Current Affairs in Short: 19 October 2020

IRCTC restarts Tejas Express Train to cater to the growing passenger demands

•  Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has decided to restart the services of Tejas Express Train. The step has been taken to meet the rising passenger demand due to the upcoming festive season.

•  The government had suspended the Ahmedabad-Mumbai and Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas Express Trains on March 19, 2020, due COVID-19.

•  IRCTC has conducted an extensive training program for the staff of Tejas express and an SOP observing the COVID-19 protocol has also been issued for the safety of the passengers.

•  Apart from the following guidelines to prevent Coronavirus, the travelers will also have to install the contact tracing app Aarogya Setu. COVID-19 protection kit will also be provided. The passengers will have to go through a thermal screening before entering the coaches.

AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme launched by Agriculture Minister for health services rural areas

•  Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Agriculture Minister on October 19, 2020, launched AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR Scheme. It is a unique way to assist cooperatives in creating healthcare infrastructure in India.

•  National Cooperative Development Corporation has created the AYUSMAN SAHAKAR scheme.

•  Funding by NCDC will also further encourage and develop the healthcare services that have been operated by the cooperatives in the country. The scheme will also strengthen welfare activities for farmers by the government.

•  The scheme by NCDC aims at bringing the transformation in health services, mainly in rural areas. The scheme will also be providing margin money and working capital to meet the essential requirements of the health facilities.

Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party registers landslide victory in general elections of New Zealand

•  The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern has won the general elections with a landslide victory. With 87% of the total votes counted, the Labour Party of New Zealand won a landslide victory with the support of 49% of votes. It makes it the biggest share of the vote since the 1930s.

•  With the win, Jacinda Ardern’s center-left Labour Party secured a second-term. The victory is also the result of successfully tackling the Coronavirus situation in the country.

•  The Opposition National Party in general elections slumped to 27% of votes. Judith Collins, the Opposition Party Leader called the result marvelous and congratulated Jacinda Ardern for the victory.

Tens of thousands in Pakistan rally for PM Imran Khan’s Ouster

•  Tens of thousands of opposition supporters in Pakistan rallied in Karachi on October 18, 2020, as part of a campaign to oust PM Imran Khan.

•  Opposition leaders also arrived at Karachi for the power show of the joint opposition front- Pakistan Democratic Movement against the government in power.

•  This was the second show of power of the 11-party opposition alliance PDM. The first one was held in Gujranwala in Lahore.

India, Bangladesh to restart flights under ‘air-bubble’ arrangement from October 28

•  India and Bangladesh will be resuming the flight services from October 28, 2020. The services will be resumed after nearly eight months due to the pandemic.

•  Bangladesh government announced that three Bangladeshi Airlines will initially be operating 28 flights a week to India.

•  While, five Indian airlines including Vistara, Air India, GoAir, Spicejet, and Indigo will also be running 28 flights a week between the neighbouring countries.

•  The Indian Airlines will be operating the flights from Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai to Dhaka and Bangladeshi airlines will be operating flights from Dhaka to Kolkata, Delhi, and Chennai.