1.eDantseva

Context:

• Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the eDantseva website and mobile application.

About:

• It is the first ever national digital platform on oral health information and knowledge dissemination.
• It is an initiative of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and AIIMS along with other stakeholders.
• It aims to sensitize the public about the significance of maintaining optimum oral health and equips them with the tools and knowledge to do so, including awareness on the nearest oral health service facility.
• The website and mobile application provide oral health information gathered from authentic scientific resources and connects the public to timely advice for managing any dental emergency or oral health problem.
• e-DantSeva contains information about the National Oral Health Program, detailed list of all the dental facility and colleges, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material and a unique feature called the ‘Symptom Checker’, which provides information on symptoms of dental/oral health problems, ways to prevent these, the treatment modes, and also directs the user to find their nearest available dental facility (public and private sectors both).
• The website also provides GPRS route/images/satellite images of the facility for easier access to the general population.

2.Cotton Technical Assistance Programme (TAP)

Why in News?

• Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani,said that India will be announcing the launch of the second phase of the Cotton Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) for Africa at the Partners Conference in Geneva.

About TAP:

• India implemented a Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) for cotton in 6 African countries, namely – Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda from 2012 to 2018.
• In the five year long second phase, the programme will be scaled up in size and coverage and will be introduced in five additional countries, namely Mali, Ghana, Togo, Zambia and Tanzania.
• The Cotton TAP programme will now cover 11 African countries including the C4 (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali).
• Focus: On increasing the competitiveness of cotton and cotton-based industries in these countries through a series of interventions which had significant outcomes leading to a demand for a follow-on project.
• TAP covers the following broad areas:
  • Increasing cotton production (area expansion and productivity enhancement)
  • Improving Extension & Support Service Efficiency
  • Enhancing R&D/ Quality Control
  • Marketing/Distribution Infrastructure
  • Strengthening/development of cotton residue-based value addition industry
  • Creating/Strengthening Downstream Industry in Textiles and Clothing.
• The Department of Commerce, under Ministry of Commerce and Industry is implementing Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) for cotton.

3.Indian Air Force Day

Context:

• October 8^th marked the Indian Air Force’s 87th founding anniversary. The mega event was organized which saw air displays, drills and grand flypast held at the Hindon Air Station in Ghaziabad.

About Indian Air Force Day:

• This day is celebrated for the inception of Air Force in India to aid the Army that was fighting on the land.
• It is attended by the Chiefs of all the three defence services namely Indian Air Force, Army and Navy.
• The celebration of this day was officially started on 8th October in the year 1932 in order to increase the awareness of Indian air force in any organisation of the national security both officially and publicly.
• The day is celebrated in air force bases all across the nation with air shows and parades conducted by air force cadets.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has its prime responsibility of securing the Indian airspace as well as to carry out the aerial warfare during any clash.
• Indian Air Force ranks as the fourth best operational airforce in the world.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited that was formed in 1948 is currently the largest defense firm in public sector.
• The Indian Air Force functions with the motto “Touching the Sky with Glory”.
• The President of the country serves to the India Air Force as a Commander-in-Chief.

4.Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron at Mombasa, Kenya

• As part of Indian Navy’s Overseas Deployment, four indigenously built ships of Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron, Indian Naval Ships Tir, Sujata and Shardul and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi, arrived at Mombasa Kenya, on 07 Oct 19 for a three day visit.
• The Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron, imparts training to Officer Cadets of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard as well as from Friendly Foreign Countries.
• The training curriculum includes subjects like Seamanship, Navigation, Shiphandling, Boat Work and Engineering, imparted onboard the 1TS Ships, and Sail Training onboard IN Sail Training Ships Tarangini and Sudarshini.
• Indian Navy ships are regularly deployed overseas as part of Indian Navy’s mission of building ‘bridges of friendship’ and strengthening international cooperation with friendly countries.

5.Rafale Fighter Jet

Why in News?

• Defence Minister has formally received the first Rafale fighter jet built for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in France.

About Rafale fighter Jet:

• The Rafale is a twin-engine fighter, multi-role fighter aircraft manufactured by French aviation company Dassault.
• The Rafale fighter jets are likely to succeed ageing fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF’s) Mirage

fighters for nuclear warhead delivery.

• These aircrafts is capable of carrying out all combat missions such as interception, air defence, in-depth strikes, ground support, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear
• They will come with various India- specific modifications including Israeli helmet mounted displays, low band jammers, radar warning receivers, infra-red search and tracking, 10 hour flight data recording, towed decoy systems among others.
• The weapons package of deal includes Meteor radar guided Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile which is considered the best in the class with range of over 150 kms.
• It also includes Scalp long range air to ground missiles. Meteor missile has a superior BVR than any of its competitor in the South Asia region.

6.Statue of Unity

Context:

• Statue of Unity is set to host PM’s event on Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary on October 31.

About:

• The Statue of Unity is built in dedication to Iron Man Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who served as the first home minister of independent India.
• At 182 metre, the statue is 23 metre taller than China’s Spring Temple Buddha statue and almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 metre tall) in US.
• Located on the Sadhu Bet island, near Rajpipla on the Narmada river, the Statue of Unity is located between the Satpura and the Vindhya mountain ranges.
• The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), a special purpose vehicle set up by Modi in 2011, arranged some 129 tonnes of iron implements from nearly 100 million farmers in 169,000 villages across all states to construct the base of the statue in the ‘Loha’ campaign.
• The Statue of Unity was brought to fruition by Padma Bhushan-winning sculptor Ram V Sutar and intricate bronze cladding work was done by a Chinese foundry, the Jiangxi Toqine Company (JTQ).

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian Independence Movement.
• He is the First Deputy Prime Minister of India, and responsible for the Integration of hundreds of Princely States into the modern Republic of India.
• He was a Successful Lawyer. He subsequently organized peasants From Kheda, Borsad, and Bardoli in Gujarat in non-violent civil disobedience against the British Raj, becoming one of the most influential leaders in Gujarat.
• He was appointed as the 49th President of Indian National Congress, organizing the party for elections in 1934 and 1937 while promoting the Quit India Movement.
• His commitment to national integration in the newly independent country was total and uncompromising, earning him the sobriquet “Iron Man of India”.
• He is also remembered as the “Patron Saint of India’s Civil Servants” for having established the modern all-India services system. He is also called the “Unifier of India”
• It was the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 which earned Vallabhbhai Patel the title of ‘Sardar’ and made him popular throughout the country.