Você está na página 1de 163

Current Affairs November 2016

PDF Capsule

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

Contents

Current Affairs for Competitive Exam

INDIAN AFFAIRS ............................................................................................................................................... 3


PLACES IN NEWS .........................................................................................................................................................16
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.......................................................................................................................................21
FOREIGN VISITS ..........................................................................................................................................................27
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES .....................................................................................................................................29
RANKING & REPORTS ...............................................................................................................................................39
BANKING & FINANCE .................................................................................................................................................47
BUSINESS .......................................................................................................................................................................66
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS.....................................................................................................................................76
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS....................................................................................................................................90
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS .................................................................................................................................. 101
MoUs ............................................................................................................................................................................ 104
SCHEMES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 111
COMITTEES ................................................................................................................................................................ 117
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 119
DEFENCE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 127
ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................................................................... 133
SPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 135
OBITUARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 149
BOOKS & AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................ 157
IMPORTANT DAYS ................................................................................................................................................... 158
Kindly Check Other Capsules

AffairsCloud Exam PDF


Current Affairs Study Capsule
Current Affairs Pocket Capsule
Current Affairs Questions & Answers PDF

Help:
If You Satisfied with our Capsule, kindly donate some amount to SavetheChildren.in
Education is a Gift for Life or Kindly Suggest this site to your family members & friends.
2|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

INDIAN AFFAIRS
Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016 introduced in Lok Sabha
i. In the Ongoing Winter Session Union Finance Minister ArunJaitly has introduced a bill in the
LokSabha to amend the Income Tax rules levying a tax of 60 per cent on undisclosed income or
unaccounted credits in the bank accounts.
ii. The amended bill introduced comes with a new Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016
(PMGKY) which allows people to deposit money in their accounts till April 1, 2017.
iii. Under this Scheme the declarant will be levied 50 per cent of the total amount 30 per
cent as tax, 10 per cent as penalty and 33 per cent of the taxed amount that is 10 per cent as
Garib Kalyan Cess on the tax payable.
iv. The bill comes with additional provision that besides taxes penalty and cess which totals up to
around 50%, the declarant will have to deposit 25% of undisclosed income in a deposit scheme
that will be called Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016. The 25 % amount has to be
locked up for four years in interest-free.
v. The amended bill text also reads that incase the undisclosed income found during search seizure
cases a penalty of 30 % shall be enforced by the Income Tax Department in addition to the regular
tax on the money. However the person has to provide evidence for the income that has arrived if
he/ she fails to justify up to 60% penalty plus a surcharge of 25 percent of tax (15 percent), which
will amount a levy of 75 percent.
Government of Jharkhand Introduced Bill Against Placement Agencies
The Government of Jharkhand headed by Chief Minister Raghubar Das has introduced a bill
named Jharkhand Nizi Niyozan Abhikaran and Gharelu Kamgar (viniyam) vidheyak
2016 (Jharkhand private employment agency and domestic employee bill) against placement
agencies to control those agencies from exploiting people in the name of giving employment
outside the state.
Aim: To abolish human trafficking from Jharkhand and stop placement agencies from
exploiting the job seekers.
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill to ban commercial surrogacy introduced in Lok Sabha
i. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 was introduced by Health Minister J P Nadda in the
Lok Sabha on November 21, 2016 to ban commercial surrogacy.
ii. Aim: to protect women from exploitation and ensure the rights of the child born through
surrogacy.
iii. Once the bill is approved by the Parliament, there will be a complete ban on commercial

3|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


surrogacy, but altruistic surrogacy will be permitted for couples under who are unfit to produce
child but under strict regulations.
Union Cabinet Approved Introduction of New Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016
i. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the introduction
of Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 in the Parliament on November 23, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 is a revised version of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and
will abolish the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 as well as The Coasting Vessels Act, 1838.
Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016 to curb black money comes into
effect from Nov 1, 2016
i. The Income Tax department announced that the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment
Act, 2016 (BTP Amendment Act), came into force from 1st November 2016 in order to give more
teeth to the authorities to curb benami transactions.
ii. The BTP Amendment Act, the existing Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988, shall be
renamed as Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (PBPT Act).
Food Security Act implemented : Ram Vilas Paswan
i. The National Food Security Act, which implemented an act to subsidise food grain for about
810 million people, now covers the whole country, more than three years after it was formally
notified.
ii. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have also rolled out the NFSA from November. With this, now the Act has
been implemented in all the States and Union Territories was announced by Food Minister Ram
Vilas Paswan .
Centre notifies rules for Real Estate Act for five UTs
i. Centre notified the rules for Real Estate Act, that seeks to regulate the housing sector besides
bringing transparency and ensuring timely completion of projects.
ii. The rules will be applicable to five Union Territories namely Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep.

Uttarakhand High Court orders declaring hill stations as eco-sensitive


i. On 8 November 2016, the Uttarakhand High Court ordered all hill stations and glaciers in
the state to be declared as eco-sensitive within three months as well as put a ban on any kind of
construction within 25 km radius of the glaciers.
ii. The High Court comprising of divisional bench Justice Rajeev Sharma and Justice Alok
Singh also ordered restriction on the number of people visiting the glaciers besides imposition of a
tax on them.

4|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Punjab law to stop sharing Ravi, Beas waters ruled illegal by Supreme Court
i. A five-judge Constitution Bench led by Justice Anil R. Dave ruled that Punjab Termination of
Agreements Act 2004 was invalid and that Punjab was bound to share the water of Ravi-Beas
river with Haryana and complete the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal for
water sharing.
ii. The bench gave its opinion on a Presidential Reference made 12 years ago (22 July 2004) by the
then President A.P.J Abdul Kalam, questioning the constitutional validity of the Punjab
Termination of Agreements Act 2004.
SC Ask Major Search Engines to Delete Pre-Natal Sex Determination Ads within 36 Hours
i. Supreme Court has ordered the search engines Google, Yahoo and Microsoft on November
17, 2016, to delete the advertisements, hosted by them, related to pre-natal sex
determination in India within 36 hours.
ii. For this a bench of two Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy has directed the Centre of India
to appoint a nodal agency to monitor the websites.
SC refuses to remove ban on Jallikattu
i. The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by Tamil Nadu government to review the
judgment of the Apex Court that banned Jallikattu in 2014.
ii. Jallikattu is a bull taming sport played in Tamil Nadu on Mattu Pongal day as a part of Pongal
celebrations i.e. harvest festival.
Hindu widows adopted kid can claim only to her assets: SC
i. The Supreme Court on, November 17, 2016, regulated that a child who is adopted by a Hindu
widow would not have any rights on the property of the womans expired husband and could only
lay claim over the property inherited by his mother.
ii. A bench of Justices A R Dave and L Nageswara Rao, held that with the adoption of a child, the
rights and interests of other members of the family would not be harmed.
Supreme Court Directed Centre to frame Model Rules for Consumer Forums
i. The Supreme Court on November 21, 2016, directed the Central Government to frame model
rules related to administration, selection and appointments of members, infrastructure etc. for all
consumer courts constituted under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 within 4 months.
ii. The decision was taken by a bench of three-judge comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur, Justice
DY Chandrachud and Justice L Nageswara Rao so as to prevent the Consumer Protection Act,
1986 from becoming ineffective in practice.

5|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Supreme Court Bans Sale of Crackers In New Delhi
i. The Supreme Court on November 25, 2016, banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and the
NCR region.
ii. The decision was taken to tackle the pollution level, after air pollution increased at an alarming
rate in the Capital, to a dangerous level, worst in three years.
Son irrespective of his marital status has no legal right in parents house, can stay at
their mercy: Delhi high Court
i. The Delhi High court on November 29, 2016, directed that a son, irrespective of his marital
status does not have any legal right to live in his parents house.
ii. Justice Pratibha Rani directed, where the house is self-acquired by the parents, son could reside
in his parents house only at their mercy up to the time the parents allow, as they have cordial
relations and not because they have to bear his burden.
Supreme Court Mandates Playing National Anthem in Theatres Before Movies.
i. The Supreme Court on November 30, 2016, made it mandatory for cinema halls to play
National anthem before screening of a film in theatres across the country.
ii .Aim: to instill a sense of committed patriotism and nationalism in citizens.
iii. A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy said that People must show respect to the
national anthem and the national flag and pay respect to the anthem. People now-a-days dont
know how to sing national anthem and people must be taught.
Prime Minister launches Rail Projects, conduct Parivartan Rally in Ghazipur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visited Ghazipur district in eastern Uttar Pradesh on November 14,
2016, to launch several rail projects.

The PM landed at Lalbahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, from where he


moved to Ghazipur by helicopter

Important Highlights of the Visit


1. The Prime Minister flagged off a weekly Shabd Bhedi Superfast Express train
between Ghazipur and Kolkata.
2. The Prime Minister also inaugurated a newly-built Cargo Centre for perishable
commodities at the Gazipur Ghat station.
3. During his visit, the Prime Minister laid the foundation of a rail-road bridge over the
Ganga that will connect Mau with Tadighat and also the doubling of the Ghazipur cityBallia Rail section.
Prabhu Lays Foundation Stone Of Rajpura-Bathinda Project
Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu laid foundation stone of a railway doubling
project, 16 limited height subways and dedicated the newly doubled Mansa-Bathinda rail line to the

6|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


nation on November 13, 2016 in Punjab.
Outlay : Rs 1251.25 crore
The Indore-Patna Express train derails, worst train accident in six years
i. The Indore-Patna Express train derailed in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh early
morning about 3.10am on November 21, 2016.
ii. It is one of Indias worst train accidents in six years with nearly 133 people killed and more than
200 injured when 14 coaches of the express train derailed near Pukhrayan,about 100 km from
Kanpur.In 2010, a passenger train crashed into a freight train in Bengal, killing 146
Railways to introduce Tri-Netra to check collisions
i. Indian Railways all set to launch Tri-Netra(Terrain Imaging for diesel drivers infrared,
enhanced optical and radar assisted system) to check collisions between tracks.
ii. Tri-Netra system is made up of a high-resolution optical video camera, high-sensitivity infrared
video camera and a radar-based terrain mapping system
PM Modi flag off state-of- the-art Hamsafar train from Kushinagar, UP
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Humsafar train between Gorakhpur and Delhi`s
Anand Vihar terminus from Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh on November 27, 2016.This train will run
between this two station thrice in a week.
ii. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had announced during the presentation of Rail Budget 2016-17
that there will be seven Humsafar Express trains for inter-city overnight journey.
Indian Railways, IRCTC include transgender as third gender
i. Indian Railways and IRCTC have included transgender as third gender in the option
alongside male and female in ticket reservation and cancellation forms both online and offline
ii. The Railway ministry notify that hijras, eunuchs, apart from binary gender to be treated as third
gender for the purpose of safeguarding their rights under Part III of our Constitution and the
laws made by the parliament and the State Legislature.
President approved payment of 2% duty from july 1
i. President Pranab Mukherjee has given his consent to payment of a 2 per cent dearness
allowance (DA) to central government employees from July 1
ii. As a Result upon the decision taken by the government on recommendations of the 7th Central
Pay Commission relating to DA, the President is pleased to decide that the DA to all categories of
the central government employees shall be admissible at the rate of 2 per cent of basic.

7|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Badal launched health awareness campaign Aware & Care
i. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal implemented the state governments programme
of Aware and Care by flagging off 100 Information Education Communication (IEC) mobile vans.
ii. The basic aim of rolling out these vans was to inform people about the diseases like cancer,
hepatitis-C, cervical cancer and the preventive measures to be taken to cure the patients
suffering from these diseases in the early stages.
Chinese Buddhist pilgrim and scholar XuanZ ang stayed in Vijayawada to study Buddhist
scriptures
i. Chinese Buddhist pilgrim and scholar XuanZang stayed a pair of years in Bezawada (the old
name of Vijayawada) to copy and study the Abhidhammapitakam, the last of the three pitakas (Pali
for baskets) constituting the Pali canon, the sacred writtings of Theravada Buddhism
ii. The writings of XuanZang about his travels in India are report of the life of the people in the 7th
century. The Chinese government has used his work to establish that the relationship
between India and China is 1,400 years old.
GST council approves 4 tier rate structure for GST
i. GST Council approved a four-tier GST tax structure of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%, with lower rates
for essential items and the highest for luxury and de-merits goods that would also attract an
additional cess
The four GST slabs are 5%, 12% 18% and 28%.
Slab

Product & Services

Current Rate

New Rate

Slab 1 (5%)

Edible Oil, Spices, Tea, Coffee

Upto 9%

5%

Slab 2 (12%)

Computer, Processed foods

9-15%

12%

Slab 3 (18%)

Soaps, Oils, Cosmetics

15-21 %

18%

Slab 4 (28%)

Heavy Consumer durables like


AC, Refrigerator, Television

21%

28%

Govt to launch equity fund of up to $2 billion.


i. The Indian government and three state-run firms would jointly prepared an equity fund of up
to $2 billion for renewable energy companies to help New Delhi meet its clean energy goals.
ii. Private and public companies would be able to immerse into an initial amount of more than $1
billion starting next fiscal year.. Indias government hopes the Clean Energy Equity Fund (CEEF)
would attract pension and insurance funds from Canada and Europe.
I & B Ministry prepared promotional funds for Indias entry to Oscars ,other festivals.
Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Information & Broadcasting announced that the Government has
taken a new initiative to create a Film Promotion Fund to promote Indian cinema in
the International Film Festivals.

8|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Delhi govt launches Rs.200Cr Yamuna riverfront project at Sonia Vihar
i. The Delhi government has launched the Yamuna riverfront Project at the second annual
Yamuna Aarti event aarti at the DhaiPusta, in Sonia Vihar in the presence of Chief Minister
ArvindKejriwal on November 1, 2016
ii. Objective : To beautify the riverfront in the next one-and-a-half years
iii. Outlay of the project : Rs. 200-crore
Government fixed minimum wage of farm worker Rs 350 per day
i. Government has decided to fix the minimum wage at Rs 350 per day for unskilled agricultural
labour in C-class towns in central sphere.It was announced by Labour
Minister BandaruDattatreya. It will effective from November 1, 2016.
ii. Now agriculture workers gets Rs 160 per day in the central sphere are paid as per the rates
prescribed under the national floor level minimum wage.
Govt formulating national policy to reduce alcohol dependency
i. The Centre is working on formulation of a national policy to speak about the emerging challenge
of alcohol dependency in the country, especially among youth.
ii. In a first-of-its-kind lead, the policy would follow the same approach as it is being used in cases
of drug de-addiction. It was specifically to manage the problem of alcohol dependence, a
psychiatric disorder in which an individual is physically or psychologically dependent upon drinking
alcohol.
PM Modi to become the mascot for Incredible India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to be the mascot of Incredible India campaign with
the tourism ministry finally deciding to do away with plans to rope in any Bollywood stars,
including Amitabh Bachchan, for the role which was lying vacant after ouster of Aamir Khan earlier
this year.
E-Court software launched by Home Minister to enable speedy disposal of
Appeals/Complaints
i. E-Court software launched by Home Minister to do speedy disposal of Appeals/Complaints.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched e-Court Software to
enable speedy disposal of Appeals/Complaints by using digital technology at the 2-day 11th Annual
Convention of Central Information Commission (CIC) in New Delhi.
ii. The Home Minister also released a book on RTI success stories. The book has been prepared for
the Commission by Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration.
Union Government puts NDTV ban on hold
i. The one-day ban on NDTVs Hindi channel, widely condemned, has been put on hold by

9|Page

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu. The decision comes after the Supreme
Court agreed to hear NDTVs application for a stay on the ban.
ii. The Indian government ordered the Hindi language news channel to be taken off air for a day as
a penalty for its coverage of an attack on Indian soldiers in January
Golden Jubilee of Press Council of India is observed on November 16 2016
The National Press Day is celebrated on November 16, 2016 to remember the day on which the
Press Council of India started which is also coincides with Golden Jubilee of Press Council of India.
Highlights :
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred excellence in journalism awards and RajaRam
Mohan Roy Award to veteran journalist S. Nihal Singh on the occasion of National Press Day. It
is followed Seminars have been organized by the Press Council in New Delhi
ii. The Press Council decided be extended to South East Asia and other regions of the subcontinent to promote peace and fair and fearless journalism.
iii. PCI also sign a bilateral agreement with the Bangladesh Press Council and is also planning to
sign an MoU with Myanmar.
iv. It was also set up to preserve the freedom of the press and to maintain and improve the
standards of newspapers and news agencies in India
President of India Inaugurates Diamond Jubliee Celebration Of ECGC
i. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
i.e. 60th Anniversary of Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Limited (ECGC) on
November 8, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. The President said that the role of an Export Credit Agency (ECA) is of central importance in
international trade and investment flows and that a robust, vibrant and well-functioning ECGC can
be an enabler for putting the country back on a high export growth path.
Construction Banned Near Uttarakhand Glaciers.
i. To protect the 968 glaciers of Uttarakhand spread in the area of 2,857 kma division bench of
The Uttarakhand High Court comprising Justices Rajiv Sharma and Alok Singhimposed a
complete ban on any type of construction within 2 km radius of major lakes (Bhimtal, Nainital,
Khurpatal, Sattal and Naukuchiyatal lakes) of the State and also on any construction within 25
km from the edges of all glaciers in the State.
ii. The High Court bench has also banned the cutting of trees within 5 km radius of the 5
lakes. . All the municipal boards and Nagar Panchayats have been ordered to set up sewage
treatment plants within 6 months.
iii. Plastic in any form within 20 km of the glaciers and burning of fossil fuel within 10 km from the
glaciers has also been banned by the High Court Bench.

10 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Govt to open Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendra in every Parliamentary Constituency
i. The Centre has planned to open Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Kendra in every to offer skill
training to the people and make them employable.
ii. Mr. Rudy told that the check placements of people through fake certificates or by sell, an
International Placement Centre under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana has been begun.
Tamil Nadu Government Enhanced Maternity Leave From 6 to 9 Months
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced increasing motherhood leave period for women
government employees from six to nine months, the state government issued an order to
implement it.
Smart India Hackathon 2017 launched by HRD ministry
Shri Prakash Javadekar, Union Human Resource Development Minister, inaugurated the worlds
largest digital national building initiative Smart India Hackathon 2017on November 9, 2016,
by handing over a torch to technology students over the country.

The Hackathon will have nearly 500 problem statements in all which will be published
on http://mygov.in.

Smart India Hackathon 2017


The Smart India Hackathon 2017 is a pan-India 36-hour nonstop digital programming
competition which will take place in more than 20 centres simultaneously.

The Smart India Hackathon 2017 will focus on finding digital solutions to problemsin the
areas concerning: power, education, health, water, finance, agriculture, energy, urban & rural
development, aviation & shipping, transport, sanitation, sports, law & justice, skill
development & entrepreneurship, defence, textiles, tourism, etc.

AFSPA extended to 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh to check Naga faction


i. A notification has been issued by the centre to extend the Armed Forces Special Powers Act
(AFSPA) in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
ii. The Home Ministrys notification was issued on November 4, to extend AFSPA in the districts
of Tirap, Changlang and Longding, each bordering Assam.
iii. The Centre has mentioned extortion and intimidation by the cadres of National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), NSCN-IM, who are desperate to regain control
from NSCN-K, (Khaplang), as the basic reason for such notification.
E- Auction Of Minor Mineral Mines In Chhattisgarh
i. The mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state has become the first state in the country to conduct eauction of minor mineral
ii. The Bharda dolomite mine having an estimated reserve of about 1.5 million tonnes and spread

11 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


across 3.80 hectare area in Bilaspur district of Chhatisgarh was e-auctioned by the State
Government.
iii. The highest bid of 154 per tonne was quoted as against the reserve price of Rs. 15 per
tonne. The auction value was twice the royalty fixed for dolomite mine at Rs 75 per tonne.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal launched Safe City Project in Ludhiana
i. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal launched the first phase of the safe city
project which cost Rs 80 crore on November 12, 2016 in Ludhiana. Punjab would become the first
state to come under electronic surveillance
ii. He also inaugurated an indoor stadium, built along the Pakhowal road at a cost of Rs 85 crore.
IMT Friendship Motor Car Rally flagged off
i. A Friendship Motor Car Rally between India, Myanmar and Thailand (IMT) was flagged off
by the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Chemical Fertilizers
Mansukh Lal Mandaviya from India Lawns in New Delhi on November 13, 2016.
ii. Friendship Motor Car Rally is scheduled to be held between Delhi to Bangkok from November
13 to December 3, 2016 in 20 Indian made vehicles. About 80 participants from the 3 countries
will participate in the rally covering a total distance of 5,722 km along the IMT Trilateral Highway.
GoM recommends heavy fine and ban on celebrities for misleading endorsement.
A high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley,
recommended to impose heavy fine and ban on celebrities who endorse products making unrealistic
and unreliable claims.
52 generic medicine stores inaugurated in Gujarat
i. Gujarat Government inaugurated 52 generic medicine stores across the state on November
14, 2016.
ii.Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani inaugurated one of the generic stores named as
Deendayal Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Store inside Civil Hospital premises.
CBSE Class X Board Exam to be re-introduced from 2017-2018
i. Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar after a meeting with the Rajasthan Education Minister,
on November 14, 2016 informed about the decision of the Government to reintroduce
compulsory class X board examination for Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) schools
from the 2017-18 academic year which was scrapped 6 years ago.
ii. However, the State Governments will be given the authority to reintroduce class V and VIII
board examinations, a proposal for which will be tabled in the Cabinet and then in Parliament.

12 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Arunachal Pradesh launches Kiosk System for Lohit District
i. Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on November 15, 2016 inaugurated
a Kiosk System, which ia a touch screen portable device that runs with power supply and provides
all the necessary information relating to Lohit District.
ii. The e-Kiosk system will provide details like Lohit Tourism, District Administration, important
contacts, public representatives, Jan Suvidha, Helpline, NPR & Aaadhar, Disaster Management,
Childrens Corner with photo galleries at fingertip in a single system.
World Bank Funded Jhelum-Tawi Flood Recovery Project launched by Mehbooba Mufti
i. Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti launched the Jhelum-Tawi Flood
Recovery project on November 14, 2016, for which World Bank has funded an amount of US
$250 million (Rs. 1,600 crore).
ii. The loan assistance from the World Bank would be shared by Centre and the State Government
in the ratio 90:10 and it would be operative for five years ending June 2020.
Government to present Union Budget on February 1 while budget session to begin in
January 2017
The Bhartiya Janata Party led NDA Government announnced to present the Union
budget on February 1 while the Budget session is likely to begin in January 2017.
Ayur Herbarium project inaugurated in Goa by Maritius PM
i. Anirood Jugnauth, Prime Minister of the Republic of Maritius inaugurated Ayur Herbarium
project in North Goa on November 16, 2016 at the property of Sandu Pharmaceuticals Ltd at
Saligao village, 10 kms from North Goa.
ii. The medicinal herbarium, an initiative by the pharmaceutical major in association
with Union AYUSH Ministry, is a fascinating collection of various Ayurvedic medicinal plants
exhibited with informative details of medicinal properties and uses of each herb.
Government of India impose 5 year ban on Zakir Naiks NGO
i. The government on November 15, 2016 decided to declare a 5 year ban on an NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), promoted by
controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for
its alleged terror activities.
ii. The decision has been taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided over by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
Revamped Aadhaar Toll-Free Helpline No. 1947 Launched
With the growing use of Aadhaar in transactions related to services like Banking, Government

13 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Welfare Schemes, etc., the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), launched a
revamped version of its Toll-free helpline number: 1947, to help residents get quick access to
information about Aadhaar.
Ennore Thermal Power Station Deceased
TANGEDCO has decided that the 45-year-old Ennore Thermal Power Station in Tamil
Nadu will shut down forever when the coal stock is exhausted on November 16, 2016.
Govt Cancels Gitanjali Gems SEZ Project In Maharashtra
Government approved the cancellation of Gitanjali Gems special economic zone (SEZ) project
in Maharashtra on November 18 2016.The decision was taken by the Board of Approval (BoA),
headed by Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia.
Mock Drill Conducted by NSG in New Delhi
i. A special counter-terror unit of NSG commandos conducted a three-hour-long mock drill at a
Delhi Metro station located on the airport express line on November 19, 2016.
ii. The mock drill was named intervention of rail coaches and countering of terrorist
elements.
Income Tax Department to launch Project Insight in May 2017
i. The income-tax (I-T) department department has signed a contract with L&T Infotech Ltd
to launch Project Insight in May 2017 from May 2017.The project will be rolled out in three
phases.
ii. Aim of the Project :To effectively utilize the vast amount of information at its disposal more
effectively to track tax evaders
Portuguese Prime Minister to be the Chief Guest of 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
i. Prime Minister of Portuguese, Antonio Costa will be the Chief Guest at the 14th Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention which will be held in Bengaluru from January 7 to 9, 2017.
ii. The Prime Minister will attend the inaugural function of the convention on January 8, 2017 and
address the delegates.
Govt sets up HEFA to provide funds for creating infrastructure, promoting research
facilities
i. Government is setting up Higher Education Financing Agency(HEFA) to provide funds for
creating infrastructure and promoting research facilities in the Centrally-aided institutions of higher
learning. It was announced by Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey
ii. The agency will leverage funds from the market, Minister of State for Human Resource

14 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Development.
iii. The Center will provide equity of Rs.1000Cr for establishing HEFA.
Haryana Government mandates Fitting Auto-Dipper in 4-Wheeled motor Vehicles
To ensure safety measure, Haryana government has made it compulsory for all four-wheeler
vehicles in the state to install an auto dipper in the vehicles according to the Rule 106 of the
Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
Government approved to buy 12 Dornier surveillance for Rs.2500 Cr
i. PM Modi lead Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave its nod to buy 12 upgraded Dornier
surveillance aircraft for Indian Navy at a cost of about Rs 2,500 crore on November 23, 2016.
ii. Modified Dornier aircraft Do-228 will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
at its Transport Aircraft Division (TAD) in Kanpur.
Andhra Pradesh CM launches Water Distribution Monitoring Portal
i. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu has launched the Smart Water
Distribution Monitoring web portal on November 23, 2016, which will enable the people to track
the status of drinking water in the nearby water tanks.
ii. The Water Distribution Monitoring portal can be accessed from the website ourvmc.org.
Government to open 62 new Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
i. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra
Modi on November 23, 2016, gave approval for opening of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV)
in each of the 62 uncovered districts for which an amount of Rs.2,871 crore has been allocated.
ii. States with number of JNVs that will be opened.
State
Chhattisgarh
Gujarat
Delhi
J&K
Uttar Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh

No.
11
8
7
5
5
2

State
Punjab
Madhya Pradesh
Jharkhand
West Bengal
Karnataka
Haryana

No.
2
3
2
2
3
1

State
Rajasthan
Andaman & Nicobar
Vlaharashtra
Meghalaya
Tripura

No.
1
1
1
4
4

PM Modi Visited Punjab To Mark 350 Birth Anniversary Of Guru Gobind Singh
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Punjab on November 25, 2016 to attend a function
marking the 350th birth anniversary of tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh ji at Sri Anandpur
Sahib in Rupanagar district.
ii. During the visit, Mr Modi also laid the foundation stone of the All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS) in Bathinda. Modi was accompanied by Punjab Cm PS Badal, Punjab Deputy

15 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


CM, Sukhbir Badal, Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Vijay Sampla and many
other Akali leaders.
Potential Hydro Power Projects in Himalayan Glaciers Fears Chances of Floods
i. A study was conducted by Swiss researchers on The impact of climate change in the
Himalayas.
ii. The study analyzed the Himalayan Glaciers and their possible future impact on lives of the
people in States across the region.
iii. The study revealed that the potential hydro power projects in the Himalayan region would face
chances of increased floods from the formation of new lakes and the expansion of existing ones due
to melting glaciers.
Ministry of Culture Releases Coins on 500th Anniversary of Shri Krishna Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu.
i. Shri Narendra Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Culture released a Commemorative NonCirculation Coin of Rs.500 and a Circulation Coin of Rs.10 on November 25, 2016, to mark a
year-long celebration of 500th Anniversary of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhus Coming
to Vrindavan .
ii. A Mobile Exhibition was organized named Shri Chaitanya Prem Rath which started from
Vrindavan on 08 February, 2016 passed through Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal,
Odisha, Delhi and finally ending back to Vrindavan. On 09 March, 2016.
NGO starts 16-day campaign Every 8 Minutes against child trafficking
Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA), a Bengaluru based NGO, haslaunched a 16day campaign Every8Minutes to create awareness against child trafficking and missing children
in the city.

PLACES IN NEWS
Sangai Festival 2016 begin in Manipur
i. The 10-day-festival Sangai Festival 2016 inaugurated by Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh on
November 21 2016. It will continue till November 30 2016
ii. Theme: Destination Manipur.
iii. Aim: To promote Manipur as a potential tourist destination.
Mumbai poetry festival to feature 51 poets from 5 countries
i. The Poets Translating Poets festival held in Mumbai from November 25-27,2016 to
transcend boundaries of language and culture, through the act of translation and poetry

16 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. Nearly 51 poets from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Germanyparticipated in
the festival.
iii. It was the culmination of a two-year-long Indo-German literary exchange project to address the
issues of identity politics
Wangala harvest festival celebrated in Meghalaya
i. Garo tribals People of Meghalaya celebrated the harvest festival of Wangala to marks the end of
a period of toil for farmers wanting a good output from their fields.
ii. On the first day of the festival, the people offer their agriculture produce to the Sun God, while
on the second day or Kakkat, they will dance Wangala Dance
iii. This festival is also known as Annual 100-drum Festival.
Second Edition of Windmill Festival to be held in Mumbai
The second edition of Windmill Festival Indias First International Childrens Festival is
scheduled to be held on January 14th and 15th, 2017 at Reliance Jio Garden, BKC in Mumbai. The
festival is a joint initiative of Event Capital and Tribe Asia.
Indias first underwater festival Organised in Pune
i. Pune-based company, Finkick Adventures is organizing the Indias First Underwater
Festival at the Finkick Adventures SCUBA Diving Center, Divisional Sports Complex, Rahim Shaikh
Road, Yerawada, Pune on November 27, 2016.
ii. Aim: to promote is awareness about the state of marine life and encourage people to conserve
it.
iii. The underwater festival is organized for both swimmers and non-swimmers above 10
years of age.Regular passes are available for Rs. 1750-2500 while VIP passes for Rs. 4500.
Buddha Mahotsava kicks off in Arunachal Pradesh
i. The three day Buddha Mahotsava celebration kicked off in Arunachal Pradesh on November 4
2016 with vibrant cultural display from Monpa, Sajolang(Miji) Aka, Sartang, Bugun and Sherdukpen
tribes of the region at Buddha Park, Bomdila.
ii. It was organised by the District Administration of West Kameng to promote tourism in the
state.
NGT gives green signal to Cuttack Baliyatra festival
i. National Green Tribunal(NGT) given its approval for the week-long annual Baliyatra festival
from November 14 at the designated ground if the same was not located on Mahanadi
riverbed as was alleged in the original application (OA).
ii. All steps would be taken to ensure that the river water is not polluted due to the festival.

17 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Losar Festival being celebrated in J&K
10 day long festival named Losar festival has begun in Ladakh region of J&K to mark the
beginning of New Year in this Himalayan region. Losar is Tibetan word for new year and this
festival is an important social and religious celebration in Ladakh.
Indias First Cherry Blossom Festival Launched In Meghalaya
i. Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma inaugurated the four day Cherry Blossom Festival in
Shillong, Meghalaya.
ii. Aim : To attracting tourists to this hill state in autumn to witness cherry blossoms blooming at
every corner of the Shillong.
UP-100 Police Emergency Service Launched In UP
i. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav launched a state-wide integrated emergency
service UP-100 in Lucknow on November 19, 2016.
ii. The UP-100 is the official name for Uttar Pradesh Police Emergency Management
System which was previously called dial 100 project.
iii. Aim: To provide emergency services relating to public safety across the state round the clock.
Indias longest expressway inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh
i. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on November 21, 2016, inaugurated the six-lane
Greenfield Agra-Lucknow Expressway at Bangarmau in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh in
presence of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
ii. Just before the inauguration, four Sukhoi jets from Bareilly and four Mirage 2000s from
Gwalior landed upon the air strip built on the expressway.
iii. It also has an eight-lane bridge across the river Ganga, which will connect Unnao and Kanpur.
The Palampur Assembly Constituency adopts E-Vidhan system, becomes first e-assembly
constituency of the country
i. The Palampur Assembly Constituency in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh has adopted EVidhan system and became the first e-assembly constituency of the country which, making the
House Business paperless.
ii. Brij Behari Lal Butail, the State Assembly Speaker, inaugurated the E-Vidhan system at a
function held in Palampur town on November 22, 2016.
Maharashtra become First sate to launch Cyber Police Stations in each Districts
i. Devendra Fadnavis led Maharashtra is the first state in the country which will have a cyber
police station in each districts of the state announced by Home Department on November 3 ,
2016.

18 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. It is converting 42 state-of-the-art cyber crime labs into cyber police stations to take on cyber
criminals.
Modi launched Haryanas year-long golden jubilee celebrations of Haryana
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Haryanas year-long golden jubilee celebrations of
Haryana in Gurugram. PM Modi kicked-off Haryanas SwarnaJayanti celebrations from
Gurugrams Tau Devi Lal stadium on November 1, 2016.
ii. The Haryana Government has decided to set up Gurugram Development Authority(GDA) to
avoid overlap in its functional and operational responsibilities and provide functional empowerment
in administrative and financial structures at the local level
iii. 7 states celebrates state formation Day on November 1 2016 Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat,
Haryana, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
Kerala becomes 3rd open defecation free state
i. Southern state of Kerala became the third state overall and the largest state so far to be
declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM- Gramin).
ii. 14 districts, 152 blocks, 940 Gram Panchayats and 2117 villages of Kerala have been declared
free from open defecation.
Lost Chandrabhaga river found in Odisha
i. After the confirmation of existence of the mythical Saraswati river in Indias North-West,
scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur claim they have found evidence
of another lost Indian river.
ii. The River Named Chandrabhaga, the ancient river is believed to have existed at a distance of
about 2 km from the 13th century Sun Temple at Konark, a Unesco World Heritage Site in Odisha.
Indias first rural skate park formed in Bundelkhand
i. Janwaar is a sleepy little village in rural Bundelkhand, and is one of 57 hamlets located in the
moderate zone of the Panna National Tiger.
ii. Started by Ulrike Reinhard, a German who has lived and worked in the US, Janwaar Castle is
rural Indias first skate-park for children, where they are also taught languages, music, dance,
painting, 3D modelling, and general life-skills.
PM Laid Foundation Stone Of Greenfield Airport And Tuem Electronic City In Goa
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the coastal state of Goa on November 13, 2016 to lay
foundation stone for two projects: Greenfield airport in North Goa and Tuem Electronic city. The
function was held at Dr Shama Prasad Mukherjee stadium in Bambolim village.
ii. The first phase of the airport is expected to be commissioned in the financial year 201920.The Tuem Electronic City project is expected to generate 25,000 jobs for the youth in the state.

19 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Pune on November 13, 2016 to inaugurate
the International Conference and Exhibition on Sugarcane Value Chain Vision 2025
Sugar organised by Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) at Manjari.
12-km-long elevated railway corridor to be set up in Guwahati under Smart City Project
i. The Centre on November 10, 2016, announced the construction of a 12-km-long elevated
railway corridor inside Guwahati, worth Rs 5,000 crore, as a part of the smart city project.
ii. The project covering the entire corridor between Kamakhya and New Guwahati will be
elevated
iii. The Indian Railways will form a joint venture in the form of a special purpose vehicle with
the state government to implement the project.
Thiruvananthapuram becomes countrys breast cancer capital
i. Thiruvananthapuram has been termed as the countrys breast cancer capital the
Kerala Chapter of Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA) Conference.
ii. The city holds a record high of 40 per lakh of population.It is noted that 50 per cent of breast
cancer is occurring in the age group of under 50 years.
Maharashtra Cabinet Adopts Fly Ash Utilisation Policy
Maharashtra has become the first state to adopt Fly Ash Utilisation Policy announced
by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on November 15, 2016
This policy would paving way for prosperity by generating wealth from waste, and environment
protection.
Fly Ash Utilisation Policy :
i. Fly ash generated from thermal power plants and biogas plants for construction activities. This fly
ash will be used to make bricks, blocks, tiles, wall panels, cement and other construction
materials.
ii. Use of fly ash was extended to 300Kms from 100 kms.
ICICI Banks Adopted Akodara Village becomes Indias first Digital Village
i. A tiny village Akodara in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat has become the first Digital Village
in India.
ii. The village, located 90 km from Ahmedabad, was adopted by the ICICI Bank under Digital
Village project in 2015 that developed it as a digitized village with a rural branch of the bank.
iii. The campaign was committed to connect rural India with high speed internet networks, create a
digital infrastructure, and improve digital literacy in the country.
iv. The project was launched in January 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ICICI
Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochar to mark 60-year-celebration of the ICICI groups existence.

20 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Asias first cycle highway inaugurated in UP
i. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has inaugurated Indias first and Asias longest
bicycle highway between Agra and Etawah in UP.
ii. A rally of 90 cyclists from five countries and across India followed the inauguration ceremony at
the Lion Safari in Etawah.
iii. The track begins from the lion safari in Etawah.It ends at the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal in
Agra.
Manipur hosts WWII Vintage Jeep Rally
i. Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh flagged off World War II Vintage Jeep Rally from
Koirengei Old Air Field as a part of the Manipur Sangai Festival on November 27, 2016.
ii. Objective: To spread a message of peace and reconciliation and evils of war.
Telangana village renamed Kavithapuram after CMs daughter, TRS MP Kalvakuntla
Kavitha
i. Villagers of Khanapur in Telanganas Nizamabad district have renamed their village
as Kavithapuram after the daughter of CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.
ii. The residents of Khanapur gram panchayat passed the resolution as a token of reverence
towards TRS MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha, who helped the villagers when they were displaced by the
Sri Ram Sagar reservoir on Godavari River

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Worlds longest secure telecommunications network launched by China
i. China has launched a 712-km quantum communication line, on November 20, 2016.
ii. This quantum communication line is the worlds longest secure telecommunications
network, with ultra-high security which makes it impossible to tap, intercept or crack the
information transmitted through them.
iii. The new quantum communication line will connect Hefei, capital of Anhui province,
to Shanghai, the Chinas financial hub.
Worlds first Bollywood-themed park opens in Dubai,UAE
i. Worlds first Bollywood theme park was inaugurated in Dubai on 17 November 2016. The
name of the park is Bollywood Parks, and it is a part of Dubai Parks and Resorts (DPR) which
is the largest integrated theme park resort of Dubai.
ii. The visitors on the inauguration day were greeted by performers dancing on Bollywood

21 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


music.The 157,935 square metre Bollywood Parks has 16 cinematic rides, 6 themed restaurants
and a choice of 30 live shows based on bollywood blockbusters.
56-Year-Old NASA Astronaut Becomes Oldest Woman in Space
i. 56 years old NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson became the oldest female astronaut to travel to
space at 3:20 pm on November 17, 2016.This will be the third ISS mission for Whitson.
iii. Whitson will travel to the International Space Station with two other crew members,
including 45-year-old experienced Russian cosmonaut and the French astronaut, where she will
turn 57 on February 9, 2017
Amitabh Bachchan Starrer Pink To Be Screened at UN Headquarters on Special Invitation
i. Aniruddha Roy Chowdhurys first Bollywood movie Pink has been invited to screened at
United Nations(UN) headquartes in New York, US announced by Bollywood superstar Amitabh
Bachchan who plays a lawyer role in the film.
ii. The movie PINK was dealt with crime against women and it was released on September 16,
2016
iii. The movie was written by Ritesh Shah and produced by Rashmi Sharma and Shoojit Sircar.
India pledged USD 10.95 mn to UN for 2017
i. India has pledged to contribute about USD 10.95 million to the United Nation(UN) for the year
2017 for the development activities across several UN bodies.
ii. The USD 10.95 million pledge contribution by India included contribution of USD 4.5 million for
the UN Development Programme (UNDP), USD 1.92 million for the World Food Programme,
USD 1.25 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Near East (UNRWA) and a million dollars
towards UN Women.
India to Become Associate Member State of European Organization for Nuclear
Research(CERN)
India and European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN)signed an agreement on November
21, 2016 to make India an Associate Member State of the research organization.

The agreement was signed between Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in India,
and Fabiola Gianotti, General Director at CERN.

After becoming the associate member of CERN India will have to contribute a certain
amount of money for research activities that would involve annual contribution of 11.5
million swiss frank from Indian government to CERN

Pakistan, Turkey and Ukraine are the current Associate Member States with CERN.

22 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


India, China agree to maintain high-level exchanges
i. India and China have agreed to maintain the pace of their high-level exchanges in counterterrorism and other fields.
ii. National Security Advisor(NSA) AjitDoval and Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, concluded
their discussions in Hyderabad.
India is non-committal on market economy status for China
i. India is not inclined to automatically grant the coveted Market Economy Status (MES) to
China under World Trade Organisation (WTO) norms in December 2016.
ii. Under WTO norms, once a country gets MES status, exports from it are to be accepted at the
production costs and selling price as the benchmark. Prior to this status, country is considered as
a Non Market Economy (NME).
Festival Of India Begins In Oman from November 15 2016
i. A Festival of India began in Oman from November 15, 2016 to March 24, 2017 to showcase
the countrys diverse culture.
ii. The festival was scheduled to held in four cities namely Muscat, Sur, Sohar and Salalah
Turkey to Chair Energy Club of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) 2017
i. The 2017 Energy Club of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will be chaired
by Turkey which is the first non-SCO country to do so.
ii. President Recep Tayyip Erdoan of Turkey proposed to chair the Energy Club 2017 which
was accepted in a meeting on November 22, 2016, by Russia and China and Turkey was elected to
chair the Energy Club in 2017.
iii. Before this only members of the SCO chaired the presidency of the Energy Club in turn.
iv. The Turkish Energy Ministry will be the General Secretary of the Energy Club for one year.
Anurag Bhushan unveiled Mahatma Gandhi statue in Dubai
Consulate General of India, Dubai preferred to install the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father
of the Nation, at its premises, and celebrate the 141st Birth Anniversary of SardarVallabhai
Patel, popularly known as the Iron Man of India.
RCEP members worry greater market access to china.
i. RCEP is the proposed big-regional Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between 16 Asia-Pacific
countries including India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10-member
ASEAN.
ii.The concerns of 15 Asia-Pacific nations including India, over agreeing to give larger market
access to Chinese goods without gaining similarly in return, are apparently to take centrestage in the forthcoming ministerial meeting on the Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP).

23 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Austarlia announced 19 grants worth $6.3 million for projects with India.
i. The Australian government announced 19 grants worth $6,30,000 dollars for several projects
in the field of education, science, sports, arts and culture.
ii. The successful grants included an exchange between TAFE NSW and Indias Centurion
University to share expertise for training individual learners, jointly between University of New
South Wales and Indian scientists to develop effective new water purification systems for the
countrys water supply.
China Adopted CyberSecurity Law
i. China adopted a new Cybersecurity Law, which Human Rights Watch(HRW) told that a
regressive measure that strengthens censorship, surveillance, and other controls over the Internet.
ii. The Wall Street Journal announced that the new law is also planned at tightening and
centralizing state control over technology equipment, raising concerns among foreign companies
operating in the country.
iii. Chinas state-run radio called it a law to prohibit online activities that are attempts to
remove the socialist system, split the nation, undermine national unity, advocate
terrorism and extremism.
China to block Indias bid for NSG membership
i. China once again blocked Indias effort to join NSG in a meeting in Seoul on November 4 2016.
Out of 48 members of NSG 47 supported India except China.
ii. China wants India to sign the non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) first before joining the
NSG.
iii. NSG membership will be a significant step to boost Indias which atomic energy sectors
India should improve Ports, Logistics to boost exports, suggests World Bank
i. World Bank released a report titled South Asias Turn: Policies to Boost Competitiveness
and Create the Next Export Powerhouse.
ii. The report that suggested a set of policy actions in four sectors agribusiness, apparel,
electronics and automotive suggested India to adopt right set of productivity-enhancing policies
and necessary steps to improve its ports and logistics and frame policies to reduce farm subsidies
to emerge as an export powerhouse.
Colombo Declaration adopted at the High Level Meeting of Interior Ministers of the
Indian Ocean Region to Counter Drug Trafficking in Colombo, Sri Lanka
i. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Government of Sri Lanka cohosted High Level Meeting of Interior Ministers of the Indian Ocean Region to Counter
Drug Trafficking in Colombo, Sri Lanka on October 29, 2016.
ii. Colombo Declaration was issued on November 8, 2016 as a result of the High Level Meeting

24 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


. The declaration called on the littoral states of the Indian Ocean to meet annually within the
framework of the Southern Route Partnership (SRP) of Indian Ocean Forum on Maritime Crime
(IOFMC) to assess and identify the drug trafficking threat in the Indian Ocean and counter such
threats.
Australia to introduce Hindi language in Pre-Schools from 2018
i. Australia announced an online program for its pre-schools to learn foreign languages, including
Hindi from 2017.
ii. In order to teach foreign languages in Australia a program named Early Learning Languages
Australia (ELLA), was launched in the 2015-16, with five languages namely Chinese (Mandarin),
Japanese, Indonesian, French and Arabic. These were taught to the children using seven apps.
US announced USD 95 million Clean Energy Project in India
i. The United States,has announced two financial projects worth USD 95 million in India to bring
more energy-efficient appliances to rural sector in India, as part of its efforts to continue the global
transition to zero-and-low carbon energy sources.
ii. US have committed 75 million dollars in Overseas Private Investment Corporation
(OPIC) financing for renewable energy projects in India.
UNESCO World Heritage site Al AIn Oasis Opened In UAE
i. UAEs first Unesco World Heritage site Al Ain Oasis was opened by Shaikh Tahnoun Bin
Mohammad Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Rulers Representative in the Eastern Region.
ii. Al Ain Oasis has tools like the Eco-Centre to better understand the oasis ecosystem, its
historic evolution, and its significance for Abu Dhabis heritage and civilisation.
Nawaz Sharif inaugurates Gwadar port in Pakistan
i. Pakistans Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated a trade route linking southwestern Gwadar
port to Kashgar city in China as part of $46 billion project to jumpstart economic growth in the
South Asian country on November 14, 2016
iii. This project is an extension of Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative
Russia Withdraws from International Criminal Court
i. Russias President Vladimir Putin, has signed an executive order announcing Russias
withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
ii. The excecutive order was signed by Russia just after ICC released a report blaming Russias
illegal capture over Crimea just as an Occupation led to an international conflict between
Russia and Ukraine.

25 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Post-Truth International Word of The Year-Oxford Dictionaries
i. Oxford Dictionaries has named post-truth as its 2016 international word of the year
ii. The adjective, post-truth, is defined as- relations to circumstances in which facts are judged to
be less important than emotion and public opinion.
Swiss reject plan to speed up exit from nuclear energy
i. Swiss Parliament have rejected a plan to force their government to accelerate the countrys
exit from nuclear energy after it received a majority from swiss council of states.
ii. The plan supported by the Green party would have meant closing three of Switzerlands five
nuclear plants in 2029.
WHO settles India, EU medicine dispute issue.
i. In a meeting on November 24, 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) settled a long
standing dispute and battle between India and the European Union (EU) about labeling of drugs by
clarifying that counterfeit will now be used by member States with respect to protection
of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
ii. This decision to drop the term counterfeit and retain falsified to describe medicines of
inferior quality was taken by a WHOs technical working group on draft to find a perfect definitions
of substandard/spurious /falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit (SSFFC) medical products.
Zimbabwe Launches Bond Notes To Ease Cash Crunch
i. Zimbabwe launches bond notes currency in bid to ease cash crunch.Currency hold its value
against the U.S. dollar
ii. The bright green bond notes, introduced by the southern African nations central bank to try to
ease a shortage of dollars, were accepted by most businesses and black market traders
A Chartered Plane Carrying Passengers Including Brazilian Football Team Crashed in
Colombia
i. A chartered plane, carrying 77 people, including a top Brazilian football team, crashed on its
approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia late night on November 28, 2016.
ii. The British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, departed Santa Cruz, Bolivia, carrying members
of the Chapecoense team from southern Brazil to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana,
against Medellin team Atletico Nacional which was due to be played on November 30, 2016.
iii .The plane was carrying 68 passengers and nine crew members. 4 other people listed on the
flight however did not board the plane. 21 of the passengers were journalists.
Nepal proposes New Constitution amendment Bill to meet Madhesis demands
i. Nepals government registered the new Constitution amendment bill in Parliament on

26 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


November 29, 2016, aimed at carving out a new state in southern Nepal to meet the demands of
agitating Madhesis and other ethnic groups whose protests for bigger federal state last year left
more than 50 people dead.
ii. Hridesh Tripati of the Terai Madhes Democratic Party on November 30, 2016 said that it was
welcome progress of the government but still inadequate as the new proposal does not cover the
districts Madhesis have been demanding to be included in Madhesi state.

FOREIGN VISITS
Prime Ministers 3 Days Visit To Japan Overview
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a three-day visit to Japan from November 10 to 12,
2016 to attend the Annual India-Japan Bilateral Summit with Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe in Tokyo to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two states.

During the visit Prime Minister Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe inked a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of civil nuclear deal and nine other
agreements in various fields.

Modi also attended an India-Japan Business Leaders Forum and addressed a formal
meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Japanese
Business Federation.

Highlights of the Agreements/MoUs signed:

MoU in the field of civil nuclear deal:

Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on the Manufacturing Skill Transfer Promotion Program:

MoU in the Field of Outer Space:

MoU in Marine and Earth Science and Technology:

MoC in the Field of Agriculture and Food Related Industry:

MoU for Transport and Urban Development:

MoU in the Field of Textiles:

Agreement in the Field of Cultural Exchange:

MoC on Cooperation in Sports:

MOU between Gujarat and Hyogo Prefectural Government:

Agreement for Double taxation Avoidance Convention

Israeli President, Reuven Rivlins, Six days Visit to India


Israeli president Reuven Rivlin arrived India on November 14, 2016 on a six-day visit to
strengthen bilateral ties.Rivlin, landed at the Mumbai airport with a large delegation of
businessmen and presidents & senior representatives of Israeli academic institutions, from where
he left for Delhi.

27 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

He also visited Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swarajalong with several sites of co-operation and joint projects between the two
nations.

The Israeli leader paid a visit to Chandigarh and Karnal as part of his plan to highlight
agri-cooperation.In Chandigarh, he inaugurated Agro Tech 2016 along with President
Mukherjee and in Karnal he visited the Centre of Excellence of Indo-Israeli Agricultural
Project.

The first Israeli president to visit India was Ezer Weizman who visited Delhi in 1997.

India, Israel agreed to Intensify Defence, Anti-Terror Cooperation


India and Israel on November 15, 2016 inked pact to intensify its already strong defence
partnership to combat radicalisation and extremism and act tough against terror networks and
states supporting terrorism.
Water resources management and agriculture agreement
India and Israel have inked two agreements in the field of water resources management and
agriculture. The agreements were signed in New Delhi on November 15, 2016.
India, Israel to boost cooperation to combat terrorism, radicalization
The two nations also signed agreement to enhance their cooperation against the growing threat of
terrorism and radicalization.
British Prime Minister Theresa May Visit to India An Overview
British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in Delhi on a three-day visit(November 6-8, 2016)
aimed at enhancing Indo-UK ties in the key areas of trade, investment, defense and security.
About her Visit to India :
India and the UK inked two pacts with British Prime Minister Theresa May arguing for a bilateral
free trade arrangement, distinct from New Delhis proposed deal with the European Union.

May and Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the signing of the two Memorandums of
Understanding one on intellectual property (IP) and another for bilateral cooperation on
raising ease of doing business.

India and the United Kingdom have agreed to enhance defence ties with a view to expanding
military trade and industrial collaboration.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British PM Theresa May pledged to extend cooperation in
trade and green energy in the India UK Tech summit, 2016.

President Pranab Mukherjee 3-day state visit to Nepal


President Pranab Mukherjee is on a three-day state visit to Nepal from November 2 to 4, 2016.
The is visit is first by an Indian Head of State in 18 years. The Presidents visit is seen as an
extension of intensive engagement by India with Nepal, which adopted its democratic Constitution
last year.

28 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

This visit is described as a mission of friendship by president

Highlights of Presidents Visit :


During his visit, Mukherjee had held a meeting with President Bhandari, Vice-President Nanda
Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and leaders of other major political parties

The Kathmandu University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on the President of India.The


President congratulated Kathmandu University on its Silver Jubilee and said within a short
span of twenty-five years, the University has established itself as a focal point of higher
learning in Nepal, offering academic courses inhumanities, science, engineering,
medicine, management and law.

He also announced that from 2017 onwards, Nepali students will have the opportunity to
pursue graduate and post-graduate courses in Indian Institutes of Technology on a regular
basis.

He had offered special worships to the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu and the Janaki
Temple in Janakpurdham.

The Presidents visit is seen as an extension of intensive engagement by India with Nepal,
which adopted its democratic Constitution last year, at political and functional levels.

SUMMITS & CONFERENCES


PM Modi inaugurates Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction in New
Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk
Reduction in New Delhi held from November 3-5, 2016 and called on the world community to work
united on disaster risk reduction.
PM Modi outlines 10-point agenda for disaster risk reduction
1. All development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management.
2. Work towards risk coverage for all starting from poor households to SMEs to multinational corporations to nation states
3. Encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
4. Invest in risk mapping globally. For mapping risks related to hazards like earthquakes we
have accepted standards & parameters
5. Leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
6. Develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues
7. Utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies
8. Build on local capacity and initiative
9. Opportunity to learn from a disaster must not be wasted. After every disaster there are
papers on lessons that are rarely applied
10. Bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters

29 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


New Delhi Declaration, Asian Regional Plan adopted at AMCDRR 2016
With the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration and the Asian Regional Plan for
Implementation of the Sendai Framework, the three-day Asian Ministerial Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016 came to an end.

The New Delhi Declaration is a political statement spelling out the commitment
of participating governments towards preventing and reducing disaster risk, and
strengthening the resilience of communities, nations and the Asian region. Recognising
the need to accelerate the implementation of global frameworks, it commits to a peoplecentred and whole-of-society approach towards DRR.

Shri Rajnath Singh felicitates winners at AMCDRR Film Awards ceremony


Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh gave away the prizes for the winners of the short film
competition during the Closing ceremony of the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk
Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016.

The competition was held on the theme of Risk Sensitive Development for Community
Resilience.

Ms. Meghna Chawla received the prize for the film The Catalysts of Change Adapting to
Changing Weather in Ladakh(India) under the category Adapting to Climate Change. The
film, submitted by SEEDS, shows how informed and empowered people will form the
adaptive and resilient communities of the future.

India, UNISDR sign Statement of Cooperation on Sendai Framework


India will partner with UNISDR to work towards strengthening the capacity of Asian countries in
ensuring risk resilient development. It will also facilitate the sharing of knowledge and
experiences, and collaborative efforts towards addressing critical regional challenges.

Aim: To ensure effective implementation and monitoring of the Sendai Framework


through Training and capacity building for Asian countries; promoting international and
regional cooperation to reinforce political commitment, facilitate knowledge sharing and
strengthen the capacity of UNISDR for monitoring and review of the Sendai Framework.

Global Conference on Tobacco Control held at Greater Noida


i. India host the important global tobacco control conference for the first time, where it will push for
include smokeless tobacco as an agenda.
ii. The Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to World Health Organisation
(WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to be held at Greater Noida.
iii. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena would be the special invited speaker at the
conference, which would be inaugurated by Union Health Minister J P Nadda.
Ministry of AYUSH Inaugurates 9th Annual Meeting of International Regulatory
Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH)
i. The Ministry of AYUSH has organized the 9th Annual Meeting of International Regulatory

30 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH) from 8-10 November, 2016 which was inaugurated
by Minister of State for AYUSH Shri Sripad Yesso Naik at Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi.
ii. About 36 delegates from 19 countriesincluding experts from WHO and Geneva attended the
meeting.
iii. India has signed 6 MoUs with other countries over the last two years for improving
collaboration in the field of traditional medicine.
Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to WHO Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control (FCTC) kicked off
The Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) ) to WHO Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is being held in India from 7-12 November, 2016, at
India Exposition Mart Ltd., Greater Noida, District Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.It is
the first time that the occasion is being held in India.
The Conference was inaugurated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family
Welfare.

The six-day event began by opening of the session on November 7, followed by adoption of
agenda and organization of work, Meetings of the Bureau; Informal regional meetings
and the European Union coordination meetings.

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) :


The WHOs Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) entered into force in 2005. It
was the first global evidence-based public health treaty to be agreed under WHO and has
successfully helped to co-ordinate and energize the global struggle against tobacco and recognizes
the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
Mozambique became the 181st party to join the Conference of Parties (COP7)
On the opening day of the conference, Mozambique became the 181st party to join the
Conference of Parties (COP7) to World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control (FCTC).
WHO Convention Launches Project To Strengthen Tobacco Control
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on November 8, 2016, launched
a project to strengthen implementation of the global tobacco control treaty. This project will enable
the developing countries to boost their tobacco control efforts.
Kerala Private Healthcare declared Smoke-free
With India hosting the 7th conference of parties of the World Health Organisationstreaty
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to achieve 100 per cent smoke-free
public places, all private healthcare sector in Kerala has already been declared smoke-free.
12th International Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition to be held in New Delhi
i. 3 day International Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition PETROTECH-2016
inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on December 5,2016.It was

31 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
ii. Theme : Hydrocarbons to fuel the future: Choices and Challenges
iii. Aim: To explore areas of growth in petroleum technology, exploration, drilling, production and
processing, refining and other related issues.
iv. The main event to be held at Vigyan Bhawan while the PETROTECH-2016 Exhibition held at
Pragati Maidan
v. In addition o the exhibition there will be 2 Ministerial Sessions on Hydrocarbons to fuel the
future: choices and challenges and Transforming India: key initiatives, 3 Plenary Sessions
on Oil price volatility: challenges and opportunities, India rising: resilience and reforms and
India, manufacturing hub for the hydrocarbon sector, 5 Theme Sessions on Natural Gas: road
towards cleaner and prosperous future, Beyond Fossil Fuels, Gearing for growth: talent
requirements and expectations, Future of upstream: a techno-managerial challenge and The
growing prominence of Asian refining, Roundtable discussions on BRICS and CELAC countries, CEO
Conclave, Exclusive forum on Women in the hydrocarbon industry and Yuva Youth Form and
Technical Programmes.
India to host IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum in New Delhi
i. 5th IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum to be held in New Delhi on 6 December 2016.It is
supported by GAIL (India) Limited and the Natural Gas Society of India.
ii. Theme: Gas for Growth; improving economic prosperity and living standards.
iii. The International Energy Forum (IEF) and the International Gas Union (IGU) have set up this
important dialogue platform amongst Ministers, CEOs and experts aiming to better understand the
current state of play in the global gas industry and how the gas sector can contribute to sustainable
growth and secure energy future
1st International Agro-biodiversity Congress concluded with Delhi Declaration adoption
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first ever International Agro-biodiversity
Congress, (IAC) in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on November 6, 2016. The four day event (69 November) was organised by the Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources and Biodiversity
International, a CGIAR Research Centre headquartered in Rome, Italy and attended by 900
delegates from 60 countries

The Congress was concluded with the adoption of Delhi Declaration on Agrobiodiversity Management.

Delhi Declaration on Agro-biodiversity Management


The Preamble and Declaration was adopted by all the delegates at the concluding session of the
congress on 9 November 2016.
Important Aspects of the Declaration :

Agro-biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use was granted top priority
towards achieving targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) that deals with

32 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


poverty alleviation, food and nutritional security, good health, gender equity and
partnership.

Researchers and policy-makers were urged to initiate, strengthen and


promote complementary conservation strategies to conserve and use agrobiodiversity

Developing and implementing an agro-biodiversity index was suggested to help


monitor conservation and use of agro-biodiversity.

UN is urged to consider declaring Year of Agro-biodiversity soon for worldwide


attention and ensure urgent action.

Competition Commission of India(CCI) to host the 2018 ICN Annual Conference in New
Delhi
i. Competition Commission of India (CCI) will host the 2018 ICN Annual Conference.
International Competition Network (ICN) has taken this decision. The conference would take place
at New Delhi in March April 2018.
ii. CCI has been inducted as an ex-officio member of the steering group member of the ICN
for a period of 3 years.
iii. 2016 ICN Annual Conference held in April 2016 by Competition Commission of Singapore.
iv. 2017 ICN Annual Conference to be held in May 2017 by Portuguese Competition Authority.
2016 Economic Leaders Week held in Lima,Peru
i. 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit or the APEC Economic Leaders Week
which started on 14 November 2016 came to an end on 20 November 2016 in Lima, Peru. The
theme of the meet was Quality growth and human development.
ii. The aim of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is to bring the 21 member
countries of APEC together and discuss about economic growth, international trade
policies and improvement of life conditions.
iii. The week celebration was held in four parts:
1.14-15 November : APEC Concluding Senior Officials Meeting (CSOM)
2.17-18 November : APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM)
3.18-19 November : APEC CEO Summit
4.20 November : APEC Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) The meeting was chaired by
President of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.
With the conclusion of the week with APEC Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) the leaders of the
21 APEC nations adopted a Declaration on advancing quality growth and human
development. The declaration has two annexure attached: Lima Declaration on Free Trade Area
of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (2016-2025).

33 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


51st Annual Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police 2016
began in Hyderabad.
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 51st Annual Conference of Directors General
and Inspectors General of Police of States and UTs and Heads of Central Police
Organisations at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad on November
26,2016.
ii. The 3-day national conference began on November 25 and will continue till November 27, 2016.
iii. Presidents Police Medals and Police Medals will be presented to the officers of the
Intelligence Bureau during the conference.
vi. The conference focused on issues such as cross-border terrorism and terror funding.
Fifth International Tourism Mart Organised In Imphal
i. The fifth edition of International Tourism Mart began in Imphal on November 23, 2016.
ii. The three-day event organized in the capital of Manipur was inaugurated by Chief Minister of the
state, Okram Ibobi Singh, and will be held between November 23 25 2016.
iii. The event has been organized by The Union Tourism Ministry, in association with
the Northeastern states and West Bengal.
iv. Aim: to provide a platform for interaction between buyers, sellers, media, government agencies
and other stakeholders, to bring together tourism business unity from overseas as well as all
northeastern states and West Bengal.
5 Day National Conference on Tropical Parasitology held in Puducherry
i. Around 200 representatives from India and abroad will attend a five day national meet
on tropical parasitology began on November 2, 2016 in Puducherry and evolve strategies to
improve the perspective on the drug resistance scenario in parasitic diseases
ii. It is hosted by the Department of Microbiology of centrally sponsored JIPMER (Jawaharlal
Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research) and organised by the Indian Academy of
Tropical Parasitology
6th Annual Indian Language Festival Samanvay held in New Delhi
i.The three day Indian Languages Festival (ILF) Samanvay, focusing on the themes of Language
as Public action commenced with the noted GandhianElaBhat in New Delhi on November 5
2016.
ii. It focuses on the merging of various idioms, and brings into the festival frame, sessions,
workshops, discussions and components from languages such as the arts, music, performance,
technology along with the literary.

34 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Minister of Railways inaugurates International Conference on Decarbonisation of Indian
Railways in New Delhi
i. Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu has inaugurated the International
Conference on Decarbonisation of Indian Railways Mission Electrification in New
Delhi on November 3, 2016. It was organised by Institution of Railways Electrical Engineer (IREE)
in partnership with ASSOCHAM India.
ii. Indian Railways is looking forward to make Railways greener by electrifying another24000 km
of Rail Tracks to the existing 28000 km in the next few years.
v. Suresh Prabhu launched a mobile app RAIL SAVER to reduce energy consumption by 15
20%.
ICANNs 57th annual general meeting held in Hyderabad
i. The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) runs the World Wide Web and
has begun its 7days annual general meeting in Hyderabad.
ii. This is the first meeting after the US give up its operational authority over the internet in
September last year.This is the second time India host the meeting after 2008.
iii. The conference would discuss transitional issues of internet governance, besides issues related
to domain name system
International Forum on Adopting an ICT Perspective to Education and Learning held in
New Delhi
i. The International Forum on Adopting an ICT Perspective to Education and
Learning is being held in New Delhi from 31st October- 4th November 2016.
ii. Aim : To implementing the UNESCO developed General Education Quality Analysis Framework
(GEQAF).
iii. It was organised by International Bureau of Education (IBE), International Institute of
Technology for Education (IITE), National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT)
and Ministry of Human Resource Development(MHRD)

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley to Inaugurate Two Day Economic Editors
Conference-2016
i. The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley inaugurated the two
day Economic Editors Conference-2016 on 10th November, 2016 in Delhi.
ii. The Main objective of holding the National Economic Editors Conference is to apprise the media
persons about the major policy initiatives, achievements and future road map of different
participating Departments/Ministries of the Government of India.

35 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


4th Young Scientists Meet Conducted By DRDO
i. The 4th Young Scientists Meet (YSM) was conducted on November 11, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. The two day technical event was organized by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied
Sciences (INMAS), New Delhi along with other Delhi based laboratories of the Defence Research
and Development Organization DRDO. About 200 young scientists of DRDO all over India
participated in the meet.
iii. The programme was inaugurated by S Christopher, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) &
Chairman, DRDO
iv. The theme of the event was Convert Challenges into Opportunities.
Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) Concluded in Jaipur
i. A three-day international event of Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) wasconferred at
the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Center (JECC) at Sitapura in Jaipur from 9 to 11 November
2016 to highlight the best global practices and technologies suitable for farmers.
ii. The event was inaugurated by Rajasthans Governor Kalyan Singh while union minister of
the state, VasundharaRaje, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, many agriculture experts and around
50,000 farmers also attendend the event.
Second BRICS Communication Ministers meeting concluded in Bengaluru
i. Hosted for the first time by India the Second meeting of Communication
Ministers of BRICS countries concluded in Bengaluru on November 11, 2016. The two day event
began on November 10, 2016, chaired by Minister of State for Communication Manoj Sinha
ii. The meeting aimed at framing new cooperation and collaboration framework among BRICS
countries and discussed ways to improve collaboration in the field of digital economy, future
communications, mobile technology etc.
iii. The third meeting of the Communication ministers will be held in China next year.
36th India International Trade Fair (IITF) inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee
i. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 36th India International Trade Fair
(IITF) at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on November 14, 2016.
ii. The 2016 IITF has been organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO),
under sponsorship of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
iii. The theme of this years IITF is Digital India.The theme highlights countrys continuous
efforts to alleviate poverty by way of linking digital technologies and e-governance.
iv. South Korea is the Partner Country for this years fair, while Belarus is the Focus Country.
Similarly, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand is the Partner States and Haryana the Focus State.

36 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Conference of Corporate Heads on Giving Back to Society at BSE
i. About 500 corporate heads gathered at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on November
17, 2016, for a conference to discuss on topic business with a purpose in order to inculcate the
sense of giving back to society.
ii. Aim: To focus on how business entities can give back to the society by empowering others.
iii. The event included launch of the book Business with a Purpose that focused on Earning
with Integrity, and Spending with Compassion which is a philosophy of Artha Forum.
Third World Internet Conference Held in Wuzhen
i. The 3rd World Internet Conference began in Chinas Wuzhen on November 16, 2016 and the
event will continue till November 18, 2016.
ii. The three-day conference will be attended by about 16 thousand participants to discuss the
future of the digital economy.
iii. The theme of this years conference is Innovation-driven Internet Development for the Benefit
of All Building a Community of Common Future in Cyberspace.
National Student Startup Policy launched by President at the second Visitors Conference
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee launched the National Student Startup
Policy at the second Visitors Conference on November 16, 2016 at Rashtrapati Bhavan New
Delhi.
The three days conference, starting from November 16 and ending November 18.
The National Student Startup Policy
Formulated by AICTE, the National Student Startup Policy, aims at creating 100,000
technology based student start-ups and a million employment opportunities in the next 10
years.

For achieving this mission, plans are being made on developing an ideal entrepreneurial
ecosystem and promoting strong inter-institutional partnerships among technical institutions.

The policy will enable the Indian youth to contribute to the nations socio-economic progress
through promotion of technology-driven student start-ups.

With an exposure to an entrepreneurship climate, the policy will impart crucial soft skills like
decision-making in the students.

About the Conference


This is the second time such a conference has been organized thus, bringing together all the
heads of higher education institutions including Vice Chancellors of Central
Universities, Directors of NITs, IITs, IISERs and IISC under a single forum.Earlier, separate
conferences were held for the different heads of different universities.

37 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


India host the golden jubilee celebrations of UNCITRAL in New Delhi
i. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of United Nations Commission on International TradeLaw
(UNCITRAL), UN organised the two day conference Global Standards for Rule-based
Commerce at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi from November 28, 2016.
ii. Global Standards for Rule-based Commerce conference is hosted by the UNCITRAL National
Coordination Committee India (UNCCI) and the UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific,
with the support of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
The conference was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee then it is followed by
five sessions
Session 1: Redefining Arbitrability: To Expand or Not To Expand
Session 2: 50 Years of UNCITRAL: Experience from the Asia-Pacific Region
Session 3: Tackling the Next Level: Emerging Legal Standards for Electronic Commerce across
Borders
Session 4: Call for Consistency: The Future of Cross-Border Insolvency
Session 5: Innovation and Reform for Efficiency and Legitimacy in Investment Arbitration
47th Edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2016 held in Goa
The 47th Edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), 2016 was held from 2028 November, 2016 at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee indoor stadium at Talegao on the outskirts
of Panaji, Goa.

The event was inaugurated by Union minister for information & broadcasting
Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy and other guests.

Actor and film-maker Ajay Devgn was the Chief Guest at the Opening Ceremony.National
Award-winning Director S. S. Rajamouli was the chief guest of the closing ceremony.

The festival screened over 300 films including 4 premieres, 6 international premieres, 26
Asian premieres 104 Indian premieres and Oscar-winning entries from nearly 90
countries. The Republic of Korea was the focus country of IFFI 2016.

The international Jury comprised of Ivan Passer, Nagesh Kukunoor, Lordan


Zafranovic, Larry Smith and Leila Kilani.

The ceremony ended with veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai felicitating all the award winners and
performers on the grand stage.
Award Categories At the IFFI 2016 :
Category
Lifetime Achievement Award
Centenary Award For Indian Film Personality of
the Year
Best Film
Best director

Name of the Awardee


South Korean film director and writer, Im
Kwon Taek
Veteran singer SP Balasubrahmanyam
Iranian film Daughter, directed by Reza
Mirkarimi
Soner Caner and Baris Kaya for Turkish
film Rauf

38 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Best Actor (Male)
Best Actor (Female)
Special Jury Award
Centenary Award for the Best Debut Film of a
Director

Farhad Aslani for Daughter


Elina Vasca for Latvian film Mellow Mud
South Korean director Lee Joon-ik for The
Throne
Spanish film Chile Rara directed by Pepa San
Martin from Argentina

Azadi 70 Saal Yaad karo Qurbani


IFFI 2016 also featured the National Film Archives of Indias (NFAI) exhibition with theme: Azadi
70 Saal, Yaad Karo Qurbani (70 Years of Independence, Remember the Sacrifices) to
commemorate 70 years of Indian Independence.
IFFI first to use Barco Laser Projection In India.
The 47th edition of International Film Festival of India used Barcos laser projection for the first
time in the country to offer superior image quality to the audience at the IFFI from November 20November 28.
IFFI Nominated 8 movies for ICFT Unesco Gandhi Medal
The 47th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) nominated 8 films for the ICFT
UNESCO Gandhi Medal Prize. All 8 films were screened at the IFFI in Panaji, Goa.
The films nominated under the ICFT Unesco Gandhi Medal Prize 2016 included:
1.Harmonia from Israel,
2.Beluga from Iran,
3.Cold of Kalandar from Turkey/Hungary,
4.The Family from Spain/France/Germany,
5.Exiled from Latvia,
6.A Real Vermeer from Netherlands/Luxembourg/Belgium,
7.The Apology from Canada and
8.Allama from India.
The ICFTUnesco Gandhi medal was awarded to Turkish film Cold of Kalandar, directed
by Mustafa Kara for his poetic portrayal of rural life in a remote hilly region of Turkey. The film
was chosen for its ethical values and respect for the environment.

Canadian multi-lingual entry The Apology by Toronto-based Tiffany


Hsiung received a special mention in the Gandhi Medal competition.

The medal to be awarded to the winner will bear a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, etched
alongside his message in the midst of darkness light prevails.

RANKING & REPORTS


India ranked 20th on Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2017
i. India has been ranked 20th on Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2017 according
to Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe Publication.

39 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. Positive trends are seen as well among emerging economies of G20 like India (rank 20),
Argentina (36) and Brazil (40), which all improved their ranking.
iii. In terms of climate policy, India, Sweden, Luxembourg, Norway, and Germany managed to hold
their positions.
iv. Canada (55), Australia (57) and Japan (60) are in the bottom group rated very poor in the
index while Japan once again dropped two places as national experts criticize their government for
a very poor climate policy.
Indias Natioal Park in National Geographic Best of the World List 2017
i. National Geographic Traveler magazine announced its annual Best of the World list in 3
categories such as Cities, Nature, or Culture.
ii. The list highlights 21 places which includes
Anchorage(USA), Baja California National Marine Parks(Mexico), Banff, Alberta(Canada), Canton
Uri(Switzerland), Cartagena(Colombia), Central Indias National Parks, Chengdu(China), Cradle
of Humankind(South Africa), Ecuadors Cloud Forests, Finland, Georgia(USA), Guadeloupe Islands,
Hamburg(Germany), Kauai, Hawaii(USA), Madrid(Spain), Malta, Marrakech(Morocco),
Moscow(Russia), Papua New Guinea, Seoul(Korea) and Via Dinarica(Western Balkans)
India Ranks 138 in the Measuring the Information Society Report 2016
2016 edition of the Measuring the Information Society Report was launched on 22 November
2016 during the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS) 2016 held from 21
November to 23 November 2016 in Botswana, South Africa by UN International Telecommunication
Union (ITU).

India has been ranked 138th in global rank Index 2016 with a score of 2.69 while it has
been ranked 26th in the Regional Rank Index 2016.

India is among 9 countries in the region which falls within the least connected countries LCC in
the ranking.It was ranked 135th in the global rank Index 2015 with a score of 2.50

The ITU index was topped by the Republic of Korea with a score of 8.84. The Sub-Saharan
Africas Niger with a score of 1.07 ranked lowest.

List of top 10 Economies

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

South korea
Iceland
Denmark
Switzerland
UK
Hong Kong
China
Sweden
Netherland
Norway
Japan

8.88
8.83
8.74
8.68
8.57
8.46
8.46
8.45
8.43
8.42
8.37

40 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


QS Graduate Employability Ranking 2017 Ranks IIT Kharagpur Top Institution in India
According to the QS Graduate Employability Ranking for 2017, IIT Kharagpur has been
ranked as the top institution in the country for the second successive year. The IIT Kharagpur has
been placed at the highest position among Indian Institutions with a rank ranging between 81-90,
from a list of 300 Universities from all over the world.

IIT Bombay was also was listed in the top 100 Universities of the World after IIT Kharagpur,
and are the only Indian Universities to be placed among top 100 Universities of the World in
the ranking list.

Other Indian institutions among the top 300 QS Graduate Employability Ranking
are IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and University of Delhi.

The top 5 Universities


Rank
1
2
3
4
5

ranked globally includes:


University
Stanford University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Tsinghua University
The University of Sydney
University of Cambridge

Country
USA
USA
China
Australia
UK

Mumbai Ranked Among Worlds Top Trending Tourist Destinations For 2017
i. The Financial Capital of India, Mumbai has been ranked among the Worlds top Tourists
destinations for 2017.The Booking.com analyzed the top 300 destinations based on growth in
search and bookings to find the most upcoming places to visit in 2017.
ii. According to a survey, Mumbai, the entertainment capital of India, has recorded increased
volume of tourists and greater than average growth in bookings, as well as the most searched
destinations in comparison to last year and is likely to see an increase in domestic and
international tourist flow next year.
Top 7 destination:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Reykjavik, Iceland
Cairns, Australia
Savannah, US
Puerto Rico, Caribbean
Kyoto, Japan
Jericoacoara, Brazil
Mumbai, India

Delhis Khan Market, Worlds 28th Most expensive retail location


i. According to the report of commercial Real-estate agent Cushman & Wakefield, New Delhis
Khan Market has moved by down 2 spots on its global retail ranking to become the
worlds 28th most expensive retail location globally.
ii. Cushman & Wakefield s annual report Main Streets Across the World tracks over 500 top
retail streets around the globe, ranking the most expensive in each country by their prime rental

41 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


value.
List of Top 5 Expensive Retail Market
1
New York
2
Hong Kong
3
Paris
4
London
5
Tokyo

Upper 5th Avenue


Causeway Bay
Avenue des Champs Elysees
New Bond Street
Ginza

Global Wealth Report shows rise in household wealth of India and rising disparity
The 7th Global Wealth Report, issued by the Credit Suisse Research Institute says
that global wealth has risen by 1.4% i.e USD 3.5 trillion to USD 256 trillion. However in India the
household wealth has decreased by 0.8% i.e $26 billion to $3,099 billion in 2016.

Even though India has 0.8% decrease in household wealth in terms of Dollar, in its own
currency (INR) the wealth in India increased by 5.1% in 2016. The difference in
both data is due to adverse currency exchange movements.

Personal wealth in India is dominated by real assets. These real assets is 86% of the
total household asset in India.

Data about India in Global Wealth Report


1. 96% of the adult population has wealth below USD 10,000.
2. 3 % of the adult has wealth more than USD 100,000
3. 2,260 adults have wealth over USD 50 million
4. 1,040 adults have wealth more than USD 100 million.
5. The number of millionaires in India is projected to increase by 9.5% in the next five years
to 2.8 lakh in 2021.
Japan registered the highest increase in global wealth among all countries, USD 3.9 trillion
increase was registered by Japan. While The United Kingdom registered biggest loss in global
wealth of USD 1.5 trillion.
Population
Adult population
GDP
Total wealth
US dollar millionaires
Top 10% of global wealth holders
Top 1% of global wealth holders

1,302 million
808 million
3,137 USD per adult
$3,099 billion
1,78,000
33,93,000
2,48,000

Andhra Pradesh tops World Banks energy-saving rankings


i. In ease of doing business Andhra Pradesh ranked no. 1 from the World Bank in India in
energy efficiency.The ranking of the states were released in the World Banks study report titled
Indias State Level Energy Efficiency Implementation Readiness.
ii. Andhra Pradesh topped with overall score of 42.01 followed
by Rajasthan (41.89), Karnataka (39.34) and Maharashtra (39.29).Kerala, Gujarat, Delhi

42 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


(UT), Punjab, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh are the other states in the top ten ranking in that
order.
17 Indian families among Forbes Asias 50 Richest Families, Ambani Family top among
Indian
17 Indian families get place in 2016 edition of Forbes Asias 50 Richest Families. The 17 entries
from India have a combined wealth of $153.61 billion.Lee family of South Korea, topped the
list for the second year in a row. Its combined wealth grew to $29.6 billion, up from $26.6 billion
last year. The family owns Samsung group.

Among Indian the top place is occupied by Ambani family. Overall Ambani family is at
number 3 with Net Worth of 25.8 billion.

TOP 5 in the List of 2016 edition of Forbes Asias 50 Richest Families.


Rank Name
Net Worth
Country
Business
1
Lee family
$29.6 billion
South Korea
Samsung
2
Chearavanont
$27.7 billion
Thailand
Charoen Pokphand (CP)
family
Group
3
Ambani family
$25.8 billion
India
Reliance Group
4
Kwok family
$25.2 billion
Hong Kong
Sun Hung Kai & Co
5
Lee family
$24.7 billion
Hong Kong
Henderson Development
Three Indian families made their debut on the list
1. The Singh family ranked No. 43 ($4.26 billion) the owner of real estate company DLF
2. The Dhingra family ranked No. 48 ($3.6 billion) who own Berger Paints Indias
second largest paint maker
3. The Piramal family ranked No. 50 ($3.4 billion), who have vast business base ranging
from real estate to health care.
Indians in the List
Rank Name
3
Ambani family
10
Hinduja family
11
Premji family
13
Mistry family
16
Mittal family
19
Godrej family
22
Birla family
26
Bajaj family
31
Burman family
32
Bangur family
36
Lal family
38
Jindal family
40
Patel family
42
Munjal family
43
Singh family
48
Dhingra family
50
Piramal family

Net Worth
$25.8 billion
$14.9 billion
$14.6 billion
$14 billion
$13.2 billion
$12.3 billion
$9.6 billion
$6.9 billion
$5.8 billion
$5.75 billion
$5.3 billion
$5 billion
$4.9 billion
$4.3 billion
$4.26 billion
$3.6 billion
$3.4 billion

Country
India
India, U.K.
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
India

Business
Reliance Group
Hinduja Group
Wipro
Shapoorji Pallonji Group
ArcelorMittal
Godrej Group
Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd.
Bajaj Group
Dabur India Ltd.
Shree Cement
Eicher Group
Jindal Group
Cadila Healthcare
Hero Group
real estate
paints
Piramal Enterprises

India among worlds top 3 countries for launching new start-ups


i. With the total venture investment in start-ups in 10 years is estimated at Rs 1,11,700

43 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


crore, India has emerged as one of the top three global countries in terms of the number of startups founded.
ii. The average venture investment in investment flow is about 42 percent, while fundings have
arrived for more than 10,000 start-ups during the same period. The average annual growth in the
funded start-ups has been 16 percent.
iii. According to India Venture Capital and a private equity report prepared by the Indian
Institue of Technology in Madras (IIT-M), the Indian start-up landscape has dramatically
changed in the last few years.
Indias most attractive brands index 2016 topped by LG
i. The Tata group decreased in ranking on Indias most attractive brands index, which has been
topped by South Korean consumer electronics maker LG.
ii. Tata, which was at number 4 in 2015 and number 5 in 2014, is ranked at number 7 in
Indias Most Attractive Brands 2016 study, carried out by Trust Research Advisory (TRA)
and based on primary research conducted on close to 3,000 consumers across 16 cities.
iii. The top three ranks were occupied by LG,Sony and Samsung Mobiles repectively.LG has
gradually but steadily been increasing its rank over the three issues of Indias Most attractive
Brands reports, going from being fourth in 2013 to being second in 2016 and ultimately first this
year.
iv. India based firms Bajaj, Tata and Maruti Suzuki were ranked sixth, seven and eight
respectively. Airtel and Nokia took the ninth and tenth spot respectively in the TRAs most
attractive brands list.
India rises to second spot on global business optimism index: Report
According to the latest Grant Thornton International Business Report, India was ranked second on
the optimism index during the third quarter. India improved its ranking by one spot in a global
index of business optimism, with policy reforms and Goods and Services tax (GST) expected to
become a reality soon.
Top 3: Indonesia, India and The Philippines
About the Optimism Index,
According to the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) a quarterly global survey of
2,580 business leaders across 36 economies, 89 percent of the businesses have shown
confidence in the stable government and expect economic recovery in the last quarter of 2015.
India was followed by Ireland and Philippines with 88 and 84 percent respectively.

The optimism, however, suffered a decline in the last few quarters due to slow
growth of core sectors. The level of optimism has been continuously increasing with
the second quarter witnessing 85 percent businesses expecting economic recovery. This
was followed by 87 percent businesses indicating economic recovery in the third quarter.

44 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

The stability of the Indian economy can also be gauged from the fact that India tops the
chart on expectations of an increasing revenue (92 percent), selling prices (73
percent) and profitability (76 percent).

Here too India ranks highest in the IBR survey. This highlights the need for the
government to remove regulatory bottlenecks and bring in place a mechanism for
faster approvals.

The IBR also shows that 49% Indian businesses plan to ramp up investment in the new
buildings and 52% plans to invest in plants & machinery in 2016.

While 51% businesses expect an increase in R&D activities in the coming year, only 28%
businesses are expecting countrys exports to grow.

Indian businesses also plan to be on a hiring spree in the coming year as 68% businesses
expect an increase in employment ranking #2 in the survey, lack of skilled labour and
finance continues to be top two concerns for Indian businesses.

For the first time since the financial crisis, it is the EU which provides the
bedrock of stability. Net 38% of EU businesses are optimistic about their economy over
the next 12 months, exactly the same as in Q3 and Q1.

It is noted that the US has seen optimism fall from 74% to 50% in Q4, the biggest fall
of any of the 36 countries 2016 also looks much brighter for businesses in Asia Pacific
and Latin America as both report big quarterly increases in optimism.

Fortune magazine named Mark Zuckerberg Business Person of the Year


i. Fortune magazine has named the co-founder and CEO of the biggest social networking site
Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg as Business Person of the Year, 2016.The 32 year old
Zuckerberg, was honored based on various criteria, including the companys performance year over
year as well as his vision for growth and the ability to achieve it.
ii. The list consisted of 50 personalities. The top 5 among them are
RANK
NAME
TITLE
1
Mark Zuckerberg
CEO
2
Jeff Bezos
CEO
3
Mary Dillon
CEO
4
Larry Page
CEO
5
Satya Nadella
CEO

COMPANY
Facebook
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Alphabet
Microsoft

London Ranked first in 2017 Worlds Best City Brands


A report was released by Resonance on 2017 Worlds Best City Brands at World Travel
Market in London on November 8, 2016.According to the report London ranked first in the
Resonance Consultancy 2017 Worlds Best City Brands Report.
List of Top 10 Worlds Best City Brands
1
London
2
Singapore

45 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

New York
Paris
Sydney
Amsterdam
Los Angeles
Tokyo
San Francisco
Toronto

HDFCs Aditya Puri ranked 36 in Fortunes Top 50 Business Persons List


i. HDFC Banks Managing Director, Aditya Puri, has been ranked 36th in the US magazine
Fortunes Top 50 Business Persons List for 2016. He is the only Indian among three persons of
Indian origin in the global rankings list.
ii. Ajita Rajendra of AO Simith is at 34 while Mastercards Ajay Banga is at 40thpositionin the
list.
iii. However, Facebooks Mark Zuckerburg leads the list with top ranking.
World Economic Forum reports-Indias Ranks 102th among 136 economies in terms of
enabling cross border trade
According to the Global Enabling Trade Report 2016 of World Economic Forum (WEF), India
has improved its ranking by four places to 102nd position among 136 economies in terms of
enabling cross border trade.

While Indias position has jumped four slots to 102, that of South Africa has improved
three places to 55 while that of China stood at 61 compared with the previous ranking of
63.

However, Brazils ranking has slipped to 110 from the earlier 97 while that of Russia
dropped to 111 from the 105th position.

List of top 10 economies enabling cross border trade


Rank
Country
1
Singapore
2
Netherlands
3
Hong Kong
4
Luxembourg
5
Sweden
6
Finland
7
Austria
8
United Kingdom
9
Germany
10
Belgium
Among other economies US is placed at the 22nd position, Pakistan (122nd), Bangladesh (123rd),
and Nigeria (127th)
Singapore students are the Worlds best in Mathematics and Science-TIMSS Report
An international benchmarking study, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study

46 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


(TIMSS)released a report on November 29, 2016 that, Singaporestudents are the worlds best
in Mathematics and Science.

The test was administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of
Educational Achievement, a non-profit research cooperative based in Amsterdam.

This is the second time that students of Singapore performed best those from all other
countries in TIMSS, which takes place every four years. The last time this country stood
first was in 2003.

List of Top 5 Countries:


Secondary Maths
Secondary Science
1. Singapore
1. Singapore
2. South Korea
2. Japan
3. Taiwan
3. Taiwan
4. Hong Kong
4. South Korea
5. Japan
5. Slovenia

Primary Maths
1. Singapore
2. Hong Kong
3. South Korea
4. Taiwan
5. Japan

Primary Science
1. Singapore
2. South Korea
3. Japan
4. Russia
5. Hong Kong

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)


The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an educational research
study on student achievement in mathematics and science around the world.

TIMSS is conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the
Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), which is an independent international
co-operative of national research institutions and government agencies. The Ministry of
Educations Comparative Education Research Unit manages the implementation of the
TIMSS studies in New Zealand.

Freedom of the Press 2016 report : Freedom House


i. Freedom of the Press Report 2016 is release by the US based NGO. This report is a yearly report
by US-based non-governmental organization Freedom House, measuring the level
of freedom and editorial independence enjoyed by the press in nations and significant disputed
territories around the world.
ii. Theme : The Battle for the Dominant Message.
iii. The report says, only 13 percent of the worlds population enjoys a free press,which
means places where coverage of political news is robust, the safety of journalists is guaranteed,
state intrusion in media affairs is minimal, and the press is not subject to onerous legal or economic
pressures.
iv. Among the countries that suffered the largest declines in 2015 were Bangladesh, Turkey,
Burundi, France, Serbia, Yemen, Egypt, Macedonia, and Zimbabwe.

BANKING & FINANCE


Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 Currency no longer Legal Tender
Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi while addressing the nation on November 8 2016,
47 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


made a historical announcement that the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes currently in use
will no longer be legal tender from midnight 8th November 2016 that is these notes will not be
accepted for any kind of transactions from midnight onwards.

The aim behind such move is to curb corruption, black money, money laundering,
terrorism creating an environment of panic.

However one hundred, fifty, twenty, ten, five, two and one rupee note will remain
legal tender and will not be affected by the decision.

On recommendation of RBI, government of India has decided to issue Rs. 2000 notes
and new notes of five hundred for circulation.

How to get the new denomination notes :


Citizens can deposit old notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 in their bank or post office accounts
from 10th November till 30th December 2016 without any limit.

From 10th November to 24th November the limit of exchange will be Rs. 4000 while
from 25th November to 30th December, the limit will be increased.

For an immediate needs, citizen can go to any bank, head post office or sub post office,
with an identity proof like Aadhaar card, voter card, ration card, passport, PAN card or
other approved proofs, and exchange old five hundred or thousand rupee notes for new
notes.

ATMs will not work on 9th November and in some places on 10th November also. There
will be a limit of Rs. 2000 per day per card in first few days.Later the limit will be raised
to 4000.

If for any reason, any person is not able to deposit the old five hundred or thousand
rupee notes by 30th December 2016 they can go to specified offices of the Reserve Bank
of India up to 31st March 2017 and deposit the notes after submitting a declaration form.

To reduce the difficulty of the common man, some special steps have been taken by the
government. For the first 72 hours till the midnight on 11th November the old notes of Rs. 500
and Rs. 1000 will be accepted at the following places for transaction.

Government hospitals and pharmacies

Railway ticket booking counters

Ticket counters of government buses

Airline ticket counters

Petrol, diesel and CNG gas stations

Consumer co-operative stores

Milk booths authorised by State governments.

Crematoria and burial grounds.

Features of New Rs. 500 Note


1. The note size is 63mm x 150mm.
2. Color is stone grey and
3. The new theme is Indian heritage site Red Fort.

48 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


4. Ashoka pillar emblem on the right.
5. Color of windowed security thread changes from green to blue when it is tilted.
6. Devnagari script used for denoting numeral.
7. Watermark of electrotype and portrait of mahatma gandhi
8. On top left and bottom right side of the note the numerals are increasing from small to
big.
9. Mahatma Gandhi portrait position shifted to center.
10. Governors signature, promise clause, Guarantee clause, and emblem of RBI tilted
towards right
Back Side of the note depicts
1. Year of printing the note appears on left
2. Swacchh bharat logo and slogan on bottom left
3. Image of red fort with Indian flag
4. Denomination value in devanagari on right top.
Features of Rs. 2000 notes
1. The Note size is 66mm x 166mm
2. Color of the note is Magenta
3. Front side of the note depicts:
4. Mahatma Gandhi portrait in the center
5. Denomination value 2000 in devanagari
6. Ashoka pillar emblem on the right.
7. On top left and bottom right side of the note the numerals are increasing from small to
big.
8. Governors signature, promise clause, Guarantee clause, and emblem of RBI tilted
towards right
9. Bharat, RBI and 2000 inscribed with windowed security thread whose color changes from
green to blue when tilted
10. Latent image of 2000 can be seen when the note is held at 45 degree angle at the eye
level
11. When the note is held against light denominational numeral 2000 can be seen through
registers.
Reverse side of the note depicts
1. Year of printing on the note on left
2. Swachh Bharat logo with slogan
3. Language panel in the centre
4. Image depicting Mangalyan

49 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


RBI issued Clarifications on Hedging for External Commercial Borrowings
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued clarifications on hedging of currency for external
commercial borrowings (ECBs) in a notification on its website.
About the Hedging to Currency,
The ECB borrower will be required to cover both principal as well as coupon payments through the
hedges done, starting from the day of borrowing.

The hedging period will be for the entire life of the liability with a minimum one-year
rollover option, ensuring that the total exposure is not unhedged at any point of
time.

The borrower has to hedge in such a manner that the projected cash flows match
the expectation of the borrowers irrespective of the fluctuations in the foreign currency.

The following clarifications are issued:

Coverage:Wherever hedging has been mandated by the RBI, the ECB borrower will be
required to cover principal as well as coupon through financial hedges. The financial
hedge for all exposures on account of ECB should start from the time of each such
exposure (i.e. the day liability is created in the books of the borrower).

Tenor and rollover:A minimum tenor of one year of financial hedge would be required
with periodic rollover duly ensuring that the exposure on account of ECB is not
unhedged at any point during the currency of ECB.

Natural Hedge:Natural hedge, in lieu of financial hedge, will be considered only to the
extent of offsetting projected cash flows / revenues in matching currency, net of all other
projected outflows. For this purpose, an ECB may be considered naturally hedged if the
offsetting exposure has the maturity/cash flow within the same accounting year. Any
other arrangements/ structures, where revenues are indexed to foreign currency will not
be considered as natural hedge.

The designated AD Category-I bank will have the responsibility of verifying that
100 per cent hedging requirement is complied with. All other aspects of the ECB
policy shall remain unchanged.

RBI Opened Second Banking Ombudsman Office In New Delhi


i. The RBI has opened a second office of the Banking Ombudsman in New Delhi, taking into
account the significant increase of the banking network.
ii. The first office of the banking ombudsman at RBI, New Delhi, would have jurisdiction over
Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. The second office would have jurisdiction over Haryana(except
Panchkula, Yamuna Nagar and Ambala districts)
RBI doubles the E-wallet Limit to Rs. 20,000
i. The Reserve Bank of India on November 23, 2016 declared to increase the limit of
the Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 per month and Rs.

50 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


50,000 for Merchant Bank to facilitate digital transactions.
ii. The decision was taken to ease the problem faced by the public with the demonetization
move of the Government.
RBI introduces incremental CRR to manage excess liquidity
i. The Reserve Bank of India increasing the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) for incremental
deposits between September 16 and November 11 to 100% while the current CRR is 4%,
effective from November 25, 2016.
ii. The RBI move will require all excess deposits that banks in India are getting estimated to be
about Rs 3.25 lakh crore by Friday
iii. Because of the demonetisation move, excess deposits amount collected in banks was nearly Rs
3.25 lakh crore
iv. This deposit amount is kept with the central bank, only the depositors can get 4% interest.
Islamic Banking to be opened in Indian banks
i. The RBI has planned to open Islamic window in conventional banks
ii. Aim: Gradual introduction of Sharia-compliant ( interest-free banking) in the country.
iii. The Centre and RBI are taking steps to introduce Islamic banking to make financial inclusion
available to those sections of the society that are neglected due to religious reasons.
16 of 22 public sector banks skipped Dividends in FY 16 due to Increase in NPA
i. Due to increasing bad loans in the banking sector, 16 Public sector banks in India out of
22 skipped paying dividends in 2015-16 to the government. The government of India
received Rs 1,444.6 crore as dividend from PSB. This amount is 67% less than that the
government received in the previous fiscal which was Rs 4,336.22 crore.
ii. As per existing rules, profit making banks have to pay a minimum dividend of 20 per cent of
their equity or 20 per cent of their post tax profit, whichever is higher.
iii. The highest dividend during 2015-16 was paid by State Bank of India, which amounts to Rs
1,214.6 crore, which makes 84% of the total dividend.
RBI relaxes withdrawal limits for deposits made in legal tender
i. To encourage people to deposit valid currency notes in banks, RBI on November 29, 2016
allowed bank customers to withdraw the deposits made in current legal tender notes of Rs. 500 and
Rs. 2000 beyond the current withdrawal limits of Rs. 24,000 per week. For current accounts, the
withdrawal limit is Rs 50,000 a week for small traders.
ii. For example, if someone deposits valid legal tenders (Rs 2,000, Rs 500, Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20,
Rs 10, Rs 5) of Rs 4,000, the withdrawal limit for that person would rise by Rs 4,000 over and
above weekly withdrawal limit of Rs 24,000.

51 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. The decision is aimed at discouraging hoarding of valid currency notes and increasing its
circulation to overcome cash crunch issue of demonetization of old Rs500 and Rs1,000 banknotes.
iv. According to Reserve Bank of India certain depositors are hesitating to deposit their money into
bank accounts due to the current limits on cash withdrawals.So it has been decided, on careful
consideration, to allow withdrawals of deposits made in current legal tender notes on or after 29
November 2016 beyond the current limits.
v. People have exchanged and deposited about Rs 8.45 lakh crore worth of scrapped Rs. 500 and
Rs1,000 banknotes at different banks till 27 November.
Telangana Gov joins hand with IDFC bank introduces Coupon for Cashless Purchase
i. Telangana government joined hands with Mumbai based IDFC Bank to enable cashless
transactions and to solve the change problem.
ii. Aadhar Card based Coupon was introduced at Rythu Bazaar in Kukatpally, Hyderabad.
BSE opened Regional Investor Service centre in Shimla
i. Leading stock exchange BSE has opened its regional investor service centre in Shimla on
November 19, 2016 to expand its operations and conform to SEBIs directives.
ii. BSE is now available in 24 cities across the country with the opening of this new service centre.
IL&FS raises first ever masala loan worth $50 mn from Export Development Canada
i. Canadas export credit agency Export Development Canada (EDC) sanctioned the first-ever
masala loan of Rs. 340 crore($50 million) to Indian firm Infrastructure Leasing & Financial
Services(IL&FS). This is the first lending of EDC in Indian Rupees. In a masalaloan the borrower
saves on the hedging cost because the repayment is in rupees.
ii. With this IL&FS Financial Services became the first Indian company to raise money through
a rupee-denominated masala loan from overseas investors.
Bharti Airtel Starts First Payments Bank Service in Rajasthan
Airtel Payments Bank Ltd (Airtel Bank), a subsidiary of the countrys largest telecom operator
Bharti Airtel, started its first pilot banking services in Rajasthan from November 23, 2016.
Aim: The banking service is aimed at testing systems and processes before a full scale pan Indian
is launched.

According to the pilot service Airtel Payments Bank will provide basic banking services along
with the facility to open bank accounts at Airtel retail outlets.

Features of the Pilot Payment Banking Service.


Any user can open an account with Aadhaar based paperless e-KYC without the requirement
of any extra documents simply at any airtel retail outlet . Customers Airtel mobile number would
be his/her bank account number.

52 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

The company will give an interest rate of 7.25% per annum on deposits in savings
accounts.

The customers will get a personal accidental insurance of Rs. 1 lakh with every
savings account.The users have the convenience to transfer money to any bank accounts
in India.

Airtel Bank does not offer ATM/Debit Card facility, at present. Customers can deposit
withdraw cash at any of the designated Airtel retail outlets.

Customers can access money transfer services using the Airtel Money app or through
USSD by dialing *400#.Money transfers from one Airtel number to another Airtel number
within the bank will be free

Initially the Airtel Bank will test the pilot services at 10,000 Airtel retail outlets. However
it plans to expand its merchant network in Rajasthan to 100,000 by the end of the year,
giving a big boost to digital payments ecosystem.

Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan appreciated the initiative which inclines with the
Prime Ministers vision for financial inclusion and Digital India, and will be a boon to residents in far
flung areas who are yet to have access to formal banking.
NABARD sanctions Rs 21,000 crore to district cooperative banks
i. NABARD has sanctioned Rs. 21,000 crores to the District Central Cooperative Banks
(DCCBs) to help farmers in Rabi agricultural seasons.
ii. The DCCBs will disburse loans to farmers through the network of Primary Agricultural
Cooperative Societies (PACS). Government has chosen DCCB for loan disbursal because 40% of
the small-scale farmers go to co-operative banks.
Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad inks deal with Ramco for ERP integrated solution
i. Bruneis largest bank Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad has signed a deal with
Indias Ramco Systems to integrate its business processes across HR and enterprise resource
planning functions with Ramco Systems Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
ii. The scope of engagement includes finance and accounting, inventory and procurement, as
well as core HR functions, time and attendance, payroll, training and recruitment.
IBBI Notifies regulation Under Bankruptcy Code, 2016
i. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board (IBBI) of India on 23 November 2016 notified three
sets of regulations directing the eligibility criteria of becoming a professional member of
an Insolvency Professional Agency or for registering with the IBBI as an Insolvency Professional
Agency
ii. The regulation is applicable to
1.Insolvency Professionals,

53 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


2.Insolvency Agencies and
3.Model Bye-Laws and Governing Board of Insolvency Professional Agencies.
These regulations were notified under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and will come
into effect from 29 November 2016.
iii. Individuals eligible for registration as an insolvency professional
Advocates, Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries and Cost Accountants with 10 years of
practice or employment.
A Graduate with 15 years of post-qualification managerial experience on passing the Limited
Insolvency Examination.
Any individual who has passed the National Insolvency Examination.
However, Advocates, Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries and Cost Accountants with
more than 15 years of practice experience can register without any examination till 31 December
2016 and such registration shall be valid for a limited period of six months.
There will be National Insolvency Examination and Limited Insolvency Examination. The syllabus
and format of these examinations will be published on the website of the Board at least one month
before the examination.
A limited liability partnership, a registered partnership firm or a company can be recognised as an
insolvency professional entity if a majority of the partners or a majority of the whole-time directors
are registered as insolvency professionals under the Code.
An insolvency professional can use the organisational resources of a recognised insolvency
professional entity subjected to the condition that the entity as well as the insolvency professional
will be liable for all acts of omission or commission of its partners as insolvency professionals
30 banks join mobile-based national funds transfer system
i. According to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), 30 private and foreign
banks were joined the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to allows money transfer between any two
bank accounts by using a mobile phone.
ii. UPI Project had started with 21 banks in August 2016.Earlier this month, five new banks
including SBI, Allahabad Bank, Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank and IDFC Bank joined with
NPCIs UPI.
YES Bank, Gujarat Roadways join hands to digitise bus travel payments
i. Maharashtra based YES Bank, announced a partnership with Gujarat State Road Transport
Corporation (GSRTC) on November 24, 2016 to digitise payment of bus tickets for Gujarat People.
ii. Yes bank will install over 125 points of sale (PoS) terminals to facilitate booking through credit
and debit cards at all GSRTC bus stops. The location of these terminals will support the lesscash economy envisaged by the Centre.

54 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


SEBI relaxes norms for Angel Investors
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on November 23, 2016, has relaxed the
rules for angel funds in order to boost more investment for new start-ups in the country.
Relaxed norms
i. The market regulator has raised the total number of angel investors to invest in a start-ups
to 200 from 49 and reduced the minimum investment amount to Rs. 25 lakh from the
previous Rs. 50 lakhs.
ii. The regulator has allowed angel funds to invest in start-ups that were set up within 5
years before the date of investment, which earlier was 3 years.
iii. The minimum lock-in period has also been reduced to 1 year from previous 3 years.Angel
investors will also be allowed to invest up to 25% of their funds in overseas start-ups.
iv. The move will provide easy accessibility of funds for entrepreneurs so that they can start new
businesses.
ESAF ties up with FIS for micro finance bank
i. Indias largest microfinance providers ESAF selected FIS as the banks technology partner to
launch ESAFs small finance bank.
ii. The Small Finance Bank was created to serve micro- and small-credit needs for women in
parts of India
iii. FIS will provide a fully integrated banking and payments platform through a totally outsourced
delivery model, which switchi .
South Indian Bank launches contactless debit card
i. Kerala based South Indian Bank has launched contactless debit card which is based on Near Field
Communication (NFC) technology on November 2, 2016.
ii. Customers can also use this card as contact chip card. If customers use this card at
the contactless PoS terminal, the customer simply has to just wave the card on the terminal and
the payment is processed wirelessly in a fast and secure manner.
Canara bank and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance sign agreement to sell insurance
product
i. Public sector bank Canara Bank has signed a corporate agency agreement Bajaj Allianz
General Insurance for the distribution of Bajaj Allianzs general insurance products through its
branches.
ii. As per the agreement Bajaj Allianz General Insurance will offer its leading general insurance
plans to the customers of Canara Bank.
iii. Both institutions have set a target of Rs 400 crore in the Financial year 2017-18 by selling
general insurance plans through the 5,920 branches of Canara Bank.

55 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


INOX partners with SBI for cash withdrawal at its multiplex.
i. INOX Leisure, multiplex chain in India has parterned with State Bank of India(SBI) to enable
cash withdrawal of Rs 2000 at their multiplex.
ii. The initiative has been taken to reduce the loads on ATMs and banks for cash withdrawal and
ease the process of cash withdrawal and support the demonetization move of government.
iii. As per the RBI guidelines a citizen can withdraw cash from INOX multiplex by swiping their debit
cards, entering the PIN and can withdraw upto a limit of Rs 2000 per card per day.
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board set up two advisory panels headed by Mohandas Pai
and Uday Kotak
i. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) sets up two high-level s under the Insolvency
and Bankruptcy Code to consolidate and amend laws relating to reorganisation as well as
insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms and individuals in a time-bound
manner.
ii. Advisory committee on service providers consists of 9 members, the panel is lead by
educationist Mohandas Pai
iii. Corporate insolvency and liquidation panel is chaired by noted banker Uday Kotak.Other
members of the committee includes BSE CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan, Credit Information Bureau
Chairman M V Nair and Corporate and Economic Research Group Advisorys Chairperson Omkar
Goswami.
Ola Partners SBI, PNB for setting up Mobile ATM
i. Indias largest ride-hailing service Ola cabs has tied up with lenders like State Bank of India
(SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB)to set up mobile ATM in the cab to help people withdraw
cash easily.
ii. Ola will first introduce the service on test basis in its cab in Kolkata and Hyderabad where the
taxis with POS machine and a bank officer will be parked at different locations and an amount
of Rs. 2,000 can be withdrawn per card.
Centrum Direct launched CentrumPay payment Solution to Help Foreigners from Cash
Crunch
i. Due to the demonetization move of the government, the foreign exchange outlets at the airport
are facing cash shortage which in turn is causing inconvenience to the foreign travelers in and out
of the country.
ii. To provide some relief to the foreign tourists, the Forex player Centrum Direct has
launched CentrumPay which is a unique mobile wallet which also offers a physical card to
withdraw money from any ATM or POS.

56 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Features of CentrumPay
Foreign tourists will have an alternate channel for making payments as well as avail legal tenders
for their forex.The mobile wallet and physical card are combined into a single digital payments
solution. MasterCard will issue the cards while Yes Bank will issue the PIN issuer.
Can be used as a virtual mobile wallet for any type of payments for online shopping, taxis,
payments at hotels, etc using the QR code or to withdraw cash at any merchant PoS/ATMs which
accept MasterCard products as per the permissible limits.
An Indian user can load up to Rs 1 lakh a month, a foreigner can load up to Rs 2 lakh in the
walet. Since the card is not linked to any bank account it can be refilled through debit/credit cards
or online banking facility of the customer any number of times for a period of five years.
Centrum Direct will charge a flat Rs 150 for a card from both foreigners as well as domestic
customers.
Economy likely to grow at 7.6 per cent in 2016-17: NCAER
i. Economic think-tank NCAER has pegged Indias GDP growth at 7.6% for 2016-17,following a
pick-up in rural demand and positive signals on the manufacturing front.
ii. The manufacturing sector is giving positive signals with Purchasers Managers Index, Index of
Industrial Production for core sectors.
iii. According to NCAER, the anticipated improvement in the agricultural sector and the associated
increase in rural demand will give an upward push to economic growth.
iv. The Monetary Policy Committee has also forecasted a 7.6% growth.
USAID and RBL Bank Announce $75 million in Loan Guarantee for clean energy
i. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Mumbai-based RBL
Bank announced a new loan portfolio guarantee that will facilitate up to $75 million for lending to
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in off-grid, solar rooftops, and energy efficiency
sectors.
ii. This guarantee, the first of its kind between USAID and an Indian private sector bank, will
support innovative solutions and business models to improve access to clean energy sources for
electricity.
iii. India needs more than USD 100 billion in energy investment per year until 2040 to meet its
need for electricity.
Indias gross-value added growth to hit 7.6% this yr: DBS
i. Indias gross-value increased growth is expected to quicken to 7.6% this year from 7.2% in
2015-16, driven by sustained support from public capex spending was reported by DBS.
ii. According to the global financial services major, while private sector activity remains depressed,
high frequency fiscal numbers point to sustained support from public capex spending.

57 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. The upcoming seasonal festive boost should provide some relief, followed by better consumption
on wage increases and a normal monsoon.
YES BANK launches YES MOBILE 2.0
i. YES BANK,Countrys 5th largest private sector lender has launched its YES MOBILE
2.0 mobile Banking app with multiple industry first features, and extensive support for Banking
transactions on Apple and Android based Smart Watches.
ii. Some of the industry first features of the app are: One touch comprehensive bill payment,
Register Queries/Complaints in a hands-free manner using advanced Speech to Text capabilities
and Bill Payment from Wearables including Apple Watch and Android Smart Watches.
Earthport receives RBI nod for Outbound Cross Border Payments
i. Reserve Bank of India has given an approval to British payments company Earthport for
outbound cross-border payment services to banks in India.
ii. The company is already into facilitating the inbound payments into the country.
iii. India is amongst the fastest growing economies in the world and plays a very important role in
the cross border payments ecosystem globally.
Five more banks join the Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
i. Five new banks have joined the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) bandwagon, thereby taking
the total number of banks using UPI to 26.
ii. It include public sector lenders, State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank and Bank of
Baroda and two private banks HDFC Bank and IDFC Bank.
iii. The applications are currently live only for the banks own customers and after being tested till
they will be made available to the public through the android play store,
SEBI granted in-principle approval to BSE for global exchange.
i. BSE aimed to operationalise the international exchange by early next year. Mock trading for the
same commenced from October 3.
ii. The BSE board at its meeting held on May 5, 2016, had approved creation of two fully-owned
subsidiary companies for the purpose of setting up the first international exchange and clearing
corporations.
BSE revised transaction charges for currency derivatives.
i. Top stock exchange Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE) has decided to impose transaction
charge in a phase manner from this month on trades done in currency futures and options
contracts.
ii. The exchange has increased the transaction charge to Rs.12 per Rs.1 crore of returnon both
active and passive trades done on its currency future contracts. Earlier, Rs.10 per crore

58 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


transaction fee was imposed on such contracts.
iii. BSE had launched its currency derivatives platform in November 2013 and did not impose any
transaction charges for trades done on this segment for almost a year. However, since December
2014 it began charging for currency derivatives.
State Bank of India cuts home loan interest rates to lowest
i. State Bank of India has slashed its home loan rate to a six-year low to 9.10%.
ii. Under this scheme woman borrowers will be able to get home loans at 9.10% while other
borrowers will be able to get loans at 9.15%.
iii. These rates will be applicable top loans up to Rs 75 lakh with effective from 1st November.
There will be a reduction in interest rate by 0.15% on Home Loan of Rs 50 lakh.
ICICI Bank launches overdraft facility for salaried home loan borrowers
i. ICICI Bank has launched home loan overdraft facility for salaried customers against their home
loans.
ii. Under the ICICI Bank Home Overdraftscheme a salaried customer can avail loans from Rs 5
lakh to Rs. 1 crore for personal needs against his/her property.
iii. The minimum and maximum loan over the Home Overdraft facility is Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 1
crore, respectively.
ATM Manufacture NCR bags largest ATM order from SBI for over 7,000 machines
i. US-based ATM manufacturer NCR Corporation has bagged the single largest order from SBI to
install over 7,000 cash-vending machines said by SBI Deputy Managing Director and Chief
Information Officer MrutyunjayMahapatra
ii. It is the single largest ATM order in the country and it will worth Rs 334 crore
iii. It has to be executed over the next seven years, and it will deploy 7,070 cash-vending
machines, software solutions and provide services support.
Banks to report frauds of Rs 1 crore and above to CVC
i. With high level frauds involving industrialists such as Vijay Mallya loan default case revealed,
the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has now made it compulsory for the public sector banks
to report to it all such matters involving funds over Rs.1 crore.
ii. Vigilance Commissioner TM Bhasinannounced that CVC has now made it mandatory for the
public sector banks to share their reports relating to all loan frauds involving funds over Rs.1 crore.
Till now this report was shared with the RBI only.
iii. The banks will also now have to report the procedure of all the alleged frauds to the CVC which
will share these details with other banks to prevent such cases being repeated.

59 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


HCC became first firm to get debt recast under RBIs S4A Scheme
i. Construction major HCCs Rs.5,000-crore debt recast has become the first case to get approval
from a high-level panel organize under Reserve Bank of Indias new Scheme for Sustainable
Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A).
ii.The RBI-mandated Overseeing Committee (OC) under the S4A has accepted HCCs Rs.5,000crore debt recast passed by an ICICI Bank-led joint lender forum in September 2016.
iii.52% of the debt (nearly Rs.2,600 crore) was found to be sustainable and can be serviced as
per original terms and conditions, including about interest rate and tenure.
LIC retained its most attractive BFSI brand status
i. Life Insurance Corp., has been the countrys most attractive brand in the banking and financial
services segment for the third year.
ii. Another public sector entity, the State Bank of India, saw an improvement of 17 ranks to
48th rank in its overall attractiveness ranking. HDFC got the third position in the BFSI category,
and made it to the top 50 Most Attractive Brands list at 49th rank.
iii. The private sector bank, ICICI Bank saw an improvement of 4 ranks from 61st in 2015 to
57th in 2016. Other private banks that made it to the top 10 list include Axis Bank (All India rank
of 147), Yes Bank (All India rank of 152), and Kotak Mahindra Bank (All India rank of 267).
iv. LG has taken the national crown of Indias Most Attractive Brand in this 2016 study. The South
Korea-based Consumer Electronics giant has taken the 1st rank, moving up from 2nd place last
year.
UCO Bank to raise Rs 271 crore equity from LIC
i.UCO Bank told that it would raise Rs.271 crore from Life Insurance Corporation of India
in preferential allotment of equal shares at Rs.37.74 apiece.
ii. Uco Bank is one of the many money lender which are placing shares with LIC on preferential
basis to carry government stake and raise public stocks.
iii. The special of 7.17 equal shares would raise LICs stake in Uco Bank to 14.5%from
10.38% at present, the bank told in a notice to National Stock Exchange
Axis Bank launched a new credit card for online shoppers
i. Indias third largest private sector bank Axis Bank has announced its partnership
with Flipkart to launch Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card.
ii. The Buzz credit card is a contactless payment solution that offers various benefits to enhance
customers online shopping experience, while they enjoy the best discounts and offers.
iii. Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card powered by Flipkart is specifically designed to provide to the
significantly growing and popular online shopping segment in India.

60 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Standard Chartered Bank launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Solution
i. Standard Chartered Bank launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) solution on
8th November 2016 for its corporate and financial institutional and commercial banking customers.
ii. This UPI solution will enable clients to send and receive money through a Virtual Payment
Address without entering additional bank account details.
iii. UPI enables real time push and pull of funds, making the payment process easier for end
customers. Installing UPI app the clients can send request for collection and payment of funds.
iv. Standard Chartered is a U.K based banking and financial services company headquartered at
London.
City Union Bank unveils artificial intelligence powered robot-Lakshmi
i. Kumbakonam based City Union Bank has introduced a robot on pilot basis to improve customer
service. The robot is named CUB-LAKSHMI. The robot has been introduced in Thyagaraya Nagar
branch of Chennai.
ii. Lakshmi designed and developed by a French Company, has been programmed to answer
about 120 general banking questions/query in English language. However in near future it will
be programmed to speak in Tamil and Malayalam languages also.
iii. A single robot cost around Rs 7-8 Lakhs and can perform work of 3-4 persons. The bank has a
plan to deploy 25 robots by the end of the year 2016, if the trail run succeeds.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited Issued Licence By RBI
i. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited, subsidiary of the Company, Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd
has been issued licence (the licence no. MUM 122) from the Reserve Bank Of India (RBI) on
November 11, 2016 to set up Small Finance Bank business in
ii. However, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited also requires getting necessary approvals,
registrations and licensing from various departments of the RBI and other agencies before starting
the banking business.
iii. Once the required approvals are granted, the Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited will commence
its operations of a Small Finance Bank.
First small finance bank Kicked off its operation
i. Indias first small finance bank Capital Small Finance Bank Ltd, has commenced operations
with 10 branches from November 12 2016 in Jalandhar ,Punjab.The bank ceases to exist with
effect from April 24, 2016.
ii. In the current fiscal, the bank would consolidate in Punjab by adding 29 branches.
iii. The banks business is projected to increase four-fold from Rs 3,000 crore as on March 31,
2016 to Rs 12,000 crore and branch network to 216 by March 2021.

61 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Federal Bank to open its first overseas branch in Dubai
i. Federal Bank has received Reserve Bank of India (RBI)s permission to open its first
international branch at the Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai.
ii. The proposed branch at Dubai will help the Bank serve its Non-Resident clientele better.
iii. Federal Bank has an IFSC Banking Unit(IBU) in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT
City).This bank has totally 1,252 branches and 1,524 ATMs in India.
IMF approves largest-ever loan for a Middle East nation
i. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 3 year loan program of $12 billion
for Egypt, which is the largest such package in the record of Middle East nation.
ii. The loan will help Egypt to restore investors confidence and help revive the African nations
economy by boosting Egypts foreign currency inflows, which declined since the 2011 Arab Spring
uprising.
iii. Egypt will receive an immediate disbursement of $2.75 billion, IMF said.
SBI rolls out new Rs 500 notes in Bhopal
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a major step and announced demonetisation of Rs. 500
and 1,000 currency notes with effect from midnight to curb black money on November 8,
2016.From November 10th onwards mostly all banks started to issue only Rs.2000 notes
ii. A new Rs 500 notes was rolled out first by State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Bhopal.Some
branches like SBI Main branch in Delhi have started distribution of Rs 500 notes.
iii. The new 500-note is expected to ease pressure on banks cash position and improve liquidity in
the market.However, 500 and 2,000 rupee notes dispensed through ATMs will be possible after
recalibration of such machines as these are of different sizes.
Masterpass QR Payment Solutions launched by Mastercard
i. Global payments & technology company Mastercard launched Masterpass QR in India on
November 16, 2016.
ii. Masterpass QR is a quick response (QR) mobile payments solution to help mobile banking
users to safely pay for face-to-face purchases using their smartphones or feature phones without
the need to carry Cash or Card.
iii. Mastercard has also tied up with Ratnakar Bank (RBL Bank) that will integrate the Masterpass
QR service with its mobile platform the OnGo digital wallet.
Yes Bank partners with Crownit for digital meal vouchers
i. Mahasrashtra based Yes Bank has partnered with Crownit, amerchant discovery and privileges
platform to launch a digitised meal vouchers.
ii. It is the app based digital meal wallet and it can be linked with a Meal Debit MasterCard to

62 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


enables employees to avail unlimited food, beverage & grocery redemption options, both online and
offline.
iii. For employees, the solution promises ease of access and use, along with tax savings ranging up
to INR 10,000 per employee per year
Oxigen Partners Federal Bank for Cash Management Services
i. Federal Bank has tied up with Oxigen to expand the banks e-collection facility to the about 3
lakh- retail outlets of Oxigen.
ii. The agreement was exchanged between Chief Operating Officer, Federal Bank, Shalini Warrier,
and Pramod Saxena, Founder and Chairman of Oxigen, in the New Delhi on November 17, 2016.
Smile Campaign Organised by Bank of Baroda
i. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (KAT) Zone of Bank of Baroda
(BoB)organised an online Light up a Smile Campaign at the SOS Children Village
at Bengaluruto bring smiles on the faces of more than 150 children residing in the village.
ii. Bank staff along with their family members and General Manager Kakkera
Venkateswarlu spent and shared time, effort, skills, and household articles along with food items
to help the children and their mothers in the village.
iii. Bank of Baroda KAT Zone celebrated this day as the festival of philanthropy with the theme
of Joy of Giving and Light up a Smile.
Canara Bank introduced Mobile ATMs
i. Canara Bank has introduced mobile ATM to lower the burden of the people due to the
demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.
ii. Due to the shortage of the cash at the bank counters and ATMs within minutes, Canara Bank
has introduced the mobile ATM that will provide monetary help at doorstep.
iii. The mobile ATM van has started its services at Kolar district and in Bangalore rural district.
iv. The bank has planned to add few more vans by next week to cover wider geographies in the
state where there are no ATMs.
Delhi displaces Mumbai as Indias economic capital, claims Oxford Economics report
i. As per the latest data released by Oxford Economics, Delhi has dislodged Mumbai as
the economic capital of India.
ii. The data revealed that Mumbai ranks 31st among 50 top metropolitan economic entities in 2015
whereas Delhi has moved up to grab the 30th rank in the global ranking.
iii. Mumbai Extended Urban Agglomeration (EUA), which includes Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane,
Vasai-Virar, Bhiwandi and Panvel, had a GDP of USD $368 (approx Rs 2.51 lakh crore).

63 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iv. While the Delhi EUA, which includes Delhi NCR, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad, had
a GDP at PPP of USD $370 (approx Rs 2.53 lakh crore)
RBL Bank ties up with Bajaj finance for co-branded credit cards
i. Maharashtra based RBL Bank has tied up with non banking finance company Bajaj Finance to
launch a series of co-branded credit cards for Indian customers.
ii. The credit cards are expected to launch in the fourth quarter of FY17. It will be available to
both existing and new customers of the NBFC.
iii. The co-branded cards are targeted at the large segment of people in metros and non-metros
who have no credit cards.
Utkarsh Micro Finance gets final nod to set up Small Finance Bank
i. After Ujjivan Small Finance Bank got final license from RBI for its set up in November, Utkarsh
Micro Finance has also received final license from RBI to start operations as Small Finance Bank
(SFB).
ii. It is one of the 10 entities that got in-principle approval to set up Small Finance Bank in
September last year.
iii. The new SFB will be named as Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Ltd. and is likely to start
banking operations in early 2017.
HSBC rolls out UPI solution for corporates in India
i. HSBC has rolled out Unified Payments Interface (UPI) solution for corporates in India. This
UPI offering will provide improved collection solution to corporates, enabling them to drive sales
through increased digitization of flows.
ii. Corporates adopting HSBCs UPI offering can expect to reduce the incidence of
paperand extent of cash and provide their customers with an ability to affect payments through a
mobile phone anywhere. Collection cycles are expected to be faster.
BoFA lowers GDP forecast to 7.1% for FY 2017
i. Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA) has lowered Indias economic growth estimates by 30
basis points to 7.1 per cent for the current fiscal after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000
notes.
ii. Besides, the global financial services major has lowered its GDP number by 30 bps to 7.3 RPT
7.3 per cent for the next fiscal (2017-18).
iii. Earlier, BofA had estimated GDP growth at 7.4 per cent for 2016-17 and 7.6 per cent for
2017-18.

64 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ICICI Bank to convert 100 villages into digital in 100 days
i. Mumbai based ICICI Bank announced to transform 100 villages into ICICI Digital Villages in
100 days to enable villagers go in cash less banking and payments transactions.
ii. People from 100 villages will be able to open bank accounts using Aadhar-based e-KYC and
make cashless payments to retail stores through a unique SMS/USSD-based mobile solution.
iii. According to the plan, ICICI bank will provide vocational training to 10,000 villagers in first
100 days and offer them credit linkages so that the villagers can start their own business ventures
Morgan Stanley lowers Indias growth forecast by 40 bps to 7.3% for FY17
i. American Morgan Stanley has lowered its growth forecast for FY17 to 7.3% from
7.7% earlier on account of currency replacement programme.
ii. As global growth accelerates to 3.4% in 2017 from 3% in 2016, Morgan Stanley expect Indias
exports to support overall recovery in 2017 after being a drag in 2016.
iii. 2018 will be first year of recovery in private capacity expansion after six years of a weak trend.
Public Sector Banks Gross NPAs increased nearly Rs 80,000 crore in July-September
2016
i. Public banks have seen an increase of almost Rs. 80,000 Crore in gross non-performing
assets (NPAs) in the three months ended September 2016.
ii. On September 30, gross NPAs of public sector banks increased to Rs.6,30,323 crore against Rs.
5,50,346 crore by June end.
iii. This works out to an increase of Rs.79,977 crore on quarter on quarter basis.
iv. Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar listed measures like enactment of the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and amendment of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of
Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act (SARFAESI)and the Recovery of Debt
due to Banks and Financial Institutions (RDDBFI) Act aimed at improving resolution or recovery of
bank loans.
v. During the first quarter ended June 2016, public sector banks have written off Rs 15,163 crore
loans as against Rs 5,441 crore.
vi. In the the last fiscal, public sector banks had written off Rs 59,547 crore while private peers Rs
12,017 crore.
Mahindra Group, IBM to develop blockchain solution for supply chain finance
i. The Mahindra Group and IBM joined together to develop blockchain solution. It is the first
projects of its kind in India outside of banking industry
ii. The blockchain solution is cloud-based application which is designed to transform supplier-tomanufacturer trade finance transactions through a permissioned distributed ledger.
iii. This solution will enable all parties involved in the transaction to act on the same shared ledger,

65 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


with each party updating only their part of the process, ensuring efficiency, consistency, trust and
transparency, while safeguarding sensitive information.
Coal India arm signs pact with SBI Capital markets
i. Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd (CMPDI) the consultancy arm of Coal India Ltd
has signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) with Mumbai based SBI Capital Markets to
increase their market share in the rapidly growing consultancy area.
ii. The agreement was signed by Sashi Kant, General Manager, business development, CMPDI
and Supriyo Gupta vice-president SBI Capital Markets Ltd on November 30, 2016
iii. The MoU covers areas like providing help for due diligence for the overseas coal and mineral
properties for clients, advising bidders in mineral sector and also advising governments for
managing mineral sector.

BUSINESS
Himachal has emerged as hub of drug manufacturing
i. Himachal Pradesh State Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri announced that
Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a hub of drug manufacturing units and meets 35 % of Pharma
products demands in Asia.
ii. The announcement was made on November 19, 2016 at the 45th conference of the Federation
of Corrugated Box Manufacturers of India at Zirakpur.
iii. The three-day conference is being attended by over 600 delegates from 10 countries.
iv. Himachal Pradesh will host Invest Himachal Summit in February 2017 for which he appealed
to industrialists to participate in the meet.
India elected as the Vice Chair of Kimberely Process Certificate scheme 2018
i. An announcement has been made by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)
on November 19, 2016, to elect India as the vice chair for the year 2018 and chair for the
year 2019 of Kimberly Process (KP) Certificate Scheme.
ii. The announcement was made at the KP Plenary Meeting which was recently held in Dubai.
iii. KP is a joint initiative of the governments, industry and civil societies to prevent trade in
conflict diamonds.
iv. These are the rough diamonds used by political groups to finance wars against legitimate
governments.
Google launched Virtual Exhibition on Iconic Indian Women
i. Google with the help of its cultural arm Google Arts & Culture launched a virtual artwork and
exhibition on November 19, 2016, showcasing the achievements of the Indian women in the

66 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


country.
ii. Women in India: Unheard Stories, is a special project consisting of about 50 artworks and
virtual exhibitions on the life of Indian women in history from past 2,500 years and from 26
cultural institutions across the country with more than 1,800 artworks, photographs and videos,
captures the stories of Indias unsung heroines ranging from goddesses to leaders, artists and
doctors.
iii. Luisella Mazza, Head of Operations at Google Cultural Institute said that the project is an
effort to recognize the impact of Indian women in history and their impact on culture and also
inspire women and leaders of the future.
Chandrababu Naidu commissions 5 MW solar power plant in West Godavari village
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu commissioned a 5 MW solar power plant on
the Polavaram right canal bund at Gollagudem village in West Godavari district on November 21,
2016
About Solar Power Plant :
i. The plant was set up at a cost of Rs 37.58 crore in 37 acres. It will produce 8.06 million units of
power annually.
ii. Indias first solar park with a capacity of 250 MW in Anantapuramu district in Andhra Pradesh,
few months before
FICCI Launched self-regulation code of conduct for the e-pharmacy sector
i. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has announced the
launch of self-regulation code of conduct for the e-pharmacy sector on November 21, 2016.This will
bring effectiveness and efficiency in the Indian Pharmacy.
According to the Self-regulation Code of Conduct
E-pharmacy will process scheduled medicines only against a valid copy of
prescription(physical or scanned) of a registered medical practitioner.

E-pharmacy must ensure that the medicines are dispensed through licensed pharmacies duly

registered under the Drugs And Cosmetics Act/ Rules.


The medicines are packed, transported and delivered in such a way that their integrity, quality,
and effectiveness are preserved.
China to Import Rice from 17 registered mills in India
i. China has confirmed its decision to import rice from 17 registered mills in India to ensure
market access to Indian products in China.
ii. China will import both basmati and non-basmati rice from the mills located in Punjab, Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
iii. China is the worlds largest rice importer but Indias non-basmati rice did not get access to

67 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Chinese market as the item failed to meet Chinese norms on quality, health and safety.
iv. China feared of the possibility of the transportation of Khapra beetle (or cabinet beetle) pest
along with Indian non-basmati rice.
BHEL commissions 93 MW power plant at Hazira for RIL
i. BHEL commissioned a second unit of the 493 MW steam turbine-based captive power plant
(CPP) for Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on November 23, 2016 at Hazira in Gujarat.
ii. From this BHEL has added 600 MW capacity in its CPP segment in the current fiscal till date.
iii. It also planned for commissioning 3 units (two at Hazira and one at Dahej) during the current
financial year.
Talcher Thermal Power Station Generates highest electricity in single day
i. Talcher Thermal Power Station of NTPC on November 23, 2016 generated 11.496 Million
Units of electricity at 104.13% capacity utilization which is the highest single day generation
among all power stations.
ii. The station had topped the national ranking for Highest Capacity Utilization among all power
stations of the country during 2015-16.
iii. The power station has an installed capacity of 460 MW, four units of 60 MW and two units of
110 MW each.
Government to Impose Safeguard Duty on Steel Imports
i. Government of India has imposed a safeguard duty on import of certain steel
products effective from effect from November 23, 2016 till May 22, 2019
ii. Aim: to ensure fair trade and protect domestic manufacturers from cheap imports.
iii. The safeguard duty has been imposed on import of hot rolled flat sheets and plates of alloy or
non-alloy steel (excluding hot rolled flat products in coil form).
iv. The duty rate would be calculated after deducting the value of the goods and the anti-dumping
duty payable when the import price is below USD 504 per ton.
v. The duty imposed would be 10% upto November 22, 2017 and will
gradually reduce to 8% between November 23, 2017 and November 22, 2018 while to 6% during
the period from November 23, 2018 to May 22, 2019 2019
German based BSH Household Appliances Group opens technology centre in Bengaluru
i. Europes largest manufacturer of home appliances, BSH Household Appliances Grouphas
opened Indias first technology centre at Adugodi in Bengaluru on November 25, 2016.
ii. This centre will help BSH to further develop localised technologies for the Indian market and to
become the heart of product development for the Asia Pacific region as well as emerging countries
in South America and Africa.

68 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Google Launchpad Accelerator Programme to mentor 7 Indian Startups.
i. Google on November 23, 2016, announced the seven Indian startups that will join the third
edition of Launchpad Accelerator programme at Google Headquarters in Silicon Valley, California.
ii. The seven Indian startups selected to be a part of the programme includes Flyrobe, HashLearn,
Rentomojo, KaptureCRM, Curofy, Happy Adda Studios, and Playment.
iii. The selected startups will join the six-month mentorship programme for mid to late stage
startups organized by Google.
iv. The programme includes a two-week all expense paid boot camp that will begin from
January 30, 2017 at Launchpad Spacein San Francisco and each startup will get $50,000
in equity-free funding.
E-commerce firms like Flipkart and Snapdeal to deduct TCS under GST
i. According to the new GST law, E-commerce giants Flipkart and Snapdeal will have to deduct 2%
TCS(Tax Collected at Source) while making payments to their suppliers and deposited TCS
amount with the government
ii. The new model GST law provides for 1 per centTCS and 1 per cent tax levied on inter-state
movement of goods. It will not apply to aggregators like Ola,Uber etc.
iii. If consumer return of goods , the companies will not have to deduct TCS as there is no actual
sale.
Centre imposes Rs 10,000 crore penalty on RIL and its partners
i. The Central Government has fined Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and its partners BP
and Niko nearly slapped a nearly Rs.10,000 crores for pumping out gas that flowed to the
Krishna Godavari-D6 Block from an adjoining field owned by ONGC.
ii. Reliance and its partners have been given a month to respond to the notice issued by
the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Google capital changed its name to capitalG
i. Google Capital the companys venture arm that focuses on growth-stage companies as
opposed to earlier-stage startups is now CapitalG.
ii. The domain name looks to have been acquired a few weeks ago. The domain was owned by an
organization called GDiapersback in 2014 and then it moved to privacy. It transferred from Go
Daddy to Mark Monitor.
MNRE issue bidding guidelines for setting up 1000 MW Wind Power Projects
i. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) provided Guidelines for transparent bidding
process for implementation of Scheme for setting up of 1000 MW Wind Power Projectconnected
to inter-state transmission system (ISTS).

69 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. The power projects would be selected through open competitive bidding followed by e-reverse
auction and the capacity to be bid out could be over 1,000 MW
iii. Discoms of non-windy State and UTs and also the bulk consumers of any State/UTs who intend
to buy 10 MW or more can buy wind power under the Scheme
iv. Bidders will be permitted to offer for a minimum capacity of 50 MW and a maximum of up
to 250 MW. The selected bidder will be required to injected wind power at ISTS interconnection
points.
CII launches unique platform Startup Mentorship Circle
i. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) launched Startup Mentorship Circle in Mumbaito
mentor startups, connect them to the global marketplace and their think-tanks for them to scale up
and succeed in an exponential way on November 5, 2016
ii. Startup Mentorship Circle is truly a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation and startups to
drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
Abbott to set up innovation hub in Mumbai, India
i. Global drug maker Abbott is setting up an innovation and development center (I&D)
in Mumbai to develope new drug formulations, new indications, dosing, packaging and other
differentiated offerings.
ii. The centre will act as a hub and ship products to at least 30 countries that will further develop
the products to suit local needs .It will also have a pilot scale plant.
iii. Abbott has its existing innovation and development centres in Chile and Columbia.
First titanium project begins test production in Odisha
i. The plant one and only in the country and the first titanium project of India being established
by Saraf Group in Ganjam district of Odisha started its test production, , would be ready for
inauguration in the next few months.
ii. In the first phase, Saraf group has invested 350 crore rupees in this titanium project, which will
produce titanium slag. Its raw material, ilmenite would be procured from Odisha Sands
Complex (OSCOM), a unit of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) in Ganjam district of Odisha as
well as a private company which has its unit in Srikakulam of adjoining Andhra Pradesh.
Government cancels FCRA licenses of over 11k NGOs
i. Central Government has canceled the three licenses of over 11,000 NGOs under the Foreign
Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) for failing to apply for their renewal within the deadline.
ii. The validity of FCRA registration of these NGOs had earlier been extended until October 31 by a
home ministry order of March this year.
iii. The Home Ministry released a list of all NGOs that failed to honour the deadline, stating that
their licence was deemed cancelled from first of this month.

70 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Govt imposed anti-dumping duty on certain Chinese steel products
i. Centre has levied anti-dumping duty on imports of steel wire rods from China to protect
domestic manufacturers from cheap in-bound shipments.
ii. The department of revenue in a notification on Wednesday announced that the anti-dumping
duty is being imposed for six months on import of wire road of alloy or non-alloy steel from
China.
Russia wants to team up with India on fast-neutron reactor project
i. Russias state atomic energy corporation Rosatom has invited India to join in developing nextgeneration nuclear reactors and to participate in its
ii. A fast neutron reactor, also known simply as a fast reactor, is a type in which nuclear fission
chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons.
iii. The multipurpose fast research reactor project, also known as MBIR, is coming up at the
International Research Center in Dimitrovgrad, located in the Ulyanovsk region.MBIR could
become worlds most powerful facility by 2025.
NHPC commissioned 50 MW wind power project in Rajasthan
i. NHPC, Indias largest hydropower generation company announced that it has approved its 50
Megawatt (MW) wind power project (WPP) in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
ii. The project consists of 25 Wind Turbine Generators each of 2 MW capacity, which has been
successively linked with grid in the month of October, 2016.
Anti-dumping duty on met coke bane to steel industry
i. The Ministry of Commerce had imposed anti-dumping investigation on import of low ash met
coke from Australia and China last year. The imposition of anti dumping duty resulted in
an increase in the cost of finished steel by Rs.700 to Rs.1500 per tonne
ii. Met coke prices have nearly tripled since January 2016, since the time the case was initiated and
is currently ruling around $350 per tonne
Adani Commissioned 100 MW Solar Plant In Punjab
i. Infrastructure company Adani Enterprises Ltd announced that it commissioned Indias largest
tracker-based solar power plant at Bhatinda in Punjab.The 100 megawatt plantis also the
largest solar project in Punjab.
ii. Tracker plants are those with equiped panels that keep tracking the sun as it moves across the
sky. Compared to fixed panels, tracking panels generate 30-35% more energy.
iii. This plant would be Indias biggest horizontal single axis tracker plant at a single location.The
annual energy yield is expected to be approximately 88,000 Mwh.

71 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Twitter partnered with India Spend to launch #Breathe services
i. Twitter India, along with website India Spend, launched #Breathe service to enable users to
get real-time information about the pollution levels in their areas with a tweet.
ii. The reply tweet will inform you about the pollution levels in terms of particulate matter (PM 2.5
and PM 10) as well as give you the possible health impact of the measured air pollution levels.
Apollo to start Rs.525-crore plant in Andhra Pradesh
i. Apollo tyres will start a manufacturing facility at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh with an investment
of Rs.525 crore. The plant will have a capacity to roll out 5 lakh tyres per month which can be
extended up to 30 lakh in future.
i. This will be the companys 5th manufacturing plant in India.Currently Apollo Tyres has two
plants in Kerala and one plant each in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Wallet on Delivery service introduced by Snapdeal-Freecharge
i. The surprising announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to ban all Rs. 500 and
Rs.1000 currency note for any kind of transaction, made many e-commerce sites to halt their cash
on delivery services.
ii. However e-commerce site Snapdeal in Partnership with FreeCharge introduced a new payment
gateway Wallet on Delivery that will enable the customers to pay via virtual wallet after the
product is delivered at the doorstep.
Center of Excellence set up by TAFE in Rajasthan
i. Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited,(TAFE) the worlds third largest tractor maker, with
the cooperation and support of the Rajasthan government, has set up a Centre of
Excellence JFarm Rajasthan and a Custom Hiring Centre in six zones in Rajasthan at a
total outlay of Rs.970 crore.
ii. TAFE Chairman & CEO Mallika Srinivasan, made the announcement in the presence of Chief
Minister Vasundhara Raje at the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) on November 10, 2016.
Molinari Rail To Set Up Manufacturing Unit In India
i. Swiss based Molinari Rail AG has entered into a strategic agreement with government of India
to design, manufacture and deliver the auxiliary power units (APUs) for 1,000 diesel
locomotives to be built in India for Indian Railways.
ii. According to the agreement Molinari Rail will set up a manufacturing and assembly
centre for auxiliary power units for diesel locomotives in India by 2017.
Sun Pharma, Others Ink Pact For Malaria Project In Mandla
i. Drug major Sun Pharma signed tri-party agreement between Indian Council of Medical

72 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Research, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Foundation for Disease Elimination and Control of
India (FDEC- India) to launch the malaria-free India demonstration project in Mandla,
Madhya Pradesh.
ii. Aim : To Eliminate malaria from India by 2030.
IoT services venture-UNLIMIT launched by Reliance Group
i. Reliance group partnered with Cisco Jasper for a new venture named UNLIMIT to provide
Internet of Things (IoT) services to customers across India.
ii. Unlimit is designed solely for enterprise customers in India, for providing them IoT services. As
part of this service, Reliance launched IoTStarter kit and Unlimit tracking for asset and
vehicle tracking.
iii. As per Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, Group Managing Director, Reliance Group, the number of
connected devices in IoT is projected to rise from 200 millionas on today to around 3 billion by
the end of year 2020, whereas the revenues is expected to rise to USD 15 billion in 2020 from
the present $5.6 billion.
Suzuki Motor Corporation to set up Industrial Training Institute in Gujarat
i. Japanese carmaker, Suzuki Motor Corporation is to set up an industrial training institute
Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) at Mehsana district, Gujarat to cooperate on
the human resource development in the manufacturing sector .
ii. The JIM is formed under Manufacturing Skill Transfer Promotion Programme which was agreed
on November 11, 2016 between India and Japan.
iii. It will begin in August 2017 and it will be established and run by Maruti Suzuki India Limited
Launch of online portal for facilitating trade between India and Iran
i. An Online Portal for facilitating trade between India and Iran was launched by Dr. Inder Jit Singh,
Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce in the presence of H.E. Mr. Gholamreza Ansari,
Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Khaleel Rahim and other Directors of STC.
ii. Aim : To disseminate information relevant to Indo-Iran Trade, and to provide an e-marketplace
for the buyers and sellers of the two countries.
iii. The Hind-Iran portal (hindirantrade.org) is a joint initiative of STC and Douman Queshm,
Iran.
BBC World Service Announces Biggest Expansion since the 1940s
i. BBC World Service will launch 11 new language services as part of its biggest expansion
since the 1940s, due to the funding boost.
ii. The new languages will be Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Gujarati, Igbo, Korean, Marathi,
Pidgin, Punjabi, Telugu, Tigrinya, and Yoruba.

73 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Vodafone ties up with Google Cloud to brings G Suite to Indian enterprises
i. Vodafone Indias enterprise arm, Vodafone Business Services (VBS) has joined hands with
Google Cloud to offer G Suite to corporate customers. The new tie-up follows a partnership with
technology major Microsoft for enterprise-grade productivity and collaboration services.
ii. VSB is offering its corporate customers a choice of monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annual
payments which can be made online or by cheque.
Reliance Global Call launches international calling app
i. Reliance Communications international calling service Reliance Global Call launched an app RGC
India.
ii. It will allows international calling at Rs 1.4 a minute. This app will enables direct-dialing of
international contacts, without the need to enter toll-free number or PIN numbers
272 products registered as geographical indication so far
i. According to the data of the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks,
under the Commerce and Industry Ministry, 272 products includes Sangli raisins, Banaras metal
repousse craft and Beed custard apple have been registered so far as geographical indications
since September 2003 to enjoys the specific reputation
ii. Under Geographical Indication (GI) law, a product is identified as a good or an item
manufactured or produced in a particular region. It is a legal right under which the GI holder can
prohibit others from using the same name.
iii. 11 products have been registered as GI from states including Maharashtraand Uttar
Pradesh during the current fiscal.
Govt hikes wheat MSP by Rs 100/qtl; pulses by up to 550/qtl
i. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), headed by the Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, on 15 November 2016, approved the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for rabi crops of 201617. Rabi crop are those which are sown in winter season.
ii. Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Wheat has been increased by Rs 100, to Rs 1,625 per
quintal for the 2016-17 from Rs 1,525 per quintal as in 2015-16. (Increase of 6.6%).
iii. MSP of barley has been hiked by Rs 100 from Rs 1,225 per quintal to Rs 1,325 per
quintal.(Increase of 8.2%).
iv. MSP of gram has been hiked by Rs 500 to Rs 4,000 per quintal from Rs 3,500 per
quintal. (Increase of 14.3%).
v. MSP of masur has been hiked by Rs 550 to Rs 3,950 per quintal from Rs 3,400 per
quintal.(Increase of 16.2%).

74 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Vishnu Deo Sai says New National Steel Policy in conceptual stage
The government has proposed to revisit the existing National Steel Policy, the work on which is at
conceptual stage said by Minister of State for Steel Vishnu Deo Sai on November 28, 2016
The Working Paper is prepared by Niti Aayog Member V K Saraswat and Niti Aayog
professional Ripunjaya Bansal that will ensure profitability of the associated industry be it mining,
pet coke, pellet or sponge iron.
Mobiwiki launched mobile app MobiKwik Lite to make life easier for small business
holders
i. MobiKwik has launched mobile wallet app MobiKwik Lite, which will work on basic Internet
connection.
ii. MobiKwik Lite app available in English and Hindi, later the app will be available in all major
Indian languages.
Government removes excise duty on Point of Sale machine
i. Government removed excise duty on goods for manufacturing of POS (Point of Sale)machines
that are in great demand as merchants are being compelled to use them in the wake of currency
crisis.
ii. POS machines will be exempted from 12.5 per cent excise duty and 4 per cent SAD (Special
Additional Duty) till March 31, 2017.
Indus Towers to invest Rs 100 crore to set up 500 new sites across India
The telecoms tower provider Indus Towers planned to invest Rs 100 crore in India to set
up 500 new sites within a year. Out of 500 sites, 100 sites are already setup in 50 by the
company.
Government approves 6 new SEZs for IT, biotech
i. Union government lead by PM Narendra Modi has approved six proposals from four developers to
set up new special economic zones (SEZs) IT and biotechnology across Telangana, Haryana
and Karnataka .
ii. The decision was taken by the Board of Approval (BoA), headed by Commerce Secretary Rita
Teaotia during the board meeting on November 9, 2016
iii. The four developers are Vaxenic India, EON Kharadi Infrastructure, GAR Corporation and KRC
Infrastructure.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates inaugurates Tata Steels Gopalpur ferro-chrome
plant
i. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurates the 55,000-tonne per annum (TPA) ferro-

75 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


chrome plant set up by Tata Steel at a cost of Rs 542 crore in its Gopalpur Industrial Park in
Ganjam district.
ii. The plant is a unique environment-friendlyunit with state-of-the-art pollution control
equipment and technology such as ETP(Effluent Treatment Plant) and STP(Sewage Treatment
Plant).
iii. It is the first plant in India to use briquetting method of chrome ore fine agglomeration.
Arunachal Pradesh and Thailand signs MoU to promote cooperation and collaboration.
i. Arunachal Pradesh and Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November
29, 2016 for promoting cooperation and collaboration between the states.
ii. The MoU was signed between Surindra Rajabhat University Regional Development
Strategies (SRRURDS) Foundation of Surin Province, North East of Thailand and Mahabodhi
Lord Buddha College (MLBC) in Arunachal Pradesh.
iii. The MoU aimed at the development of friendly international cooperation with mutual interests in
developing programmes of academic exchange and for establishing a long-term mutually beneficial
association between the two institutes for fostering cordial relations between the people of
Arunachal Pradesh and Thailand.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS


Al Nahyan conferred with prestigious Mother Teresa International Award
i. Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International
Cooperation, has been conferred the prestigious Mother Teresa International Award by the
Mumbai-based NGO Harmony Foundation.
ii. Shaikh Abdullah was honoured for his work in establishing institutions that protect youth from
being brainwashed and radicalised from terrorist groups and other persons who create violence
against innocent people.
Amitav Ghosh named for 2016 Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award
i. Indian-American author Amitav Ghosh has been named for the 2016 Tata Literature Live!
Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Indian literary
space.
ii. The award will be presented to Amitav Ghosh at Tata Literature Live!s annual awards ceremony
on 20 November 2016 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman
Point, Mumbai.

76 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Sri Sri Ravishankar gets Dr Nagendra Singh international peace prize
Home Minister Rajnath Singh honoured Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar with Dr Nagendra
Singh International Peace Award for his efforts in ensuring world peace on November 20 2016 at
Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn conferred with First World Sanskrit Award
i. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has recognized Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn of Thailand with the first World Sanskrit Award for the year 2015while American
linguist and Indologist Prof. George Cardona with World Sanskrit Award for the year 2016 for
their exemplary contribution for the promotion of the Sanskrit language.
ii. The award was presented to both the winners on November 21, 2016 by Vice President Hamid
Ansari at a function held in New Delhi.
Azamgarh-born Indian-American philanthropist Frank Islam felicitated with the
Interfaith Leadership Award
i. Uttar Pradesh born Indian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Islam awarded with
the Interfaith Leadership Award at the Interfaith Leadership Award Concert on November 20,
2016
ii. Frank received this award for his contributions towards the arts and higher education and
support of interfaith dialogue.
Akshaya Mukul wins Bhatt First Book Prize 2016.
Senior journalist at the Times of India Akshaya Mukulhas been awarded the Shakti Bhatt First
Book Prize 2016. He has been awarded for his book Gita Press and the Making of Hindu
India.
Infosys Science Foundation Announces the Six Winners of the Infosys Prize 2016
The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) announced the winners of the 8th Infosys Prize in 6
categories Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical
Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences.
Infosys Prize 2016 winner list :
1.Engineering and Computer Science : Prof. V. Kumaran
2.Humanities Prof. Sunil Amrith,
3.Life Sciences: Dr. Gagandeep Kang,
4.Mathematical Sciences: Prof. Akshay Venkatesh
5.Physical Sciences: Dr. Anil Bhardwaj
6.Social Sciences: Prof. Kaivan Munshi

77 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Barack Obama Presents the Presidential Medals of Freedom
i. President Barack Obama awarded the United States highest civilian award Presidential
Medal of Freedom to 21 outstanding actors, musicians, athletes and innovators who inspired him
over the years on November 22, 2016 in the White House East Room.
ii. Mr. Obama has given more Presidential Medals of Freedom than any previous President of the
nation. He has awarded about 114 individuals with the honorary award
iii. It recognizes those people who have made an especially meritorious contribution to
the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant
public or private achievements.
Recipients of the Highest Civilian Award included:
1. Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Robert Redford and Cicely Tyson from film world
2. Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for being best Basketball Players
3. Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross were recognized for their music.
4. Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates.
5. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres.
6. Broadcaster Vin Scully. Of DeGeneres.
7. Posthumous honors went to Native American advocate Elouise Cobell and Rear Adm.
Grace Hopper who invented the first compiler for a computer programming language
and was known as the first lady of software.
8. Richard Garwin, an inventor and polymath physicist who made pioneering contributions to
the nations defense.
9. Frank Gehry, one of the worlds leading architects.
10. Margaret H. Hamilton, a mathematician and computer scientist.
11. Maya Lin, the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
12. Lorne Michaels, producer of Saturday Night Live
13. Newton Minow, a former Federal Communications Commission chairman devoted to
numerous public and charitable causes.
14. Eduardo Padron, president of Miami Dade College.
Sunny Leone named in BBCs list of 100 most influential women 2016
i. The famous Bollywood Actor Sunny Leone and 4 other Indian women have been named in the
BBCs list of 100 most influential women 2016.
ii. BBC has been presenting this list for the past 4 years and focuses on women who have made
outstanding contribution in their respective fields.
iii. Sunny Leone (Karenjit Kaur Vohra), 35, is a Canadian and also a leading Indian film actress
and model.
The other four Indian includes
1.Gouri Chindarkar

78 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


2.Mallika Srinivasan
3.Neha Singh
4.Saalumarada Thimmakka
Malini Subramaniam conferred with International Press Freedom Award
i. Malini Subramaniam, an Indian journalist has been conferred with the International Press
Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ) for her reporting from the Naxalhit Bastar area, in Chhattisgarh.
ii. Three more journalist were also honoured including Oscar Martinez of El Salvador, Turkeys
Can Dundar and Abou Zeid of Egypt.
iii. The four brave journalists have taken great risk to their life to report to their societies and the
global community about critical news events
Australias former womens captain Karen Rolton inducted into the ICCs Hall of Fame
i. Australias former womens captain Karen Rolton has been inducted into the ICCs Hall of
Fame on November 24, 2016 at a ceremony during the dinner break on the opening day of the
third day/night Test between Australia and South Africa.
ii. Rolton was presented with a personalised cap by ICC Chief Executive David Richardson
Manoj Bajpayee Awarded Best Performance Award at 16 Asia Pacific Screen Award
i. Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee on November 24, 2016 won the Best Performance
Award by an Actor at the 10th Asia Pacific Screen Awards, held in Brisbane.
ii. The event was hosted by Australian actor David Wenham and presenter Anjali Rao.
iii. Manoj was awarded for his role as Professor Siras in Aligarh, directed by Hansal Mehta, a
powerful and personal drama based on true events.
iv. Besides, Nawazuddin Siddiqui also received a Special Mention in the Best Performance
category for his role in Anurag Kashyaps Raman Raghav 2.0.
AIBA Honours Mary Kom with Legends Award
i. M C Mary Kom, a celebrated Indian boxer, will be honored with the Legends Award from
the International Boxing Association (AIBA) on its 70th anniversary ceremony which is to be
held in Switzerland on December 20, 2016.
ii. Vikas to get 'Best Boxer' award from AIBA
The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan by Sebastian Mallaby Wins
2016 FT Business Book Award
i. Eminent Journalist and Author Sebastian Mallaby has won the Financial Times & McKinsey
Business Book of the Year 2016 for his The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan

79 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Greenspan on November 22, 2016 at a ceremony in London.
ii. The Man Who Knew, is the first biography to win the prize, and the 12th winner of the award
with 30,000 reward.
1,668 martyrs of the Indian Army to be honored by Bangladesh
i. Liberation War Affairs Minister, Bangladesh, A.K.M. Mozammel Huq on November 26, 2016,
announced that Bangladesh will honour 1,668 members of the Indian Army, who were martyred
during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
ii. Each family will receive a Rs. 5 lakh as a mark of respect from the Prime Minister of
Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina who will be in Delhi between 18-20 December to give away the
money, in Indian currency, to the martyrs family members.
Toonzs film Magical Piano wins short film award at UNESCO Salon Competition
i. Toonz Media Groups short film Magical Piano won the short film award at the UNSECO Salon
Youth Video Competition 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco
ii. Dr Avaneesh, Head of Development, Toonz Media Group received the award from Salon Films
Chairman Fred Wang and UNSECO hief of Public Relations and Partnerships, Armelle Arrou
Indian woman Uppma Virdi named Businesswoman of the Year in Australia
i. A 26-year-old UppmaVirdi, hailing from Jalandhar and living in Melbourne, received
theBusinesswoman of the Year Award at the India Australia Business Community Awards
(IABCA) held in Sydney, for taking the aroma of fresh Indian tea to Australian households.
ii. UppmaVirdi is the founder of Chai Walli is the granddaughter of an Ayurvedic doctor who used
to make Ayurvedic chai blends. Born in India and brought up in Australia, Uppma learnt how spices
balance, their properties and the art of chai.
Haryana govt conferred award for e-governance
i. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley awarded the Haryana government was conferred with the
award for outstanding work in the field of e-governance at the State of the States Conclave
2016 in New Delhi.
ii. Principal Secretary of CM, RakeshGuptareceived the award on behalf of Haryana government.
iii. The award was presented to aprreciate the work done in the field of e-governance in the past
two years in Haryana.
Taylor Swift Is the Worlds Highest-Paid Woman in Music for 2016 : Forbes
Taylor Swift has topped Forbes magazines list of the highest-earning female solo artists in music,
with more than twice the income of the second-placed artist, Adele.

80 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Forbes top 5 List :
Name
1. Taylor Swift
2. Adele
3. Madonna
4. Rihanna
5. Beyonc

Amount
$170m
$80.5m
$76.5m
$75m
$54m

Saudi Arabia Awards Water Prize to Eight Scientists at UN Headquarters


Saudi Arabia has awarded eight scientists the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for
Water at the United Nations headquarters in New York .
About the Winners :
1.Creativity Prize: The team of Dr. Rita Colwell (University of Maryland at College Park) and Dr.
Shafiqul Islam (Tufts University, USA).
2.Creativity Prize: Dr. Peter J. Webster (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA).
3.Surface Water Prize: Dr. Gary Parker (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA).
4.Groundwater Prize: Dr. Tissa H. Illangasekare (Colorado School of Mines, USA).
5.Alternative Water Resources Prize: The team of Dr. Rong Wang & Dr. Anthony G. Fane
(Nanyang Technological University, Singapore).
6.Water Management and Protection Prize: Dr. Daniel P. Loucks (Cornell University, USA).
Indian-origin researcher Shamik Chowdhury won the German Green Talent award
i. Shamik Chowdhury, a PhD student in environmental engineering from the National University
of Singapore was among 25 scholars awarded for their innovative green ideas by the German
Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
ii. Chowdhurys research was based on green synthesis of 2D graphene nanosheets and their selfassembly into advanced 3D macrostructures for sustainable urban development.
iii. Aim: To make a city life more sustainable through green technologies that will be based on
renewable raw material.
Meryl Streep considered for Golden Globes lifetime award
i. Meryl Streep, considered as the finest actress of her generation, would get the Golden Globes
lifetime achievement award at the annual ceremony in January was announced by the organizers.
ii. She was last nominated for a Golden Globe back in 2015 for her work in Into the Woods.
PM gives away Ramnath Goenka Awards for Excellence in Journalism 2016
i. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi awarded the RamnathGoenka Awards for excellence in
journalism on November 3, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. RamnathGoenka Award was instituted by the Ramnath Goenka Foundation in 2005to
celebrate the legacy of the founder of The Indian Express Group.

81 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. The awards acknowledge exceptional work across 28 categories in print, broadcast and
online journalism in English, Hindi and regional languages.
S Nihal Singh To Get 2016 Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award
i. Veteran journalist S Nihal Singh has been awarded with Raja Ram Mohan Roy Awardfor his
outstanding contribution to journalism which is presented by the Press Council of India.The award
will be presented on November 16 to Nihal Singh and carries a cash component of Rs 1 lakh
ii. The other winners of the National Journalism Awards 2016, as per which RenjithJonh of
Deepika Daily has been chosen for his work for the award on Rural journalism and Developmental
reporting.
Pulimurugan first Malayalam film to enter Rs 100cr club
i. Mohanlal starrer adventure film Pulimurugan has become the first Malayalam film to enter
the Rs 100 crore club. This movie is made with a budget of Rs 25 crore, deals with man animal
conflict with Mohanlal in the lead role of Murugan, a hunter.
ii. The film is produced by Tomichan Mulakupadam through the production house, Mulakupadam
Films. The score and soundtrack are composed by Gopi Sunder, while cinematography is
handled by Shaji Kumar.
39th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Award conferred
The 39th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Award was awarded on 7 November 2016 in Mumbai,
Maharastra.This year, the receivers of the award were Mohan Hirabai Hiralal and BonBehari Vishnu
Nimbkar from Maharashtra, Dr. Nannapaneni Manga Devi from Andhra Pradesh and Sheikh Rached
Ghannouchi from Tunisia.
Professor Raj Bisaria to get Madhya Pradesh government govts Kalidas Samman
i. Famous theatre personality and Padma Shri, Prof Raj Bisaria is all set to proud of his
achievement with the Madhya Pradesh government honouring him with its prestigious Kalidas
Samman national award for 2015-16 for achievement in theatre. The ceremony would be held
in Ujjain, which is also the birthday of the 80 year old.
ii. The annual award constituted in 1980 awards personalities in the four fields of classical dance,
classical music, theatre and plastic arts.
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee presented IGNITE Awards
i. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee awarded the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE
Awards to the winners of IGNITE competition, organized by the National Innovation
Foundation (NIF), on November 7, 2016 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
ii. About 55,000 applicants from 458 districts of the country participated in the competition out of
which 31 students were awarded for the innovative ideas.

82 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Urban Transport Initiatives Recognized with Award of Excellence
Union Ministry of Urban Development has given Awards of Excellence to 8 cities in 5
states and 1 Union Territory for their initiatives to promote Public Transport, Non-Motorized
Transport and Road Safety.
State 1: Gujarat: Surat, Gandhinagar and Rajkot
State 2: Madhya Pradesh: Indore and Jabablpur
State 3: Karnataka: Dharwar
State 4: Haryana: Karnal
State 5: Sikkim: Gangtok
Union Territory: Chandigarh
Urban Mobility Conference :
Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation Venkaiah Naidu inaugurate
the Urban Mobility India conference at Gandhinagar in Gujarat o November 8, 2016.
Theme: Planning Mobility for Citys sustainability.
SAIL won Golden Peacock Award for corporate governance
i. The prestigious Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Governance for this year has been granted
upon the Maharatna firm, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
ii. The award was received by Ashwini Kumar, CEO of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on behalf of
SAIL during the 16th London Global Convention on Corporate Governanceand
Sustainability held in London recently.
iii. SAIL was conferred the award on account of its flawless performance in the field of corporate
governance that is for balancing the interests of all the stakeholders of the company
shareholders, management, customers, suppliers, financiers, government and the community.
Mike McCormack won Goldsmiths Prize for Solar Bones
i. Solar Bones author Mike McCormack had won the Goldsmiths Prize. He stated that it was
payback for his publishers Tramp Press and his agent who had backed him during his long and
difficult adventure as a writer.
ii. McCormack is the third Irish writer to win since the prize began in 2013.Politics, family, art,
marriage, health, civic duty and the environment are just a few of the themes it touches on, in a
prose thats lyrical yet strongly rooted.
Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award bagged by Roger Federer for 12th time
The 2016 Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour Awards was announced on
November 10, 2016, and

Former Worlds No. 1 Swiss Tennis Player Roger Federer has won

the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Awardfor the 12th time in his career.
The other categories of Awards

83 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

Fans Favorite Doubles Category - The Bryan Brothers

Coach of the Year award - Magnus Norman

Comeback Player of the Year - Juan Martin Del Potro

Arthur Ashe Humanitarian award - Marin Cilic

Newcomer of the Year - Lucas Pouille

Star of Tomorrow - Taylor Fritz

Pune girl Anvita Prashant Telang wins Google Indias doodle competition
Anvita Prashant Telang, 11 year old girl from Pune has been named as the national winner of the
Doodle 4 Google contest for her Doodle submission on the theme titled If I could teach
anyone anything, it would be.
Doodle 4 Google :
Aim of the event : To promote creativity, passion and imagination in younger users.
The Guest won short film award at MAMI Film Fest
i. Short film The Guest, which emerged as the winner in the Large Short Films category at
the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) Film Festival.
ii. The short film has been directed by Ayappa KM and stars Avinash Tiwari and Yana Mistry.
iii. The film is about a young man, who unknowingly ends up in a strange place.
Indian-origin humanitarian, Imtiaz Sooliman gets Global Citizen Award
i. An Indian-origin man in South Africa, who founded the internationally-lauded Gift of the Givers
Foundation, has been awarded the prestigious Global Citizen Award for his innovative and
visionary contribution to the global community.
ii. Imtiaz Sooliman was honoured at the end of the 10th annual Global Residence and
Citizenship Conference in London.
Young Syrian Hadi Abdullah Named Journalist Of The Year By Press Watchdog
i. Hadi Abdullah, Syrian freelance journalist was awarded with Reporters without Borders
(RSF)-TV5 Monde prize on November 8, 2016 for reporting from some of the most hazardous
places in Syrias five years old war.
ii. The 29 year old was nominated in journalist category and the award was presented in
Strasbourg on behalf of the World Forum for Democracy, a meeting organized by the Council Of
Europe.
Marta Jakimowicz Lifetime Achievement 2016 by the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy
i. Marta Jakimowicz Poland-born art expert was selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award
2016 by the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy on 10 November 2016.All the winners will be honoured

84 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


with the cash prize of 50000 rupees. This is the second successive year when the award winners
would be given a sum of Rs. 50,000.
ii. To celebrate the golden jubilee of the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy, a childrens art
camp will be organized on November 14 in 13 districts of Karnataka.
iii. The theme of the camp is My parents.
Former CM ND Tiwari awarded with Uttarakhand Ratna Award
i. On the occasion of 17th foundation day, on November 10, 2016, the Uttarakhand Chief
Minister Harish Rawat gave the Uttarakhand Ratna Award to the former chief
minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari at the Chief Ministers residence.
ii. Uttarakhand Ratna Award was given to 8 persons including six posthumously award:Veer
Chandra Singh Garhwali, Sridev Suman, Indramani Badoni, Jayanand Bharati, Gaura Devi and
Badridatt Pandey, ND Tiwari and Mahant Swami Ghanshyam Giri.
Ralph Fiennes named best actor at 2016 London Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
Ralph Fiennes, A 53-year-old actor, won the best actoraward for two plays, at the 2016 London
Evening Standard Theatre Awards.The ceremony, presented by Rob Brydon, was held at Londons
Old Vic theatre.
The list of winners of the 62nd London Evening Standard Theatre Awards:
Best Actor
Ralph Fiennes The Master Builder (Old Vic) &
Richard III (Almeida)
Natasha Richardson Award For Best
Billie Piper Yerma (Young Vic)
Actress
Best Play
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child co-written by
Jack Thorne, JK Rowling & John Tiffany (Palace)
Best Musical Performance
Glenn Close Sunset Boulevard (Coliseum)
Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award Jesus Christ Superstar Regents Park Open Air
For Best Musical
Theatre
Milton Shulman Award For Best Director
John Malkovich Good Canary (Rose Kingston)
Best Revival
No Mans Land (Wyndhams)
Best Design
Gareth Fry with Pete Malkin (sound design) The
Encounter (Edinburgh International
Festival/Barbican)
Charles Wintour Award For Most Promising Charlene James Cuttin It (Young Vic/Royal
Playwright
Court)
Emerging Talent Award
Tyrone Huntley Jesus Christ Superstar (Regents
Park Open Air Theatre)
Beyond Theatre
Sir David Attenborough
Editors Award
Good Chance Theatre
Lebedev Award
Sir Kenneth Branagh
Gulzar awarded 2016 Poet Laureate award
i. Veteran lyricist, writer and filmmaker Gulzar has been awarded Poet Laureate award 2016 at
the Mumbais literary festival Tata Literature Live on November 17, 2016.
ii. The 4-day festival starting November 17 till November 20 that will will take place at two

85 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


venues National Centre for the Performing Arts and Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai and see
participation by authors from around the world.
Air New Zealand Crowned Best Airline in the World
i. Air New Zealand has been awarded the best airline in the world for the fourth consecutive
year in the global rankings according to AirlineRatings.coms Airline Excellence Awards.
ii. AirlineRatings.com rates airlines on a variety of categories that include best class cabins,
catering and lounge options, and crew quality.
Pandit Hari Prasad Chourasia conferred with 2016 Sumitra Charat Ram Award for lifetime
achievement
i. Noted flutist Pandit Hari Prasad Chourasia was awarded the 2016 Sumitra Charat Ram
Award for lifetime achievement in the field of Indian classical music at Shriram Bhartiya Kala
Kendra in the presence of Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Shekhar Sen on November 17,
2016.
ii. Pt Hari Prasad Chourasia was presented the prestigious award by Najeeb Jung, the Lieutenant
Governor of Delhi.
Winner of the 17th annual Latin Grammy Awards
The Premiere Ceremony took place on November 17, 2016, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
in Las Vegas.The three-hour celebration of Latin music and its top performers was hosted by
actors Roselyn Snchez and Sebastin Rulli.
List of the Winners
Record of the Year
Album of the Year
Song of the Year
Best
Best
Best
Best
Best
Best

New Artist
Contemporary Pop Vocal Album
Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Urban Fusion/Performance
Urban Music Album
Urban Song

Best Rock Album


Best Pop/Rock Album
Best Rock Song
Best Alternative Music Album

Carlos Vives & Shakira for La Bicicleta


Juan Gabriel, Los Do 2
La Bicicleta, Andrs Castro, Shakira & Carlos
Vives, songwriters (Carlos Vives & Shakira).
Manuel Medrano
Jesse & Joy, Un Besito Ms
Juan Gabriel, Los Duo 2
Yandel, Encantadora
J Balvin, Energia
Encantadora, Egbert Rosa Cintrn, Farruko,
Eduardo A. Vargas Berrios & Yandel,
songwriters (Yandel)
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, La Salvacin De Solo
Y Juan
Julieta Venegas, Algo Sucede
La Tormenta, Flavio Cianciarulo, songwriter
(Los Fabulosos Cadillacs)
Illya Kuryaki & The Valderramas, L.H.O.N.

86 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Best Alternative Song
Best Salsa Album
Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album
Best Contemporary Tropical Album
Best Traditional Tropical Album
Best Tropical Fusion Album
Best Tropical Song

Best
Best
Best
Best
Best

Singer-Songwriter Album
Banda Album
Tejano Album
Norteo Album
Regional Song

Vez Primera, Carla Morrison, songwriter


(Carla Morrison)
India, Intensamente India Con Canciones De
Juan Gabriel
Fonseca, Homenaje (A La Msica De Diomedes
Daz)
Guaco, Guaco Histrico 2
La Sonora Santanera, La Sonora Santanera En
Su 60 Aniversario
Gente De Zona, Visualzate
Vine A Buscarte, Omar Alfano, Fonseca &
Yadam Gonzlez Crdenas, songwriters
(Fonseca)
Manuel Medrano, Manuel Medrano
Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizrraga, Races
Michael Salgado, Por Cielo Y Tierra
Los Tigres Del Norte, Desde El Azteca
Atad, Erika Ender, Manu Moreno & Mnica
Vlez, songwriters (Los Tigres Del Norte)

Livingstone school bags National Science Project Award


i. Livingstone Foundation Hr. Sec. School (LFHSS) has won the Best Science Project
Award for their Eco-friendly usage of Bio-Degradable Plastic at the first ever National Science
Concours of Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT).
ii. The two day event was organized to mark the UNESCO initiative of observing the World
Science Day for Peace & Development 2016.
TCS And Vedanta Conferred With ACES Awards
i. TCS and Vedanta, leading Indian Companies, have been awarded care at the 3rd annual Asia
Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards (ACES) for their leadership in sustainability,
corporate social responsibility, eco consciousness and community.
ii. TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) was named Industry Champions in the Leadership
category.
iii. TCS was also named Most Socially Responsible Company of the Year for its deep commitment
to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) responsibility role.
iv. Indias Vedanta Limited was named Top Companies to Work For in Asia.
Stripes co-founder, John Collison, is worlds youngest self-made billionaire
i. As per the report of Forbes, the co-founder brothers of Stripe Inc., Patrick Collison and John
Collison, are officially the worlds youngest self-made billionaires after a fresh funding round
nearly doubled their San Francisco-based companys valuation to US $9.2 billion
ii. At the tender age of 26, John Collison, Stripes president, is now the worlds youngest self-made

87 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


billionaire. Brother and CEO Patrick Collison, 28, is also on this exclusive list of self-made
billionaires that are under the age of 30.
Four India-born CEOs on Fortune Businessperson of the Year list 2016
Four leading India-born CEOs have been named in Fortunes Businessperson of the Year list that is
topped by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The list includes:
1.Microsofts Satya Nadella ranked 5th among 50 global corporate heads.
2.CEO of Milwaukee-based maker of water heaters A O Smith Ajita Rajendra on the 34th spot
3.HDFC Banks Managing Director Aditya Puri on the 36th position
4.Mastercards Ajay Banga on 40th spot.
Sachin Tendulkars autobiography Playing it my way named Book of the Year
i. Sachin Tendulkars autobiography Playing it my Way has won the Crossword Book of the
Year Award (Autobiography category)
ii. The book is penned by renowned cricket historian and Tendulkars close friend Boria
Majumdar
Esquire Magazine named Deepika as International women and Ranveer as International
man of the year
i. The sixth Esquire Man at His Best Awards 2016 was held on November 29, 2016
in Dubai. The annual event celebrates the outstanding achievements of men (and a few women)
across the Middle East over the past year.
ii.The Award comprised of 19 awards. Some of the major awards are:
International Woman of the Year Award: Actress Deepika Padukone
International Man of the Year: Bollywoods Ranveer Singh
Humanitarian of the Year: Omar Samra
Athlete of the Year: Qatari high-jumper Mutaz Barshim,
Esquires Man of the Year: founder of the Mara Group, Ashish J Thakkar.
Kehkashan Basu of conferred with International Childrens Peace Prize 2016.
Environmentalist Kehkashan Basu has been announced one of the three finalists for
the International Childrens Peace Prize 2016.

From a list of 120 international entries, an expert committee chose Kehkashan Basu
from the UAE, Muzoon Almellehan, 18, from Syria and Divina Maloum, 12, from
Cameroon.

88 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

The Childrens Peace Prize will be awarded by a Nobel Peace Laureate. This year, Nobel
Peace Prize winner of 2006 Muhammad Yunus will present the prize in the Hall of Knights
(Ridderzaal) at The Hague on December 2, 2016.

President Gave Away 42 Awards On Childrens Day


On the occasion of Childrens day President Pranab Mukherjee gave away 42 awards to children as
well as child welfare institutions, for their outstanding achievements. Union Minster of Women and
Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi was also present on the occasion.
The awards were given in three categories namely
1. National Child Awards for Exceptional Achievements
2. National Awards for Child Welfare and
3. Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Awards.
The recipients of Award would include
1. Paralympics swimmer,
2. A chess player,
3. An equestrian
4. Students with keen interest in music and
5. Those who have added several technological innovations to their name.
Odisha Boy Awarded by President On Childrens Day
14 year old Shubhendu Kumar Sahu, a class 7th student of Somapur Project Upper primary School
in Ganjam districts Hinjili received the National Child Awards for Exceptional Achievement from the
President for his various achievements.

He has been taking part in several extra-curricular activities and received a number of
awards both at the state and national level competitions.

The young boy has developed a science project Gift For Farmers an innovative device
that enables in sowing, tilling of soil, sprinkling of pesticides, cutting and processing of
paddy crops.

He also ranked first at the state level creative writing competition held at bhubneshwar
last year.

Other than Shubhendu Sahu other children to receive this National Child Awards for
Exceptional Achievement, 2016, were

16-year old Kumari Revathi Nayka M, a paralympic swimmer, was awarded with Gold
Medal for her excellence in the field of sports.

Nine-year-old Dev Shah, a chess player, was the youngest to be awarded for his
excellence in the field of sports.

Second edition of National childrens film festival begins in Jaipur


The second edition of National childrens film festival (NCFF) began in Jaipur on the occasion of the
childrens day.THE Theme of the second edition of NCFF is Make in India

89 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

The 3-day film festival aims to showcase films made in India for the purpose of expanding the
childrens film market in India and abroad.

Children Film Society of India (CFSI) will screen around 40 films including many of the
award-winning movies such as Gopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiyaa, Kimas Lode, Budhia Singh
(On the run) among others.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore along with chairman
of CFSI, Dr. Shravan Kumar, CEO, CFSI inaugurated the festival at Birla Auditorium, Jaipur

The second edition of NCFF, will display films in 12 theaters in Jaipur in three days where
children can enjoy the films.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS


Umaro Sissoco Embalo sworn in as the PM of Guinea-Bissau
i. President of Guinea-Bissau, Jose Mario Vaz, named Umaro Sissoco Embalo as Prime Minister of
Guinea-Bissau, on November 18, 2016, replacing Baciro Dja.
ii. The decision was taken to solve a succession crisis in the West African state.
iii. The new 44-year-old PM is not a well-known public figure but has served as advisor to several
heads of state.
Siby Sebastian Appointed As CEO Of SBM Bank (Mauritius), India
i. State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) Group was appointed Siby Sebastian as Chief Executive for its 4
branches operations in India on November 20, 2016.
ii. Sebastian has over 20 years of banking experience and has joined SBM Group from ICICI Bank.
Mahesh Bhalla Appointed As Chief Mentor Of StartupsClub India
i. Mahesh Bhalla was appointed as Chief Mentor of Bengaluru based StartupsClub India.He was
the former Executive Director of Dells Consumer & SMB business in India
ii. He has 20-years experience and also held leadership positions across various companies
including Uber, India.
Zydus Cadila CMD Pankaj Patel elected as FICCI president
i. Pankaj R Patel was elected as the new President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for the year 2017. He will replace Harshavardhan Neotia,
Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group.
ii. Patel is currently working as the chairman & managing director of Cadila Healthcare Ltd (Zydus
Cadila). Under his chairmanship, Zydus Cadila has emerged as a global pharmaceutical
company.
iii. He is the chairman of Board of Governors at the Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur

90 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


(IIM-U), and also the advisory committees and academic councils of several educational
institutions such as Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, IISER, Kolkata, and IIM,
Ahmedabad.
Sebi officials Parmod Kumar Nagpal and Amarjeet Singh to chair IOSCO panels
i. Two officials of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Parmod Kumar
Nagpal and Amarjeet Singh are elected as chairpersons of two committees set up by IOSCO
(International Organisation of Securities Commissions) announced by IOSCOs Asia-Pacific Regional
Committee chairman by Mr. Ashley Ian Alder
ii. Nagpal would chair the Committee on Issuer Accounting, Audit and Disclosure while Singh
would be the chairperson of the Assessment Committee (AC).
Government appoints Yudhvir Singh Malik as new Chairman of NHAI
i. Former Haryana cadre IAS officer, Yudhvir Singh Malik is appointed as the Chairman of
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on November 23, 2016. He will replace Raghav
Chandra.
ii. The current chairman Raghav Chandra has been appointed as secretary of National Commission
for Scheduled Tribes.
N V Srinivasan appointed as Indo-American Chamber of Commerce President
i. NVS and Associates Managing Partner, N V Srinivasan is elected as its National President of
Trade body Indo-American Chamber of Commerce for the period 2016-17 by the committee of
the Chamber during the meeting held in Mumbai.
ii. Other Appointments: Bhasin and Company Managing Partner Lalit Bhasin and entrepreneur
Vasant Subramanyan were elected as Executive Vice-Presidents respectively.
Indian-American Nikki Haley picked by Donald Trump as US Ambassador to UN
i. The US President-elect Donald Trump on November 23, 2016 appointed Nikki Haleyof South
Carolina to serve as US ambassador to the United Nations.
ii. With this she will become the first Indian-American to be appointed to a cabinet-level post in
the US administration.
iii. Haley (Nimrata Nikki Randhawa) 44-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants is the first
minority and female governor to serve as Governor of South Carolina since 2011 and the youngest
current governor in the United States.
Nalanda University Chancellor George Yeo resigns from post
i. The Chancellor of Nalanda University resigned his post on November 25, 2016.He was taken this
decision because of autonomy in the university.

91 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. The university Board was reconstituted by President Pranab Mukherjee as its Visitor on
November 21. He also approved giving temporary charge of Vice Chancellor to current VC Gopa
Sabharwals whoes one-year extension expired on November 24, 2016.
iii. The new governing board will be a 14-member body which will be chaired by the chancellor. It
will also comprise vice-chancellor, along with five members nominated by India, China, Australia,
Laos PDR, and Thailand.
iv. Former revenue secretary NK Singh was a member of the Nalanda Mentors Group.
Upma Chowdhary Named First Woman Director Of LBSNAA
i. Former IAS officer Upma Chowdhary was appointed as the Director of Lal Bahadur Shastri
National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) at Mussoorie.She will replace Rajeev Kapoor.
ii. She is the first woman director of LBSNAA. She would be the 23rd director and first woman
director of the prestigious academy, imparting training to officers of civil services.
Mariamma Koshy appointed as New president of Hockey India
i. Mariamma Koshy was appointed as President of Hockey India (HI) during the 41st Hockey India
Executive Board meeting on November 25, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. He replaced Narinder Dhruv Batra who was recently elected as the 15th chief of
FIH(International Hockey Federation)
iii. Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, HI Secretary General has been appointed as the chairman of the
Hockey India League Governing Board.
Tata Steel removes Cyrus Mistry as chairman
i. Cyrus Mistry removed as Tata Steel chairman during board meeting held in Mumbai on
November 25, 2016. He was replaced by former head of SBI, O P Bhatt
ii. The board has also decided to appoint independent director Nusli Wadia as directors on the
board of the company.s
General Qamar Javed Bajwa appointed as new Pakistan Army chief
i. Lt Gen Qamar Bajwa has been appointed as the chief of Pakistan Army by the Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif. He will replace Gen Raheel Sharif who will retire on November 29, 2016.
ii. Lt Gen Zubair Hayat also appointed as the next chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee.
iii. Bajwa is currently serving at the GHQ as Inspector General of Training and Evaluation.He
headed the Pakistan Armys largest formation Rawalpindi-based X Corps which is responsible for
LoC operations.He has served in Congo with the United Nations.
BJPs Avinash Khanna all set to be appointed NHRC member
i. BJP Vice President AvinashRaiKhanna(55) is appointed as a member of National Human

92 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Rights Commission (NHRC). He will be the first active politician to be appointed as a member of
NHRC
ii. He was a former RajyaSabha member from Punjab and BJP in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir
and he was a member of Punjab State Human Rights Commission.
KPMG India CEO Richard Rekhy to retire
i. Leading professional services firm KPMG India CEO Richard Rekhy announced to retire from his
post.He has been serving as CEO since 2012 .
ii. His decision was accepted by KPMG International Chairman John B Veihmeyer and he will
continue to serve as CEO until his successor is ratified by KPMG India
B Nagabhushana Reddy concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the
Republic of Benin
i. Indian IFS officer B Nagabhushana Reddy has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador
of India to the Republic of Benin with residence in Abuja (Nigeria)
ii. Currently he is working as the Ambassador of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
BishwadipDey concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Commonwealth
of Dominica
The IFS officer BishwadipDey, High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Commonwealth of
Dominica with residence in Port of Spain.
Kamala Harris set to become first Indian-American US Senator
i. Kamala Harris, Californias Attorney General, is on the cusp of becoming the first IndianAmerican Senator in the US Congress
ii. According to a report, 55 per cent early voters chose Harris, 26 per cent backed Sanchez
and 14 per cent said neither.
iii. Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated
from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.
Twitter India MD Parminder Singh resigns
i. Twitters India and South East Asias Managing Director Parminder Singh has resigned
after Rishi Jaitly exit from twitter
ii. He will be replaced by Maya Hari and the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region will be
handled by Benjamin Ampen.
Young Indian lawyer gets elected into UNs top body of legal experts
i. Marking another milestone in the progress of India, a young Indian lawyer Aniruddha

93 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Rajput has won a seat in the hotly-contested United Nations (UN) General Assembly elections for
membership its top body of legal experts, garnering the highest number of votes in the Asia-Pacific
group.
ii. Aniruddha Rajput(33) is among the 34 individuals elected by the General Assemblyas
members of the International Law Commission, the UN organ tasked with the progressive
development of international law and its codification.
Equitas SFB ropes in R Ashwin as brand ambassador
i. Tamil Nadu based private sector bank Equitas Small Finance Bank has roped in Indian offspinner RavichandranAshwin as its brand ambassador for its products and services through
advertising campaigns and other promotional programmes.
ii. This was announced by PN Vasudevan, MD at Equitas Small Finance Bank.
Actor Ranveer Named Indian Ambassador For Switzerland Tourism
i. Bollywood Actor Ranveer Sing was named the first Indian ambassador for promoting 2017
Switzerland Tourisms campaign- Nature wants you back.
ii. He was in a long vacation in Switzerland three months back.The actor is now looking forward to
visiting Switzerland in winter early next year.
Eicher Polaris appoints PankajDubey as CEO
i. Eicher Polaris, a 50:50 joint venture between Eicher Motors and Polaris Industries Inc, has
appointed PankajDubey as its Chief Executive Officer.
ii. Dubey, who is also the Managing Director of Polaris India Ltd, will assume the position of CEO of
Eicher Polaris Pvt Ltd with immediate effect.
Kolkata-born Sarabjit Singh Marwah becomes Canadas first Sikh Senator
Former Scotiabank Vice Chairman Sarabjit Singh Marwah is has become the first Sikh to be
appointed to the Canadian Senate to showcase the rich diversity of Sikh and South Asian art and
culture
Sarabjit along with five new person from Ontario appointed to the Senate by Canada Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau.
He will be the only Indian-origin member of the Senate (upper house), there are over 20 MPs of
Indian origin the Canadian House of Commons (lower house).
Lebanons president names Saad Hariri new prime minister
i. Former Prime Minister and leader of Lebanons Future Movement Saad Hariri was named as
Lebanons new prime minister by the President Michel Aoun on November 3, 2016
ii. The decision came after Hariri won the support of 110 out of 127 lawmakers

94 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Lt Gen SatishDua takes over as Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC)
i. Lt Gen SatishDua took over as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of
Staff Committee (CISC). He was also accorded a Tri-Services Guard of Honour at the lawns of
South Block.
ii. He was commissioned in December 1979 into 8 JAK LI (Siachen), a Unit of the Indian Army
which is presently the Ceremonial Battalion in RashtrapatiBhavan.
Kim Byong-Joon is the new Prime Minister of South Korea
i. Kim Byong-Joon was named as the new Prim Minister of South Korea by President Park
Geun-Hye. He replaced Hwang Kyo-Ahn
ii. Prime minister of South Korea Hwang Kyo-Ahn and two other top cabinet members as a part of
a planned reshuffle of senior civil servants and ministers
Sanjiv Arora appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Lebanon
An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Sanjiv Arora has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India
to the Republic of Lebanon by Ministry of External Affairs.
Twitter India head Rishi Jaitly quits after 4-year stint
i. India head of Social media Twitter, Rishi Jaitly decided to quit his job at the end of November
2016. He joined the twitter in 2013.
ii. He was co-founder and CEO of Michigan Corps.
iii. Prior to this he has worked in the Knight Foundation, where he led investments in technology,
media, and digital tools.
Saptarshi Roy takes charge as Human Resource Director of NTPC
i. Saptarshi Roy(56) has taken over as Director of New Delhi based NTPC Limited on November
1,2016
ii. Roy (56 years) was working as Regional Executive Director (North) and ER-I Regions as well as
Executive Director (Corporate Planning).
iii. He has worked as HR of the Company since 2008.
Bindheswar Pathak appointed as Brand Ambassador Of Swachh Rail Mission
i. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is appointed Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar
Pathak as Brand Ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission on October 1, 2016.
ii. Indian Railways has joined hands with Sulabh International to clean some important railway
stations across the country as part of the Swachh Bharat mission.
iii. Sulabh has started cleaning and maintenance of five important railway stations Gorakhpur, Old
Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Gwalior from September

95 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Lieutenant General J S Sandhu takes charge as GoC of Chinar Corps
i. Lieutenant General J S Sandhu has taken charge as the General officer Commanding of the
Armys strategic Chinar Corps which is responsible for guarding the Line of Control in Kashmir
Valley
ii. Sandhu, who became the 46th Corps Commander of Chinar Corps, took over from Lt Gen
SatishDua.
iii. He has also represented the country in the Indian Embassy at Kathmandu, Nepal.
RBI appoints M Rajeshwar Rao as new Executive Director
i. The Reserve Bank has appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as Executive Director to look Department of
Statistics and Information Management, Financial markets Operations Department and
International Department. He will replace G Mahalingam who is retired from the RBI.
ii. Prior to this, Rao was the Chief General Manager, Financial Markets Operations Department.

Praveen Kumar Sharma appointed MD and CEO of CERSAI


i. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet appointed General Manager of State Bank of India
Praveen Kumar Sharma was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of
Central Registry of Securitisation Asset Reconstruction and Security Interest of India (CERSAI).
ii. The Appointment order is issued by Department of Personnel and Training , his tenure is three
years
Ratnesh Kumar appointed as MD & CEO of Bank of Baroda Capital Markets
i. Vadodara based Bank of Baroda has appointed Ratnesh Kumar as managing director and CEO
of its BOB Capital Markets by BOB CEO CEO P S Jayakumar
ii. Prior to this ,Kumar has been working as the Mangaing Director of CEO of Standard Chartered
Securities India.
Vinod Rai designated chairman FTAC, Kerela.
i. Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai has been appointed as the chairman
of the Fund Trustee and Advisory Commission (FTAC), Kerela.
ii. The appointment took place in a board meeting of Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board
(KIIFB) under the Chief minister and Chairman, Pinarayi Vijayan.
Donald Trump elected as Americas New President
i. The United States presidential election of 2016, held on November 8, 2016, was the 58th
U.S. presidential election. Donald Trump the Republican nominee defeated the Democratic
nominee Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump, age 70, became the oldest person ever to be elected as

96 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


president. He was born in 1946.
ii. Trump will assume the office as the 45th President from January 20, 2017.
Vani Venkatesh, Bharti Airtel new CEO-Retail
i. Bharti Airtel Ltd appointment Vani Venkatesh as the new chief executive for Airtel Retail on
8th November 2016. She will succeed Rohit Malhotra.
ii. Venkatesh will be responsible for driving Airtels retail strategy to deliver a seamless customer
experience across retail touch point.
S Gopakumar Appointed MD Of GIC Housing Finance
i. GIC Housing Finance announced that the S. Gopakumar, general manager with
Oriental Insurance Company, has been appointed as Managing Director of the company.
ii. Warendra Sinha resigned as Managing Director and CEO of GIC Housing Finance following
his advancement as whole time director of National Insurance Company.
Lt Gen DevrajAnbu New Chief Of Northern Command
i. Lieutenant General, DevrajAnbu is probably to replace the incumbent Lt Gen D S Hooda, as new
GOCin Chief of Northern Command.
ii. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed
the name of Lt General Anbu for the post of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C)
with effect from December.
R Subramania Kumar to hold addl charge of MD and CEO, IOB
i. R. Subramania Kumar was given additional charge of the post of Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer of Indian Overseas Bank for three months.
ii. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved entrustment of additional charge of the
post of MD and CEO, Indian Overseas Bank to Kumar, the only available Executive Director in the
bank
Rahul Dravid Appointed Brand Ambassador For T20 World Cup For Blind
i. Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been made brand ambassador for the second T20
World Cup for the Blind in a offer to create awarness about the tournament.
ii. He would mentor the visually-impaired, Dravidstated he might need some mentoring from
them. What they did is a lot tougher than what I had did. It would be foolish for him to say that he
could mentor them because he had never experienced what it was like to be a visually-impaired
cricketer. His role is to create awareness about this event.
iii. The tournament will commence on January 28 next year, and will be held across eight
Indian cities.

97 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Ishaat Hussai named interim chairman of TCS, replaces cyrus mistry
i. Tata Sons, the largest shareholder in Tata Consultancy Services, with 73.26% stake, has
removed Cyrus Mistry as the chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and nominated Mr.
Ishaat Hussain as the interim chairman of the IT major with immediate effect.
ii. Mr. Hussain will remain chairman until a new person is appointed in his place.
Meng Hongwei elected the President of the International Criminal Police Organization
(Interpol)
i. Chinas Vice-Minister for Public Security, Meng Hongwei was elected the President of the
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for a tenure of 4-years
ii. Hongwei is the first Chinese official to hold the top post of Interpol. He will replace Mireille
Ballestrazzi from France
iii. His includes chairing meetings of the Executive Committee, which ensures the implementation
of decisions made at the General Assembly.
Narinder Batra elected as new president of International Hockey Federation
i. Hockey India President Narinder Batra was elected as the president of the International
Hockey Federation (FIH) in Dubai on November 12, 2016.He 59 year old, defeated David Brinie
of Ireland and Ken Read of Australia in a three-man race.
ii. He is the first Indian to be elected as chief of an Olympic Sports international governing body.
Mahindra and Mahindra elevates Pawan Goenka as MD
i. Mahindra and Mahindra appointed Pawan Goenka as Managing Director and Anand
Mahindra was redesignated as executive chairman.
ii. Goenka joined Mahindra as general manager, R&D in 1993.
iii. He was elevated as president of the automotive division in 2005, head of automotive and farm
equipment vertical in 2010 and as executive director on the board in 2013.
B. Nagabhushana Reddy concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the
Republic of Chad
i. The IFS officer B. Nagabhushana Reddy appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Republic
of Chad with residence in Abuja (Nigeria).
ii. He is currently working as the High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Bulgarian PM resigns after losing presidential election
i. The Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov gave resignation of his cabinet after his partys
candidate Tsetska Tsacheva , failed to win the countrys presidential election on November 14,
2016.

98 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. Right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party candidate Tsetska Tsacheva,
speaker of parliament , was defeated by Socialist Party-supported independent candidate
Rumen Radev .
Donald Trump names Reince Priebus chief of staff, Stephen Bannon chief strategist
i. Donald Trump has named Republican National Committee Chairman Reince
Priebus as chief of staff to his new administration and former Breitbart CEO Steve
Bannon as chief strategist and senior counselor to the president.
ii. Presidents-elect typically name a chief of staff as one of their first and most crucial appointments
because the person in this role can help determine a presidents style of governing
Yes Bank Appoints Amresh Acharya As Head Global Indian Banking
i. Mumbai based YES Bank appointed Amresh Acharya as Group President and head of Global
Indian Banking.
ii. Acharya will report to Senior Group President, Retail and Business Banking Pralay Mondal
Guy Ryder re-elected as Director-General of International Labour Organization
i. Guy Ryder was re-elected as Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for
another five-year term from October 2016.
ii. He has received 54 votes of the 56 votes by the titular members.
iii. He is the 10th ILO Director-General and has about 35 years of experience in the world of work.
Women Commando Team Inducted In CRPF
i. A team of women commandos has been inducted for the first time in Central Reserve
Police Force (CRPF) to counter Naxal insurgency in Jharkhand.
ii. The 135 women belonging to the 232 battalions Delta Company, included in the operation,
are currently undertaking operations under the close supervision of CRPFs
133battalion in Naxal-infested forests on the outer area of Ranchi near Khoonti area.
iii. They have been provided extensive training in CRPF academies specially for countering Naxals.
Rishi Jaitly appointed CEO of Times Global Partners
i. Times Internet, the digital arm of The Times of India group, on Wednesday appointed former
Twitter Inc.s India head Rishi Jaitly as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Times Global
Partners, a group initiative that supports the launch and expansion of emerging global digital
companies in India.
ii. Jaitly will replace Puneet Singhvi who was heading Times Global Partners till now as chief
operating officer.

99 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Israel names first ambassador to Turkey since 2010
i. Israel nominated a new ambassador to Turkey, its first since the two countries normalised ties
after the 2010 crisis triggered by Israels deadly storming of a Gaza-bound ship.
ii. Eitan Naeh was formally selected by a government committee, said foreign ministry spokesman
Emmanuel Nahshon.
Cyrus Mistry out of Tata Global Beverages; Harish Bhat named new Chairman
i. Sacking ousted Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry, Tata Global Beverages named company
veteran Harish Bhat as its new chairman.In a board meeting, 7 out of 10 Independent Directors
voted in favour of ouster of Cyrus Mistry.
ii. The Board of Directors also appointed Mr. Harish Bhat a Non-Executive Director of the
Company, as the Chairman of the Company.
Debbie Hockley first Woman to be elected president of New Zealand Cricket Board
i. Debbie Hockley has been elected as president of
New Zealand Cricket Board, becoming the first woman to hold that role in the 122-year history
of the sports national governing body.
ii. Hockley was nominated for the position by Canterbury Cricket, during the boards Annual
General Meeting in Christchurch on November 16, 2016.
iii. The 54-year-old will replace outgoing president Stephen Boock and will serve three-year
appointment.
Gautam Kumra elected McKinsey & Companys India managing director
i. Gautam Kumra, partner at McKinsey & Companys New Delhi office has been appointed as the
new managing director for India by the consulting firms Asia chief Kevin Sneader at an India
partners meet held in New Delhi on November 28, 2016
ii. He will replace Noshir Kaka who recently appointed as one of the leaders of the firms analytics
practice.
Susan Kiefel become Australias first woman highest ranking judge
i. A former law firm receptionist Susan Kiefel is appointed as Australias first woman Chief Justice
of Australia on November 29, 2016 by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. She will
replace Justice Robert French
ii. Kiefel will become the 13th Chief Justice of Australia and the senior judge on the seven-judge
bench
iii. She became the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland state in 1993. She is
currently one of three women on the High Court bench and the longest serving judge after French.

100 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Lt General AK Bhatt appointed as new DGMO, Lt General Ranbir Singh promoted to GOC 1
Corps
i. Indian Army appointed Major General AK Bhatt as new Director General of Military
Operations (DGMO) while promoted Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh to General Officer
Commanding of Strike 1 Corps.
ii. The new DGMO, Lt Gen AK Bhat, is a recently promoted Gorkha officer.
Myntra appoints Ajit Narayanan as its new CTO
i. Indian fashion e-commerce marketplace company Myntras chief technology and product
officer Shamik Sharma has moved into an advisory role. He will replaced by SVP Ajit
Narayanan.
ii. Prior to this, Narayanan was working as the head of engineering at Myntra.
Cipla appoints Ireena Vittal as independent director
i. Indian multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Cipla is appointed Ireena
Vittal as an independent director on its board on November 29, 2016. It will effect
from December 1, 2016.
ii. Prior to this she worked with McKinsey, Nestle and MaxTouch. She has also served
government and public institutions to design and implement solutions core to Indias development,
such as inclusive urban development and sustainable rural growth.
Dr Seema Verma, Second Indian-American to be Nominated to top Administration post by
President-Elect Trump
i. US President-elect Donald Trump nominated a second Indian-American woman, Dr. Seema
Verma to a top administration position on November 29, 2016, as in charge of a federal agency
within the health department.
ii. Dr Verma currently is the President, CEO and founder of SVC, Inc, a national health policy
consulting company.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS


Oracle to Buy US based Dyn for an undisclosed amount
i. Oracle on 21 November 2016 signed an agreement to acquire US-based Dynamic Network
Services Inc, or Dyn. Oracle has not disclosed the deal amount.
Quikr buys Grabhouse in all stock deal
i. An Indian classified advertising platform Quikr announced to acquire an online home rental

101 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


solutions provider, Grabhouse in an all-stock deal giving investors Sequoia Capital and Kalaari
Capital stake in Quikr to strengthen its own service.
ii. It is the Quikrs ninth acquisition in this year. Quikr did not disclose the value of the deal.
Sun Pharma to acquire 85% stake in Russias Biosintez for $60 million
i. The largest drug firm of India, Sun Pharma, has entered into an agreement with Russian
pharma company JSC Biosintez to acquire 85.1 percent equity stake in the Russian firm for $60
million.
ii. Out of the total deal value of around $60 million, $24 million will be given for acquiring 85.1
percent equity stake in the Russian firm while the remaining $36 million will be assumed as
Russian companys debt.
iii. The transaction is however subjected to the approval of the Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly
Service and other closing conditions and is expected to be completed by end of 2016,
PepsiCo to Acquire Probiotic Drinks Maker KeVita
i. PepsiCo Inc. announced to acquire probiotic and kombucha beverage maker KeVita Inc on
November 22, 2016.
ii. Aim: To diversity the portfolio to tilt more heavily toward beverages that are in the health and
wellness space of the grocery aisle at a time
iii. PepsiCo was paying $200 million to KeVita Inc expand its health and wellness offerings.
Zee group to buy stake in Reliance TV channels and radio business for 1890.4 crore
i. Reliance group has entered into a deal with Zee group to sell its 100% stake in TV
channels and sell 49% stake in radio business to Zee group. The total deal will cost Rs 1890.4
crore($283 million) to Zee group.
ii. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) which is a entity under Zee group, will acquire
100% stake in the Reliance Groups General Entertainment TV business. For this ZEEL will pay Rs
298.4 crore to Reliance group. Tv channels includes Big Magic and Big Ganga, and four other TV
licences.
Strides Shasun to acquire Moberg Pharmas PediaCare for $5 million
i. Bangalore-based pharmaceutical company Strides Shasun announced to acquire Swedish
Moberg Pharmas brand PediaCare for $5 million.
ii. Moberg Pharmas strategy is to build value through profitable growth of strategic brands, to
increase the value of pipeline assets and to make value-adding acquisitions.

102 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Biyanis Future Retail to acquire Chandrababu Naidu owned Heritage Foods retail
business
i. Kishore Biyanis Future Retail to acquire Chandrababu Naidu owned Heritage Foods retail
business around Rs 300 crore.
ii. The deal will funded by cash and shares of Future Retail.
Tesla bought German automation firm Grohmann
i. In the middle of seeking investor approval for a merger with SolarCity Corp., Tesla made an
announcement that its receiving a small German engineering firm to help automate and accelerate
production at its factories.
ii. Several critical elements of Teslas automated manufacturing systems will be designed and
produced in Pruem, Rhineland-Palatinate state, the California-based firm.
Dish TV, Videocon D2H to merge as single DTH company
i. Indias largest direct-to-home (DTH) player, Dish TV and Videocon d2h (Vd2h) have decided to
merge operations to form the single largest pay TV operator with 27.6 millionnet subscribers.
ii. The Board of Directors of the two companies approved a scheme of arrangement for
amalgamation on November 11, 2016.
Paytm buys Shopsity for offline boost
i. Online payments and ecommerce marketplace Paytm acquired Delhi-based Shopsity to
strengthen its offline retail network.
ii. The acquisition will aid Paytms target of reaching 4 million offline merchants by March 2017
iii. Shopsity co-founders Danish Ahmed and Gaurav Aryahave joined Paytms management.
Samsung Electronics Buys Auto-Systems Maker Harman For USD 8 Billion
i. South Korean company Samsung Electronics to acquire auto-systems maker Harman
International Industries for USD 8 billion. It would be the Samsungs biggest ever acquisition.
ii. Samsung will pay USD 112.00 per share in cash for the Stamford, Connecticut-based company.
Facebook buys emotion detection start-up FacioMetrics
i. Facebook has acquired FacioMetrics, an emotion detection start-up, to help its artificial
intelligence (AI) research into building facial gesture controls.
ii. FacioMetrics developed an app called Intraface that can detect seven different emotions in
peoples faces.
Airtel announces merger with Axiata in Bangladesh
i. India based Bharti Airtel Ltd (Airtel) has completed the merger with Bangladesh based Robi

103 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Axiata Ltd (Robi Axiata) of Axiata Group Berhad (Axiata).Now it will operate under the Robi
Axiata brand in Bangladesh. The proposed merger agreement was signed between Aritel and Robi
in January, 2016.
ii. Axiata will hold 68.7 per cent stake and Airtel Bangladesh will hold 25 per cent. The remaining
6.3 per cent stake will be held by NTT DoCoMo, Airtel.
Cognizant to acquire Mirabeau BV to expand digital expertise
i. American multinational corporation Cognizant will acquire Mirabeau BV for an undisclosed
amount to expand Cognizants digital business capabilities in the Netherlands and across Europe.
ii. The 15-year old digital firm Mirabeau specialises in verticals like travel and hospitality, financial
services, retail, and B2B sectors. Its clients includes brands such as KLM, ING, Air France, Maxeda,
MoneYou, LeasePlan.com, and Transavia.

MoUs
India & Switzerland Sign Joint Declaration for the implementation of Automatic
Exchange of Information (AEOI)
i. Sushil Chandra, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Gilles Roduit, Deputy Chief of
Mission of Swiss Embassy in India signed a joint declaration for automatic exchange of information
(AEOI) on November 22, 2016 for the implementation of Automatic Exchange of
Information (AEOI) between the two countries
ii. From now India will be possible to receive the financial information of accounts held by Indian
residents in Switzerland for 2018 and subsequent years from September 2019onwards.
India Switzerland Signs MoU to extend Indo-Swiss Building Energy Efficiency Project
(BEEP) by five years
i. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India and Switzerlandfor a
joint project on energy efficiency of buildings in November 2011, for duration of five years.
ii. Based on the excellent results achieved by the project in the first phase,
the ambassador of Switzerland to India, Andreas Baum, and Raj Pal, economic adviser at the
Indian Ministry of Power, signed a pact to extend the Indo-Swiss Building Energy Efficiency
Project (BEEP) by five years till 2021,
iii. The extended MoU was exchanged between the two governments at the international
conference Energy Efficient Building Design: Experiences and Way Forward, on November 28,
2016.

104 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


South Korea & Japan again sign controversial intelligence deal
i. Japan and South Korea signed a controversial agreement on November 23, 2016 to share
defence intelligence on North Korea. In 2012 both counties were signed an intelligence-sharing
deal , but Seoul backtracked at the time itself.
ii. The deal was opposed by South Korean opposition parties and activists.North Korea has labelled
it as a dangerous act and Japans re-invasion.
Airbnb signs MoU with Self-Employed Womens Association of India (SEWA) to boost
rural tourism
i. The worlds largest online homestay marketplace Airbnb signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Self-Employed Womens Association of India (SEWA) on
November 23, 2016 to promote tourism in rural areas.
ii. This initiative will begin in Gujarat and later expand to other states.

Odisha Signs Agreement To Set Up 4 More STPI Centres & Odisha To Get Gems
&Jewellery Industrial Park
i. Naveen Patnaik lead Odisha government signing an MoU with Software Technology Parks of
India (STPI) for setting up facilities at four more places. The agreement was signed to set up STPI
centres at Angul, Jajpur, Jeypore in Koraput and Sambalpur.
ii. Presently STPI centres aeloacted at Rourkela, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and
Balasore. After this proposal Odisha would have the highest number of such centre in the country.
Assam govt inks MoU with Civil Aviation Ministry for Regional Connectivity Scheme
i. Chief Minister Sonowal and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok GajapatiRaju inked a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India under
Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
ii. He also requested to make Guwahati Airport as a world class airport
iii. According to MoU, the Assam government shall reduce VAT to 1% or less on Aviation turbine
fuel (ATF) at RCS Airports.
iv. The Assam Government will provide free land for the development of heliports in Diphu and
Haflong
India and Venezuela sign deals to increase oil production worth $1.45 billion
i. Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro and Executive Director of Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation, Narendra Kumar Verma signed oil production deals worth $1.45 billion in Caracas,
Venezuela on November 4, 2016.
ii. Aim : To increase oil production.

105 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. The agreement comes amid a severe economic crisis in Venezuela and it is a way to boost oil
production, pay off debts and increase the countrys oil income.
India, Sweden agree to enhance collaboration in energy sector
i. Power Minister PiyushGoyal with senior government officials from the ministry as well as
representatives from industry bodies CII and FICCI went official visit to Sweden from November
1-3 ,2016.
ii. Power Minister PiyushGoyal and Ibrahim Baylan, Swedish Minister for Policy Coordination and
Energy have agreed to enhance collaboration in energy sector with special focus on areas such as
waste-to-energy, hydropower, smart metering and solar energy
Google tied up with ASI for virtual tour of monuments
i. Google has associated with Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) for 360 degree virtual tour of
280-odd monuments across the country.
ii. We have a tie-up with ASI for 360 degrees virtual tour of 280 monuments across the
country of which 30 are in West Bengal was stated bySanket Gupta, programme manager of Google
Maps.
iii. ASI had given the permission to Google for creating the virtual tour, which would be available in
the maps.Google has launched an arrangement of products in India like offline view of
maps, live traffic alerts and inclusion of unknown places on the maps by local guides.
MoU signed for enabling online submission of applications under PMAY
i. Ministry of HUPA and Common Services Centre e-Governance Services India Limited of
the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology signed Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for enabling online submission of applications under PMAY(Pradhan MantriAwasYojana)
ii. The MoU was signed by Shri AmritAbhijat, Joint Secretary, Ministry of HUPA and Shri Dinesh
Tyagi, CEO of CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd.
iii. It will enable online submission of applications by the urban poor for affordable houses under
PMAY from November 3, 2016 at a nominal cost of Rs.25/- per application.
India, Britain signed MoUs on IPR, ease of doing business
i. India and Britain signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on intellectual property
rights (IPR) and ease of doing business following delegation-level talks led by Prime Ministers
Narendra Modi and Theresa May.
ii. Both the MoUs were exchanged in the presence of Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and her
British side Theresa May here.It is intended to promote innovation, creativity and economic growth
in both countries.
iii. It established a broad and flexible framework through which both countries can exchange best

106 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


practices and work together on training programmes and technical exchanges get bigger awareness
on IPRs and better protect intellectual property rights.

Maharashtra-Canada Collaboration to develop Urban Infra, Smart Cities


i. Maharashtra government on November 8, 2016, signed an agreement with Canada to
implement a joint action plan on urban infrastructure development in the State.
ii. The potential areas for joint action plan include affordable housing, urban infrastructure including
smart cities, project financing, training and skills development.
BIL-TASK inks MoU for setting financial education center in Telangana
i. BSE Institute Ltd (BIL) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) on November 10, 2016, at the
ongoing CII Global Skill Summit, in Telangana, to set up a center of excellence for financial
education centre in the state.
ii. The primary focus of the MoU will be on training and skilling of youth in the capital markets and
finance sector in the state of Telangana.
NSDA Signs MoU with British Council to Collaborate for Joint Research in Skills Sector
i. Gemmell, director of National Skill Development Agency(NSDA) and The British Council
representative Dr. Sunita Chhibba signed a MoU to collaborate for undertaking joint research
projects in the area of skill development.
ii. Aim: To promote knowledge exchange and research collaborations between UK and India in the
skills space and to strengthen capacity of research organisations in both the countries
iii. Under this partnership, the topic for the joint research study in first year of collaboration is
Future Skills that will focus on, understanding labour market trends and identifying future
employment in India in selected manufacturing and service sectors in view of changing technology.
Latvia becomes first Baltic Sea country to link with Chinas OBOR
i. Latvia has become the first country in the Baltic Sea area to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding to link up with Chinas One Belt and One Road (OBOR) Initiative.
ii. The MoU was ratified after Chinese Premier Li Keqiangs meeting with his Latvian counterpart
Maris Kucinskis in Riga (capital of Latvia). It was Chinese Premiers first visit to the European
Union country.
Paris climate change agreement entered into force
i. The Paris agreement on climate change entered into force, marking the first time that
governments have agreed legally binding limits to global temperature rise.
ii. The aim of more than two decades of often complex international negotiations on combating

107 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


climate change was hailed by nations and observers around the world.
iii. Under the agreement, all governments that have signed the agreement, which includes the US,
China, India and the EU, now carry an duty to hold global warming to no more than 2C above
pre-industrial levels.
iv. Countries have put forward commitments on decreasing carbon emissions under the agreement,
but a report found those promises would see temperature rises significantly overshoot the
threshold, with 3C of warming. Environmental groups urged governments to do more.
v. Pakistan and Austrlia signed Paris Climate change agreement recently.
India, Sri Lanka agreed to form Joint Working Group on Fisheries to address fishermen
issue
i. India and Sri Lanka have consented to prepare a Joint Working Group on Fisheries(JWG) and
a hotline between their Coast Guards to speak about the long-standing issue of fishermen
from Tamil Nadu being arrested
ii. The decision, taken during talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sri
Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in New Delhi, came three days after fishermen
of both countries failed to reach an agreement on ending fishing in Sri Lankan waters by Indian
fishermen.
India, Bhutan sign new bilateral trade agreement
i. Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and H.E. Tengye Lyonpo Lekey
Dorji, Minister for Economic Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan signed the Agreement on
Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and the Royal Government of Bhutan in the
presence of H.E. Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan at the Gyalyong Tshokhang
in Thimphu on 12 November, 2016
ii. The new bilateral Trade Agreement aims to enhance trade between the two countries through
trade facilitation by improving procedures, cutting down on documentation and adding additional
exit/entry points for Bhutans trade with other countries.It is also expectedto further strengthen the
excellent relations between the two countries.
Colombias Government, FARC Rebels Sign Modified Peace Agreement
i. Colombias government and its largest rebel group signed a new, modified peace accordon 12
November 2016. The accord is a modification of the agreement signed between President Juan
Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia(FARC)inked on 26
September 2016, which was however rejected by the voters in a referendum on 2 October 2016.
ii. The agreement aims at ending a 52-year-long conflict between the rebel group and the
government that has claimed more than 2, 20,000 lives and because of which more than 8 million
people lost their home.

108 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Government Of India And Asian Development Bank (ADB) signs $48 million loan to
improve Assams power distribution.
i. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $48 million loan deal
on 7 November 2016 to help Assam improve its electricity power distribution system.
ii. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved a loan of $300 million for the Assam Power
Sector Investment Program in July 2014. This $ 48 million is the second trancheloan of the full $
300 million loan. The first tranche loan of $50 million was signed in February 2015.
MOU on Defence Salary Package Signed between Indian Army and Corporation Bank
i. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army and Corporation
Bank on the Defence Salary Package.
ii. The MoU is adapted to suit the requirements of serving soldiers, pensioners and families and
includes free / concessional services including free drafts, free cheque books, free funds transfers
to any bank in India through RTGS / NEFT, free ATM cards, Unlimited transactions on all ATMs
including that of other Banks.
LinkedIn Inks MoU With Govt To Create More Jobs For Students
i. US based LinkedIn has signed an agreement with Ministry of Human Resource
Development to create more job opportunities in India.
ii. According to the MoU, LinkedIns Placements product which was launched in September
2016 will be adopted by all colleges affiliated with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
iii. More than two lakh students will be registered for the product and there were over 1.2million
job applications.

DRDO Signs MoU With IIT Delhi to Establish JATC


i. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi to establish a Joint Advanced Technology
Centre (JATC).
ii. JATC will be located in the campus of IIT Delhi at the upcoming Science and Technology
Park (Mini-Science Park MSP).
Indian Railway and Assam enters Rs. 5000 crore JV.
i. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, on November 10, 2016, announced a joint venture project
worth 5000 crore with Assam government for the construction of four elevated railway tracks
between Kamakhya and New Guwahati.
ii. The elevated tracks would remove conjestion of city roads and free up railway land and enable
railways to develop Guwahati station as a commercial hub.

109 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Framework agreement of International Solar Alliance signed by 20 nations
i. The framework agreement of International Solar Alliance (ISA) was opened for signatures on
November 15, 2016, at the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), at Marrakech, in Morocco.
ii. Over 20 countries became the signatories to it soon after the process started, including India,
France and Brazil.The signing of the framework agreement required official authorization by
countries. The agreement required at-least 15 countries to ratify it to become operational.
iii. The Framework Agreement will be kept open as many more countries are expected to join the
ISA in the coming weeks.
iv. ISA was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly with French President Francois
Hollande at CoP21 in Paris in November 2015.
Telangana govt inks pact with Microsoft
i. Telangana IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Microsoft India (R&D) Managing Director Anil
Bhansali signed an MoU with Microsoft Corporation India to explore cloud, machine learning and
mobile-based solutions in the state.
ii. Aim : To promote the states effort to incorporate Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) .
iii. According to the agreement, Microsoft India will work with Telangana government to support
the development of cloud and mobile-based solutions and support the use of machine learning and
advanced visualisation to help solve challenges in the fields of education, agriculture and
healthcare.
ADB And GoI Signed $500 million loan to Build Longest Bridge across River Ganga
i. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India(GoI) have signed
a $500 million loan to build Indias longest river bridge, a 9.8 km long road bridge across
the Ganges River to improve transport connectivity between North and South Bihar for a better
link between the State Capital, Patna, and the surrounding areas.
ii. The new Ganga Bridge will be located near Patna and will span both channels of the Ganges
River and serve as an alternate route to the existing Ganga Bridge.
iii. The project will also build viaducts, embankments, and toll and service facilities, and will link to
national highway networks.
iv. The new Ganga Bridge will benefit over 9 million people by reducing the travel time to Patna
from the surrounding regions, in particular north Bihar, which will ease access of people to states
administrative and social services.
v. Along with ADBs loan, the state government of Bihar will provide support equivalent to $215
million. The project is expected to be completed by the end of December 2020.

110 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas sign MoU to boost to skill initiatives in the Hydrocarbon Sector
MSDE Secretary Rohit Nandan and MoPNG Secretary K. D. Tripathi signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to scale up skill development initiatives in the Hydrocarbon and allied sectors
among other areas of cooperation.
Objectives of MoU :
i. To develop comprehensive skill development plans for existing and potential workforce in
alignment with National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
ii. To certify existing workforce in the hydrocarbon sector for Recognition of Prior Learning under
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
iii. To promote and scale-up apprenticeship training under National Apprenticeship Promotion
Scheme
NIT Agartala signs 3 MoUs with ONGC, NEEPCO business
i. National Institute of Technology (NIT) Agartala has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), North Eastern Electric Power
Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) and iBuild
ii. The MoU would be valid for five years in the sector of knowledge updating, collaborative
research in oil sectors, imparting training and conducting short term courses, which will facilitate a
better atmosphere for research and development

SCHEMES
Smriti Irani distributed PAHCHAN Identity Cards to Artisans in Gujarat
i. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani distributed PAHCHAN identity cards to artisans
of Gujarat belonging to Jamnagar, Naroda, Surendranagar, Amreli and Kalol at Ahmedabad Haat,
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat on November 19, 2016.
ii. The cards will enable the artisans to take the benefit of any government scheme, participate in
any domestic or international fair and also give the national identity to the artisans by registering
them under a national database.
iii. 20 artisans from each of the 5 cities will also be imparted training under Guru Shishya
Parampara, where nationally acclaimed designers will train the artisans.
PM Modi to launch Pradhan Mantri Grameen Awas Yojna in Agra
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Pradhan Mantri Grameen Awas Yojna, an
ambitious housing scheme for rural poor, in Agra on November 20, 2016.
ii. Pradhan Mantri Grameen Awas Yojna which was previously known as Housing For All, was
launched on June 25, 2016 with an aim of constructing about 2 crore houses across the nation

111 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


to provide affordable housing to all Indian citizen below poverty line by the year 2022
iii. Mr Modi will also give away the allotment letters to 50 beneficiaries of the scheme that aims
to provide about 3 crore new housing units countrywide.
iv. The Prime Minister will also address the BJP supporters in the city for the partys electoral
campaign in the region for the next years Assembly elections.
Haryana Launches VDS For Power Consumers
i. Manohar Lal Khattar lead Haryana government launched a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS)
2016 and Surcharge Waiver Scheme 2016 on November 19, 2016.This scheme shall remain in
operation from November 20 to December 31, 2016.
ii. Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) :
VSD Scheme for declaring tampered or defective meters for all categories of consumers having
sanctioned load up to five KW
The consumer will have the option to deposit the bill amount in lump-sum or in a maximum of six
equal bi-monthly installments payable along with the next 6 bills.
Surcharge Waiver Scheme- 2016 :
SWS for small domestic and non-domestic consumers (having sanctioned load up to 2 KW) in
rural areas.
Rajasthan Govt to launch Annapurna rasoi programme to provide cheap food to weaker
sections
i. Rajasthan government has decided to start an initiative Annapurna rasoi programme to
provide quality meal at cheap price to people belonging to the weaker section and labourers.
ii. Motto of Annapurna rasoi: Food to All and Respect to All
iii. Under the initiative, labourers, rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, students, working women, elders
and other weaker section will be provided breakfast at Rs 5 per plate and lunch/dinner at Rs 8 per
plate.
iv. The scheme will be started in 12 districts in the first phase which include Jaipur, Jodhpur,
Udaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Pratapgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara, Baran and Jhalawar.
Govt launches Pradhan Mantri Surakshit MatritvaAbhiyan to improve health facilities for
pregnant women
Central Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan
(PMSMA) to provide free health check-ups to pregnant women at government health centers
and hospitals.
About PMSMA,
Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan or Yojana is a new initiative of the Narendra Modi
Government launched on June 9, 2016. The scheme has been launched with the objective of

112 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


boosting the health care facilities for the pregnant women, especially the poor.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, the pregnant ladies will be given free health
check-up and required treatment for free on 9th of every month. The scheme will be applicable
for pregnant women to avail in all Government hospitals across the country.

The national programme will provide special free antenatal care to about 3 crore
pregnant women across the country in order to detect and prevent high risk
pregnancies.

All kinds of medical checkups under this scheme will be completely free.Women will be
marked differently based on their health problems so that doctors can easily detect the
problem. The scheme is applicable only to the women in their pregnancy period of 3 to 6
months.

The women who are not from urban areas and belong to semi urban, poor and rural areas
will be given preferences under the Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan.

This move needs to be made a national social movement which shall engage the doctors
from the private sector and other stakeholders and also administered
the #IPledgeFor9Pledge for urging all to support this programme.

This scheme is targeting women who have not received or dropped out of ANC check-ups
and a minimum package of investigations and medicines such as IFA and calcium
supplements, would be provided to all pregnant women attending the PMSMA clinics.

West Bengal CM distributes 43,000 bicycles to students under SabujSathi


i. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee distributed 43,000 bicycles to class eleventh
students of state-run, aided and sponsored schools under SabujSathi at Jamboni in West
Midnapore.
ii. SabujSathi is a project wherein all school-going children in West Bengal will be gifted bicycles
by the Government. It was announced by Mamata Banerjee in 2015.
Central Government approves to Implement Price Support Scheme
i. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has given its approval for implementation of
Price Support Scheme(PSS) for procurement of Groundnut in Gujarat during the Kharif season
2016-17
ii. Price Support Scheme for Oil Seeds and Pulses , it was implemented through the National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED).
iii. It has directed NAFED and SFAC to initiate the procurement immediately at MSP + Bonus at Rs
4220/Qtl.
PM Narendra Modi launches Saur Sujala Yojana in Chhattisgarh
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Chhattisgarh to marks the states 16th foundation
day on November 1, 2016. He launched the Saur Sujala Yojana in Chhattisgarh in order to

113 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


provide solar powered irrigation pumps to farmers at a subsidized price. He also inaugurates jungle
safari, statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Naya Raipur BRTS project in Chhattisgarh
ii. Chhattisgarh was the first state to implement the Saur Sujala Yojana .Under the scheme,
solar powered irrigation pumps of 3HP and 5HP capacity worth Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh
respectively would be distributed to the farmers by March 31, 2019.
iii. PM Narendra Modi also inaugurated Asias largest man-made jungle safari of about 800-acre
Nandanvan Zoo and Safari, at Naya Raipur in Chhattisgarh.
MSDE Announces Launch Of Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana
Minister of State(I/C) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy,
launched the Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana, MSDEs flagship scheme on entrepreneurship
education and training, marking the 2nd Foundation Day of Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship.
About the Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana :
The scheme spans over five years (2016-17 to 2020-21) with a project cost of Rs. 499.94
crore, and will provide entrepreneurship education and training to over 7 lakh students in 5 years
through 3050 Institutes.

It will also include easy access to information and mentor network, credit, incubator and
accelerator and advocacy to create a pathway for the youth.

MSDEs two institutions dedicated to entrepreneur education and training NIESBUD and
IIE- have trained more than 7 lakh trainees including 2,600 persons from more
than 125 countries in the field of entrepreneurial skills till date.

After becoming a part of this Ministry, these two institutes are now focusing on
mentorship of budding entrepreneurs across the country and succeed so far and we are
determined to create more opportunities of employment for our youth through this
initiative.

The institutes under the PMs YUVA Yojana include 2200 Institutes of Higher
Learning (colleges, universities, and premier institutes), 300 schools, 500 ITIs and 50
Entrepreneurship Development Centres, through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

MSDE also unveiled the Lab Guidelines towards standardisation of lab equipment
across skill development training centres in India at the conference.

Kahin Bhi-Kabhi Bhi medical facilities launched for ESIC beneficiaries


i. Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labor and
Employment launched the Kahin-Bhi-Kabhi-Bhi medical facilities for The Employees
StateInsurance Corporation (ESIC) beneficiaries of Delhi and Inaugurated the 6 bedded Day
Care Unit of ESI Dispensary on November 8 at Dwarka.
ii. This makes ESIC dispensaries a complete medical unit with facilities like OPD care, family

114 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


welfare services, full-time laboratory and X-ray and diagnostic care enabling the beneficiaries and
their families to visit the day care centre for minor disorder instead of going to ESIC hospitals.
iii. In future Day Care Centres will also be developed at 3 more ESIC dispensaries in Delhi
at Nandnagari, Mangolpuri and Jwalapuri and 6-bedded day care centers at various ESI
dispensaries all over the country.
Free LPG connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana cross 1 Cr
i. The number of rural households were distributed with free LPG connections under the Pradhan
Mantri UjjwalaYojana (PMUY) has crossed the 1 crore.
ii. Under the scheme launched six months ago, each below-poverty-line rural household without
LPG is being given an LPG cylinder, a stove and regulator.
Himachal Pradesh Approves Mukhya Mantri Shikshak Samman Yojana
i. The Himachal Pradesh cabinet approved Mukhya Mantri Shikshak Samman Yojana in a
meeting chaired by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh held on November 10, 2016.
ii. The meeting aimed at motivating the teachers to give overall good results particularly in subjects
like Maths, Science and English etc.
iii. The teachers who will give 100 percent results for a period of 5 years will be given one
year extension in service in addition to monetary rewards.
iv. The scheme applied to Trained Graduate Teachers (TGT), Post Graduate Teachers (PGT),
Headmasters and Principals.
v. The meeting also decided to hold the winter session of the state Assembly at Dharamsala from
December 19 to December 23, 2016.
Nava Kerala Mission Launched by P Sathasivam
The government of Kerala launched four projects under Nava Kerala Mission for comprehensive
development in the fields of health, education, housing and sanitation.The project was inaugurated
by the Governor of Kerala P Sathasivam.
The projects are:
i. Haritha Keralam: organic farming for agricultural development and preserving water sources
would be the main focus.
ii. Aardram: improving quality and facilities at government hospitals and to enable treatment at a
reasonable price;
iii. Life a mission to provide housing for the homeless and bring quality of life
iv. Mission to preserve public education system by bringing up novel teaching methodologies.
Chhattisgarh Becomes First State To Adopt Resolution Supporting Demonetization Move
To strengthen the national economy and make it more transparent and efficient by way of

115 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


eradicating black money, restricting the financial resources of terrorists and curb the circulation of
fake currency the Union Government has decided to ban the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000
denomination.

Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the country to adopt a resolution of
supporting the demonetization of high-value currency notes decision of the central
government.

Steps taken by the Chhattisgarh Government


Chhattisgarh government has expressed support to the decision, to flush out black money from
the system and promote institutional mechanismfor clean monetary transactions.

The state government will take effective steps to encourage people in small business to
switch over to the e-payment system.

The state has also exempted swipe-machines from value added tax (VAT) to encourage
e-transactions.

The government will procure paddy at the minimum support price (MSP) from the
farmers of the state from November 16, 2016 onwards and for that e-payment will be
made. Government has made all arrangements for the farmers of the state at 1,986
procurement centers.

Government Approved Construction Of 1 Crore House In Coming 3 Years


i. The government, on November 17, 2016, approved a scheme to construct 1 crorehouses in
next 3 years from 2016-17 to 2018-19 under Housing for All by 2022.
ii. To pursue the objective of Housing for All by 2022, the Union Cabinet approved restructuring of the former rural housing scheme Indira Awaas Yojana into Pradhan Mantri
Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) all over the country.
Sachin Tendulkar adopted Puttamrajuvari Kandriga village in AP
i. Indian Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar inaugurated projects worth Rs 6 crore at his adopted village
of Puttamrajuvari Kandriga in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. On this occasion he was adopted Gollapalli villagein the same state under Sansad Adarsh
Gram Yojna .It would be developed with an amount of Rs 3.05 crore
78 schemes covered under DBT system so far
i. As many as 78 schemes including Jhan Dhan and MGNREGA being implemented by 17
ministries and departments are covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
ii. The government has decided to introduce DBT system for fertilizer subsidy payments.
iii. It is slightly different from the normal DBT being implemented in LPG subsidy.
iv. Under the proposed system, 100% subsidy on various fertilizer grades shall be released to the
manufacturers and importers on the basis of actual sales made by the retailer to the beneficiaries.

116 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Nitish kicks off free power connection for every Bihar household
i. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launched Har Ghar Bijli Lagataar (uninterrupted power supply to each
home) scheme and promised free electricity connection to each household in the state in the next
two years.
ii. Around 40 lakh above poverty line (APL) households would be provided free power connection
under the schemes. The below poverty line (BPL) households are covered under other schemes.
iii. Launching the scheme, which is one of the seven resolves (Saat Nischay) of his grand
alliance government.

COMITTEES
Center Constitutes Committee To Check Implementation Status Of Demonetization Move
i. The Central Government has formed a committee on November 22, 2016, comprising
Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries and Directors to know about the status of implementation
of its recent decision of scrapping 500 and 1000 rupees currency notes.
ii. Each officer of the committee will visit different States and Union Territories separately with
main focus on the rural areas and submit its report by 25th of this month.
iii. The committee will submit its report by November 25, 2016 report on the challenges and
general opinion regarding the implementation of the scheme.
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu to head CMs Committee on Demonetisation
i. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been nominated by the Central
Government to head the sub-committee of Chief Ministers of five States constituted to deal with the
situation arising out of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes.
ii. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley requested Chandrabab Naidu to head the
committee which would study various aspects after demonetization and how it has affected
different sections of the people.
iii. Chief Ministers Sivaraj Singh Chauhan (Madhya Pradesh), Nitish Kumar (Bihar), Narayana
Swamy (Puducherry) and Manik Sirkar (Tripura) will be the other members. The five-member
committee will study the public problems due to demonetization of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency
notes and would submit its report to the Centre for taking required steps.
iv. The move aims to stop the Oppositions attack on the Centres demonetization decision. The
Opposition organised Jan Aakrosh Diwas on November 28 to protest against the move.
Center to Form Committee to Develop Digital Payment Platform for Government-Citizen
Transactions
i. The Central Government has constituted a committee in New Delhi on November 25, 2016 to
develop a digital payments option for the payment of all government-citizen transactions to flush

117 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


out black money and corruption from the country.
ii. The Committee of Officers, headed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, will identify and
operationalise the user-friendly digital payment options in all sectors of the economy, as early as
possible.
iii. The committee will also identify various infrastructural bottlenecks affecting the use of digital
payment options.
Environment Ministry constitutes team for Conservation of Loktak Lake
Anil Madhav Dave, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has constituted a fourmember team for conservation and management of Loktak Lake in Manipur.
Team Members : Dr. R Dalwani, S.P. Vashish, Dr H.K Badhola Chandan Singh and BrijeshSikka
The terms of reference of the team:
i. To review the implementation of works carried out with financial assistance provided by the
Central and State governments.
ii. Enumerate the steps required to be initiated for declaring Loktak Lake as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
iii. Identify the steps and actions to be taken to increase the tourism potential of Loktak Lake.
Committee to review fire safety measures of Govt hospitals
i. The government has established a committee to review fire safety measures at various
Central government hospitals and directed it to submit a report within 15 days.
ii. Union Health Minister J P Nadda held a meeting to review the fire safety rules which are being
followed in all Central government hospitals all over the country.

Cabinet Constitutes Special Committee for Inter-Linking of rivers


i. The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the constitution of Special Committee for InterLinking of Rivers in compliance with Supreme Court judgment 2012.
ii. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi in New Delhi.
iii. The committee will be responsible for the monitoring of the precious Inter-linking of River
Projects to be carried out under National Perspective Plan 1980 of Government of India.
MEA Forms Committee To Look Into Queries Of NRIs
i. The government has formed an inter-ministerial committee on November 17, 2016, to solve
the queries of NRIs, tourists from abroad and foreign missions over demonetization issue.
ii. According to the Ministry, some NRIs, money exchange associations, and foreign tourists abroad
have expressed concern about the difficulties being faced by them regarding the demonetization
move.

118 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


RBI formed Special Task Force led by Mundra to recalibrate ATMs
i. A Special Task Force has been formed by The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to speed up the
process of recalibration of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) to dispense the new denomination
notes.
ii. The ATM machines are still unable to cope with the huge demand for cash and consequently
running out of cash.
iii. The Task Force headed by S.S Mundra,Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will
work to speed up work on ATMs to dispense higher denomination notes.
iv. The eight membered team will also consist of Representatives from the Union Finance and
Home ministries, RBI, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and the National
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
v. Besides, representative from each of ATM original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), cash in
transit (CIT) companies and white label ATM (WLA) operators will be invited to the Task Forces
deliberation

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY


Next Generation Weather Satellite GOES-R launched by NASA
i. NASA has successfully launched the A next generation US advanced weather satellites GOESR from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US on November 20, 2016.
ii. GOES-R will provide more accurate and timely forecasts, watches and warnings
about hurricanes and storms.
iv. Data received from GOES-R will result in 34 new or improved meteorological, solar and space
weather products.
Tianlian I-04 Data Satellite successfully launched by China
i. China has successfully launched its 4th data satellite, Tianlian I-04, on November 22, 2016.
Aim: To provide a global network that will provide data relay, measurement and control services
for Chinas manned spacecraft, space labs and space stations as well as nations Earth-orbiting
resources satellites.
ii. The satellite was launched at 11:24 pm Beijing time, on a Long March-3C carrier rocket from
the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest Sichuan province.
altitude site in the cold desert of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir.
NASA satellites break Guinness World Record
i. Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) has set the Guinness World Record for highest
altitude fix of a GPS signal at 70,000 kilometres above the surface of the Earth by NASA( National

119 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Aeronautics and Space Administration)
ii. Earlier this year, MMS achieved the closest flying separation of a multi-spacecraft formation with
only 7.2 km between the four satellites.
iii. When the satellites are closest to Earth, they move at up to 35,405 km per hour, making them
the fastest known operational use of a GPS receiver.
China successfully launched heavy-lift carrier rocket Long March 5
i. Chinas powerful new heavy-lift rocket glided on its first flight bringing the nation one step
closer to building its own space station in Earth orbit.
ii. Witnessed by hundreds, the rocket took off from the new Wenchang launch center in Chinas
southernmost province of Hainan, after being transported by sea from North Chinas Tianjin.
iii. The rocket is particularly wider at five meters in diameter and capable of a payload of 25 tons in
low earth orbit, more than double Chinas previous rockets payload.
iv. After the Long March-5, China is planned to launch a series of 20-ton rockets, including the
Long March-5, 6 and 7 was stated by Wang Xiaojun, Long March-7commander-in-chief.
Japan launches next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite Himawari-9
i. Japan launched a next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite Himawari-9.
ii. Aim: To further improve weather services in the Asia-Pacific region.
iii. Himawari-9, is Japans ninth geostationary weather observatory since the first satellite in the
Himawari, or sunflower, series launched in 1977.
China launched pulsar navigation satellite XPNAV-1
i. China, has taken a step forward to incease its charisma in space research segment by launching
an X-Ray Pulsar Navigationsatellite into space which is designed to identify signs of pulsar ray.
Named as XPNAV-1, this all-new powerful asteroid will carry out in-orbit researchers by means
of pulsar detectors to reveal new technologies for space mapping.
ii. The experimental pulsar navigation mission carries two sensors modified to pick up incoming
X-rays from objects scattered across the galaxy, and use the detections mark the crafts position
without relying on GPS satellites or pre-loaded navigation fixes.
NASA to work with UAE on Mars probe
i. US space agency NASA will work with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Space Agency Mars Hope
spacecraft which will reach the Mars in 2021 under an umbrella agreement said by Dr Gale
Allen, NASAs Deputy Chief Scientist on November 27, 2016.
ii. The Hope spacecraft will travel more than 60 million km in its nine-month journey, coinciding
with the UAEs 50th anniversary in 2021.
iii. The mission will be supervised by the UAE Space Agency and developed by Mohammad Bin
Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), with support from international partners.

120 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Food Bars being developed by NASA for Deep Space Mission
i. NASA Scientists are developing a variety of food bars for the astronauts in the Orion
spacecraft so that they can eat breakfast during their travel beyond the Moon to explore deep
space destinations.
ii. When astronauts explore deep space destinations, they require a robust diet to keep them
healthy and sharp.
iii. Orion has limited room inside it to accommodate the supplies and food that the astronauts
require during their missions and cannot rely on resupply to deliver what astronauts need, so the
Orion crew needs to take everything they need with them.
iv. The aim of food bars is to save some space in the spacecraft by reducing the packaging and
storing of food and developing a single calorically dense breakfastsubstitution for Orion
astronauts.
NASA completes construction of largest space telescope James Webb Space Telescope
i. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States has
successfully finished building the largest space telescope one that is 100 times powerful than
the Hubble Space Telescope.
ii. The James Webb Space Telescope is the name of this telescope and will be the successor of
NASAs 26-year-old Hubblethe largest-ever space telescope is expected to launch within two years.
iii. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden hosted a news conference to announce the milestone at
the agencys Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, overlooking the 18 large mirrors that will
collect infrared light, sheltered behind a tennis-court-size sun shield.
China unveiled J 20 Stealth jet fighters.
i. China displayed its Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter in public for the first time on the function of
opening the countrys biggest meeting of aircraft makers and buyers with a show of its military
power.
ii. The J-20 fighter is called Beijings answer to the US F-22 stealth fighter and the F-35that
would be soon bring into the action in the Pacific by the United States and Japan.
readied for display in Zhuhai already proliferating on Chinese defense forums and social media.
Zika Replicon System to boost Zika Vaccine development
i. Researchers from University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston,Texas in
collaboration with Southwest University in Chongqing, China, and the University of Leuven in
Belgium created a tool for studying the Zika virus.
ii. The tool named Zika Replicon System creates a versions of the Zika virus that are stripped
of genes (Simpler form of Zika virus) that make them less infectious from the original virus, so
that researchers can work safely.

121 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Replicons are those part of genes that can replicate on their own. The new Zika replicon system
has deleted some of the genes that give the virus its structure. Hence making it less dangerous.
Civil Aviation Ministry launched AirSewa Portal For Hassle-Free Air Travel
i. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajpathi Raju has launched the AirSewa portal and mobile
app on November 25, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. Aim: to offer convenient and hassle-free air travel experience to people.
iii. The new initiative will operate through an interactive web portal as well as a mobile app for
both android and iOS platforms.
iv. The AirSewa portal and app is an attempt to provide a systematic mechanism for redressing
passengers grievance such as flight delays, problem in refunds, long queues and lack of proper
facilities at airports and complaints of lost baggage, back office operations, flight status, schedule
and airport information.
Scientists from Czech Republic develop artificial 3D lung model
i. A team of researchers from Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic have developed
an artificial human lung. The team was lead by scientist Miroslav Jicha. The lung model has
been developed using series of latest technologies including 3D Printing.
ii. Using the 3d model of artificial lung, various new researches can be performed eliminating the
risk that a real lung involves. The researchers will be using the model to stimulate asthma and
other diseases. These simulations will help in creating more accurate treatment method and
drugs for the lung disease.
India lose out on host in worlds largest telescope
i. India has failed on being the destination for the worlds largest telescope. There was a lot of
expectation that the giant Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) would get housed at a remote highTRAI set 512 kbps as minimum broadband speed in India
i. TRAI,has made it mandatory for all the Broadband providers to at least give a minimum speed
of 512Kbps after users consumed their initial data quota.
ii. This means that now any service offering broadband internet will have to ensure speed of up
to 512kbps. This is double of 256kbps, which was made compulsory earlier.It is surprising to
know that many of the ISPs have been providing internet packages with controlled speed of
256Kbps.
Researchers aimed to scoop out marine oil spills
i. Recovering marine oil spills might soon become simple, efficient and cost-effective, thanks to a
compound (gelator) developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and

122 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Research (IISER).
ii. A team headed by Dr. Kana M. Sureshan from the School of Chemistry used glucose as a
starting material and through several chemical reactions produced compounds (gelators) that
selectively congeal oil, including crude oil, from an oil-water mixture.

First LNG Fuelled Bus in the Country launched by Shri Dharmendra Prdhan in Kerela.
i. Indias first liquefied natural gas(LNG)-driven bus was launched in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan(Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas)
ii. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan jointly flagged off the pilot
run of the LNG bus on the occassion of the 4th meeting of the Group of Ministers(GoM), set up
by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
iii. The LNG bus is a joint effort of Petronet LNG Limited (PLL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd
and Tata Motors Ltd.
Airborne lasers to throw light on Rajgirs history
i. Archaeologists in India are planning to use exclusively high-end scanning lasers on airborne
platforms to conduct survey of the archaeological evidence, flora and fauna in the Rajgir hills, Bihar
under the Rajgir Archaeological Survey Project (RASP).
ii. As part of the project, Archaeologists have planned to use Light Detection and Ranging
(LIDAR), which is a remote-sensing technique that makes use of laser light to sample the earths
surface.
6 Worlds first light-seeking synthetic nanorobot developed
i. A team of researchers headed by Dr.Jinyao Tang of the Department of Chemistry, the
University of Hong Kong, has developed the worlds first light-seeking synthetic Nano robot.
ii. With size comparable to a blood cell, those tiny robots have the potential to be injected into
patients bodies, helping surgeons to remove tumors and enabling more precise engineering of
targeted treatment. The findings have been published in October earlier in leading scientific
journal Nature Nanotechnology.
Delhi Govt Launched HPV Vaccination ProgTo Combat Cervical
i. Delhi has become the first state in the country to launch Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
vaccination as a public health programme for preventing cervical cancer among young girls.
ii. As part of the programme, girls aged between 11-13 years would be vaccinated
free of cost at Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) through its setups in east and west Delhi.
iii. Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain launched the vaccination programme on the introductory
day of the International Workshop for Cancer Awareness in Delhi.
iv. The HPV vaccination programme will target girls between the age of 9 and 13 next year.

123 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Scientists detected water on metallic asteroid Psyche
i. Scientists have indicated the presence of water on Psyche, the largest metallic asteroid in
our solar system and the target of a proposed NASAmission.
ii. Previous observations of Psychehad shown no evidence of water-rich minerals on its surface.
However, new observations from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility in Hawaii show
evidence of water or hydroxyl on its surface.
Ministry of health and family welfare launched an app to manage stress
i. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda launched a mobile app No More
Tension to manage the stress level and released a magazine Healthy India
Initiative/Swastha Bharat-ek pehal on November 9, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. The e-version of this magazine is also released and available for download. Currently the
magazine is being issued in Hindi and English but the next version will be available in 13 other
languages.
iii. Mobile application No More Tension aims to provide information to users regarding stress
Mobile App CHIRAG launched by Maharashtra to check violation of child rights.
i. The Maharashtra government along with the State Child Rights Protection
Commission launched CHIRAG mobile application on November 9 2016 to enable the submission
of complaints related to violation of child rights.
ii. The App Child Helpline for Information on Rights and Address Grievances
(CHIRAG) was launched by MaharashtraWomen and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja
Munde and will be available for download on Google Playstore while an IOS version would be
launched shortly.
Robot sets new Rubiks Cube world record
i. The Sub1 Reloaded robot successfully solved the famous puzzle Rubiks Cube in the fastest
ever time of 0.637 seconds in just 21 moves at the Electronica trade fair in Munichon November
9, 2016.
ii. Earlier in January, the Sub1 robot had achieved the record to solve a Rubiks Cube in just
0.887 seconds. The machine Sub1 Reloaded beat that record with the help a new, faster
microchip which was developed by the technology firm Infineon.
Helicobacter pullorum bacterium identified in chicken
i. A group of researchers from Hyderabad have identified Helicobacter pullorum bacterium in
chicken that may be source of transmission of the multidrug resistance pathogen to humans.
ii. The pathogen was found in broiler and free-range chickens sold in the Indian Market, which
besides being untreatable, could also cause cancer and gastrointestinal infections in humans.

124 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. It is being suspected that H. pullorum is resistant wide range of antibiotics such as
fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins,

sulfonamides and macrolides.

November 2016 moon-the biggest and brightest in 60 years


i. According to the American Space Agency NASA, November 14, 2016, moon will be the biggest
and brightest it has been in the 68 years.This moon will be a rare supermoon making an
appearance early morning just before dawn. It will appear especially bright because it is the closest
it has been to Earth since Jan. 26, 1948 which wont be seen until Nov. 25, 2034.
ii. Novembers full moon has been given a special name: Beaver Moon. Novembers moon type is
commonly called a supermoon, or technically a perigee full moon
iii. On November 14 at 6:15 a.m. EST, the moon will arrive at its closest point to the Earth in 2016
at distance of 221,524 miles (356,508 kilometers) away.
China wins Supercomputer crown for eighth time
China has topped in the list of the worlds fastest supercomputers for the eight consecutive years
for its Sunway TaihuLight.
Sunway TaihuLight
Sunway TaihuLight is a massive supercomputer, built entirely using processors designed and
made in China.
The Top 500 list is considered one of the most authoritative rankings of the worlds
supercomputers.
Chinese supercomputer has topped the rankings for successive eight times, which indicates the rise
of China in the high performance computing (HPC) field.

The 48th edition of the Top500 list released in June indicated that China and
the US are neck-and-neck in performance with each other for supercomputing
supremacy.

According to the list, China overtook the US in the number of total supercomputers
installed. This time, the number of systems installed in China increased to 171 from
168on the list.

It was the first time that the US could not top the category since the list was started 23
years ago.

US hold 33.9 per cent of the overall installed supercomputers while China is second
with 33.3 per cent of the overall installed performance.

The list also includes:

Titan and Sequoia, both systems from the US, gained No 3 and No 4 positions
respectively.

The Cori supercomputer, a new system installed at the US Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, slipped at No 5 position with a performance of 14.0 petaflop/s.

125 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


First Brain Implantation conducted In Netherland
i. Doctors of Netherlands have performed the first-ever brain implant on a 58-year-old
woman paralysed by disease named Lou Gehrigs.
ii. The implantation has enabled her to communicate in day-to-day life with the help of a speech
computer.
Worlds Thinnest laptop Acer Swift 7 launched in India.
i. Taiwanese electronics multinational company Acer launched its lightest, thinnest and the most
portable laptop Swift 7 in Indian market.Acer Swift 7 is the thinnest laptop in the World till now.
ii. The Acer SWIFT 7, priced at Rs 99,999, will be available for purchase from 18th
November via exclusive Acer stores and other multi brand outlets and will also be available on ecommerce outlet Flipkarts.
iii. The laptop is 9.98mm thick with 13.3 inch Full HD screen having Corning Gorilla Glass 5
protection and weighs around 1.1 Kg.
Google launches PhotoScan App to scan physical photographs
i. Google launched a new app called PhotoScan which has been designed to scan and digitise
old printed photos.
ii. The app detects edges, straightens the image, rotates it to the correct orientation, and removes
glare.Then the final image is stored at a specified location.
Scientists genetically modifies photosynthesis process, increase crop yield by 15%
Scientists have made genetic modifications in one of the most important biological process on the
planet The Photosynthesis.
Aim: Towards increasing crop production to feed a growing global population.
i. According to researches conducted by lead researcher Prof. Stephen Long, of the University
of Illinois and the University of Lancaster, the photosynthesis by which plants convert
sunlight energy into food had revealed specific inefficiencies in crops.
ii. One major inefficiency is plants natural Sun-protection mechanism. While plants are
responsible to produce food using sunlight energy, they also need to protect themselves from Sun
damage, this slows down the process.
Israel Scientists Creates Worlds First Water-Wave Laser
i. Scientists in Israel has developed the worlds first water-wave laser, that generates laser
radiation through the interaction between light and water waves.
ii. The study conducted by Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is the first bridge between
two areas of research that were previously considered unrelated to one another: nonlinear optics
and water waves.

126 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. A typical laser can be created when the electrons in atoms become excited by energy
absorbed from an outside source, causing them to emit radiation in the form of laser light.
iv. Researchers, led by Professor Tal Carmon, showed for the first time that water wave
oscillations within a liquid device can also generate laser radiation.
CBSE launches portal Parinam Manjushafor easy access to academic documents
i. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) chairman R K Chaturvedi has launched its
digital portal named Parinam Manjusha to provide easier access to academic documents online
ii. The portal was developed by the board in collaboration with NEGD (DigiLocker).
iii. Students can find their marksheets, pass certificates, and migration certificates from this portal.
iv. Educational institutes have to first register on Parinam Manjusha and get verified by the board
to access this portal

DEFENCE
India conducted Twin Trail of Prithvi-II missile in Odisha
A successful test firing of two nuclear capable Prithvi-IImedium-range ballistic missiles, was
conducted by the Indian Armed Forces on November 21, 2016, back-to-back in quick succession,
as part of training exercise, from a defence testcenter Chandipur in Odisha.

The two surface-to-surface missiles were mounted on two Mobile Tatra Transportererector Launchers (MTL) and launched from the launching complex-III (LC-III) of the
Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur.

The first missile was fired at about 9.37 AM and the second one at 9.38 AM.Both the
medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) have a strike range of around 350 km and a
tendency to carry about 500 kg to 1,000 kg of weapons.

This was the first test fire in a range of three nuclear missile tests that have been lined up
in a row. Along with Prithvi-II, the other two missiles include the most sophisticated
Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor which is capable of destroying incoming enemy
missiles of more than 2,000 km range and the Agni-I with a 700 km range.

Agni-I and AAD interceptor will be launched from LC-IV in the Abdul Kalam Island in full operational
configuration on November 22 and November 23 respectively.
About Prithvi
The Prithvi missile project have three variantsfor use by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the
Indian Navy.

Prithvi I: Indian Army

Prithvi II: Indian Air Force

Prithvi III: Indian Navy

127 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Destroyer ship INS Chennai commissioned into Indian Navy
i. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar commissioned INS Chennai, the third indigenously built
guided missile destroyer in Kolkata class on November 21, 2016.
ii. INS Chennai was built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai; the ships
construction brings an end to the crucial Project 15A of Indian Navy.
iii. INS Chennai is one of the largest destroyers in the Indian Navys fleet and also the final
destroyer ship in this class.
iv. The overall length of the ship is 164 meters and displacement of over 7,500 tons,
GJ 536b Super Earth found orbiting nearby star
i. Scientists from the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC) and the University of La Laguna
(ULL) have discovered a new super Earth planet GJ 536 b with a mass around 5.4 times that of
the Earth.
ii. It is a very bright star near to our Sun. Its short orbital period of 8.7 days
iii. A cycle of magnetic activity similar to that of the Sun has been observed, but with a shorter
period of three years.
Agni-I successfully test fired from Odisha Coast
i. The Strategic Forces of Command (SFC) of the armed force successfully test-fired AgniI missile. The missile was test fired at at 10.08 a.m. on 22 November 2016 from launch pad-4 of
the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island) Odisha coast. The
missile took 10 minutes to reach its targeted destination in Bay of Bengal.
ii. Agni-I is a surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile [MRBM] . The strike range of
Agni-I is 700-750 km. The 12 tonne and 15 meter long missile is capable of carrying payload of
about 1000 kg.
Seventh Landing Craft Utility Ship Launched at GRSE
i. Indian Navy launched the seventh ship of the LCU MK IV project, LCU-L57 on 24 November
2016 at a ceremony at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Kolkata.
ii. Chairman & Managing Director of GRSE Ltd, Rear Admiral AK Verma (Retd), commenced the
welcome of the ceremony, which was followed by inaugural of the ship by the Chief Guest Dr.
Subhash Ramarao Bhamre , Honble Raksha Rajya Mantri.
iii. This is the largest ship of this kind built anywhere in the world. The ship is cost effective, fuel
efficient and best suited for protection of island territories of Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of
Bengal as well as Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea.
iv. The ship will be extremely useful for joint operations carried out by the Indian Navy and Indian
Army for ensuring maritime security and protection of remote islands

128 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Army launched School chlo operation in south Kashmir
i. AfterOperation Calm down in South Kashmir, Army is now aiming on another
operationSchoolChalo, under which it identifies areas and provides students with free
coaching and make them participate in extra-curricular activities.
ii. This situation was dealt on the internal front and doing that with desired results
iii. The army had launched Operation Calm Down in August- September to eradicate different
parts of the Valley of militants and protesters using minimum force.
10th Command Level Navy Coast Guard (COMNAVGUARD) held in Visakhapatnam
i. The 10th Command Level Navy Coast Guard (COMNAVGUARD) meeting was held
in Visakhapatnam on November 2, 2016 to discuss inter-operatability issues
between Navy and Coast Guard.
ii. The meeting was co-chaired by Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Vice Admiral Atul
Kumar Jain and Inspector General RajanBargotra, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) and
Inspector General K R Nautiyal, Commander Coast Guard Region (North East), along with senior
officers of Navy and Coast Guard.
Government approved the Blacklisting Policy for Tainted Defence Deals
The government on 7 November approved the policy to blacklist defence companies which are
involved in corruption and wrongdoing related to arms purchase.The government has decided to
impose heavy fine on the blacklisted companies instead of blanket blacklisting, and complete
banning would be the last option with no other choice left.

The concept of graded blacklisting and fines will be adopted as per new policy. It means
that rather than banning a guilty supplier for ever, it will be banned for specific number of
years from dealing in a particular segment along with suitable fine. The supplier will however
be permitted to bid for projects in other segments.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as its head
approved the proposal of procuring fighter jets, tanks and attack helicopters with worth of
around Rs 82,000 Crore.

Other approval of DAC :

DAC gave Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 83 Tejas Mark 1A aircraft


worth Rs 50,025 crore.
The Acceptance of Necessity (AON) approval for the Tejas fighter jets would be in addition
to the 40 Tejas already ordered by the IAF

DAC gave AoN to purchase 15 Light Combat Helicopter(LCH) for the Indian Army and
Air Force at a cost of about Rs 2,911 crore. Both Tejas aircraft and Light Combat
Helicopters are being manufactured by HAL.10 are for IAF and 5 are for Air force.

129 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

AoN for buying upgraded version of Russian T90 tanks 464 in quantity manufactured
by the Ordnance Factory Board for Rs 13,448 crore.

Request For Proposal (RFP) for procurement of six additional Pinaka Multi-Barrel
Rocket Launchers at a cost of 14,633 crore.

Procurement of 598 mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) at a cost of Rs 1,100


crore.

Armys Demchok Mission Successfully Completed


i. The Indian Army successfully completed the task of laying an irrigation pipeline for the
villagers in Demchok region of Eastern Ladakh.
ii. The project was undertaken under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme for the purpose of linking the village with a hot spring.
Indian Navy to select Candidates through JEE (Main) ranks
i. Indian Navy is considering to select candidates into the 10+2 B Tech cadet scheme
through JEE (Main) ranks, instead of class 12th
ii. Earlier, the candidates were selected on the basis of their PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Maths)
percentage, scored in their class 12 board examination.
India-Bangladesh joint military exercise SAMPRITI-2016 to commences
i. India and Bangladesh defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise SAMPRITI 2016 is
being started at Tangail in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 05 to 18 November 2016.
ii. Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation effort between India and
Bangladesh and will be the sixth edition of the exercise which is hosted alternately by both
countries.
iii. The SAMPRITI 2016 will simulate a scenario where both nations are working together in
a Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism environment under the UN Charter..
China developed high speed unmanned sea vessel
i. China has developed a high-speed, intelligent unmanned sea vessel which could be used for a
host of applications including submarine detection.
ii. According to Xinhua, the SeaFly-01completed a test at Nanhu Lake in Wuhan. The 10.25meter-long vessel could acquire a maximum speed of 45 knots.

ISRO Conduts Tests For Chandrayaan-II Mission


i. The Indian Space Research Organsiation (ISRO) Chairman A S Kiran Kumar, on
November 11, 2016, revealed that ISRO has started to conduct the test for its second moon
mission, Chandrayaan-II at its center in Challakere, Karnataka.

130 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. Chandrayaan-2 mission is tentatively set for late 2017 or early 2018 and includes soft-landing on
Moon and moving a rover on its surface.
iii. The lead centre for the second Moon mission, ISRO Satellite Centre or ISAC, has artificially
created several craters, resembling the terrain of the Moon, to test instruments and sensors on the
lander of Chandrayaan-2.
Pakistan conducts Military Exercise Close To Indian Border
i. Pakistan conducted military exercise Raad ul Barq (Strike of Thunder) in an area located
in Punjab province, bordering India.
ii. It was a joint exercise carried out jointly by Pakistan Army and Air Force to reflect the
preparedness of their armed forces to respond to any threat to its national security.
iii. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif was the chief guest at the event which
was conducted at Khairpur Tamewali in Bahawalpur in Punjab and also attended by powerful
Army chief General Raheel Sharif, Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmoud and the
three services chiefs.
Annual joint training exercise Hand in Hand 2016 begins in Pune
i. The sixth annual joint training exercise Hand in Hand 2016 between Indian and Chinais
being hosted by India.
ii. The India-China Joint Training Exercise between the Indian Army and the Peoples
Liberation Army of China began in Pune on November 15 and will end on be November 27.
iii. This exercise between the Indian Army and the Peoples Liberation Army of China is held
annually, alternately, in India and China. The first exercise was held in China at Kunming in Yunnan
province in 2007.
INSV MHADEI flagged Off with all-women crew
i. An all-women crew of the Indian Navy was set off in the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel Mhadei for
the Cape 2 Rio Yacht Race 2017 on November 9, 2016.
ii. The vessel was flagged off from Goa to Cape Town, South Africa by Rear Admiral Monty
Khanna, Commandant Naval War College on 09 Nov 16 in a ceremony held at the Boat Pool of INS
Mandovi, Goa
iii. The Cape to Rio Race (Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro) which will start from Cape Town on 26
Dec 16.
DRDOs drone Rustom-2 successfully completes its test flight.
i. Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) developed by DRDO named Rustom-2 completed its
first flight on 15 November 2016 in Challakere, Chitradurga district, Karnataka.The drone can
be used by Indian Army, Navy and Air Force to keep an eye on enemy territory and carry a variety

131 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


of cameras and radar for surveillance.
ii. Rustom 2 is developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment(ADE)laboratory of
DRDO.It is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV (MALE UAV). A MALE UAV is one that flies in
altitude range of 10,000 to 30,000 feet for extended durations of time, typically 24 to 48 hours.
iii. Some features of Rustom 2
1.Wingspan of more than 20m
2.Endurance of 24-30 hours.
3.Automatic takeoff and landing capabilities
Four Naval System developed by DRDO inducted to Indian Navy
i. The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar will hand over Four Naval Systems developed
by DRDO to the Indian Navy at a function on November 18, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba will formally take over the systems from the
Defence Minister.
iii. The Four naval Systems include:
1.ABHAY Compact Hull Mounted SONAR for Shallow Water Crafts,
2.HUMSA UG Upgrade for the HUMSA SONAR System,
3.NACS Near-field Acoustic Characterisation System, and
4.AIDSS Advanced Indigenous Distress SONAR System for submarines.
Army launches full fledged bench of Armed Forces Tribunal in Jammu
i. Chief Justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, N Paul Vasanthakumar inaugurated the full
fledged Bench of the AFT at the Sunjuwan Military Station in Jammu Kashmir on November 25,
2016
ii. Union Government in the second phase has sanctioned two Regional Benches, one
at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and another one at Jammu .
Defence Ministry Released a policy to re-assist blacklisting global defence firms
i. The Union Defence Ministry released new policy Guidelines of the Ministry of Defence for
penalties in business dealings with entities on November 21, 2016, to relook at the list of the
companies that are banned from doing business in India.
.New Policy Features:
1.Ban period has been reduced to 5 years from the previous 10 years but the upper ban limit is
not specified.
2.It allows doing business with black listed firm for achieving National security only for the purpose
of supporting the critical spare and maintenance or if the firm is the only source to support a
certain system, but with the approval of the Defence Minister.

132 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

ENVIRONMENT
China receives first snowfall amid blue alert
i. Chinas weather department issued first blue alert warning of snow in northern part of the
country .
ii. The rain and snow are forecast to last more than 40 hours, with a blizzard possible for the
western and northern areas of the city.
Strong Earthquake of magnitude 7.3 hits Japan
i. An earthquake of magnitude 6.9rocked the Fukushima region of Japan on 22 November 2016 at
about 5:59 a.m.(local time). The metrological agency of Japan had first estimated the magnitude of
earthquake to be 7.3 but later lowered it to 6.9 on Richter scale.
ii. The epicenter of the earthquake was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep inside the coast
of Fukushima prefecture as per the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Also in its latest update
JMA informed that no tsunami damage is expected however surge in waves may be experienced.
Archaeologists uncover 7000-year old city in Egypt
i. Egypt Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient Egyptian city and 15 graveyard that
belongs 5300 BC announced by antiquities minister Mahmoud Afifi
ii. The city and cemetery was discovered about 400 metres from the Temple of Seti I in the
ancient city of Abydos which was founded by predynastic rulers in southern Egypt.
Hurricane & Earthquake simultaneously attacked Central America
i. Two natural disasters including a powerful hurricane and an offshore earthquake hit
the Central America simultaneously on November 24, 2016 in Nicaragua, El Salvador and
Costa Rica.
ii. Initially 175 km per hour destruction storm, Hurricane Otto, hit Nicaraguas southern
Caribbean coast.
iii. An hour later, an earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.0 hit El Salvador in the Pacific Ocean. It
was felt also in Nicaraguas capital Managua and in Costa Rica.
Scientists discover green rice in Rice Bowl of India
i. A new variety of rice seed that is light green in colour was discovered in Chhattisgarh(Rice
Bowl of India) said by A K Sarawgi, head of department of genetics and breeding in Indira Gandhi
Agriculture University.
ii. The seed was provided to the university by farmers from Dhamtari and Durgdistricts.Based
on the sample, the university scientists were conducting the study.

133 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Worlds first zero-emissions hydrogen train Coradia iLint unveiled in Germany
i. Germany is set to host the worlds first zero-emission, hydrogen passenger train Coradia
iLint which will starts its passenger journey from next year.
ii. This train only emits excess steam into the atmosphere, and provides an alternative to the
countrys 4,000 diesel cars currently in circulation in Germany
iii. The train operates using a hydrogen fuel tank at the roof of the vehicle, that in turn powers a
fuel cell to produce electrical energy, its only emission being steam and condensed water.
iv. Testing of the train was first presented at Berlins InnoTrans trade show in August 2016.
The global climate 2011-2015: hot and wild reported WMO
i. The year 2015 made history, with exhausted temperature records, intense heatwaves,
unusual rainfall, destructing drought and unusual tropical cyclone activity, according to
the World Meteorological Organization. That record-breaking trend has continued in 2016.
ii. The record temperatures were accompanied by rising sea levels and decrease in Arctic sea-ice
extent, continental glaciers and northern hemisphere snow cover, the UN World
Meteorological Organization (WMO).
iii. This report confirms that the average temperature in 2015 had already reached the 1 degreeCelsius mark. We just had the hottest five-year period on record, with 2015 declaring the title of
hottest individual year announced by WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
iv. The global average surface temperature in 2015 broke all previous records by a wide marging,
at about 0.76 Celsius above the 1961-1990 average because of a powerful El Nio and humancaused global warming. With 93% of excess heat stored in the oceans, ocean heat content down to
2 000 meters also hit a new record.
India NGT Defined Environmental Emergency For 5 States; Limits PM 10 & 2.5 Marks
i. Highlighting on Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and the Supreme Courts decade-old
direction to include clean environment as a fundamental right, the National Green Tribunal(NGT)
has given a definition for environmental emergency.
ii. The NGT bench, headed by chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar, stated, that Even if we give
it a little bit of margin than once these values reaches 500 and 300, respectively.
iii. The Tribunal has also issued directives to Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh on measures to be undertaken when air pollution crosses severe levels.
Indias carbon emissions increased by over 5pc in 2015: study
i. According to researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK and the Global Carbon
Project, Indias carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels increased by 5.2 per cent .This was
published in the journal Earth System Science Data
ii. Global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels did not grow in 2015 , last three years of

134 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


almost no growth.It was projected rise of only 0.2 per cent for 2016 marks a clear break from the
rapid emissions growth of 2.3 per cent per year in the decade to 2013, with just 0.7 per cent
growth seen in 2014.
iii. China, the biggest emitter of CO2 emissions decrease by 0.7 per cent in 2015, USsCO2
emission is decrease by 1.7 per cent in 2016 and The EUs CO2 emissions went up 1.4 per cent in
2015, in contrast with longer term decreases.
2 dead as powerful earthquake strikes New Zealand
i. A powerful earthquake hit New Zealand early morning on November 14, 2016, that triggered
landslides and a small tsunami, cracked apart roads and homes, caused some damage to
buildings.
ii. The USGS estimated the magnitude of the earthquake to be 7.8.
New Species Of Fish Discovered In China
A research fellow from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Xu
Guanghui discovered new species of fish in China. The new fish is named as eltopleurus nitidus
sp. This was published by Science Bulletin on November 14.
Australias Great Barrier Reef Recorded worst coral die-off
i. Australian Scientists on November 29, 2016 revealed that Great Barrier Reef suffered its
worst coral die-off ever recorded.
ii. The report stated that warm seas around Australias Great Barrier Reef in less accessible north
have lost two-thirds of a 700-km (435 miles) stretch of coral in the past nine months.
iii. The reef suffered its most severe bleaching in recorded history, due to warming sea
temperatures during March 2016 and April 2016.

SPORTS
Kenyas Olympic champion Kipchoge wins Delhi Half Marathon
Reigning Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya won the mens race of Delhi
Half Marathon in a fast time while Worknesh Degefa from Ethiopia clinched the womens title on
November 20, 2016 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.Both the winners will get USD 27,000 for
their victories
Indian Participants :
Indian men winners : G Lakshmanan(1h and 4 m) followed by Mohd. Yunus and Man Singh
Indian women winners: Monika Athare(1h and 15 m) followed by Sanjeevani Jadhav and Swati
Gadhave .

135 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


PV Sindhu won maiden China Open Super Series title defeating Sun Yu of china
Rio Olympics silver medallist, PV Sindhu clinched her maiden Super Series Title as she
defeated Chinas Sun Yu in a tough final of the China Open Badminton tournament
2016 Winner List :
Title
Womens Singles
Women's Doubles
Mens Singles
Mens Doubles
Mixed Doubles

Winner
Indias PV Sindhu
South Korea pair Chang
Ye - na and Lee So hee
Denmarks Jan .
Jrgensen
Chinese pair of Chai B and
Hong W
Indonesian pair Tontowi
Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir

Runner
Chinas Sun Yu
China pair Li Yinhui and
Huang Dongping
Malaysias I Z Zainuddin
Indonesian pair of M F
Gideon and K S Sukamuljo
South Korean pair of Choi
S-g and Chae Y- j

Ashwin 1st bowler ever to take 50 wickets in consecutive years


i. Indian Cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin become the first bowler to complete 50 wickets in two
consecutive years after his 5-wicket haul against England in the Visakhapatnam Test on
November 20, 2016.
ii. Ashwin, with four instances of a fifty and five wickets in an innings in the same Test match, has
equalled Kapil Devs Indian record.
Another achievements :
Bairstow has become the first batsman to amass 1200 runs or more in Tests in 2016. He
become the tenth England batsman to aggregate 1200 runs or more in Tests
Manavjit Singh Sandhu Bagged Gold Medal for National Shooting Championship
i. Former World No.1 Trap shooting champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu clinched the gold medal in
mens trap event at the 60th National Shooting Championship for Shotgun in Jaipur on
Saturday.
ii. Manavjit Singh Sandhu shot 117 in qualifying game and reached the six-man final rounds at
fourth spot. He then shot 12 out of 15 birds in the semi-final stage and finally made it to finals
where he clinched gold medal by defeating Raninder Singh, who was representing Odisha, with
14-13.
iii. Young Kynan Chenai of Telengana, bagged the bronze medal beating Adhiraj Singh
Rathore of Rajasthan 14-12.
Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic to win ATP World Tour Finals, seals rank one for year
2016
i. Andy Murray(Britain) beats Novak Djokovic(Serbia) to win his first Barclays ATP World
Tour Finals title held in London, Great Britain. Murray defeated Djokovic 6-3 6-4 on 20 November
2016.
ii. With the win Andy Murray sealed the rank 1 for the year 2016 as this was the last indoor

136 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


tennis tournament of the year.
iii. This victory was the 24th consecutive win for Andy Murray and the title was 5thconsecutive
title for him. This year he has claimed 9 title in singles tournament.
Gaganjeet Bhullar defeats Jeev Milkha Singh to win Indonesia Open
i. Gaganjeet Bhullar of India won the Indonesia Open on November 21, 2016 with a fourunder-par 68 in Jakarta for the second time in his career.Before this, Bhullar won the event in
2013.
ii. This was his seventh Asian Tour victory and a second title of this season with a 16-under-par
272 total at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.
iii. Jeev Milkha Singh of India, a two-time Asian Tour No. 1 made second place with 17th hole
to finish on 72.
India to bid for hosting 2019 Under-20 World Cup
i. All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel has indicated that India will bid
for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2019 to be hosted in India.
ii. The AIFF has expressed interest to FIFA Competitions Committee several times to host Under-20
at the earliest available opportunity in 2019, which will further give a boost to Indias grassroots
initiatives.
Virat Kohli attains his best ICC test ranking with 4th spot
i. Indian test cricket captain Virat Kohli attained the 4 spot in ICC Test cricket ranking. This is his
best ranking in test cricket till date. The knock of 167 and 81 runs against England in
Vishakhapatnam laid the foundation of his entry in the top 5.
ii. This is first time that he has crossed the mark of 800 points, presently he has 822 points. Till
date only 11 Indian players have crossed the 800 points milestone of ICC ratings.
TOP 5 batsmen in ICC Test ratings
1
2
3
4
5

Steve Smith (Australia)


Joe Root (England)
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Virat Kohli (India)
Hashim Amla (South Africa)

897
844
838
822
809

Points
Points
Points
Points
Points

The 13th World Robot Olympiad(WRO) to be held for the first time in India this year
i. The 13th World Robot Olympiad(WRO) will be held at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, India
from 25 to 27 November 2016. The theme for the event this year is Rap the Scrap. This year a
new robot football game named WRO Football has been included in the Olympiad.
ii. Over 2,000 students from 54 countries will participate in the event and find scientific ways
using robotic technology to reduce, manage and recycle waste produced from daily use.
137 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat ranked 35th in World Boxing Council(WBC) Ranking
i. 24 year old Indian professional boxer Neeraj Goyat has made a place in World Boxing Council
(WBC) rankings. Currently he is ranked at 35th spot in the welterweight category. He is the first
Indian boxer to enter into the ranking.
ii. The win of Indian boxer over Australias Ben Kite in mid-October 2016 to retain WBC
welterweight Asia title has made way for his entry into the leader-board. Neeraj has an overall
record of winning 8 matches in 12 fights.
iii. Neeraj Goyat is now aiming for WBC international title which will clear his way to entry to top
15. On entry in top 15, Neeraj can take part in world title matches also.
iv. Amir Khan of Great Britain is presently on the top stop in welterweight category.
Arunachal Government renames Chief Ministers Trophy for Football and Volleyball after
martyred Hangpan Dada.
i. The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, on November 24, 2016, adopted a
decision to rename the Chief Ministers Trophy for Football and Volleyball (mens and womens)
after martyr Hangpan Dada.
ii. The decision was taken during the State Development Council (SDC) meeting convened
under his chairmanship
P.V Sindhu climbs to 9th spot in BWF Badminton rankings, Saina slips 5 positions
i. P.V Sindhu has been ranked 9th in the latest BWF World Badminton Women ranking. She
jumped 2 positions from 11th rank to reach 9th spot. While former world number 1 Saina Nehwal,
slipped 5 places to reach 11th spot in the ranking.
ii. On 20 Novmber 2016, P.V. Sindhu defeated Sun Yu of China to win the China Open Super
Series title which gave her entry into the top 10 ranking. Presently Sindhu is the top Indian
shuttler in the ranking with 64794 points two places ahead of Saina who has 63,719 points as on
25 November 2016.
iii. The ranking has been topped by Olympics gold medal winner Carolina Marin of
Spain. Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand is on 2nd spot.
Maha Haddioui becomes the first Arab professional golfer to play in Ladies European Tour
Maha Haddioui a golfer from Morocco turned professional golfer in 2011. She is the first
professional golfer from Arab region who will play in the Ladies European Tour in the Qatar
Ladies Open 2016 to be held between 23 November 2016 and 26 November 2016 in Doha, Qatar
Sachin Singh wins GOLD at the Aiba Youth World Boxing Championship
i. Sachin Singh (49kg) wins Gold Medal at the Aiba Youth World Boxing Championships St
Petersburg 2016 held at St Peterburg, Russia on 26 November 2016. He defeated Jorge

138 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Grinan of Cuba.
ii. 16 year old Sachin became the third Indian boxer ever to win gold at the AIBA Youth World
Championships. Earlier in 2008 Thokchom Nanao Singh had won a Gold and in 2010 Vikas
Krishanwon a Gold for India.
iii. Naman Tanwar (91kg) won a Bronze medal at Aiba Youth World Boxing Championships. Thus
India finished with 1 Gold and 1 Bronze.
iv. Boxing Federation of India has announced acash reward of Rs 1 Lac for Sachin and Rs 25,000
for Naman.
Smriti Mehra clinches maiden Womens PGT title
i. Indian golfer from Kolkata, Smriti Mehra played clinched her maiden Hero womens
Professional Golf Tour title with a total score of 208 after 54 holes at the Palms Golf Club and
Resort in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on November 27, 2016.
ii. Delhis golfer Vani Kapoor with 214 points and Gursimar Badwal with 215 points placed
second and third position respectively.
Nico Rosberg wins F1 title as Lewis Hamilton wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
i. Lewis Hamilton win his 53rd Grand Prix title , while Rosberg, Sebastian, Verstappen claims
the second, third and fourth position respectively on November 27, 2016 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
ii. After Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg win the Formula One championship with 385
points (9 wins) and Hamilton hold the second position with 380 points(10 wins)
iii. Rosberg become Germanys third champion after Graham Hill and Briton Damon Hill
2016 Hong Kong Super Series Overview
i. 12th Superseries tournament was held in Kowloon, Hong Kong from November 2227, 2016.
ii. Indian professional badminton player PV Sindhu loses to Tai Tzu-ying from Taiwan in the final
match of Super Series Womens single title while in the same event Indias Sameer Verma loses
to hailands Ng Ka Long in Mens single title event.
2016 Hong Kong Super Series winner list :
Title
Winner
Mens Single
Ng Ka Long (Thailand)
Womens Single
Tai Tzu-ying(Taiwan)
Mens Double
Takeshi Kamura & Keigo
Sonoda (Japan)
Womens Double
Kamilla Rytter Juhl &
Christinna Pedersen(Denmark)
Mixed Doubles
Tontowi Ahmad & Liliyana
Natsir(Indonesia)

Runner
Sameer Verma(India)
P.V. Sindhu(India)
Mathias Boe & Carsten
Mogensen(Denmark)
Huang Dongping & Li
Yinhui(China)
Praveen Jordan & Debby
Susanto(Indonesia)

Six Indian male shuttlers in World Top 50 for the first time
i. As per the latest rankings released by the Badminton World Federation(BWF), SixIndian
male shuttlers ranked amongst the Top 50 in World.

139 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. Six Indian male shuttlers in World Top 50 :
1.Kidambi Srikanth (12
2.Ajay Jayaram (19)
3.H. S. Prannoy (25)
4.B. Sai Praneeth (36)
5.Sameer Verma (43)
6.Sourabh Varma (45)
Pacquiao reclaimed WBO title for third time by beating vargas
i. Filipino star Manny Pacquiao reclaimed the World Boxing Organization welterweight title for
the third time with a unanimous decision victory over former champion Jesse Vargas.
ii. Pacquiao, 59-6 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, showed he still has a lot left in the tank but he
failed to get the knockout victory that has eluded him for the past seven years.
iii. It is noted that Pacquiao won the WBO title for the first time in 2010 when he beat Miguel
Cotto. He lost it two years later to Bradley, then got it back by winning the rematch with Bradley
in 2014.
Air Force Club Iraq lift Asian Federation Cup
i. Air Force Club, Iraq has lifted the Asian Federation Cup by defeating Bengaluru Football Club
1-0 at Doha
ii. Bengaluru FC had become the first Indian club to qualify for the final after they defeated
defending champions Johor DarulTazim 4-2 on aggregate in the semifinals.
iii. No Indian team in the sport has ever won an Asian level title since the national side bagged the
Asian Games Gold at Jakarta in 1962.
Assam boy won 5 golds in south Asian Aquatic Championship
i. A 15-year-old BastabTapanBordoloi from Assams Jorhat district made the nation proud by
catchingfive gold medals and a silver at the recently concluded South Asian Aquatic
Championship (SAAC) in Sri-Lanka.
ii. Bastab was encouraged by his parents to practice swimming. He started swimming at the age of
nine and bagged his first medal (silver) in All Assam State Level Championship in 2012.
iii. He was the only swimmer from the northeast region who participated in six events at the
championship.The event brought together participants from six countries India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Andy Murray became world number one after Raonic withdraws from paris masters
i. Britains Andy Murray became the new world number one after Milos Raonicwithdrew from
their Paris Masters semi-final with injury.

140 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. The Easy victory would see Murray, 29, move to the top of the rankings for the first time in his
career after replacing long-time incumbent Novak Djokovic.
iii. Raonic added that he had suffered a muscle tear in his right leg in his previous match,
sending Murray through to face John Isner in Sundays final
iv. Djokovic had been No 1 since June 2014 a 122-week run at the top of the list but his
quarter-final defeat to Marin Cilic on Friday paved the way for Murray, who now becomes the 26th
man to top the rankings and the first Britain to top the listing since the system was introduced in
1973.
India wins 29 medals at Commonwealth Wrestling Championships
Rio Olympian Sandeep Tomar, Amit Dhankar and SatyawartKadian bagged gold medals in their
respective mens freestyle categories , totally India has won 29 medals at the Commonwealth
Wrestling Championships in Singapore.
Winners from India :
Mens Freestyle 57kg

Sandeep Tomar (Gold)

Mens Freestyle 70kg

Amit Dhankhar (Gold), Vinod (Silver)

Mens Freestyle 97kg

Satyawart (Gold), Roubaljeet (Silver)

Female Wrestling 48kg

RituPhogat (Gold), Priyanka (Silver)

Female Wrestling 55kg:

Lalita (Gold), Diyanshi (Silver)

Female Wrestling 58kg:

Mannu (Gold), Somali (Silver)

Female Wrestling 60kg:

Sarita (Silver), Manish (Bronze)

Female Wrestling 63kg:

Reshma (Gold), Gargi (Silver)

Female Wrestling 69kg:

Pinki (Gold), Kavita (Silver)

Female Wrestling 75kg :

Jyoti (Silver), Nikki (Bronze).

Greco-Roman 66kg:

Manish (Gold), Ravinder (Silver)

Greco-Roman 75kg:

Gurpreet (Gold), Dinesh (Silver)

Greco-Roman 80kg:

Harpreet Singh (Gold), Ravinder Khatri (Silver)

Greco-Roman 85kg:

Prabhpal (Gold), Yashpal (Silver)

Greco-Roman 130kg:

Naveen (Gold), Manvir (Silver)

Indian Women Win First ACT Title AfterDeepikas Late Strike


i. The Indian womens hockey team The Indian registered a 2-1 victory over China to claim the
womens Asian Champions Trophy title in Singapore
ii. Hockey India announced a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh each for the players and chief coach Neil
Hawgood. It also announced Rs 1 lakh for the other support staff of the team.
iii. A cash award for Rs 1 lakh was announced for Deepika, the highest Scorer of the
tournament.

141 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


MP girl NuzhatParveen inducted into Indian cricket team
i. Madhya Pradeshs 20-year-old NuzhatParveen aka Khushboo inducted into Indian cricket
team.
ii. she became the first woman from the Rewa division to get selected in the Indian cricket squad.
iii. She could make her debut in T-20 against the West Indies on November 18. Nuzhat has also
been also selected for the remaining two matches.
Indias Palpreet Singh included in 2016 NBA D-League Draft.
i. Palpreet Singh, winner of National Finals of ACG-NBAJump, Indias first national basketball
talent search program, was selected 11th in the fourth Round of the NBA D-League Draft held in
New York.
ii. Palpreet expressed gratitude to his coach, Dr. Sankaran Subramanian who has spent 43
years as a basketball coach in India for having a huge impact on his career.
Indian ShuttlerPratul won maiden title at Bahrain International Challenge.
i. Young Indian shuttler Pratul Joshi grabbed his maiden international title by achieving a hardfought win over Aditya Joshi in the finals of the USD 17,500 Bahrain International
Challenge badminton tournament at Segayya in Bahrain.
ii. In a strong fought battle between siblings, it was 22-year-old Pratul who emerged as the winner
after he prevailed 21-17, 12-21, 21-15 over Aditya in the summit clash which lasted for an hour.
Lewis Hamilton won Mexican Grand Prix
i. Lewis Hamilton kept his title hopes alive with a comfortable victory from Mercedes teammate NicoRosberg in the Mexican Grand Prix.
ii. The three-times world champion NicoRosberg admitted that to an extent the final result would
be uncontrollable and he did everything to battle on against his Mercedes team-mate.
iii. Hamiltons win at the AutdromoHermanos Rodrguez cuts Rosbergs lead in the
Championship to 19 points but the German can still take the title with a win at the next round in
Brazil.
World Cup top-scorer Klose retired at 38
i. The German soccer federation declared that the striker and the top scorer in World Cup history
MiroslavKlose was ending his playing career and will train as a coach.
ii. The 38-year-old Klose retired from international soccer after winning the World Cup with
Germany in 2014, scoring twice to bring his total goal tally from four tournaments to 16. With a
career total of 71 goals, Klose is also the highest-scoring player for Germany.
India won all five bilateral ODI series against New Zealand
i. India have won all five bilateral ODI series against New Zealand in India. They have won all

142 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


five series in 1988-89, 1995-96, 1999-2000, 2010-11 and 2016-17
ii. Kohlis aggregate is his highest in any series in ODIs in India as well as the highest by an
Indian batsman in a bilateral series vs New Zealand, He breaks GautamGambhirs tally of 329
(ave.109.66) in five innings in 2010-11.
India, R Ashwin retained top spots in ICC Test rankings
i. India kept its positionof most important spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test
team rankings while top-ranking off-spinner RavichandranAshwin also continued to top the
bowlers list.RAshwin maintained his top position with 900 points
ii. India led the teams table with 115 points ahead of chief-rivals Pakistan (111) and Australia
(108). England were at fourth place followed by South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies
with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe completing the list.
iii. Ashwins spin partner RavindraJadeja was at seventh place with 805 points.Going through a
good luck, Ashwin was also leading the all-rounders table with 451 points, with Jadeja occupying
the fifth position with 292 points.
Indian Wushu Team Won 5 Medals In The 8th Sanda World Cup
i. Indian wushu team has won an impressive five medals, including four silver and one
bronze, in the eighth Sanda World Cup held at Xian, China.
ii. The event observed participation from 80 best Sanda players of 13th World Wushu
Championship 2015. India were represented by five players, according to a Report.
iii. Arjuna Awardee and world silver medalist Y Sanathoi Devi won the silver for India in the final
of 52kg category lost to Chinas Luan Zhang.
iv. The other silver medallist for India were Uchit Sharma after losing gold medal to Arnel Mandal of
Philinpies in the 52kg finals, Suraya BhanuPratap Singh (60kg) and Monika (56kg). Pooja Kadian
(75kg) got the lone bronze medal.
2016 BNP Paribas Open Overview
World No. 1 Andy Murray defeating John Isner for mens single title at the BNP Paribas Masters
in Paris.
Winner list :
Title
Mens Single
Mens Double

Winner
A. Murray
H. Kontinen / J. Peers

Runner
J. Isner
P. Herbert / N. Mahut

Petra Kvitova won 2016 WTA Elite Singles Trophy


i. Czech Republics Petra Kvitova November 2016 won the 2016 WTA Elite Singles Trophy. She
defeated Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-2 to grab the title at Zhuhai, China.
ii. Petra Kvitov was on born 8 March 1990. She is a Czech professional tennis player. Having

143 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


turned professional in 2006, she is known for her powerful left-handed groundstrokes and variety.
iii. Kvitov has won nineteen career singles titlesincluding two Grand
Slam titles at Wimbledon. In addition to that, she is also an Olympic bronze medallist, having
won the medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Young Rishabh Pant hits fastest hundred in Indian FC cricket
i. Delhis young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant entered into the record books as he scored the
fastest ever hundred by an Indian in a first-class game by hitting a 48-ball ton against
Jharkhand in a Ranji Trophy encounter.
ii. Pant dominatedpublic interest as he became the second wicket-keeper batsman to win triplecentury in first-class cricket. Playing against Maharashtra in a Group B match of the ongoing Ranji
Season, Pant achieved the historic feat at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Mumbais Western Railways beated Haryana 4-2 to win Surjit trophy
Mumbais Western Railways womens team grabbed the title in the 33rd Indian Oil Servo
Surjit Hockey Tournament by defeating Haryana XI 4-2 in the title clash played at
the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.
Delhi boy Tejaswin sets national senior record in junior meet
i. Delhi boy Tejaswin Shankar smashed the 12-year-old national senior record in high jump with
an effort of 2.26m while winning the gold on the opening day of the 32nd National Junior
Athletics Championships at Nehru Stadium, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu
ii. The 17-year-old Tejaswin achieved the rare feat of a junior athlete breaking the national senior
record.
Invictus Games in 2018 to be held in Sydney: Prince Harry
i. PRINCE Harry of Britain declared that the International Sports Competition for wounded
veterans, the Invictus Games 2018, will be held in Sydney, Australia.
ii. The fourth internatinal annual event will continue for 11 days, beginning on Oct. 18, 2018 and
ending Oct. 29, 2018.
iii. The events will be held across the Greater Sydney area from the Sydney Olympic Park to on
and around the iconic Sydney Harbour.About 500 athletes from 17 are expected to participate in
the event.
Kashmiri girl wins under- eight World Kick Boxing Championshipm for India
i. Eight-year-old Kashmiri girl, Tajamul Islam, created history by winning a Gold Medal for India
in The World Kick Boxing Championship of Under- Eight Players.She defeated her rival from
U.S. to win the Championship.

144 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. The five days Championship, was held in Italyin which 90 countries
iii. She won six games in the event. She is the first such player to win the championship from
the volatile Kashmir valley.
Indian Womens team wins Gold at the 7th World Carrom Championship
i. Indias womens carrom team defeated Sri Lanka to win the gold at the 7th World Carrom
Championship in Birmingham (UK).
ii. Indias S Apoorwa and Kajol Kumari also won gold in the womens doubles event.
iii. Meanwhile, the mens team lost to Sri Lanka to win the silver medal in the competition.
Former South Africa spinner Robin Peterson announces retirement from cricket
i. Robin Peterson, the former South Africa allrounder, has announced his retirement from all
cricket.
ii. He made his South Africa debut during the Champions Trophy in 2002, and played 15 Tests, 79
ODIs and 21 T20Is, taking 137 international wickets and also scoring four half-centuries.
Indias Aditi Ashok becomes first Indian to win Ladies European Tour
i. The 18 year old Indian golfer Aditi Ashok became the first Indian woman to win a Ladies
European Tour title by clinching the Hero Womens Indian Open at the DLF Golf and Country
Club in Gurgaon on November 13, 2016.
ii. Aditi shot an even par 72 on the final day carrying a two-stroke overnight lead.
iii. She finished with a total score 3-under 213 and won a prize of USD 60,000.
iv. Brittany and Belen finished tied second with identical totals of 2-under 214 after 54 holes
Vandana Katariya to Lead Indian Womens Hockey Team in Australian Series
i. Forward Vandana Katariya will lead Indian womens hockey team in the Test Series against
Australia to be played from November 23 to November 30 at Melbourne, Australia
ii. Defender Sunita Lakra will be the vice-captain of the team and experienced Poonam Rani,
Anuradha Devi Thokchom, Vandana Katariya, Preeti Dubey and Sonika are the strikers named in
the squad by Hockey India
iii. The midfielders and others responsibilities of the 18-member squad are remain unchanged
Lewis Hamilton wins Brazilian Grand Prix.
i. Lewis Hamilton, British Formula One racing driver from England, won the Brazilian Grand
Prix
ii .This race was his ninth win of 2016 with several high-speed accidents, two stoppages and five
safety cars.

145 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. The victory cut the lead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who finished second, to 12
points.
Golfer Chawrasia wins Asian Tour title in Philippines
i. Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia(38) win the USD One million Resorts World Manila Masters
in Philippines. It is his first Asian Tour title outside India
ii. He birdied the 18th play-off hole twice to clinch victory over Sam Chien of the United States and
Malaysias Nicholas Fung.
Viswanathan Anand wins 2016 Champions Showdown in St Louis
i. Viswanathan Anand won the 2016 Champions Showdown against Hikaru Nakamurainin St
Louis, USA on November
ii. The tournament was played across five days, each competitor faced 24 matches. Anand won
seven matches and drew 16.
Padmini Rout creates Hat-Trick In National Women Premier Chess Championship
i. Padmini Rout, the International chess Master has won the 2016 National Women Premier
Chess Championship for the third consecutive year.
ii. Earlier in the year 2014 and 2015 too Padmini was the winner of the National Women Premier
Chess Championship, thus making a hat-trick in the year 2016.
iii. She represented Petroleum Sports Promotion Board(PSPB) in the championship and won
the gold after a draw with her PSPB teammate Eesha Karavade.
iv. S Vijayalakshmi of Air India won silver medalwhile Eesha Karavade of PSPB
bagged bronze medalin the Championship.
India to host T20 Cricket World Cup for the Blind
i. India are to host the T20 Cricket World Cup for the Blind at nine different centres from January
31 to February 12, 2017
ii. The tournament, to be organised by the Cricket Association for the Blind in India, is budgeted to
cost Rs 24.5 crore, its president G K Mahantesh.
Dharambir Singh sentenced 8-year ban By NADA
i. Dharambir Singh, a Haryana sprinter, who was recently barred from representing the country
in the Rio Olympics at the last minute for failing a dope test, has been sentenced a ban of eight
years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
ii. A test was conducted by the NADA during the Indian Grand Prix Meet in Bengaluru on July
11 in which the 200-metre runner report was positive for an anabolic steroid.

146 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


iii. Since this was his second dope-related offence, the NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel has
handed him a lengthier ban of eight years.
IOC Disqualifies 10 Athelets after Doping Retest
i. The International Olympic Committee has disqualified 10 athletes of medals achieved from
the 2008 Olympics after banned substances were found during retests of samples from the
games.
ii. Although no Gold medalists were among the 10 but there were 3 silver medalistsfrom
weightlifting and wrestling whose report were positive.
iii. 2 Bronze medalist atheletes from Track and field event comprising of Greek triple jumper
Chrysopigi Devetzi and Ukrainian pole vaulter Denys Yurchenko.
IBC signs Rs 100 crore deal with Sporty Solutionz
i. The Indian Boxing Council (IBC) and Sporty Solutionz have signed a 5-year deal under
which the Sporty Solutionz will provide IBC Rs. 100 crore to boost professional boxing in India.
ii. The aim of the investment is to make India the global hub of professional boxing over
the next five years.
iii. With this the active boxers will have opportunities to compete and earn while the retired will be
part of a system as coaches to create champions and the beginners will have incentives and
scholarships to stay focused on the sport.
iv. The first big event will be the IBC Fight Nights, starting from next January.
Mritul sets new world record in free style swimming
i. A 13-year-old boy Mritul has set a new world record in free style swimming. He covered nine
Kilometers in three hours.
ii. Mritul has achieved a target attempting the longest swimming medley over a period of five
hours.
iii. His target was to achieve twelve km but he has achieved 13.3 km and has successfully
attempted this aspiration to have a world record certified by elite world record.
Aditi Ashok wins inaugural Qatar Ladies Open
i. Indian teen golfer Aditi Ashok defeated Nanna Koerstz Madsen to win the inaugural Qatar
Ladies Open in Doha, Qatar on November 26, 2016. It is her second successive victory on the
Ladies European Tour.
ii. She cliched her maiden win at the Hero Womens Indian Open earlier this week.
UP IAS officer Suhas LY wins gold in Asian Para-Badminton Championships
i. IAS officer Suhas LY from Uttar Pradesh cliched gold medal after

147 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


defeating Indonesianplayer Harry Susanto in the Asian Para-Badminton Championships in
Beijing, China
ii. Suhas defeated Wang Hwan Sing of Korea in the semifinals.
Argenitna win their first ever Davis cup
i. Argentina defeated Croatia to win their first ever maiden Davis Cup tennis title in Zagreb,
Croatia on November 28, 2016
ii. Del Potro and Federico Delbonis are layed a remarkable play to win the title.
iii. Argentina had lost in the final of the tournament four times earlier while Croatia won the title in
2005.
Indian team wins silver in World Robot Olympiad
i. Out of 450 teams, team High Voltage from India (Gurugram) won a silver in the Regular
Junior High category in the 13th World Robot Olympiad (WRO) that concluded at India Expo
Mart in Greater Noida.
ii. The two-day international championship, jointly organised by National Council of Science
Museums (NCSM) under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture and India STEM Foundation (ISF), was
based on the theme Rap the Scrap.
iii. Over 2,000 students from over 50 countries showcased innovative solutions using robotics
technology to reduce, manage and recycle waste.
India beat Malaysia to finish third in Four Nations Hockey tournament
i. Indian Hockey team defeated Malaysia 4-1 in the third-place playoff match to
secure bronze in the 4 Nations Tournament in Melbourne.
ii. Akashdeep, captain VR Raghunath, Talwinder Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh scored goals for
the country.
Pankaj Advani claims bronze medal at IBSF World Snooker Championship
i. Fifteen-time world champion Pankaj Advani suffered a 2-7 loss in the semifinals against Andrew
Pagett of Wales to settle for a bronze medal at the IBSF World Snooker Championship
ii. He is the only player in the world to compete at the world championship level in both sports
and be successful in all the formats of both billiards and snooker.
IBSF World Snooker Championship:
The IBSF World Snooker Championship (aka World Amateur Snooker Championship) is the
premier non-professional snooker tournament in the world.
Venue: Doha, Qatar
Winner: Soheil Vahedi
Runner up: Andrew Pagett

148 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


IAAF launches online portal to report doping
i. International Association of Athletics Federations has launched an online portal for reporting
suspicions of doping.
ii. The secure portal on its home page is available in six languages and offers full confidentiality.
iii. Information submitted and transmitted via secure networks and is completely anonymous.
Kohli continues surge towards top with career-best third rank in Tests
i. Virat Kohli has moved up to a career-best third spot in the latest MRF Tyres ICC Player
Rankings for Test Batsmen after coming up with a useful contribution in his teams eight-wicket win
over England in the third Test in Mohali.
ii. He scored 62 and six not out to move to 833 points, within 14 points of Englands Joe Root in a
list led by Australia captain Steve Smith.
iii. Starting the series in 15th position, Kohli has risen at a fast pace scoring 405 runs in the three
Tests against England.
Hashim Mansoor of Kashmir won Asian Youth Karate Championships
i. Seven-year-old Hashim Mansoor from Kashmirs Bandipora district has won a gold medal at
the Asian Youth Karate Championships, being held at New Delhi.
ii. He clinched the gold in the three day championship in the sub-junior category (below 25kg) after
defeating his competitors from Bhutan and Malaysia in the first two rounds and his Sri Lankan
opponent in the final on November 29, 2016.
iii. Mansoor, after this win has now qualified for the World Championship, to be held next year in
September. Hashim Mansoor credited his victory to the hard work of his coach Fasil Ali Dar.

OBITUARY
Iran novelist William Trevor dies at 88
i. Irish novelist and playwright William Trevor dies in London on November 21, 2016. He was 88.
ii. William was a master of short stories that often explored lifes disappointments.He written more
than 15 novels and many more short stories.
iii. He has won the Britains Whitbread prize three times and his book was short-listed four
times for the Booker Prize include The Story of Lucy Gault in 2002
Veteran Carnatic music exponent M Balamurali Krishna passed away at 86
i. Veteran Veteran vocalist and Padma Vibhushan awardee M Murali Krishna passed away in
Chennai on November 22 2016. He was 86.
ii. Balamuralikrishna has given his first live concert, at the age of 8. The title Bala, was given by

149 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


distinguished Harikatha performer Musunuri Suryanarayana Murty Bhagavatar.
iii. He featured in the popular national integration song Miley Sur Mera Tumhara in which he
rendered Tamil lyrics and starred in a number of films in Tamil and Telugu.
iv. He is an innovator of the tala system in Carnatic music and also played other instruments like
Mridangam ,Viola and Kanjira.
v. He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 1991 and also he received many state awards.
Former UP Chief Minister Ram Naresh Yadav passes away
i. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ram Naresh Yadav passed away on November 22, 2016 at
Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow at 9.15 am after
a prolonged illness at the age of 90.
ii. In 1977 during Janata Dal government in Uttar Pradesh he was appointed as the Chief Minister
of UP in 1977 and served as CM from 1977-1979
iii. He was appointed as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh in September 2011 by the UPA
government active that time.
iv. His name was also figured in the infamous Vyapam scam, a multi-crore scandal in the Madhya
Pradesh Professional Examination Board, during the government of Shivraj Singh Chouhan but was
released from the charge till he held the office of Governor in Madhya Pradesh.
Renowned Hindi & Bhojpuri writer Dr Viveki Rai passes away
i. Renowned Hindi and Bhojpuri litterateur Dr Viveki Rai passed away on November 22, 2016 in
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He was 92.
ii. Rai took part in the freedom movement and he also wrote several articles and columns in
magazines and news papers
iii. He wrote about fifty books of stories, essays and novels. His novel Sonamati recognized as one
of his best literary work.
iv. He was awarded with Yash Bharti in 2006 by UP government for his literary contribution.
Former ICRA CEO Pranab Choudhury passed away
i. Former Chief Executive of ICRA Ltd, Pranab Kumar Choudhary passed away on November 23,
2016. He was 69.
ii. Choudhary was the chairman of Peerless Securities Ltd.He retired from ICRA in
January 2015 as the vice chairman and group CEO.
iii. He was a director on the boards of several companies including ONGC, Tata Capital Financial
Services Ltd and Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd and Peerless General Finance & Investment
Company Ltd

150 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Eminent physicist and ex-ISRO chief Prof MGK Menon passes at 88
i. Professor MGK Menon, an eminent physicist, who had made significant contribution in the
development of science and technology in the country over the last five decades, died on November
22, 2016 in New Delhi.
ii. He was the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation in 1972 and the Director
of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) at the age of 35 years.
iii. Menon had earlier served as a minister of state for science and technology and education in the
V P Singh government as well as Secretary in the Departments of Science and Technology and
Environment in the Union government.
iv. Menon received Padma Vibhushan award for his scientific work in cosmic rays, particle physics
and distinguished himself with investigations in the field.
Renowned Pakistani mountaineer Hassan Sadpara passes away
i. Renowned mountaineer Hassan Sadpara passed away in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
ii. Sadpara was the only Pakistani, who have climbed six of the worlds tallest
mountains including Mt Everest (8848m), K2 (8611m), Gasherbrum I (8080m), Gasherbrum II
(8034m), Nanga Parbat (8126 m) and Broad Peak (8051m).
iii. He was the second Baltistani to have summited all five of the 8000m peaks of Pakistan after
Nisar Hussain.
Writer of Shah Rukh Khans Chennai Express K Subash dies
i. Tamil film-director K. Subaash passed away in Chennai on November 23, 2016. He was 57
ii. Subaash is best known for directing Tamil filmChathriyan and penning the story of Shah Rukh
Khans Chennai Express and Housefull 3.
iii. He started his career as an assistant to Mani Ratnam in 1987 Tamil film Nayagan, and a year
later he made his directorial debut with Prabhu-starrer Kaliyugam.He also directed Vijayakanthstarrer Tamil actioner Sathriyana in 1991.
iv. He directed nearly 20 films with last one was Hindi action film Insan.
Former Editor of Times of India Dileep Padgaonkar passes away
i. Veteran journalist and a well-known author and former editor of Times Of India, Dileep
Padgaonkar died at a private hospital in Pune on November 25, 2016 the age of 72.
ii. He had been unwell for some time and was admitted to a hospital on November 18 following a
heart attack. Later, he suffered diabetes and kidney-related problems.
iii. Born in Pune and educated at St Vincent High School and Fergusson College in Pune, he went to
France and studied for a doctorate at the University of Paris-Sorbonne.
iv. Padgaonkar began his career in journalism at the age of 24 as the Paris correspondent of The
Times of India and later in 1988, he was appointed the editor.

151 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Freedom Fighter Bhikari Charan Mohanty Passes Away
i. Eminent freedom fighter Bhikari Charan Mohanty passed away in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He
was 94
ii. Mohanty is a close associate of Badachana Gandhi and he was imprisoned twice during Quit India
Movement.
iii. He was known among the freedom fighters for his revolutionary songs and Mohatys last
performance were performed at Krushnanagar village in Jajpur district.
Revolutionary Cuban leader, Fidel Castro passes away at 90.
i. Fidel Castro, political leader from Cuba died on 25 November 2016 due to illness at the age of
90.
ii. He has served as Prime Minister of Cuba for 17 years and President of Cuba for 32 years.
iii.Cuba has declared 9 days national mourning in respect of the leader.
Russian Co-Creator of MiG-29 Fighter Jet Ivan Mikoyan Dies at 89
i. Famous Russian aircraft designer and co-creator of the MiG-29 fighter jet Ivan Mikoyanwas
passed away in on November 25, 2016. He was 89.
ii. Mikoyan started his career as the chief engineer, later he became an adviser of the Russian
Aircraft Corporation MiG.
iii. He took part in the development of the design of the MiG-21 and the MiG-29 fighters.He
received the USSR State Prize state honor twice for his work on the MiG-29.
Marathi Litterateur Anand Yadav Passes Away
i. Noted Marathi author Anand Yadav passed away in Pune on November 27, 2016. He was 80.
ii. Anands autobiography Zombi had won Sahitya Akadmi award in 1991. He also written the
book Santsurya Tukaram .The book was about 17th century saint poet Sant Tukaram.
iii. He was the president of the prestigious literary meet 82nd Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sammelan
which was held in March 2009
iv. He had penned nearly 40 books which comprise collection of essays and poems among others.
Iconic Pakistani TV producer Yawar Hayat Khan passes away
i. Yawar Hayat Khan, well known producer and director of Pakistan Television (PTV)has died.
He was 73.
ii. He worked in PTV Lahore for about 40 years
Gandhiji kin, ex-NASA scientist Kanubhai passed away
i. KanuRamdas Gandhi is a 87 old years, an ex-NASA scientist, and lies critical in a charitable
hospital here, with little monetary resources and virtually nobody to care for him.

152 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


ii. Ahmedabad-based DhimantBadhia, an old friend and grandson of a close associate of Gandhi
arranged for small monetary help for the poor health of Kanu, and recently donated Rs.21,000
($315) from his personal resources.
iii. The Radhakrishna Temple is providing great service. They got him admitted to the Shiv Jyoti
Hospital nearby and are taking care of his 90-year old wife, ShivalaxmiKanu Gandhi, who is
practically deaf and suffers from other old age-related problems.
iv. Kanu later worked with NASA and the US Defence Department on wing structures fighter
aircraft, while Shivalaxmi was a professor and researcher at the Boston Biomedical Research
Institute.
Former J&K Deputy CM Mangat Ram Sharma passes away
i. Former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma passed away. He was
85.
ii. He started his career as a Block Development Officer.He was served as legislator for six times
also served as speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
iii. He served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Mufti Mohammad Sayeedgovernment.Later served as
Health Minister in 2006 in GhulamNabi Azad government.
Sri Lankan music legend PanditAmaradeva dies
i. Legendary Sri Lankan singer and composer PanditAmaradeva who is a recipient of global
honours, including Indias Padma Shri passed away.
ii. He was 88. His music blended Indian classical ragas with Lankan folk tunes.
iii. The musician has been the recipient of several awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award
(2001), Padma Shri (2002) and Sri Lankan Presidents Award of Kala Keerthi (1986) and
Deshamanya Award (1998).
Football World Cup trophy designer Silvio Gazzaniga dies at 95
i. Silvio Gazzaniga, the goldsmith and sculptor who designed and created footballs World Cup
trophy, has died at home in Milan aged 95
ii. He was known as MrCups,.he also designed UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup
iii. Silvio Gazzaniga designed and created the World Cup trophy in 1971. FIFA World Cup trophy
is 18-carat solid gold trophy weighs approximately six kilograms.
Broadway Star Tammy Grimes Died
i. Tammy Grimes, a scratchy-voiced actress who was one of Broadways brightest stars of the
1960s, winning Tony awards as the title character in the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown
and for a revival of Noel Cowards comedy Private Lives, died at a hospital in Englewood, N.J.
She was 82.
ii. The award-winning actress would go on to star in a mass of Broadway productions, such as

153 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Rattle of a Simple Man, High Spirits and The Only Game in Town. Grimes won her
second Tony Award for 1969s revival of Nol Cowards Private Lives.
iii. The Broadway star was born in Lynn, Mass to Luther Nichols and Eola Willard in 1934. She
attended Stephens College in Columbia, a short period of time before making her stage debut in
Jonah and the Whale with the Neighborhood Playhouse in 1955.
iv. She would go on to win her first Tony award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1961 as the titular
character in Meredith Wilsons musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
Noted Hindi Writer HridyeshMehrotra Passes Away
i. Noted Hindi writer HridyeshMehrotra was passed away at Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh on
November 1, 2016. He was 86.
ii. He had penned 13 novels, including SafedGhoda Kala Sawar, and 26 collections of short
stories.
iii. He has recieved SahityaBhushan and PahalSanman awards from UP government.
Former Union minister of state Jayawantiben Mehta passes away
i. Former Union Minister of State and BJP leader Jayawantiben Mehta passed away. She was 88.
ii. She was made the minister of state in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet in 1999.
Firebrand Odisha Congress leader Lulu Mohapatra dies at 52
i. Firebrand Congress leader and former MLA Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra (Lulu), died of
multi-organ failure at a private hospital in Gurgaon.
ii. He was 52. The three-time Congress MLArepresented Brahmagiri assembly segment in a row
from 1995 to 2009 and was executive president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee
(OPCC).
U.S. first female Attorney-General Janet Reno passes away.
i. Janet Reno, the first woman to be appointed as Attorney General of US, passed away as a
consequence of Parkinsons disease. She was 78.
ii. She died at her longtime home in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
iii. She served as Attorney General under President Bill Clinton and earned praise for her
insensitiveness and independence, at the same time also faced criticism for some high-profile
controversies
Legendary Singer-Songwriter Leonard Cohen passed away
i. Leonard Cohen, the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter whose work inspired generations,
has died at the age of 82 in California, United States.
ii. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, sexuality and personal relationships.

154 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Indian missions oldest employee Maureen Travis passes away in UK
i. One of the oldest employees of the Indian High Commission in the UK, Maureen Travis passed
away in London.
ii. Travis, who took on secretarial work at India House in 1948.
iii. She has been part of the history of India House from its very inception and she described the
High Commissions library, stocked with over 20,000 books and journals.
Noted geophysicist Janardhan Negi passes away
i. Noted geophysicist Janardhan G Negi passed away on 10 November 2016 in Hyderabad
following a brief illness. He was 81.
ii. He was known for making outstanding contribution in understanding earthquakes, mass
extinctions, especially dinosaurs and the movement of the Indian sub-continent plates.
About Janardhan Negi :
He was a former Director-grade scientist at the National Geophysical Research
Institute (NGRI).
In his long career of over four-decades, he served as the Scientific Adviser to the Governments of
Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
He also headed the MP Council for Science and Technology as Director-General to shape up the
policies to integrate S&T.
Hollywood Sensation Robert Vaughn Died At 83
i. Hollywood star Robert Vaughn, who is best known for his role as secret agent Napoleon
Solo in the NBC spy series The Man From Uncle, died at the age of 83.
ii. The actor died of acute leukemia.
iii. He is survived by his wife Linda and two children, Cassidy and Caitlin
Former Spanish world boxing champ Perico Fernandez dies
i. Former Spanish super lightweight world boxing champion Pedro Perico Fernandez has died.
He was 64
ii. Fernandez fought 125 pro fights, winning 82 and drawing 15 until he retired in 1987.
UKs First Indian-Origin Sikh Judge Dies
i. Mota Singh, an Indian-origin Sikh, who became UKs first-ever ethnic minority judge to sit
on the English Bench wearing a turban instead of a horse-hair wig, died.He was 86.
ii. Mota Singh, a Ramgarhia Sikh, was born in 1930 in Nairobi, Kenya
RSS Leader Pravin Maniar Passes Away
i. Veteran RSS leader and leading educationalist of Saurashta region Pravin Maniar passed away

155 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


at Rajkot, Gujarat. He was 82.
ii. Pravin was Born on September 1, 1935,he held various key posts in Gujarat RSS, the
organisation for which he dedicated over six decades of his life.
iii. He was also involved in various educational institutes including VVP Engineering college and
Sarashwati Shishu Mandir
Six-Time BJP MLA I.D. Dhiman Passed Away
i. Former Himachal Pradesh minister and six-time BJP MLA I D Dhiman passed away on
November 15, 2016 at his native village Dialri, 25 km from from Hamirpur, due to age-related
ailments.He was 82
ii. He is survived by his wife Satya Dhiman, son Anil Dhiman and two daughters.
iii. I D Dhiman popularly known as guruji was known for his simplicity and honesty.
iv. He was elected to Himachal Pradesh Assembly for the first time from Mewa constituency in
1990 and won successively six times in a row in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2012.
Chinas First Female J-10 Pilot Yu Xu Dies
i. Chinas first woman pilot of a J-10 fighter jet Yu Xuhas died during an aerobatics training
exercise in the northern province of Hebei, China.
ii. 30 year old Yu was one of few women pilots who could fly domestically-made fighter jets. She
joined the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force in2005
iii. She was a member of the Chinese air forces August 1st aerobatic display team.
Former J-K Governor Lt Gen Sinha Passes Away
i. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen S K Sinha passed away at the Army Research and
Referral hospital on November 17, 2016 in New Delhi said by his son Y K Sinha. He was 92.
ii. Sinha has served as the Jammu and Kashmir Governor and led the first batch of Indian
troops who entered J and K when Pakistan raiders invaded in 1947.
iii. He resigned from service after the government superseded him and appointed General A S
Vaidya as the new army chief.
iv. He had joined army in 1943 and also served as Indias Ambassador to Nepal and as
the Governor of Assam.
Tony winning-actor Fritz Weaver dies at 90
i. American Actor Fritz William Weaver who is is well known for his films like Fail-Safe
and The Day of the Dolphinhas passed away in New York, USA. He was 90
ii. Weaver received his Tony in 1970 for his performance as strict Catholic boarding school teacher
Jerome Malley in Robert Marascos long-running thriller Childs Play.
iii. He has worked in television, earning an Emmy nomination in 1978 for portraying a Jewish

156 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


doctor sent to Auschwitz in the NBC miniseries Holocaust. He was inducted into the Theatre Hall
of Fame in 2010.

BOOKS & AUTHORS


Nalini Sriharans autobiography, Rajiv Gandhi assasin, hidden truths, Priyanka meeting
Nalini Released.
i. An autobiography of Nalini Sriharan, titled Rajiv Gandhi assasin, hidden truths, Priyanka
meeting Nalini was released on November 24, 2016 by MDMK founder Vaiko in Chennai in the
presence of various pro-Tamil leaders including VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan.
ii. The book features the life of Nalini Sriharan, a convict serving life term in the Rajiv Gandhi
assassination case.The book has been compiled and penned by journalist and writer Pa Ekalaivan.
iii. The book explains the circumstances from Nalinis point of view which led to her involvement in
the case, and the hardships and torture she went through inside the prison and her surprise
meeting with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Vellore Central Prison in 2008.
iv. The book was written in Tamil titled Rajiv Kolai: Marikapatta Unmaigalum Priyanka Nalini
Santhippum, and then translated in English.
Vice President M. Hamid Ansari Releases the book An Era of Darkness: The British
Empire in India
i. Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari released book An Era of Darkness: The British
Empire in India authored by Dr. ShashiTharoor.
ii. Vice President said that the author rightly points out that British rule in India was effectively and
regularly supplemented by famine, forced migration and brutality the three examples of
why British rule over India was despotic and anything but enlightened.
President of India to receive a copy of book CHARAIVETI, CHARAIVETI
i. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will receive the first copy of book CHARAIVETI,
CHARAIVETI from the Vice President of India, Shri Mohd Hamid Ansari who will formally release it
at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan
ii. The title is both emotional and philosophical. From our ancient ethos of continuous change to
Buddhas philosophy of Charaiveti, to Gurudevs call of EklaChalo, the philosophy of eternal and
continuous change is reflected in everybodys life as stagnation leads to death and walking ahead is
life.
iii.The book was originally written in Marathi by Shri Ram Naik, Governor of Uttar Pradesh
Shah Rukh Khan launches his biography in Mumbai
i. Actor Shah Rukh Khan launched his biography SRK- 25 Years of a Life by Samar Khan at an

157 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


event in Mumbai.
ii. The book is depict the characters played by Shah Rukh over the years that struck a chord with
the audience and critics
Back To The Roots, A definitive Guide To Grassroots & Football Development- launched
by, Shaji Prabhakaran
Shaji Prabhakaran, the FIFA Regional Development Officer for South and Central launched a book
authored by him titled, Back To The Roots, A definitive Guide To Grassroots & Football
Development, at a Hotel in New Delhi on November 07, 2016 in the presence of AIFF President
Mr. Praful Patel, AIFF General Secretary Mr. Kushal Das and Indian Footballing legends I. M.
Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia, Jo Paul Ancheri and Bruno Coutinho.
Twinkle Khanna launches her second book The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad
i. Writer and former actress Twinkle Khanna launched her second book The Legend of Lakshmi
Prasad in the presence of Shabana Azmi, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in Mumbai
ii. The book launch was moderated by filmmaker Karan Johar.
iii. The book was dedicated to her husband to Akshay Kumar. It includes 4 stories showing
different fragments of society of different time and eras.
Penguin acquires Sunita Narains book on Indias Green Movement
i. Penguin India has acquired Sunita Narains Conflicts of Interest: My Journey through
Indias Green Movement, a personal account of one of Indias foremost environmentalist
experts.
ii. The book includes an environmental manifesto in which Narain lays out a blueprint for the
direction India must take, if it is to deal with the exigencies of climate change and environmental
degradation.

IMPORTANT DAYS
31 October to 6 November, 2016.
Remember Day: Global Media and Information Literacy Week
Purpose : To share the latest research, projects and new ideas from a diverse range of
stakeholders.
Organization: UNESCO
Theme: Media and Information Literacy: New Paradigms for Intercultural Dialogue.
Nov 1 2016
Remember Day: No Tobacco Day

158 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Purpose : To reduce prevalence of tobacco or nicotine use in Punjab in order to reduce prevalence
of non-communicable diseases.
Organization: Punjab Government
Remember Day: World Vegan Day
Purpose : To raises awareness about animal rights and advocates the widespread adoption of a
vegan lifestyle.
Nov 2 2016
Remember Day: International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
Purpose : To end Impunity for crimes against journalists
Organization: UN
Nov 5 2016
Remember Day: First World Tsunami Awareness Day
Purpose : To raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.
Organization: UN, UNISDR
Theme: Effective Education and Evacuation Drills
Nov 6 2016
Remember Day: International Day for Preventing Exploitation of Environment in War and Armed
Conflict
Purpose : To educate people about the damaging effects of war and armed conflict on the
environment.
Organization: UN
Nov 7 2016
Remember Day: National Cancer Awareness Day
Purpose : To save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education

about cancer
Organization: GOI
Remember Day: The 128th anniversary of Sir CV Raman
Organization: GOI
Nov 8 2016
Remember Day: International Day Of Radiology
Purpose : To marks the importance of radiology in diagnosis of severe diseases like cancer.
Organization: ESR, RSNA and ACR

159 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Theme: Breast Imaging
Nov 10 2016
Remember Day: World Science Day for Peace and Development
Purpose : To mark the importance of science for the benefit of the society and to ensure that
citizens are aware of developments in science.
Organization: UNESCO
Theme: Celebrating Science Centres and Science Museums
Nov 11 2016
Remember Day: National Education day
Purpose : To commemorate the birth anniversary of freedom fighter and independent Indias first
Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Organization: GOI
Nov 12 2016
Remember Day: World Pneumonia Day
Purpose : To generate awareness about the killer disease pneumonia.
Organization: IVAC, WHO
Theme: Keep the Promise, Stop Pneumonia Now
Remember Day: Public Service Broadcasting Day
Purpose : To remember the day when Mahatma Gandhi visited the studio of All India Radio, Delhi
for the first and last time
Organization: GOI
Nov 13 2016
Remember Day: World Kindness Day
Purpose : To encourages individuals to overlook boundaries, race and religion.
Nov 14 2016
Remember Day: Childrens Day
Purpose : To marks the birth date of the first Indian Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Organization: GOI
Remember Day: World Diabetes Day
Purpose : To raise awareness about diabetes
Organization: WHO, IDF
Theme: Eyes on Diabetes

160 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Nov 16 2016
Remember Day: International Day for Tolerance
Purpose : To generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance.
Organization: UNESCO
Remember Day: National Press Day(Golden Jubilee celebration of Press Council of India)
Purpose : To mark the day on which the Press Council of India started functioning
Organization: GOI
Nov 17 2016
Remember Day: World Philosophy Day (Third Thursday of November)
Purpose :To promote human thought, new ideas and critical thinking to confront todays
challenges.
Organization: UNESCO

Nov 20 2016
Remember Day: Universal Childrens Day
Purpose : : To promote awareness in the society for international togetherness, awareness among
children worldwide, and improving childrens welfare.
Organization: UN
Theme: Stop Violence against the Children

Nov 21 2016
Remember Day: World Television Day
Purpose : To give recognition of the increasing impact television has had on decision-making by
bringing various conflicts and threats to peace and security to the worlds attention
Organization: UN
Remember Day: World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims(Third Sunday of November)
Purpose : To remember millions who were killed or injured in road crashes.
Organization: UN
Theme: Vital post-crash actions: Medical Care, Investigation, Justice!.
Nov 25 2016
Remember Day: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Purpose : To raise awareness of the fact that women around the world
Organization: UN

161 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016


Nov 26 2016
Remember Day: Constitution Day(Samvidhan Diva)
Purpose : To honor our Constitution and its promulgation.
Organization: GOI
Remember Day: National Milk day - 95th birth anniversary of Verghese Kurien
Purpose : To mark birth anniversary Father of the White Revolution Dr.Verghese Kurien
Organization: GOI
Nov 28 2016
Remember Day: 68th Raising Day of National Cadet Corps (NCC)
Organization: GOI

Nov 29 2016
Remember Day: International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
Purpose : To mark the anniversary of resolution 181.
Organization: UN

162 | P a g e

Current Affairs PDF: November 2016

AffairsCloud Important Page Links


Current Affairs Sections

Current Affairs
Current Affairs 2016
Current Affairs Today
Current Affairs PDF
Current Affairs Quiz
Current Affairs Mock Test
Study Materials PDF

Subject-Wise Question Sections

Reasoning Questions
Quantitative Aptitude Questions
English Questions
Computer Questions
Banking Awareness Questions

Study Guide Sections

General Aptitude
Reasoning
Letter Writing
Math Tricks
Computer Awareness
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EXAMS!!!

Suggestions are welcomed; Contact us any time at Affairscloud@gmail.com &


AffairsCloud1@gmail.com

163 | P a g e

Você também pode gostar