VISION

1)  World Vegan Day observed on 01st November

•World Vegan Day is celebrated every year on November 1 to encourage people to follow the vegan lifestyle and spread awareness about veganism. The day is dedicated to the practice of abstaining from use of animal products and exploitation of animals. All across the world, World Vegan Day is celebrated a day after Halloween. Halloween falls on October 31, and a day after is celebrated as World Vegan Day to advocate the benefits of avoiding and banning the exploitation of animals, extending our love and care to other species and the natural environment.

The theme of World Vegan Day 2022:

•According to World Vegan Day, this year’s theme will be based on the animal rights-focused campaign ‘Future Normal’.

2)  UP’s Ranipur Tiger Reserve Becomes 53rd Tiger Reserve of India

•Uttar Pradesh is set to have its fourth Tiger Reserve and 53rd tiger reserve in India. The tiger reserve is spread across over 529.36 sq km out of which the core area is 230.32 sq km and the buffer area is 299.05 sq km. Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate change Bhupendra Yadav confirmed the development.

3)  India’s Defence Ministry Is World’s Biggest Employer: ‘Statista’ report

•India’s Ministry of Defence is the world’s biggest employer with 2.92 million people, which includes combined active service personnel, reservists and civilian staff, according to a report in ‘Statista’. A touch ahead of the United States equivalent, the Department of Defense.

4)  West Bengal’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme bags the SKOCH Award

•The West Bengal government’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme has bagged the SKOCH award in the women and child development category. The award is a recognition for the government as well as the nearly two crore women of the state who have been empowered by the scheme.

5)  103 million People Forcibly Displaced Worldwide, Reveals UNHCR Report

•The number of people forcibly displaced from their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order globally surged to 103 million in the first half of 2022, meaning that one in 77 people on Earth is forcibly displaced, the UNHCR said in Geneva.

6)  IFS Rajesh Ranjan named as next Indian envoy to Ivory Coast

•Indian Foreign Service officer, Dr Rajesh Ranjan has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to the West African nation of Cote d’Ivoire or Ivory Coast. Dr Rajesh Ranjan is currently posted as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Botswana. Dr Ranjan holds a PhD degree in Economics (Public Finance) from Allahabad University. Dr Rajesh Ranjan was Director in the Americas Division at the Ministry of External Affairs (15 July 2016-23 March 2018) and he handled issues related to India’s relations with US and Canada.

7)  1st ASEAN-India Start-up Festival 2022 inaugurated in Indonesia

•The 1st ASEAN-India Start-up Festival (AISF) was inaugurated by Dr. Srivari Chandrashekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology on 27th October 2022 in Bogor, Indonesia. The inaugural event was felicitated by Mr. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General for ASEAN Economic Community, and Ambassador, Mr. Jayant Khobragde, Indian Mission to ASEAN (IMA).

8)  Lula da Silva defeats Bolsonaro to return as Brazil’s President for third time

•Brazil’s electoral authority said that Luiz Incio Lula da Silva of the leftist Worker’s Party defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to become the country’s next president. With 98.8 per cent of the votes tallied in the runoff vote, da Silva had 50.8 per cent and Bolsonaro 49.2 per cent, and the election authority said da Silva’s victory was a mathematical certainty. Da Silva’s inauguration is scheduled to take place on January 1, 2023.

•Da Silva the country’s former president from 2003-2010 has promised to restore the country’s more prosperous past, yet faces headwinds in a polarised society. His victory marks the first time since Brazil’s 1985 return to democracy that the sitting president has failed to win reelection. His inauguration is scheduled to take place on January 1.

•Da Silva is credited with building an extensive social welfare programme during his 2003-2010 tenure that helped lift tens of millions into the middle class as well as presiding over an economic boom. The man universally known as Lula left office with an approval rating above 80 per cent; then US President Barack Obama called him the most popular politician on Earth.

9)  WHO Global TB Report 2022

•The WHO released the Global TB Report 2022 on October 27, 2022. The Report notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, treatment and burden of disease for TB all over the world. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken note of the WHO Global TB Report 2022, and  clarified that India has performed far better on major metrics as compared to other countries over time.

10)  What Is Digital Rupee, RBI launches Its First Pilot Project

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will commence pilot launches of the digital rupee from November 1. It has identified nine banks for participation in the pilot launch. They are the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank, and HSBC.

1)  International Animation Day 2022 observed on 28th October

•International Animation Day is celebrated on 28 October every year. It was in this year when the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA) declared International Animation Day (IAD) as a worldwide occasion to commend the speciality of animation. This day is celebrated in more than 50 distinct nations throughout the world. IAD was started by ASIFA, an individual from UNESCO.

2)  Smt Droupadi Murmu presents Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner to the President’s Bodyguard

•The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, presented the Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner to the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi. The President appreciated PBG for their excellent military traditions, professionalism and discipline in all their tasks. She said that the nation is proud of them. She expressed confidence that they will strive with dedication, discipline and valour, to maintain the highest traditions of Rashtrapati Bhavan and be an ideal role model for other Regiments of the Indian Army.

3)  Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena launched property tax amnesty scheme SAMRIDDHI

•Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has launched a one-time property tax amnesty scheme “SAMRIDDHI 2022-23”, which will provide a major relief to lakhs of residential and commercial property owners in the city. SAMRIDDHI, an acronym for Strengthening and Augmentation of Municipal Revenue for Infrastructure Development in Delhi, will start on October 26 and end on March 31, 2023, with no further extensions.

4)  Shaurya Diwas celebrated in Srinagar

•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Shaurya Diwas at Old Air Field, Srinagar. The Shaurya Diwas marks the 75th year of induction of the Indian Army to save the state of Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan’s invasion in 1947. The Shaurya Diwas is celebrated as a part of celebrations for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and the 75th year of Air landed operations of the Indian Army at Budgam Airport.

5)  Dehradun to host 3-day “Akash for Life” Space Conference in November

•The “Akash for Life” a 3-day space conference will showcase the blending of traditional and modern knowledge through an extended integration of all schools of thought. The decision was taken by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, and Dr. Jitendra Singh. The event is scheduled to be held at Dehradun from 5th November to 7th November 2022.

6)  NIA to establish offices in every state by 2024: Amit Shah

•NIA to establish offices in every state: Amit Shah, the Union Minister of Housing and Cooperation, spoke today at the start of a two-day “Chintan Shivir” in Surajkund, Haryana. The Chintan Shivir is being attended by Chief Ministers of the States, Home Ministers of States, Lieutenant Governors, and Administrators of Union Territories. Utilizing all internal security resources to their fullest potential is necessary in order to combat the issues facing the country.

7)  Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches Safal common credit portal for farmers

•Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has launched a common credit portal SAFAL’ (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) for the welfare of farmers. SAFAL is an abridged application for agricultural loans that will enable farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to access over 300 term loan products from more than 40 partner banks. It has also been integrated with Krushak Odisha and will have access to 70-plus model project reports. The application can revolutionise credit provisions for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs.

8)  United States Appoints Elizabeth Jones To Serve As Chargé d’Affaires At US Embassy in New Delhi

•The Biden administration has now named a senior US diplomat, who had worked on NATO’s role in Europe vis-a-vis Russia as the US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, as the next Charge d’Affaires ad interim in New Delhi — until a full-time Ambassador is sent to India.

9)  UNSC’s Counter-Terror Meet in India to Focus on Key Issues

•The United Nation Security Council’s (UNSC) two-day meeting in India on counter-terrorism will focus on dealing with use of internet, new payment mechanism and drones by terrorists. The meetings will be hosted in Mumbai and Delhi on 28 and 29 October, respectively.

1)  World Day for Audiovisual Heritage celebrates on 27 October

•World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) is celebrated on October 27 every year to highlight and promote the importance of such preservation. Audiovisual heritage refers to documents like film, sounds, radio, television programmes and other audio and video that are of socio-cultural importance and need preservation for posterity. Such documentations help us observe and understand the past, protects our memories and culture.

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2022: Theme

•“Enlisting documentary heritage to promote inclusive, just and peaceful societies” is the theme for WDAH this year. It refers to the importance of archiving visual and sonic information to preserve history for society’s benefit and progress.

2)  Indian Army Celebrates 76th Infantry Day On 27 October

•Indian Army Infantry Day is celebrated on October 27 every year to pay homage to the soldiers who fought for the country and laid down their lives in the line of duty. To celebrate the 76th Infantry Day this year on October 27, soldiers are organising four simultaneous bike rallies from all cardinal directions, Wellington (Tamil Nadu), Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), Shillong (Meghalaya), and Ahmedabad (Gujarat). The rally started on October 16 and will cover the travel across the country, culminating at the National War Memorial on Infantry Day.

•Each group will have 10 bikers and will cover a cumulative journey of 8,000 km. The groups are spearheaded by the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment from Ahmedabad, Assam Regiment from Shillong, Madras Regiment from Wellington and Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment from Udhampur.

3)  Union Territory of J&K celebrates its Accession Day on 26th October

•The Accession Day of Jammu and Kashmir on 26th October with the Union of India is being celebrated across the Union Territory. Accession Day carries great significance as it was on this day in 1947 that the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession to become part of the greatest democracy of the world. Several functions are being organized to mark the day. Accession Day is a public holiday in the Union Territory.

4)  National Statistical Office(NSO) Released the Employment Outlook of India

•The National Statistical Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, released a press note on Employment Outlook of the country covering the period September, 2017 to June, 2022. This data is based on the administrative records available with selected government agencies to assess the progress in certain dimensions, the release stated.

5)  Ladakh MP launched “Main Bhi Subhash” campaign

•Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal launched the ‘Main Bhi Subhash’ campaign from Leh. The ‘Main Bhi Subhash’ campaign is a series of events which is organized by the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose INA Trust in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. The ‘Main Bhi Subhash’ campaign is going to be organized on the occasion of the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji on 23rd January next year. The ‘Main Bhi Subhash’ campaign begins in Mumbai and Kolkata.

6)  India Suffered Income Loss of 5.4% of GDP Due To Heatwave In 2021: Report

•India suffered an income loss of 5.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the highest among the G20 nations in 2021, according to the new report of Climate Transparency. The report highlighted that India witnessed a record heatwave that greatly affected workers, labour migrants, low-income households, and the homeless, and reduced the yields of wheat crops.

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Magazine 2022 Rural industrialization Stepping stone for an Atmanirbhar Bharat PDF

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Magazine 2022 Research and Development Ecosystem in India PDF

1)  International Stuttering Awareness Day observed on 22 October

•International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) or International Stammering Awareness Day is celebrated on October 22. The day creates awareness about the speech disorder known as stuttering or stammering. Stuttering refers to disruptions in the fluency of speech. Its symptoms include involuntary repetition of words and temporary inability or difficulty to utter sounds or words, among others.

International Stuttering Awareness Day 2022: Theme

•The theme for 2022’s International Stuttering Awareness Day is “Being seen, being heard: Representation and normalisation of stuttering in the mainstream,”. The theme highlights the fact that stuttering is something that affects many in society and is nothing abnormal.

2)  Uttar Pradesh bags top honours at PMAY-U Awards 2021

•Under the BJP-led Centre’s flagship, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) housing scheme have been delivered and the rest are under various stages of completion, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri. PMAY-U Awards 2021 is scheduled annually to recognise the contribution of States, Union Territories and urban local bodies with regard to the implementation of the scheme in Rajkot.

3)  Telangana Hyderabadi Haleem bags ‘Most Popular GI’ award

•Telangana’s Hyderabadi Haleem has won the ‘Most Popular GI’ award after beating other food items including Rasgulla, Bikaneri Bhujiya, and Ratlami Sev. In a rigid competition with more than 15 food items across the country with Geographical Indication (GI) status, the famous Hyderabadi Haleem has bagged the ‘Most Popular GI’ award.

•GI tag is given to products to ensure that authorised users can only use the popular product name. For the first time, GI status was accorded to Hyderabadi Haleem in 2010. It expired in December 2019. However, later, the registrar of Geographical Indicator renewed the tag for the dish for 10 years.

•Notably: Other Telangana items that were accorded GI tag include Nirmal toys and crafts, Nirmal furniture, Nirmal Paintings, Gadwal sari, and Banaganapalle Mangoes.

4)  India to Beat US, Europe in Terms of Learners: Coursera chief

•India is anticipated to surpass its residence market, the United States, and even Europe in terms of learners over the subsequent 18-20 months, edtech agency Coursera’s chief  Jeff Maggioncalda said. The firm, which has 17 million learners and content material partnerships with 15 universities in India, is anticipated to overtake the United States and Europe. It has 20 million learners in America and 19 million in Europe.

5)  5th Khelo India Youth Games to be held in Madhya Pradesh

•The 5th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Madhya Pradesh from 31st January to 11th February 2023. The event was felicitated by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, and Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

•Indigenous games will be a part of the upcoming Khelo India Youth Games. Madhya Pradesh has made the sport of Mallakhamb their state sport for supporting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support Olympics sports and indigenous sports in the same manner.

6)  World Spice Congress 14th edition organized in Maharashtra

•World Spice Congress 14th edition: The 14th World Spice Congress will take place in the CIDCO Exhibition and Convention Centre in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, from February 16 to 18, 2023. Spices Board India in conjunction with a number of trade and export forums is hosting the World Spice Congress during India’s G20 presidency.

7)  Punjab Government: Return of Old Pension Scheme for its Employees

•The Punjab Government decided to restore the old pension scheme for its employees. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the government has decided to implement the old pension scheme as a Diwali gift for its employees. The decision was taken as an in-principle decision to the effect of the cabinet meeting. The decision aims to benefit lakhs of employees.

8)  Pakistan Removed from FATF Grey List on Terror Financing

•Pakistan has been removed from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force(FATF), the Paris-based global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing. Pakistan was placed in the grey list in 2018 for failing to keep a check on money laundering and terrorist financing.

9)  Nuclear capable Agni Prime missile successfully tested by India

•Agni Prime missile successfully tested: The Agni Prime New Generation Ballistic Missile was successfully tested by India on October 21 off the coast of Odisha. Around 9.45 this morning, a test launch of the ballistic missile took place. The missile successfully completed the test, covering its full range, and all of its test goals were achieved.

10)  Chandrayaan-3 set for launch in August 2023: ISRO chairman

•Chandrayaan-3 set for launch in August 2023: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) plans to launch its third lunar mission in the month of June 2023. The more capable lunar rover that will be carried by Chandrayaan-3, which is essential for future interplanetary explorations, according to S. Somnath, Chairman of the Indian Space Agency, ISRO.

1)  World Osteoporosis Day 2022 observed on 20th October

•World osteoporosis day is a global healthcare event observed every year on 20 October. The day is observed to promote the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, its treatment and preventive tips for strong bones. The campaigns are mainly focused on encouraging people to take preventative measures for their bone health to avoid any risk of osteoporosis and associated complications in the future.

2)  World Statistics Day 2022 celebrates on 20 October

•World Statistics Day 2022 is celebrated annually on October 20th to recognize the importance of statistics in our daily lives. The United Nations Statistical Commission has been at the forefront of advocating for the use of statistics to track progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Good data and statistics are essential for effective planning, monitoring and evaluation of progress towards the SDGs.

World Statistics Day 2022: Theme

•The theme of Statistics Day, 2022 is “Data for Sustainable Development”. On this occasion, MoSPI also recognizes the outstanding contribution through high-quality research in the field of applied and theoretical statistics benefiting the official statistical system through awards instituted for this purpose.

3)  International Chef’s Day 2022 celebrates on 20th October

•Every year on October 20th, International Chefs Day is observed to honour the culinary masters who have protected the value of food and are passing on the same message to future generations. This day celebrates the culinary arts and recognizes the hard work and dedication that chefs put into their craft. If you know a chef, be sure to thank them for their delicious creations. And if you’re a chef yourself, take pride in knowing that your skills are appreciated by people all over the world!

International Chef’s Day 2022: Theme

•The theme for this year is “Growing A Healthy Future.” The idea behind this theme is to ensure a healthy and sustainable planet for future generations. This can happen when we teach them the value of food and its impact on the environment.

4)  PM Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana-One Nation One Fertiliser. Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana, companies must market all subsidized fertilizers under a single brand, ‘Bharat’.

5)  UIDAI topped Grievance Redressal Index for second consecutive month

•The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which oversees Aadhaar, has once again topped the September rankings report published by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), for resolving most public grievances among all government ministries and government departments. This is the second consecutive month UIDAI has topped the rankings.

6)  Mallikarjun Kharge Elected As The New Congress President

•Veteran Karnataka leader Mallikarjun Kharge defeated his rival Shashi Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years, and the first Scheduled Caste chief of the grand old organization in four decades. Kharge polled 7897 of the 9385 votes cast while Tharoor garnered a meagre 1072. Sources said 416 votes were invalid.

7)  United Nations Secretary General on India’s Visit

•United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Mumbai, India on October 19 on a three-day official visit. This is his first visit to India, since he assumed his second term in office in January this year.

8)  Hardeep Puri inaugurated Asia’s largest Compressed Bio Gas plant

•Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated Asia’s largest Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plant in Lehragaga, in Sangrur, Punjab. The plant in Sangrur is just the beginning of India’s master plan for a CBG-based rural economy and the government is taking all steps to promote the ecosystem around it.

•The plant has been commissioned with a foreign direct investment of approximately Rs. 220 crores by Verbio AG, one of Germany’s leading bio-energy companies. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior management from Verbio India Private Limited were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

1)  PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 Launched by PM Modi

•PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 Launched: The PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. More than 13,500 farmers from all around the country and about 1,500 agri entrepreneurs are expected to attend the two-day event.

2)  Union Cabinet Approves MSP Hike for All Mandated Rabi Crops

•The Union Cabinet approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all Rabi Crops for the Marketing Season 2023-24. The highest increase has been cleared for lentils with a hike of 500 rupees per quintal. The MSP on wheat has been hiked by 110 rupees and barley by 100 rupees.

3)  ‘SARANG – The Festival of India in Republic of Korea’

•The 8th edition of annual flagship cultural program of Embassy of India, Seoul ‘SARANG– The Festival of India in Republic of Korea’ will be held from Sept. 30 through Oct. 14, 2022 in offline mode at various locations across the country after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic.

4)  Pakistan May Take Out off FATF Grey List

•Pakistan is likely to exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) after it was placed in the infamous category since 2018 for failing to check money laundering and terrorist financing, a media report said.

5)  22nd World Blockchain Summit Begins in Dubai

•World Blockchain Summit in Dubai is taking place on Oct. 17 and 18, 2022 at Atlantis, The Palm. It is one of the most elite gatherings of the global crypto and blockchain ecosystem. The 22nd global edition of the World Blockchain Summit will bring together some of the world’s leading crypto influencers, policymakers, key government delegates, media, family offices, HNIs and other curated investors, among others, to foster the crypto and blockchain community across the globe.

6)  Dr Prashant Garg elected as member of Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis

•Dr Prashant Garg, executive chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute, has been elected as a ‘Member’ of the prestigious Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis (AOI). Dr Garg becomes the fifth from India to ever receive this honour. His tenure as a Member of Academia Ophthalmological Internationalis will formally commence next year during AOI’s next General Assembly meeting.

7)  Kaustubh Kulkarni elevated as JP Morgan India head

•JP Morgan has announced the appointment of its new Country Head of India, Kaustubh Kulkarni. Madhav Kalyan the current country head of India will be serving in the Asia Pacific Payments Division from 1st November 2022. Kaustubh Kulkarni is currently serving as the head of investment banking in JP Morgan India and also as the Vice-chair of Asia Pacific for the bank and also as the co-head of investment banking for Southeast Asia.

8)  ICAS Bharati Das named as the new Controller General of Accounts

•The governement of India has appointed Bharati Das, an officer of the Indian Civil Accounts Service of the 1988 batch, as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. She is the 27th Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.

9)  Former Infosys President Ravi Kumar joins Cognizant

•Former Infosys president Ravi Kumar S, who resigned from the Bengaluru-based IT company last week, is joining as president of Cognizant Americas. Kumar will take on the position from January 16, 2023, and will be reporting directly to Brian Humphries, chief executive officer (CEO) of Cognizant. Kumar succeeds Dharmendra Kumar Sinha who retired from Cognizant last year. At present, Sinha is the president of the public cloud business unit in Rackspace Technology. Surya Gummadi will continue to hold the post of interim president for Cognizant Americas till Kumar joins, after which he will move to lead Cognizant’s $5-billion health sciences business.

•In 2015, Kumar was one of the two presidents appointed by Infosys, and served in that position for almost seven years. He had been with Infosys for 20 years. Cognizant has also announced the appointment of former Bain executive Prasad Sankaran as head of the software and platform engineering (SPE) service line.

10)  IRS officer Sahil Seth launches his book ‘A confused mind story’

•Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Joint Commissioner GST, Custom & Narcotics and youth influencer, Sahil Seth launched his book titled ‘A confused Mind story’. The book was launched and the first look was Unveiled in the presence of Union Health Minister Sh Mansukh L Mandaviya.

•The book was published by Blue Rose publication house, one of the top fiction, nonfiction, and poetry book publishers in India. The book is based on the contrast between the spiritual and material world. The book depicts the answers behind the confusion of the common man in day¬to¬day life and explains the rationale behind the meaning of life and belief system.

1)  Global Handwashing Day 2022: Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene

•October 15 is marked as Global Handwashing Day, with the aim of increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives. Hand hygiene has become quite popular after the Covid-19 pandemic. And to make handwashing a habit, there is a day dedicated to it; global hand washing day. It is an initiative to unite universal hand hygiene habits of people across the world. This global advocacy day is celebrated on October 15 each year.

Global Handwashing Day 2022: Theme

•This year’s theme, “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene”, calls on all of society to work together to scale up hand hygiene.

2)  India to host 90th General Assembly of INTERPOL

•The 90th General Assembly of Interpol is going to be held in New Delhi from 18th October to 21st October 2022. The 90th General Assembly of Interpol will have the world’s largest police body with 195 members. The General Assembly is the International policing organization’s top governing body and meets once a year to take important decisions.

3)  Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched a new book Pandemic Disruptions and Odisha’s

•Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik released the book titled ‘Pandemic Disruptions and Odisha’s Lessons in Governance’ by Dr Amar Patnaik, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha this evening at Naveen Niwas. This book is a culmination of the various essays on pertinent contemporary issues that emerged in India during the pandemic years of 2020-21 and 2021-2022. Odisha Government’s handling of the covid crisis riding on its earlier experience in handling natural disasters has been applauded nationally as well as globally.

4)  India Lifted 415 Million out of Poverty in 15 Years: UN

•The number of people living below the poverty line in India decreased by 415 million between 2005-06 and 2019-21, according to a new Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) released  jointly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford.

6)  Ulf Kristersson Elected As Sweden’s new Prime Minister Backed By Far Right

•Sweden’s parliament elected Moderates leader Ulf Kristersson as the country’s new prime minister. A total of 176 members of the Riksdag voted in favor of Kristersson, while 173 members voted against him.

7)  Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Inaugurates India’s First Aluminum Freight Rake at Bhubaneswar Railway Station

•Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s first aluminium freight rake — 61 BOBRNALHSM1 — at Bhubaneshwar Railway Station. The rake’s destination is Bilaspur. As per reports, the aluminium freight rake wields the capacity to carry 180-ton more goods as against the traditional rake. Moreover, it is 180 tons lighter than the traditional steel rake.

8)  Justice DY Chandrachud named as 50th Chief Justice of India

•President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Dr Justice DY Chandrachud as the new Chief Justice of India. He will succeed the present Chief Justice of India Justice Uday Umesh Lalit. Justice Chandrachud’s appointment will come into effect from the 9th of next month. Justice DY Chandrachud would be the 50th Chief Justice of India. While Justice Lalit has a tenure of 74 days, Justice Chandrachud will serve as the CJI for two years. Justice Chandrachud will demit office on November 10, 2024.

9)  Home Minister Amit Shah Launches First Hindi Version of MBBS Course Books

•Home Minister Amit Shah launched the MBBS Course books in Hindi version at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. It is the first ever Hindi version of the MBBS course books in India. The book launch event was felicitated by the Bhopal state education minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang and Bhopal CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

1)  International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2022 observed on 17 October

•International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed every year on October 17 globally. It is a day to raise awareness about the global issue of poverty and how it is a violation of human rights and of human dignity. The day also honours the courage of people living in poverty and their everyday struggles. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty and the 30th anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, this year, the UN honors people living with poverty and their daily courage and raises awareness on why global cooperation is necessary to eradicate poverty.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2022: Theme

•This year’s theme for International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is “Dignity For All in Practice”. The dignity of the human being is not only a fundamental right in itself but constitutes the basis of all other fundamental rights. Therefore, “Dignity” is not an abstract concept: it belongs to each and every one. Today, many people living in persistent poverty experience their dignity being denied and disrespected.

2)  India to Host SCO National Coordinators Meet

•India is set to host the Shanghai Coordinators Organization national coordinator meeting in Delhi. The SCO National Coordinators meeting will take place from the 17th to the 18th of October 2022. New Delhi took over the presidency of the nine-member grouping earlier this year at the Samarkand SCO summit.

3)  Amit Shah inaugurates ‘Gatha Swaraj Ki’ gallery in Scindia Museum, Gwalior

•Union Home Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated a gallery-cum-exhibition depicting the history of prominent Maratha commanders at the sprawling Jai Vilas Mahal of Scindias, the erstwhile rulers of Gwalior. Shah was in Gwalior to lay the foundation for the terminal building and expansion of the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport.

•Shah visited the museum in the palace and inaugurated the ‘Gatha Swaraj ki-Maratha Gallery’ depicting the history of the main Maratha rulers including the Scindias, Gaikwads, Holkars, Nevalkars, Bhosales and the Pawar.

•As per the booklet about the gallery, the word “Swaraj” was first used by Sakharam Ganesh Deoskar in a Bangla book- “Shivajir Mahatva” on the life of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1902. The word “Swaraj” was used by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Veer Savarkar, the Bhartiya Jan Sangh and Indian National Congress among others. Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the royal descendant, his wife Priyadarshini Raje and their son Mahanaryaman welcomed Shah in the palace.

4)  Telangana’s Hyderabad honoured with AIPH ‘World Green City award 2022’

•The city of Hyderabad, Telangana, has been honoured as the Grand winner of the AIPH (International Association of Horticultural Producers) World Green City Awards 2022, the most prestigious award of the Inaugural AIPH World Green City awards (2022 edition), for its initiative titled “Green Garland to the State of Telangana”. Hyderabad also won the award under the ‘Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth’ category.

5)  India Stands 3rd in the World in Terms of Fish Production

•Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying  Dr. L Murugan has recently said that India stands third in the world in terms of fish production. India is the 3rd largest fish producing and 2nd largest aquaculture nation in the world after China.

6)  Tamil Nadu is the only State to achieve Jal Jeevan Mission target for 2022

•Tamil Nadu has emerged as the only state in India which has achieved the target for 2022 Q1 and Q2 for Jal Jeevan Mission, with 69.57 lakh households provided with tap connections. Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited Chennai and reviewed the progress of the work on the Jal Jeevan Mission for assured portable Tap water supply to every rural household by 2024.

7)  EAM S Jaishankar Visits Egypt on 2-day Official Arrival

•External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has reached Cairo in Egypt on his two-day official visit. On the first day of his visit, he met with eminent personalities in the field of foreign policy. During his visit, Dr Jaishankar have discuss a range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

8)  Piyush Goyal: India to achieve USD 2 trillion export target by 2030

•Piyush Goyal Predicts the Growth of Economy and Exports: Piyush Goyal, the minister of commerce and industry, expressed confidence that the nation will reach its goal of 2 trillion USD in products and services exported by 2030. The Union Commerce and Industry minister was addressing at the Chennai-based Exporters Conclave.

9)  NATO announced its annual nuclear exercise “Steadfast Noon”

•The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance announced had started its annual nuclear exercise code-named “Steadfast Noon”. The week-long exercise is taking place over Southern Europe and involves aircraft and personnel from 14 NATO countries. Steadfast Noon involves training flights with dual-capable fighter jets, as well as conventional jets, backed by surveillance and refuelling aircraft. No live weapons are used. This exercise helps to ensure that NATO’s nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective.

•Notably: Steadfast Noon, as the exercise is known, runs from October 17 to October 30 and will involve 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft of various types, including fourth and fifth-generation fighter jets, as well as surveillance and tanker aircraft.

•Of the 14 nations involved, Dutch F-16s and German Tornadoes are operating out of Ghedi AB alongside Italian Tornados, while U.S. and Belgian F-16s and possibly Czech Gripen are operating out of Aviano AB.

10)  Goa to host 9th World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo

•The 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) and Arogya Expo, will be held in Panaji, Goa from 8th to 11th December 2022. The 9th World Ayurveda Congress aims to transformationally push Ayurveda to bring it into global focus. The 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) is going to be hosted in Goa and it aims to create an accessible and affordable healthcare system that is in harmony with modern medical practices.

11)  Japan to Scrap Remarriage Restrictions on Pregnant Women

•Japanese cabinet ministers on Oct 14 approved the scrapping of a law that stipulates women pregnant at the time of a divorce must wait 100 days before marrying again. The law, in place for more than a century, does not apply to men and was originally intended as a way to aid the identification of the father who is financially responsible for a newborn baby.

12)  India’s WPI inflation falls to 10.7% in Sep from 12.41% in Aug

•India’s WPI inflation falls to 10.7% in Sep: Inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index(WPI) decreased to 10.70% in September. According to official figures, the WPI-based inflation rate was 12.41% in August. High-speed diesel (HSD) saw the highest inflation rate at 65.96%. (YoY). It was followed by price increases of 44.72 percent for crude oil and natural gas and 49.79 percent for potatoes.

13)  Haryana topped the Public Affairs Index 2022 in big states

•Haryana has bagged the top position in the category of big states in the Public Affairs Index-2022. The state has emerged at the forefront in social, economic and political justice themes. It has topped among the major states with a score of 0.6948, followed by Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Karnataka among many other states.

•In PAI-2022, Sikkim has retained its position as the best-governed small state in India. The index, prepared by a Bengaluru-based non-profit think tank Public Affairs Centre (PAC), was released. In the report, economic justice was measured on indicators such as labour productivity, assurance of standard of living to wage workers, public expenditure on development, coverage of social safety net, and employment opportunities.

14)  Bob Dylan’s latest book, “The Philosophy of Modern Song,” released soon

•A new book titled “The Philosophy of Modern Song” authored by Bob Dylan, Nobel laureate and published by Simon & Schuster will be launched in November 2022. The Philosophy of Modern Song contains the artistic journey and achievements of Bob Dylan.

•The collection of essays is Bob Dylan’s first book of new writing since 2004, when he released ‘Chronicles, Volume One and since winning the Nobel prize for literature in 2016. Bob Dylan released thirty¬nine studio albums. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature and was also awarded the French Legion of Honor, a Pulitzer Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom etc. The most prominent books of Bob Dylan are ‘’The Lyrics 1961¬2012’’, ‘’Tarantula (1971)’’, ‘’Younger Than That Now’’ etc.

15)  ICC tie-up with UNICEF to promote gender equality

•The International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF have launched a global partnership to empower women and girls and promote inclusion and gender equality through cricket. The initiatives to drive greater gender equity along with advocacy campaigns involving some of the world`s best players will form the basis of the partnership, which aims to mobilise the “power of cricket to driving positive social change”.

1)  World Student’s Day 2022 celebrates on15 October

•October 15 is celebrated as World Students’ Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, a celebrated Aerospace scientist and former President of India. The day is marked to acknowledge his efforts toward students and education. Dr Kalam was born on October 15, 1931. He served as an inspiration to many students to achieve and do something remarkable. After his tenure as the President came to an end, he became a visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Shillong, IIM-Indore and IIM- Ahmedabad.

2)  International Day of Rural Women 2022 observed on 15 October

•October 15 is celebrated as the International Day of Rural women across the world. The day focuses to promote gender quality and highlight the important role played by women in rural areas. The International Day of Rural Women is a time to celebrate the important role that rural women play in society. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by rural women and to call for action to address these issues. We hope that this day will help empower rural women and give them the recognition they deserve.

International Day of Rural Women 2022: Theme

•The theme for the International Day of Rural Women (15 October), “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”, highlights the essential role that rural women and girls play in the food systems of the world. The contribution of women’s labour in agricultural and other related fields is the backbone of the economies of several countries. As per a UN report, approximately 40 per cent of the total agricultural labour force in developing countries comprises women. For Asian and African countries this figure rises to nearly half.

3)  PM Modi to Dedicate 75 Digital Banking Units to the Nation

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dedicate 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) to the nation on 16th October. He will address the occasion via video conferencing. The Finance Minister has announced the setting up of the 75 DBUs in 75 districts of the country to commemorate the 75 years of Independence of India as part of the Union budget speech for 2022-2023.

4)  India Opposes G7’s Just Energy Transition Plan

•The G7 nations’ plan of persuading India to start negotiations on a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), an initiative of the rich nations to accelerate phasing out of coal and reducing emissions has hit a road-block. JETP makes various funding options available for this purpose in identified developing countries. The Power Ministry has refused to give its consent to the negotiations so far, as it argues that coal cannot be singled out as a polluting fuel, and energy transition talks need to take place on equal terms.

5)  Cabinet approved PM-DevINE scheme for development of Northeast states

•Prime Minister’s development initiative for North East region (PM-DevINE), was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM-DevINE is a Rs 6,600 crore scheme to support infrastructure, industries, and other Livelihood projects in northeastern states of India.

6)  17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be held at Indore in January 2023

•The 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention is to be held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh in January 2023. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar launched the website of the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan.

7)  Abdul Latif Rashid elected as President of Iraq

•The Iraqi Parliament chose Kurdish politician, Abdul Latif Rashid to lead the country. Rashid won more than 160 votes against 99 for the incumbent Saleh. Rashid, 78, is a British-educated engineer and was the Iraqi minister of water resources from 2003-2010. Outgoing President Saleh reportedly walked out of the parliament building as the votes were tallied.

8)  Global Hunger Index 2022: India ranks 107th out of 121 countries

•India ranks 107 out of 121 countries on the Global Hunger Index in which it fares worse than all countries in South Asia barring war-torn Afghanistan. India’s score of 29.1 places it in the ‘serious’ category. India also ranks below Sri Lanka (64), Nepal (81), Bangladesh (84), and Pakistan (99). Afghanistan (109) is the only country in South Asia that performs worse than India on the index.

•China is among the countries collectively ranked between 1 and 17 having a score of less than five. India’s child wasting rate (low weight for height), at 19.3%, is worse than the levels recorded in 2014 (15.1%) and even 2000 (17.15%), and is the highest for any country in the world and drives up the region’s average owing to India’s large population.

9)  Living Planet Report 2022: Wildlife Populations decline by 69% in 50 years

•There has been a 69 per cent decline in the wildlife populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish, across the globe in the last 50 years, according to the latest Living Planet Report by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).