hopes to build deeper connections with stakeholders across the

country - including drivers, fleet owners and the general public at large










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06 Oct KV Kaushal hits fi rst do uble century in Hazare T ro phyKV Kaushal hits fi rst do uble century in Hazare T ro phy

Uttarakahand opener Karn Veer Kaushal entered the record books, scoring the first double century in

the Hazare Trophy, smashing 202 off 135 balls, against Sikkim in a Plate group match.


Karan Veer Kaushal, has scored three hundreds in seven matches, eclipsed Ajinkya Rahane’s 187 for Mumbai against

Maharashtra in Pune in 2007-08. This is the first double century scored in the Hazare Trophy.

07 Oct Keerthana Pandian wins IBSF wo rld Under 16 Sno o ker t i t leKeerthana Pandian wins IBSF wo rld Under 16 Sno o ker t i t le

India's snooker player Keerthana Pandian has won the girls' title by beating Belarussian rival Albina

Leschuk in the IBSF World Under-16 Snooker Championships.


This is her first international title.

Earlier, she knocked out her compatriot Manasvini Sekar and Russian girl Alina Khairulina and then the defending

champion Anupama Ramachandran in the semis.











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07 Oct Indian shutt lers win fiv e m edals in Asia Junio r cham pio nshipIndian shutt lers win fiv e m edals in Asia Junio r cham pio nship

Meghana Reddy and Tasnim Mir won the girls doubles crown in the Badminton Asia Junior U-17 and

U-15 championships which concluded at Mandalay, Myanmar on 7 October.


Meghana and Tasnim pair defeated Korean duo of Yeo Jin Gong and Da Yeon Jeong 23-21 21-18 in the final to win the

Under-15 girls doubles title.

Meiraba Luwang and Aditi Bhatt won a bronze medal each in the Under-17 boys singles and girls singles respectively,

while S Shankar Muthuswamy claimed a bronze in under-15 boys singles

07 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Shahu Tushar Mane cl inches s i lv er in air r i f leYo uth O lym pics 2018: Shahu Tushar Mane cl inches s i lv er in air r i f le

16-year-old Shahu had finished sixth in the junior World Cup in Sydney earlier this season. He had

won the youth bronze in the Asian championship in 2017.


Shahu had qualified third with a score of 623.7 behind shooters from Iran and China who eventually could not make

it to the podium.

Earlier, Bhaker led the Indian contingent as its flag-bearer as the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympics.

08 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Thangjam Tababi Dev i 's s i lv er India's fi rst judo m edalYo uth O lym pics 2018: Thangjam Tababi Dev i 's s i lv er India's fi rst judo m edal

Thangjam Tababi Devi became India’s first judo medallist at the Olympic level after winning a

silver medal. India have never won an Olympic medal in judo either at the senior or the youth

level.


She lost to Venezuela’s Maria Giminez in the finals of the women’s 44kg category. She is an Asian cadet champion

from Manipur.

This is India’s largest ever contingent at the Youth Olympics with a contingent of 68 members from India, including 46

athletes. India won just two medals - a silver and a bronze - in the last Youth Olympics in 2014 in Nanjing in China.










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08 Oct Asian Para G am es 2018: Jav el in thro wer Sandeep sm ashes wo rld reco rdAsian Para G am es 2018: Jav el in thro wer Sandeep sm ashes wo rld reco rd

Sandeep Chaudhary took the top spot with a best throw of 60.01m, shattering the F44 world record,

bettering the earlier mark of 59.82, set by China’s Mingjie Gao in 1980. India now has three gold,six

silver and seven bronze and is at eight position in Asian Para Games.


Sandeep won India’s first gold in the men’s F42-44/61-64 category, following which runner Rakshitha Raju (women’s

T11 1500m) and swimmer Jadhav Suyash Narayan (men’s S7 50m butterfly) added yellow metals to the list.

Radha Venkatesh and Ramya Shanmugam won silver in women's T12/13 1500m and women's F46 javelin respectively.

Swimming also fetched four medals.

India also won a silver in para-powerlifting while shooting para sport gave the country a silver and a bronze.

China tops the list with 35 gold,14 silver and 17 bronze,followed by South Korea with 14 gold,8 silver and 6 bronze.

09 Oct Weight l ifter Jerem y Lalr innunga claim s India’ s fi rst Yo uth O lym pics go ldWeight l ifter Jerem y Lalr innunga claim s India’ s fi rst Yo uth O lym pics go ld

The upcoming Mizoram weightlifter, 15 years, notched up India’s maiden gold medal at the Youth

Olympics in the men’s 62 kg category.


The 15-year-old from Aizawl, who is also a world youth silver-medallist, lifted a total of 274 kg (124 kg +150 kg) to

finish on top in the Argentine capital on Monday night.

The silver medal went to Turkey’s Toptas Caner, while Colombia’s Villar Estiven Jose took the bronze.

Earlier this year, Lalrinnunga claimed a silver (youth) and a bronze (junior) in the Asian Championships, smashing two

national records in the process.

09 Oct Para Asian G am es: Bhyan, Thakur and Narwal wins 3 m o re go ld m edalsPara Asian G am es: Bhyan, Thakur and Narwal wins 3 m o re go ld m edals

Ekta Bhyan and Narayan Thakur won gold in women’s F32/51 club throw event and men’s T35 100m

dash respectively. Para-shooter Manish Narwal bagged a gold medal in the men’s SH1 10m air pistol

event.


India maintained its eighth spot on the third day of competitions at the Para Asian Games in Jakarta on 9 October.

India now has six gold, nine silver and 13 bronze with China ruling the games with 73 gold, 32 silver and 29 bronze.










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09 Oct Manu Bhaker claim s India's fi rst ev er go ld in sho o t ing at Yo uth O lym picsManu Bhaker claim s India's fi rst ev er go ld in sho o t ing at Yo uth O lym pics

The 16-year-old Bhaker from Jhajjar, Haryana produced a spectacular performance to claim

India's first ever gold medal in the women's 10m air pistol event at Youth Olympics.


Bhaker shot 236.5 to finish on top of the podium in the women's 10m air pistol event, making up for the heartbreak

at the Asian Games in Indonesia and the World Championship.

Russia's Iana Enina won the silver with 235.9, while Nino Khutsiberidze bagged the bronze medal.

At the 2017 Asian Junior Championships, she won a silver medal and at the 2018 ISSF World Cup held in Mexico, she

returned with two gold medals. She won the women's 10m air pistol and in the 10m Air Pistol mixed team events

and followed that up with a gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.

10 Oct Asian Para G am es 2018: G o ld fo r archer Harv inder S inghAsian Para G am es 2018: G o ld fo r archer Harv inder S ingh

Monu Ghangas claimed the silver in the men’s discus throw F11 category. Mohammed Yasser

fetched a bronze in the men’s shot put F46 category.


Archer Harvinder Singh won the men’s individual recurve gold, in the Asian Para-Games in Jakarta on 10 October.

Harvinder defeated China’s Zhao Lixue 6-0 in the W2/ST category and took India’s gold tally to 7 medals.











139



10 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Saurabh Chaudhary wins go ld in sho o t ingYo uth O lym pics 2018: Saurabh Chaudhary wins go ld in sho o t ing

Chaudhary also an Asian Games and Junior ISSF World Championship gold medallist, had topped the

qualifying rounds with 580 along with Iran’s Erfan Salavati.


The 16-year-old shot 244.2 in the 10m air pistol event to finish ahead of South Korea’s Sung Yunho and Switzerland’s

Solari Jason.

Archana Kamath went down to China’s Yingsha Sun in the semifinals of the women’s table tennis event.

Meanwhile in Hockey5s, the Indian women hammered Vanuatu.

11 Oct Asian Para G am es: S i lv er fo r jav el in thro wer Sundar S ingh G urjarAsian Para G am es: S i lv er fo r jav el in thro wer Sundar S ingh G urjar

Indian javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar won a silver medal in the men’s F46 category of the Asian

Para Games being held in Jakarta.


Two-time Paralympic gold-medallist Devendra Jhajharia finished fourth.

India also won a bronze in the men’s 400m T13 category with Avnil Kumar claiming the third position. The T13

classification deals with visual impairment.

11 Oct Anil Kum ble launches Micro so ft -po wered 'Po wer Bat 'Ani l Kum ble launches Micro so ft -po wered 'Po wer Bat '

The batting performance tracking device, Power Bat, is a Microsoft Azure Sphere-powered sticker on

the shoulder of the bat that captures the speed of impact, quality of the shot and other parameters

when the batsman hits the ball.


Microsoft Corporation and former cricketer Anil Kumble’s technology startup- Spektacom Technologies, along

with broadcast partner Star India, announced the launch of a batting performance tracking device called

Power Bat.

It is debuted with Star Sports as a part of the IPL with the Power Shot Challenge that showed commentators the

possibility of the technology and was subsequently tested it at the Tamil Nadu Premier League. Spektakom is yet to

announce the monetisation plan for the commercial launch of the technology.

Microsoft is currently powering sports tech based solutions for the likes of LaLiga, NFL, Nascar, PGA and Formula One

among others.








https://www.business-standard.com/topic/microsoft



140



11 Oct Bengaluru Open is set to be Asia’ s biggest tennis Chal lenger ev entBengaluru Open is set to be Asia’ s biggest tennis Chal lenger ev ent

The ATP Bengaluru Open is scheduled to be held from November 12 to 17 at the KSLTA courts.The

125 points on offer for the singles winner will be invaluable for those looking to make the cut for the

2019 Australian Open.


The winner will get $150,000 as prize money, which is an increase of $50,000 from last year.

KSLTA will conduct a national-level ranking tournament from October 22 to 27. Its winner will secure a direct entry

into the main draw of the Bengaluru Open.

12 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Manu Bhaker wins s i lv er in 10m Air Pisto l M ixedYo uth O lym pics 2018: Manu Bhaker wins s i lv er in 10m Air Pisto l M ixed

Shooting sensation Manu Bhaker became the second Indian after Judoka Tababi Devi to win two

medals at the Youth Olympic Games after winning a silver in the 10m air pistol mixed international.


Manu, combining with Tajikistan’s Behzan Fayzullaev, settled for a silver after losing o Germany’s Vanessa Seeger and

Bulgaria’s Kiril Kirov while the other Indian, Saurabh Chaudhary, partnering Pakistan’s Nubaira Babur, lost in the first

knock-out round.

Meanwhile on Thursday, title favourite Lakshya Sen bounced back to beat Kodai Naraoka of Japan and make the

summit clash.

In athletics, Suraj Panwar clocked a personal best 20:23.30s in 5000m walk to lie second after the event’s first stage on

Thursday.

12 Oct Para Asian G am es 2018: India wins 5 go lds in Chess, Badm into n, Jav el inPara Asian G am es 2018: India wins 5 go lds in Chess, Badm into n, Jav el in

Gold medals in athletics, chess and badminton ensured India continued its impressive performance

at the Asian Para Games. India now has 63 medals, including 13 gold and 20 silver.


K. Jennitha Anto clinched the gold in women’s individual rapid P1 chess event after beating Manurung Roslinda of

Indonesia 1-0 in the final round.

Kishan Gangolli got the better of Majid Bagheri in the men’s individual rapid VI-B2/B3 event to claim the top spot.

In para-badminton, Parul Parmar notched up a 21-9, 21-5 victory over Wandee Kamtam of Thailand to win the

women’s singles SL3 event.

Neeraj Yadav and Amit Balyan clinched gold and silver medals respectively in in the men’s javelin throw F55 event.










141



13 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Lakshya set t les fo r s i lv er in Men's Badm into nYo uth O lym pics 2018: Lakshya set t les fo r s i lv er in Men's Badm into n

Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen settled for a silver medal after he lost the men’s singles summit clash

against Li Shifeng of China in straight games.This was India’s fourth silver along with three gold in the

ongoing Youth Olympics.


Senis the reigning junior Asian champion. He had beaten Shifeng in straight games in the quarterfinals of the Asian

Championships in July.

In both the games, Shifeng led all through and Sen was playing catch-up, eventually failing to succeed.

13 Oct Para Asian G am es: Bhagat , Tarun win two badm into n go lds , India's final tal ly 15Para Asian G am es: Bhagat , Tarun win two badm into n go lds , India's final tal ly 15

go lds , 72 m edalsgo lds , 72 m edals

In men’s singles SL3 class badminton, India’s Pramod Bhagat defeated Ukun Rukaendi of

Indonesia to clinch the gold medal. Para shuttler Tarun added another gold for India by beating

Yuyang Gao of China in the men’s singles SL4 class.


India was placed ninth with 15 gold, 24 silver and 33 bronze medals, while in the last edition in 2014, India won only

33 medals (3 gold, 14 silver, 16 bronze).

China topped the board with 172 gold, 88 silver and 59 bronze followed by South Korea (53 gold, 25 silver and 47

bronze) and Iran (51, 42, 43).











142



13 Oct Pranjala wins seco nd successiv e ITF t i t lePranjala wins seco nd successiv e ITF t i t le

Y. Pranjala won the $25,000 International Tennis Federation women’s tennis tournament in Lagos,

Nigeria.


She beat top seed Conny Perrin of Switzerland. This is her second successive title in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Leander Paes, in partnership with Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela of Mexico, won over Tomas Lipovsek Puches

and Juan Ignacio Londero of Argentina in the $150,000 Challenger tennis tournament in Dominican Republic.

14 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Wrest ler S im ran wins s i lv erYo uth O lym pics 2018: Wrest ler S im ran wins s i lv er

Simran, who had won a 40kg class bronze in the 2017 Cadet World Championships, settled for a

silver in women's freestyle 43 kg category competition after she lost to Emily Shilson of United States

in the final bout here.


Shilson is the gold medallist in 43kg in the 2018 Cadet World Championships.

This is India's fifth silver along with three gold in the ongoing Youth Olympics.

The medals won by shuttler Lakshya Sen (gold), shooter Manu Bhaker (silver) and judoka Tababi Devi (silver) in mixed

team events are not counted in the country's total medal tally as they had paired with athletes of other countries.

14 Oct Djo ko v ic beats Co ric to win Shanghai MastersDjo ko v ic beats Co ric to win Shanghai Masters

Novak Djokovic beat 21-year-old Coric 6-3 6-4 in 97 minutes to claim his fourth Shanghai title.


Serb Djokovic has won 18 consecutive matches since losing at the Rogers Cup on 10 August.

He will replace Federer as world number two and is within touching distance of Rafael Nadal’s number one ranking.










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14 Oct Schum acher Jr. l i fts F3 t i t leSchum acher Jr. l i fts F3 t i t le

Mick Schumacher won the European Formula Three championship with his 14th podium placing on

14 October at Germany's Hockenheim circuit.


He is the 19 years old, and son of stricken Formula One legend Michael Schumacher.

He took second place in the final race of the 2018 season but is already been confirmed European F3 champion.

15 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Indian Men’ s , Wo m en’ s ho ckey team s bag s i lv erYo uth O lym pics 2018: Indian Men’ s , Wo m en’ s ho ckey team s bag s i lv er

While the women suffered a heart-breaking 1-3 loss against hosts Argentina, the men were handed a

2-4 loss by Malaysia in the finals.


Indian women started the first period well as they attacked the hosts right from the opening whistle, however the

second period saw Argentina keep most of the possession, not allowing the Indian team to find space or create

chances.

In the men’s contest, Ind ia captain V iv ek Sagar P rasad Ind ia captain V iv ek Sagar P rasad scored twice within the first six minutes of the match to

give India a 2-1 lead, but the Malaysians struck thrice in the second period to secure the victory.

16 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Suraj Panwar wins s i lv er in m en's 5000m race walkYo uth O lym pics 2018: Suraj Panwar wins s i lv er in m en's 5000m race walk

Suraj Panwar won India’s first medal in athletics at the third Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires,

Argentina.


He won the silver medal behind Ecuador’s Oscar Patin.

This increased the medal count of the country to 11.

This is India’s first athletics medal in this edition and third overall. Arjun (men’s discus throw) and Durgesh Kumar

(men’s 400m hurdles) had won a silver each in the inaugural edition in 2010.










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17 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Prav een Chit rav el wins bro nze in m en's t r iple jum pYo uth O lym pics 2018: Prav een Chit rav el wins bro nze in m en's t r iple jum p

Praveen, a farm labourer’s son from Tamil Nadu, finished third in Stage 2. Alejandro Diaz of Cuba

won gold with a 34.18 m while Emmeanuel Oritsemeyiwa of Nigeria came second.


Praveen was a gold medallist in the inaugural Khelo India School Games and won a silver at the junior Nationals in

Coimbatore earlier this year.

"Praveen has the talent and he is very hardworking. I want to groom him as a National champion and then represent

the country in the Asian Games and the Olympics," said Indira Suresh, his coach .

18 Oct Yo uth O lym pics 2018: Akash claim s India’ s m aiden archery s i lv erYo uth O lym pics 2018: Akash claim s India’ s m aiden archery s i lv er

Akash Malik, a farmer's son became India’s first silver-medallist in archery at the Youth Olympic

Games. He lost a one-sided final to Trenton Cowles of the USA 0-6 as India concluded with three gold,

nine silver, and one bronze at the event that was launched in 2010.


Akash was part of the recurve boys team which won a gold medal at the mini national (under-14) archery

championship in 2014 in Vijayawada.

He went on to clinch a gold medal in the Youth Olympics qualifying event last year, he also won a gold medal at

Asia Cup Stage-I, two bronze in Asia Cup Stage-II and a silver and a bronze in the South Asian championship,

in the last one year.

He is currently enrolled by the Olympic Gold Quest and trains under South Korean coach Kim Hagyong at the Army

Sports Institute in Pune.











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19 Oct NADA bans ho ckey go alkeeper Akash Chikte fo r 2 years fo r do pingNADA bans ho ckey go alkeeper Akash Chikte fo r 2 years fo r do ping

Akash Chikte was provisionally suspended by NADA from March 27. He was found positive for a

banned anabolic steroid (Noradresterone) during an out of competition test in Bengaluru on

February.


The five others were also handed suspensions for violation of anti-doping code, they are wrestler Amit, kabaddi

player Pradeep Kumar, weightlifter Narayan Singh, athletes Saurabh Singh, Baljeet Kaur and Simarjit Kaur.

Chikte was a part of the Indian squad that won Asian Men's Champions trophy and Asia Cup in Dhaka.

19 Oct Wim bledo n to int ro duce final set t ie-breaks fro m 2019Wim bledo n to int ro duce final set t ie-breaks fro m 2019

A tie-break is normally played to decide the set when the score reaches 6-6. However, until now the

US Open has been the only Grand Slam that uses a tie-break in the fifth set but Wimbledon will now

start using tie-breaks but only once the score in the deciding set reaches 12-12.


The AELTC said it had studied data from the past 20 years at Wimbledon, as well as consulting players and officials

before reaching the decision.

Big-serving American Isner was famously involved in the longest match in Wimbledon history when he beat France’s

Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the deciding set in 2010 after over 11 hours on court over three days.

20 Oct Vijay Hazare t ro phy: Mum bai beat Delhi to l i ft t i t le fo r third t im eVijay Hazare t ro phy: Mum bai beat Delhi to l i ft t i t le fo r third t im e

Mumbai clinched the National one-day title after a gap of 11 years with a four-wicket victory over

Delhi at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadiumy.


Mumbai last won the trophy way back in 2006-07 when they defeated Rajasthan

Set 178 to lift the Vijay Hazare Trophy after some fine work from its seamers, Mumbai managed to score 180 in 35

overs.

The Vijay Hazare Trophy, also known as the Ranji One Day Trophy, was started in 2002–03 as a limited-overs cricket

domestic competition involving state teams from the Ranji Trophy plates.










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21 Oct Delhi Half Maratho n: G em echu sm ashes wo m en's reco rd, Bel ihu wins m en'sDelhi Half Maratho n: G em echu sm ashes wo m en's reco rd, Bel ihu wins m en's

Gemechu clocked 1:06:50, four seconds better than the earlier women's course record of 1:06:54,

which had been in the name of Kenya's Mary Keitany since 2009. Abhishek Pal (1:04:14) was the best-

placed among Indians followed by Avinash Sable (1:04:14) and Asian marathon champion T Gopi

(1:04:15).


Winners:Winners: Tsehay Gemechu smashed the course women's record while compatriot Andamalak Belihu overcame stiff

competition in the men's elite field as the Ethiopian duo raced to top honours. It was a first-time victory at the course

for both the winners.

Women's:Women's: Current women's half marathon world record holder, Joyciline Jepkosgei clinched the silver medal

completing the race at 1:06:56 while Zeineba Yimer of Ethiopia grabbed the last spot on the podium.

Men's:Men's: Walelegn clinched the silver while Kenya's Daniel Kipchumba grabbed the third spot

Tirunesh Dibaba, the greatest ever woman distance runner in the world with three Olympic, five World Championship

gold medals in 5000m and 10,000m, had fatigue catch up with her.

21 Oct Spanish r ider Marc Marq uez wins Mo to G P wo rld t i t leSpanish r ider Marc Marq uez wins Mo to G P wo rld t i t le

The 25-year-old, Marc Marquez clinched the 2018 Moto Grand Prix world title. The rider has become

the youngest to win five premier class titles and to reach seven Championships overall.


He is also now one of only four men to have won five or more premier class crowns, joining Valentino Rossi, Mick

Doohan and Giacomo Agostini in that exclusive club.

Marquez's rise to glory began with his first title in the 125 Championship in 2010, just two years after making his debut

on the world stage at 15.

21 Oct Denm ark Open: Saina lo ses in final to Tai Tzu Y ingDenm ark Open: Saina lo ses in final to Tai Tzu Y ing

In an exciting 52-minute final, Saina lost to the world no.1 Tai Tzu Ying to settle for a runner-up finish

on Sunday. This was Saina’s fifth straight defeat against Tzu Ying this year.


Tzu Ying claimed the Denmark Open title after a gap of two years.

This win also bettered Tzu Ying’s head-to-head record against Saina to 13-5.

Saina had come out second best four times earlier this year - Indonesia Masters, All England Championships,

Badminton Asia Championships and in the Jakarta Asian Games.










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22 Oct Punia wins s i lv er , beco m es first Indian with two Wo rld Wrest l ing Cham pio nshipPunia wins s i lv er , beco m es first Indian with two Wo rld Wrest l ing Cham pio nship

MedalsMedals

Bajrang Punia had earlier knocked off Alejandro Valdes Tobier of Cuba 4-3 to enter the 65 kg

Freestyle final in World Wrestling Championships in Budapest.


Bajrang Punia had won a bronze medal in the 2013 edition.

He lost 9-16 to Takuto Otoguro of Japan in the final of the 65 kg freestyle event.

He has had a great 2018 so far, having already won gold medals at the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth

Games.

22 Oct Lewis Ham ilto n waits fo r F1 t i t le as Kim i Raikko nen wins US G rand PrixLewis Ham ilto n waits fo r F1 t i t le as Kim i Raikko nen wins US G rand Prix

Hamilton finished third in Austin as Raikkonen wins for the first time in five years. Title rival Sebastian

Vettel in another Ferrari was fourth.


Hamilton now leads Vettel by 70 points and with 75 remaining in the final three races he can clinch his fifth title by

finishing seventh in Mexico, if Vettel wins.

Vettel has to win all three of the remaining races of the season in Mexico, Brazil and the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi

Grand Prix on November 25 to have any chance of claiming the F1 title.











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25 Oct Po o ja Dhanda wins bro nze in 57kg at Wo rld Wrest l ing Cham pio nshipPo o ja Dhanda wins bro nze in 57kg at Wo rld Wrest l ing Cham pio nship

Pooja Dhanda became only the fourth Indian woman grappler after Tomar and Phogat sisters to win

a medal at the World Championship.


Pooja executed a four-point throw in each of the two periods in the 57kg contest to win the medal.

It is second medal for Pooja this season after she won a silver the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

Only Alka Tomar (2006), Geeta Phogat (2012) and Babita Phogat (2012) had won bronze medals for India at the Worlds

before her.

28 Oct Ro ger Federer beats Marius Co pil to win 99th t i t le in BaselRo ger Federer beats Marius Co pil to win 99th t i t le in Basel

Roger Federer won ATP Tour title on Sunday, beating qualifier Marius Copil 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the Swiss

Indoors final.


This is the 9th title he has won in his hometown Basel where he used to be a ball boy earlier.

Copil currently ranks World No.93 and will raise to No. 60 when the new list is published after the match.

The title was Federer's first in more than four months since winning on grass at Stuttgart in June.

28 Oct Kenyan Abraham Kiptum sets new half-m aratho n best t im eKenyan Abraham Kiptum sets new half-m aratho n best t im e

Kiptum set a new world best time of 58mins 18sec for the half-marathon when he won the Valencia

race on Sunday.


The previous best time was set eight years ago by Ethiopia’s Zersenay Tadesse who ran the Lisbon half-marathon in

58min 23sec in March 2010.

The 29-year-old Kiptum came second in the Copenhagen half-marathon last month and has a personal best time of

2hrs 05mins 26sec for a marathon set at Amsterdam in October 2017.










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28 Oct Panaso nic Open G o lf: Khal in Jo shi wins m aiden Asian to ur t i t lePanaso nic Open G o lf: Khal in Jo shi wins m aiden Asian to ur t i t le

Bengaluru-based Joshi, 26-year-old thus became the seventh Indian to win the Panasonic Open India

in the last eight editions of the tournament, and 25th Indian champion to raise the aggregate to 87

international titles.


He won the $400,000 Panasonic Open in New Delhi

The opposing leader, Siddikur (Bangladesh) collected $44,000 for his third runner-up finish in the event.

Ajeetesh Sandhu and Thai leader Suradit Yongcharoenchai shared the third spot. They received $22,600 each.

28 Oct Elina Sv ito l ina wins the WTA finalsEl ina Sv ito l ina wins the WTA finals

She is first player to go through the finals undefeated since Serena in 2013 and claimed the biggest

title of her career against Sloane Stephens at the season-ending WTA Finals.


She has been in brilliant, aggressive form, beating defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, Czech players Petra

Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova at the group stage, and Kiki Bertens in the semifinals.

The Ukrainian once again dug deep to triumph 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and 23 minutes on Sunday.

29 Oct DG Vaishnav creates reco rd with 18 m edalsDG Vaishnav creates reco rd with 18 m edals

DG Vaishnav College scripted a record by winning 18 medals — seven gold, four silver and seven

bronze medals at Dr Sir AL Mudaliar athletic meet.


Other winners at the Mudlaliar athletic meet included,

Gold medal winners: Vetrivel (20km walk), Ajai Dharma (5,000m), Santhosh (pole vault), Ajith Kumar (shot put),

Aravinth (triple jump), Esha (high jump), Rajesh (400m).

Silver medal winners: Ranjith (20km walk), Vishnu (long jump), Esha (triple jump), Ajai Dharma (1,500m).

Bronze medal winners: Vijai (discuss throw), Hariharan (400m hurdles), Vijay Kumar (javelin throw), Jabarali

(high jump), Purusothman (10,000m), 4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay.










150



29 Oct Ham ilto n wins F1 t i t le , Verstappen wins Mex ican G rand PrixHam ilto n wins F1 t i t le , Verstappen wins Mex ican G rand Prix

Hamilton finished fourth to win his 5th world title which makes him an equal with Juan Manuel Fagio

of Argentina for the second-most championships in F1 history. Only Michael Schumacher has won

more titles than him.


In 2017, he wrapped up his prize despite finishing a distant ninth, and on his return to the Autodromo Hermanos

Rodriguez he again had to settle for 'Also-ran' status in the race itself.

The race consisted of 71 laps and he even slid off the track once.

The second and third places were won by Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen respectively.

29 Oct Indian paddler Raegan Alburq uerq ue set t les fo r s i lv er at Egypt Open TTIndian paddler Raegan Alburq uerq ue set t les fo r s i lv er at Egypt Open TT

China's Ding Shixian making his maiden international appearance, conceded the second game

before wrapping it up for an excellent career beginning and forcing the Indian to settle with a silver.


Raegan failed to clear the final hurdle, going down fighting to China's Ding Shixian in the Junior Boys final at the Egypt

Open in Sharm El Sheikh.

Ding playing cautiously and maintaining his form, won several crucial points to upset the Indian's attacking style of

game.











151



29 Oct Asian Ho ckey Cham pio ns T ro phy: India and Pakistan declared jo int winnersAsian Ho ckey Cham pio ns T ro phy: India and Pakistan declared jo int winners

The Asian Champions trophy for hockey had to be cancelled due to heavy downpour in Muscat, Oman

on Oct 28


This was the fifth edition of the event, with both India and Pakistan having won the game twice before.

Defending champions India were the only undefeated side in the tournament, and have beaten Pakistan 3-1 in the

round-robin match on October 20.

30 Oct Speech disabled arm wrest ler Mahadev a wins m edalSpeech disabled arm wrest ler Mahadev a wins m edal

Raju Mahadeva, 30, a speech disabled youth from Mysuru, won the silver medal in the 21st Para Arm

Wrestling Championship at Antalya in Turkey recently.


Mr. Mahadeva, who has earlier won the State arm wrestling championship and Dasara arm wrestling trophy, had been

selected by the Indian Arm Wrestling Federation to represent India in the championship held from October 12 to 21.

He won the second place in the 90 kg category (right hand) in the championship.

31 Oct Adv ani fi rst to win Asian sno o ker t i t leAdv ani fi rst to win Asian sno o ker t i t le

Nineteen-time World champion Pankaj Advani delivered a power-packed performance to outclass

China’s Ju Reti in the final and become the first Indian to win an Asian Snooker Tour event.


The IBSF World Billiards and Snooker Championships is less than a fortnight away and the Indian star cueist is the

defending champion in both sports.

The 33-year-old from Pune will now have to immediately switch to billiards as Myanmar hosts the prestigious World

championships from November 12 to 27.










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31 Oct Mary Ko m nam ed brand am bassado r fo r Wo m an's Wo rld Cham pio nshipMary Ko m nam ed brand am bassado r fo r Wo m an's Wo rld Cham pio nship

AIBA World Championships will be held from 15-24 November in New Delhi. Previously held in India

in 2006, the championship had seen Mary Kom and Sarita Devi win.They are the only two active

participants who will be representing India in this year's tournament as well.


Mary Kom will be seeking her sixth Women's World Championship crown and second gold at home since 2006, as she

leads the Indian contingent.

The World Championships will see close to 300 pugilists from 70 countries across 10 weight categories.










153



9. People

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONSAPPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

01 Oct G ita G o pinath appo inted IMF Chief Eco no m istG ita G o pinath appo inted IMF Chief Eco no m ist

IMF appointed India-born Gita Gopinath as Economic Counsellor and Director of the IMF’s Research

Department. Ms. Gopinath will succeed Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld, who announced he would retire at

the end of 2018.


Ms. Gopinath currently serves as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard

University.

Ms. Gopinath is a U.S. citizen and an Overseas Citizen of India. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton

University in 2001 after earning a B.A. from the University of Delhi and M.A. degrees from both the Delhi School of

Economics and University of Washington.

She joined the University of Chicago in 2001 as an Assistant Professor before moving to Harvard in 2005. She became a

tenured Professor there in 2010.

02 Oct Facebo o k appo ints Adam Mo sseri as Instagram HeadFacebo o k appo ints Adam Mo sseri as Instagram Head

Adam Mosseri, currently Vice President of Product will oversee all functions of the business and will

recruit a new executive team as new head of Instagram.


Co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger resigned as chief executive officer and chief technical officer of Instagram

few days ago.

Mosseri began his career as a designer, managed his own design consultancy, and then joined the Facebook design

team in 2008 and has spent a decade working closely with Mark Zuckerberg.










154



02 Oct IMF, Wo rld Bank , OECD al l hav e fem ale Chief Eco no m istsIMF, Wo rld Bank , OECD al l hav e fem ale Chief Eco no m ists

International Monetary Fund ( ), World Bank ( ) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Development ( ) have all appointed women as Chief Economists of late. Gita Gopinath Pinelopi

Koujianou Laurence Boone


IMF:IMF: Gopinath became the third woman to be a tenured full professor at Harvard, is the first woman and second

Indian after former the Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan to hold the prestigious position at IMF.

World Bank:World Bank: Pinelopi Koujianou is Elihu Professor of Economics at Yale University and was appointed the position

at World Bank in April.

O ECD:O ECD: Laurence Boone, chief economist at insurer AXA and a former adviser to President Francois Hollande, was

chosen as the Chief Economist at OECD in June

02 Oct Alt ico Capital India elev ates Naina Lal Kidwai to Chairm an's po stAlt ico Capital India elev ates Naina Lal Kidwai to Chairm an's po st

Kidwai will replace Robert Petty, who will step down from the chairman's role while continuing to

remain on the board as a non-executive director.


Petty will remain an active board member as CO-CEO of Clearwater Capital Partners - Altico's largest

shareholder.

Altico Capital is one of the largest foreign-owned and controlled NBFCs by net worth.

04 Oct Indian Am erican R ita Baranwal to head US nuclear energy div is io nIndian Am erican R ita Baranwal to head US nuclear energy div is io n

As Assistant Secretary of Energy, if confirmed by the Senate, Baranwal will be heading the powerful

Office of Nuclear Energy.


Days after signing a new legislation to speed up the development of advanced reactors, President Donald

Trump has roped in a top Indian American nuclear expert for a key administrative position in the department

of energy.

Baranwal currently serves as the Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

(GAIN)initiative.

Previously, she served as Director of Technology Development & Application at Westinghouse and was a

manager in Materials Technology at Bechtel Bettis, where she led research and development in nuclear fuel

materials for US naval reactors.










155



04 Oct Chanda Ko chhar q uits ICICI Bank , Sandeep Bakhshi to succeed as MD, CEOChanda Ko chhar q uits ICICI Bank , Sandeep Bakhshi to succeed as MD, CEO

Shikha Sharma is leaving Axis Bank in December. Founding CEO of Yes Bank Rana Kapoor has

also been asked by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to quit the post by January 2019.


Chanda Kochhar, the first woman to head India’s second-biggest private sector lender by assets, called time on her

three-decade career at ICICI Bank,and relinquish office from the board of directors of ICICI Bank's subsidiariesvafter

her 9vyear chief executive tenure.

Bakhshi's ppointment will be for a period of five years until October 3, 2023, subject to regulatory and other

approvals.

04 Oct Arkady Dv o rko v ich is new FIDE presidentArkady Dv o rko v ich is new FIDE president

Former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich defeated Georgios Makropoulos of

Greece to became the FIDE President.


A new president was elected after a gap of 23 years.

He pledged an annual budget of € 3 million for the developing countries and overall € 5 million for each of his four

years as the FIDE president.

That will be a total of € 20 million coming to FIDE which could potential revamp the chess scenario.

04 Oct Sriniv asan Swam y is new IAA chairm anSriniv asan Swam y is new IAA chairm an

Srinivasan K. Swamy, chairman of RK Swamy Hansa Group, has taken charge as the chairman and

world president of International Advertising Association (IAA) for a period of two years.


He is the first Indian to hold this post in the 80-year-old history of the institution that has presence in 76 countries.

Prior to this, he was president of Advertising Agencies Association of India for a period of three years and president

IAA India Chapter for four years.










156



05 Oct Just ice Surya Kant takes o ath as Him achal Chief Just iceJust ice Surya Kant takes o ath as Him achal Chief Just ice

Justice Surya Kant sworn in as the CJ of the Himachal Pradesh high court with the retirement of Chief

Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir on April 24, 2017.


He started practicing at the District Courts, Hisar, in 1984, and shifted to Chandigarh in 1985, to practice at the Punjab

and Haryana High Courts.

He was a permanent Judge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court and was also nominated as a member of the

National Legal Services Authority for two consecutive terms.

05 Oct Rakesh Sharm a to beco m e MD, CEO o f IDBI Bank fo r 6 m o nthsRakesh Sharm a to beco m e MD, CEO o f IDBI Bank fo r 6 m o nths

Sharma till July 2018 was the chief executive of Canara Bank. The tenure of B Sriram who was

appointed as the chief executive of IDBI for three months ended in September 2018.


In mid-August 2015, the government had roped in private sector professionals to run two of its largest banks -- Bank

of Baroda and Canara Bank. Prior to that Rakesh Sharma was heading Lakshmi Vilas Bank.

Earlier this week, IDBI Bank board approved the proposal for issuance of preferential shares in favour of LIC to

increase the share of insurer in the bank up to 51%.











157



05 Oct PS Narasim ha resigns as Addit io nal So l ic ito r G eneralPS Narasim ha resigns as Addit io nal So l ic ito r G eneral

Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha has tendered his resignation citing personal reasons. He

has asked the government to relieve him of his responsibilities from December 15 when the

Supreme Court goes for a winter break.


Recently, Sandeep Sethi had stepped down as additional solicitor general.

From 11 additional solicitors general during the UPA-II rule, the strength of the law officers have dipped to six in the

Supreme Court.

06 Oct Brett Kav anaugh wins US Suprem e Co urt fightBret t Kav anaugh wins US Suprem e Co urt fight

Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in as the 114th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court after replacing Justice

Anthony Kennedy.


Protesters chanted outside the court building across the street after claims emerged that he had sexually assaulted

women three decades ago — allegations he emphatically denied.

Republicans voted for him in a 51-49 margin, along with Democrat Joe Manchin being the only one voting for

Kavanaugh.

This is an accomplishment for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

06 Oct Prav in S r iv astav a appo inted as India's third Chief S tat ist ic ianPrav in S r iv astav a appo inted as India's third Chief S tat ist ic ian

The government has appointed Pravin Srivastava, a senior officer with the Ministry of Statistics and

Programme Implementation (MoSPI) as the Chief Statistician of India (CSI) till August 31, 2020.


He will take up the mantle to generate the most important data in India, namely the estimation of gross domestic

product (GDP) and retail inflation.

There is the economic census, the annual survey of industries, and surveys on health, agricultural households, and

consumption spending of Indians, for which the CSI is the point person.

The CSI also assumes the charge of secretary at the statistics ministry.










158



09 Oct Fo rm er SBI chairperso n Arundhat i Bhattacharya jo ins ChrysCapitalFo rm er SBI chairperso n Arundhat i Bhattacharya jo ins ChrysCapital

The largest home grown private equity firm ChrysCapital Advisors LLP has hired former SBI

chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya as an advisor. Bhattacharya will advise on firm's strategy and

investments.


ChrysCapital manages approximately $3 billion worth assets.

ChrysCap's past investments include Axis Bank, Centurion Bank of Punjab, City Union Bank, ING Vysya Bank, Federal

Bank, Karur Vysya Bank and Yes Bank.

10 Oct Tushar Mehta appo inted as the new So lic ito r G eneral o f IndiaTushar Mehta appo inted as the new So lic ito r G eneral o f India

Tushar Mehta will replace Ranjit Kumar, who had stepped down sometime back and will hold

office till June 30, 2020.


Mehta was Gujarat advocate general when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state.

Mehta has handled several contentious cases, including justice BH Loya’s death and the arrest of the five activists by

the Maharashtra police, in the recent past. He was appointed ASG in 2014 after the Modi government came to power.

He was recently named special prosecutor to handle the 2G spectrum case.

10 Oct AirAsia India appo ints Tata gro up v eteran Suni l Bhaskaran as MD and CEOAirAsia India appo ints Tata gro up v eteran Suni l Bhaskaran as MD and CEO

Bhaskaran's appointment would be effective from November 15. Currently, he is vice president of

corporate services at Tata Steel.


The airline is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Malaysia's AirAsia Berhad and has a fleet of 19 aircraft.

Bhaskaran has over three decades of experience in the fields of manufacturing, export and commercial operations

with the Tata group.










159



10 Oct RBI bo ard gets two new directo rs - Sachin Chaturv edi and Rev athy IyerRBI bo ard gets two new directo rs - Sachin Chaturv edi and Rev athy Iyer

The government has appointed Sachin Chaturvedi, who heads Delhi-based think tank Research

and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), in place of Nachiket Mor and Revathy Iyer,

a former Indian Audit and Accounts Services officer, for a period of 4 years with effect from

September 19, 2018.


RBI now has 18 members on its central board, including four deputy governors and the governor.

Mr. Chaturvedi was appointed as member of the Eastern local board of RBI, while Ms. Iyer was appointed to the

Northern local board.

Mr. Mor, a former ICICI Bank executive, also the country director of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was first

inducted in the board in May 2013 for four years, again appointed in August 2017 but his term was cut short in

September.

The central board of the RBI includes members like chairman of Tata Sons N. Chandrasekaran, Manish Sabharwal,

chairman and co-founder of Teamlease Services, and Satish Marathe, former chairman and CEO of United Western

Bank.











160



11 Oct HDFC Bank appo ints Vinay Razdan as Chief Hum an Reso urces OfficerHDFC Bank appo ints Vinay Razdan as Chief Hum an Reso urces Officer

CHRO is responsible for the entire human resource function in the Bank. Before joining HDFC Bank,

Vinay was working with Idea Cellular Ltd. as CHRO.


He is an HR veteran of 30 years and has held leadership positions with marquee organisations such as ITC, HCL

Technologies and Idea Cellular.

Razdan is an alumnus of Delhi University and holds a postgraduate degree/diploma in personnel management and

industrial relations from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

11 Oct Bank o f Baro da's MD and CEO P S Jayakum ar gets o ne-year ex tensio nBank o f Baro da's MD and CEO P S Jayakum ar gets o ne-year ex tensio n

The government extended the tenure of BoB MD & CEO P.S. Jayakumar by one year. His term was to

end on 12 October 2018.


Jayakumar introduced several changes, including redrawing the roadmap for its retail business, upgrading its

technology infrastructure, unwinding of unprofitable foreign operations and cleaning up of the bank’s balance sheet.

Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank will soon merge into a single entity.

17 Oct Arm enian PM Niko l Pashinian resigns to t r igger snap elect io nArm enian PM Niko l Pashinian resigns to t r igger snap elect io n

He came to power in May after spearheading weeks of mass anti-government rallies which toppled

veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian and has pushed for early parliamentary elections by the end of the

year.


He is said to be resigning in order to dissolve the parliament and force early elections in Yerevan. The cabinet will hold

an extraordinary session one day after the resignation.

Pashinian who has previously worked as a journalist, has been quoted saying that his government will guarantee free

expression of people's will in the general elections.










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17 Oct PepsiCo India anno unces Viraj Cho uhan as Chief Co m m unicat io ns OfficerPepsiCo India anno unces Viraj Cho uhan as Chief Co m m unicat io ns Officer

Till recently, Chouhan was associated with one of India's most successful start-ups Ola (ANI Tech Pvt

Ltd) as Chief Communications Officer. He has replaced Poonam Kaul who quit in May 2018 to join

Apple India as marketing director.


Viraj who has previously worked with Ola since December 2017 as their CCO, has an extensive experience of 21 years

with MTS, Coca-cola and Bharti airtel among others.

Anand Subramniam will take over as the head of communications for Ola from Viraj Chouhan.

17 Oct MJ Akbar 's resignat io n accepted by Pr im e MinisterMJ Akbar 's resignat io n accepted by Pr im e Minister

Earlier, Akbar stepped down as Minister of State for External Affairs following a spate of allegations

of sexual harassment during his days as editor of several publications.


The resignation, accepted by PM on Wednesday will now be sent to the President.

In a brief statement, Akbar said he had decided to seek justice in a court of law in his personal capacity.

Over the last fortnight, about 20 women have come forward to narrate their experiences of alleged sexual harassment

at the hands of Akbar.

18 Oct Co ca-Co la nam es Brian Sm ith as COO fro m JanuaryCo ca-Co la nam es Brian Sm ith as COO fro m January

Coca-Cola on Thursday appointed company veteran Brian Smith, as its chief operating officer, a role

that has been vacant since James Quincey became CEO last year.


Smith, serves as president of the beverage company's Europe, Middle East and Africa group, will begin his new role

from January.

Coca-Cola also said Chief Financial Officer Kathy Waller would retire by the end of the year and be replaced by

John Murphy, the president of Coke's Asia Pacific unit.










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18 Oct Nest le's Asia Chief Martel lo q uits to jo in as Uni lev er CEONest le 's Asia Chief Martel lo q uits to jo in as Uni lev er CEO

Nestle's highest-ranking executive in Asia, Wan Ling Martello, is planning to take on a new job by the

end of the year and is being replaced by Chris Johnson.


She is believed to be considering the post of Chief Executive Officer for Unilever replacing Paul Polman.

During her 7 year tenure, her region has been the most profiting and fastest growing region.

She is also a part of the board of Uber Technologies and has also served on the board of Alibaba Group Holdings.

19 Oct Facebo o k hires PM Nick Clegg as G lo bal Affairs HeadFacebo o k hires PM Nick Clegg as G lo bal Affairs Head

The appointment makes Clegg, 51, former leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats and deputy to David

Cameron between 2010 and 2015, the most senior European politician ever in a leadership role in

Silicon Valley. He will report to Sandberg beginning Monday.


"Our company is on a critical journey. The challenges we face are serious and clear and now more than ever we need

new perspectives to help us through this time of change," Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer said.

He succeeds Elliot Schrage, who led the social network's response to its several scandals, stepped down from the role

in June after a decade, he however will stay as an adviser.











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20 Oct Dr. Lo tay Tshering wins in Bhutan general elect io nDr. Lo tay Tshering wins in Bhutan general elect io n

Modi congratulated Dr. Lotay Tshering, President of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa on his party’s victory in

the third general election in Bhutan and his own election to the National Assembly.


Prime Minister Modi conveyed that India attaches the highest priority to further strengthening unique ties of

friendship and cooperation with Bhutan, which is based on shared interests and values, utmost trust, goodwill and

mutual understanding.

22 Oct G o ldm an nam es To dd Leland new Asia inv estm ent banking headG o ldm an nam es To dd Leland new Asia inv estm ent banking head

Leland, an American who joined Goldman in 1992, will replace Andrea Vella and Kate Richdale as the

head of the Asia investment banking unit excluding Japan who were appointed co-heads of the unit in

2015. They will remain in Asia to become the co-chairs of the unit.


In the first nine months of 2018, Goldman's revenue in Asia, which is smallest of its three regions, rose 9 percent to

$3.9 billion.

Among other executive changes since Solomon was named the group CEO, Goldman named Dan Dees, as investment

banking co-chief. Dees will share his new title with Gregg Lemkau and Marc Nachmann.

Goldman elevated former investment banking co-head John Waldron to president and chief operating officer and

named Stephen Scherr as its new finance chief.

22 Oct Cam ero o n's Paul Biya wins sev enth president ial termCam ero o n's Paul Biya wins sev enth president ial term

Voting was disrupted in Francophone Cameroon's two English-speaking regions, where a separatist

movement has unleashed a brutal government crackdown.


Opposition calls for a re-run of the presidential election were rejected by the Constitutional Council.

Biya took a share of 71.3% of the total votes but only around 50% of the total population voted due to insecurity.

International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) urged candidates and stake holders to preserve peace and use

legal channels to oppose or challenge.










164



23 Oct K.N. Radhakrishnan elev ated to Directo r and CEO o f TVS Mo to rsK.N. Radhakrishnan elev ated to Directo r and CEO o f TVS Mo to rs

In 2004, Radhakrishnan was promoted as Executive Vice President of TVS Motor and in 2008 became

its President. Under his leadership TVS has become the third largest selling two-wheeler brand in

India.


TVS Motor president K.N. Radhakrishnan has been elevated as the whole-time director of the company. He will hold

office as director and CEO for a period of five years.

He has been largely responsible for the expansion of the company’s footprint into over 60 international markets.

24 Oct CBI Ro w: Verm a, Asthana sent o n leav e, Nageswar Rao takes inter im charge asCBI Ro w: Verm a, Asthana sent o n leav e, Nageswar Rao takes inter im charge as

Directo rDirecto r

Joint Director M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, was appointed to look after

the duties and functions of the director with immediate effect.


The grave allegations of corruption by senior functionaries of CBI one against another, which has been widely

reported in media, has vitiated the official eco-system of the organization.

The environment of faction feud has reached its peak in the CBI leading to a potential loss of credibility and

reputation of the Premier Investigating Agency of the Government.

An SIT will look into the charges and both officers will "sit out" the duration of the probe.

Gujarat cadre IPS officer Asthana was in charge of the SIT handling sensitive cases, including those related to Vijay

Mallya loan default case, Agusta Westland helicopter deal bribery case and alleged corruption in land acquisition in

Haryana.

24 Oct Wipro appo ints ex -SBI chief Arundhat i Bhattacharya as independent Directo rWipro appo ints ex -SBI chief Arundhat i Bhattacharya as independent Directo r

The development comes within days after Reliance Industries appointed Bhattacharya on its board as

independent additional director, t he appointment is for a period of five years effective January 1,

2019.


On October 7, 2013 she became the first woman to be appointed as chairman of SBI. Before becoming the

chairman, she was chief finance officer and MD.

As chairman, she had received one-year extension so as to see through the merger of associate banks of SBI.

She graduated from Kolkata's Lady Brabourne College in 1977 and picked up banking as a career option for

supporting the family following her father's retirement from Bokaro Steel plant as an engineer.










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24 Oct Pat i l new CJ o f Bo m bay HC, fiv e High co urts get new chief just icesPat i l new CJ o f Bo m bay HC, fiv e High co urts get new chief just ices

The other appointments were made in courts in Uttarakhand (Rangnath), Sikkim (Bist), Calcutta

(Kar Gupta), Gauhati (Bopanna).


Just ice Naresh Harishchandra P at i lJust ice Naresh Harishchandra P at i l , a judge of the Bombay HC, has been elevated as its chief justice.

Just ice Ramesh RangnathJust ice Ramesh Rangnath , a judge of the Andhra Pradesh and Telengana High Court has been appointed Chief

Justice of the Uttarakhand HC.

Just ice K M JosephJust ice K M Joseph , who was heading the Nainital-based HC was elevated to the Supreme Court in August.

V i jai Kumar BistV i jai Kumar Bist , a judge of the Uttarakhand HC, has been elevated as chief justice of the Sikkim HC and D eb asi sD eb asi s

K ar G u p t aK ar G u p t a , a judge of the Calcutta HC, has been elevated as chief justice in the same court.

Justice Aj j ikutt i ra Somaiah BopannaAj j ikutt i ra Somaiah Bopanna , a judge of the Karnataka High Court has been sent to the Gauhati HC as

chief justice.

24 Oct Saurabh Kum ar appo inted India's env o y to Myanm arSaurabh Kum ar appo inted India's env o y to Myanm ar

Saurabh Kumar will succeed Vikram Misri who has been serving as Indian envoy in Myanmar since

August 31, 2016.


Kumar, a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as the Indian envoy in Iran and is expected to

take up the assignment shortly .

Last month, Misri was appointed Indian Ambassador to China.











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25 Oct Indian-Am erican Neil Chatter jee appo inted chairm an o f FERCIndian-Am erican Neil Chatter jee appo inted chairm an o f FERC

Neil Chatterjee, who has been appointed Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

Commissioner, would replace Kevin McIntyre.


FERC is charged with overseeing America's power grid and deciding on multibillion-dollar energy projects.

McIntyre resigned on October 22 citing health reasons.

This is for the second time Chatterjee has been designated as FERC chairman. He served briefly as FERC chairman from

August 10, 2017 to December 7, 2017.

Chatterjee was previously an energy policy advisor to US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

25 Oct Paytm Paym ents Bank appo ints ex -SBI o ffic ial Sat ish G upta as MD, CEOPaytm Paym ents Bank appo ints ex -SBI o ffic ial Sat ish G upta as MD, CEO

Gupta brings over 35 years of leadership experience to Paytm Payments Bank, with prior senior roles

at SBI and NPCI.


Renu Satti had stepped down as CEO of Paytm Payments bank to head the retail segment of the company as Chief

Operating officer.

This is the third CEO appointment at Paytm Payments Bank in two years after former Central Bank executive Shinjini

Kumar left Paytm in May 2017.

25 Oct Bangladesh Arm y appo ints Susane G it i as fi rst wo m an Majo r G eneralBangladesh Arm y appo ints Susane G it i as fi rst wo m an Majo r G eneral

Dr Susane Giti, currently serving as head of Pathology Department of Armed Forces Medical College,

became the first woman to get the rank promotion in the history of Bangladesh Army as well as

Armed Forces Division.


She obtained the MBBS degree from Rajshahi Medical College in 1985, joined the Bangladesh Army as a physician

with the rank of Captain in 1986.

In 1996, she became the first woman to obtain FCPS degree in Hematology and also served as the expert

pathologist for UN peacekeeping missions and several military hospitals.

Bangladesh appointed its first woman as Supreme Court judge and public university vice-chancellor under the Sheikh

Hasina government.










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26 Oct Sri Lankan PM Wickrem esinghe replaced with fo rm er President Mahinda RajapaksaSri Lankan PM Wickrem esinghe replaced with fo rm er President Mahinda Rajapaksa

In a sudden move, President Maithripala Sirisena pulled his faction out of Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition

and within hours appointed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister.


The replacement led to the collapse of Sri Lanka's first unity government as Mr Sirisena announced his decision to quit

on Friday.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) maintained that Mr. Rajapaksa’s appointment was

“illegal and unconstitutional.”

Rahil Wickramasinghe led United Nation Front remains the largest parliamentary group with 106 seats, just 7 short of

the majority while the opposition has around a 100 seats.

27 Oct IRS o fficer SK Mishra appo inted as Enfo rcem ent Directo rate chiefIRS o fficer SK Mishra appo inted as Enfo rcem ent Directo rate chief

ED's present chief, IPS officer Karnal Singh retires on 3rd Nov and has not been given an extension.


Mishra will hold the post of Principal Special director and additional charge of Enforcement Directorate chief for three

months.

He will be an interim director till the post can be filled by a permanent executive.

29 Oct Jair Bo lso naro wins Braz i l president ial raceJair Bo lso naro wins Braz i l president ial race

Bolsonaro, the former army captain, who cast himself as a political outsider despite a 27-year career

in Congress won the presidency of Latin America’s largest country with just over 55 % of the vote,

compared tojust under 45 % for Mr. Haddad.


The past few years in Brazil have been exceptionally turbulent. In 2016, then-President Dilma Rousseff of the Workers’

Party was impeached and removed from office on charges that many on the left felt were politically motivated, the

economy suffered a two-year recession and is only beginning to emerge, with growth stagnant and unemployment

high.

Mr. Bolsonaro, who ran on promises to clean up Brazil and bring back “traditional values,” said he would respect

the constitution and personal liberty.










168



29 Oct Angela Merkel to q uit as G erm an chancel lo r in 2021Angela Merkel to q uit as G erm an chancel lo r in 2021

Merkel, 64, will stagger her political exit by first giving up the leadership job of her Christian

Democratic Union in December.


She has been the chairwoman of CDU since 2000 and has led Germany as chancellor since 2005.

Merkel's migration policy has exposed the fragility of her divided coalition government - and even within her own

political group. Her stand towards immigration was not favoured by the people.

Among the potential candidates are ambitious Health Minister Jens Spahn, Armin Laschet and Annegret Kramp-

Karrenbauer to replace her.

30 Oct Aditya Puri re-appo inted as MD and CEO o f HDFC BankAditya Puri re-appo inted as MD and CEO o f HDFC Bank

Shareholders had already approved his appointment in 2015 for a period of five years subject to RBI

approval.


He has been re-appointed as MD & CEO of the bank, from November 1, 2018 to October 26, 2020.

Puri has been with the bank since 1994, making him the longest-serving head of any private bank in the country.

Puri has led the bank through two major mergers in the Indian banking industry — merger of Times Bank Limited and

Centurion Bank of Punjab Limited with HDFC Bank.











169



AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONSAWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

01 Oct Jam es P. Al l iso n, Tasuku Ho njo win No bel Pr ize fo r MedicineJam es P. Al l iso n, Tasuku Ho njo win No bel Pr ize fo r Medicine

Two scientists James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan discovered how to harness the

body’s immune system to fight cancer.


They will share the 9m Swedish kronor (£775,000) prize, announced by the Nobel assembly at the Karolinska Institute

in Stockholm.

Their work on the immune system has paved the way for a new class of cancer drugs.

It is the first time the development of a cancer therapy has been recognised with a Nobel prize.

01 Oct PM Mo di , French President to receiv e Cham pio ns o f the Earth AwardPM Mo di , French President to receiv e Cham pio ns o f the Earth Award

Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron would receive the United Nation's highest

environment honour on October 3 in the policy leadership category, for their exemplary

leadership and advocate action on sustainable development and climate change.


The award is also a global recognition of India, particularly in the realm of solar parks and renewable energy.

The first general assembly of the solar alliance, second IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) renewable energy

ministerial meeting and 2nd RE-Invest 2018 will be inaugurated Tuesday evening by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

02 Oct Acto r Lakshm i awarded Karnataka's Dr. Rajkum ar Award fo r l i fet im e achiev em entActo r Lakshm i awarded Karnataka's Dr. Rajkum ar Award fo r l i fet im e achiev em ent

Multi-lingual senior Karnataka actor Lakshmi has won several awards including national award for

best actress in 1977.


The award is given by the Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Karnataka.

Kannada film-maker S. Narayan has bagged the P u t t an n a K an agal aw ard P u t t an n a K an agal aw ard for directors for lifetime

achievement.

Senior Kannada film producer G.N. Lakshmipathy has been chosen for the D r. D r. V i sh n u v ard h an aw ardV i sh n u v ard h an aw ard for

lifetime achievement for 2017.










170



02 Oct US Co ngressio nal G o ld Medal to be po sthum o usly awarded to G andhiUS Co ngressio nal G o ld Medal to be po sthum o usly awarded to G andhi

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honour given by the US Congress and some

recipients are Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi.


Influential US lawmakers have moved a resolution in the US House of Representatives to award the prestigious

Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi in recognition of his promotion of peace and non-violence.

It is co-sponsored by four Indian American lawmakers in the House – Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and

Pramila Jayapal.

02 Oct Ashkin, Mo uro u, S t r ick land win No bel Pr ize in PhysicsAshkin, Mo uro u, S t r ick land win No bel Pr ize in Physics

Dr. Strickland is third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, after Maria Goeppert-Mayer and

Marie Curie.


American scientist Arthur Ashkin, French engineer Gerard Mourou and Canadian professor Donna Strickland

have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in the field of laser physics.

Dr. Ashkin has been awarded the Prize “for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems,”

Dr. Mourou and Dr. Strickland have been awarded “for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short

optical pulses.”

03 Oct Winter , Arno ld, Sm ith win No bel Chem istry Pr izeWinter , Arno ld, Sm ith win No bel Chem istry Pr ize

British scientist Sir Gregory P Winter and Americans Frances H Arnold and George P Smith have

won the Nobel prize in chemistry for their work in harnessing evolution to produce new enzymes

and antibodies.


They will share the 9m Swedish kronor (£770,000) prize, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Half of the prize goes to Arnold, from the California Institute of Technology, for her work on directing the evolution

of enzymes, proteins that speed up chemical reactions.

The other half of the award goes to Winter and Smith for their work on “phage display of peptides and antibodies".










171



05 Oct No bel Peace Pr ize go es to Co ngo lese Dr. Denis Mukwege, Yaz idi r ights act iv istNo bel Peace Pr ize go es to Co ngo lese Dr. Denis Mukwege, Yaz idi r ights act iv ist

Nadia MuradNadia Murad

Denis Mukwege is the helper who has devoted his life to defending victims of wartime sexual

violence. Nadia Murad is one of an estimated 3,000 Yazidi girls and women who were victims of

rape and other abuses by the Islamic State who tells of the abuses perpetrated against herself

and others.


The 2018 prize is worth 9 million Swedish kronor ($1.01 million).

The winner last year was the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

The panel had received nominations for 216 individuals and 115 organisations. Among those put forward this year

are Syrian civilian aid group White Helmets, Russia’s Novaya Gazeta newspaper, whistle-blower Edward Snowden and

the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

08 Oct No bel Eco no m ics Pr ize awarded to Wil l iam D. No rdhaus, Paul M. Ro m erNo bel Eco no m ics Pr ize awarded to Wil l iam D. No rdhaus, Paul M. Ro m er

The Royal Swedish Academy decided to award the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences

2018 in Memory of Alfred Nobel, to William D. Nordhaus and Paul M. Romer, for integrating

innovation and climate with economic growth.


Dr. Nordhaus was the first person to create “an integrated assessment model, i.e. a quantitative model that

describes the global interplay between the economy and the climate,”

Dr. Romer “laid the foundation of what is now called endogenous growth theory. The theory is both

conceptual and practical, as it explains how ideas are different to other goods and require specific conditions

to thrive in a market.”











172



11 Oct J-K po l icem an Naik giv en 'Shaurya Chakra' po sthum o uslyJ-K po l icem an Naik giv en 'Shaurya Chakra' po sthum o usly

, who was a resident of Uri in Baramulla district, laid down his life at Haffu Nigeenpora village in

South Kashmir's Pulwama district on March 5, 2017 during a gunfight with militants. Manzoor

Ahmed Naik


He was a part of cordon and search operation in the area jointly conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the

Rashtriya Rifles and the CRPF.

During the encounter, two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed and large quantity of arms and ammunition

including 2 AK-47 Rifles were recovered from the possession of the killed militants.

The Shaurya Chakra is the country's military award for valour, courage action and self-sacrifice. It is third in order of

precedence of peacetime gallantry awards after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra.

12 Oct G uadelo upean autho r Maryse Co nde wins alternat iv e No belG uadelo upean autho r Maryse Co nde wins alternat iv e No bel

Conde on Friday won the New Academy Prize in Literature, formed in protest to the Nobel

Literature Prize which have been postponed this year over a rape scandal that came to light as

part of the #MeToo movement.


The New Academy Prize in Literature was formed in protest to denounce what its founders called the “bias, arrogance

and sexism” of the venerable Swedish Academy, which selects Nobel laureates.

The Swedish Academy was plunged into turmoil in 2017 over its ties to Frenchman Jean-Claude Arnault, who was

jailed for two years in early October for rape.

Ms. Conde “describes the ravages of colonialism and post-colonial chaos in a language which is both precise and

overwhelming", the New Academy said.










173



12 Oct Yo ung Inno v ato r Award fo r Jawwad Patel fro m HyderabadYo ung Inno v ato r Award fo r Jawwad Patel fro m Hyderabad

Jawwad Patel, won the young innovator award at the VIT Gravitas 2018 ,says that he wants to

continue Kalam’s legacy. With over 39 research papers, two patents and many innovations in areas

like water, health and agriculture, he was one of the two recipients of the this Award presented by

Vellore Institute of Technology.


This young social innovator and research scientist from Hyderabad was also awarded the National Youth Award for

Excellence in Research and Innovation by the Government of India recently.

He has come up with a smart self-filling water apparatus called Dew Drop which condenses air and produces

water.He also developed a solar car, an equipment that can be used to detect breast cancer at home, non-

invasive diabetes detector and a machine that can boost growth in plants.

Meanwhile, Santosh Kaveri of Belgaum, another recipient bagged the award for his contribution in the field of

agriculture.

13 Oct Assam Po lice o fficer Lo hit So no wal awarded Kirt i Chakra po sthum o uslyAssam Po lice o fficer Lo hit So no wal awarded Kirt i Chakra po sthum o usly

The police officer displayed indomitable courage and exemplary leadership .He laid down his life

in Tinsukia district of Assam on April 19, 2013 in an encounter with ULFA militants in which two

extremists were also killed.


Though he was under direct line of firing, disregarding his personal safety, he single handedly first managed to rescue

the woman along with two children, who were caught in between the gunfire.

During the cross fire, Sonowal sustained bullet injuries, but eliminated two extremists in direct exchange of fire.

However, Sonowal succumbed to his injuries later.

The Kirti Chakra is the country's military award for valour, courage action and self-sacrifice. It is second in order of

precedence of peacetime gallantry awards after the Ashoka Chakra.










174



15 Oct Mo D dedicates DRDO website to fo rm er president APJ Abdul KalamMo D dedicates DRDO website to fo rm er president APJ Abdul Kalam

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman dedicated a DRDO website - to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. 'The

Kalam Vision - Dare to Dream' 'Missile Man' The website was launched on the 87th birth

anniversary of the former president and it focuses on subjects such as artificial intelligence,

robotics, autonomous systems and cyber security.


The website facilitates an open competition for students and startups, and it is available at

drdo.gov.in/drdo/kalam/kalam.html.

Sitharaman's deputy in the ministry Subhash Bhamre said Kalam believed in a strong nation, one that is scientifically

superior and always inspired people for putting their total commitment towards the mission in hand.

19 Oct Minal Patel Dav is awarded President ial award fo r co m bat ing hum an t raffick ingMinal Patel Dav is awarded President ial award fo r co m bat ing hum an t raffick ing

Minal Patel Davis, Special Advisor on Human trafficking to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner,

received this award in the White House for implementing Mayor Turner's Anti-Human Trafficking

Strategic Plan - the first comprehensive municipal response to human trafficking by a US city.


She is the first born in their family after her parents moved to the US. She did her MBA from the University of

Connecticut and BA from New York University.

Appointed in July 2015, she has made a local impact on human trafficking in America's fourth-largest city from a

policy-level perspective and by helped in advancing systems change.

She is a past speaker at the UNs World Humanitarian Summit and recently travelled to India and Canada at the

request of the State Department to discuss municipal leadership in trafficking with the government officials.

19 Oct Piyush G o yal to receiv e Carno t Pr ize fo r rural electr ificat io n effo rtPiyush G o yal to receiv e Carno t Pr ize fo r rural electr ificat io n effo rt

Recognising the pathbreaking transformations in India’s energy sector, the Kleinman Center for

Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design is awarding its fourth annual

Carnot Prize to the Union Minister of Railways & Coal.


The Carnot Prize is the Kleinman Center's annual recognition of distinguished contributions to energy policy through

scholarship or practice, this award is named after French physicist Nicolas Sadi Carnot who recognised that the power

of the steam engine would "produce a great revolution" in human development.

During his tenure, Goyal directed a fast-track effort to electrify 18,000 villages in remote parts of India, helping bridge

the country's vast energy divide .










175



24 Oct Karnataka's Maharishi Valm ik i award fo r Ex -PM HD Dev e G o wdaKarnataka's Maharishi Valm ik i award fo r Ex -PM HD Dev e G o wda

The State government has chosen former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda for the Maharishi

Valmiki award for 2018-2019 for his work towards uplifting SC/ST communities.


Deve Gowda served as the 11th Prime Minister of India from June 1, 1996 to April 21, 1997.

He also served as the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1994 to 1996.

The award will be conferred to him on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanthi at a function in Vidhana Soudha.

24 Oct Nag, Panjabi , G awande nam ed in T im e Magaz ine's Health Care 50 2018 l istNag, Panjabi , G awande nam ed in T im e Magaz ine's Health Care 50 2018 l ist

The three Indian-Americans included in the list are Divya Nag, Dr Raj Panjabi and Atul Gawande. The

list included physicians, scientists, business and political leaders, whose work is transforming

healthcare


The list was separated into 4 categories, public health, treatment, cost and technology.

Nag's team developed ResearchKit, an open-source app developer for doctors and researchers to share patient results

and clinical data.

Panjabi co-founded Last Mile Health to recruit and train community health workers in areas that lack local health

services.

Gawande leads a nonprofit health care venture that will focus on transparent, low-cost corporate healthcare.











176



24 Oct Inno v ato r So nam Wangchuk awarded ho no rary D.Lit t degree by Sym bio sisInno v ato r So nam Wangchuk awarded ho no rary D.Lit t degree by Sym bio sis

He worked towards making the use solar energy and creating artificial glaciers to address the

problem of water scarcity.


"I did what humanity demands people to do", said the engineer-turned-educationist who set up the Students'

Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh.

He set up SECMOL (Students's educational and cultural movement of Ladakh) which is a non-traditional school to

bring educational reforms in the valley and help the students.

24 Oct PM Mo di awarded the 2018 Seo ul Peace Pr izePM Mo di awarded the 2018 Seo ul Peace Pr ize

The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic

Games held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. PM Modi is the fourteenth recipient of this award.


He has been awarded for improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating the

Human Development of the people of India by fostering economic growth in the world's fastest growing large

economy and furthering the development of democracy through anti-corruption and social integration efforts.

The Seoul Peace Prize has been awarded biennially to those individuals who have made their mark through

contributions to the harmony of mankind, reconciliation between nations and to world peace.

24 Oct Ko hli beco m es the fastest to sco re 10, 000 ODI runsKo hli beco m es the fastest to sco re 10, 000 ODI runs

He reaches the milestone in his 205th innings, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 259

innings who was the first in history to breach the 10,000 mark in ODIs and got there in 2001

against Australia in Indore.


Kohli reached the milestone while batting on 81 during the second ODI against West Indies in Visakhapatnam.

Twelve other batsmen have scored over 10,000 runs in the format. Tendulkar leads the list with 18,426 runs while

Kumar Sangakkara is second with 14,234 runs.

The only other active player on the list is MS Dhoni, who passed the milestone against England at Lord's earlier this

year.










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25 Oct Tago re Award fo r Cultural Harm o ny fo r 2014 (Rajkum ar S ingh), 2015 (Chhayanaut)Tago re Award fo r Cultural Harm o ny fo r 2014 (Rajkum ar S ingh), 2015 (Chhayanaut)

and 2016 (Sutar)and 2016 (Sutar)

The Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony is being conferred on the doyen of Manipuri dance Sh.

Rajkumar Singhajit Singh (2014), Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of Bangladesh) (2015) and on

one of India’s greatest sculptors, Sh. Ram Vanji Sutar (2016) in recognition of their outstanding

contribution to cultural harmony.


Shri Rajkumar Singhaj i t Singh 's choreographyShri Rajkumar Singhaj i t Singh 's choreography has been enriched by elements incorporated from various

forms of performing arts of Manipur such as Thang-ta, Nata-Sankirtana, Lai-haraoba and Rasleela.

Chhay anautChhay anaut , established in 1961, has played a leading role in promoting Tagore’s works and Bengali culture, music

and literature not only within Bangladesh.

Sh. Ram V anj i SutarSh. Ram V anj i Sutar is one of the greatest living sculptors of India. His iconic bust of Mahatma Gandhi is one of

the most celebrated representations of the Mahatma, as is his bronze bust of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

Back gro u n d : Back gro u n d : The annual award was instituted by the Government of India during the commemoration of

150th Birth Anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.The first Tagore Award was conferred on Pt. Ravi

Shankar, the Indian Sitar Maestro in 2012 and second was conferred on Shri Zubin Mehta in 2013. The award

carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque as well as an exquisite traditional handicraft/

handloom item. The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or sex.

26 Oct Pakistani lawyer Asm a Jahangir wins UN Hum an Rights Pr ize po sthum o uslyPakistani lawyer Asm a Jahangir wins UN Hum an Rights Pr ize po sthum o usly

She was one of the four winners of the award which was announced by the United Nations on

Thursday. The other winners are Tanzanian activist Rebeca Gyumi, Brazilian activist Joênia

Wapichana and human rights organisation FrontLine Defenders.


The UN Human Rights Prize award ceremony will take place in New York on December 10th on World Human Rights

Day.

Asma Asma has served as the president of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association, United Nations Rapporteur for

Human Rights, and a former Pakistan Human Rights Commission Chief. She has been an outspoken critic of military

interference in civilian life and a staunch supporter of democracy.

Gy umi Gy umi is the founder of Msichana Initiative which is an organisation that empowers girls through education.

Wapichana Wapichana has been the first women to have been elected into Brazil's Congress, Supreme Federal Court and first

president of the National Commission for the Defense of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Front L ine DefendersFront L ine Defenders is an organisation based in Ireland that works towards protection of Human Rights.

OBITUARYOBITUARY










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07 Oct 'Nagaland's G andhi ' Natwar Thakkar dies in Assam'Nagaland's G andhi ' Natwar Thakkar dies in Assam

Eminent Gandhian Natwar Thakkar, a Padma Shri awardee, had founded the Nagaland Gandhi

Ashram at Chuchuyimlang.


His efforts to spread Gandhian philosophy and peace had earned him the sobriquet 'Nagaland's Gandhi'.

He was from Maharashtra and had made Nagaland his home ever since he had arrived in the state in 1955.

13 Oct Legendary Hindustani c lassical m usician Annapurna Dev i dies at 92Legendary Hindustani c lassical m usician Annapurna Dev i dies at 92

Annapurna Devi, born as Roshanara Khan, was an Indian surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani

classical music died in Mumbai as she was suffering from age related issues for the past few years.


Popularly addressed as 'Ma', she was born in Madhya Pradesh's Maihar town to Ustad 'Baba' Allauddin Khan and

Madina Begum. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, was her sibling.

She was a disciple of her father whose inestimable contribution to Indian music resulted in the Senia-Maihar-

gharana.

She w as a recip ient o f the P adma Bhushan aw ard.She w as a recip ient o f the P adma Bhushan aw ard.

She was married to sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and had a son. Then in 1982, she married Rooshikumar

Pandya.

16 Oct Micro so ft co -fo under Paul Al len passes awayMicro so ft co -fo under Paul Al len passes away

Paul G. Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with his childhood friend Bill Gates died on 15 October. He

was 65 years old.


Allen served as Microsoft’s executive vice president of research and new product development until 1983, when he

resigned after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

He founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science and the aerospace firm Stratolaunch, which has built a colossal

airplane designed to launch satellites into orbit.

He was also a philanthropist, who gave more than $2 billion to a wide range of interests, including ocean health,

homelessness and advancing scientific research.










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18 Oct ND T iwari , 3-T im e Uttar Pradesh CM, dies o n his 93rd birthdayND T iwari , 3-T im e Uttar Pradesh CM, dies o n his 93rd birthday

N D Tiwari was thrice CM of UP and once Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. breathed his last at 2.50 pm

after he suffered a heart attack while he He was undergoing treatment at Max Super Speciality

Hospital in Delhi on Oct 18.


Tiwari was born on October 18, 1925 in Nainital and held a law degree from Allahabad University.

He formed Congress (T), the breakaway faction of the Congress, along with veteran Congress leader Arjun Singh in

1995 during the tenure of the then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao but he later merged his party with the

Congress when Sonia Gandhi took charge of the party.

He also served as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 2007 to 2009, but was forced to resign following a sex

scandal. His son, Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, joined the BJP in January last year.

22 Oct No bel chem istry laureate Shim o m ura passes away at 90No bel chem istry laureate Shim o m ura passes away at 90

Japanese-born Marine biologist Osamu Shimomura, shared the 2008 Nobel prize for the discovery

and development of a jellyfish protein that later contributed to cancer studies died on October 19 of

natural causes.


He was born in northern Kyoto in 1928 and studied in Nagasaki, where he survived the Aug. 9, 1945 U.S. atomic

bombing at age 16 which has left a lasting impression on him and he often mentioned his experience and called for

nuclear weapons ban in his lectures later in life.

In 1960 he moved to Princeton University, where he isolated the protein in samples of thousands of jellyfish taken

from the U.S. West Coast, often with the help of his wife Akemi. The protein known as Green Fluorescent Protein lets

off a glow when it is illuminated with ultraviolet light and has become a key tool in studying biological processes in

cells.

28 Oct Fo rm er Delhi CM and BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana passes awayFo rm er Delhi CM and BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana passes away

Khurana was the chief minister of Delhi from 1993 to 1996 and was appointed the governor of

Rajasthan in 2004.


He was suffering from a chest infection and fever from last few days and was feeling breathless since Saturday

morning.

He had a key role in strengthening the organisation in Delhi and was popular as the 'Lion of Delhi' .










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29 Oct Indian pi lo t Bhav ye Suneja dead in Indo nesian plane crashIndian pi lo t Bhav ye Suneja dead in Indo nesian plane crash

Suneja, 31, was flying the Lion Air flight JT610 with 188 passengers and crew on board, which lost

contact with the ground officials 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta Soekarno Hatta

International Airport and crashed in the Java sea.


The aircraft was commanded by Captain Suneja and co-pilot Harvino with six cabin crew members .

Suneja was a resident of Jakarta, and is originally from New Delhi. According to his Linkedin profile, he had been

working at Lion Air since March 2011 and was also a trainee pilot with Emirates from September and

December 2010.

Lion Air, founded in 1999 is a privately owned budget carrier and its only fatal accident to date was when a MD-

82 crashed upon landing at Solo City in 2004, killing 25 of the 163 people on board.










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10. Books & Authors

12 Oct Am id co ntro v ersy, Ham id Ansari to release 'The Sarkar i Mussalm an'Am id co ntro v ersy, Ham id Ansari to release 'The Sarkar i Mussalm an'

Former Vice President Hamid Ansari will release the book, 'The Sarkari Mussalman' by Lt. General

Zameer Uddin Shah (retd) on Saturday, 13th Oct 2018, at the India International Centre in New

Delhi.


The book has been subject to much controversy over its portions relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots and how Narendra

Modi was responsible for it.

The Supreme Court appointed Special Investigative Team (SIT) report, that had cleared Modi's name.

17 Oct Anna Burns wins Man Bo o ker Pr ize with T ro ubles tale 'M ilkm an'Anna Burns wins Man Bo o ker Pr ize with T ro ubles tale 'M ilkm an'

Burns is the first writer from Northern Ireland to win the 50,000-pound ($66,000) prize, which is

open to English-language authors from around the world.She has often struggled financially since

her first novel, "No Bones," was released in 2001.


"Milkman," is a vibrant, violent story about men, women, conflict and power set during Northern Ireland's years of

Catholic-Protestant violence. This novel will help people to think about 'Me Too' movement.

The 56-year-old Belfast-born novelist received her trophy from Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, during a black-tie

ceremony at London's medieval Guildhall.

The Man Booker Prize, founded in 1969, was originally open to British, Irish and Commonwealth writers. Americans

have been eligible since 2014.










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24 Oct 'To Ki l l a Mo ckingbird' cho sen as best -lo v ed no v el in US'To Ki l l a Mo ckingbird' cho sen as best -lo v ed no v el in US

The 1960 book by Harper Lee emerged as No. 1 in PBS "The Great American Read" survey. It is a

story of racism and injustice. The 1962 screen adaptation won three Oscars, including a best-actor

trophy for Gregory Peck's portrayal of heroic Atticus Finch.


The other novels that made to the top 5 were, Diana Gabalon's Outlander, JK Rowling's Harry Potter, Jane Austen's

Pride and Prejudice and JRR Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Saga.

It has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and remains a fixture on school reading list.

25 Oct Malayal i autho r Benyam in's 'Jasm ine Days ' wins first JCB Prize fo r l i teratureMalayal i autho r Benyam in's 'Jasm ine Days ' wins first JCB Prize fo r l i terature

Benyamin's book was originally written in Malayalam and translated by Shahnaz Habib. He debuted

with 'Aadujeevitham' (Goat Days) that won him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.


Jasmine Days, his second book, tells the story of a young woman in a city where the promise of revolution turns into

destruction and division. It revolves around the Jasmine Revolution that sprang up in December 2010 and was quelled

by January 2011.

He was awarded a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, along with a trophy created by Thukral & Tagra, entitled 'Mirror

Melting'. Habib received an additional prize of Rs 5 lakh.

'Jasmine Days' beat four shortlisted works -- 'Half the Night is Gone' (Amitabha Bagchi), 'All the Lives We Never Lived'

(Anuradha Roy), 'Latitudes of Longing' (Shubhangi Swarup) and 'Poonachi' (Perumal Murugan).










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