ONE LINER OF THE DAY 30th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed norms for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) to securitise their loan books.They have been permitted to securitise loans of over five-year maturity after holding them for six months on their books.The RBI has also prescribed certain ‘Minimum Retention Requirement’ (MRR) for NBFCs for availing the relaxed norms.

2.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the interest subsidy on the post and pre-shipment export credit from 3% to 5%.This move will boost the exports of the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector manufacturers.The increased subsidy is applicable from 2 November 2018.Exporters get the subsidy under the ‘Interest Equalisation Scheme on Pre & Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit’.

3.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) code mandatory for all participants undertaking transactions in the markets regulated by the RBI.The LEI is a 20-character unique identity code assigned to entities who are parties to a financial transaction.The LEI code is a measure to improve the quality and accuracy of financial data systems.

4.China and India will hold a joint 14-day military exercise ‘Hand in Hand’ in China’s Chengdu city from 10 December 2018.It will promote understanding between the two militaries and improve their capabilities in fighting terrorism.The exercise is being held after a gap of one year as both the sides were locked in a standoff in Doklam in the Sikkim sector of the border in 2017.

5.Renowned flautist Pandit Keshav Ginde will be conferred with the prestigious ‘Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Lifetime Achievement Award 2018’ for classical music.The award has been instituted by Maharashtra Governement.

6.The ‘Global Nutrition Report 2018’ was released on 29 November 2018.According to the report, Forty-six million children in India are stunted because of malnutrition.In India, high rates of malnutrition lead to anaemia, low birth rates, and delayed development.The report is an independently produced annual analysis of the state of the world’s nutrition.

7.Slovenia has become the only NATO country to appoint a woman as head of its army.Maj Gen Alenka Ermenc took up the post of Chief of Staff of the Slovenian army on 28 November 2018.Maj Gen Ermenc is currently serving as the army’s Deputy-Chief of Staff.

8.According to a report by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the Indian economy is projected to grow at 7–7.4% in 2018-19.The real agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) is envisaged to grow at 3% and real industry GVA at 7% in 2018-19.NCAER is a New Delhi based non-profit think tank of economics.

9.Salome Zurabishvili has won Georgia’s presidential election on 29 November 2018.She became the first woman President of Georgia.She was the former French Diplomat.She was the former Foreign Minister of Georgia.The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi and its currency is Georgian Lari.

10.World number one Norwegian Magnus Carlsen has won the ‘World Chess Championship’ title on 28 November 2018.He defeated Fabiano Caruana from the United States in a tie-breaker event.He won the ‘World Chess Championship’ title for the fourth time.He won his first ‘World Chess Championship’ title in 2013 by beating Indian grandmaster 

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 29th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Donbass’ has won the coveted ‘Golden Peacock Award’ at the 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on 28 November 2018.The Award carries a cash prize of Rs 40 lakhs to be shared equally between the Producer and the Director, Trophy, and the citation.‘Donbass’ is the official submission of Ukraine for the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ category at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.

2.The President of India appointed Arvind Saxena as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).The term of his appointment will be till 7 August 2020 when he attains the age of 65 years or till further orders.

3.The first Global Conference on the ‘Sustainable Blue Economy’ was held on 28 November 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya.The conference was organised by Kenya.Canada and Japan were co-hosts of the conference.The conference committed to protect ocean and coastal resources, help them regenerate, and to ensure they remain viable for the present and future generations.

4.Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and Renewable Energy, RK Singh said that 8 States have achieved 100% saturation in household electrification under the Saubhagya scheme.The 8 states are Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Bihar, J&K, Mizoram, Sikkim, Telangana and West Bengal.Saubhagya scheme’s objective is to provide access to electricity to all the remaining households in the country.

5.The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has launched an initiative called ‘Bhasha Sangam’.‘Bhasha Sangam’ is a programme for schools and educational institutions to provide multilingual exposure to students in Indian languages.The initiative was launched under ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ on 22 November 2018 and will continue till the 21 December 2018.

6.The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of United Kingdom began the exercise ‘Konkan-2018’ at Goa on 28 November 2018.The bilateral exercise provides a platform for the two Navies to periodically exercise at sea and in harbour, so as to build interoperability and share best practices.The Royal Navy was represented by HMS Dragon and the Indian Navy was represented by INS Kolkata.

7.The two-day ‘Global Aviation Summit’ will be held in Mumbai in January 2019.The summit will be organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).The theme of the summit is ‘Flying for all – especially for the next 6 billion’.

8.The ‘Lancet Countdown 2018 on Health and Climate Change’ report was published on 29 November 2018.The report was authored by people from 27 organisations including the WHO and the World Bank.The report said that globally each person was exposed to an additional 1.4 days of heat wave between 2000 and 2017.India experienced an additional 40 million heat wave exposure cases in 2016.

9.The first ever India-Indonesia Business Forum (IIBF) will be held on 29 November 2018 at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.The forum aims to facilitate the commercial and people-to-people linkages between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Aceh and North Sumatra Provinces of Indonesia.The 1st Business Forum was held in Indonesia in July 2018.

10.CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH) will establish a ‘High End Skill Development Centre’ in Chandigarh.It will establish the centre in partnership with Merck, a leading German Science and Technology company.The centre will help accelerate healthcare research and train Indian students and researchers in latest life science technologies and make them industry ready.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 28th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.ISRO will launch ‘PSLV-C43’ mission on 29 November 2018.The ‘PSLV-C43’ rocket will carry India’s ‘HysIS’ satellite and 30 other satellites.‘HysIS’ is an earth observation satellite developed by ISRO.The primary goal of the satelite is to study the Earth’s surface in visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

2.The national festival for children of Child Care Institutions (CCIs), ‘Hausla 2018’ was inaugurated on 26 November 2018.The festival is being organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.The aim of the festival is to provide a national platform for the children from CCIs across India to showcase their talent.The theme of the festival is ‘Child Safety’.

3.Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has formally launched ‘Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti’ on 27 November 2018.The aim of the mission is to promote self-reliance in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in defence.Under the mission, 10,000 personnel of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) will be trained on IPR.

4.The government of India has launched the initiative called ‘Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme’ (IDSP) of ‘Integrated Health Information Platform’.The initiative has been launched in Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Telangana, & Uttar Pradesh.The initiative will provide near-real-time data to policymakers for monitoring public health.

5.Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Argentina on 28 November 2018. He will be taking part in the 13th G-20 summit.The theme of the summit is ‘Building Consensus for a Fair and Sustainable Development’.The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires and its currency is Argentine peso.

6.The ‘International Gita Festival 2018’ will be organised in Kurukshetra in Haryana from 7 to 23 December 2018. Mauritius will be the partner country of the festival.Gujarat will be the partner state of the festival.Artists from India as well from Mauritius, Indonesia, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Russia will perform during the annual festival.

7.India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed $75 million loan agreement.The loan amount will be used for a water supply project in four coastal towns of Karnataka.The fund will also be used to improve sanitation infrastructure for Mangalore town.The project was approved by ADB Board in 2014.

8.National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCC) has been conferred with the status of ‘Miniratna’ by the Government of India.The empowerment of ‘Miniratna’ status to NPCC will help the company in taking speedy decisions by enhancing the delegation of powers to the Board.NPCC comes under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

9.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a survey on India’s startup sector (SISS).The survey will create a profile of the startups and provide dimensions pertaining to their profitability and workforce.The survey would also aim at talking about the problems being faced by the sector in the country.

10.Logistic meet ‘Logix India 2019′ will be held from 31 January to 2 February 2019 in New Delhi. The event is aimed at improving logistics cost effectiveness and operational efficiencies for India’s Global Trade.The event is organised by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 27th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.The government of India launched ‘PAiSA – Portal for Affordable Credit and Interest Subvention Access’ on 26 November 2018.The portal is a centralised electronic platform for processing interest subvention on bank loans to beneficiaries under ‘Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana’.The web platform has been designed and developed by ‘Allahabad Bank’ which is the Nodal bank.

2.The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has been made the sole custodian and curator of all meteorites within the Indian boundary.It has been declared as the nodal agency for collection, preservation, registration, and dissemination of all meteorite falls/finds within the country.The declaration was made by the Ministry of Mines.The GSI is headquartered in Kolkata.

3. The government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $200 million loan agreement.The loan amount will be used for widening and upgrading State Highways (SHs) in Bihar under the ‘Bihar State Highways III Project’ (BSHP-III).The Project will also establish a State-level Road Research Institute.

4.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed norms for External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs).It reduced the mandatory hedge coverage from 100% to 70% under ‘Track I’ of the ECB framework.Track I’ refers to medium-term foreign currency-denominated ECBs with a minimum average maturity of 3-5 years.This move will help reduce costs for companies that raise foreign funds.

5.President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Sunil Arora as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on 26 November 2018.He will take charge on 2 December 2018.He was a 1980-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre.Sunil Arora, who is an Election Commissioner (EC) currently, was appointed to the Election Commission in September 2017.

6.Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched a public bicycle sharing project and a mobile app on 26 November 2018.The bicycle sharing project and the mobile app is named ‘Mo Cycle’.The project will provide mobile app-based services to users to locate and use a bicycle.The ‘Mo Cycle’ system will help in reducing traffic congestion, enhance space efficiency, and improve air quality.

7.Nageshwara Rao Guntur has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on 26 November 2018.

8.According to the data from the health ministry, Gujarat has emerged as the top performer in implementing the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).The state accounted for around 26% of the total number of hospital admissions cleared under the scheme so far.Tamil Nadu was ranked second and Chattisgarh was ranked third.AB-PMJAY was launched on 23 September 2018.

9.India and China have signed a protocol to amend the ‘Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement’ (DTAA).The DTAA has been amended for the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.It also incorporates changes required to implement treaty related minimum standards under ‘Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project’.

10.Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) came out with a framework to identify listed companies that need to meet 25% of their financing needs through debt securities.It would be applicable to all entities that have an outstanding long-term borrowing of Rs.100 crore or more and a credit rating of AA and above.The framework will come into effect from 1 April 2019.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 26th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Former Railway Minister CK Jaffer Sharief passed away in Bengaluru on 25 November 2018.He held the office of the Minister of Railways under PV Narasimha Rao, from 1991 to 1995, and was instrumental in gauge conversion across the nation.

2.The Ministry of Finance has enhanced the total outlay on the first phase of the ‘Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles’ (FAME India) scheme from Rs 795 crore to Rs 895 crore.The aim of the scheme is to incentivise the production and promotion of eco-friendly vehicles.The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.

3.Lupin, India’s third-largest drugmaker on 23 November 2018 has launched a chatbot named ‘ANYA’ for disease awareness.It is specially designed to provide medically verified information aimed at answering patient queries related to ailments.ANYA will initially address queries related to diabetes.

4.Sanjay Kumar was conferred the ‘Global Geospatial Industry Ambassador’ Award by the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) on 19 November 2018.He was awarded at the United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress held in China.

5.Maitree Diwas, a multi-cultural social event, will be organised at Tawang on 28th-29th November 2018 in Arunachal Pradesh.Maitree Diwas aims at celebrating the strong spirit of friendship that exists between the civilians and the Indian Army.

6.Indian cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur was named the captain of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 XI.A selection panel of International Cricket Council (ICC) picked up the team on the basis of the players’ performances in the Women’s World T20 tournament.

7.National Milk Day is observed on 26 November every year.The day commemorates the contribution of Dr Verghese Kurien towards Milk Revolution in India.Dr Verghese Kurien played a key role in the formation of milk co-operative ‘Amul’.He is also known as ‘Father of the White Revolution’ in India.

8.Screenwriter Salim Khan will be honored with ‘International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Special Award’ for his lifetime contribution to cinema.He will receive the honour at the closing ceremony of the 49th edition of the IFFI on November 28.

9.To improve the financial condition of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), the government of India will infuse ₹42,000 crore by March 2019.The government in early 2018 infused ₹11,336 crore in 5 PSBs: Punjab National Bank, Allahabad Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Andhra Bank, and Corporation Bank.The government had announced the Rs 2.11 lakh crore capital infusion programme in October 2017.

10.The ‘Global Wage Report’ was released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on 27 November 2018.According to the report, India recorded the highest average real wage growth in South Asia during the 2017-18.India was followed by Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Iran.For the first time, the ILO report also focused on the global gender pay gap.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 25th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.MC Mary Kom won the gold medal in Women’s World Boxing Championship in New Delhi on 24 November 2018.She defeated Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota in the final match.She became the first female boxer to win six gold medals at World Boxing Championships.

2.The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed on 25 November 2018.The aim of the day is to raise public awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to various forms of violence.The theme for 2018 is ‘Orange the World: #HearMeToo’.

3.The Reserve Bank of India’s Central Board decided to constitute a ‘Board for Financial Supervision’ which will examine the framework for banks under Prompt Corrective Action.

4.Constitution day which is also known as the ‘Samvidhan Divas’ is celebrated every year on 26 November.The adoption of the Constitution took place on 26 November 1949 but it came into effect on 26 January 1950.On 19 November 2015, the government of India with the help of a gazette notification declared 26 November as the Constitution Day.

5.The first-ever India Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue was held at St. Petersburg in Russia on 25 November 2018.The Indian side was led by NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar with the Russian delegation headed by Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin.The participants will discuss the development of bilateral ties in trade, investment, technology, and industry. 

6.The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for Africa and Asia has termed cyclone ‘Titli’ as ‘rarest of rare cyclone’.Cyclone ‘Titli’ struck Odisha in October 2018.It is the rarest of rare in terms of its characteristics such as recurvature after landfall and retaining its destructive potential.

7.Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar unveiled a 70-feet tall statue of Lord Buddha at Rajgir in Nalanda district on 25 November 2018.It is the second tallest statue of Buddha in the country.The statue has been installed above a 16-metre radius pedestal in the middle of Lake Ghora Katora.It is made of pink sandstone.

8.The United Nations has selected Uttar Pradesh’s Noida and Greater Noida to participate in its Global Sustainable Cities 2025 initiative.They have been selected in the ‘University City’ category.Overall 25 cities across the world have been selected in five categories by the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) cities initiative.

9.Australia cricket team has won the ‘Women’s World Twenty-20’ title.It was their fourth World Twenty-20 title.They defeated England in the final match.Austrailia’s Ashleigh Gardner was named ‘Player of the Match’.Austrailia’s Alyssa Healy was named ‘Player of the tournament’.

10.The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has nominated 12 movies for 2018 International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) UNESCO Gandhi Medal.Of these 12 films, two are from India and the rest are foreign movies.The two Indian movies competing for the honour are Tamil film ‘Baaram’ and Ladakhi movie ‘Walking with the Wind’. 

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 24th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.The European Investment Bank (EIB) and State Bank of India (SBI) have agreed to cooperate on financing renewable energy sector in India.The EIB will also provide new support for wind energy projects across India, With this collaboration, the promoters of wind projects in India will get low-cost financing under the dedicated €600 million renewable energy financing programme of EIB.

2.Baliyatra festival’ was inaugurated in Odisha on 23 November 2018.Baliyatra festival commemorates the ancient maritime glory of Odisha.The festival is associated with ancient mariners, who established trade and cultural links through sea routes with different archipelagos of the Indian Ocean.The festival will end on 2 December 2018.

3.The three-day ‘Jangalmahal festival’ was inaugurated in Kolkata on 23 November 2018.The aim of the festival is to revive and popularise the culture and heritage of the Jangalmahal area.

4.Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik inaugurated a week-long ‘Jhiri Mela’ at village Jhiri in Jammu district on 23 November 2018.The annual fair is commemorated in the memory of the martyrdom of ‘Baba Jittoo’.

5.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has developed a new technology called ‘Impact Based Forecasting Approach’.It will be used to assess the rise of water level in rivers and reservoirs by rain.It can help state governments to minutely monitor the impact of rain and take real-time decisions.

6.Tyre maker, Apollo Tyres has appointed cricketer Sachin Tendulkar as its new brand ambassador on 22 November 2018.He will be the ambassador of Apollo Tyres for a period of five years.

7.The proposal for treating J&K Bank Limited as a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) was approved by the State Administrative Council (SAC).The Jammu and Kashmir bank has been brought under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) act, the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) guidelines, and the State Legislature.The J&K Bank Ltd is the only state government-promoted bank in the country.

8.As per the ‘India Skills Report 2019’, Andhra Pradesh has topped the list of states with the highest employability followed by Rajasthan and Haryana.The report also said that the employability levels of engineering graduates have increased across all the sectors.The report was published jointly by Wheebox, PeopleStrong and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

9.The ‘Forbes India Leadership Awards’ was held on November 22 in Mumbai.The award honours the top executives of companies in India.Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Limited, got the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award 2018’.Vivek Chaand Sehgal, Chairman of Motherson Sumi Systems, got the ‘Entrepreneur for the Year 2018 award’.

10.Filmmaker Nandita Das will be honoured with the ‘International Federation of Film Producers Associations’ ( FIAPF) Award 2018.The award will be given at the ’12th Asia Pacific Screen Awards’ on 29 November 2018.She will be presented the award in recognition of her achievement in film in the Asia Pacific region.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 23rd NOVEMBER 2018.

1.The Himachal Pradesh government has approved to implement ‘Sashakt Mahila Yojna’ in the state.The scheme will empower rural women by providing them with an interface for socio-economic development.The scheme will link rural women with sustainable livelihood opportunities and also improve their skill by imparting training.

2.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval to expand the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Packaging Material Act, 1987.The CCEA approved that 100% food grains and 20% sugar shall be mandatorily packed in diversified jute bags.The decision will give an impetus to the diversification of the jute industry.

3.The sixth edition of the ‘Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival’ will begin in Assam on 28 November 2018.The aim of the festival is to promote cinema of the Northeastern region of India.‘Spring Thunder’ will be the opening film of the festival and Assamese Film ‘Bornodi Bhotiai’, will be the concluding film of the festival.

4.IIT Roorkee Professor Vimal Chandra Srivastava has won the ‘NASI-Scopus Young Scientist Award 2018’ in ‘Environmentally Sound Sustainable Development’ category.He has been given the award for his work on Industrial Wastewater Treatment, Clean Liquid Fuels, and Multi-component Adsorption.

5.Uber Eats has appointed actor Alia Bhatt as its brand ambassador in India on 22 November 2018.India is the first country for Uber Eats globally where the company has appointed a brand ambassador.

6.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has come out with new rules for re-classification of a promoter as a public investor.An outgoing promoter will have to relinquish special rights as well as control over the affairs of the listed firm.The promoter will not be allowed to have any representation on the board of directors.They will not be allowed to hold over 10% stake. 

7.Singer Nahid Afrin of Assam has been appointed as the first ‘Youth Advocate’ of the Northeastern region by the UNICEF to fight for child rights.The UNICEF engages ‘Youth Advocates’ to act as agents of change in society.She made her playback debut in the 2016 Bollywood film ‘Akira’.She received the best female playback singer award at the Assam state Film Award 2018.

8.The 19th edition of the prestigious ‘Laureus World Sports Awards’ will be held in Monaco on 18 February 2019.‘Laureus World Sports Awards’ are considered as the ‘Oscars of sports’.

9.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved continuation of ‘Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services’ (ACROSS) during 2017-2020.ACROSS scheme consists of 9 sub-programmes It will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.The objective of the ACROSS scheme is to provide a reliable weather and climate forecast for the betterment of society.

10.Tanzanian microbiologist Joyce Msuya has been appointed as acting head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) following the resignation of Erik Solheim.Erik Solheim was the Executive Director of UNEP.Prior to joining UN, served as Adviser to the World Bank Vice President.She also served in the Republic of Korea, as the inaugural World Bank Special Representative.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 22nd NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Kim Jong Yang of South Korea has been elected Interpol President.Kim will serve as president for the remainder of the current mandate, until 2020.The decision was taken at the 87th General Assembly of the Agency in Dubai.

2.The ‘Institution’s Innovation Council’ (IIC) program under ‘Innovation cell’ of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) was launched in New Delhi on 21 November 2018.The purpose of formation of network of IICs is to encourage, inspire and nurture young students by exposing them to new ideas.MHRD has established the ‘Innovation cell’ at AICTE.

3.Andhra Pradesh launched ‘Bhudaar’ portal which makes land records available to people with unique identification numbers.The ‘Bhudaar’ is an 11-digit unique identification code assigned to each agriculture land holding and rural and urban properties in the state.Two types of Bhudaar cards are available including e-Bhudaar an M-Bhudaar.

4.Badohi in Uttar Pradesh has got the ‘export excellence’ tag from the Government of India.It is known for its hand-woven carpets around the world.Under the tag, carpet makers will get financial assistance from the central government to procure modern machines, improve export infrastructure.

5.Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated Manipur’s annual ‘Sangai’ tourism festival on 21 November 2018.The festival is named after the state animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur.The 10-day festival will see various cultural troupes from different parts of the country.

6.The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) has changed norms to improve credit guarantee process for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE).It will now capture key information on the financial status of the borrowers.The modification will be applicable from 1 December 2018.CGTMSE has been jointly set up by the government of India and SIDBI.

7.British actress Millie Bobby Brown was named the newest United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador on 21 November 2018.She is the youngest person ever to be appointed as the UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador.As a Goodwil Ambassador, she will use her global platform to raise awareness of children’s rights and issues affecting young people.

8.The 50th Union World Conference on Lung Health will be held in Hyderabad in 2019.The conference ‘Ending the Emergency: Science, Leadership, Action’ will be held from 30 October 2019 to 2 November 2019.The conference will be organised by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

9.Veteran cricketer Wasim Jaffer became the first batsman to score 11,000 runs in Ranji Trophy.Jaffer, who plays for Vidarbha, achieved the feat on day two of the Ranji Trophy match against Baroda.

10.The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has got the ‘Asia Environment Enforcement Award 2018’.It was awarded for its work in combating trans-boundary environmental crimes.This is the 2nd time in a row that the awards are being given by UN Environment to India.WCCB is a statutory body under the Environment Ministry to combat organised wildlife crime in the country.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 21st NOVEMBER 2018.

1.The United Nations’ (UN) World Television Day is annually observed around the world on November 21.The day recognizes that television plays a major role in presenting different issue that affect people.The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day through a resolution on 17 December 1996.

2.A book titled ‘Radio Kashmir – In Times of Peace & War’ was released by the Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on 20 November 2018.The book has been written by Dr Rajesh Bhat.

3.The Government of India, the Government of Jharkhand and the World Bank signed a $310 million Loan Agreement on 20 November 2018.The loan amount is for ‘Jharkhand Power System Improvement Project’ to provide reliable, quality, and affordable 24×7 electricity to the citizens of Jharkhand.The Project is part of the Government of India’s ‘Power for All program’ launched in 2014.

4.Amitabh Bachchan was awarded the third Sayaji Ratna Award on 20 November 2018.The award was established in the memory of erstwhile Baroda ruler Sayajirao Gaekwad III.The Baroda Management Association had instituted the award to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the ruler in 2013.Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and noted industrialist Ratan Tata have been given the award earlier.

5.The Himachal Pradesh government decided to set up a ‘Gau Sewa Aayog’ for preservation, protection and welfare of cows in the state.The Aayog will regulate institutions like cow sheds and shelters, besides the ‘gau vigyan kendras’ and the community animal-rearing centres.The Aayog would also cater to the problem of abandoned cows.

6.The 27th BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in New Delhi on 19-20 November 2018.The meeting was chaired by Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

7.World Fisheries day is celebrated every year on November 21 throughout the world.The day helps in highlighting the critical importance to human lives, of water and the lives it sustains, both in and out of water.

8.Google has announced the national roll-out of a new app from its ‘Next Billion Users’ team called ‘Neighbourly’.The app helps people source local information from their neighbours.Google is rolling out ‘Neighbourly’ starting with Bengaluru and Delhi, which topped the waitlist.More cities will be added every day, including Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.

9.The Maharashtra government has appointed Dr Jagannath Dixit as the Brand Ambassador of its anti-obesity campaign.Dr Dixit has been appointed due to his experience and knowledge in the field.

10.India and Russia signed a USD 500 million deal for construction of two missile frigates in Goa for the Indian Navy.The agreement for manufacturing of the two Talvar-class warships was signed between Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) and Russia’s state-run defence major Rosoboronexport.Russia will provide design, technology and key materials to GSL for construction of the ships.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 20th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was held on 17 and 18 November 2018 in Papua New Guinea.This is the first time Papua New Guinea, the poorest of the 21 countries in APEC, has hosted the summit.The capital of Papua New Guinea is Port Moresby and its currency is ‘Papua New Guinean kina’.

2.The annual ‘Global Talent’ rankings was released by IMD Business School in Switzerland on 20 November 2018.The rankings are based on three factors: Investment and Development, Appeal, and Readiness. India got the 53rd rank.Switzerland has topped the global ranking for the fifth year in a row.Within Asia, Singapore got the 13th rank.

3.Universal Children’s Day is observed on 20 November every year.The aim of the day is to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.United Nations Universal Children’s Day was established in 1954.

4.World Health Organisation (WHO) has released ‘World Malaria Report 2018’ on 19 November 2018.According to the report, India and 10 other countries in sub-Saharan Africa accounted for around 70% of estimated malaria cases (151 million) and deaths (274,000) in 2017.India registered a 24% decrease in malaria cases in 2017 as compared to 2016.

5.The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi launched the ‘Ease of Doing Business Grand Challenge’ on 19 November 2018.The objective of this challenge is to invite innovative ideas based on Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics, Blockchain and other cutting-edge technology to reform Government processes.The platform for the Grand Challenge is the Startup India Portal.

6.The joint military exercise ‘Vajra Prahar’ between India and the United States commenced in Jaipur on 19 November 2018.The aim is to enhance the interoperability of the two armed forces.The armies will train on different aspects including hostage rescue, building intervention, desert survival, medical aid and combat firing.

7.Global education monitoring report 2019’ was released by UNESCO on 19 November 2018.According to the report, the literacy levels in rural households of India dip with seasonal migration.About 80% of seasonal migrant children in seven cities lacked access to education near work sites.The report said that the construction sector absorbs the majority of short-term migrants.

8.The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Central Board decided to constitute a ‘Board for Financial Supervision’ (BFS).BFS will examine the framework for banks under Prompt Corrective Action (PCA).The Central Board also decided to constitute an expert committee to examine the Economic Capital Framework (ECF).

9.Nari Sashaktikaran Sankalp Abhiyan’ or Women Empowerment campaign was launched in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 20 November 2018.The month-long campaign is aimed to empower women in the state through various programmes.The campaign will educate women about the schemes being run by central and state governments for their welfare and security.

10.HDFC bank has disbursed over Rs 1,100 crore subsidy to over 51,000 customers under the government’s flagship scheme PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana).It has provided loans of over Rs 9,800 crore under PMAY-Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).’The loans were provided to customers belonging to EWS (Economically Weaker Section), LIG (Low Income Group) and MIG (Middle Income Group) category.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 19th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Centre for Science and Environment’ (CSE) has won Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2018.The award is conferred by Indira Gandhi Trust every year on the late Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary.The international jury for the awards was headed by former President Pranab Mukherjee.

2.World Toilet Day is observed on 19 November every year.The day is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.The 2018 campaign is based on the following narrative: ‘When nature calls, we need a toilet’.World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organisation in 2001.

3.The AYUSH Ministry celebrated its first ‘Naturopathy Day’ across the country on 18 November 2018.The aim of the day is to promote the drug-less system of medicine to prevent diseases by altering the diet and lifestyle.Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself.

4.Maharashtra Director General of Police Datta Padsalgikar launched the novel ‘The Velvet Gloves’ on 17 November 2018.The novel has been written by former Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Balakrishna Kamath.The plot of ‘The Velvet Gloves’ is about the tussle between Indian intelligence agencies and the US law enforcement agency FBI.

5.The world’s standard definition of the kilogram, the ampere, the kelvin and the mole has been changed.The definition of the kilogram is based on the International Prototype of the Kilogram (IPK), a cylinder of a platinum alloy stored at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in France.The new definition of Kilogram will be replaced by the Planck constant.

6.Tripura will be hosting ‘International Tourism Mart’ from 22 November 2018.The aim is to promote the tourism industry in the Northeastern states of the country.Tripura is hosting the ‘International Tourism Mart’ for the first time.The event is funded by the Union Ministry of Tourism.

7.Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma became the first Indian to emerge as the ‘Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year 2018’ on the European Tour.

8.Qaumi Ekta Week’ (National Integration Week) will be observed all over the country, from 19th to 25th November, 2018.The aim of the week is to foster and reinforce the spirit of Communal Harmony, National Integration and pride in vibrant, composite culture and nationhood.A week long programmes will be observed during ‘Qaumi Ekta Week’ 

9.The 8th National Conference of Women in Police (NCWP) began in Ranchi, Jharkhand on 19 November 2018.The two-day conference which is being organised by Bureau of Police Research & Development in collaboration with Jharkhand Police.It is the only national-level platform to address the various issues of Women in Police.

10.Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi  Nehru; November 19, 1917 – October 31, 1984), was an Indianpolitician, stateswoman and a central figure of the Indian National Congress.She was the first and, to date, the only female Prime Minister of India. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 18th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.NITI ( 1st Jan 2015 ) - National Institution for Transforming India.NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman- Rajiv Kumar, CEO- Amitabh Kant.The Asian Development Bank is a regional development Bank established in 1966.Headquarters of ADB is in Manila, Philippines.Takehiko Nakao is Present President of the Asian Development Bank.

2.The third edition of the India International Cherry Blossom Festival 2018 was held in Shillong. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the presence of Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu.

3.The two-day summit to mark the World Tolerance Day was inaugurated in Dubai, the UAE. Held for the first time in UAE, the theme of the Summit was ‘Prospering from Pluralism: Embracing Diversity through Innovation and Collaboration’. 

4.The United Nations Children's Fund-India (UNICEF) has appointed Asian Games gold-medalist sprinter Hima Das as India’s first ever Youth Ambassador.

5.UNICEF India works along with the Central Government to ensure that children born in India get the best start in life, thrive and develop to his or her full potential.UNICEF headquarters in New York, the USA.Hima Das, nicknamed the 'Dhing Express', is an Indian sprint runner from the state of Assam.

6.National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) launched a mobile application and web-based platform named ‘NSE goBID’ 19 November 2018.The platform will allow retail investors to invest in treasury bills (T-Bills) of 91 days, 182 days and 364 days and various government bonds from one year to almost 40 years.It will also allow investors to make payments directly from their bank accounts.

7.Hookah bars have been permanently banned in Punjab as President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Bill, 2018 to check use of tobacco.Punjab is the third state in the country after Gujarat and Maharashtra where hookah bars or lounges were banned through law.

8.Sarod master, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan was presented the ‘Sumitra Charat Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement’ on 17 November 2018.He was awarded for his immense contribution to the enrichment and promotion of the Indian classical music.

9.The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) has rolled out its Online Open Learning training platform named ‘KOOL’.The platform can be used to train teachers, students and the general public.KOOL has been designed in a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) model.KOOL has an array of features for learners in the form of animated learning assistants and video tutorials.

10.The central government appointed UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey as new Secretary RevenueHe will replace Hasmukh Adhia, who will retire on 30 November 2018.He will continue to hold additional charge of CEO of UIDAI and also Chairman of GST Network.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 17th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $169 million loan agreement on 16 November 2018.The loan amount will be used to develop climate-resilient water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in at least 10 cities in the State of Tamil Nadu.Around 4 million people will benefit from piped water and sewerage connections and improved drainage.

2The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $300 million Loan Agreement to support lending by India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) on 16 November 2018.It will enhance the availability of long-term finance for PPP projects and improve the operational capacity of IIFCL.The funding is expected to fund at least 13 sub-projects through IIFCL.

3.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $105 million loan agreement on 16 November 2018.The loan amount will be used for financing the power transmission system upgrades in Himachal Pradesh.The loan is part of the $350 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Transmission Investment Program.

4.Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the ‘Gau Samridhi Plus Scheme’ on 16 November 2018.The government subsidised scheme will give insurance coverage to dairy farmers at low premium rates.The farmers belonging to the general category will be getting 50% subsidy on premiums while those belonging to scheduled caste & scheduled tribe category would get a 70% subsidy on the premium.

5.India’s first specialised hospital for elephants was formally opened in Mathura on 16 November 2018.The hospital is located close to the elephant conservation and care centre and is designed to treat injured and sick elephants.The unique medical centre offers wireless digital X-ray, laser treatment, dental X-ray, thermal imaging, ultrasonography, hydrotherapy and quarantine facilities.

6.IndusInd Bank has announced the launch of ‘IndusInd Bank Nexxt Credit Card’.The card empowers customers with a choice of payment options such as EMI, Reward Points or Credit at the push of a button, on the card, at the point of sale (POS).The bank claims it to be the nation’s first interactive credit card with buttons.

7.Odisha government announced a new ‘Biotechnology Policy 2018’ to attract investments in the sector at the Make in Odisha Conclave on 15 November 2018.As per the policy, all biotechnology units shall be allotted land at a concessional rate as per the Industrial Policy Resolution of the state government.An additional subsidy of 25% shall be available to reputed anchor tenants.

8.Shantanu Narayen, the Chief Executive Officer of Adobe has been named by Fortune in its ‘2018 Business Person of the Year’ list.In the list, Shantanu Narayen is at 12th position.The list has been topped by the CEO of insurance company ‘Progressive Tricia Griffith’.

9.The Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD) has nominated three people to be members of the National Commission for Women (NCW).The three members are Chandramukhi Devi, Soso Shaiza and Kamlesh Gautam.They shall hold office for a period of three years or till the age of 65 years or until further orders.

10.The 9th Session of the India-Kyrgyz Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (IK-IGC) was held on 15 and 16 November 2018 in New Delhi.Both sides agreed to hold business to business forums between Kyrgyz and Indian companies.The parties agreed to hold the tenth meeting of IK-IGC in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Republic in 2019.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 16th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.Oxford Dictionary has declared the adjective ‘toxic’ as the Word of the Year 2018.The adjective toxic is defined as ‘poisonous’ and first appeared in English in the mid-seventeenth century from the medieval Latin ‘toxicus’.The Oxford Word of the Year is a word or expression that is judged to have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.

2.Sunil Mehta panel has formed an Asset Management Company (AMC) for resolving large bad loans.The AMC will be called as ‘Sashakt India Asset Management’.The panel is now working towards identifying potential investors for an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) which will fund the AMC.Sunil Mehta panel is working for the faster resolution of stressed assets in public sector banks.

3.NITI Aayog has constituted the ‘Himalayan State Regional Council’ to ensure sustainable development of the Himalayan region.The ‘Himalayan State Regional Council’ will be chaired by the NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat.The council will also consist of the Chief Secretaries of the Himalayan States as well as the Secretaries of key Central Ministries, and senior officers of NITI Aayog.

4.The ‘International Day for Tolerance’ is annually observed on 16 November.The aim of the day is to educate people about the need for tolerance in the society and to help them understand the negative effects of intolerance.The United Nations has launched a new global campaign named ‘TOGETHER’ to promote tolerance, respect and dignity across the world.

5.Aadi Mahotsav’, a National Tribal Festival is being organised from 16th to 30th November 2018 in New Delhi by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.The theme of the festival is ‘A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce’.The Mahotsav will comprise of display and sale of items of tribal art and craft, tribal medicine and healers, tribal cuisine etc.

6.Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will extend Rs. 5,000-crore loan to a 1,000 MW Turga pumped storage project in West Bengal.The project is coming up in the Ayodhya Hills in Purulia district, West Bengal.The project is scheduled for completion by 2027.A pumped storage power plant works as a large storage battery which generates power during peak periods.

7.Fitch Ratings retained India’s sovereign rating at ‘BBB-minus’.BBB-minus’ is the lowest investment grade rating.Fitch forecasts India’s growth to rebound to 7.3% in FY19 and 7.5% in FY20.The Fitch Ratings added that a recent analysis conducted by it found that India had the highest medium-term growth potential among the largest emerging markets.

8.Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the second Mega Food Park in Maharashtra on 15 November 2018.The Food Park is located in Paithan Taluka of Aurangabad district, Maharashtra.The first Food Park was inaugurated on 1st March 2018 in Satara district, Maharashtra.The Mega Food Park Scheme is implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

9.The conference on ‘Urban Infrastructure: New Approaches to Public & Private Partnerships and Municipal Finance Innovations’ was inaugurated in New Delhi on 15 November 2018.The conference was organised by NITI Aayog, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Asian Development Bank.Key issues of the Urban Infrastructure were discussed at the conference.

10.The two-day summit to mark the World Tolerance Day was inaugurated in Dubai on 16 November 2018.The theme of the Summit was ‘Prospering from Pluralism: Embracing Diversity through Innovation and Collaboration’.The summit is expected to focus on the crucial role of women and the youth in spreading tolerance in their societies.

ONE LINER OF THE DAY 15th NOVEMBER 2018.

1.World Philosophy Day’ is annually observed on the third Thursday of November to honour the philosophical reflections around the world.The aim of the day is to raise public awareness of the importance of philosophy.It also aims to underline the importance of the universalization of philosophy-teaching for future generations.

2.The ‘India International Cherry Blossom Festival 2018’ was inaugurated in Shillong on 14 November 2018.It is the festival that highlights the pink cherry flowers blooming all over the city in early November.A similar festival is also held in Japan but it is celebrated in the spring when the cherry trees bloom.

3.Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched ‘Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme’ on 14 November 2018.The aim is to provide cheaper loans to startups in the cooperative sector and those having innovative projects costing up to Rs 3 crore.The scheme will be implemented by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).

4.Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik has launched the e-Learning portal of Delhi Police called ‘NIPUN’ on 14 November 2018.The e-learning portal aims to give online training and information through specialised courses designed by experts in the field.The website will also act as a tool for feedback mechanism and bridge communication gap.

5.Hima Das has been appointed as UNICEF India’s Youth Ambassador.She will work towards supporting various initiatives by UNICEF. She will also work towards raising awareness about the rights and needs of the children.She won the gold medal in Women’s 4 x 400 m Relay event at the 2018 Asian Games.

6.6th ‘Conference of Central and States Statistical Organisations’ (COCSSO) began from 15 November 2018 at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.The conference is organised by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.The theme of the conference is ‘Quality Assurance in Official Statistics’.

7.The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has agreed to lift sanctions against Eritrea after nine years.An arms embargo, asset freeze, and travel ban were imposed in 2009 amid claims that Eritrea supported militancy in Somalia.The resolution was drafted by the United Kingdom and backed by the United States and its allies.

8.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the partnership between Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Cancer Research UK (CRUK) was signed on 14 November 2018.The MoU was signed for the ‘India-UK Cancer Research Initiative’.It is a collaborative 5-year bilateral research initiative.Both CRUK and DBT will invest 5 million pounds each in this initiative.

9.Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Singapore on 15 November 2018.It was Prime Minister Modi’s 5th East Asia Summit.The members of EAS consists of 10 ASEAN nations (Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos), Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the US.

10.Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the ‘ASEAN-India Breakfast Summit’ in Singapore on 15 November 2018.He reaffirmed cooperation in maritime domain and centrality of trade and investment towards prosperity of Indo-PacificHe also held separate bilateral meetings with the premiers of Singapore, Australia and Thailand.