Kerala → became the first state in India to be Digital in Public Education

• Kerala has become the first state in India to make the public education sector completely digital.
• It has been implemented at a cost of INR 42.36 Crores, out of which Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education has contributed INR 34.75 crores.
• The project was implemented by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE).
• As part of the project around 3,74,274 digital devices were distributed to 16,027 schools. Hi-tech labs have been set up in 11, 275 schools at the primary and upper primary levels.
• Around 12,678 schools have access to high-speed broadband connection.

About Kerala

• Capital - Thiruvananthapuram
• CM - Pinarayi Vijayan
• Governor - Mohd. Arif khan

PM released Rs 100 Special Commemorative Coin to honor Vijaya Raje Scindia

• PM Modi has released a commemorative coin of 100 rupees in honor of Vijaya Raje Scindia.
• The coin is being released on the occasion of birth centenary of Vijaya Raje Scindia.
• She was one among the founding members of the BJP.
• The special commemorated coin was minted by the Finance Ministry.
• Vijaya Raje Scindia - She was one of the founding member of BJP. She was also known as Rajmata of Gwalior. She had been elected to Lok Sabha 7 times and to Rajya Sabha 2 times in her lifetime. She was ranked amongst the highest Royal figures in the pre-Independent era.
• Minting of coins in India - The coins in India are minted in accordance with the Coinage Act 2011. The coins are minted by the Ministry of Finance. While, other currency notes from 2 rupees to 10000 rupees are printed and regulated by RBI and the RBI Act, 1934.

Delhi Government exempted Battery-Operated Vehicles from Road Tax

• The Delhi Government Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has announced that the Delhi Government has decided to exempt road tax on the battery-operated vehicles under its new Electric Vehicle Policy.
• Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2020 - Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy, 2020 in August 2020. The policy is aimed at increasing the adoption and use of electric vehicles in the city. For boosting the purchases, the government is also providing the purchasing incentives. Under the policy, an assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh will be given on car purchases, Rs 30,000 will be given for the 2-wheelers purchase and Rs 30,000 would be given for e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws purchase. The government has aimed to register around 5 lakh electric vehicles in Delhi by 2024.

Govt job interviews abolished in 23 states and 8 UTs

• Union Minister Jitendra Singh recently announced that Gol has abolished the interview for recruitment in government jobs in 23 states and 8 union territories.
• In 2015 Prime Minister had announced while delivering the speech from Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15. He suggested to abolish the interview system and asked for the abolition of interview. He emphasized to make the job selection on the basis of written test totally.
• The entire process is being done by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT).

Beaches in India awarded Blue Flag Certification

• 8 beaches including the Shivrajpur in Gujarat, Golden Beach in Odisha, Kasarkod and Padubidri in Karnataka, Goghla in Daman and Diu, Radha Nagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Kappad in Kerala and Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh have been given the Blue Flag Certification.
• Earlier, these 8 Indian beaches were recommended for the Blue Flag International Eco label on the occasion of International Coastal Clean-up Day.
• This is the first time the beaches have been given the blue flag International ecolabel. The beaches were selected and recommended by an independent National Jury consisting of eminent scientists and environmentalists.
• Blue Flag Certification - The Blue Flag certification is globally recognized. It has been accorded by a Denmark based International agency known as the Foundation for Environment Education. The blue flag certification or tag is provided to those beaches that are providing clean and hygienic bath facilities to the tourist or the beach goers. The certification or tag is also given to the beaches that provide safe and healthy environment and promote sustainable development in and around the beach area.
• 8 Beaches in India awarded Blue Flag Certification

Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS)

• The BEAMS program was launched by the Union Ministry of Environment on the occasion of International Coastal Clean-up day
• The BEAMS is an eco-label programme.
• It is operated under the integrated coastal zone management project in India. The BEAMS was launched in order to remove debris and promote sustainable development in the coastal regions. It primarily focus on four categories:
• Environmental Education.
• Environmental management including the solid waste management and cleanliness.
• Quality standards of Bathing Water.
• Safety and security of beaches.

As per Oxfam CRI Index Report India's health budget is the fourth lowest in the world

• The third edition of the Oxfam's 2020 Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index report was released recently.
• As per the report, India just spent 4% of its budget on the health in the ongoing pandemic situation.
• The spending by India stands at the fourth lowest in the world. In the line, India has been ranked 129 out of 158 countries

Gist of report

• Only 26 of the 158 countries were spending the recommended 15% of their budget on health.
• As per the report, only 53 countries had social protection systems against unemployment and sickness. India, Nepal and Sri Lanka comes under the bottom 10 in Government spending on public services.
• Oxfam is an integrated organization comprising of 20 independent charitable organisations. It mainly focuses to alleviate global poverty.

16-year-old Aava Murto became Finland's PM post for 1 day

• As part of the United Nations International Day of Girl Child (11th October, 2020), 16-year old Aava Murto assumed the post of Finland's Prime Minister for one day to raise awareness about gender equality.
• It was done as part of the "Girls Take Over" program.

About Finland

• Capital - Helsinki
• President Sauli Niinistö
• PM - Sanna Marin
• Currency - Euro
• French Open 2020

Men's Title - Rafael Nadal has won the French Open, 2020 beating Novak Djokovic.

• Women's Title - Iga Swiatek won the French Open Women's Single title. She marked the record of being the first player from Poland to win a Grand Slam. At 19 years of age, she became the youngest women's French Open champion since 1992.
• Kevin Krawietz, Andreas Mies won Men's Doubles Title
• Timea Babos, Kristina Mladenovic won Women's Doubles Title

About France

• Capital - Paris
• President - Emmanuel Macron
• Currency - Euro, Franc

Lewis Hamilton won 2020 Eifel Grand Prix

• Mercedes Driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix held at Nurburgring, Germany.
• With this win, Lewis Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 91 Grand Prix victories.

International Girl Child Day> October 11

• The International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated every year on October
• This year the day was celebrated under the theme "My voice, our equal future".
• The day is celebrated with an objective to empower women. The day seeks to help women to get their rights in order to make them strong for the challenges they face in the world. The day is observed in order to curb the challenges that girls face.

World Arthritis Day 2020 → October 12

• World Arthritis Day (WAD) is annually observed across the globe on 12th October to create awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and to share information and support the RMDS patients and their caregivers.
• The first World Arthritis day was observed on 12th October 1996.
• The theme of 2020 WAD is "It's in Your Hands, Take Action".
• This world day is managed by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).

World Obesity Day 2020 → Moved from 11th October to 4th March

• The World Obesity Day is annually celebrated on 11th October till 2019. The day was relaunched as the new Unified World Obesity Day on 4th March 2020. The World Obesity Day aims to create and raise awareness, encourage advocacy and improve policies on obesity.
• The first World Obesity Day was observed on 11th October 2015.
• The theme of World Obesity Day 2020 - 4th March 2020 was "The Roots of Obesity Run Deep".
• New World Obesity Day - 4th March 2020
• The New World Obesity Day on 4th March 2020 was launched to call for a global response to obesity, a global crisis which affects more than 650 million people across the globe.