The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed on October 27, every year.
The world, particularly the younger generation, is going digital in every significant aspect of life. Thus, this is significant as it reminds that even though we are moving forward, it is important to carry heritage so that it does not get lost. It encourages the preservation of work of professionals against the range of political, technical, social, financial, and other factors that threatens the safeguards of audio-visual heritage.
The Audio-visual Heritage Day 2021 was observed under the theme “Your Window to the World”. The theme highlights that, audio-visual sources provide a window in the form of documentary heritage objects, to the world.
This day was adopted by the 21st General Conference of the recommendations, in the year 1980, in a bid to safeguard and preserve the moving images. The day was declared by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural organization) on October 27, 2005.
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) and HDFC bank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for offering home loans to about 4.7 crore customers of the payments bank.
This tie-up will facilitate financial inclusion. Financial inclusion can only be achieved by enabling access to credit to a significant chunk of customers who do not have access to a bank or a financial institution to provide housing loans in their vicinity.
The partnership between HDFC & IPPB aims to make housing loans available and accessible, by means of a digitally enabled agent banking channel.
IPPB is specialised division of Indian Post working under the jurisdiction of Department of Post of Ministry of Communications. It was opened in 2018.
The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $4.5 million project readiness financing (PRF) loan on October 26, 2021.
Under PRF, a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) will be developed for Aizawl. The plan outlines the urban transport development strategy. It also helps in building synergies with urban development planning initiatives. The plan further promotes climate & disaster resilience as well as gender inclusiveness in its interventions.
Aizawl is the centre of administrative and service industry of Mizoram. But Urban mobility in Aizawl is severely constrained because of rapid and unplanned urbanization. This led to traffic congestion on narrow road widths. It impacts road safety, movement efficiency of people & goods as well as environmental sustainability. Thus, this project is significant as it seeks to resolve the transport problems in city by adopting sustainable urban mobility solutions.
The PRF loan will help in conducting feasibility studies to prioritize projects that are identified in the CMP. It will prepare detailed project reports and detailed design for the project.
On October 26, 2021, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau reshuffled his cabinet. He has appointed Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand as new Defence Minister of Canada.
As per Defence industry experts, Anita Anand is a strong contender for this position. This move will send a strong signal to the survivors and victims of military sexual misconduct. On this issue, government is serious about imposing critical reforms. She also holds a strong background as a corporate lawyer. She has served extensively on corporate governance in line with the rules and laws of managing operations of businesses.
Anita Anand was declared winner in Oakville, with 46 per cent vote share. She was first elected as a rookie Member of Parliament in 2019, to represent Oakville in Ontario province. She also worked as procurement minister during the Covid-19 pandemic. Later, she was given charge of securing Covid-19 vaccines for Canada. and was often on the campaign trail with Trudeau. She played a very public
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), additional clarifications from manufacturer are required to conduct final Emergency Use Listing (EUL) risk-benefit assessment for using Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin globally.
TAG-EUL is an independent advisory group. It provides recommendations on whether Covid 19 vaccine can be listed for emergency use or not under the EUL procedure. It submits report to WHO.
Covaxin is the first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine of India. It is developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in association with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The vaccine is 77.8 per cent effective against symptomatic covid-19 while 65.2 per cent against Delta variant. It is an inactivated virus-based covid-19 vaccine
Covaxin uses a traditional technology, like inactivated polio vaccine. In initial phase, sample of SARS-CoV-2 was isolated by National Institute of Virology, India. Sample was used to grow large quantities of the virus through vero cells. Later, viruses were soaked in beta-propiolactone to deactivate them by getting attached to their genes. Lastly, inactivated viruses are mixed with aluminium-based adjuvant Alhydroxiquim-II.
So far, WHO has approved Covid-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson-Janssen, AstraZeneca-SK Bio/Serum Institute of India, Sinopharm and Moderna for emergency use.
Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa initiative was launched by “YouWeCan Foundation” in Goa.
The Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa initiative is funded by “Indian Institute of Banking & Finance” as well as SBI Foundation.
Under the initiative, free treatment will be provided for all the positive cases. For treating them, government of Goa will also extend its support.
Breast cancer screening will be conducted across 35 Health Centres in Goa. For this purpose, 20 iBreast devices will be deployed. 10 will be deployed in North Goa while 10 in South Goa.
iBreast Exam will be used to screen under the initiative. It is a non-invasive, fully wireless, hand-held, mHealth point-of-care solution to detect breast lesion. iBE has shown high sensitivity and specificity for detecting non-palpable lesions at initial stage.
It is an Indian non-profit organization, established in 2012 by Yuvraj Singh. It is dedicated to fight cancer. It focuses on four key areas namely awareness on cancer, its screening, treatment support, and empowerment of survivor.
On October 26, 2021, India and Kyrgyzstan held their first strategic dialogue in New Delhi.
India shares close relations with Central Asia, especially with the countries that were part of ancient Silk Route, including Kyrgyzstan. Both had limited political, economic, and cultural ties. In the year 1985, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Bishkek and Issyk Kul Lake. India established diplomatic relations with Kyrgyzstan in 1992 after the independence of Kyrgyzstan on August 31, 1991. India set up resident Mission in 1994.
India’s political relations with Kyrgyz Republic is traditionally warm and friendly. Leaderships of Kyrgyz have been supportive of India’s stand on Kashmir. They have also welcomed the ongoing peace process. It also supported India’s bid for permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council as well as full membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Both countries share common concerns like threat of terrorism, drug-trafficking, and extremism. They have also signed several framework agreements like on Culture, Trade & Economic Cooperation, Investment Promotion & Protection, Civil Aviation, Avoidance of Double Taxation, etc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually attend the 16th East Asia Summit on October 27, 2021.
The East Asia Summit is an important platform to further the practical cooperation in Indo-Pacific by building the convergence between Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI) and ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is observing the “Vigilance Awareness Week 2021” from October 26 to November 1, 2021.
The awareness campaign is being observed to mark the respect to Sardar Vallabhai Patel on his birth anniversary on October 31.
The week is being observed with the aim of raising the concern of growing threat of corruption and its consequences.
The week is significant because, vigilance and awareness are the growing need of developing nations that are focusing on societal upgradation and undergoing transformation.
The CVC is observing this week with a theme of “self-reliance and integrity”. It revolves around the idea of making each citizen self-reliant. It seeks to protect the integrity of nation by raising awareness about its anti- corruption rules and regulation among all the stakeholders which in turn lead to a progressive change in the society.
As a citizen, it becomes our responsibility to adhere to this theme and preserve integrity of our nation by highlighting & reporting the malpractices within our system. We must report such practices to the central vigilance commission via email because it lodges complaints against central government employees as well as keeps identity of the person secret under Public Interest Disclosure & Protection of Informer Resolution.
CVC is an apex Indian governmental body, that was established in 1964 for addressing the governmental corruption. It was given statutory status in 2003, by an act of Parliament. It is an autonomous body and free of control from any executive authority.
As a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of Independence, Union Minister of Culture & Tourism G. K. Reddy launched “Amrit Mahotsav Podcast”.
Zara Yaad Karo Qurbani is the first series of the newly launched podcast. It went live with an episode based on Indian National Army (or Azad Hind Fauj). In the series, new episodes will be added on weekly basis. The series is only befitting to salute these heroes by remembering their stories of courage and valour.
Zara Yaad Karo Qurbani series hopes to fulfil the purpose of sensitizing the audience for challenges and struggles faced by those who fought for India’s Independence. It also seeks to instil nationalistic pride and serve as an inspiration for those who are listening.
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav was launched 75 weeks before August 15, 2022. It will continue till August 15, 2023. While launching the event, Prime Minister had reiterated five pillars as guiding forces to move forward namely, Freedom Struggle, Achievements at 75, Ideas at 75, Actions at 75 and resolves at 75.
At the two-day G-20 Summit, starting from October 30 in Italy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to direct a united global approach to deal with the situation in Afghanistan and combating challenges of climate change & covid-19 pandemic.
Rome summit has been centred around the theme “People, Planet, Prosperity”. It focuses on areas of recovery from covid-19 pandemic and strengthening the health governance across the world.