National:
- Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for country’s first Multi-modal Logistic Park at Jogighopa in Assam on 20th October 2020.
The Rs 693.97 crore Park will provide direct connectivity to air, road, rail and waterways to the people. It will be developed under the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana of the Government of India. - The All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers (Base: 1986-87=100) for the month of September, 2020 increased by 11 points and 10 points to stand at 1037 and 1043 points respectively.
In case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 23 points in 20 States. Tamil Nadu State with 1234 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh State with 816 points stood at the bottom.
In case of Rural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 2 to 20 points in 20 States. Tamil Nadu State with 1218 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh State with 863 points stood at the bottom. - The 6th edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2020 will be held from 22nd to 25th December, 2020. The fifth IISF was held in Kolkata & this year it will be held in Virtual format.
IISF is an annual event organised jointly by science & technology-related Ministries and Departments of the Government of India and Vijnana Bharati (Vibha). - On 20th October 2020, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences, launched a website ‘CuRED’ (CSIR Ushered Repurposed Drugs).
The website provides information about the drugs, diagnostics and devices including the current stage of the trials, partnering institutions and their role in the trials and other details. The site can be accessed at https://www.iiim.res.in/cured/
International:
- 5th Joint Working Group (JWG) on Coal between India and Indonesia scheduled to be held on 5th November 2020 through Video conference from New Delhi. India will be the host for Joint Working Group meeting.
Meeting will be co-chaired by:
From the Indian side – Shri Vinod Kumar Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GOI
From the Indonesian side – Dr Ir. Ridwan Djamaluddin of Director General, Mineral and Coal Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia
One Day Joint Working Group meeting will deliberate on the Indian Coal Policy Reforms – recent updates; Coking Coal Exploration and Commercial Coal Mining in India; Research and Development of CCT in India and Potential of Indonesia – India Business Cooperation on Coal Post Covid-19.
Business & technology:
- Facebook Inc’s public policy director for India, South and Central Asia, ‘Ankhi Das‘ resigned from the company.
- On 27th October 2020, US-based motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson partnered with the country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp to sell and service its products in India.
As part of a licensing agreement, Hero MotoCorp will develop and sell a range of premium motorcycles under the Harley-Davidson brand name. - Cognizant named ‘Rajesh Nambiar’ as the Chairman and Managing Director of its India operations. He will also serve as a member of its Executive Committee effective November 9, 2020.
Death:
- Author & Editor ‘Daniel Menaker’ died due to pancreatic cancer on 26th October 2020. He was 79. He was an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction and a longtime editor at The New Yorker and Random House who worked with Alice Munro, Salman Rushdie, Colum McCann and many others.