NATIONAL NEWS

National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme

• The Union Ministry of Tourism in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) organised the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme in New Delhi on 19 October 2022.

• The total number of domestic tourists in 2021 was 677.63 million as compared to 610.22 million in 2020, an increase of 11.05 percent.

• Tamilnadu received the maximum number of domestic tourists (140.65 million) followed by Uttar Pradesh (86.12 million).

• India received maximum foreign tourists from the United States of America followed by Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Canada and Nepal.

Gujarat Government’s Mission Schools of Excellence

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched Mission Schools of Excellence at Trimandir, Adalaj, Gujarat on 19 October 2022.

• The Mission will help strengthen education infrastructure in Gujarat by setting up new classrooms, smart classrooms, computer labs and overall upgradation of the infrastructure of schools in the State.

• It is a five-year Gujarat government project that aims to improve the quality of education in the state.

• The project is funded by World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

• The total budget for the mission is Rs 10,000 crore. World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide a loan of Rs 7,500 crore for the Gujarat government's Mission School of Excellence project.

World Spice Congress

• The 14th World Spice Congress (WSC) was organised by Spices Board India in association with various trade and export farmers.
• It will be held from 16 February to 18 February 2023 at CIDCO Exhibition and Convention Centre, Navi Mumbai Maharashtra.
• 14th World Spice Congress Theme - ‘Vision 2030: SPICES’ (Sustainability– Productivity – Innovation – Collaboration- Excellence and Safety).
• The event will discuss on aspects such as production, processing, value addition, quality and safety, trade and supply chain management of spices in the new normalcy.
• The Spice Board is organising the World Spice Congress as G20 during India's G20 Presidency for the period from December 2022 to November 2023, with a greater focus on further strengthening India's trade ties with the G20 countries.

‘Kutti Kavalar’ Scheme for School Students

• Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister (CM) Shri MK Stalin launched the “Kutti Kavalar” scheme for school students to make them more responsible when it comes to road safety.

• The scheme is jointly implemented by the State government and ‘Uyir’, an NGO based out of Coimbatore.

• Under the scheme, school students will be educated through a well-defined curriculum on road safety to make ambassadors of road safety.

• Under the scheme, students of government, government-aided, and CBSE schools in the Coimbatore district studying in Classes 3 to 8 will be given training on road safety.
• Similarly, for teachers, Stalin launched ‘Kanavu Asiriyar’ in which the works of teachers, their experience and special essays will be published.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

World Hindi Conference 2023

• Fiji will host the prestigious World Hindi Conference for the first time in 2023 to make the country a new launching pad to popularise Hindi as a global language.

• The decision to host the World Hindi Conference in Fiji was jointly taken by the Indian and the Fijian government.

• The three-day conference would be held in the Fijian city of Nadi.
• It is envisaged to promote Hindi globally, would see the participation of over 1,000 experts in the Indian language, including scholars, writers and laureates.
• Indian High Commissioner to the South Pacific nation P S Kartigeyan.

BANKING

Dhan Varsha Life Insurance Plan

• The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) introduced Dhan Varsha, a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings, single premium life insurance plan offering a combination of protection and savings.

• This plan provides financial support for the family in case of unfortunate death of the life assured during the policy term.

• It also provides a guaranteed lumpsum amount on the date of maturity for the surviving life assured.

• This is a close-ended plan and would be available for sale till 31 March 2023.

SPORTS

First Indian Wrestler to Win a Greco Roman Medal

• Sajan Bhanwala won the first medal for India at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships 2022 being held in Pontevedra, Spain from 17 -23 October 2022.

• Sajan Bhanwala won the bronze medal in the Greco Roman 77kg category by defeating Ukraine’s Dmytro Vasetskyi.
• It is for the first time that India has won a medal in the Greco Roman event at the U23 Wrestling World Championship.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2022 Survey Report

• Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, and Textiles recently launched Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2022 survey report.
• The LEADS is an indigenous data-driven index to assess logistics infrastructure, services and human resources across all 36 States and UTs.
• The index is an indicator of the efficiency of logistical services necessary for promoting exports and economic growth.
• Three performance categories namely,
• Achievers: States/UTs achieving 90% or more percentage,
• Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Gujarat are among the 15 States and UTs categorized as achievers.
• Fast Movers: States/UTs achieving percentage scores between 80% to 90%,
• Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Sikkim and Tripura are the other States categorized as fast movers.
• Aspirers: States/UTs achieving percentage scores below 80% have been made.
• The 15 States and UTs ranked in the aspirers category include Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.
• The LEADS 2022 survey report would assist PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) and National Logistics Policy (NLP).
• The first logistics report was released in 2018.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Ballon d’Or 2022 Award

• Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema won the men’s Ballon d’Or 2022 award in Paris, France.
• It was Karim’s maiden Ballon d’Or award.
• Barcelona Alexia Putellas bagged the Women’s Ballon d’Or 2022 award.’
• It was her second successive Ballon d’Or award.
• The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by the French News Magazine France Football since 1956.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

CMD of India Trade Promotion Organization

• Former Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO).
• Kharola, a 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Karnataka cadre, retired as the Civil Aviation secretary in September 2021.
• He took over as the chairman of the National Recruitment Agency (NRA) in March 2022.
• ITPO is the nodal agency of the Government of India for promoting the country’s external trade.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Bob Dylon Authored a New Book

• A new book titled ‘The Philosophy of Modern Song,’ was authored by Nobel winner Bob Dylan.
• The book was published by Simon and Schuster will be released in November 2022.
• Bob Dylan’s artistic journey and successes are documented in The Philosophy of Modern Song.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Osteoporosis Day

• World osteoporosis day 2022 is observed every year on 20 October.
• The theme for the year 2022 is ‘Step Up for Bone Health’.
• World Osteoporosis Day was launched on 20 October 1996, by the United Kingdom’s National Osteoporosis Society and supported by the European Commission.
• Since 1997, this awareness day has been organized by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF).
• In 1998, two prominent organizations committed to educating the public about osteoporosis, combined to create the International Osteoporosis Foundation.