1
Current Affairs at a Glance - November, 2016
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
asked banks to dispense more Rs
100 notes through ATMs within
the next 15 days. In a notification
on 1 November, RBI asked banks to
calibrate 10% of their ATMs to
dispense Rs 100 notes exclusively
on a pilot basis.
In a bid to boost ties with India, the
Australian government on 1
November announced 19 grants
worth $6,30,000 dollars for several
projects in the field of education,
science, sports, arts and culture.
The Indian government and three
state-run firms will jointly set up
an equity fund of up to $2 billion
for renewable energy companies
to tap into to help New Delhi meet
its clean energy goals, two
government sources told Reuters
on 1 November.
ICICI Bank has launched a credit
facility against home loans for
salaried customers. Customers can
avail themselves of minimum 10
per cent of the total amount as
term loan and maximum 90 per
cent as overdraft.
The Benami Transactions
(Prohibition) Amendment Act,
2016 came into effect on 1
November 2016. The Act was
formulated to curb black money. An
official release of Central Board of
Direct Taxes said, after coming into
effect, the existing Benami
Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988
will be renamed as the Prohibition
of Benami Property Transactions
(PBPT) Act, 1988.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS),
India's largest IT Services provider
on 1 November said that University
of New South Wales (UNSW)
Australia and TCS have signed a
memorandum of understanding to
pursue technology research
collaboration.
Himachal Pradesh on 28 October
2016 was declared Indias second
Open Defecation Free (ODF) State.
The first state to achieve the feat
was Sikkim.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi
Vijayan on 2 November 2016
declared Kerala as Open
Defecation Free (ODF) state. With
this, Kerala became third state to
achieve this status.
Microsoft-owned social network
for work LinkedIn has signed an
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
2
MoU with the Ministry of Human
Resource Development for all
colleges affiliated with the All India
Council for Technical Education to
use its platform for their placement
process.
NITI Aayog on 31 October 2016
launched the first ever Agricultural
Marketing & Farm Friendly
Reforms Index. The index was
topped by Maharashtra.
Arnab Goswami on 1 November
2016 resigned as the Editor-in-Chief
of Times Now, the Bennett
Coleman & Co. Ltd-run news
channel.
Indian Revenue Service Officer
Sushil Chandra on 1 November
2016 took over as the Chairman of
the Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT).
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was observed
across India on 31 October
The International Day to End
Impunity for Crimes against
Journalists was observed globally
on 2 November 2016.
Vigilance Awareness Week was
observed across India beginning
from 31 October 2016 to promote
probity in public life and achieve a
corruption free society.
The GST Council on 3 November
decided to have four slabs under
the GST regime with some changes
from what union finance ministry
proposed and a cess over the peak
rate of 28% on luxury and sin goods
for five years to compensate states
for any revenue loss.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on
3 November allowed banks to issue
rupee denominated bonds, or
masala bonds, in the overseas
market to shore up their capital
base as well as for financing
infrastructure and affordable
housing.
Indian automobile manufacturer
Tata Motors has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Indonesian state-
owned enterprise specializing in
military and commercial products -
PT Pindad, to effectively explore
market potential of Tata Armoured
Vehicles in Indonesia and other
agreed regions of ASEAN.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
1 November 2016 launched the
Saur Sujala Yojana in Chhattisgarh.
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
3
The scheme aims at providing solar
powered irrigation pumps to
farmers at a subsidized price. With
the launch of the scheme,
Chhattisgarh becomes the first
state to implement the scheme.
Russia in November 2016 invited
India to join in developing next-
generation nuclear reactors and
participate in its fast reactor
research project, known as MBIR
(Russian acronym).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
3 November 2016 inaugurated the
Asian Ministerial Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR)
in New Delhi. Aim of the 3-day
conference is to find ways for
better management of disaster risk.
Kristalina Georgieva was on 2
November 2016 appointed as the
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the
International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD) and the International
Development Association (IDA) of
the World Bank Group with effect
from January 2017.
Ministry of Railways on 2
November 2016 appointed Dr.
Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of
Sulabh International, as a Brand
Ambassador for Swachh Rail
Mission. Minister of Railway Suresh
Prabhu felicitated Pathak at a
function in New Delhi.
Kolkata-born Sarabjit Singh
Marwah on 2 November 2016
became the first Sikh to be
appointed to the Canadian Senate.
Freedom House, a non-
government watchdog, on 2
November 2015 released the
Freedom of the Press 2016 report.
The report was released with
theme, The Battle for the Dominant
Message. With respect to India, the
report found that freedom to the
press is partly free with a total
score of 41 on a 0 to 100 scale with
0 representing the best level of
freedom on the net progress and
100 the worst.
Indian shuttler Pratul Joshi on 30
October 2016 won the mens
singles title of the Bahrain
International Challenge
badminton tournament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2
November 2016 presented the
Ramnath Goenka Awards for
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
4
Excellence in Journalism at a
function in New Delhi.
The National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) on 2
November 2016 completed the
construction of the James Webb
Space Telescope (JWST) after more
than 20 years of hard work.
Earthport Plc, the leading payment
network for cross-border
transactions, has received the
Reserve Bank of Indias permission
to provide outbound cross border
payment services to banks in India.
Construction major HCC's Rs 5,000
crore debt recast has become the
first case to get approval of a high-
level panel set up under RBI's new
Scheme for Sustainable
Structuring of Stressed Assets
(S4A).
Telecom Sector Skill Council
(TSSC), a not-for-profit public-
private partnership between
National Skill Development
Corporation and the industry, has
signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with Taiwan
to strengthen cooperation in the
field of corporate job vacancies
and recruitment services post
skilling in India and internationally.
Indo-Bangla joint military training
exercise SAMPRITI commenced on
5 November 2016 at Tangail,
Dhaka.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee of
the Information and Broadcasting
Ministry in the first week of
November 2016 asked for one-day
ban on a leading Hindi News
Channel, NDTV India from 12.01
A.M. of 9 November to 12.01 A.M.
of 10 November 2016.
Google on 3 November 2016 tied
up with Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI) for 360 degree virtual
tour of 280-odd monuments across
the country.
Sanjiv Arora appointed as India's
Ambassador to Lebanon.
Praveen Kumar Sharma was on 5
November appointed as Managing
Director and Chief Executive
Officer of Central Registry of
Securitisation Asset
Reconstruction and Security
Interest of India (Cersai).
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
5
Indian actor Rekha will be
honoured by the upcoming Dubai
International Film Festival (DIFF)
with a Lifetime Achievement
Award. The festival will commence
on 7 December 2016 and will
conclude on 14 December 2016.
The First World Tsunami
Awareness Day was observed
across the world on 5 November
2016.
Global Media and Information
Literacy Week 2016 observed from
31 October to 5 November 2016.
India and the UK on 7 November
signed two memorandums of
understanding (MoUs) on
increasing cooperation in
intellectual property rights (IPRs)
and ease of doing business.
Chhattisgarh government has
launched a campaign to complete
the irrigation projects that could
not be completed. Under the
campaign called Lakshya
Bhagirathi, the water resources
department had identified 108
projects that could not be
completed. Most of the projects are
minor and middle. For the last three
decades, the projects were pending
for required clearances.
Hyderabad-based IT and
engineering services company
Cyient India Limited on 7
November announced that it would
acquire UK-based ground
surveying and digital mapping
solutions provider Blom Aerofilms
Limited.
Future Retail has signed a
definitive agreement to acquire
the retail, agriculture, and bakery
businesses of Heritage Foods in an
all-stock deal on 7 November.
Heritage Foods, owned by Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister N
Chandrababu Naidu, will get 3.65%
stake in Future Retail worth of Rs
295 crore.
Construction company Hindustan
Construction Company (HCC) on 5
November 2016 became Indias
first firm to get Reserve Bank of
India's (RBI) approval for debt
recast under Scheme for
Sustainable Structuring of Stressed
Assets (S4A).
Grant Thornton released its
International Business Report
2016. The report ranks India at the
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
6
second position on the global
business optimism index during the
third quarter (July-September
2016). During the April-June 2016
period, India was ranked at the
third position after being on top for
two consecutive quarters.
Indian Army in the first week of
November 2016 launched
Operation School Chalo in South
Kashmir. The operation is aimed at
providing students with free
coaching after their regular
education system was interrupted
by spiraling violence, protests by
militants and their supporters
triggered by the encounter killing of
Hizbul Mujahideen commander
Burhan Wani.
The Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change on 4
November 2016 constituted a four-
member team for conservation and
management of Loktak Lake in
Manipur.
The Reserve Bank (RBI) has
appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as
Executive Director following G
Mahalingams voluntary retirement
from the central bank.
Bank of Baroda has appointed
Ratnesh Kumar as Managing
Director and CEO of its wholly-
owned investment banking
subsidiary, BoB Capital Markets
Ltd.
Guy Ryder has been re-elected
Director-General of the
International Labour Organisation
(ILO) for another five-year term,
starting October 1.
Indian lawyer Aniruddha Rajput
was on 4 November 2016 elected as
a Member of International Law
Commission (ILC), a top body of
legal experts of United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA).
The International Day for
Preventing the Exploitation of the
Environment in War and Armed
Conflict was observed globally on 6
November 2016.
World's first hydrogen-powered
and zero-emission passenger train
was unveiled in September 2016 in
Germany.
Indian Women's hockey team on 5
November 2016 lifted the Asian
Champions Trophy 2016 in
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
7

Singapore. In the summit clash, greenfield international airport at

India defeated China 2-1. Mopa.
The Reserve Bank of India on 8 India and the United Kingdom on 7
November 2016 issued new series November 2016 inked two pacts to
of notes for 500 rupees and 2000 boost cordial relations between
rupees denomination with the two nations. The pacts were
improved features and newer inked during the visit of Theresa
sizes. Both the designs will be very May, the Prime Minister of the
friendly towards the visually- United Kingdom to India.
impaired by having features which
The Union Tourism Ministry is all
make it accessible for all sections.
set to name Prime Minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Narendra Modi as the mascot of its
announced that 1000 and 500 Incredible India campaign.
rupees notes will cease to be legal
US Republican Donald Trump on 9
tender from midnight 8-9
November 2016 won the US
November 2016. The
presidential elections in a stunning
announcement was made via a
victory. He won the elections by
special nationwide televised
276 seats.
address on 8 November 2016.
Vinod Rai was on 7 November 2016
The Defence Acquisitions Council
appointed as the Chairman of Fund
(DAC), under the Union
Trustee and Advisory Commission
Government, on 7 November 2016
of Kerala.
approved the guidelines for
suspension or banning of business Tata on 8 November 2016
dealings with arms companies. announced that Tata Literature
Live! Lifetime Achievement Award
GMR Airports Ltd, a subsidiary of
for 2016 will be conferred on
GMR Infrastructure Ltd, has
acclaimed author Amitav Ghosh.
entered into a concession
agreement with the Goa The 39th Jamnalal Bajaj
government for the development Foundation Awards for the year
and operation of north Goas 2016 were conferred on 7

Visit us at www.exampundit.in
8
November 2016 in Mumbai,
Maharashtra. Well-known
Gandhian and President of Tunisia's
Ennahdha Party, Sheikh Rached
Ghannouchi was among the four
prominent personalities conferred
with the prestigious award.
M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President of
India, on 5 November 2016
released the book titled An Era of
Darkness: The British Empire in
India. The book is authored by
Shashi Tharoor.
City Union Bank (CUB) plans to
deploy robots in its branches,
becoming the first bank in the
country to do so. Japan's Soft Bank
was the first to use a robot in
banking operations. CUB's
Managing Director & CEO N
Kamakodi said that the 'CUB-
Lakshmi' humanoid is a pilot project
to be deployed in the bank's T
Nagar branch in Chennai.
The Union Ministry of Skill
Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 9
November 2016 launched the
Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana to
boost up an ecosystem of
entrepreneurship for young
people. The scheme was launched
for the time period of over five
years (2016-17 to 2020-21) with a
project cost of 499.94 crore rupees.
Union Government on 9 November
2016 announced that cash deposits
above 2.5 lakh rupees threshold
under the 50-day window could
attract tax plus a 200 percent
penalty in case of income
mismatch. It seems that the
decision was taken to make sure
that people would fail in converting
their black money into the white
one.
India's first Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) driven bus was launched on 8
November 2016 in Kerala.
Twitter India in partnership with
non-profit data journalism
initiative IndiaSpend have launched
#Breathe, an independent and real-
time air quality monitoring public
service initiative on Twitter, the
company said in a statement.
Tata Sons Ltd on 9 November
2016 announced the appointment
of Ishaat Hussain as the Chairman
of IT giant, Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) with immediate
effect. He will hold the position
until the name of a new chairman is
announced.
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
9
Californias Attorney
General Kamala Harris on 9
November 2016 became the first
Indian-American to win the U.S.
Senate seat from the state.
Pramila Jayapal on 9 November
2016 became the first Indian-
American woman to be elected to
the U.S. House of Representative.
She won the Senate seat from state
of Washington.
The World Science Day for Peace
and Development 2016 was
observed on 10 November 2016.
India and Japan on 11 November
signed a landmark civil nuclear
cooperation deal after talks
between Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and his counterpart Shinzo
Abe, a move that will boost bilateral
economic and security ties and
facilitate US-based players to set up
atomic plants in India.
Goods and Services Tax Network
(GSTN), the company which was
tasked to set up IT infrastructure for
the GST, said that by January it will
start training around 60,000 state
government officials to equip them
to handle GST roll out. The non-
profit organisation said that the
Centre agreed to pay around Rs
500 crore every year on behalf of
the tax payers as service charge.
India and Japan on Friday inked a
Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) in the field of outer space,
which would enable cooperation
in satellite navigation, planetary
exploration and space industry
promotion, joint missions and
studies.
Government of Maharashtra on 10
November 2016 signed an
agreement with Canada to execute
a joint action plan on the
development of the states urban
infrastructure.
Union Human Resource
Development (HRD) Minister
Prakash Javadekar on 10 November
2016 inaugurated Smart India
Hackathon 2017, worlds largest
digital national building initiative.
The Government also unveiled the
first set of 250 problem statements
that the students will be required to
solve during the Hackathon that will
take place in early 2017.
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
10
The Union Minister for Health and
Family Welfare, J P Nadda, on 9
November 2016 launched Healthy
India Initiative/Swastha Bharat-ek
pehal magazine and No More
Tension mobile App.
The State Bank of India (SBI)
launched the first set of newly
issued 500 rupee notes in their
Bhopal branch on 13 November
2016.
India and Japan signed ten
agreements to boost the bilateral
cooperation between the two
nations. The agreements were
inked on 11 November 2016 in
presence of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and his Japanese
counterpart Shinzo Abe.
As part of its efforts to continue the
global transition to zero-and-low
carbon energy sources, the United
States (US) has announced two
financial projects worth 95 million
US dollars for India. The projects
announced on 14 November 2016
aims at bringing more energy-
efficient appliances to rural sector
of the country.
Employees State Insurance
Corporation (ESIC) launched Kahin
Bhi-Kabhi Bhi medical facilities for
its beneficiaries of Delhi. Kahin Bhi
means any dispensary/Hospital and
Kabhi Bhi means anytime. The
order covers all diesel vehicles
older than 15 years. Along with
barring them from the roads, the
NGT has also banned them from
being parked in the capital.
Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (INSV)
Mhadei with an all-women crew
was flagged off from Goa to Cape
Town, South Africa. The vessel was
flagged-off at the Boat Pool of INS
Mandovi on 9 November 2016 by
Rear Admiral Monty Khanna,
Commandant Naval War College.
Meng Hongwei, a top-level Chinese
Security Minister was elected as the
president of the International
Crime fighting and police
cooperation organization
(Interpol). Meng will serve as
President until 2020.
Narinder Batra, chief of Hockey
India was elected as the new
president of International Hockey
Federation (FIH) on 12 November
2016 at the 45th FIH Congress held
in Dubai.
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
11
The moon came closer to Earth
than at any other time since 1948.
The 'supermoon' reached its
brightest in Asia on 14 November
2016. The Moon was closest, only 2
lakh 21 thousand 524 miles (356509
km) away at 11:21 GMT.
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok on 13
November 2016 became the first
Indian woman to win a Ladies
European Tour title by clinching
the Hero Women's Indian Open.
World Pneumonia Day 2016 was
observed on 12 November 2016.
The World Diabetes Day 2016 was
observed across the world on 14
November.
Following the existing problem in
which the Automated Teller
Machines (ATMs) are failing to
cope with the huge cash demand of
people, Reserve Bank of India on
14 November 2016 constituted an
eight-member task force to re-
calibrate all ATMs. The eight-
member task force, led by RBI
deputy governor SS Mundra.
Maharashtra on 15 November
2016 became the first Indian state
to adopt Fly Ash Utilisation Policy.
The policy will pave way for
prosperity by creating wealth from
waste, and environment
protection.
The Asian Development Bank
(ADB) and the Government of India
on 15 November 2016 signed a 500
million US dollar loan to build a 9.8
km long road bridge across the
Ganges River. This will be Indias
longest river bridge.
India and Israel inked two
agreements in the field of water
resources management and
agriculture. The agreements were
inked on 15 November 2016 after
the delegation level talks between
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
visiting Israeli President Reuven
Rivlin in New Delhi.
With political upheavals like the
election of Donald Trump to the US
presidency and Brexit, Oxford
Dictionaries has declared post-
truth to be its international word
of the year citing a 2,000 per cent
spike in its usage.
The International Day for
Tolerance was observed globally
on 16 November 2016.
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
12
Chhattisgarh became the first
state of India to adopt a resolution
that welcomes the demonetisation
scheme of the union government.
The resolution was moved in the
state assembly by Chief Minister
Raman Singh.
India and the US have resolved
more than 100 tax dispute cases
involving Rs 5,000 crore under the
bilateral Mutual Agreement
Procedure (MAP).
The State Bank of India (SBI), has
decided to write off loans worth
almost 7016 Crore Rupees, owed
to it by 63 willful defaulters
including Vijay Mallyas Kingfisher
Airlines.
The Defence Research and
Development Organization
(DRDO) on 16 November 2016
successfully carried out maiden
flight of TAPAS 201 (RUSTOM II),
a Medium Altitude Long Endurance
(MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
(UAV).
The Telangana government on 17
November signed an MOU with
Microsoft to explore cloud,
machine learning and mobile-
based solutions to improve citizen
services, education, healthcare
and agriculture in the state. State
IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and
Microsoft India (R&D) Pvt Ltd
Managing Director Anil Bhansali
signed the MoU.
The sixth India China joint training
exercise Hand- in- Hand 2016
commenced on 16 November 2016
at the parade ground in Aundh
Military Camp, Pune. The exercise
will terminate on 27 November
2016.
In a first, the Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF) deployed a team of
135 women commandos in anti-
Naxal operations in Jharkhand.
The World Philosophy Day was
observed globally on 17 November
2016
Search Engine Google on 16
November 2016 launched the
scanning app Google PhotoScan to
scan and digitise physical
photographs.
HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri has been
ranked 36th in the US magazine
Fortune's top 50 business persons
list for 2016, and is the only Indian
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
13
among three persons of Indian
origin in the global rankings.
In a big step towards fighting black
money stashed overseas,
Switzerland on 22 November
agreed to automatic sharing of
information with India on Swiss
bank accounts of Indians as of
September 2018 and onwards.
They will not share details about
accounts held prior to that period,
while the first such exchange will
happen in September 2019.
HCL Infosystems on 21 November
announced its foray into Oman
after signing a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with
Omantel, a significant player in
telecom and related services in the
Arab nation.
Mehbooba Mufti, Chief Minister of
Jammu & Kashmir, on 14 November
2016 formally launched the World
Bank-funded Jhelum-Tawi flood
recovery project in Srinagar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
20 November 2016 formally
launched the Housing for All
scheme in rural areas under to
provide an environmentally safe
and protected pucca house to every
rural household by 2022. The
scheme is also named as the
Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana
(Gramin).
India on 22 November successfully
test-fired its indigenously built
nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic
missile, which can hit a target 700
km away, as part of a user trial by
Army from a test range off Odisha
coast.
Guided Missile Destroyer INS
Chennai was on 21 November 2016
commissioned into the Indian Navy
by Defence Minister Manohar
Parrikar at the Naval Dockyard,
Mumbai.
The Union Minister of Information
& Broadcasting, M Venkaiah Naidu
inaugurated a multimedia
exhibition with the theme Aazadi
70 Saal, Yaad Karo Kurbani at the
47th International Film Festival of
India in Panaji on 21 November
2016.
Mahesh Bhalla, former Executive
Director of Dells Consumer & SMB
business in India, has been
appointed as Chief Mentor of
StartupsClub India.
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
14
Germanwatch and Climate Action
Network Europe released the
Climate Change Performance
Index (CCPI) 2017 on 16 November
2016. The index ranks India at the
20th position and says that
countries like India are making
efforts in fields of renewable and
energy efficiency.
PV Sindhu on 20 November 2016
won the 700000 US dollars China
Open badminton tournament. This
was the first Super Series Premier
title for the Indian Olympic silver
medallist and two-time bronze
medallist at World Championship.
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Princess
of Thailand, on 21 November 2016
was conferred with the first World
Sanskrit Award. She was honoured
for her exemplary contribution for
the promotion of Sanskrit language
for the year 2015.
Captain Radhika Menon on 21
November 2016 was bestowed
with the 2016 International
Maritime Organization (IMO)
Award for Exceptional Bravery at
Sea at IMO Headquarters in
London, United Kingdom.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al
Nahyan was awarded the
prestigious Mother Teresa
International Award by the
Mumbai-based NGO Harmony
Foundation.
The United Nations (UN) World
Television Day was observed in
countries across the world on 21
November 2016.
The World Day of Remembrance
for Road Traffic Victims was
observed globally on 20 November
2016.
Universal Childrens Day was
observed across the globe on 20
November 2016.
World Toilet Day was observed on
19 November.
Bharti Airtel announced the launch
of the first payments bank (Airtel
Payments Bank Ltd) as a pilot in
Rajasthan on 23 November. To
begin with, the pilot project will run
in 10,000 Airtel retail outlets in
Rajasthan where customers will be
offered an interest rate of 7.25 per
cent on deposits in savings account.
Airtel Payments Bank is the first
one to launch the services out of
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
15
the 11 companies that got licenses
from the Reserve Bank last year.
According to analysts, such a move
can be a win-win for the company
after the Centres demonetisation
move.
Drug major Sun Pharmaceutical
Industries Ltd on 23 November said
it has entered into an agreement to
acquire Russian pharma company
JSC Biosintez for $24 million.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on
21 November 2016 relaxed the
prudential norms on income
recognition, asset classification
and provisions pertaining to
advances. The decision came
following the withdrawal of the
legal tender of 500 and 1000 rupees
notes.
The Union Finance Ministry on 18
November 2016 constituted a
committee with an aim of
assessing the status of
implementation of
demonetisation drive in the
country. The committee comprises
of Additional Secretaries, Joint
Secretaries and Directors with each
team consisting of up to two or
three officers for each State and
Union Territory (UT).
India on 21 November 2016
became an Associate Member
State of European Organization for
Nuclear Research (CERN) by
signing an agreement with the
organisation. The agreement was
signed by Sekhar Basu, Chairman of
Atomic Energy Commission and
CERN Director General Fabiola
Gianotti in Mumbai.
The 13th World Robot Olympiad
will be held in India for the first
time ever. It will be organised
jointly by NCSM under the aegis of
Ministry of Culture and India STEM
Foundation (ISF) from 25
November to 27 November 2016 at
the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida.
US President Barack Obama on 22
November 2016 presented the
Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the nations highest civilian honour,
to 21 artists, sports figures,
scientists and philanthropists.
Among the honourees were Robert
Redford, Bill and Melinda Gates,
Tom Hanks and Diana Ross.
Indias largest public sector bank
State Bank of India has launched
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
16
its Unified Payments Interface
enabled app called SBI Pay. The
app is available only on Android
platform as of now and allows users
to pay or collect money from any
phone number or bank account
linked to any UPI app, SBI said in a
media statement.
IDBI Bank, as part of its continuous
initiatives to provide service and
convenience to the customers, has
launched IDBI Bank CASH @POS at
the Mumbai Airport on November
20, 2016. Under this first of its kind
facility, air travelers would be able
to swipe their Visa/ Rupay Debit
Cards linked to their Savings Bank
Account and the bank officials
would hand over the cash to them
by completing the CASH @POS
transaction.
YES Bank, the fifth largest private
sector bank, on 24 November
announced a partnership with
Gujarat State Road Transport
Corporation (GSRTC) to digitise
payment of bus tickets for its
customers.
Uttar Pradesh Electronics
Corporation (UPEC), an
undertaking of UP governments IT
& Electronics department, and
Software Technology Parks of
India (STPI) signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) to
develop an IT Park in Eastern UPs
Gorakhpur. The MoU was signed in
presence of UPs IT and Electronics
Minister Manoj Kumar Pandey in
Lucknow on 24 November.
Branded rice, staples and organic
foods maker LT Foods has inked a
51:49 joint venture with leading
Japanese snacking firm Kameda
Seika, to sell rice-based snacks in
India.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Board (IBBI) of India on 23
November 2016 notified three sets
of regulations- (Insolvency
Professional) Regulations, 2016;
Regulations inter alia provide for
registration, Regulation and
oversight of insolvency
professionals. These regulations
were notified under the Insolvency
and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 and will
come into effect from 29 November
2016.
The Union Ministry of External
Affairs, Government of India, on 21
November 2016 announced that
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
17

Antonio Costa, the Prime Minister appointed within the Trump

of Portugal, accepted the proposal administration.
be the Chief Guest at the 14th
Turkey will chair the Energy Club of
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
the Shanghai Cooperation
UN International Organisation (SCO) in 2017. With
Telecommunication Union (ITU) this, it became the first non full
released the 2016 edition of the member country to be the
Measuring the Information Society chairman of a club in the
Report. The report was launched on organisation.
22 November 2016 during the
After Big Bazaar, multiplex chain
World Telecommunication/ICT
INOX Leisure on 25 November said
Indicators Symposium (WTIS). India
it has partnered with the State
was placed at 138th rank with IDI
Bank of India to allow customers
score of 2.69. In 2015, it stood at
withdraw cash up to Rs 2,000 by
135th position with IDI score of
using debit cards beginning on 25
2.50.
November.
Indian journalist Malini
In order to help its customers
Subramaniam on 23 November
during the cash crunch, Suzuki
2016 won the International Press
Motorcycle India Private Limited
Freedom Awards given by
(SMIPL) has partnered with Paytm
Committee to Protect Journalists
and HDFC Bank to offer cashless
(CPJ) at the Waldorf-Astoria in New
scheme on all its products.
York City.
Commuters across the country can
Donald Trump, the President-elect
soon pay cashless at all toll plazas
of the United States of America
using their MobiKwik wallet.
(USA), on 23 November 2016
National Highways Authority of
named South Carolina Governor
India (NHAI) has roped in mobile
Nikki Haley as the US Ambassador
wallet company MobiKwik to
to the United Nations. With this,
digitise payments at 391 toll
Haley becomes the first non-white
plazas.
female cabinet-level official to be

Visit us at www.exampundit.in
18
Leading community-driven
hospitality company Airbnb has
announced the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Self-Employed
Women's Association of India
(SEWA).
The Palampur Assembly
Constituency of Kangra district,
Himachal Pradesh became the first
e-assembly constituency of the
country. The system was
inaugurated by State Assembly
speaker Brij Behari Lal Butail at a
function held in Palampur on 22
November 2016.
The upgraded Jaguar DARIN III
twin-seat aircraft on 24 November
2016 received the Initial Operation
Clearance (IOC). IOC is a significant
milestone for Indias military
aviation sector.
Yudhvir Singh Malik in the third
week of November 2016 was
appointed the new Chairman of
National Highways Authority of
India (NHAI).
The 2016 International Day for the
Elimination of Violence against
Women was observed across the
world on 25 November 2016.
Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee
on 24 November 2016 won the
Best Actor Award at the 10th Asia
Pacific Screen Awards, beating
Nawazuddin Siddiqui who was
awarded a special mention in the
same category.
The Gujarat government signed an
MoU with Chinas Sany Group for
the largest ever investment by a
single state at $2 billion, staggered
over the next five years, for
infrastructure projects which also
use those for green energy and for
expediting mass housing projects.
In an exclusive association, e-
commerce giant Amazon is going
to sell popular Indian dairy brand
Amuls products online in the
United States.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on
28 November 2016 relaxed the cash
withdrawal limit from the bank
accounts with an aim to spur the
deposits. The depositors, who have
made the deposits in the current
legal tender notes, can now
withdraw that amount over and
above the weekly limit of Rs 24000.
Amidst the confusion created by
demonetization, the Indian state of
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
19
Goa prepares itself to become the
first state to operate cashless in
the country from 31 December
2016.
The Union Government in the last
week of November 2016
announced the formation of new
committee to form a strategy to
accelerate the process of
transforming India into a cashless
economy. The committee will be
headed by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh
Kant.
Akodara village in Sabarkantha
district of Gujarat recently has
earned the title of becoming first
digital village in India.
Lt-General A K Bhatt was on 28
November 2016 appointed as the
Director-General of Military
Operations (DGMO).
Former Prime Minister, Francois
Fillon has won Frances
conservative presidential primary,
defeating opponent Alain Juppe by
a landslide.
Pink, the Amitabh Bachchan starrer
Bollywood film, has been invited by
the Assistant Secretary-General of
the United Nations for a special
screening at its headquarters in
New York, USA.
An aeroplane carrying 81 people on
board including Brazilian first
division soccer team crashed on its
way to Medellin's international
airport. The Brazilian soccer team
was travelling to Colombia for a
regional tournament final.
The much-popular writer,
storyteller Ruskin Bond has
returned after a long sabbatical
with a brand new collection of
stories titled Death under the
Deodars: The Adventures of Miss
Ripley-Bean.
The book titled Conflicts of
Interest: My Journey through
India's Green Movement was in
news in the last week of November
2016 as it was acquired by Penguin
India.
Argentina on 27 November 2016
won its maiden Davis Cup title
after defeating Croatia in the final.
MC Mary Kom, the Olympic bronze-
medal winning boxer from India,
will receive the 'Legends Award' on
20 December 2016. She will receive
the award from the International
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
20
Boxing Association (AIBA) on its
70th anniversary.
The National Milk Day was on 26
November.
YES Bank has launched a digital
banking service, SIMsePAY,
whereby any account holder can do
money transfers, pay utility bills,
and other mobile banking services
without the need for a smartphone
or Internet.
The Centre has constituted a 13
member Committee of Chief
Ministers headed by Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister
Chandrababu Naidu to promote
digital payment systems to
promote transparency, financial
inclusion and also prepare a
roadmap in this regard.
To ease the pain of its customers
queueing up to withdraw cash at its
ATMs and branches, HDFC Bank
has tied up with Federation of
Retail Traders Welfare Association
(FRTWA), a trade body
representing shop owners, to offer
cash withdrawal facility of up to
2,000 at over 50 large, prominent
retail stores across metros.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on
29 November 2016 reduced the
cash withdrawal limit from the
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
(PMJDY) accounts to Rs 10000 a
month only with an aim to protect
farmers and rural Jan Dhan account
holders from money launderers.
CoutLoot, an end-to-end fashion
re-commerce platform, has been
selected for Facebook's developer-
focused "FbStart" programme,
receiving access to $40,000 worth
of credits and services from the
social networking giant.
Private sector RBL Bank on 30
November said it has launched
'Aadhaar Payment Bridge System'
(APBS) for small ticket micro-
finance loan disbursements.
Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) will launch 83
satellites, 80 of them being foreign,
in one go in January next year, the
Lok Sabha was told on 30
November.
For promoting cooperation and
collaboration between Arunachal
Pradesh and Thailand, a
Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) was signed between
Visit us at www.exampundit.in
21

Surindra Rajabhat University Yadav. It is also Indias first cycle

Regional Development Strategies highway.
(SRRURDS) Foundation of Surin
Donald Trump, the new President-
Province, North East of Thailand
elect of the United States,
and Mahabodhi Lord Buddha
nominated Seema Verma to the
College (MLBC) in Arunachal
post of Administrator of the
Pradesh.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Asias first and longest cycle Services.
highway was on 26 November
2016 inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh
by UP Chief Minister Akhilesh

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is

the courage to continue that counts.

Visit us at www.exampundit.in