INTERNATIONAL

Cyprus Finds C-19 Infections That Combine Delta and Omicron

•Cyprus has detected a new variant dubbed as “Deltacron”, that has a similar genetic background to the Delta variant, coupled with 10 mutations from Omicron. The variant has already affected 25 people in Cyprus. According to Dr Leondios Kostrikis, the head of the laboratory of biotechnology and molecular virology at the University of Cyprus, of the 25 samples taken in Cyprus, 11 were hospitalised due to the virus, while 14 were from the general population.

•The new variant from the lineage named B.1.640.2 is believed to have infected 12 people in the country, according to the yet-to-be peer-reviewed study supported by the French government. Studies have shown that the co-existence of Delta and Omicron increases the chances of a new variant as a result of them trading genes.

NATIONAL

India’s Forest, Tree Cover Rose By 2,261 Sq Km In Last 2 Years: Environment Minister Releases Report

•Union Environment Minister, Bhupender Yadav has launched the 17th edition of the biennial ‘India State of Forest Report (ISFR)’ 2021. ISFR is released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), every two years since 1987 to assess the country’s forest resources. India’s forest and tree cover rose by 2,261 square kilometres in ISFR 2021 as compared to the assessment of 2019. This includes an increase of 1,540 square kilometres in forest cover and a 721 sq km increase in tree cover.

•The forest and tree cover in India is now 8,09,537 sq km. Total forest cover is 7,13,789 sq km, (21.71 per cent of the geographical area) and tree cover is 95,748 sq km (2.91 per cent of the geographical area).

•The total forest and tree cover in the country is now spread across 80.9 million hectares or 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.

•The top five states in terms of increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km) and Jharkhand (110 sq km).

Kachai Lemon Festival begins in Manipur

•The 18th edition of the two days long Kachai Lemon Festival began in Manipur at the Local Ground of Kachai Village in Ukhrul district. The Kachai Lemon Festival is organised annually to promote this unique kind of lemon fruit and to encourage lemon farmers. This year, altogether 260 stalls are put up at the festival showcasing the rich reap of lemon this year. This year the festival is being organised under the theme ‘Organic Kachai Lemon for Safe Environment and Rural Transformation’. A training program for lemon farmers will be held tomorrow as part of the festival.

•Kachai Lemon of Manipur has been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) registration tag and widely grown in the Kachai Village of Ukhrul district. Unlike the other lemon varieties grown in other parts of the world, Kachai Lemon is considered to be unique as it is a rich source of ascorbic acid and famous for its juice content.

SPORTS

AISCD will host the first World Deaf T20 Cricket Championship in Kerala from January 10 to 20, 2023

•The All India Sports Council of the Deaf has got approval from the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) to host the first World Deaf T20 Cricket Championship in Kerala from January 10-20, 2023. This championship was planned to be conducted in 2020-21 but due to the sudden outbreak of coronavirus, it was postponed first to 2022 & now fixed for 2023. A minimum of eight countries are expected to take part in the championship and this kind of international event is being held in India with the approval of the ICSD for the first time.”

•AISCD is the only Centre-recognised national sports federation for the deaf, while the ICSD is the only international federation recognized as governing body of the deaf sports movement and Deaflympics sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Isro successfully conducts cryo engine test for Gaganyaan rocket

•Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the qualification test of Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan programme for a duration of 720 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. According to the space agency, the performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.

•This successful long-duration test is a major milestone for the Human Space Programme – Gaganyaan. It ensures the reliability and robustness of the cryogenic engine for induction into the human-rated launch vehicle for Gaganyaan. Further, this engine will undergo four more tests for a cumulative duration of 1810 seconds. Subsequently, one more engine will undergo two short-duration tests & one long-duration test to complete the cryogenic engine qualification for Gaganyaan Programme.

APPOINTMEN & RESIGNATION

Kurukshetra University's Prof Emeritus Tanwar Made ICHR Chairman

•Professor emeritus, Kurukshetra University, Raghuvendra Tanwar has been appointed as chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). Tanwar appointment is for a period of three years from the day he assumes the office of the Chairman of the Council or until further order. Tanwar, who joined Kurukshetra University as a lecturer in August 1977, has an outstanding academic record, with two gold medals in MA History.

•The primary aim and objective of the Indian Council of Historical Research is to promote and give directions to historical research and to encourage and foster objective and scientific writing of history. Enhancing the academic standard of the output of ICHR activities has been the foremost objective in it’s agenda.

OBITURY

29-year-old Olympic & World Medallist Deon Lendore Passes Away In Car Crash In Texas

•Olympic athlete Deon Lendore, who participated in the 400 meters race at the 2020 Olympics, passed away at the age of 29 years due to a fatal car accident in Texas, United States (US). He was born on 28 October 1992 in Trinidad and Tobago (the Caribbean Islands, South America), was an expert of 400 meters championships. He participated in the London Olympics in 2012 and won a Bronze medal in 4×400 meter relay. He also participated in the Tokyo Olympic 2021 and in 2016 Rio Olympics.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Indian Army Day 2022 : 15th January

•The Army Day in India is celebrated on 15 January every year, to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. This year marks the 74th Indian Army Day. The day is marked to commemorate the day when General (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa took over the command of the Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army post Independence.

•The Indian Army is one of the most powerful militaries of the world, competing with superpowers like the US, Russia and China. The motto of the Indian Army is ‘service before self’ and its mission is to ensure national security and national unity, defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and maintain peace and security within its borders. Salute to the brave soldiers, who risk and sacrifice their lives to protect us. Even the Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 had given the slogan like “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Forex reserves down by USD 878 mn to USD 632.736 bn

•As per the weekly Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, the foreign exchange reserves of India declined by $878 million to USD 632.736 billion in the week ended January 7, 2022. In the previous week ended December 31, India’s reserves dropped by $1.466 billion to $633.614 billion. The decline was mainly due to a fall in gold reserves and foreign currency assets (FCA). In the reporting week, FCAs decreased by $497 million to $569.392 billion.

•Gold reserves declined by $360 million to $39.044 billion. The special drawing rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) fell by $16 million to $19.098 billion. India’s reserve position with the IMF dipped by $5 million to $5.202 billion.

HDFC Bank adjudged 'Best Private Bank in India' at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021

•HDFC Bank was named as the ‘Best Private Bank’ in India at the ‘Global Private Banking Awards 2021’ which was organised by Professional Wealth Management (PWM) in a virtual ceremony. PWM is a wealth management Magazine, published by the Financial Times Group. The award was given for contributing to accelerate key trends, including digitalisation, communication and investment in environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies.

INTERNATIONAL

Bangladesh and US kick off bilateral maritime exercise CARAT for a free and open Indo-Pacific

•US military personnel and Bangladesh Navy (BN) began the 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) maritime exercise virtually from 1 December in the Bay of Bengal. The nine-day exercise focuses on a wide range of naval capabilities and includes cooperative actions that demonstrate the US and Bangladesh’s capacity to work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

•CARAT is to promote regional cooperation and build relationships, according to Bangladesh Navy Fleet Commander Rear Admiral S M Abdul Kalam Azad. Since 2011, the Bangladesh Navy has been participating in the CARAT exercise, which is celebrating its 27th anniversary this year.

Sweden gets first female prime minister for second time in less than a week

•The former Finance Minister of Sweden, Eva Magdalena Andersson from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won her 2nd election and became the 1st female Prime Minister (PM) of Sweden. On 24 November 2021, she was first elected as the PM but later resigned after her coalition partner (Green Party) quit the government and the budget failed to pass. Swedan’s Parliament is known as Riksdag. Sweden is the last Nordic country to get a female Prime Minister.

•Magdalena Andersson was born on 23 January 1967. She is a 54-year-old Swedish politician and economist serving as the PM from the Social Democratic Party or SDP.

•She began her political career as a political adviser to then PM Goran Persson in 1996 and then as Director of Planning.

•In 2004 she began to work in the Ministry of Finance as State Secretary.

•She became the head of the SDP on November 4, 2021. She is the second woman leader of the SDP.

NATIONAL

Nagaland begins Hornbill Festival 2021 celebration at Naga Heritage village, Kisama in Kohima

•The biggest cultural extravaganza of Nagaland, the Hornbill Festival has kicked off with colorful renditions of traditional music, dances, and contemporary in one roof at Naga Heritage village Kisama. It is the 22nd edition of the Hornbill festival and will be celebrated in 6 districts of Nagaland. More than 282,800 people visited the festival during the 20th edition in 2019, including over 3,000 foreign tourists and at least 55,500 domestic visitors.

•This year’s edition of Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival, widely hailed as the “festival of festivals”, will be held in its traditional format, starting on December 1 after it was held virtually last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The opening ceremony culminated with the flight of the Hornbill- A musical presentation by Task Force for Music and Arts Nagaland.

India joins G20 Troika, to assume G20 presidency on Dec 1 next year

•India has joined ‘G20 Troika’ and will work closely with Indonesia and Italy to ensure consistency and continuity of G20’s agenda. Apart from India, Troika consists of Indonesia and Italy. India will assume G20 Presidency in December 2022 from Indonesia and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in 2023. Troika refers to the top grouping within G20 that consists of the current, previous, and incoming presidencies (Indonesia, Italy and India).

•Italy hosted the G20 summit during October 30-31 that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where India had raised the issue of Afghanistan’s future following the takeover by the Taliban.

•Indonesia took over the G20 presidency on December 01, 2021.

SPORTS

Anju Bobby George the first Indian athlete to win a medal at the world championships

•Legendary Indian athlete, Anju Bobby George has been bestowed with the Woman of the Year Award by World Athletics for grooming talent in the country and for her advocacy of gender equality. In 2016, she formed a sports academy for young girls. Through this, she has helped India advance in sports and also inspire more women to follow in her footsteps. She is also presented with the award for advocating gender equality. Anju, the only Indian to have won a medal in the World Championships with a long jump bronze in the 2003 edition.

•She is a gold medallist in the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Finals.

•She was the first Indian athlete to win a bronze medal in the long jump at the World Championships in Athletics held in 2013 in Paris.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Sambit Patra appointed as chairman of ITDC

•Sambit Patra has been appointed as the chairman of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. IAS officer, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao will hold the post of managing director of ITDC. The India Tourism Development Corporation is a hospitality, retail, and education company owned by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Tourism. Earlier, Patra had served as an independent Director of ONGC.

•Appointment of Dr Sambit Patra as Part-Time Non-Executive Director & Chairman of ITDC for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

OBITUARY

Padma Shri awardee ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry passes away

•The renowned Telugu film lyricist and Padma Shri awardee, ‘Sirivennela’ Chembolu Seetharama Sastry passed away at the age of 66 years. He was born on May 20th, 1955 in Anakapalle village in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. He launched his first song in the film, ‘Janani Janmabhoomi’ directed by K Viswanath.

•In 1986 the movie ‘Sirivennela’ directed by K Viswanath made him famous and also gave him a second name as ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry. He got the first ‘Nandi Award for best lyricist for ‘Sirivennela’, presented by the Andhra Pradesh state government. Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist- Telugu, Padma Shri (2019) and He won ‘Nandi’ Awards several times.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day of the Handicapped 2021: 3rd December

•World Handicapped day also known as the International Day of Persons with disabilities is observed every year on 3rd December globally. The day is marked and observed to support critical issues which are related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The IDPWD day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly.

•The theme of the World Day of the Handicapped 2021 is the Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities. The day is celebrated to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Bihar bagged gold medal in the 40th India International Trade Fair

•Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the 40th edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2021 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. It was organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as the theme and to further promote the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’. Bihar is the partner state for the 40th IITF and the focus states are Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

•The Bihar pavilion won the 6th gold medal by showcasing the state’s art and cultural richness through handicrafts like Madhubani, Manjusha arts, terracotta, handlooms, and other indigenous products of the state at IITF 2021. Piyush Goyal listed five pillars of India as Economy, Exports, Infrastructure, Demand, and Diversity.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

RBI appoints three-member panel to advise Reliance Capital administrator

•Reserve Bank of India (RBI) superseded the Board of Directors of Reliance Capital Ltd (RCL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), by exercising its power conferred under Section 45-IE (1) of the RBI Act, 1934. RCL is promoted by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Group. In this regard, the apex bank has appointed Nageswar Rao Y (Ex-Executive Director, Bank of Maharashtra) as the Administrator of the company under Section 45-IE (2) of the RBI Act. The reason behind this is the defaults made by RCL for various debt obligations payments and serious governance concerns.

•The Central Bank will also apply to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for appointing the administrator as the Insolvency Resolution Professional. Reliance Capital will become the third non-banking financial company to go under the insolvency procedure after DHFL and Srei Group companies. A part of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Reliance Capital has repeatedly failed to repay its debt obligations.

INTERNATIONAL

‘NFT’ is Collins Dictionary Word of the Year

• Collins Dictionary has named the term ‘NFT’ as the Word of the Year 2021. NFT is the acronym for “non-fungible token. As per Collins Dictionary, NFT is defined as “a unique digital certificate, registered in a blockchain, that is used to record the ownership of an asset such as an artwork or a collectible.” Collins English Dictionary is published by HarperCollins in Glasgow.

EAM S. Jaishankar represented India in 20th SCO Council of Heads of Government

• The External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar led the Indian delegations at the 20th Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG). The meeting was held in Nur-Sultan in virtual format under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan. The SCO-CHG meeting is held annually to deliberate on a range of pressing regional issues with focuses on the trade and economic agenda of the bloc and to approve its annual budget.
• The meeting was attended by the heads of government of the SCO member states, observer states and secretary-general of the SCO. The executive director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), Turkmenistan and other invited guests are also expected to attend the meeting. India is actively engaged in various SCO activities/dialogue mechanisms in the region as well as other multilateral cooperation within the SCO framework.

NATIONAL

National Family and Health Survey: India has more women than men

• All three radical findings are part of the summary findings of the fifth round of the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS), which were released by the Union health ministry. India now has 1,020 women for every 1000 men, is not getting any younger, and no longer faces the threat of a population explosion. According to NFHS-3, conducted in 2005-06, the ratio was equal, 1000: 1000; it went down to 991:1000 in 2015-16 in NFHS-4. This is the first time, in any NFHS or Census, that the sex ratio is skewed in favour of women.
• The improved sex ratio and sex ratio at birth is also a significant achievement; even though the real picture will emerge from the census, we can say for now looking at the results that our measures for women empowerment have steered us in the right direction. To be sure, NFHS is a sample survey, and whether these numbers apply to the larger population can only be said with certainty when the next national census is conducted, although it is very likely that they will in the case of many states and Union territories.

Army chief General M M Naravane on Thursday observed military exercise 'Dakshin Shakti'

• Army chief General, M M Naravane has observed the military exercise ‘Dakshin Shakti’ being held here with the Army and the Air Force taking part in it. The exercise began in the deserts of Jaisalmer. T-72, T-90 as well as Vijayanta tanks of the Army and the IAF’s Dhruv and Rudha helicopters, and the Jaguar fighter aircraft participated in the joint exercise.
• The drill aims to establish the best coordination among the wings of the armed forces, space technology and artificial intelligence. General Officer-in-Commanding of the Army’s Southern Command, Lieutenant General JS Nain, JOC Battle X Division Major General Ajit Singh Gehlot were also present at the exercise.

MakeMyTrip ties up with Ministry of Civil Aviation to promote

• MakeMyTrip partnered with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to promote regional air connectivity through the UDAN scheme. MakeMyTrip will now power UDAN flights on the ‘AirSewa portal’ and market them on its platform to promote its services. The Govt. has identified 21st October as UDAN Day, the day on which the scheme document was first released. Under Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN 4.1 the Civil Aviation Ministry has approved 78 new routes. So far, 766 routes have been sanctioned under the UDAN scheme.

MP to get cyber tehsil, first in the country: Narottam Mishra

• Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has approved the proposal to create cyber tehsils in the state of Madhya Pradesh. After this, MP will become the first state in the country to have a cyber tehsil. Cyber Tehsil will make the mutation process easy and people from anywhere in the state can avail of its benefit. With this, the process of conversion will become convenient in the cases of undisputed land.
• The Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh also informed that the Cabinet has decided to launch ‘Urja Saksharta Abhiyan’ from November 25 to make citizens energy literate. Schools, colleges and the general public will be connected with this campaign. Madhya Pradesh will become the first state to run India’s energy literacy campaign on a big scale.

INS Vela, fourth Scorpene-class submarine, commissioned into Indian Navy

• Indian Navy has commissioned indigenously builtScorpene-class submarine Vela at Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard. INS Vela is the fourth in Project 75 series, following Kalvari, Khanderi, and Karanj. It is expected to further boost Indian capability to defend and secure its strategic sea lanes. It was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in collaboration with M/s Naval Group of France.
• The submarine possesses advanced stealth and combat capabilities. Attacks from Vela can be carried using torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles at the same time, be it on the surface or underwater.
• The previous version of Vela was commissioned in 1973 and it was in service for 37 years. It was decommissioned in 2010. Captain Anish Mathew, the commanding officer of INS Vela, told news agency ANI on Wednesday that the submarine has an indigenous set of batteries and an advanced communication suite of indigenous make.

Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, launched Project SWADESH

• The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated Project SWADESH. The project SWADESH is a first of its kind large-scale multimodal neuroimaging database designed specifically for the Indian population. The unique brain initiative has been developed by the DBT-National Brain Research Centre (DBT-NBRC), Gurgaon, Haryana.
• SWADESH brings big-data architecture and analytics for various neurological diseases under one platform.
• It will enable the researchers in conducting multimodal brain studies to understand and manage Alzheimer’s disease and several neurological disorders.
• NBRC is the only institute in India dedicated to Neuroscience Research and Education.

Important Days

National Organ Donation Day 2021:27th November

• In India, the ‘National Organ Donation Day’ is observed every year on 27 November since past 10 years. The day aims to promote awareness and recognize the selfless contribution made by deceased donors to healthcare and mankind re-instill our faith in humanity. 2021 marks the 12th National Organ Donation Day. It is organised by the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Organ donation is retrieving a donor’s organ like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas after the donor is deceased and then transplanting into another person who is in need of an organ.

OBITUARY

Legendary Poet Sananta Tanty passes away

• Sahitya Akademi Award-winning, Eminent Assamese poet, Sananta Tantyhas passed away. Some of his works include Ujjwal Nakshatrar Sondhanot, Moi Manuhar Amal Utsav, Nizor Biruddhey Sesh Prastab, and Moi. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award (Assamese) in 2018 for his collection of poems titled “Kailoir Dinto Amar Hobo”.

INTERNATIONAL

Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid has been reappointed prime minister

• Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah has been appointed the new Prime Minister of Kuwait. Sheikh Sabah also served as Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Envoy at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from 1995 to 1998. He has also been awarded with the Order of King Abdulaziz of First Class in 1998 by Saudi Arabia.
• Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued an order on behalf of the emir, appointing Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to form a new government and provide a list of names for approval.

NATIONAL

Defence Minister virtually inaugurated 5th World Congress on Disaster Management

• The fifth edition of the World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM) was virtually inaugurated by the Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh. The event has been organised at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi campus from November 24-27, 2021. The theme of the 5th WCDM is Technology, Finance and Capacity for Building Resilience to Disasters in the Contexts of Covid-19.
• World Congress on Disaster Management is a unique initiative of Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS) Hyderabad to bring researchers, policymakers and practitioners from around the world on a common platform to discuss various challenging issues of disaster risk management. The first WCDM was held in 2008 in Hyderabad and inaugurated by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

Narendra Modi approved extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana

• Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) for another four months. The Phase V of the PMGKAY scheme will be operational from December 2021 till March 2022. Under the scheme, all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) receives food grains @ 5 kg per person per month.

PM Modi lays foundation stone of Jewar Airport

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the Foundation Stone of Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh. The Jewar airport is the second international aerodrome in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). It is the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has now become the state with the highest number of international airports in India.
• The airport has been developed by Zurich Airport International AG over 1,330 acres of land area.

Finance Minister launched Tejasvini & Hausala schemes

• Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman has launched two schemes named ‘Tejasvini & Hausala schemes’ of J&K Bank for girls. Under 18-35 years of age to start their businesses and ‘Shikhar & Shikara’ schemes of Punjab National Bank (PNB) for development of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• Tejaswini Scheme in the course of the credit score outreach programme in Jammu. The scheme goals to offer monetary help as much as Rs 5 lakh to younger ladies for establishing gainful self-employment ventures, suited to their expertise, aptitude & native situations. Tejasvini scheme focuses on offering monetary help of Rs. 5 lakh to ladies between 18-35 years for beginning their enterprise.

India’s nominee elected to executive committee of Interpol

• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special director Praveen Sinha was elected the delegate for Asia in the executive committee of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) following a tough contest involving China. In the election, four contestants were China, Singapore, South Korea and Jordan. India’s National Central Bureau (NCB-India) reached out to its counterparts around the world to campaign for this election. The elections were held in Istanbul, Turkey during the ongoing 89 INTERPOL General Assembly.
• Interpol is the world’s largest international police organization with a National Central Bureau in all 195 member states. It has seven regional bureaus all over the world. It was formed in 1923. Its motto is connecting police for a safer world. It is headquartered in Lyon, France. Kim Jong Yang is its President.

37th edition of India-Indonesia CORPAT is being held in the Indian Ocean

• The 37th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) is being held in the Indian Ocean region from 23-24 November 2021. CORPAT is held twice in a year to ensure safety and security. It was conducted for the first time in 2002. Indigenously built Indian Naval Ship (INS) Khanjar and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft is participating in the CORPAT. Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin, (376) is participating from Indonesia.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Venkaiah Naidu to lead Indian delegation at ASEM summit

• The 13th edition of the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Summit has been organised on November 25 and 26, 2021. The Summit is being hosted by Cambodia as ASEM Chair. The theme of the two-day ASEM Summit is Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth. The Indian delegation is being led by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu through the virtual platform.
• The ASEM Summit will bring together countries in Asia and Europe to exchange views on regional and global issues and strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas.
• ASEM grouping have 51 member countries and two regional organisations — the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

OBITUARY

Book “Contested Lands: India, China and the Boundary Dispute” by Former Army Officer Maroof Raza

• Former Army Officer Maroof Raza has authored a new book titled “Contested Lands: India, China, and the Boundary Dispute”. The book features the history of India’s boundary making with Tibet and China and analyses the current India-China boundary contestation stemming from interpretations of history in the post-colonial period.
• Maroof Raza’s other books: Kashmir’s Untold Story (co-authored with Iqbal Chand Malhotra), Shourya Gatha: Bharat Ke Veer Senani (co-authored with Lt. Col. Sheodan Singh),War Despatches 1971 (co-authored with Brig B.S. Mehta).

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

HDFC Bank to tap into Equitas SFB’s customer base with co-branded credit card

• Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) partnered with HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited) Bank to launch its new co-branded credit cards. Through this partnership, Equitas SFB will utilize the HDFC bank’s reach in the credit card market and also to provide its customers a better banking ecosystem.
• The credit card can be availed in two categories. The first category is the ‘Excite Credit Card’ which offers a credit limit from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh and the second category is the ‘Elegance Credit Card’ which offers a credit of over Rs 2 lakh.

NATIONAL

IFFI 2021:Tamil film Koozhangal selected to be screened at Indian Panorama segment

• Tamil film Koozhangal will be screened at the Indian Panorama segment in the 52 International film festival Goa. Koozhangal is also India’s official entry for Academy Award for Oscars. It is a story about the relationship between an alcoholic, abusive husband and his wife. The story is from the viewpoint of their Child.
• The 52 International Film Festival of India will be organized from 20 -28 November 2021 in Goa. The International Film Festival of India is one of India’s biggest international film festivals.

PM Modi inaugurated the 82nd AIPOC in Shimla

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 82nd All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) in Shimla.  The first Conference was held in Shimla in 1921 and the AIPOC is being held in Shimla for the seventh time. All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) is celebrating its hundred years in 2021. In this conference, various issues will be discussed such as the responsibility of presiding officers towards the Constitution, the House and the people.
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has presided over the conference. The Conference attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the presiding officers of all the States and Union Territories added the Lok Sabha speaker. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also participate in the meeting.

Rashtriya Raksha Samarpan Parv starts in Jhansi

• 3-day Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv will be held in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. 19th of November is the Birth Anniversary of Rani Lakshmi Bai, the epitome of bravery and courage and a great National icon of Rashtra Raksha and India’s Independence struggle. As a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv will be organised from November 17 to November 19, 2021.
• This event is being organised by the defence ministry in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh. On November 19, the programme will witness the participation from Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister of UP, Yogi Adityanath.

SPORTS

Janette Brittin, Mahela Jayawardena and Shaun Pollock announced as ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced cricket legends Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka), Shaun Pollock (SA), and Janette Brittin (England) were inducted into the hall of fame. The ICC Hall of Fame recognizes the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket’s long and illustrious history. 106 players have been inducted since its launch in 2009.
• Jayawardene, who retired as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest ever players, was a key member of the team that won the T20 World Cup in 2014 and reached the four other major ICC finals.
• Pollock, on the other hand, was one of the finest all-rounders South Africa has ever produced. He was the first player to achieve the double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets in both Test and ODI cricket.
• Brittin, who died in 2017, was a mainstay of the England Test team for 19 years, helping pave the way for women’s cricket from 1979 to 1998. She was the oldest woman to score a Test hundred (at 39 years and 38 days vs Australia in 1998) and the second-oldest to score an ODI hundred (at 38 years and 161 days vs Pakistan in 1997).

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Philosophy Day 2021: 18^th November

• World Philosophy Day is celebrated on the Third Thursday of November each year. In 2021, the day falls on 18 November. World Philosophy Day 2021 opens the discussion on the different interactions of human beings with their social, cultural, geographical and political environment, with the underlying objective of better understanding the contribution of philosophy in our contemporary societies and the challenges they face, pandemic in particular.
• World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO. In 2005 the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed that World Philosophy Day would be celebrated every third Thursday of November.

Naturopathy Day 2021: 18^th November

• The National Naturopathy Day is observed in India on 18 November every year, to promote positive mental and physical health through a drugless system of medicine, called as Naturopathy. The day was declared by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Government of India, on November 18, 2018.
• It was on this day in 1945, when Mahatma Gandhi became lifetime Chairman of the All India Nature Cure Foundation Trust and signed the deed with the object of making the benefits of Nature Cure available to all classes of people.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

“The Disruptor: How Vishwanath Pratap Singh Shook India” by Debashish Mukerji

• A book titled ‘The Disruptor: How Vishwanath Pratap Singh Shook India’ was authored by Debashish Mukerji. The book presents a detailed account on India’s eighth Prime Minister (PM), Vishwanath Pratap Singh (V P Singh), who served as PM between December 1989 to November 1990. He also served as the Defence Minister of India & the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

PIDF’s Total corpus reaches Rs 614 crore

• The total corpus of Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) of RBI has reached Rs 614 crore. The PIDF scheme was launched by RBI in January 2021, to subsidize deployment of payment acceptance infrastructure (PoS) in Tier-3 to Tier-6 centres with a special focus on the North-Eastern States of the country. At that time it was decided that, RBI will make an initial contribution of Rs. 250 crores to the PIDF covering half the fund and the remaining contribution will be from card-issuing banks and card networks operating in the country.
• Initially when the scheme has launched the corpus of PIDF was Rs. 345 crore (Rs. 250 crores contributed by RBI and Rs. 95 crores by the major authorized card networks in the country). Now various other Authorised Card Networks (Rs. 153.72) and Card Issuing Banks (Rs. 210.17 crores) have increased their contribution to the PIDF Scheme hence taking the total corpus to Rs. 613.89 crore (approx Rs 614 crore).

Oct WPI inflation hits five-month high of 12.54% on higher input costs

• Ministry of Commerce & Industry released its data on Wholesale Price Index (WPI). As per Ministry’s data, provisional Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation have been accelerated to a five-month high to 12.54% in October 2021 as against 66% recorded in September. This rise was attributed to an increase in fuel and manufacturing prices. The report notes that, benchmark inflation print has remained in double digits for seven consecutive months.
• The benchmark inflation print for October 2020 was 1.31%. The high rate of inflation in October 2021 is due to an increase in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum & natural gas, food products, chemicals and chemical products etc as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

World Bank and Asian Development Bank launches 'WePOWER India Partnership Forum'

• The WePOWER India Partnership Forum was held through a virtual platform on November 9, 2021, to boost the South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network (WePOWER) in India. The event was organized by the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in association with the India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF). The event saw a panel discussion on expanding job opportunities for women in India’s Clean Energy Transition’.
• Initiated in 2019, WB in collaboration with ADB launched the WePOWER to promote gender equality in the Indian electricity sector. It is a network of 28 energy sector utilities and organizations. It also promotes normative change for women and girls in Science Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.

NATIONAL

Arunachal Pradesh has approved the large, brightly coloured Kaiser-i-Hind as the State butterfly

• State Cabinet of Arunachal Pradesh, headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, approved “Kaiser-i-Hind” as the state butterfly. Kaiser-i-Hind is scientifically known as Teinopalpus imperialis. In literal terms, it means Emperor of India. The butterfly is having a wingspan of 90-120 mm. It is found across six States along Eastern Himalayas at elevations from 6,000-10,000 feet in a well-wooded terrain.
• The Kaiser-i-Hind is protected under Schedule II of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Despite that, they are hunted for the supply to butterfly collectors. International Union for Conservation of Nature has red-listed the Kaiser-i-Hind.
• Kaiser-i-Hind’ is a large and brightly coloured butterfly.
• It is an elusive swallowtail butterfly, which carries ‘India’ in its name.
• They also flutter in Bhutan, Nepal, Laos, Myanmar, southern China and Vietnam.

SPORTS

VVS Laxman to take charge as NCA head

• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President, Sourav Ganguly has confirmed, that former India batter VVS Laxman will be the next head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Laxman will take over from his former batting colleague Rahul Dravid, who was recently appointed as chief coach of the Indian team following the end of Ravi Shastri’s tenure.

OBITUARY

World-renowned writer Wilbur Smith died at the aged 88

• Internationally acclaimed Zambia-born South African author, Wilbur Smith has passed away. He was 88. The global bestselling author has authored 49 novels and sold over 140 million copies worldwide in more than 30 languages. He rose to fame in 1964 with his debut novel “When the Lion Feeds” which turned in the movie with 15 sequels. Smith published his autobiography “On Leopard Rock” in 2018.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Epilepsy Day 2021: 17^th November

• In India, November 17 is observed every year as National Epilepsy Day by the Epilepsy Foundation, to create awareness about epilepsy. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain characterized by recurrent ‘seizures’ or ‘fits’. The month of November is observed as ‘National Epilepsy Awareness Month’.
• Epilepsy is a varied set of persistent neurological disarray and causes sudden seizures and fits.
• The seizures of epilepsy result due to the unusual and extreme activities in the brain and the seizures also result from hypersynchronous neuronal brain activity.
• According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), more than 50 million people across the globe have epilepsy, which makes it one of the most common neurological diseases.

World COPD Day third Wednesday of November 

• World COPD Day is observed on the third Wednesday of November every year to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improve COPD care throughout the world. The World COPD Day 2021 falls on November 17, 2021. The 2021 theme is Healthy Lungs – Never More Important.
• The day is organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in collaboration with health care professionals and COPD patient groups throughout the world. The first World COPD Day was held in 2002. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe.

Awards & Recognition

Author M Mukundan wins JCB Prize for Literature 2021 for his novel ‘Delhi: A Soliloquy’

• Author M Mukundan won the 2021 JCB prize for Literature, for his book ‘Delhi: A Soliloquy’. The book, which has originally been written in Malayalam has been translated into English by Fathima EV and Nandakumar K. The novel, published by Westland, is a story about Delhi through the eyes of its Malayali youth protagonists.
• Mukundan received the Prize trophy, which is a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral and Tagra entitled ‘Mirror Melting’, and he will receive a prize amount of Rs 25 lakh. This is the third translation to have won the JCB award in the last four years. The jury for this award comprised Sara Rai (Chair), Annapurna Garimella, Shahnaz Habib, Prem Panicker, and Amit Varma.

RANKING

Air Quality Index: Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai among world’s top 10 polluted cities

• According to the data from air quality and pollution city tracking service from IQAir, a Switzerland-based climate group, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai are among the top ten most polluted cities of the world. Delhi topped the list with AQI at 556, Kolkata and Mumbai recorded an AQI of 177 and 169, respectively, at 4th and 6th position. The cities with the worst AQI indices also include Lahore, in Pakistan, and Chengdu, in China.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

RBI unveils Internal Ombudsman mechanism for select NBFCs

• The Reserve Bank of India has announced to introduce the Internal Ombudsman mechanism for the following two types of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). These two types of NBFCs are Deposit-taking NBFCs (NBFCs-D) with 10 or more branches and Non-Deposit taking NBFCs (NBFCs-ND) with asset size of Rs.5,000 crore and above having public customer interface.
• Consequently, these two categories of NBFCs will have to appoint Internal Ombudsman (IO). The internal Ombudsman will be responsible for handling the public grievance at the entity level before the grievance is escalated to Ombudsman at RBI. RBI has given a timeline of six months to the NBFCs for the appointment of the Internal Ombudsman.

HDFC Bank launches the second edition of “Mooh Band Rakho” campaign to raise awareness on fraud prevention

• HDFC Bank Ltd has launched the second edition of its “Mooh Band Rakho” campaign to raise awareness on fraud prevention in support of International Fraud Awareness Week 2021 (November 14-20, 2021). HDFC Bank aims to increase awareness of its customers on all types of frauds and the importance of keeping your mouth shut to ensure their prevention and taking a pledge and not share confidential banking information with anyone. HDFC Bank will organise 2,000 workshops in the next four months under this campaign.

INTERNATIONAL

India, Singapore and Thailand begins Exercise SITMEX–21

• The 3rd edition of the Trilateral Maritime Exercise named SITMEX–21 is being held from 15 to 16 Nov 21 in the Andaman Sea. The Navies of the India, Singapore and Thailand will participate in the event. Indian Naval Ship (INS) Karmuk is participating in the 3rd edition from India. It is an indigenously built Missile Corvette.
• The event is being hosted by Royal Thai Navy (RTN) in the Andaman Sea with an aim to enhance the cooperation between the participating navies towards augmenting the overall maritime security in the region.
• SITMEX is being conducted annually since 2019 with an aim to enhance mutual inter-operability and imbibing best practices between the Indian Navy (IN), RSN and RTN. The maiden edition of SITMEX was hosted by IN off Port Blair in September 2019. RSN hosted the second edition of the exercise in November 2020. The 2021 edition of the exercise is being hosted by RTN in the Andaman Sea.

NATIONAL

PM Modi inaugurated Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 341-km long Purvanchal Express in Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The expressway links state capital Lucknow with Ghazipur and has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 22,500 crore. PM Modi landed on the Purvanchal Expressway airstrip in a military transport aircraft. The key feature of the Expressway is the 3.2 km long airstrip to enable landing and take-off of Indian Air Force fighter planes in case of emergency.
• The Purvanchal Expressway starts from village Chaudsarai in the Lucknow district and ends at Haidaria village on National Highway number 31, 18 kilometres east of the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border.
• The expressway is 6-lane wide which can be expanded to 8-lane in the future.
• This expressway is set to give a boost to the economic development of the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh especially the districts of Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju launched Citizen’s Tele-Law mobile app

• Union Minister of Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju has launched the Citizen’s Tele-Law Mobile App. This app would connect the beneficiaries directly with panel lawyers offering legal advice and consultation. The app will connect the beneficiaries directly with panel lawyers offering legal advice and consultation. The app was launched as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, celebrated by the Department of Justice from 8 to 14 November. The app would connect the beneficiaries directly with panel lawyers offering legal advice and consultation.
• A special “Login” week is being organised throughout the country for encouraging those in need to seek legal advice and consultation through teleconferencing and video conferencing facilities by urging them to visit their nearest Common Service Centres (CSCs) offering Tele-Law services.
• These Common Service Centres have been branded as ‘Kanooni Salah Sahahyak Kendra’ for this purpose.

India Launches Another Scientific Expedition To Antarctica, First Batch Of Scientists Reaches Indian Antarctic Station

• India successfully launched the 41st Scientific Expedition to Antarctica on November 15, 2021. The first batch of its contingents comprising of 23 scientists and support staff has reached the Indian Antarctic station Maitri. Four more batches will be landing in Antarctica by mid-January 2022. The Indian Antarctic program began in 1981 and has completed 40 scientific expeditions.
• The team of 48 members at the 41st expedition is being led by Dr Shailendra Saini, Scientist National Centre for Polar & Ocean Research (Voyage Leader), Shri. Huidrom Nageshwar Singh, Metrologist, India Metrological Department (Leader, Maitri Station) and Shri. AnoopKalayilSoman, scientist Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (Leader, Bharati Station). Currently, there are three permanent research base stations in Antarctica, named DakshinGangotri (1983), Maitri (1988) and Bharati (2012).

SPORTS

Lewis Hamilton ends 'hardest weekend' with stunning win at Brazilian Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain), has won the 2021 F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix (earlier known as Brazilian Grand Prix). Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) came second while Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) came third in the Brazilian Grand Prix 2021. Max Verstappen is leading the World Drivers’ Standings with 312.5 points, 19 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton (318.5).

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Indian Oil and NTPC ink deal to collaborate on green energy

• National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) signed an MoU with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to collaborate in the field of Renewable Energy and mutually explore opportunities for the supply of low carbon/RE RTC (round the clock) captive power. This is a first-of-its-kind novel initiative by two leading national energy majors of India, to support the country’s commitment to achieving renewable energy targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This comes in the backdrop of Indian Oil announcing its plan to build the country’s first green hydrogen plant at its Mathura refinery.

OBITUARY

Babasaheb Purandare, historian and Padma Vibhushan awardee, passes away at 99

• The eminent historian, orator and noted author from Maharashtra, Balwant Moreshwar Purandare has passed away. He was 99. The author was popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare. Purandare wrote extensively about Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He had earned the moniker ‘Shiv Shahir’ which literally means Shivaji’s bard. He was felicitated with India’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, on 25 January 2019.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Press Day 2021:16th November

• National Press Day is observed on 16th November every year to celebrate free and responsible press in India. On this day the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that the press maintains high standards and is not constrained by any influence or threats. It also commemorates the day when the Press Council of India started functioning.
• In 1956, the First Press Commission was planned to form a Press Council to protect freedom of the press in India. On 4 July 1966, the Press Council was established in India. It came into effect from 16 November 1966. Therefore, 16 November is celebrated as National Press Day every year.

International Day for Tolerance 2021: 16th November

• The United Nations observes “International Day for Tolerance” on 16th November every year. The United Nations is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples.
• In 1994, UNESCO marked the 125th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth paving the way for the proclamation of 16 November as the International Day for Tolerance by the UN. This day pays tribute to the values of the Mahatma of peace, non-violence and equality. The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural or communication fields aimed at the promotion of a spirit of tolerance and non-violence. The prize is awarded every two years on the International Day for Tolerance, 16 November.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Indian brothers win Children's Peace Prize for waste project

• Two Delhi-based teenage brothers Vihaan (17) and Nav Agarwal (14) have won the 17th annual KidsRights International Children’s Peace Prize for tackling pollution in their home city by recycling household waste. The duo received the prestigious award by Indian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi. Vihaan and Nav have developed an “One Step Greener” initiative for segregating rubbish and organising waste pickups for trash from thousands of homes, schools and offices.
• The International Children’s Peace Prize is given annually by the International children’s rights organization KidsRights based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
• It is given to a child who has made a significant contribution to advocating children’s rights and improving the situation of vulnerable children such as orphans, child labourers and children with HIV/AIDS.

NATIONAL

TVS Motor: First Indian 2-wheeler maker in united Nations Global Compact

• TVS Motor Company, the flagship company of TVS Group, has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. TVS Motor has become the 1st Indian two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer to join the UNGC. TVS Motor will also engage in collaborative projects which will advance the development goals of the UN, particularly the Sustainable development goals (SDG).

44th 100 Drums Wangala festival begins in Meghalaya

• Meghalaya state observed the 44th edition of ‘Wangala’, the festival of 100 Drums Festival begins. It is a post-harvest festival of the Garos tribe which is being held every year to honour ‘Saljong’, the Sun God of Garos, which also marks the end of the harvest season. Celebrated since 1976, it’s the most important festival of the Garo tribe and attracts a lot of tourists. During the Wangala, tribals offer sacrifices to please their deity Saljong, the Sun God.
• The first day of the festival is celebrated with a ceremony called Ragula which is performed in the house of the village’s chief. People dress up in colourful costumes with feathered headgears and dance to the rhythms of long oval-shaped drums on the second day of celebration, Kakkat.

Centre brings ordinance to extend tenure of CBI, ED chiefs up to 5 years from earlier 2

• The central government of India promulgated two ordinances for extending the tenure of Directors of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for up to five years. At present, the director of CBI and ED have been appointed for two-year tenure in office by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) Act, 2003. The order states that “whereas Parliament is not in session and the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action.”
• President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the ordinance and the central government is expected to table a law in Parliament to replace the same. As per the new ordinance, the Directors of CBI or ED can now be appointed first for a period of two years, and later if needed, the tenure can be extended for three more years. But it will require three separate annual extensions. However, after five years no extension can be granted to an ED or CBI chief.

Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal's Habibganj railway station renamed after Gond queen Rani Kamlapati

• The Habibganj railway station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has been renamed after 18th-century Gond Queen of Bhopal, Rani Kamlapati. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the revamped Rani Kamlapati railway station on November 15, during his visit to Bhopal. The railway station has been redeveloped with modern airport-like amenities at a cost of Rs 450 crore under Public Private Partnership mode in three years. Rani Kamlapati was the last Hindu queen of Bhopal and pride of the Gond community.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Maharashtra signs MoU to boost adoption of electric vehicles

• Maharashtra government has signed an MoU with the United States-based Non-Profit Organisation, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), to provide technical support for Maharashtra’s Electric Vehicle (EV) policy. The MoU was signed at Glasgow, United Kingdom, at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26). Maharashtra state EV policy aims to have a 10 per cent share of EV vehicles of total registrations in India by 2025.
• Maharashtra’s new draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2021 aims to bring at least 146,000 new battery-operated electric vehicles (BEVs) on state roads by 2025, estimated to comprise about 10% of all new vehicles registrations by that time. The policy aims to incentivise the purchase of 100,000 electric two-wheelers, 15,000 e-autos, 10,000 cars, 20,000 goods carriers (both three and four-wheelers) and 1,000 e-buses.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar releases a book titled ‘FORCE IN STATECRAFT

• India’s Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar has released a book titled ‘FORCE IN STATECRAFT’ in New Delhi. The book is a compilation of essays on topics such as counter-insurgency operations, conflict in the North East, airpower, nuclear posture etc. contributed by all stalwarts of the Armed Forces, who have vast operational experience and understanding of several important cornerstones of forces and its application.
• It has been compiled by Commandant of National Defence College (NDC) Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhury and President’s Chair of Excellence at NDC Air Vice Marshal (Dr) Arjun Subramaniam (Retd). The first of its kind book from NDC will help policymakers, legislators, diplomats, academics, leadership at all levels in the various national security verticals.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

RBI projects CPI inflation at 5.3% for 2021-22

• The RBI has projected the CPI inflation at 5.3 per cent for 2021-22. According to MoSPI data, inflation in the food basket rose to 0.85 per cent in October, compared to 0.68 per cent in the preceding month. India’s retail inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose slightly in October to 4.48% year-on-year from 35% in September due to an uptick in food prices. The inflation was 61% in October last year.

BharatPe launched the world's first Merchant Shareholding Program for its merchant partners

• BharatPe launched the World’s 1st Merchant Shareholding Program (MSP) for its merchant partners. It is a $100 million worth program, under which the company offers its merchant customers an opportunity to buy BharatPe’s equity shares and become a partner. The company plans a public listing by 2024 and targets a public listing value of $1 billion.
• The merchant payments and financial services company will roll out the incentive to its more than 7.5 million existing merchant partners. The programme will also be offered to new merchants joining the platform.
• The stock programme is designed to address the gap in wealth creation for merchants and recognize them as active growth partners, BharatPe said, adding that the programme aims to build and sustain loyalty among its merchant partners in a fast-growing fintech segment in India.

NATIONAL

Sixth-edition of India-France joint military exercise 'EX-SHAKTI2021'

• The Navies of India and France will carry out the 6th edition of the biennial training exercise “EX SHAKTI 2021” from November 15 to 26, 2021 in Frejus, France. The Indian Army will be represented by the Gorkha Rifles Infantry Battalion and France Army will be represented by troops of the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
• The exercise will focus on Counter-Terrorism operations and enhance military cooperation and interoperability between the two Armies. Apart from this, India and France will also carry out biennial airforce training exercise ‘Exercise GARUDA’ , and biennial maritime training exercise ‘Exercise VARUNA’.

Professor Bimal Patel elected to International Law Commission for 5-yr term

• Professor Bimal Patel of India has been elected to the International Law Commission for a period of five-year. His five-year term will start from January 1, 2023. Prof Patel is the Vice-Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University and a Member of the National Security Advisory Board of India. The 51-year-old Patel secured 163 votes in the UN General Assembly out of 192 members. This was the highest votes received by a candidate in the Asia-Pacific Group.

SPORTS

Australia wins T20 World Cup 2021 title

• Australia won their maiden T20 World Cup title as they defeated New Zealand in the final by 8 wickets. A target of 173 in a global final is never easy but Marsh with his power and reach made it look like a walk in the park in the company of David Warner (53 off 38 balls), who also turned the wheels of fortune for himself and his team during a victory, achieved in 18.5 overs. Mitchell Marsh was named as the player of the match.
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 had begun on 17th October 2021 at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, the final match was commenced on 14th November in Dubai when the tournament’s two best teams Australia and New Zealand met in a decider. The event which was to be held in India shifted to UAE and Oman due to the COVID-19 situation in India. BCCI, however, will continue to be the host of the event.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Plaeto signed Rahul Dravid as brand ambassador  

• Children’s footwear brand Plaeto has announced the appointment of celebrated Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid as its brand ambassador and mentor. Plaeto is India’s first D2C foot-health focused footwear brand designed specifically for Indian children. Plaeto was founded in March 2020 by Ravi Kallayil, Sara Kilgore and Pavan Kareti.
• The brand has announced the partnership along with a campaign featuring Dravid. The campaign has been developed by Bangalore-based People Design and Communication, in partnership with team Plaeto. The video campaign will be promoted across the brand’s social media channels and will go live on 14 November.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Children’s Day 2021:14^th November

• On 14th November, Children’s Day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. Children’s Day is popularly known as ‘Baal Diwas’ in India. The day aims at increasing the awareness of the rights, care and education of children. On this day, many educational and motivational programs are organised across the country, by and for children.
• Jawaharlal Nehru, who was India’s first Prime Minister, was quite famous among children and was popularly known as ‘Chacha Nehru’. Following his death in 1964, it was decided that to move the celebrations of Children’s Day to November 14 as a mark of respect to him and to commemorate his fondness for children. A resolution was passed in the Parliament and since then, Children’s Day is celebrated in India on November 14 every year. Notably, Children’s Day was celebrated in India first on November 20, 1956, along with Universal Children’s Day.

World Diabetes Day 2021:14^th November

• World Diabetes Day is observed on 14th November every year. The campaign aims to raise awareness around the crucial role that nurses play in supporting people living with diabetes. The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23: “Access to Diabetes Care ”.
• In 2007 General Assembly adopted resolution 61/225 designating 14 November as World Diabetes Day. The document recognized “the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts to promote and improve human health, and provide access to treatment and health-care education.”

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book “Unshackling India” by Ajay Chhibber and Salman Anees Soz

• A book titled “Unshackling India: Hard Truths and Clear Choices for Economic Revival” authored by Ajay Chhibber and Salman Anees Soz. A new book examines whether India can use the next 25 years, when it will reach the hundredth year of independence, to not only restructure its economy but rejuvenate its democratic energy and unshackle its potential to become a genuinely developed economy by 2047.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Retail inflation inched up to 4.48 per cent in October 2021

• The retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), slightly rose to 4.48 per cent in October. Separately, the factory output, measured in terms of Index of Industrial Production (IIP), grew by 3.1 per cent in September. Food inflation picked up to 0.85 per cent in October from 0.68 per cent a month ago with a rise in prices of vegetables.
• The inflation print for October this year, however, is lower than the year-ago level of 7.61 per cent recorded in October 2020. With the impact of excise duty cut yet to reflect in the headline numbers, high core inflation — the non-food, non-fuel inflation component — and risks of high global commodity prices are expected to keep the inflation rate under pressure.

INTERNATIONAL

Daniel Brühl Appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of UN-World Food Programme

• Spanish-German Actor Daniel Brühl has been named the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme (UN-WFP). He has joined the WFP’s mission to reach a world with Zero Hunger. As the goodwill ambassador, he will inform about the main drivers of hunger and showcase the efforts of UN WFP to tackle both immediate needs and root causes of hunger.
• In his role as a Goodwill Ambassador, Bruhl will raise awareness for the millions of people going to bed hungry every night and engage his supporters in advocacy for a Zero Hunger world. The 43-year-old actor will also use his platforms to inform his supporters about the main drivers of hunger and to showcase WFP’s efforts to tackle both immediate needs and root causes of hunger.

NATIONAL

Union Minister Hardeep Puri  Unveiled the statue of Rani Lakshmi Bai at the Maharani Lakshmi Bai college for Women, Bhiwani Rohilla in Hisar (Haryana)

• Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep S. Puri has unveiled the statue of Rani Lakshmi Bai at the Maharani Lakshmi Bai college for Women, Bhiwani Rohilla in Hisar (Haryana) through video conferencing. Describing Rani Lakshmi Bai as a major symbol of revolt against the repression of the British Raj, the Minister said that her life has been inspiring nationalism and Indian women for generations who led the freedom revolution of India with the utmost bravery, skill and force against British rule.

IRCTC Adds Bhadrachalam in Ramayana Circuit Itinerary

• Bhadrachalam in Telangana has been added as a destination in the IRCTC’s Ramayana Circuit train. Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G. Kishan Reddy has expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inclusion of Bhadarchalam as one of the destinations in the Ramayana Circuit of the Pilgrim Special Train. Bhadrachalam is home to Sree Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple.
• The aim of the Ramayana Yatra Train is to connect all the important locations of Lord Rama’s journey during his lifetime, the inclusion of Bhadrachalam Road Station will complete the Ramayana Circuit.

INS Vela, India’s fourth Scorpene-class submarine, delivered to Indian Navy

• 4th Scorpene submarine of the Project-75, Yard 11878 was delivered to the Indian Navy which will be commissioned as INS (Indian Naval Ship) Vela. Project-75 includes the construction of six submarines of Scorpene design by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai (Maharashtra) in collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France. Currently, three submarines under Project-75 are functional with the Indian Navy viz. INS Karanj, INS Kalvari, and INS Khanderi.
• INS Vela is known to have advanced stealth and combat capabilities when it comes to engaging with the enemy.

SPORTS

Women’s cricket to make its debut in 2022 Commonwealth Games

• The first matches for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have been announced. Women’s cricket is making its debut at the Commonwealth Games with the T20 format. The last time cricket was played in the multi-sporting showpiece was in the 1998 edition in Kuala Lumpur. The women’s cricket T20 competition will be held at the Edgbaston Stadium from the 29 July, with the bronze and gold medal matches taking place on 7 August.
• India will face Australia in the opening match when women’s cricket makes its debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on July 29 while the final will be played on August 7. India in the early session, with Pakistan playing Barbados, who was recently confirmed as the team from the West Indies that will take part in the Commonwealth Games.
• Hosts England will be in action for the first time on July 30, when they will take on the winner of a qualifying tournament which is due to take place at the start of 2022. They will then play South Africa in the early session on August 2, followed by a third match against New Zealand in the evening session on August 4.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Kishida reelected Japan's prime minister in parliamentary vote

• Fumio Kishida, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been re-elected as the Prime Minister (PM) of Japan following the victory of the LDP in the 2021 Parliament election. Fumio Kishida succeeded Yoshihide Suga who resigned as PM of Japan in September 2021.
• Elected just over a month ago by parliament, Kishida called a quick election in which his governing party secured 261 seats in the 465-member lower house — the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber legislature — enough to maintain a free hand in pushing legislation through parliament.

SN Pradhan appointed as NCB chief till August 2024

• Satya Narayan Pradhan has been appointed as the Director-General (DG) of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on a deputation till the date of his superannuation on 31st August 2024 or until further orders. He was holding the additional charge as the DG of NCB in addition to the responsibilities as the DG of NDRF. He took the additional charge as the DG of NCB succeeding Rakesh Asthana who was appointed as Delhi Police Commissioner.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

NPCI Bharat BillPay on-boards ICICI Prudential Life Insurance on ClickPay

• NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd., the wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India has tied up with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance to provide its marquee offering – ClickPay to the insurer’s customers. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance is the first insurance company to offer this facility of ClickPay to its customers empowering them to make renewal premium payments with ease.
• To offer an automated and valuable insurance premium payment experience, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance will generate the ClickPay link and share it with the customers which will redirect them to the payment page comprising payment details. This convenient and secure two-step process will help customers pay the bills without the hassle of putting in the premium amount, remembering premium payment dates, and going through arduous steps to make the payment.

OBITUARY

Renowned author Anand Shankar Pandya passes away at 99

• Former Vice President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Anand Shankar Pandya has passed away. He was over 99 years old. He was a prolific author and public intellectual who wrote extensively on history, public policy and spirituality. He was active in the VHP and worked selflessly towards social service.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021: 18-24 November

• World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated from 18-24 November every year. The World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policymakers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
• The 2021 theme, Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance, calls on One Health stakeholders, policymakers, health care providers, and the general public to be Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness champions.