- National:
- The Uttar Pradesh government has declared the Maha Kumbh area in Prayagraj a new district named Maha Kumbh Mela Janpad. This aims to improve management and administration for the Maha Kumbh Mela, scheduled from January 13 to February 26, 2025. The new district includes the Prayagraj tehsils of Sadar, Sohraw, Phoolpur, and Karachhna, along with 67 villages.
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- On November 29, 2024, the Arunachal Pradesh government launched Mission Arun Himveer to support agricultural and horticultural producers. This initiative aims to boost market linkage by supplying locally grown produce to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), benefiting local farmers and cooperatives.
- Delhi Chief Minister Atishi inaugurated India's first underground shooting range for NCC cadets on November 26, 2024 at NCC Bhawan in Rohini. The state-of-the-art facility includes bulletproof ceilings, six firing lanes, and an advanced electronic target control system.
- IndiGo was named 2024 Airline of the Year by CAPA - Centre for Aviation on November 21, 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia. This recognition highlights IndiGo's contributions to aviation growth, international connectivity, and sustainability efforts.
- Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the Yuva Shuddhi Abhiyan on November 24, 2024, at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru. This anti-narcotic campaign, organized by the Bharatiya Nurses & Allied Sangh, aims to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse among youth.
- On November 25, 2024, Octanom Tech was recognized by Forbes India as one of the "Select 200 Companies with Global Business Potential" at the DGEMS 2024 event. This highlights Octanom Tech's innovative technological solutions and its significant impact on the global fintech sector.
- International:
- Russia handed over the BRICS chairmanship to Brazil on November 28, 2024, during the final Sherpa meeting in Ekaterinburg. Sergey Ryabkov, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, highlighted Russia's achievements during its tenure, which included significant progress in politics, security, economy, and humanitarian efforts.
- Banking:
- On December 2, 2024, it was announced that the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processed a record 16.58 billion transactions in October 2024, totaling ₹23.49 lakh crore. This reflects a 45% year-on-year growth and underscores UPI's key role in India's digital payment ecosystem.
- The State Bank of India's new initiative, "Har Ghar Lakhpati", aims to boost deposit accretion by helping depositors grow their savings to ₹1 lakh through recurring deposit (RD) schemes. This strategy is part of SBI's efforts to enhance deposit growth and promote financial inclusion.
- Due to weaker investor bids, the RBI devolved the auction of the new On November 30, 2024, the RBI conducted an auction for new Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrB), aimed at funding environmental projects. Due to weaker demand and lower-than-expected bid prices, the RBI devolved some bonds to primary dealers (PDs) instead of selling all directly to investors.
- Tata Electronics agreed to acquire a 60% stake in Pegatron's iPhone manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu on November 18, 2024. This joint venture positions Tata to manage daily operations, while Pegatron retains a 40% stake and provides technical support, enhancing India's role in iPhone production.
- The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) approved Phi Commerce's UPI Switch on November 20, 2024. This certification allows Phi Commerce to offer UPI Switch to enterprise clients, enabling high transaction volumes and faster onboarding of new customers.
- Navi overtook Cred to become the fourth largest UPI app in India on November 18, 2024. Navi registered 158 million transactions in October, up from 120 million in September, while Cred's transactions grew to 152 million.
- On November 25, 2024, SEBI approved Angel One Asset Management Company to commence mutual fund operations. This move allows Angel One to offer passive investment solutions, including Index Funds and ETFs, providing clients with low-cost, transparent investment options.
- On November 22, 2024, SEBI approved Roshni Nadar Malhotra to acquire a majority stake in HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems from her father, Shiv Nadar. SEBI granted an exemption from the open offer requirement, facilitating a smooth family succession plan.
- On November 28, 2024, SEBI announced interoperability for stock exchanges from April 1, 2025. This allows NSE and BSE to act as alternative trading venues for each other in case of outages, ensuring continuous trading operations.
- Economy:
- In October 2024, non-food credit growth slowed to 12.8% year-on-year (y-o-y), compared to 15.5% y-o-y in the same month the previous year. Reduced credit demand from agriculture, services, and personal loans contributed to the slowdown. However, credit growth to the industry sector improved, rising to 8% y-o-y from 4.8% y-o-y a year ago.
- In November 2024, India's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) declined to 56.5 from 57.5 in October. This decline reflects a slight slowdown in manufacturing growth due to rising input costs and intensifying competition.
- In November 2024, India's overall coal production reached 90.62 million tonnes (MT), showing a 7.2% year-on-year growth compared to 84.52 MT in November 2023. This increase highlights the country's efforts to meet energy demands and reduce reliance on coal imports.
- Science & Technology:
- A new species of crocodile newt, named the Cao Bang Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton koliaensis), was discovered in Vietnam on November 19, 2024. These medium-sized newts are found in mountainous forests at elevations over 3,300 feet, and they feature stout, rough bodies with crocodile-like, knobby skin and bright orange markings.
- Important Days:
- The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed on December 2 annually. In 2024, the theme is "Fighting slavery’s legacy of racism through transformative education". This day aims to raise awareness about modern forms of slavery and promote actions to eradicate them.
- National Pollution Control Day is observed on December 2 in India, commemorating the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. It aims to raise awareness about pollution control. The theme for 2024 is "Clean Air, Green Earth: A Step Towards Sustainable Living".
- World Computer Literacy Day is observed on December 2 annually. It was established in 2001 by NIIT to promote digital literacy and bridge the digital divide. The 2024 theme is "Empowering Women and Children through Digital Skills".
- Appointments:
- RBL Bank appointed Chess Grandmaster D Gukesh as its brand ambassador on November 21, 2024. At 18, Gukesh is one of India's brightest chess talents and the youngest-ever contender for the World Chess Championship.
- The WTO General Council reappointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the 8th Director-General for a second four-year term, starting September 1, 2025. This decision was made during a special General Council meeting on November 28-29, 2024. She is the first woman and the first African to hold this position.
- On December 1, 2024, Jay Shah, the outgoing secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), became the new Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He is the fifth Indian and youngest ever to hold this position.
- Vijay Chandok joined National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) as Managing Director and CEO on November 29, 2024. He brings over three decades of financial sector experience, previously serving as MD and CEO of ICICI Securities and holding key roles at ICICI Bank.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appointed Khilli Ram Meena as the new Chief Secretary of Mizoram on November 21, 2024. Meena, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, succeeded Renu Sharma, who retired on October 31, 2024.
- Rupam Roy was elected as the General Secretary of the All India State Bank Officers' Federation (AISBOF) on November 30, 2024, during the 6th Executive Committee Meeting in Chandigarh. He assumed office on December 1, 2024.
- Awards & Honours:
- T-Hub-associated innovators Rumana Sinha Sehgal, Akshay Deshpande (Switcheko), and Abhishek Agarwal (Goodeebag) were honored with the Karmaveer Chakra Awards for 2024-25 by the United Nations and iCongo on November 25-26, 2024, during the REX ConcLIVE event in Noida.
- On November 26, 2024, Dr. U.S. Awasthi, MD of IFFCO, won the prestigious Rochdale Pioneers Award 2024. This award, presented by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), honors his significant contributions to the cooperative movement in India.
- On November 30, 2023, UNESCO awarded the Abathsahayeshwarar Temple in Thukkatchi, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, the Award of Distinction. This recognition highlights the successful conservation efforts that preserved the temple's heritage and original structure.
- On November 25, 2024, the Indian Chemical Council (ICC) won the prestigious 2024 OPCW-The Hague Award. This recognition highlights ICC's efforts in promoting chemical safety and compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention in India.
- Books:
- Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu released the book "Loh Purush Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ka Jeevanvrit" on November 24, 2024. Written by Dr. Rakesh Kumar Sharma, the book explores Sardar Patel's life, his role in India's freedom struggle, and his contributions to nation-building.
- Obituaries:
- Essar Group co-founder Shashi Ruia passed away on November 26, 2024, at the age of 81. He was a visionary leader who co-founded Essar Group in 1969 with his brother Ravi.
- Renowned endocrine surgeon and Padma Shri awardee Sivapatham Vittal passed away on November 26, 2024, at the age of 83. He was instrumental in establishing the Department of Endocrinology at Madras Medical College and was considered the father of endocrine surgery in India.
- Thomas E. Kurtz, co-creator of the BASIC programming language, passed away on November 12, 2024, at the age of 96. His work, alongside John G. Kemeny, made computing accessible to non-experts and significantly influenced computer science education.
- Renowned Malayalam playwright and writer Omchery N.N. Pillai passed away on November 22, 2024, at the age of 100 in New Delhi. He was a recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for his memoir Akasmikam in 2020 and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for his play Pralayam in 1972.
- Aashish Khan, the renowned sarod maestro, passed away at 84 on November 14, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. He was celebrated for popularizing the sarod globally and collaborating with international artists like George Harrison.
- Eminent archaeologist K.V. Raman passed away on November 27, 2024, at the age of 90. He was a former professor at the University of Madras and made significant contributions to the field during his tenure at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Questions:
1 Who became the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1, 2024?
- A) Sourav Ganguly
- B) Jay Shah
- C) Shashank Manohar
- D) N. Srinivasan
2 What is the primary aim of the State Bank of India's "Har Ghar Lakhpati" initiative?
- A) Promote financial literacy among rural women
- B) Increase the interest rates on fixed deposit schemes
- C) Provide collateral-free loans to MSMEs
- D) Boost deposit accretion by helping depositors grow their savings to ₹1 lakh
