UTTARAKHAND

Prime Minister Narendra Modiwill visit Kedarnath a day before the Himalayan shrine dedicated to Shiva is closed for six winter months.
The projects include construction of houses for purohits of Kedarnath, repair of the bridle path to Kedarnath, construction of ghats in Kedarpuri, flood protection work near Mandakini and Saraswati rivers, and foundation-laying ceremony of a ‘samadhi sthal’ for Adi Sankara.
At least 4,000 people, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat and state ministers and BJP workers, are expected to be present on the Kedarnath premises.

INTERNATIONAL

· USA to provide EMALS technology to India for aircraft carriers

Donald Trump Government has promised to provide the Electromagne
tic Aircraft Launch System(EMALS)technology to India for aircraft carriers.
S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be visiting India soon and before his visit, Trump administration has informed of its decision to give EMALS to India.
EMALS also weighs less, is expected to cost less and require less maintenance, and can launch aircraft that are heavier or lighter.
This EMAL will help to launch heavy combat planes from the short runway of an aircraft carrier using electromagnetic force, instead of the old steam-powered catapults.

A Gandhi museum has been inaugurated on a small piece of land once owned by Mahatma Gandhi in the coastal city of Durban.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh inaugurated the museum, which will reflect the life and universal influence of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi owned the land in 1897 and used to hold public meetings there when the Natal Indian Congress planned its fight against laws discriminating against Indians in South Africa.

NATIONAL

· Maharashtra Government releases Rs 4000 crore in phase 1 of Loan Waiver Scheme

Chief Minister of MaharashtraDevendra Fadnavis released a sum of Rs 4,000 crore under the first phase of the over Rs 34,000 crore farm loan waiver scheme.
In the first phase, will cover more than 8 lakh farmers, Fadnavis stated as he listed initiatives taken by his government towards increasing investment in the agriculture sector.

The Income Tax Department launched an ‘online chat’ servicefor taxpayers so that they can seek answers to their basic queries and doubts relating to direct tax issues.
A window has been hosted on the main page of the department’s website — www.incometaxindia.gov.in/ with a prominent icon stating ‘Live Chat Online – ask your query.’
A team of experts from the department and independent tax practitioners has been deputed to answer the general queries of a taxpayer.
The first-time initiative is aimed to enhance taxpayer services in the country.

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has ranked No. 1 in the Airports Council International’s (ACI) service quality survey in the category of 5 to 15 million passengers per annum.
GIA was opened in year 2008 and is operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL).
A trophy for this accomplishment for the year 2016 was handed over to GHIAL CEO, SG K Kishore during the 27th ACI
Africa/world annual general assembly at Port Louis in Mauritius on October 18, 2017.

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG)was awarded Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Award in Swachh Bharat National Award ceremony on Gandhi Jayanti, in New Delhi.
The Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Award was given by Minister of State, Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation S.S.Ahluwalia to MoPNG.
The award was received by Senior Adviser (PNG).
The focus of MoPNG has been not only to improve peoples’ involvement but also to bring behavioral change through Swachh Bharat Mission.

Veteran writer and lyricist Javed Akhtaris to be honored with the Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award will receive Rs.1,00,000 along with a memento.

The programme is being presented to celebrate the 75-year-old music career of singer Lata Mangeshkar.