Union Government flagged off the “Science Express Climate Action Special” train from Delhi as part of its initiative to sensitize the masses, especially children and the youth, about the issue of climate change, in the run-up to the global climate summit in Paris slated for December.
- The train exhibits on the 16-coach air-conditioned train would cover specific topics like adaptation, mitigation, India’s action on mitigation, international climate change negotiations, nature conservation, innovations in India, science lab, biotechnology applications and others.
- The train will run till 7 May 2016 and during the course of these eight months, it would stop at 64 locations across India, covering over 19,500 kilometres.
- Some of these locations are Patiala, Jaisalmer, Agra, Ambala, New Jalpaiguri, Vishakhapatnam, Vellore, Rameswaram, Mangalore and Gandhinagar.
Financial Inclusion Fund formed with Rs 2000 crore rupees corpus.
- The fund was formed by merging the Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF) and Financial Inclusion Technology Fund (FITF).
- RBI also finalised the new scope of activities and guidelines for utilisation of the new FIF in consultation with the Union Government.
- The new FIF will be administered by the reconstituted Advisory Board constituted by Union Government and will be maintained by NABARD.
President Pranab Mukherjee Concluded his 3 nation tour to Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
- His 6 day visit took place from October 10th to October 15th.
- President Pranab Mukherjee signed various agreement and MoUs with three nations to boost the bilateral ties.
- During his visit, he also met the leaders of the three nations namely President and Prime Minister of Israel Reuven Rivlin and Benjamin Netanyahu respectively.
- His Majesty King Abdullah-II Ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, President and Prime Minister of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas and Rami Hamdallah respectively.
- During this tour, he stayed in Jordan (10 to 12 October 2015), Palestine (12 to 13 October 2015) and Israel (13 to 15 October 2015).
- Mukherjee’s visit to these three countries was the first ever visit by an Indian President.
Supreme Court allows use of Aadhar Card for all Central and State Welfare schemes on voluntary basis.
- Supreme Court on 15 October 2015 allowed the use of Aadhaar cards for all central and state schemes, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and employee provident fund and pension schemes, on voluntary basis.
- After the concession, the citizens can avail benefits under welfare schemes.
- Also, the absence of an Aadhaar card will not disallow people from benefiting from these schemes.
- The government cannot force citizens to enrol for the card.
- Government cannot make it a criterion for benefits under various schemes.
Central Victim Compensation Fund set up with Rs 200 crore rupees by Union Government.
- Union Ministry of Home Affairs on 14 October 2015 introduced a scheme called Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) with an initial amount of 200 crore rupees.
- The scheme aims at enabling support to victims of various attacks, such as rape, acid attacks, human trafficking and women killed or injured in the cross border firing.
- The victims will be compensated on the grounds of various injuries, loss and death with respect to acid attack, rape, human trafficking, disabilities and burns affected on them.
Rameswaram, birthplace of Dr. Abdul Kalam included as 498th town under AMRUT.
- Union Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu on 15 October 2015 declared that former President Dr. Abdul Kalam’s birth place Rameswaram has been included in Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for providing basic urban infrastructure.
- The announcement was made on the occasion of 84th birth anniversary of Dr. Kalam at a programme organised at DRDO. Rameswaram is the 498th to be included in the Mission.
Zaheer Khan announced retirement from International Cricket.
- He will continue to play in IPL for one more season.
- Zaheer, with 311 wickets, is the fourth highest Indian wicket-taker in Tests behind Anil Kumble (619), Kapil Dev (434) and Harbhajan Singh (417).
- He was also the third highest wicket-taker in international cricket among left-arm pacers.
- He was one of the key members of the 2011 ODI World Cup winning team, leading the pace attack with 21 wickets in just 9 games.
- In 2011 he was conferred with the Arjuna Award, India’s second highest sporting award by the President of India.
- In 2008, he was also selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.
