28th-29th November, 2023

1. Government has announced mandatory blending of Compressed Bio-Gas in CNG (Transport) & PNG (Domestic) segments of CGD Sector.
2. India has launched five-day ‘ASEAN-India Millets Festival’ in Indonesia to raise awareness and create markets for millets-based products in ASEAN.
3. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has conducted 9th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-IX) in Vadinar,
4. Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS) has launched “Ayurveda Gyan Naipunya Initiative” (AGNI) for physicians practicing in the field of Ayurveda.
5. Angkor Wat in Cambodia has become the 8th wonder of the world.
6. Berkshire Hathaway has sold its entire 2.46% stake in Paytm for ₹1,371 crore.
7. Asian Development Bank has approved a USD 170 million loan to modernize water supply services in Kochi, Kerala.
8. RBI has added 19 unauthorised forex trading platforms in Alert list.
9. Central Depository Services Limited (CDSL) has become first listed depository to register more than 10 crore demat accounts.
10. National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has instructed payment apps to deactivate inactive UPI IDs by December 31, 2023.
11. Credit rating agency S&P Global has increased India’s FY24 growth forecast to 6.4%. from 6% based on strong domestic demand.
12. Irish author Paul Lynch has won Booker Prize 2023 for his novel ‘Prophet Song’.
13. National Constitution Day
14. National Milk Day
15. 75th NCC Raising Day
16. World Sustainable Transport Day
17. Indian badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have got 2nd> rank in China Masters 2023.
18. Italy has defeated Australia in Davis Cup 2023 World Championship held in Malaga, Spain.
19. Indigo has signed a MoU with Noida Airport become the first airline to starts flights from Noida International Airport (Jewar Airport).
20. India and European Union have signed MoU on cooperation on the semiconductor ecosystem.
21. NASSCOM has signed a MoU with NRW Global to establish launchpad in Germany.
22. National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) have formed strategic partnership for disaster risk reduction.
23. Rajat Kumar Jain has been appointed as the part-time Chairman of the Fino Payment Bank.
24. Andry Rajoelina has been re-elected as the President of Madagascar for 3rd time.
25. Kapil Dev has released a book titled ‘Thread by Thread’ on the life of Shambhu Kumar or the S Kumar.
26. Photo Journalist and Padma Shri Awardee Zaverilal Mehta has passed away.
27. Indian violinist & Carnatic Musician Sasikumar has passed away. ‘Authentic’ is Merriam-Webster’s word for 2023.

National News

1. Government has announced mandatory blending of Compressed Bio-Gas in CNG (Transport) & PNG (Domestic) segments of CGD Sector.
   • What CBG Blending Obligation (CBO) will do?
     • It will promote production and consumption of Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) in the country.
   • Objectives–
     • To stimulate demand for CBG in CGD sector
     • To import substitution for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and save Forex
     • To promoting circular economy and to assist in achieving the target of net zero emission etc.
   • Target for CBG Blending Obligation (CBO) –
     • CBO will be voluntary till FY 2024-2025 and mandatory blending obligation would start from FY 2025-26.
     • CBO shall be kept as 1%, 3% and 4% of total CNG/PNG consumption for FY 2025-26, 2026- 27 and 2027-28 respectively.
     • From 2028-29 onwards CBO will be 5%.
     • A Central Repository Body (CRB) shall monitor and implement the blending mandate based on the operational guidelines approved by Minister, PNG.
   • Targets for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF/Bio- ATF)–
     • 1% SAF indicative blending target in 2027 (Initially for International flights)
     • 2% SAF blending target in 2028 (Initially for International flights)
       Source: PIB
2. India has launched five-day ‘ASEAN-India Millets Festival’ in Indonesia to raise awareness and create markets for millets-based products in ASEAN.
   • Organised by–
     • Indian Mission to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
   • Venue–
     • Kota Kasablanka Mall, south Jakarta, Indonesia
   • Participation–
     • It will involve the participation of Millet-based FPOs, start-ups and Indian chefs.

3. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has conducted 9th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-IX) in Vadinar,
   • Objective–
     • To test the level of preparedness and coordination between various resource agencies to respond to a marine oil spill invoking provisions of the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan or NOSDCP.
   • More about NATPOLREX-IX–
     • ICG has deployed surface as well as air platforms such as-
     • Pollution Response Vessels (PRVs),
     • Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs),
     • indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter Mk-III, and
     • Dornier Aircraft configured for marine pollution response.
       Source: PIB
4. Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences (CCRAS) has launched “Ayurveda Gyan Naipunya Initiative” (AGNI) for physicians practicing in the field of Ayurveda.
   • Objectives–
     • To provide a platform to Ayurveda practitioners for reporting their innovative practices & and experiences in various disease conditions.
     • To promote the culture of reporting evidence-based practice among Ayurveda Practitioners.
     • To document the reported successful therapeutic regimens for various disease conditions involving Single drug/ Formulation/ Procedures for the purpose of education and academics.
     • To identify the interested Ayurveda practitioners for collaboration in the creation of a database through applications and capacity building through training in research methods and good clinical practices.
     • To undertake research for mainstreaming pragmatic practices through scientific validation and evidence-based appraisal
       Source: PIB

International News

1. Angkor Wat in Cambodia has become the 8th wonder of the world.
   • It has competed and left behind Pompeii in Italy to become the eighth Wonder of the World.
   • About Ankor Wat–
     • It is a huge temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
     • It is the largest religious monument in the world that attracts lakhs of visitors from across the globe annually.
     • It was originally built in 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and then progressed onto become a major temple of Buddhism.
     • Angkor is also famous for its statue of eight-armed Vishnu, also revered by the locals as their protecting deity.

• List of 8 wonders of the world-

Source: TOI

Banking and Economy

1. Berkshire Hathaway has sold its entire 2.46% stake in Paytm for ₹1,371 crore.

2. Asian Development Bank has approved a USD 170 million loan to modernize water supply services in Kochi, Kerala.
   • Objective–
     • To elevate urban living standards, ensuring clean water access, and bolstering climate resilience.
   • More about project–
     • Project involves the rehabilitation and upgrade of five existing water treatment plants with a cumulative production capacity of 325 million litres per day (MLD).
     • A new plant with a capacity of 190 MLD will be constructed.

3. RBI has added 19 unauthorised forex trading platforms in Alert list.
   • What is Alert list?
     • It contains the names of entities, which are neither authorised to deal in forex under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) nor to operate electronic trading platforms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2018.
       Source: ET
4. Central Depository Services Limited (CDSL) has become first listed depository to register more than 10 crore demat accounts.

5. National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has instructed payment apps to deactivate inactive UPI IDs by December 31, 2023.
   • Objective–
     • To prevent the inadvertent transfer of money to unintended recipients in case customer change their mobile number without disassociating their old number from banking system.
   • More about guidelines–
     • UPI IDs who have not performed any financial (debit or credit) or non-financial transaction for more than 1 year will be deactivated for inward credit transaction.
     • Customers with inward credit block UPI IDs and phone numbers will have to re-register in their UPI app.
     • UPI apps will perform Requester validation (ReqValAd) before initiating ‘Pay to contact’ and ‘Pay to mobile number’.

Source: ET

GDP Forecasts

1. Credit rating agency S&P Global has increased India’s FY24 growth forecast to 6.4%. from 6% based on strong domestic demand.
   • Growth estimate about next fiscal–
     • It has reduced the growth estimates for the next fiscal (2024-25) to 6.4%, from 6.9% due to higher base and weak global growth.
   • Forecast for Asia-Pacific–
     • It has predicted that the strongest economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region for the current and next year will be in emerging market economies.
     • Countries with solid domestic demand, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, are expected to lead in this growth.

Source: The Hindu

Awards

1. Irish author Paul Lynch has won Booker Prize 2023 for his novel ‘Prophet Song’.

Source: The Wire

Important Days

1. November 26– National Constitution Day
   Source: AIR
2. November 26– National Milk Day
   • The day honours the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, the “Father of the White Revolution in India,” highlighting the achievement and importance of the dairy sector in our country.
     Source: PIB
3. November 26– 75th NCC Raising Day
   • National Cadet Corps (NCC), the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world raised in 1948
     Source: PIB
4. November 26– World Sustainable Transport Day
   Source: UN

Sports

1. Indian badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have got 2nd rank in China Masters 2023.
   • They have lost to the World No 1 pair of Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.
     Source: sportstar
2. Italy has defeated Australia in Davis Cup 2023 World Championship held in Malaga, Spain.
   • This is Italy’s 2nd title after first win in 1976.

Source: reuters

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Indigo has signed a MoU with Noida Airport become the first airline to starts flights from Noida International Airport (Jewar Airport).
   • More about agreement–
     • NIA and Indigo will work together towards developing and strengthening air connectivity in Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
     • The partnership and innovative ideas for achieving operational efficiency and enhanced customer experience.

2. India and European Union have signed MoU on cooperation on the semiconductor ecosystem.
   • Objective–
     • To facilitate investments, joint ventures and technology partnership including manufacturing facilities.

   • More about MoU–
     • It is signed at the second India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting held virtually is for deepening cooperation on semiconductors ecosystem, supply chain and innovation.
     • It is in line with India’s plan to provide incentives worth $10 billion for chip manufacturing in the country.

3. NASSCOM has signed a MoU with NRW Global to establish launchpad in Germany.
   • Objective–
     • To promote innovation, investment and technological exchange between North Rhine-Westfalia (NRW) in Germany and India.

   • More about launchpad–
     • This program serves as a tangible commitment to facilitate on-the-ground trade ties.
     • The arrangement will provide Indian tech companies, interested in setting up their presence in NRW to have access up to 180 days rent-free office space.
     • Offices will be based in 5 cities in NRW namely: Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Krefeld and Solingen, where a number of tech-focused companies are already based.
     • Companies will also be assisted with eco-system connects, introductions across stakeholders and other hand-holding mechanisms to aid in “Faster Go-To-Market”.

4. National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) have formed strategic partnership for disaster risk reduction.
   • Objective–
     • To increase knowledge and innovation in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and cultivate a culture of safety.

   • More about collaboration–
     • The collaboration will use the expertise and resources of both institutions to address critical challenges posed by disaster and climate-related risks
       Source: ET

Appointments

1. Rajat Kumar Jain has been appointed as the part-time Chairman of the Fino Payment Bank.

2. Andry Rajoelina has been re-elected as the President of Madagascar for 3rd time.
   Source: BBC

Miscellaneous

1. Kapil Dev has released a book titled ‘Thread by Thread’ on the life of Shambhu Kumar or the S Kumar.
   • Author– Sathya Saran
   • Publisher– Penguin Random House
   • About book–
     • It is a personal look into the tale of Shambhu Kumar, who has built one of India’s most successful textile empires starting from scratch.
       Source: The Print
2. Photo Journalist and Padma Shri Awardee Zaverilal Mehta has passed away.
   • He was awarded Padma Shri award in the field of literature and education-journalism in 2018.
     Source: Indian Express
   
   
   
   
3. Indian violinist & Carnatic Musician Sasikumar has passed away.
   Source: The Hindu
4. ‘Authentic’ is Merriam-Webster’s word for 2023.
   • The dictionary defines authentic as “not false or imitation.
     Source: Indian Express

   
   
   
   

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