Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav today launched the fourth edition of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 4.0 in New Delhi. The 60-day nationwide campaign, being undertaken by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, seeks to prevent tobacco initiation among young people, encourage tobacco cessation, strengthen enforcement of tobacco control laws and promote tobacco-free environments across the country. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Jadhav stated that the primary objective of the campaign is to keep young people away from tobacco use, enabling them to contribute to the nation’s development. He emphasised that the health and well-being of young people are central to India’s aspirations of becoming a developed nation.

Mr Jadhav said that over 5.8 Lakh Educational Institutions and 73 thousand Villages Declared Tobacco-Free under previous three editions of the campaign. The Minister added that the harmful effects of tobacco are not limited to the consumers alone, as people around them are also affected. He noted that a large number of cancer cases in India are linked to tobacco use. The Minister emphasised that the campaign must transcend the boundaries of a government programme and evolve into a mass movement driven by the active participation and leadership of young people.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme.

The scheme has been approved with a budgetary outlay of ₹1,856.67 crore for the period from 2026 to 2033–34 to attract investment, expand domestic production and strengthen India’s position in global sports goods markets.

The scheme, cleared by the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will support technology adoption, research, innovation, skill development, quality certification and market expansion. It was announced in the Union Budget 2026–27.

A central feature is the development of dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones, bringing manufacturers, suppliers, testing facilities, design and prototyping centres, and ancillary enterprises together in integrated industrial clusters.

The New India Foundation (NIF) has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize, featuring five non-fiction books that explore modern and contemporary India. The winning author will receive a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

The shortlisted books, all published in 2025, cover a wide range of subjects, including the making of India’s Constitution, the country’s development since Independence, the impact of Partition on modern Asia, and the lives of influential figures in diplomacy and music.

The shortlisted books include ‘A Man for All Seasons: The Life of KM Panikkar’ by Narayani Basu; ‘Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia’ by Sam Dalrymple; ‘Assembling India’s Constitution: A New Democratic History’ by Rohit De and Ornit Shani; ‘A Sixth of Humanity: Independent India’s Development Odyssey’ by Devesh Kapur and Arvind Subramanian; and ‘The Secret Master: Arun Kashalkar and a Journey to the Edge of Music’ by Sumana Ramanan.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew members, including Captain Smit Machchhar. The honour, one of the UAE’s top civilian awards, has been conferred in recognition of their courageous efforts to ensure the safety of passengers during an in-flight incident aboard FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.

The UAE President, in the presence of Vice President & Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, received the crew members. The leaders praised the crew’s courage and professionalism in ensuring the safety of passengers and securing the aircraft, affirming that protecting people’s safety and security remains a top priority for the UAE. The crew members expressed their gratitude to the UAE President and pride in receiving the honour, which reflects recognition of their service, dedication and commitment.

The honours were presented by UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who commended the crew’s actions and sense of responsibility. The ceremony was also attended by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Emirates Airline and Group, along with other senior officials.

Residents living within 20 km of a National Highway toll plaza can now obtain an annual concessional local FASTag pass starting November 1, 2026, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said on Tuesday.

The annual fee for the concessional pass is Rs 1,500 for toll plazas outside municipal or local town limits, and Rs 3,000 for those within municipal limits, according to a notification by the ministry.

Under the new provision, eligible non-commercial vehicle owners with a valid and functional FASTag, residing within a 20 km range, can choose between the existing monthly pass and the concessional Local Pass for commuting through a specific fee plaza.

The pass will be valid only for that fee plaza and will not be transferable to any other plazas.

Walmart-owned fintech firm PhonePe said it had launched ‘Tatkal NPS’ (National Pension System) on its platform, partnering with prominent banking institutions to democratise long-term retirement planning. Expanding its comprehensive financial services suite, this offering enables millions of users across India to open a government-backed pension account with a minimum contribution of Rs 250.

With this launch, users can now securely create their NPS accounts through an intuitive, 100 per cent digital process. This would help eliminate barriers to opening a pension account. To deliver this frictionless experience, PhonePe has integrated with India’s leading banking institutions, with plans to expand coverage across the banking sector.

The Tatkal NPS facility, an innovation developed by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), enables the seamless reuse of existing bank KYC details through secure, one-time OTP authentication. This framework enables PhonePe to provide its users with an effortless, paperless onboarding experience, allowing them to create their Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) in minutes.

India and Mexico have formally launched negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with the signing of the Terms of Reference, marking a significant step towards strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Terms of Reference establish the framework, scope, modalities and roadmap for negotiations aimed at expanding bilateral trade, creating business opportunities, boosting investment flows and building resilient and diversified supply chains.

The initiative follows an understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada in June 2025. The two leaders had agreed to deepen the India-Mexico partnership.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will observe Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada across the country from November 1 to 15, with national events, welfare camps and the launch of digital platforms to mark the birth anniversary of tribal leader Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

The fortnight will culminate in Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15. Alongside celebrating tribal heritage and the contribution of tribal heroes to India’s freedom struggle, the initiative aims to improve awareness of government schemes and extend their benefits to tribal families.

More than 300 projects for tribal communities have been planned across states, including 228 ready for inauguration and 74 for foundation stone laying. These include a new Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Kelsih, Mizoram.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched the sixth edition of the National Startup Awards (NSA 6.0) as part of the Startup India initiative, according to an official statement today, October 27. The awards aim to recognise innovation, entrepreneurship and strong-performing startups while further strengthening India’s startup ecosystem.

The launch comes as Startup India completes 10 years in 2026. The initiative was introduced in January 2016 to create a stronger, more inclusive and innovation-led entrepreneurial environment in the country.

Started in 2019, the National Startup Awards have since become an important platform under Startup India. The awards recognise promising entrepreneurs and innovative solutions while highlighting startups working to address challenges across different sectors.

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched INS Srishti (Yard 1283), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) built for the Indian Navy, on October 27. The launch marked another milestone in India’s indigenous warship-building programme as the country sought to strengthen its maritime security capabilities through domestically developed naval platforms.

The vessel is ceremonially launched by Sandeepa Sahay at a ceremony held at GSL’s facility in Vaddem, Goa. Vishvajit Sahay, Secretary (Defence Finance), attended as the chief guest, alongside senior officials from the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Defence and GSL.

The NGOPV programme is intended to strengthen the Navy’s ability to conduct maritime surveillance, protect offshore assets and safeguard India’s maritime interests. Offshore patrol vessels also support missions such as anti-piracy operations, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance when required.