On 17th October 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart the distribution of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana - Mukhyamantri Amrutam, PMJAY-MA Ayushman cards in Gujarat through video conferencing. Fifty lakh coloured printed Ayushman cards will be distributed to all the beneficiaries across Gujarat, at their doorstep.

As the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr Modi started the Mukhyamantri Amrutam scheme in 2012 to protect poor citizens from the catastrophic costs of medical treatment and illness. In 2014, the scheme was extended to cover those families who are having an annual income limit of four lakh rupees.

On 16th October, Sunday , Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched an MBBS course in Hindi for the first time in the country in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

In his address, the Union Home Minister said that today is the day of renaissance and reconstruction of the education sector of the country. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a very historic decision in the new education policy by giving importance to the mother tongue of the child in primary, technical and medical education.

On 16th October, Sunday, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s First Aluminum Freight Rake at Bhubaneswar Railway Station in Odisha. The indigenously built rake will reduce carbon footprint due to lower consumption of fuel.  A single rake can reduce 14,500 tonnes  Carbon dioxide emissions during its lifetime, said the Minister.

AIR correspondent reports that Union Minister MR Vaishnaw who is also the minister for Communications and Electronics & Information has said that high-speed 5G internet service will be rolled out in a few cities of Odisha by March 2023.

The country’s first ballistic missile nuclear submarine (SSMN) INS Arihant carried out a successful launch of a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) on Friday, validating India’s second strike nuclear capability.

“The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme, a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability,” the Ministry said.

Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated IInvenTiv - the first-ever all-IITs Research and Development, R&D, Showcase at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi today. This event is being organized in line with the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. The first leg of this two-day event today has brought over 300 representatives from industry, including start-ups along with government and embassy officials, and global IIT-alumni.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Pradhan said, that this event bears testimony to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Jai Anusandhan’ to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ website for contribution to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund at a function organised at the National War Memorial Complex in New Delhi on Friday. This Tri-Service fund, which is utilised for grant of immediate financial assistance to the families of armed personnel of three forces who laid down their lives or get grievously injured in active military operations. The amount donated in this fund will provide financial assistance to the families of martyrs and soldiers of all three services.

Speaking after launching the website, Mr Rajnath Singh said that security is paramount for any society and all sections of the society have an important responsibility towards the welfare of the brave soldiers and their families. He also appealed to the countrymen to be associated to this initiative and make contribution for the welfare of the bravehearts.

India participated at the 6th East Asia Summit Education Minister’s Meeting held on Friday in Hanoi, Vietnam. Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Ministry of Education Ms. Neeta Prasad virtually addressed the gathering and informed about the key initiatives of National Education Policy 2020 and India’s collaborative efforts in education and research with partner countries.

Addressing the meeting, Ms. Neeta Prasad said that NEP - 2020 encourages a holistic, flexible and multidisciplinary approach to education as envisioned by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said, it is based on foundational pillars of access, equality, quality, affordability and accountability, and is aligned with SDG 2030 goals.

Indian Railways has accomplished electrification of over 81 percent of the total Broad Gauge network in the country. Out of over 65 thousand Route Kilometers (RKMs) of the network, more than 53 thousand Route Kilometers have been electrified till last month.

During the current financial year, till September, 851 RKMs have been electrified as compared to 562 RKMs during the corresponding period of 2021-22.

The target set for electrification during this Financial Year is six thousand 500 RKMs.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch 36 satellites of UK’s global communications network OneWeb on 23rd of this month. The launch of satellites is scheduled for 12.07 AM on October 23.

The commercial launch onboard the GSLV-Mk3, India’s heaviest satellite, is being facilitated by Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

NSIL has signed two launch service contracts with OneWeb for launching the firm’s LEO (low Earth orbit) broadband communication satellites onboard the GSLV-Mk3.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) to the nation at 11 AM tomorrow through video conferencing. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.

As part of the Union budget speech for 2022-23, the Finance Minister had announced the setting up of the 75 DBUs in 75 districts of the country to commemorate the 75 years of independence of the country.

The DBUs are being set up with an objective to ensure benefits of digital banking reach every nook and corner of the country and will cover all the States and Union territories. Eleven Public Sector Banks, twelve Private Sector Banks and one Small Finance Bank are participating in the endeavour.