NATIONAL

NGT bans sale and use of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a total ban on the sale and use of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region from 9 November to 30 November. The ban will be applicable in cities and towns where the air quality is in the “poor” category.

• NGT further added that in cities or towns where the air quality is “moderate” or below, only green firecrackers will be sold and the time duration of bursting them will be restricted to two hours during festivals such as Diwali, Chhath, New Year/Christmas Eve as may be specified by the state. Currently, the state governments have their own set of guidelines with regard to permitting/banning the sale and use of firecrackers during the festive season.

Kerala launches “Parivarthanam” scheme for better livelihood of fisherfolk

• The government of Kerala has launched a pioneering eco-sustainable programme called ‘Parivarthanam’, to improve the livelihood of the fishing community. The scheme aims at improving the livelihood skills of youngsters along the coastline and also enable socio-economic uplift of the fishermen community.

• Parivarthanam, which means change, will be headed by Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation (KSCADC).

• The scheme will promote the processing and marketing of clean fish and its fresh products.

• Parivarthanam will also guarantee a fixed price to fish-catchers as fair compensation.

• It would also provide jobs to college dropouts and migrant workforce returning home due to C-19.

• Apart from this, the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) of Union governments will monitor the procurement and processing of fish besides ensuring its quality.

1st solar-based water supply project of India launched in Arunachal Pradesh

• Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has launched India’s first solar-based Integrated Multi-Village Water Supply Project (IMVWSP) in Arunachal Pradesh. The solar-based lift water supply project is ‘first of its kind’ in the country, and has been commissioned at a cost of Rs 28.50 crore. However, such projects will be carried out in other parts of the country too.

• The project would provide drinking water to 17,480 people in 39 villages of Lower Dibang Valley district in Arunachal Pradesh.

• The solar-based Integrated Multi-Village Water Supply Project has been designed as an integrated project with three components, which are drinking water, green energy and tourism.

• The project uses a green energy-solar grid, SCADA automation system, pre-fabricated zinc alum storage tank and HDPE conduit for mains, sub-mains and distribution networking system. The project also includes amusement park including swimming pool, amphitheatre, fountains, and sit-outs.

AIM and Sirius jointly launch ‘AIM-Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0’

• The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship initiative by the NITI Aayog, and Russia’s Sirius (Scientific International Research In Unique Terrestrial Station) have jointly launched ‘AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0’. AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0 is a 14-day virtual programme for Indian and Russian schoolchildren.

• It is the first Indo-Russian bilateral youth innovation initiative, which seeks to develop technological solutions, both web-based and mobile-based, for the two countries.

• During the event, around 48 students and 16 educators and mentors will create 8 virtual products and mobile applications to address global challenges across a wide range of areas, in the wake of the C-19 pandemic.

• These areas include culture, distance education, applied cognitive science, health and well-being, sports, fitness, and games training, chemistry, artificial intelligence, and digital financial assets.

PM Modi: Shipping ministry to be renamed

• The Ministry of Shipping is being expanded and renamed as the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. This information was given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 November 2020, during a launch event of Ro-Pax terminal at Hazira and flagging off the Ro-Pax ferry service between Hazira and Ghogha in Gujarat, which will reduce the 370-km road distance between the two places to 90-km by sea route.

• The service will also cut the travel time between the two places to about four hours from 10 to 12 hours. The ferry will make three trips daily, annually transporting five lakh passengers, 80,000 passenger vehicles, 50,000 two-wheelers and 30,000 trucks, as per the release.

OBITUARY

Filmmaker Sudarshan Rattan passes away

• Bollywood filmmaker Sudarshan Rattan passed away due to C-19. He was known for his 1986 film Manav Hatya, starring Madhuri Dixit and Shekhar Suman.

• Apart from this, the late filmmaker had also written, directed and produced the 1996 action drama film Hahakaar, starring Sudhir Pandey, Shafi Inamdar, Neelima Azeem and Johny Lever among others.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Legal Services Day: 09 November

• In India, 09 November is celebrated as “National Legal Services Day” every year by all Legal Services Authorities, to commemorate the enactment of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987.

• The Day is celebrated to make people aware of the various provisions under the Legal Services Authorities Act and the right of the litigants. The aim of celebrating this day is to offer free of charge, proficient and legal services to the people belonging to weaker sections of society. It also seeks to make sure the availability of free services to weaker section people as well as making them conscious about their rights.

• On 11 October 1987, the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 was enacted, while the act took effect on 9 November 1995. The day was started by the Supreme Court of India in 1995 to provide help and support to poor and weaker sections of the society. It was established with a mandate to offer help and support to a weaker and poor group of sections of people which may be women, disabled persons, Scheduled Tribes (STs), children, Scheduled Castes (SCs), human trafficking victims as well as natural calamities victims.

International Day of Radiology: 08 November

• International Day of Radiology is observed globally on 8th November every year. The day is celebrated to promote the awareness of the value that radiology contributes to safe patient care, and improving public understanding of the vital role radiologists and radiographers play in the healthcare continuum.

• In 2020, the International Day of Radiology will therefore be dedicated to all imaging professionals and their essential role in fighting the C-19 pandemic making an indispensable contribution to the diagnosis and treatment of C-19 patients. The motto of International Day of Radiology 2020: ‘Radiologists and radiographers supporting patients during C-19’.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Vidya Balan’s short film ‘Natkhat’ eligible for Oscar nomination

• The Indian film ‘Natkhat’, starring and co-produced by Vidya Balan, has won the top prize at the third edition of Best Of India Short Film Festival 2020. By winning the festival, the film has become eligible for 2021 Oscar qualification. The film has been directed by Shaan Vyas and co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Vidya Balan.

• The film also won cash prize money of $2,500 (approximately Rs 1,85,497) and an opportunity for a television broadcast deal on ShortsTV. The Best of India Festival has been established by ShortsTV since 2018 to honour and recognize the exceptional work of the Indian (India) filmmaker.

INTERNATIONAL

Joe Biden wins the US presidential election

• Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. has defeated Donald Trump to become the 46th U.S. president. Biden will become the oldest president-elect in U.S. history and the first to oust a sitting commander-in-chief after one term since Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in 1992. Biden’s electoral college vote to 290, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House. Biden’s running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris, becomes the first Black and Indian-American woman to serve as vice president.

• Biden Jr. was born November 20, 1942, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, Biden previously served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and United States Senator for Delaware from 1973 to 2009.

NATIONAL

India-Italy Virtual Bilateral Summit 2020

• The Bilateral Summit between India and Italy was held virtually on 6th November 2020. The Summit was attended by the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Italy Prof. Giuseppe Conte. The two leaders reviewed the broad framework of the bilateral relationship and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation against common global challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic.

• A wide range of issues was discussed including political, economic, scientific & technological, space and defence cooperation. 15 MoUs/Agreements were signed during the Summit in various sectors such as energy, fisheries, shipbuilding, design etc.

ISRO launches PSLV C49 with 10 satellites

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)  has launched the 51st mission of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). This is the first mission by ISRO in 2020. The carrier vehicle PSLV C49 will deliver 10 satellites in all with EOS-01 as the primary one. It is the 51st mission of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The carrier was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• The EOS-01, an earth observation satellite, was intended to provide agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. The nine customer satellites are from Lithuania (1), Luxembourg (4) and USA (4). The customer satellites were being launched under a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), department of space.Two-day joint coastal security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ begins

• A two-day joint coastal security exercise, “Sagar Kavach” was launched at Paradip Coast, Odisha. The exercise is being carried out by a joint effort of the state of Odisha and West Bengal governments.

• The main purpose of the exercise is to carry out the exercise on the coast of Paradip this year, just like every year after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The exercise is being carried out to prevent a repeat of the Mumbai attacks by sea.

• More than 10 such departments, including the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, the

Odisha Police, the local fishermen, the forest department, and the port marine department, have joined the joint exercise.

It will run for two days, with red and green forces being formed to infiltrate and prevent attacks. This year for coastal security the exercise was named “Sagar Kavach”.

PM Modi Chairs Virtual Global Investor Roundtable (VGIR) 2020

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the Virtual Global Investor Roundtable (VGIR) 2020 Conference, aimed at attracting investment in the country. It provided a platform for exclusive dialogue between leading global institutional investors, Indian business leaders and the highest decision-makers from the government of India and financial market regulators. The Indian side included business leaders, financial market regulators, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI governor Shaktikanta Das.

• The conference focused on discussions around India’s economic and investment outlook, structural reforms and the government’s vision for making the country a $5 trillion economy.

• The Virtual Global Investor Roundtable (VGIR) was organised by the Ministry of Finance and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund.

• The roundtable witnessed participation from 20 of the world’s largest pension and sovereign wealth funds with total assets under management of about USD 6 trillion.

• These global institutional investors represent key regions including the US, Europe, Canada, Korea, Japan, Middle East, Australia, and Singapore.

Manipur’s Gyanendro Ningombam becomes new president of Hockey India

• Manipur’s Gyanendro Ningombam was elected unopposed as the President of Hockey India, while former President Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad is back in the Hockey India Executive Board after being Elected Unopposed for the Senior Vice President post.

• Earlier, Gyanendro Ningombam has been serving as the Officiating President of Hockey India since July 2020.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Dharmendra Pradhan co-chairs 4th Meeting of the OPEC-India Dialogue

• The 4th High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-India Dialogue was hosted by the OPEC Secretariat. The Meeting was co-chaired by HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary-General of OPEC and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Steel.

• Key matters discussed at the meeting included rapidly changing global energy landscape, overcoming energy challenges, global oil price mechanisms, measures being taken by OPEC and its partners for balancing oil markets, and on ensuring oil supply security for India.

• This was the first time that the meeting of this Institutional Dialogue was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

• The virtual meeting was joined by OPEC Member countries, Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India and CMD & MDs of India’s oil and gas industry from both the public and the private sector.

• The first such dialogue was held in 2015. It was informed that the next High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-India Dialogue will be held in 2021, and if possible in person, in New Delhi.

Whatsapp Partners with 5 Banks for UPI Payment

• WhatsApp has partnered with five Indian banks to process its payment services. These are State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Jio Payments Bank. The Facebook-owned messaging platform, WhatsApp Inc., has received the approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) based payments services in India, to let users send or receive money across the country.

• The service can however be expanded in a graded manner. It means that initially, Whatsapp can only roll out the payments service to only its 20 million users. The payment system will be rolled out in ten Indian regional languages in the latest version of WhatsApp app.

AAI Signs MoU With NTPC Subsidiary, NVVN

• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), to promote usage of electric vehicles and set up solar power plants at the airports managed and operated by AAI.

• NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) will be provided adequate land and rooftop space by AAI, free of cost, at identified AAI airports to set up solar power plants.

• Initially, NVVN will begin working on the projects at airports in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

• The solar capacity required at airports in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan is around 55 MW and 8 MW, respectively to become 100% solar-powered airports.

• Apart from this, AAI and NVVN will jointly work towards supporting the government of India’s initiatives for the adoption of electric vehicles by the creation of public charging infrastructure and promoting the usage of electric vehicles at airports.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SEBI increases Overseas Investment limits for Mutual Funds

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has enhanced the investment limits for Mutual Fund companies for overseas investments. Mutual Funds can make overseas investments subject to a maximum of US $ 600 million per Mutual Fund, within the overall industry limit of US $ 7 billion. Earlier it was USD 300 million.

• Mutual Funds can make investments in overseas Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) subject to a maximum of US $ 200 million per Mutual Fund, within the overall industry limit of US $ 1 billion. Earlier it was Rs 50 million.

NATIONAL

Two-day joint coastal security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ begins

• A two-day joint coastal security exercise, “Sagar Kavach” was launched at Paradip Coast, Odisha. The exercise is being carried out by a joint effort of the state of Odisha and West Bengal governments.

• The main purpose of the exercise is to carry out the exercise on the coast of Paradip this year, just like every year after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The exercise is being carried out to prevent a repeat of the Mumbai attacks by sea.

• More than 10 such departments, including the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, the Odisha Police, the local fishermen, the forest department, and the port marine department, have joined the joint exercise.

• It will run for two days, with red and green forces being formed to infiltrate and prevent attacks. This year for coastal security the exercise was named “Sagar Kavach”.

India’s special forces conducted ‘Bull Strike’ triservice exercise

• Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) has conducted a three-day Tri-Service Combat Exercise code-named “Bull Strike” at Teressa Island in Nicobar Group of Islands. The exercise focussed on interoperability and synergy among three services – Army, Navy and Air Force to maximise combat potential.

• The exercise saw participation from three services components of ANC, elements of Indian Army’s Parachute Brigade, MARCOS (Marine Commando Force) and Special Forces.

• The training activities included combat free fall and paradrop from Advanced Airlifter C-130J “Super Hercules” by a company of Para Commandos, action by MARCOS of Indian Navy and Special Heli Borne Operations (SHBO) by Indian Army Ghatak platoons.

• Search and rescue (SAR) and medical evacuation procedures were also practised by the participating troops.

Centre forms committee to assess existing TRP system of TV channels

• The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has constituted a four-member committee, to assess the existing Television Rating Points (TRP) of TV channels. The committee will be chaired by Prasar Bharati CEO, Shashi S Vempati.

• The committee will be responsible to address the ‘needs of the stakeholders’ and make necessary recommendations for a rating system which shall be ‘robust, transparent and accountable’.

• It will have to submit its report to the Information and Broadcasting minister within two months.

• The need to form such committee was felt after the alleged TRP scam in which it was alleged that certain TV channels manipulated TRPs in return for payment.

• TRP is calculated in India by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) using a device called Bar-O-Meter, which is installed in over 45,000 households across the country.

• The device collects data about a programme or channel watched by members of these households on the basis of which weekly ratings are issued by BARC.

DMC launched "Plastic Lao MASK LE JAO" initiative

• In Uttarakhand, Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) has launched an initiative named Plastic Lao MASK LE JAO to fight against the menace of plastic waste and contain the spread of C-19.

• It has distributed Five thousand face masks in exchange for plastic waste.

• Municipal commissioner of Dehradun, Vinay Shankar Pandey, who was the first to bring plastic waste from his house and get a face mask, and create awareness in the public against plastic waste and also the importance of masks.

India receives 2nd batch of Three Rafale Aircraft

• India receives the second batch of three Rafale Aircraft, bringing total Rafale Jets with IAF to eight.

• The second batch of three Rafale jets landed in Jamnagar, Gujarat on 4th November 2020, after flying non-stop from France.

• Earlier, the first batch of five Rafale jets arrived in India on July 28 and they were officially inducted in the Indian Air Force on 10 September at Ambala Air Base in Haryana.

• With the arrival of the second batch, the IAF now has a total of eight Rafale fighter aircraft. As per the information by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, the induction of all 36 jets will be completed by 2023.

Chacha Chaudhary becomes the Brand Ambassador for NamamiGange Project

• The iconic Indian superhero, Chacha Chaudhary, whose brain works faster than a computer has now come forward to join hands with the NamamiGangeProgramme.

• Diamond Toons will conceptualize and publish this new ‘Talking Comics’ with Chacha Chaudhary spreading awareness on the cultural and spiritual significance of River Ganga and deploy best available knowledge across the masses for Ganga rejuvenation. The teaser was released during Ganga Utsav 2020.

Syska Group announces Rajkummar Rao as its new brand ambassador

• Fast Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) company Syska Group, has roped in actor Rajkummar Rao as the new face of the brand.

• Rao will work closely with the company to promote the Syska products across LED and fan segments.

• The partnership will also see Syska Group launch a new ad campaign with Rajkummar focusing on LED and fans.

• The company aims to leverage the actors strong connect with urban audiences, as well as with those from Tier 2 and 3 markets, which make up the large segment of its target groups.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

NDDB Chairman Dilip Rath elected to IDF

• National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Chairman, Dilip Rath has been unanimously elected to the board of global dairy body International Dairy Federation (IDF).

• He has been associated with IDF for the last 10 years as Member Secretary of Indian National Committee and as a member of the Standing Committee on Dairy Policy and Economics.

• Rath has played a key role in signing the Dairy Declaration at the IDF World Dairy Summit in Rotterdam in October 2016 between IDF and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

• India ranks first among the world’s milk-producing nations and has the largest bovine population in the world.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Cancer Awareness Day 2020

• The National Cancer Awareness Day is observed annually in India on November 7, to spread awareness on cancer, its symptoms and treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the second leading cause of death globally.

• In 2018, approximately 18 million cases were there globally, of which, 1.5 million were in India alone. In 2018, there were around 0.8 million cancer deaths in India against 9.5 million globally.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Shaktikanta Das Chairs 40th SAARC Central Bank Governors Meet

• The 40th Meeting of the SAARCFINANCE Governors’ Group was held virtually, under the Chairmanship of Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, RBI.

• The meeting was attended by the Governors from SAARC central banks. During the meeting, Mr Das also inaugurated the SAARCFINANCE Sync, a closed user group secure communication network.

• In his opening remarks, Governor Shri Das highlighted the close partnership and co-operation among the member countries in jointly fighting the pandemic.

• The group took stock of the macroeconomic situation in the SAARC region; discussed the current SAARCFINANCE initiatives; and the way ahead.

• The Governors reaffirmed their commitment to continued co-operation and sharing of central bank experiences.

• SAARCFINANCE is a network of central bank governors and finance secretaries of the SAARC region.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the current chair of SAARCFINANCE.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Hariharan wins JC Daniel award for lifetime contributions in Malayalam cinema

• Noted filmmaker Hariharan has been selected for the JC Daniel Award, the state government’s highest honour for lifetime contributions to Malayalam cinema.

• The award carries a purse of Rs 5 lakh, a citation, and a sculpture. Hariharan was chosen for the prestigious award by a jury chaired by MT Vasudevan Nair with director Harikumar, actor Vidhubala, State Chalachitra Academy chairman Kamal and Cultural Department Secretary Rani George as members.

• Hariharan, who initially skilled with cinematographer U Rajagopal in Madras, later assisted administrators M Krishnan Nair, AB Raj, and JD Thottanm for seven years. In 1972 he directed the film ‘Girls Hostel’. Later he got here up with a few of the evergreen films in Malayalam.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

WhatsApp's payments service gets NPCI nod

• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has finally allowed Facebook-owned messaging platform "WhatsApp" to roll out its payments service in the country in a “graded” manner.

• The announcement by NPCI came after the organisation made a crucial change to its regulations concerning the use of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

• The change puts a limit on single third parties such as WhatsApp or its rivals Google Pay and Walmart’s PhonePe where they can only handle 30 per cent of overall UPI transaction volumes.

INTERNATIONAL

United States Formally Exits Paris Climate Accord

• The United States has officially withdrawn from the Paris climate accord on 04 November 2020. With this, the US has now become the only country to formally pull out of the deal since it was adopted in 2015.

• The landmark Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015 to protect the planet from the worsening impacts of the climate crisis. As per the rules of the agreement, a country cannot officially leave before one full year of notifying the UN of its intent to withdraw. The United States notified the United Nations of its withdrawal on November 4, 2019.

Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli wins second term

• The President of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli has been sworn for a second five-year term. He took the oath of the office on 05 November 2020.

• Magufuli won 84% of the total votes in elections held on October 28. He was elected as the fifth President of Tanzania and is in office since 2015. CHADEMA party candidate Tundu Lissu took the second position.

NATIONAL

Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurates “Tourist Facilitation Centre” in Kerala

• Union Minister of State (IC) for Tourism & Culture, Prahlad Singh Patel virtually inaugurated the “Tourist Facilitation Centre” facility at Guruvayur, in Kerala.

• The facility has been constructed under the project “Development of Guruvayur, Kerala” under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, at the cost of Rs. 11.57 Crores.

• The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) were launched by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15.

• The objective of PRASHAD scheme is integrated development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations.

• It includes infrastructure development such as entry points (Road, Rail and Water Transport), last-mile connectivity, basic tourism facilities like Information/ Interpretation Centers, ATM/ Money exchange, eco-friendly modes of transport, area Lighting and illumination with renewable sources of energy, parking, drinking water, toilets, cloakroom, waiting rooms, first aid centres, craft bazaars /haats/ souvenir shops/ cafeteria, rain shelters, Telecom facilities, internet connectivity etc.

Indian Army chief made honorary General of Nepal Army

• The Chief of Army Staff General, MM Naravane was conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by President Bidya Devi Bhandari. He was honoured at a special ceremony at the President's official residence 'Shital Niwas' in Kathmandu, Nepal.

• The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of Nepal K.P. Sharma Oli, Indian Ambassador Vinay M. Kwatra and other senior officials of both the countries.

• The practice follows a seven-decade-old tradition of conferring Army Chiefs of each other's country with the honorary title.

• Commander-in-Chief General KM Cariappa was the first Indian Army Chief to be decorated with the title in 1950.

• In January last year, Chief of Nepali Army, General Purna Chandra Thapa, was also made the honorary General of the Indian Army by President Ram Nath Kovind at a ceremony in New Delhi.

OBITUARY

Kannada actor HG Somashekar Rao passes away

• Veteran Kannada theatre and film actor, HG Somashekar Rao passed away. He had appeared in more than 60 movies during his career spanning about five decades.

• He made his big-screen debut with 1975 Kannada film Geejagana Goodu. Apart from this, HG Somashekar Rao was also a published author. He has written 25 books, including an autobiography.

Bollywood Actor Faraaz Khan passes away

• Bollywood actor Faraaz Khan passed away. He had acted in several popular Bollywood films in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

• Some of them include Mehndi (1998), Fareb (1996), Dulhan Banoo Main Teri (1999) and Chand Bujh Gaya (2005) among others.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

AK Gupta becomes new MD and CEO of ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL)

• AK Gupta, the new Managing Director and CEO of ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) took charge. Before this, he was Director (Operations) of the company.

• Gupta was also the Head of New businesses in Marketing in ONGC and Head Business development in ONGC Videsh, both for the domestic and international markets.

• He has handled commercial negotiations with alliance partners, regulators, customers and National Oil Companies.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict

• The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is an international day observed annually on November 6. On 5 November 2001, the UN General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.

• At the time of war, it affects the ecosystem such as water supply is poisoned, the forest is burnt, animals killed, etc. Though humanity has always counted its war casualties in terms of dead and wounded soldiers and civilians, destroyed cities and livelihoods, the environment has often remained the unpublicized victim of war. Water wells have been polluted, crops torched, forests cut down, soils poisoned, and animals killed to gain military advantage.

World Tsunami Awareness Day: 5 November 2020

• World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed across the world on 5 November. The day is celebrated to spread awareness among people across the world in matters related to the dangers of tsunami.

• In 2020, World Tsunami Awareness Day encourages the development of national and community-level, local disaster risk reduction strategies to save more lives against disasters. This year’s observance promotes "Sendai Seven Campaign,” target.

• In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated 5 November as World Tsunami Awareness Day, calling on countries, international bodies and civil society to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.

• World Tsunami Awareness Day was the brainchild of Japan, which due to its repeated, bitter experience has over the years built up major expertise in areas such as tsunami early warning, public action and building back better after a disaster to reduce future impacts.

• UN Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) facilitates the observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day in collaboration with the rest of the United Nations system.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

‘Till We Win’: Book on C-19 by AIIMS Director

• A new book titled “Till We Win” by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria and two other doctors will give a definitive account of India’s fight against C-19 and how to deal with the pandemic in the days to come.

• The book has been co-written by leading public policy and health systems expert Chandrakant Lahariya and renowned vaccine researcher and virologist Gagandeep Kang.

• The book deals with the “realization of inner strength and unity” amongst people of all walks of life in a country known for its cultural and linguistic diversity. It will hit the stands this month and published by Penguin Random House India.

• The book delves into how learnings from C-19 pandemic can be used to strengthen the Indian health system, for better, forever. It is up to all of us to convert the challenge posed by pandemic as an opportunity to strengthen health systems.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

ICICI Bank launched ‘Mine’ a comprehensive banking programme

• Private lender ICICI Bank has launched a comprehensive banking programme for its millennial customers, (in the age bracket of 18 years to 35 years ), called ‘ICICI Bank Mine’. The ‘ICICI Bank Mine’ is India’s first and unique product launched by the bank to offer a mobile-first, highly personalised and experiential led banking experience to the millennial customers.

• Governor of RBI Shaktikanta Das Chairs 40th SAARC Central Bank Governors Meet.

• The 40th Meeting of the SAARCFINANCE Governors’ Group was held virtually, under the Chairmanship of Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, RBI. The meeting was attended by the Governors from SAARC central banks. During the meeting, Mr Das also inaugurated the SAARCFINANCE Sync, a closed user group secure communication network.

INTERNATIONAL

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara wins 3rd term

• The incumbent President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, has won a third 5-year term in a landslide victory, gaining more than 94 per cent of the votes polled.

• The 78-year-old, Mr Ouattara was first sworn in as the president in 2010 and then re-elected in 2015. Apart from this, he has also served as the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire from November 1990 to December 1993.

Sarbananda Sonowal lays foundation stone of Indo-Israeli CoE

• The Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has laid the foundation stone of Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Vegetables Protected Cultivation at Khetri on the outskirts of The Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence for Vegetables Protected Cultivation is estimated to be set up at an investment of Rs 10.33 Crore.

• The CoE will provide exposure to the latest Israeli technologies to the farmers of Assam and help them in maximizing their production and income. It would also boost agricultural and horticultural production in Assam leading to greater economic rewards to state’s farmers.

NATIONAL

NMCG organises three-day virtual 'Ganga Utsav 2020'

• Ganga Utsav-2020 has been organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) jointly with the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The three-day-long Ganga Utsav-2020 has been organised from 02 to 04 November 2020, virtually amidst C-19 precautions.

• The annual event is organised to spread awareness about river Ganga and the need to keep the river clean and rejuvenated. The 2020 edition marks the 12th anniversary of Ganga being accorded the status of National River, on 4th November 2008.

India-US-Japan-Australia kick-starts Malabar Naval Exercise-2020

• The Navies of India, the US, Japan and Australia began the four-day-long phase first of the Malabar naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal.

• From the Indian side, destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, off-shore patrol vessel Sukanya, fleet support ship Shakti and submarine Sindhuraj will be part of the drill. US Navy Ship USS John S McCain (Guided-missile destroyer), Australian Navy Ship HMAS Ballarat (long-range frigate) and Japan Maritime Self Defence Ship (JMSDF) Ship JS Onami (destroyer) are participating along with Indian Navy units.

• The Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the Indian Navy and the US Navy in the Indian Ocean. Japan became a permanent member of the exercise in

Indian Naval Ship ‘Airavat’ reaches Port Sudan under ‘Mission Sagar-II’

• As a part of Mission Sagar-II, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Airavat has reached Sudan with 100 tonnes of food aid. Under Mission Sagar-II, INS Airavat will deliver food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea amid the C-19 pandemic.

• The government of India has launched this initiative to provide assistance to friendly foreign countries to overcome natural calamities and C-19 pandemic.

• Mission Sagar-II follows the Mission Sagar-I, which was undertaken in May-June 2020, wherein India provided food and medicines to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros.

• It is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her maritime neighbours and further strengthens the existing bond.

SPORTS

West Indies batsman M. Samuels retires from all forms of cricket

• West Indies batsman, Marlon Samuels has announced his retirement from professional cricket.

• The 39-year-old had informed Cricket West Indies (CWI) about his retirement in June this year, having last played for his country in December 2018 against Bangladesh.

• He has played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs, and 67 T20s at the international level, has scored 11,134 international runs including 17 centuries across all formats. He also has 152 international wickets to his name.

Obituary

Violin Maestro, Padma Awardee TN Krishnan passes away

• Noted violin maestro and Padma awardee, TN Krishnan passed away. His full name was Tripunithura Narayanaiyer Krishnan.

• He was born on 6 October 1928, in Tripunithura, Kerala and later around 1942, he settled in Chennai. He was conferred with many prestigious awards such as the Padma Shri (1973), the Padma Bhushan (1992) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1974) among others.

6th & shortest served CM of Bihar Satish Prasad Singh passes away

• Former Chief Minister and Socialist of Bihar, Satish Prasad Singh passed away. He was born on January 1, 1936, in Korchakka(now known as Satish Nagar) Village, Khagaria district, Bihar.

• Satish Prasad Singh, the leader of Soshit Samaj Dal became the 6th and the shortest- served CM of Bihar for 5 days(28 January to February 1, 1968) with the support of Indian National Congress(INC).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

India successfully test-fires enhanced version of PINAKA rocket system

• The enhanced version of PINAKA rocket system was successfully flight tested by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. This enhanced version of the Pinaka rocket would replace the existing Pinaka Mk-I rockets. While Mk-1 had a range of 40 km, the new variant can hit a target 45 to 60 km away.

• The design and development of Pinaka were done by DRDO laboratories based in Pune, namely Armament Research and Development Establishment, ARDE and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, HEMRL.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Tsunami Awareness Day: 5 November

• World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed across the world on 5 November. The day is celebrated to spread awareness among people across the world in matters related to the dangers of tsunami.

• In 2020, World Tsunami Awareness Day encourages the development of national and community-level, local disaster risk reduction strategies to save more lives against disasters. This year’s observance promotes “Sendai Seven Campaign,” target.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

ADB approves USD 132.8 mn loan to improve power distribution in Meghalaya

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved USD 132.8 million loan to Meghalaya, to improve and upgrade the power distribution network in the state. The fund will help in improving the distribution system & financial sustainability of the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL).

• The MePDCL has a huge outstanding against the power purchased from central power generating stations and to the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL). The loan will support in clearing the power outstanding dues.

• The project will construct 23 substations; renovate and modernize 45 substations, including the provision of control room equipment and protection systems; install and upgrade 2,214 kilometres of distribution lines and associated facilities covering three out of the six circles in the state.

• It will replace antiquated electromechanical meters with smart meters, which will benefit about 180,000 households.

• The project will help develop a distribution sector road map and a financial road map for the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL). These road maps will strengthen the capacity of MePDCL to operate and manage the distribution networks.

INTERNATIONAL

Portugal’s Duarte Pacheco elected as President of IPU for 2020-23

• Portugal MP, Duarte Pacheco has won the elections for the post the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The term of the Duarte Pacheco will be from 2020-2023. He will be the 30th President of the IPU and will succeed Mexican MP Gabriela Cuevas Barron who completed the tenure in October 2020.

• Candidates from four countries were in the race for elections. The other three participants were Pakistan’s Muhammad Sanjrani, Uzbekistan’s Akmal Saidov and Canada’s Pakistani origin Salma Ataullahjan.

Priyanca Radhakrishnan becomes first Indian-origin minister of New Zealand

• Indian-origin New Zealand politician, Priyanca Radhakrishnan has created history by becoming the first Indian-Kiwi woman to become a minister in New Zealand. Radhakrishnan was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

• The 41-year-old was one of five new ministers inducted into the Cabinet. She was appointed as Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities, Minister for Youth and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment in Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s cabinet.

NATIONAL

CJI inaugurates e-resource centre, virtual court in Nagpur

• The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde and Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court, jointly inaugurated India’s first-ever E-resource centre and the virtual court called “Nyay Kaushal” at Judicial Officers Training Institute in Nagpur.

• The Nyay Kaushal will facilitate electronic-filling of cases in the Supreme Court, any High Court as well as district courts across the country to enable speedy justice for litigants, by utilising technology. The virtual court will be working from Katol in Nagpur district of Maharashtra.

India’s 1st solar-powered miniature train launched in Kerala

• India’s first of its kind solar energy-driven miniature train was inaugurated at the Veli Tourist Village, Kerala by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

• The train, which would be an attraction for children especially, was part of a string of projects totally worth Rs 60 crore taken up to elevate the facilities at the panoramic destination to international standards.

AAI hands over Lucknow airport to Adani group

• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has handed over the Lucknow airport to the Adani group on lease for a period of 50 years.

• Apart from this, the Adani group has taken over/will take over operations of 5 more airports. In February 2019, the Central Govt had privatised six major airports of the country namely Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati.

• The right to run all these 6 airports has been won by Adani Group for 50 years.

• Adani group has taken over the operations of Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram in September 2020, Mangaluru on October 31, 2020, Lucknow on November 02, 2020, and will take on the operations of Ahmedabad Airport on November 11, 2020.

SPORTS

Lewis Hamilton wins F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2020

• Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2020 at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari race track, Italy.

• This was his 9th win of the season and 93rd F1 win of his career. Valtteri Bottas finished second while Daniel Ricciardo finished third. Mercedes won the seventh consecutive constructors’ title for 2020.

Shane Watson retires from all forms of cricket

• Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

• The 39-year-old will hang up his boots after an illustrious career during which he won two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups and two ICC Champions Trophy titles.

• He played 59 Tests, 190 ODIs and 58 T20Is.

OBITUARY

James Bond actor Sean Connery passes away

• The Scottish actor, best known for his portrayal of James Bond, Sean Connery passed away.

• Scottish movie legend Connery, who shot to international stardom as the suave and sophisticated British agent James Bond and went on to grace the silver screen for four decades. Connery will be remembered first as British agent 007.

Filmmaker-actor Ashish Kakkad passes away

• Noted actor, filmmaker and voiceover artiste, Ashish Kakkad, has passed away. He was one of the most prominent artists from the Gujarati film industry. As a filmmaker, Ashish was known for his Gujarati projects namely Better Half (2010) and Mission Mummy (2016).

• As an actor, he was seen in several Hindi films such as Kai Po Che! in 2013, and psychological thriller ‘Beyond Blue: An Unnerving Tale of a Demented Mind’ in 2015, including other Gujarati films.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

IISc and Indian Oil R&D inks MoU for hydrogen-generation technology

• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Research and Development Centre of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) have signed an MoU to develop and demonstrate biomass gasification-based hydrogen generation technology. This technology will be used for producing fuel cell-grade hydrogen at an affordable price.

• The IISc and IndianOil will work jointly on the optimisation of both biomass gasification and hydrogen purification processes, The developed technology will be scaled up and demonstrated at IndianOils R&D Centre at Faridabad, Haryana.

• Hydrogen generated from this demonstration plant will be used to power fuel cell buses.

• This initiative to produce fuel cell grade hydrogen from biomass is another step by IndianOil jointly with IISc to bring hydrogen fuel to the major energy matrix of India while using the agricultural forces of India.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

A book titled “Pandemonium: The Great Indian Banking Tragedy” by T. Bandyopadhyay

• Tamal Bandyopadhyay has authored a book titled “Pandemonium: The Great Indian Banking Tragedy” and will be released on November 09, 2020. This book, published by Roli Books, provides an understanding of the challenges and economic potential of India.

• The book “Pandemonium” accounts how many promoters had swapped equity with debt while the managements of the banks were finding a way to protect their balance sheets until the intervention of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) against their bad loans.

• The Same issue trouble also affected the developing non-banking financial companies of India who were quick to identify the post-demonetisation easy liquidity and the reluctance of banks to lend which promoted them to borrow short to lend long.

INTERNATIONAL

IBM, Indian Oil Corporation collaborate for digital services

• Tech giant IBM stated it has collaborated with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to transform the latter’s customer experience using digital tools. Around 12,400 IOCL distributors covering about 130 million consumers can now use the IndianOil One mobile app and portal, developed by IBM Services. The IndianOil One mobile app and portal are part of Indian Oil’s Project ePIC, an integrated platform for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Distribution Management System (DMS).

• This platform ensures real-time updates to inventory, orders, and invoices, thereby reducing the time to order fulfilment. Indian Oil can respond more quickly to customer service requests, including grievances using the platform. The platform also presents a unified customer experience across various access devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and desktops.

NATIONAL

India-Pak border to light up with 8000MW renewable park

• India’s border areas with Pakistan in Rajasthan would soon be illuminated with renewable energy. The state government will soon ink an MoU with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to establish Ultra Mega Renewal Energy Power Park.

• The park to be set up near borders areas will be of 8,000 megawatts (MW) capacity, which will comprise 4,310 MW of wind energy; 3,760 MW of solar energy and 120 MW of power from biomass. Currently, Rajasthan’s solar generation capacity is 4,883 MW.

• The Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) would be signing a separate MoU with the NTPC and the SECI to materialise the GoI Mega Power Park project. Rajasthan has over 1000 kilometre-long international border which is currently supplied power through traditional methods. The Rajasthan government had also approved a proposal for setting up solar power parks to generate 10,000 MW green energy with an investment of Rs 50,000 crore. The state has given nod to the proposal of Adani Green Energy Limited to set up solar power parks at five locations and a solar panel manufacturing unit which will generate around 7,500 direct and indirect jobs.

India’s first ‘tyre park’ to come up in West Bengal

• In West Bengal, Kolkata will soon feature India’s first “Tyre Park”, where artworks made from scrap and defective parts will be on display. The West Bengal Transport Corporation will launch this Tyre Park.

• The Tyre Park, which will come up at the Esplanade area, would have a small cafe where people can sit, relax and enjoy the craftsmanship made from tyres. No scrap material can be labelled as waste, it can be reused and converted into an art form. Scrap tyres, lying as waste in various bus depots, have been reworked and converted to colourful shapes by the in-house team of WBTC.

Indian Railways launches ‘Meri Saheli’ initiative for security of women

• The Indian Railways has introduced a new initiative called “Meri Saheli” to provide safety and security to women passengers during their train journeys. The Meri Saheli initiative has been launched by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Indian Railways.

PM Modi inaugurates ‘Arogya Van’ in Gujarat’s Narmada district

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Arogya Van’ in the Narmada district of Gujarat. PM Modi was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Governor Acharya Devvrat. PM also inaugurated Arogya Kutir, Ekta Mall, and Children Nutrition Park.

SPORTS

Indian boxers Amit Panghal wins gold at the Alexis Vastine International

• Indian boxers Amit Panghal, Sanjeet and Ashish Kumar have won gold medals at the recently concluded Alexis Valentine International Boxing Tournament held in Nantes, France. The tournament was the first international event that Indian boxers were a part of since the c -19.

• Amit Panghal, the silver medalist at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships in the 52 kg-weight categories, overcame the challenge from American boxer Rene Abraham.

• Sanjeet was up against France’s Soheb Bouafia in the 91 kg final bout and produced a clinical performance to win the top honours.

• In the 75 kg weight category, Indian boxer Ashish Kumar won the gold medal after his opponent from the USA, Joseph Gerome Hiks, gave him a walkover due to injury.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

India Successfully test fires BrahMos Missile from Sukhoi 30 MKI

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired an air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter aircraft in the Bay of Bengal. The aircraft took off from an airbase in Punjab & reached the Bay of Bengal after mid-air refuelling.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

PVG Menon appoints as CEO of Electronics Sector Skill Council of India

• The Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI) announced the appointment of PVG Menon as its chief executive officer. Menon will be responsible for overseeing the operations of ESSCI and work closely with its governing Council on strategic issues related to the growth of the electronic systems design and manufacturing (ESDM) industry in India.

• ESSCI works with industry, the National Skill Development Corporation, and the Ministry of Electronics and IT to provide both skilling and re-skilling services to the industry.

Rajiv Jalota becomes new chairman of Mumbai Port Trust

• Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, Rajiv Jalota has been appointed as the chairman of Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT). The appointment committee of the Union cabinet issued the order for the central deputation. The post of MbPT chairman was vacant after former chairman Sanjay Bhatia retired on July 31 and was appointed as Lokayukta of Maharashtra.

• Jalota, who is the first Goods and Services Tax (GST) commissioner of Maharashtra, is currently the additional chief secretary in the higher and technical education department of the state government. He first served as sales tax commissioner and then as GST commissioner from January 2015 to January 2020.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Malayalam writer Paul Zacharia selected for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2020

• Noted Malayalam writer, Paul Zacharia has been selected for this year’s Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the Kerala government’s highest literary honour. Zacharia was chosen for his contribution to Malayalam literature during the past five decades.

• A five-member jury, headed by Kerala Sahitya Akademi President Vyshakhan, selected him for the award. ‘Salam America’, ‘Oridath, ‘Aarkkariyam’, ‘Bhaskara patelarum ente jeevithavum’ are among his various literary works. Zacharia also won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979 and the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 2004.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI imposes monetary penalty on DCB Bank for rule violations

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed monetary penalty on DCB Bank and Jio Payments Bank for various rule violations. The central bank has imposed a penalty of Rs 22 lakh on DCB Bank for non-compliance with certain provisions on marketing/distribution of mutual fund/insurance etc. The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

• In the case of Jio Payments Bank, the RBI imposed a penalty of Rs 1 crore for non-compliance with RBI directions on timely submission of application in the case of reappointment of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer under Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act).

ICICI Lombard, FreePaycard to offer health insurance solutions

• ICICI Lombard in partnership with Freepaycard, an online pre-paid card trading platform, has launched Group Safeguard Insurance. This strategic partnership will make the bite-sized health insurance solutions, designed specifically for Freepaycardmembers, available at its multi-category partner retail outlets. Freepaycard members can add these health solutions on the go while shopping for other essential goods or services.

• The plan will be offered to the members of Freepaycard, allowing them to receive an assured amount in case of any injury or hospitalization for treatment. The insurance offering is a customized hospitalization product that comes in three variants – Hospital Daily Cash Benefit, Death Benefit, and Special Vector-borne Disease-related Hospitalization Benefit.

NATIONAL

Harsh Vardhan launches SERB-POWER schemes to support women scientists

• The Union Minister of Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan has launched the ‘SERB – POWER’ schemes which aim to encourage and support emerging as well as eminent women researchers to undertake R&D activities in frontier areas of science and engineering. SERB-POWER stands for Science and Engineering Research Board – Promoting Opportunities For Women in Exploratory Research.

• This scheme is formulated to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research funding in various S&T programs in Indian academic institutions and R&D Laboratories, to ensure equal access and weighted opportunities for Indian women scientists engaged in research and development activities.

• The schemes have been launched to provide two categories of research support which are:

1. SERB – POWER Fellowship

2. SERB – POWER Research Grants

1. SERB – POWER Research Grants

• This scheme will encourage emerging and eminent women researchers for the individual-centric and competitive mode of research funding. Under this, the funding will be under the following two categories:

Level I: The scale of funding up to 60 Lakhs for three years.

Level II: The scale of funding up to 30 Lakhs for three years.

2. SERB – POWER Fellowship

• The Power Fellowship scheme will identify and reward outstanding women researchers and innovators working in Indian academic institutions and R&D laboratories, holding Ph.D.degree in any branch of science and engineering.

• Fellowship of Rs. 15,000/- per month in addition to regular income.

• Research grant of Rs.10 Lakh per annum.

UNESCO allots India’s Panna Tiger Reserve ‘Biosphere Reserve’ status

• In Madhya Pradesh, the Panna Tiger Reserve has been included in the ‘World Network of Biosphere Reserves’ list of the UNESCO. This is the 12th biosphere reserve from India to be included in the ‘World Network of Biosphere Reserves’, and third from Madhya Pradesh, after Pachmarhi and Amarkantak. Currently, Panna Tiger Reserve is home to 54 tigers.

• The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) covers internationally designated protected areas (known as biosphere reserves) that demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature (like encourage sustainable development).

PM Modi launches India’s first seaplane service in Gujarat

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the country’s first seaplane service between the Statue of Unity near Kevadiya in Gujarat’s Narmada district and Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. He travelled in the maiden flight of the twin-engine plane from pond-3 close to Sardar Sarovar Dam and landed at Sabarmati riverfront where a water aerodrome has been set up.

• The 19-seater seaplane will be managed by private airline SpiceJet.

SPORTS

Jio named title sponsor for BCCI’s Women T20 Challenge 2020

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced Jio as the Title Sponsor of the 2020 edition of the Women’s T20 Challenge. The partnership will also have the support of Reliance Foundation Education and Sports For All (RF ESA).

• This is a historic partnership, as for the first time a sponsor has signed with BCCI exclusively for the women’s matches. The Jio Women’s T20 Challenge to be played from 4th November to 9th November will be held in Sharjah. Three teams are Velocity, Supernovas and Trailblazers will play each other once to decide the finalists on November 9, a day before the IPL final.

OBITUARY

Former Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz passes away

• Veteran Politician and former prime minister of Turkey, Mesut Yilmaz has passed away. He was the Chief of the now-defunctional centre-right Motherland Party or ANAP from 1991 to 2002. He served as prime minister of Turkey three times in the 1990s. His first two prime-ministerial terms lasted for just one month, in 1991 and then in 1996, while the third term was from June 1997 to January 1999.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

• The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is an UN-recognized day observed annually on 2 November. The day draws attention to the low global conviction rate for violent crimes against journalists and media workers, estimated at only one in every ten cases.

• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2 November as the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’ in General Assembly Resolution A/RES/68/163. The Resolution urged the Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013.

World Vegan Day: 01 November

• World Vegan Day is observed globally on 1st November every year. This day is celebrated to spread benefits of veganism for humans, non-human animals, and the natural environment.  Vegan Day is an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general.

• The term vegan was coined by Donald Watson and derived from the word Vegetarian. At that time, the differentiation was that Vegans did not consume dairy products. Later this extended to eggs, and by 1951, veganism had become a movement of people who did not partake in the exploitation of animals. Each year there are a number of festivals and exhibitions held around the world by vegan societies. In addition, there are many local events, talks and cooking demonstrations organised by individuals. Vegan Day is an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general.

INTERNATIONAL

India extends $1 bn credit line to Central Asian countries

• The second meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was held virtually, under the chairmanship of the External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar. The foreign minister of all the five Central Asian countries- Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan– participated in the meeting.

• During the meeting, India announced US $1 billion line of credit for “priority developmental projects” in Central Asian countries in the fields of connectivity, energy, IT, healthcare, education, agriculture and offered to provide grant assistance for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for furthering socio-economic development in the countries of the region.

• Apart from this, the Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan also attended the meeting as a special invitee. The first India-Central Asia Dialogue was held in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand in 2019.

NATIONAL

Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao launches ‘Dharani’ Portal

• Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao has launched the web portal ‘Dharani’ for land and property registrations. The state government will now undertake all the property transactions, including registrations and mutations, through a web portal.

• The Dharani is a one-stop portal for all land and property-related transactions as well as documentation.

• The portal will do away with any loopholes in the registration process as well as store all land and property-related information online.

• It will simplify the registration, succession and even partition of agriculture lands, to ensure that the entire process is completed within a few minutes and the e-pattadar passbook is provided to the landowners immediately.

IIT Kanpur, ASI sign MoU with Italian institutes for restoration of monuments

• The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) and the Archaeological Survey of India have signed an agreement with two institutions from Italy, seeking restoration and protection of historical monuments.

• The MoU was signed among IIT-K, Ca’Foscari University of Venice, Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti E Paesaggio, Venice, on creating a network and sharing skills for restoration and protection of historical monuments.

• All institutes have agreed to develop collaborative scientific study activities and sharing skills to restore and protect monuments on a reciprocal and equal basis.

• All institutes shall seek to promote collaboration and activities in areas such as collaboration in scientific studies and skill sharing, the exchange of knowledge, experience, academic materials and publications, conducting workshops, undertaking joint field studies and technology development.

Indian Army launches indigenous mobile application SAI

• The Indian Army has launched a secured messaging application platform named 'Secure Application for the Internet' (SAI).

• This mobile application for Android will support end-to-end secure voice, text and video calling services. This application is similar to applications like Telegram and WhatsApp.

• SAI has been vetted by CERT-in empanelled auditor and Army Cyber Group. It also informed that the process for filing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) hosting the infrastructure on NIC and working on iOS platform is currently in progress.

• Ministry of Defence also informed that SAI will be used by pan Army to ensure securing messaging.

• Upon reviewing the functionalities of the application, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised Col Sai Shankar for his skill and ingenuity for developing the application.

SPORTS

Plastic Premier League tournament to be played in Indore

• A unique Plastic Premier League (PPL) tournament is being played in Indore, Madhya Pradesh to free the city from single-use plastic. Indore is known for its innovative efforts regarding cleanliness. Indore has been awarded as the cleanest city in the country four times so far.

• Four teams have been formed for the Plastic Premier League competition.

• The 19 zones of Indore Municipal Corporation are divided into these four teams.

• For the competition, the team captain Radio Jockey will encourage citizens to donate more and more plastic from their radio station.

• These teams have been provided by municipal workers and five vehicles to collect plastic.

• The team that collects the most single-use plastics in this 45-day competition will be awarded the PPL Trophy.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NASA’s SOFIA discovers water on Sunlit Surface of Moon

• Two new studies published in Nature Astronomy suggest there could be much more water than previously thought, including ice stored in permanently shadowed “cold traps” at lunar polar regions. Using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Airborne Telescope, researchers scanned the lunar surface at a more precise wavelength than had been used before — six microns instead of three. This allowed them to distinguish the spectral fingerprint of molecular water.

• Previous research has found indications of water by scanning the surface, but these were unable to distinguish between water (H2O) and hydroxyl, a molecule made up of one hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom. But a new study provides further chemical proof that the Moon holds molecular water, even in sunlit areas.

OBITUARY

Award-winning author and editor Daniel Menaker passes away

• Daniel Menaker, an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction and a longtime editor at The New Yorker and Random House who worked with Alice Munro, Salman Rushdie, Colum McCann and many others, passed away.

• Daniel Menaker was the author of several books, including the memoir My Mistake and the comic psychological novel The Treatment, adapted into a 2007 movie starring Chris Eigeman and Ian Holm. He was also known for the O Henry Award-winning title story of his collection The Old Left.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India hosts 19th Meeting of SCO Ministers of Foreign Economy

• India hosted the 19th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministers of Foreign Economy and Foreign Trade. The virtual meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry of India Shri Piyush Goyal. It was attended by the Secretary-General of SCO Vladimir Norov and Ministers from Kyrgyz Republic, China, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

• Statement on the response to C-19: It highlights the need for greater cooperation for access to medicines and facilitation of trade.

• Statement on the Multilateral Trading System of Ministers of SCO Countries who are WTO Members: It highlights the importance of the rules-based multilateral negotiations.

• Statement on SCO Cooperation on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). It relates to the cooperation of intellectual property and include sharing information/experience on legislation and enforcement, cooperation in international organisations and other areas.

• Action Plan for Implementation of MOU to stimulate cooperation within the framework of SCO in the field of MSMEs. It looks at the number of areas of cooperation among MSMEs, including the exchange of information, organisation of events and collaboration on research and capacity building.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

14th Asian Film Awards 2020 announced

• The 14th edition of Asian Film Awards was organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy. Indian Movie Gully Boy has received the award for the Best Original Score at 14th Asian Film Awards. The award went to Karsh Kale and The Salvage Audio Collective. Gully Boy has been directed by Zoya Akhtar. In Gully Boy, Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt played leading roles.

14th Asian Film Awards Winners List:

Anzar Mustaeen Ali wins special prize in Global Art Competition

• A six-year-old Bangladeshi boy, Anzar Mustaeen Ali won a special prize of USD 1000 for his artwork in the global art competition organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR). The ICCR had launched a global painting competition named ‘United Against C -19- Express through Art’ which attracted 8000 artwork entries from around the world. After the first round of competition 210 artworks were shortlisted.

• The final jury evaluated and decided the winners from each category such as Indian and Foreign, Professional/Amateur/Children in four different sections.

INTERNATIONAL

Japan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050

• Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga has stated that the country will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Prime Minister stated he intends to make a sustainable economy a pillar of his growth strategy and put maximum effort into achieving a green society.

• Suga emphasized the need to shift away from fossil fuels to counter climate change as an opportunity rather than a burden. As per Japan’s current energy plan, 56 per cent of its energy requirements come from fossil fuels.

NATIONAL

BharatPe launches digital gold on its platform

• A leading merchant payment network, BharatPe has announced the launch of digital gold on its platform. The launch of this new category of fintech product is in line with the company’s commitment to offering the entire gamut of financial products to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

• BharatPe’s merchants will be able to buy and sell 99.5 per cent pure 24-carat gold. Merchants can choose to buy in rupees or grams, any time of the day and from anywhere, by using the BharatPe app.

• To facilitate this, BharatPe has also partnered with Safegold, a digital platform that allows customers to buy, sell and receive vaulted gold.

• SafeGold has appointed IDBI Trusteeship Services to protect the interest of merchants with regard to their gold purchases.

PM Modi Inaugurates 4th edition of India Energy Forum

• PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 4th India Energy Forum by CERAWeek organised by HIS Markit.

• The theme of this edition is "India's Energy Future in a World of Change". India is the third-largest and the fastest-growing aviation market in terms of domestic aviation and Indian carriers are projected to increase their fleet size from 600 to 1200 by 2024.

• According to PM, India’s Energy Plan aims to ensure energy justice while fully following India’s global commitments for sustainable growth.

• This means more energy is needed to improve the lives of Indians with a smaller carbon footprint. He envisioned India’s energy sector to be growth-centric, industry-friendly and environmentally conscious.

Kerala becomes the first state to fix floor price for vegetables

• Kerala becomes the first state in the country to fix the floor price for vegetables.

• The floor price will be 20 per cent above the production cost of the vegetable. Even if the market price goes below the floor price, the product will be procured at the floor price from the farmers.

• This is the first time in the country that the floor price is being fixed for vegetables produced in the state.

Odisha CM launches 'Sumangal' & Student Scholarship web portals

• Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has launched two web portals named 'Odisha State Scholarship Portal' and 'Sumangal Portal'.

• The former portal is to help eligible students of the state to avail scholarship benefits in a seamless and transparent manner, while the latter one is to help people avail inter-caste marriage incentives.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Yashvardhan K. Sinha appointed as new Chief Information Commissioner

• Government of India has approved the name of Former Foreign Service officer, Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha as the new Chief Information Commissioner. He was already the Information Commissioner and was also the most senior. The post of CIC chairman had been vacant for several months after Bimal Zulka retired.

• A Marathi journalist, Uday Mahurkar has been selected for the post of Information Commissioner. Uday Mahurkar worked as a deputy editor in India Today Group and is considered close to the Sangh Parivar. Uday Mahurkar has also written a book on Prime Minister Modi titled “Merging with a Billion” and “Center Stage: Inside Narendra Modi”.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Microsoft & NSDC tie-up to empower 1 lakh women with digital skills

• Microsoft has collaborated with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to impart digital skills to more than one lakh underserved women in India over the next ten months. This initiative is an extension of Microsoft’s partnership with NSDC to provide digital skills to over 1 lakh youth in the country.

• The programme will curate a series of live training sessions and digital skilling drives to help create opportunities for young girls and women, particularly first-time job seekers and those whose jobs may have been impacted by C-19, to join the future workforce.

India Post, US Postal Service sign pact for electronic exchange of customs

• Indian Posts & US Postal Service entered into an agreement for the electronic exchange of customs data related to postal shipments. It will enable to transmit & receive electronic data of international postal items prior to their physical arrival.

• The agreement will make it possible to transmit and receive electronic data of international postal items prior to their physical arrival at the destination and would enable customs clearance of postal items in advance in line with the evolving global postal framework.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Dr Satish Mishra bags "Dr Tulsi Das Chugh Award-2020

• The National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) has selected the Principal Scientist, Division of Molecular Parasitology and Immunology, (CSIR-CDRI)-Lucknow, Dr Satish Mishra for "Dr.Tulsi Das Chugh Award 2020".

• He is awarded for his research work on Malaria parasite's life cycle which is a complex process involving two hosts and three invasive stages.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

DMRC & SBI card launch multi-purpose smart card

• The SBI Card in association with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation launched a contactless multi-purpose card that can function as a credit card and as a metro smart card.

• The credit card Delhi Metro SBI Card is designed for regular commuters on Delhi Metro.

• It will enable its users to use it as a smart card with an auto-top up facility whenever the balance is below Rs 100.

• The credit card facility will automatically recharge a top-up value of Rs 200 from the user’s linked card/bank account.

• The card offers an enhanced daily commute experience to millions of metro commuters together with a rewarding experience on their daily purchases.

• The DMRC has identified 100 stations to put up kiosks from where commuters can purchase the card.