1. Indian Army builds a memorial in Galwan Valley

The Indian Army has built a memorial to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley clash with China.

Indian and Chinese soldiers had clashed in this part of north-eastern Ladakh on 15 June 2020.

According to the Indian Army, 20 Indian soldiers had lost their lives in the clashes in the Galwan Valley.

2. Apurva Chandra is new labour secretary

Apurva Chandra is the new labour secretary of the union government.

A 1988 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Maharashtra cadre, Chandra replaces Heeralal Samariya as the new labour secretary, following latter’s retirement.

Before joining as the new labour secretary, Chandra was serving as Special Director General, Defence Acquisition, in the Ministry of Defence.

3. Reliance develops RT-PCR kit

Reliance Life Sciences has developed an RT-PCR kit that promises diagnosis of COVID-19 infection in about 2 hours.

At present, COVID-19 RT-PCR test, which is a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test for detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, takes up to 24 hours to give a diagnosis.

The kit, developed Reliance Life Sciences, is named R-Green Kit.

4. IndiGo appoints Gregg Saretsky as director

InterGlobe Aviation Limited has appointed former CEO of Canadian airline WestJet Gregg Albert Saretsky as additional director in the company.

Saretsky, who has been inducted on the board of directors of the company on 1 October 2020, is the nominee of promoter Rahul Bhatia-led InterGlobe Enterprise Group (IGE Group). He is presently associated with Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corp.

5. Walmart sells UK supermarket Asda for $ 8.7 bn

Walmart has agreed to sell its British supermarket chain Asda to two UK firms for £6.8 billion ($8.7 billion, 7.4 billion euros).

While the UK groups are acquiring a majority stake in Asda, Walmart will retain investment and have a seat on the new board.

The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to complete in the first half of 2021.

6. Burj Khalifa illuminates in honour of Gandhi

On Mahatma Gandhi’s 151st birth anniversary, Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, illuminated the global icon’s image along with his message for world peace.

The tallest building in the world was seen lit up with Gandhi’s message: “Peace between countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals.”

Born in 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, Mahatma Gandhi adopted a non-violent resistance.

7. Tesla plans India entry in 2021

Tesla Inc. co-founder and chief executive Elon Musk said that the California-based electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy company will enter the Indian market in 2021.

Tesla is in talks with the Karnataka government to build an R&D centre in Bengaluru.

Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. It specializes in making electric cars.

8. Give India survey concludes

A survey conducted by Giveindia has concluded

This comes just in time for Daan Utsav, among the country’s largest giving festivals.

Giveindia undertook this study to understand if there has been a shift in donor psyche, targeting individuals in metros and smaller towns.

DaanUstav began on October 2 and ends on November 20, 2020, after Diwali.

9. SS Kalpana Chawla cargo spacecraft lifted off

A commercial cargo spacecraft bound for the International Space Station (ISS) was launched on 2 October 2020. It carried the name of deceased NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman to enter space, known for her key contributions to human spaceflight.

The S.S. Kalpana Chawla was launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.

10. Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal launches a portal

To lend convenience to the pensioners to dispose of their pension related claims, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has launched a portal “Kritagyata!

It is an online pension submission and tracking system.

With the help of the portal, the retired government employee, besides submitting pension-related papers online will get the opportunity to check the status of his pension.

11. Pathashree Abhiyan scheme launched in Bengal

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on 1 Oct
2020 announced a road repair scheme titled ‘Pathashree Abhiyan!

Under this, more than 7,000 stretches of roads comprising 12,000 km across the state will be repaired in a mission mode in a time-bound manner.

The state government has already allocated Rs 500 crore for the scheme and the repairing work would be finished by January 2021.

12. Intensified tree planting exercise begins

Wild Life Week was celebrated all over the world on 2 Oct 2020.

An intensified tree planting exercise began in various parts of the Western Ghats bordering Tamil Nadu on 2 October 2020.

As part of the exercise, various kinds of dioecious trees were planted in the Cheekoor forest range areas.

The exercise was an attempt to protect the fast dwindling vulture population in the Western Ghats.

13. Sabarmati Central Jail launches ‘Radio Prison’

Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad has launched ‘Radio Prison’ today on the occasion of the 151st Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation.

The Radio Prison will offer educational, legal
and health-related details to prisoners within the jail premises

Radio Prison is a unique initiative of Sabarmati Central Jail, which was inaugurated by Addition DGP (Prison) K.L.N. Rao.

14. KVIC rolls out multiple activities

Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC rolled out multiple employment generation activities in J&K to celebrate the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Under Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena distributed electric potter wheels to 100 potter families in Baramulla.

He also launched the training of artisans in willow work, a popular local art.

15. Export Bazaar exhibition inaugurated

On 2 Oct 2020, an exhibition of local handicraft products of Uttar Pradesh called Export Bazaar was inaugurated by the State Minister of MSME, Siddharth Nath Singh.

Tools were distributed to potters for making Lakshmi Ganesh idols for the upcoming Diwali festival.

The Export Bazar exhibition is organised by Export promotion bureau and UP export promotion council.

16. World Temperance Day: 3 October

World Temperance Day is observed on 3rd October every year.

The Temperance Movement was an organized effort during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to limit or outlaw the consumption and production of alcoholic beverages in the United States.

It is in response to the social evils caused by alcoholism.

17. CRPF Divyang Yodha Cycle rally

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju flagged in CRPF Divyang Yodha Cycle rally that began its journey from Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat and culminated at Rajpath on 2 Oct 2020.

The cycle rally covered about 1000 km to reach Delhi in the last 16 days.

The rally team consisted of six women of CRPF Mahila Battalions.

18. 2nd edition of ‘Bongosagar’ began on Oct 3

The 2nd edition of Indian and Bangladesh Navy Bilateral Exercise ‘Bongosagar’ commenced in Northern Bay of Bengal on 3 October 2020.

This Exercise is aimed at developing interoperability and joint operational skills.

This exercise will be followed by the 3rd edition of Indian and Bangladesh Navy Coordinated Patrol in Northern Bay of Bengal from 4th to 5th October 2020.

19. Indian Railways rolls out electric locomotives

Indian Railways’ Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) rolled the first batch of aerodynamically designed WAP5 passenger electric locomotives which have the capacity to “run at 160 kmph”.

These locomotives are environment friendly and require less maintenance.

These locomotives can be utilized to haul Indian Railways’ premium express passenger trains.
Toilet on wheels in Hyderabad

Under the Swachh Hyderabad initiative, Kukatpally zone of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation launched the first of its three mobile toilets at Suchitra Junction,

Equipped with three toilets each for men and women, the ‘Toilets on Wheels also has a commercial stall which will be leased out for generating revenue and meet the operational costs of the toilets on wheels.

20. India crosses 1 lakh COVID-19 deaths

On 2nd October 2020, India became the third country in the world to cross 1 lakh deaths due to COVID-19.

India is still far behind the US and Brazil in terms of total COVID-19 related fatalities, as they account for 2,07,808 and 1,44,680 deaths, respectively.

India’s share in global deaths increased from 7.6% on September 1 to 9.6% on 2nd October.

21. Swachh Bharat Awards 2020

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat gave Swachh Bharat Awards – 2020 to States, Districts, Blocks and Village Panchayats.

The awards were given under the drinking water and cleanliness categories.

Under the Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shouchalaya category, Gujarat bagged first position at state level whereas Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu got the Award for cleanliness at District Level.

Khachrod block in Ujjain district in Madhya Pradesh and Chinnanur Village in Tamil Nadu bagged the top slot at Gram Panchayat level.

Under the Samudayik Shauchalaya Abhiyan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh were awarded best performing states whereas Prayagraj and Bareilly were the best performing districts.

In Gandagi Mukth Bharat Mission, Haryana and Telangana came first.

22. Over 99% of cities become Open Defecation Free

Government said that more than 99 per cent of the cities across the country have become Open Defecation Free.

Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry celebrated six glorious years of Swachh Bharat Mission – urban and organised a webinar on ‘Swachhata ke 6 saal, Bemisaal.

Now up to 67 per cent of solid waste is being processed, and more than 77 per cent wards are practising source segregation.

23. Navy Helicopters to perform aerial Seeding

The Indian Navy is partnering with Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) in undertaking Aerial Seeding at Visakhapatnam.

The initiative of GVMC is aimed to enhance the green cover in and around Visakhapatnam.

It was flagged off at INS Dega in Visakhapatnam.

Two UH3H helicopters with 2 tons of seed balls undertook the aerial seeding.

24. Kerala receives India Today Healthgiri award

Kerala received India Today award for the best state combating COVID-19.

The ‘India Today Healthgiri’ award was announced and given by Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

The award was given considering the accuracy in granting and spending funds, the vigilance in bringing down the fatality rate, good healthcare, and the work of the state government.