1 Atal Innovation Mission and IFCCI join hands to create Atal Tinkering Labs across the country
The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) , NITI Aayog , officially signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) on September 19, 2025. The signing took place in the presence of Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India. He commended IFCCI’s efforts in fostering an impactful India-France partnership for social development. The signing took place during the third edition of the IFCCI CSR Connect Day 2025 , held at the Embassy of France in New Delhi . The theme was ” Collaboration at Scale: Cross-Sectoral Partnerships for Sustainable Development .” The event was attended by over 100 participants, including corporate leaders from India and France, diplomats, government representatives, NGOs, and other CSR stakeholders.
2 President presents My India – National Service Scheme Awards
President Smt. Draupadi Murmu presented the My India – National Service Scheme Awards for the year 2022-23 at Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 6, 2025. My India – National Service Scheme (NSS) is one of the flagship programmes of the Government of India. It aims to develop the personality and character of students through voluntary community service. The scheme was launched in 1969 during the birth centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi . The My India – NSS Awards , instituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 1993-94 , celebrates and honours the outstanding contributions of youth in the field of social service, community development and nation building .
3 Bihar Assembly election dates announced, voting on November 6 and 11
The Election Commission has announced the dates for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced the dates on Monday. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that elections will be held in two phases for all 243 seats in Bihar. Voting for the first phase will be held on November 6 and for the second phase on November 11. The election results will be declared on November 14. CEC Gyanesh Kumar informed that the total number of voters in Bihar is approximately 7.43 crore. Of these, approximately 3.92 crore are male voters and approximately 3.50 are female voters. He said that there are 1,725 third gender voters.
4 Assam government launches ‘Shradhanjali’ scheme for dignified transportation of Assamese youth who die while working or studying outside the state
The Assam government has launched the ‘ Shraddhanjali ‘ scheme for the dignified transportation of Assamese youth who die while working or studying outside the state . Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally launched the scheme in Guwahati. The scheme primarily benefits youth working in low-paying jobs outside Assam and those who die in unnatural circumstances such as accidents or murder. Deaths occurring during medical treatment will not be included. The Special Branch of the Assam Police, headed by a DIG-level officer, will act as the nodal agency and coordinate efforts through a dedicated helpline – 112 – and official social media channels.
5 Mera Hou Chongba festival is being celebrated in Manipur
The Mera Hou Chongba festival is being celebrated in Manipur . This festival symbolizes unity between the hills and the valleys. Chiefs from various tribal villages in the state’s hill districts have arrived at the Manipur Royal Palace in Imphal to participate in the festival. Maharaja Sanajauba Laishamba, heir to the Manipur royal family and a Rajya Sabha MP, welcomed them traditionally.
6 India achieves major success in controlling leprosy: 99% decline in prevalence in the last 44 years
India has achieved unprecedented success in controlling leprosy . According to government data, the prevalence rate of leprosy per 10,000 population in the country has declined by 99% over the past 44 years , while the number of patients under treatment has declined by 98%. In 2025, the prevalence rate in India was 0.57 per 10,000 population and the number of patients under treatment was 0.82 lakh. In contrast, in 1981, the rate was 57.2 per 10,000 and the number of patients under treatment was 39.19 lakh. Since March 2006, when the annual report first recorded a prevalence rate below 1 (0.84), the number of new cases has decreased by 37%. Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Its symptoms include discoloration of the skin, loss of touch and pain, muscle weakness, deformities of the hands, feet, and face, inability to close the eyes, and vision impairment. The disease spreads through droplets from the nose and mouth, through close contact with patients. The government said that the introduction of Multidrug Therapy (MDT) in 1983 was a crucial step in combating the disease. This included Rifampicin, Clofazimine, and Dapsone. Timely treatment and detection through MDT prevented deformities and permanent damage. As part of this effort, the National Leprosy Elimination Programme (NLEP), which is under the National Health Mission, was launched.
7 RPF, NDRF and IRIDM sign MoU to strengthen railway disaster response
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Railway Protection Force (RPF) , National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM), Bengaluru at Rail Bhavan, New Delhi . This partnership creates a better institutional framework for integrated relief operations and capacity building in the event of a railway accident , with special emphasis on saving lives during the golden hour. This partnership creates a scalable, replicable system to enhance national railway disaster preparedness, to provide faster, safer and more coordinated assistance to passengers and staff at a time when every minute counts.
8 India’s Unified Payments Interface-UPI launched at Lulu Mall, Doha
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal launched India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at Lulu Mall in Doha , marking a new milestone in digital and financial cooperation between India and Qatar. The launch symbolises growing trust across borders and aims to ease transactions for citizens and businesses of both countries. Shri Goyal thanked Qatar National Bank for integrating Unified Payments Interface (UPI) into its payment systems.
9 French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned just hours after announcing his new cabinet.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned just hours after announcing his new cabinet , deepening political turmoil in France. His resignation, less than four weeks after taking office, makes him the shortest-serving prime minister. Mr. Lecornu was the fifth person to hold the post in less than two years, highlighting the continued instability in France ahead of the 2024 snap elections.
10 Historic inauguration of the first commercial coal mine at Namchik-Namphuk in Arunachal Pradesh
Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy , along with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu , inaugurated the much-awaited Namchik Namphuk coal mine in Changlang , Arunachal Pradesh, by performing the groundbreaking ceremony. The Namchik Namphuk coal mine, with a potential coal reserve of 15 million tonnes, has officially become operational. The Namchik Namphuk coal block, with a total reserve of 15 million tonnes, was first allocated in 2003. However, it faced lengthy delays and obstacles due to various challenges. In 2022, it was revived through a transparent auction process, opening the door for private sector entry and ending years of delays.
11 Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation signed an agreement for creation of eco system
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has signed an agreement to build a robust digital ecosystem to support effective planning and monitoring of rural water and sanitation services . The department, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, signed the agreement with the New Delhi-based Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics . The ministry said the agreement will help in the development of a Geographic Information System-integrated, decision-support platform for the Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) portals. This platform will promote data-based decision-making, planning, monitoring and evaluation of rural water supply and sanitation initiatives across the country.
12 Junior Badminton Championship in India begins in Assam after 17 years
The Junior Badminton Championships are underway in Assam . It’s the first time the tournament has been held in India in 17 years . The competition will be held in two stages until October 19th . In the first stage, 36 teams will compete for the Suhandinata Championship Cup. This will be followed by the individual championship for the I-Level Cup . India is in Group H along with the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, and Nepal and will compete in a new best-of-three set relay scoring format, with each set consisting of 45 points. Hosts India will open their campaign against Nepal.
13 69th National School Games-NSG begins in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
The 69th National School Games (NSG) began in Srinagar , Jammu and Kashmir . Organized in collaboration with the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports , the National School Games will be held at six different venues, with 30 teams representing various states and union territories across the country participating. The events include football, wushu, taekwondo, and table tennis.