Shri Vikram Dev Dutt assumed the charge as the Secretary of the Ministry of Coal. A 1993-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, Shri Dutt previously served as the Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
He succeeds Shri VL Kantha Rao, who currently serves as the Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and holds additional charge of the Ministry of Coal. Prior to Shri Rao, Shri Amrit Lal Meena served as the Secretary of the Ministry of Coal.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated three airports, developed under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. These airports are Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, Ambikapur in Chhatisgarh, and Saharanpur in UP. Flights under RCS-UDAN will begin from these airports shortly.
The RCS- UDAN, a government-backed initiative to improve infrastructure and connectivity in India, especially in remote and underserved regions, completes seven years. It is a vital component of India's National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on October 21, 2016, with a 10-year vision.
The first RCS-UDAN flight was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on April 27, 2017, connecting Shimla to Delhi. The scheme focuses on improving unserved air routes in underserved regions of the country and fulfilling the aspirations of the common citizens.
So far, the RCS-UDAN has facilitated travel of more than 144 lakh passengers,
demonstrating its success in enhancing air travel accessibility.
Over 7 years, various versions of UDAN Scheme were launched, as follows:
UDAN 1.0: Five airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)
UDAN 2.0: 73 underserved and unserved airports were announced and for the first time,
helipads were also connected.
UDAN 3.0: In coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Routes were included. In addition to Seaplanes for connecting Water Aerodromes, several routes in the North-East Region came under the ambit of the scheme.
UDAN 4.0: Gave impetus to North-Eastern Regions, Hilly States, and Islands.
The operation of helicopters and seaplanes incorporated.
UDAN Version 5 – 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 &5.4
Following the four successful rounds of bidding, the Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the 5th version of RCS-UDAN with numerous improvements based on stakeholder feedback.
Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri J.P. Nadda inaugurated the “Medicine Update BJMFCON 2024”, organized by the Bihar & Jharkhand Medical Forum (BJMF). As the chief guest at the event, Shri Nadda also released the ‘Souvenir and BJMF Directory’.
Bihar & Jharkhand Medical Forum (BJMF) is a socio-scientific organization of doctors from the states of Bihar & Jharkhand practicing in the Delhi NCR Region for long and serving the people of the region. The first Medicine Update was held in 2023. The 2nd Medicine Update BJMFCON was held.
The Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu will confer the 5th National Water Awards 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD &GR), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, announced the 38 winners, including joint winners, for the 5th National Water Awards, 2023, in 09 categories,
viz Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution (other than school or college), and Best Civil Society on 14th October 2024.
In the category of Best State, the first prize has been conferred upon Odisha, with Uttar Pradesh securing the second position, and,
and Gujarat and Puducherry jointly secured the third position. Each award winner will be conferred with a citation and a trophy as well as cash prizes in certain categories.
Under the guidance of Prime Minister, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has been undertaking a comprehensive campaign to spread awareness about water management and water conservation on a national level.
From this standpoint and to create awareness among the people about the importance of water and to help motivate people to adopt the best water usage practices, the 1st National Water Awards were launched in 2018 by the DoWR, RD & GR. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th National Water Awards were given for the years 2019, 2020 and 2022.
The awards were not given in the year 2021 due to COVID pandemic.
The National Water Awards (NWAs) focus on the good work and efforts made by individuals and organizations across the country in attaining the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’. The awards are for creating awareness among the people about the importance of water and motivating them.
In keeping with the vision of the recent Budget Announcement on developing eShram as a One-Stop-Solution for unorganized labour to have access to various social sector schemes, the Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports will launch the ‘eShram-One Stop Solution’ on 21.10.2024 at New Delhi.
eShram-One Stop Solution will act as a mediator to ensure that unorganized workers have easy access to a variety of Government schemes/programs. This initiative will help unorganized workers become aware of the schemes designed for them.
eShram-One Stop Solution aims to integrate information of beneficiaries of all social security and welfare schemes effectively meant for unorganised workers through a single platform. eShram as a One-Stop-Solution will help to facilitate in identification and implementation of the Social Security & Welfare Schemes for the unorganised worker and to help saturation,
of the schemes in a fast and effective manner. Consequently, 12 schemes of different Central Ministries / Departments have already been integrated/ mapped with the eShram.
Since the launch of e-Shram on August 26, 2021, it has achieved significant milestones with over 30 crore unorganized workers enrolled and it demonstrated its widespread appeal among unorganized labour.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who is also a nationally renowned Diabetologist, released the Jammu-related data of the ‘first of its kind’ world's largest survey 'ICMR-India Diabetes 'INDIAB' Study to assess the prevalence of Diabetes in India, including Jammu & Kashmir in Jammu.
According to the survey, the overall burden of the disease in Jammu region covering its 10 districts is 18.9 percent, with 26.5 percent in urban areas and 14.5 percent in rural areas which is higher than the national average.
According to the ICMR-INDIAB study, 10.8 percent of the population in Jammu region is affected by prediabetes, emphasizing the urgent need for action,
against the growing burden of NCDs in the region.
The Jammu phase surveyed 1,520 participants across urban and rural areas, providing critical insights into the region’s health landscape. As per the survey, the overall prevalence of hypertension, generalised obesity, and abdominal obesity in Jammu is 27.1 %, 41.7 %, and 62.7 % respectively.
In Madhya Pradesh, in a first of its kind of initiative, `pink alarms’ have been installed at the government-run district hospital and medical college in Datia. The issue of safety of women staff at public hospitals came to the fore recently after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The pink alarm system is the brainchild of district collector Sandeep Makin. The pressing of an alarm will set off a siren and within five minutes the security personnel will reach the person in trouble. Civil surgeon and hospital superintendent Dr K C Rathore informed that the pink alarms were installed in the staff duty room on all three floors of the Maternity Ward,
Trauma Center and the New OPD Block. Officials informed that this is the first government hospital in the state where this facility has been provided for women security.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey today unveiled the first-ever coal gallery at the National Science Centre in New Delhi. The exhibition – ‘Black Diamond – Unveiling the Depths’ – is based on the lifespan of coal and aims to provide information about the discovery of coal,
the Coal extraction process, techniques used to extract coal, and the mining of minerals. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shekhawat said, this exhibition gives real experience about coal and other minerals.
Smt. Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW). She will be the 9th Chairperson of NCW.
Smt. Rahatkar has demonstrated leadership skills across various political and social responsibilities. During her tenure as Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (2016-2021),
she spearheaded initiatives like “Sakshama” (support for acid attack survivors), “Prajwala” (linking self-help groups to central government schemes), and “Suhita” (24x7 helpline service for women). She also worked on legal reforms focusing on issues like POCSO, anti-triple talaq cells, and anti-human trafficking units.
She introduced digital literacy programs and launched a publication named “Saad” dedicated to women's issues.
Dr. Archana Majumdar has also been appointed as a Member of the National Commission for Women.
Bala Devi, often referred to as the "goal machine" of Indian women's football, etched her name in the history books by becoming the first Indian woman to score her 50th international goal during the 2024 SAFF Women's Championship in Nepal, in a match against Pakistan.When asked about her feelings on reaching this milestone, Bala Devi expressed,
"I feel proud to score 50 goals for India. It was a very special moment for me," as quoted by the AIFF Media Team.Bala Devi dedicated her goal to her father, expressing the deep influence he had on her career. "Everything I am today is because of my father. He taught me everything since childhood, from kicking the ball to scoring a goal.
To enhance combat capabilities through the integration of niche and emerging technologies, the Army's Sudarshan Chakra Corps of Southern Command is conducting 'Exercise SWAVLAMBAN SHAKTI' at Babina Field Firing Ranges near Jhansi. The exercise began on Thursday and will continue till October 22, a defence release said here.
The XXI Corps or Sudarshan Chakra Corps, a strike corps of the army, is headquartered in Bhopal. The exercise that aims to integrate New Technology Equipment (NTEs) into the Army's offensive strategies, ensuring readiness for future warfare scenarios, started in the presence of Lt Gen Prit Pal Singh, General Officer Commanding of Sudarshan Chakra Corps.
It is expected to help identify and prioritize critical technologies and equipment for future development and procurement, the release said.
Approximately 1,800 personnel, 210 armoured vehicles, 50 specialist vehicles, and a range of aviation assets are participating in the exercise.
On 21st October 2024, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) commenced the 12th edition of the Joint Military Training (JMT) exercise at Air Force Station Kalaikunda, West Bengal.
The bilateral phase of the exercise will be conducted from 13 to 21 November 2024 and is expected to generate intense collaboration between the two forces,
as they engage in advanced air combat simulations, joint mission planning, and debriefing sessions. The bilateral phase aims to enhance interoperability, sharpen combat readiness, and promote the exchange of knowledge between the two Air Forces.
The RSAF is participating with its largest contingent till date,
comprising of aircrew and support personnel from F-16, F-15 squadrons alongwith G-550 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) and C-130 aircraft. The IAF will be participating with Rafale, Mirage 2000 ITI, Su-30 MKI, Tejas, MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft.
India observes Police Commemoration Day to honour the police officers who lost their lives in an ambush laid by Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh in 1959. The day is commemorated annually on October 21 and serves as a reminder of the bravery and dedication displayed by police personnel.
India observes Police Commemoration Day to honour the courage and sacrifice made by police personnel to defend their motherland.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the National Police Memorial in New Delhi to the country on this day in 2018.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, inaugurated the National Learning Week (NLW) on the 19th October, 2024, marking a new chapter in civil service capacity building under the Mission Karmayogi initiative.
This groundbreaking effort aims to foster continuous skill enhancement and lifelong learning among civil servants,
ensuring their competencies align with the country’s evolving goals.
The National Learning Week will feature the Indic Day Webinar Series, on 21st October, 2024. Esteemed speakers from diverse domains will share insights on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), civilizational development, and digital infrastructure.
Neo-bank Freo has officially ventured into the insurance sector after securing a Corporate Agent licence from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). With this licence, Freo will offer a range of specially curated insurance products to its 25 million registered users through partnerships with established insurance providers.
Freo’s new insurance offerings will include plans tailored to meet various needs, such as women’s health coverage, super top-ups for existing health policies, and protection against common diseases like malaria and dengue. Additionally, the platform will offer innovative solutions like cyber fraud protection and job loss insurance, with premiums starting as low as Rs 49.
Persistent Systems, a global leader in Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernisation, has launched SASVA™ 2.0, the latest version of its AI-powered platform that revolutionises software development. SASVA™ 2.0 integrates generative and deterministic AI to enhance productivity and efficiency throughout the entire Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) and beyond,
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