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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Government announces postal ballot voting for voters with disabilities and people above 80 years
On October 26, 2019, the govt. has announced that disabled people and people aged above 80 years can vote through postal ballot in-order to increase the voters’ turnout. The announcement was made after the ministry of law and justice amended Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, on October 22, 2019, based on the recommendations of the election commission to allow the above-mentioned people to cast their vote through postal ballot. Currently, the postal ballot voting is made available only to those assigned poll duties and to armed forces.
Key points:
i. Till now people with disabilities were mentioned in the absentee voter list, which refers to vote cast by someone unable to go to the polling station. A poll officer attests the absentee voter in the form 13A in-case of senior citizens and persons with disability.
ii. About 60.14% absentee voters voted through e postal ballot in 2018 Lok Sabha elections, while in 2014, it was just 4%.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
29th BASIC ministerial meet on climate change held in Beijing, China
The 29th BASIC ministerial meet on climate change was held from October 25th-26th 2019 in Beijing, China. Members of the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) participated in the event. In the Indian side, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Shri Prakash Javadekar participated in the event. India’s offer to host the 30th BASIC ministerial meeting was welcomed.
- India has already achieved a 21% reduction in emissions intensity of GDP in 2014 when compared with its 2005 levels.
- Developed countries were urged to fulfill their climate finance commitments of providing USD 100 billion annually by 2020.Click here to read more
Overview of 18th NAM Summit 2019 held in Baku, Azerbaijan
The XVIII (18th) summit of heads of state and government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was held in Baku, Azerbaijan from October 25-26, 2019. The theme of the summit for 2019 was “Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world.” From the Indian side, Vice President Shri Venkaiah Naidu addressed the summit.
Theme relation: The theme was related to the forthcoming 65th anniversary of Bandung Principles in 2020 and also the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Non-Alignment Movement in 2021. Bandung principles (10 principles) promote world peace and cooperation and were formulated at the Asian-African Conference held in 1955.
- During the summit, Shri Venkaiah Naidu interacted with the leaders of Afghanistan, Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela, Nepal, Bangladesh and Iran and held bilateral talks. Click here to read more
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi reportedly killed by U.S. forces in Syria
On October 27,2019 The president of the United States(US), Donald Trump announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terrorist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria(ISIS) also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) was killed in Syria during a US-led military operation in Syria’s northwest Idlib province. It is reported that Abu Bakr killed himself by detonating a suicide vest.
About Syria:
Capital– Damascus
Currency– Syrian pound
President– Bashar al-Assad
Official language– Arabic
Overview of Dharmendra Pradhan’s 4-day visit to Japan & Russia
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Mr Dharmendra Pradhan held a 4-day visit to Japan and Russia from October 22- 26, 2019.
i.It was a follow up visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vladivostok, Russia for the 5th Eastern Economic Forum 2019 (September).
ii.He visited Tokyo, Japan to participate in the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) Ministerial Meet 2019 ….Click here to read more
Sri Lanka and UNEP announces new Colombo Declaration for tackling global nitrogen challenge
On October 23 and 24, 2019 The government of the island nation Sri Lanka along with the support of the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme (UNEP) convened (brought a meeting) a 2-day event at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) where the members came together and adopted what is called “Colombo Declaration”. The aim of the declaration is to halve the nitrogen waste by 2030.
- As part of the Declaration, all the environment ministers and officials representing more than 30 countries endorsed UN plans for a campaign on nitrogen management called ‘Nitrogen for Life’.Click here to read more
BANKING & FINANCE
One billion transactions done through UPI in October 2019
The mission of Modi government Digital India is gaining momentum rapidly as Transactions using India’s own domestic payments platform—Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as it has achieved the double milestone of 1 billion transactions as well as has crossed 100 million users in October 2019. With this, UPI has become the fastest-growing system. anywhere in the world.
Key points:
i. At the same time, 955.02 million transactions were done through it in September 2019.
ii. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) which launched the UPI platform three years ago will launched as a trial in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore.
iii. The committee formed under the chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani on digital payment suggested that NPCI should expand the payment system like UPI, RuPay Card outside India also.
About UPI:
UPI,which has over 141 banks on board right now, is an inter bank fund transfer facility, through which payments can be made with the help of phone number and virtual ID (Identification) on the smartphone. It is based on the mechanism of internet bank fund transfer.
About NPCI:
Founded :2008
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO : Dilip Asbe
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Bangalore & Kolkata will also be named in the list of World Bank’s ease of doing business survey from 2020
On October 24, 2019, According to the World Bank (WB), Kolkata and Bengaluru will be added to the list of World Bank’s ease of doing business survey from the year 2020.The survey so far covered only Delhi and Mumbai.
Key points:
i. In addition to India, the US (United States) and China will also have two more cities included in the ranking from 2020 onwards.
ii. According to the 17th edition of the World Bank’s (WB) report, “Doing Business 2020-Comparing Business Regulation in 190 Economies”, released on October 23, 2019, India has ranked 63rd in the list with the score of 71.0. It has improved by 14 places among 190 nations as against 77th position in the 2018-19 list.
iii. The World Bank has decided to select 4 cities each from the countries with over 100 million population.
About World Bank:
Motto: Working for a World Free of Poverty
Formation: July 1945
Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S
President: David Malpass
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATION
Girish Chandra Murmu named as Governor of J&K while Radha Krishna Mathur appointed as first Lt Governor of Ladakh
On October 25, 2019, Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers Girish Chandra Murmu and Radha Krishna Mathur were appointed as first Lieutenant (Lt) Governors of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh respectively. These Union Territories will come into existence on October 31, 2019. These newly appointed governors succeed Satya Pal Malik.
New Governors
| State/UT | Governor | Predecessor |
| J&K | Girish Chandra Murmu | Satya Pal Malik |
| Ladakh | Radha Krishna Mathur | Satya Pal Malik |
| Goa | Satya Pal Malik | Mridula Sinha |
| Mizoram | P S Sreedharan Pillai | Jagdish Mukhi |
Manohar Lal Khattar becomes Haryana CM for the second time; Dushyant Chautala as deputy CM
On October 27, 2019, BJP’s (Bharatiya Janata Party) Manohar Lal Khattar was sworn in as Haryana’s chief minister (CM) for a second term (11th CM). He will lead the BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janata Party) coalition government in the state. JJP leader Dushyant Chautala took oath as the deputy CM of the state.
i. The oath-taking ceremony was administered by Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya at Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh. The various leaders had witnessed the oath-taking ceremony.
About Haryana:
♦ Capital: Chandigarh
♦ National Parks: Kalesar National Park, Sultanpur National Park
♦ Wildlife Sanctuaries: Abubshehar WLS, Bhindawas WLS, Bir Shikargarh WLS, Chhilchila WLS, Kalesar WLS, Khaparwas WLS
Indonesia’s Joko Widodo sworn in as the country’s president for the final term
On October 27, 2019, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, (7th president) popularly known as Jokowi, was sworn in for the final(2nd) term as the President of Indonesia for a 5-year term period. The oath-taking ceremony was held in Jakarta. Jokowi on April 17, 2019, won the presidential poll, with 55.5% of votes along with vice president Maruf Amin, who replaced outgoing Jusuf Kalla.
Key points
i.President term: The term of the president is of 5 years and can be renewed only once.
About Indonesia:
Capital– Jakarta
Currency– Indonesian rupiah
Official language– Indonesian
IAS officer Vijayendra got appointed as new CMD of National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)
On October 25, 2019, As per the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), Government of India (GoI), Vijayendra has been appointed as Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD)of National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC). He succeeds Ram Mohan Mishra.
Key points:
i. Vijayendra, a 1991 batch IAS (Indian Administrative Service )officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, currently serving as Joint Secretary in Department of Defence Production (Ministry of Defence).
About NSIC:
Formation:1955
Headquarters: New Delhi
It falls under Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME) of India.
Pramod Kumar Tiwari will be the new DG of BIS
On October 24, 2019, As per the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), Government of India (GoI), Pramod Kumar Tiwari, the present joint secretary in department of food and public distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has been appointed as Director General (DG) of Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS).
Key points:
i. Tiwari, a 1991 batch IAS (Indian Administrative Service ) officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre), will replace Shri Rohit Kumar Parmar.
About BIS:
Formation: 23 December 1986
Headquarters : New Delhi
Argentina’s Alberto Fernandez wins the presidential election
On October 27, 2019, Alberto Angel Fernandez (60), an Argentine lawyer and politician (opposition candidate ) has won Argentina’s presidential election in the first round with more than 45% of the vote needed to win, beating current President Mauricio Macri. Alberto will assume the presidency on 10 December 2019 & ex-president Cristina Kirchner will be the vice-president.
Key points:
i. Fernandez has won 47.79% of the vote compared to Macri’s 40.71%,with more than 90% of votes counted.
ii. A candidate needs at least 45% or 40% of the vote, to win in the 1st round & a 10-point lead over the second-place contestant.
About Argentina:
Capital: Buenos Aires
Currency: Argentine peso
Filipe Nyusi wins the second term as President of Mozambique in disputed poll
On October 27, 2019, Mozambique‘s incumbent President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi of Frelimo party was elected as its president for a second term, despite claims of widespread cheating. He is the 5th president of the country (considering his second term). He scored 73% of the vote, ahead of Ossufo Momade of Renamo, with almost 22%.
About Mozambique:
♦ Capital: Maputo
♦ Currency: Mozambican metical
Sophie Wilmes named as first woman caretaker Prime minister of Belgium
On October 27, 2019, the King of Belgium Philippe Léopold Louis Marie named Belgian budget minister Sophie Wilmes (44) of the Reformist movement party as the interim prime minister of the country, thus making her the first woman to head the government. She will replace Charles Yves Jean Ghislaine Michel, who stepped down from the post to take over as European Council President on December 1, 2019.
About Belgium:
Capital– Brussels
Currency– Euro
Official languages– French, Dutch and German
Former J-K interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma appointed as new Administrator of Lakshadweep
On October 25, 2019, President of India, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind appointed a 1976-batch retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Kerala cadre, Dineshwar Sharma, former interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir (2017), as the new 34th Administrator of Lakshadweep succeeding Mihir Vardhan. He had served as chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) from 2015 to 2017.
About Lakshadweep:
♦ Capital: Kavaratti
♦ Formation: 1 November 1956
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ASI discovers 2,000-year-old historic trade center in Andhra Pradesh (AP)
On October 25, 2019, A 2000-year old historic trade settlement & a Pallava-period statue of Lord Vishnu has been unearthed during excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) near the banks of Swarnamukhi river in the village of Gottiprolu in Andhra Pradesh (AP).
Key points:
i. Site: Archaeological excavation near Nellore, about 80 kilometers east of Tirupati, has uncovered a huge brick-lined enclosure. A statue along with some antiquities & pottery has been unearthed at the site.
ii.About the statue: The statue of Vishnu, which is about 2 meters high, has a 4-handed wheel in the right hand, a console in the left hand, and a posture in the left hand, while the left arm rests on a pedestal.
iii. Brick-lined enclosure : The exposed bricks are rectangular in size, 43-48 cm. it was comparable to Satavahana or Ixqua period structures based on brick size and associated results.
iv. Further explorations within a radius of 15 kilometers have revealed a fortified early historic settlement at Puduru, Subrahmanya temple at Mallam. The area also has ancient copper coins, terracotta beads and earrings with precious stones. Some of the ironware, cooking utensils, and other precious items have been revealed.
About ASI:
Formation: 1851
Headquarters: New Delhi
Parent organization: Ministry of Culture
ENVIRONMENT
Cyclone ‘Kyarr’ to become the first super cyclonic storm in Arabian sea in last 12 years
On October 27, 2019, According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone ‘Kyarr’ with an estimated wind speed of 220-230 kmph intensifies to become the first Super Cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea in the last 12 years after Cyclone Gonu ravaged the Oman coast in 2007. Kyarr is the 9th super cyclone to form in the North Indian Ocean.
Key points:
i. This cyclone can reach the coastal areas of Oman in the next 5 days & could intensify further during the next 24 hours and weaken gradually thereafter.
ii. The center of Kyar Cyclone is currently about 580 km from the west-southwest coast of Mumbai , Maharashtra, 1450 km east of Salalah, Oman and 1010 km east-southeast of Masirah , Oman.
iii. Alerts have been issued in all areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa in view of the possibility of damage from this cyclone.
iv. The Gonu, formed on June 1, 2007 along the Indian coast in the Arabian Sea, entered the Oman coast on June 8, 2007. The damage was done on the coast of Oman. At least 50 people have died in Oman.
About Arabian Sea:
It is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Peninsula, on the southeast by the Laccadive Sea,on the southwest by the Somali Sea, and on the east by India.
SPORTS
Tiger Woods clinched historic 82nd title with Zozo Championship 2019 win
The Zozo Championship 2019, a professional golf tournament, was held at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, Chiba, Japan from October 24 – 27, 2019. It was the first event sanctioned tournament by the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) Tour in Japan, in a deal that will last until at least 2025. It was co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and the PGA Tour. The prize money of the tournament was US$9.75 million.
Key Points:
i. The tournament title was clinched by America’s Tiger Woods, aged 43, which was his 82nd PGA Tour crown. He sealed a historic three-stroke win to draw level with Sam Snead (America) for the most victories on Tour, a 54-year-old record.
ii.Hideki Matsuyama of Japan was the runner up.
Overview of 17th Yonex French Open 2019
Yonex French Open 2019, a Super 750 badminton tournament, was held at Stade Pierre de Coubertin, Paris, France from October 22-27, 2019. It was the 17th tournament of the 2019 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour and was a part of the French Open championships. It was organized by French Badminton Federation with sanction from the BWF and had a prize money of $750,000.
List of Winners:
| Category | Winner | Runner |
| Men’s Singles | Chen Long (China) | Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) |
| Women’s Singles | An Se-young (South Korea) | Carolina Marín (Spain) |
| Men’s Doubles | Marcus Fernaldi Gideon & Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Indonesia) | Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty (India) |
| Women’s Doubles | Lee So-hee & Shin Seung-chan (South Korea) | Kim So-yeong & Kong Hee-yong (South Korea) |
| Mixed Doubles | Praveen Jordan & Melati Daeva Oktavianti (Indonesia) | Zheng Siwei & Huang Ya Qiong (China) |
i. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty become the 2nd Indian doubles pair after Partho Ganguli and Vikram Singh in 1983 to win the French Open.
About BWF:
♦ Formation: 1934
♦ Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
♦ President: Poul-Erik Høyer.
Britain’s Lewis Hamilton wins Mexican Grand Prix 2019
On October 27, 2019, 5-time world champion Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, a British racing driver, clinched his 10th win of the season for Mercedes at the Mexican Grand Prix 2019. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, a German racing driver, and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, a Finnish racing driver, finished second and third respectively.
For the first time, Papua New Guinea secures Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 qualification; Ireland also qualifies
On October 27, 2019, Papua New Guinea (PNG), for the first time, qualified for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Twenty 20 (T20) World Cup tournament 2020 by defeating Kenya in a match held at Dubai International Stadium, Dubai. It was a World Cup Qualifier tournament. Ireland has also qualified for ICC T20 World Cup 2020 after finishing at the top of their group.
i. The 2020 World T20, the seventh edition, will be held from October 18 to November 15, 2020, in Australia.
ii. PNG’s coach is Joe Dawes (Australia).
About ICC:
♦ Motto: Cricket for good
♦ Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
♦ Chairman: Shashank Manohar
♦ CEO: Manu Sawhney
OBITUARY
Senior journalist C. Raghavachari passes away in Hyderabad, Telangana at the age of 80
On October 28, 2019, Veteran Telugu journalist Chakravarthula Raghavachari, who was the former editor of Visalaandhra, a Telugu daily for over 30 years from 1972, has passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana following a prolonged illness. He was 80.
i. Raghavachari, who hailed from Warangal district, now in Telangana, was one of the prominent leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI).
ii. He served as a member of the CPI National Control Commission, chairman of the CPI State Control Commission & State (then united Andhra Pradesh) President of AISF (All India Students Federation).
iii. Visalaandhra, an Indian Telugu-language daily newspaper run by CPI, was established 63 years ago on 22 June 1952.
Former Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma passed away at the age of 49
On October 27, 2019, Former Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and senior party leader Kamal Sharma, aged 49, passed away due to a heart attack in Ferozepur district. He was born on 17 March 1970 and hailed from Ferozepur, Punjab. He had resigned from the post of Punjab BJP chief in 2015.
IMPORTANT DAYS
18th International Animation Day (IAD) celebrated on October 28, 2019
On October 28, 2019, The 18th edition of International Animation Day (IAD) was celebrated all over the world to recognize and celebrate all the artists, the scientists and the technicians behind the animation.
Key points:
i. It was 1st celebrated in the year 2002.
ii. ASIFA(Association Internationale du Film d’Animation / International Animated Film Association), a member of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has established this celebration day.
iii. This day commemorates the 1st public appearance of Charles-Emile Reynaud’s Theatre Optique (a machine that creates images on a screen using a projector and mirrors) at the Grevin Museum in Paris, France, on October 28, 1892.
iv. The 2019 IAD poster was generously created by Giannis Koutsouris(Greek animation artist).
About ASIFA:
Founder: John Halas
Founded: 1960
4th National Ayurveda Day for 2019/ Dhanwantari Jayanti observed on October 25
National Ayurveda Day/ Dhanwantari Jayanti was observed on October 25, 2019. It was the 4th edition and was celebrated by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) at the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur, Rajasthan. Dhanvantari is a Hindu God who cures diseases. The theme of the day was “Ayurveda for Longevity”.
Key Points:
i. The day is celebrated since 2016.
ii. Dhanwantari Pujan and “National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards -2019” ceremony was also held at NIA and Mr. Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha presided as the Chief Guest. The Ministry, headed by MoS (IC) for Ministry of AYUSH Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, facilitated Ayurveda experts with awards comprising of Citation, Trophy (Dhanwantari Statue) and Cash reward of Rupees 5 lakh.
iii. A National Conference “Ayurveda for Longevity” was organized on 24th October 2019 at NIA auditorium in which Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had presided as the chief guest.
iv. MoU: Gujarat Ayurveda University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a wellness brand Sri Sri Tattva to complement each other’s area of expertise on the subject of Ayurveda. It was signed by Arvind Varchaswi, Managing Director, Sri Sri Tattva and Prof Anup Thakar, Vice-Chancellor, Gujarat Ayurveda University at the university campus in Jamnagar at the event on World Ayurveda Day at Gujarat Ayurveda University. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar was the chief guest
Vigilance Awareness Week is observed from 28th October to 2nd November, 2019
The Vigilance Awareness Week is observed annually from October 28 till November 2nd, the birth anniversary (October 31st) week of freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The theme for the year 2019 is “Integrity- A way of life”. The week aims to promote integrity in public life. The day is observed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
Key points
i.As part of the observance, various activities are to be conducted. Some of them are “Awareness Gram Sabhas” for awareness in rural citizens of Gram Panchayats (in rural and semi-urban areas) about the ill-effects of corruption.
ii.Integrity clubs are to be organized in schools and colleges. Walkathons, marathons, cycle rallies, human chains, street plays, and other public functions are also to be held.
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) observed on October 27, 2019
On October 27, 2019, World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) was celebrated to raise awareness of the significance and preservation of recorded sound and audiovisual documents (films, sound and video recordings, television and radio programmes) for future generations.The theme for the year 2019 is “Engage the Past Through Sound and Images”.
Key points:
i. The day was approved at UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) general conference in 2005 & it was observed for the first time on October 27, 2007.
ii. Through initiatives such as the WDAH and the Memory of the World Programme, the work of preservation professionals is encouraged, in order to manage the range of technical, political, social, financial and other factors that threaten the safeguarding of our audiovisual heritage.
About UNESCO:
Formation: 4 November 1945
Headquarters: Paris, France
Director-General: Audrey Azoulay
STATE NEWS
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Odisha Mo Parivar’ programme
On October 25, 2019, the Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik launched “Odisha Mo Parivar” (Odisha, My Family) programme. It is a social service initiative with the aim of encouraging environment protection, blood donation and the welfare of Odias in distress. This initiative will also help to rescue the stranded Odias in foreign countries.
Key points:
i. The focus areas of this initiative are an environment, health care services and assistance to poor and deprived people. The initiative is a tribute to late Biju Patnaik (former Odisha CM), who worked for the welfare of the people of Odisha.
ii. Former Mumbai police commissioner(36th) and Biju Janata Dal party’s (BJD) Arup Patnaik has been appointed as the initiative’s convener, while Pinaki Mishra, Achyuta Samanta, Chandrasekhar Sahoo, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, and Nalinikant Pradhan were appointed as co-conveners.
About Odisha:
Capital– Bhubaneswar
Governor– Ganeshi Lal
Dams– Hirakud dam, Indravati dam, Rengali dam, Patora dam.
Gandhinagar becomes 1st kerosene-free district of Gujarat
On October 25, 2019, the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, after distributing one thousand LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) connections to the women beneficiaries in the state as part of Ujjwala Yojana, has announced that Gandhinagar district of Gujarat became the first Kerosene-free district of the state.
Other notable events:
i. So far under the Ujjwala Yojana by the ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation), 75,000 beneficiaries have been covered at a cost of 6.13 crore rupees.
ii.MIG Houses: Shri Shah, has handed over 480 Middle-Income Group (MIG) houses which were built by Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority(GUDA) to the beneficiaries under Kudasan region near Gandhinagar.
iii. Shri Amit Shah, also launched various drinking water schemes and gardens in Kudasan, Sargasan, Raysan and Vaval of Gandhinagar. He also laid the foundation stone for certain development projects that also included one underpass and 2 roads and will be completed under Gandhinagar Smart City Yojana.
iv. The integrated control centre of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation was inaugurated by the home minister for people’s grievance redressal and beneficiary cards were also distributed for schemes for widow women, old age persons and Ayushyaman Bharat Yojana(national health coverage scheme).
v.A flyover at Kalol in Gandhinagar district was inaugurated. He also presided over a function to aid differently-abled persons in Kalol. The assistance of Rs 5.19 crore were provided to 4784 beneficiaries.
First Ladakh Literature festival 2019 to be held from Oct 29-31, 2019
A 3-day Ladakh literature festival (LLF) 2019 is to be held from October 29-31, 2019. The aim of the festival is to celebrate the region’s art, culture, and literature. The last day (31st Oct) of the festival will mark the transformation of Ladakh from a division to Union Territory (UT). The fest is being organized by Jammu & Kashmir(J&K) Tourism, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, Ladakh Media & Art Organisation (LAMO) and All Ladakh Tours Operators’ Association (ALTOA). The festival will begin in the State of Jammu & Kashmir state and culminated in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. There will be different venues for main events and plenary discussions including, historic Leh palace and Central Asian Museum in Leh.
Key points:
i. Folk and Oral Traditions of Ladakh, New Media/Graphics & Animation, Environment & wildlife, Culinary Traditions, fiction, ethnic representation, Ladakhi literature & journalism are the themes of the festival.
ii. Local artists, historians, musicians and senior IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officers who turned authors like Parvez Dewan, Anil Swarup and Dr. MK Ranjith Sinh etc are to participate in the event.
iii. The festival will now be held annually.
About Ladakh:
The Rajya Sabha’s passing Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 allowed for bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories- one (J&K) with a legislature, other (Ladakh) without a legislature.
Largest city– Leh
UP’s Ayodhya created Guinness record by lighting 6 lakh earthen lamps on the banks of the Saryu River
On October 26, 2019, A new Guinness World Records record was created by the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University during Deepotsav 2019 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh by lighting 6 lakh earthen lamps on the Saryu riverbank on the eve of Diwali.
i. 4 lakh 10 thousand diyaas were lit at the ghat of Ram ki Paidhi and over 2 lakh diyas were lit in other parts of the temple town.
ii. In 2018, the record was of three lakh one thousand one hundred eighty-six ‘diyaas’ at the ghat.
