Weekly Content PDF
Current Affairs Weekly PDF – December 2023 – 1st Week
(1 – 8)
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Cabinet Approvals on November 29th 2023
On November 29, 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired
by the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi
has approved the following:
✓ Union Cabinet has approved the Terms of
Reference (ToR) for the Sixteenth/16th
Finance Commission (FC), whose
recommendations, spanning a 5-year
period from April 1, 2026 to March 31,
2031, will be submitted by October 31,
2025.
✓ Union Cabinet also extended Pradhan
Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
(PMGKAY) for five years from January 2024
till December 2028.
✓ The Union Cabinet has approved the
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha
Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) with a budget of Rs
24,104 crore (Central Share: Rs. 15,336
crore, State Share: Rs. 8,768 crore).
✓ Union Cabinet also approved the Central
Sector Scheme (CSS) for providing Drones
to the 15000 selected Women Self Help
Groups (SHGs) from 2024-25 to 2025-26
for providing rental services to farmers for
agriculture purpose.
✓ The Union Cabinet has approved the
continuation of the Fast Track Special
Court (FTSCs) for a further three years i.e.
from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2026. The
financial implication for the same will be
Rs 1952.23 crore (Rs. 1207.24 crore as
Central Share and Rs. 744.99 crore as
State share)….Click here for more
detail………..
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Urban Unemployment Rate Dropped to
6.6%: 20th Quarterly Bulletins of PLFS
According to Quarterly Bulletin Periodic Labour
Force Survey (PLFS) (July to September 2023),
released by National Sample Survey Office
(NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI), unemployment rate (UR)
in urban areas fell from 7.2% in July –September
2022 to 6.6% in July – September 2023 for
persons of age 15 years and above.
✓ The report indicates that in urban areas,
the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)
in the current weekly status (CWS)
increased to 49.3% in the July to
September quarter of 2023, up from 47.9%
in the corresponding period in 2022.
GoI Launched Auction of 20 Critical
Minerals Worth Rs 45,000 cr
Union Minister, Pralhad Joshi, Ministry of Coal and
Mines, Government of India (GoI) launched the
auction process of 20 critical mineral blocks,
which is estimated to be worth around Rs.45000
crore. The 20 blocks on sale are across various
states, including Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bihar. This
includes the lithium reserves in the Jammu and
Kashmir(J&K).
✓ This is a part of India’s efforts to strengthen
the critical mineral supply chain for energy
transition and to achieve its net-zero target
by 2070.
Overview of the 54th International Film
Festival of India held in Goa
The 54th edition of the International Film Festival of
India (IFFI) was held in Goa from 20 to 28th
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November 2023.The 54th IFFI was jointly organised
by the National Film Development Corporation
(NFDC) under the Ministry of Information &
Broadcasting(MIB) along with the Entertainment
Society of Goa (ESG), Government of Goa. Anurag
Thakur, Union Minister, MIB, inaugurated the VFX
and Tech Pavilion as part of the 54th IFFI in Goa.
✓ Renowned Indian actress, Padma Shri
Awardee Madhuri Dixit was honoured with
the Special Recognition to Bhartiya
Cinema award for her outstanding
contributions to the Indian film industry.
✓ American Actor Michael Douglas was
honoured with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime
Achievement Award of the Year(2023).
✓ Indian Panorama, the main component of
IFFI, showcased 25 feature films and 20
non-feature films at the 54th IFFI held in
Goa…..Click here for more detail………
President Droupadi Murmu Confers
President’s Colour to Armed Forces Medical
College at Pune
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, conferred
the President’s Colour (represented by a flag) to
the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) at
Pune, Maharashtra. To commemorate the AFMC’s
platinum jubilee year, the President released a
commemorative coin (Rs.75), a special cover, and
a stamp to mark the occasion.
✓ The president’s colour, also known as
“Rashtrapati ka Nishaan,” is the highest
honour bestowed upon a military unit for
its exemplary service, courage, and
discipline.
✓ President Droupadi Murmu also
inaugurated the Armed Forces Centre for
Computational Medicine, ‘Prajna’.
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IDFC FIRST Private Hurun India’s Top 200
Self-made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia
2023
Radhakishan Shivkishan Damani, the founder of
Avenue Supermarts Limited (DMart) topped the
first edition of ‘India’s Top 200 Self-made
Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2023’ released by
First Private (Private Banking by IDFC First Bank
Limited) and Hurun India, with the value of Rs.2.38
lakh crore.
✓ He is followed by Binny Bansal and Sachin
Bansal (founders of Flipkart India Private
Limited) with an equity value of Rs.1.19
lakh crore.
✓ Deepinder Goyal, the founder of Zomato
Media Private Limited, is ranked third with
a net worth of Rs 86,835 crore…click here
for more detail….
DAC Approves AoNs for Various Acquisition
Proposals worth Rs.2.23 Lakh Crore
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by
Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of
Defence(MoD), granted approval for Acceptance
of Necessity (AoNs) for diverse Capital Acquisition
Proposals, worth Rs 2.23 lakh crore to enhance
the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces.
✓ The Council has approved the
procurement of 2 types of Anti-tank
Munitions namely, Area Denial Munition
(ADM) Type-2 and Type-3, which are
capable of neutralising Tanks and
Armoured personnel carriers and enemy
personnel.
Government of India and Manipur Signs
Peace Agreement with UNLF
The Government of India (GoI) and the Manipur
Government signed a tripartite Peace Agreement
with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF),
in New Delhi, Delhi to establish permanent peace
in the Northeastern region specifically in Manipur.
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The peace agreement marks the end of a six-
decade-long armed movement.
✓ For the first time, a Valley-based armed
group has agreed to return to the
mainstream by giving up violence and
agreeing to honour the Constitution of India
and the laws of the land.
MoJS Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
releases Dynamic Ground Water Resource
Assessment Report 2023
The Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat,
Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) released the ‘National
Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water
Resources Of India, 2023’ whose assessment was
carried out jointly by Central Ground Water Board
(CGWB) and States/UTs for taking suitable
interventions by various stake-holders.
✓ CGWB works under the aegis of
Department of Water Resources, River
Development & Ganga Rejuvenation,
MoJS.
✓ Total Annual Ground Water Recharge :
449.08 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM).
✓ Annual Extractable Ground Water
Resources : 407.21 BCM.
✓ Annual Ground Water Extraction : 241.34
BCM.
✓ Average stage of Ground Water Extraction :
59.26%.
iDEX Signed 300th Contract for Design and
Development of GaN Semiconductors
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)-
Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), the
flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence (MoD),
signed its 300th contract with Bengaluru
(Karnataka) based M/S Agnit Semiconductors
Private Limited in New Delhi, Delhi.
✓ The agreement focuses on developing
advanced Gallium Nitride (GaN)
Semiconductors which is essential for
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next-generation wireless transmitters in
defence applications.
✓ The contract aims to utilise indigenous
GaN technology to design, develop and
manufacture GaN components for defence
in India.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah led
Committee Approves Rs 1,658 Crore
Recovery and Reconstruction Plan for
Joshimath
The high-level central committee, headed by
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved the
Recovery and Reconstruction (R&R) plan of
Rs.1,658 crore for Joshimath in Uttarakhand,
which was affected by landslides and land
subsidence.Joshimath is also located in a high-risk
seismic zone known as ‘Zone V’, which is
vulnerable to landslides and flash floods.
India’s Emission Intensity Reduced by 33%
between 2005 and 2019
According to a Government report titled ‘The Third
National Communication to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change’, India
reduced its Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
emission intensity by 33% between 2005 and
2019. This was 11 years ahead of the target.
✓ India’s average rate of emission reduction
increased from 1.5% annually during 2014
– 2016 to 3% annually from 2016 – 2019.
This is the fastest recorded rate of
reduction so far across any country.
Mercom India Report: Rooftop Solar
Installations Rise 34.7% to 431 MW in July-
Sep 2023
According to ‘Q3 2023 Mercom India Rooftop
Solar Report’ released by Mercom India Research,
the rooftop solar installations in India registered a
34.7% year-on-year (YoY) jump to 431 MegaWatt
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(MW) in the third quarter (Q3- July-September) of 4 Uttarakhand Mandua

calendar year (CY) 2023. 5 Almora Lakhori Mirchi
✓ With this India’s cumulative rooftop solar 6 Uttarakhand Berinag Tea
capacity reached 10.1 GigaWatts (GW) at 7 Ramnagar Nainital Litchi
the end of September 2023. Ramgarh Nainital Aadu
8
✓ Gujarat retained its top position in rooftop (Peach)
9 Uttarakhand Malta Fruit
solar installations, contributing 26.7% to
Uttarakhand Pahari Toor
the cumulative installations, followed by 10
Dal
Maharashtra (13.5%) and Rajasthan
Uttarakhand Gahat(Horse
(8.3%). 11
gram)
12 Uttarakhand Kala Bhat
World’s First Portable Hospital ‘Aarogya Uttarakhand Bichhu Buti
13
Maitri Aid Cube’ Unveiled in Gurugram (Nettle) Fabrics
The world’s first portable hospital, the ‘Aarogya Kumaoni Rangwali
14
Maitri Aid Cube,‘ which can be set up within one Pichhoda Products
Handi Crafts
hour of arriving at the emergency site to treat the Chamoli Wooden Ramman
15
Mask
injured, was unveiled in Gurugram, Haryana.It was
Uttarakhand Likhai (wood
designed indigenously under Project BHISHM 16
carving)
(Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and
Uttarakhand Buransh
Maitri). 17 Food Stuffs
Sharbat
Manufactured
18 Nainital Mombatti (Candle)
18 New Products of Uttarakhand gets GI Tag Goods
18 products of Uttarakhand including 12
agricultural goods, 4 Handi-craft goods, 1 food- Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched GIS
stuff and 1 manufactured good received application ‘Gram Manchitra’
Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The Union Minister of State (MoS), MoPR, Kapil
✓ Uttarakhand has become the 1st state in Moreshwar Patil launched the Geographic
the country to get the highest number of 18 Information System (GIS) application “Gram
GI tags in a single day. With these 18 new Manchitra” to encourage technology driven spatial
products, the total number of GI products planning by the Gram Panchayat.
in Uttarakhand has become 27. ✓ This newly launched app will be aided by
18 New GI products of Uttarakhand: MoPR’s previously launched mActionSoft
S.no GI Product Goods application, which will enhance the
Uttarakhand Chaulai platform by integrating geo-tagged data
1
(Ramdana) (Fox tail Millet ) from assets, providing a detailed view of
2 Uttarakhand Jhangora Agriculture
Gram Panchayat projects.
Uttarakhand Lal Chawal
3
(Red Rice)

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

UNAIDS’s World AIDS Day Report 2023: End
to AIDS is Possible by 2030
Ahead of World AIDS Day 2023 (1 December
2023), the Joint United Nations Programme on
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (UNAIDS)
released the World AIDS Day Report 2023,
titled “Let Communities Lead”. The report states
that AIDS can be ended as a public health threat
by 2030, if only frontline communities get full
support from governments and donors.
✓ The 2023 theme of World AIDS Day is “Let
Communities Lead”.
UNICEF Published 2023 Global Snapshot on
HIV and AIDS
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
published the Global Snapshot on HIV and AIDS:
Progress and Priorities for Children, Adolescents,
and Pregnant Women, which provides global
statistical and response updates on children,
adolescents, and pregnant women. The report was
published ahead of World Acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) Day 2023 (1
December).
✓ As per the publication, nearly 98,000
adolescent girls aged 10-19 were infected
with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
in 2022 – or 1,900 new infections every
week, it shows a significant testing and
medication access gaps persist among
children and adolescents.
categories which are: Knowledge, Technology and
Future readiness.
✓ The U.S.A reclaimed its top position (Rank
1) which performs well in all three
categories – Knowledge, Technology and
Future Readiness.
✓ Top five performing countries in the
WDCR Report
Rank Name of the Country
1st U.S.A(United States of America)
2nd Netherlands
3rd Singapore
4th Denmark
5th Switzerland
49th India
SIPRI Report 2022 : India’s HAL, BEL, MDL in
Top 100 arms–producing companies
Swedish think-tank Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI) has released the report
titled “World’s Top 100 Arms Producing
Companies 2022”. SIPRI Top 100 listing includes
the 100 companies with the largest arms revenue
during the year covered.
✓ For the 1st time, three Indian Public Sector
Units (PSUs) : Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) – 41st, Bharat Electronics
Limited (BEL) – 63rd and Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) – 89th are
listed in the Top 100 arms producing
companies.
Top Three Global Companies (2022) in the List
are:

India Ranks 49th in IMD’s “World Digital Rank Company Country

Competitiveness Ranking 2023”
India Ranks 49th in the International Institute for Lockheed
United
Management Development (IMD)’s 7th edition of 1st Martin
States
Corporation
World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR)
2023. The report measures the capacity and
readiness of 64 economies based on three broad

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 Weekly Content PDF
Raytheon United
2nd
Technologies States
Northrop
United
3rd Grumman
States
Corporation
India Joins Battery Energy Storage Systems
Consortium
On December 4, 2023, during the 2023 United
Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28),
India became a member of the Battery Energy
Storage Systems (BESS) Consortium, led by the
Global Leadership Council (GLC) of the Global
Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP).
✓ A total of 11 countries(first-mover
countries), including India, have joined the
BESS consortium during the COP28.The
BESS consortium is committed to
achieving a combined commitment of 5
Gigawatts (GW) of BESS by the end of
2024.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman & 3
other Indians featured on Forbes’ 2023
World’s 100 Most Powerful Women
The 20th annual ranking of the World’s 100 Most
Powerful Women (2023) features a total of 4
Indian women. Union Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance and Corporate
Affairs is ranked 32nd on the list.
✓ The other 3 Indians are Roshni Nadar
Malhotra(rank 60), Chairperson of
HCLTech; Soma Mondal(rank 70),
former Chairperson of Steel Authority of
India Limited(SAIL) and Kiran Mazumdar-
Shaw(rank 76), Founder and Executive
Chairperson of Biocon India Private
Limited.
✓ Ursula vonder Leyen, the President of the
European Commission, European Union
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(EU) topped the list for the second
consecutive year.
University of Delhi ranked 220th on QS
World University Ranking for Sustainability
2024; University of Toronto tops
According to the QS World University Rankings:
Sustainability 2024, the 2nd edition of the list
published by Quacquarelli Symonds(QS), a global
higher education analyst, the University of Delhi
(DU), ranked 220th (globally), has topped among
the 56 Indian Universities featured on the list.
✓ DU is ranked 30th among Asian
Universities.
✓ The University of Toronto, Canada, has
topped the list as the world’s most
sustainable University followed by the
University of California (UCB), Berkeley,
the United States of America(USA) at 2nd
and the University of Manchester, the
United Kingdom (UK) at 3rd place.
WHO Report: India Accounted for 66% of
Malaria Cases in WHO South-East Asia
Region in 2022
As per the 2023 World Malaria Report by the
World Health Organization (WHO), India
constituted 66% of malaria cases in the WHO's
South-East Asia region in 2022. Despite an overall
decrease of 11.9% in estimated cases between
2021 and 2022 in the region, Bangladesh,
Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand recorded an
increases in cases.
✓ Notably, India and Indonesia accounted for
about 94% of all malaria deaths in South-
East Asia region in 2022.
✓ Around 249 million malaria cases have
been reported around the world(in 85
malaria endemic countries and areas)
which exceeded the pre-pandemic count
of 233 million in 2019.
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BANKING & FINANCE
LIC Jeevan Utsav: New Life Insurance Plan
Launched with Lifetime Guaranteed Returns
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has
launched Jeevan Utsav plan, a Non-Linked, Non-
Participating, Individual, Savings, Whole Life
Insurance plan, which provides insurance
coverage for the entire lifetime of the insured
individual.The plan is available in two payout
options namely
✓ Regular income benefits: 10% of the
basic sum assured chosen by the
policyholder will be paid at the end of each
policy year (starting after 3 to 6 years).
✓ Flexi income benefits: 10% of the basic
sum assured payable can be accumulated
and withdrawn later.
Ujjivan SFB Partners with Water.org to offer
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Loans
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited (Ujjivan SFB)
has partnered with Water.org, a global nonprofit
organization dedicated to providing clean water
and sanitation, to offer accessible financing
solutions for water and sanitation solutions.Ujjivan
SFB will offer loans of about Rs. 6,000 to Rs.
1,00,000 to existing as well as new customers to
enable them to construct and renovate water and
sanitation facilities.
✓ About Ujjivan SFB: MD & CEO – Ittira
Davis ,Headquarters – Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
Federal Bank, NeML tie-up to Streamline E-
Procurement, E-Auction
Federal Bank Limited and NCDEX e-Markets
Limited (NeML) signed an MoU to strengthen the
integration of e-procurement and e-auction
systems.This partnership will facilitate an
advanced e-procurement solution and streamline
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e-procurement and e-auction systems for Central
and State Government organizations.
✓ About Federal Bank: MD & CEO - Shyam
Srinivasan ,Headquarters– Aluva,Kochi,
Kerala
RBI, Bank of England sign MoU concerning
Clearing Corporation; Fines Bank of
America, N.A., HDFC Bank
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Bank of
England (BoE) signed a MoU for cooperation and
information exchange regarding the Clearing
Corporation of India Limited (CCIL). The MoU
establishes a framework for the BoE to rely on the
RBI’s regulatory and supervisory activities.
✓ RBI in exercise of powers under the
provisions of Section 11(3) of FEMA
(Foreign Exchange Management Act), 1999
has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs
10,000 on Bank of America, N.A. for
violation of RBI’s instructions on reporting
requirements under Liberalised
Remittance Scheme of FEMA, 1999.
✓ RBI approved the promoter of CSB Bank to
retain a 26% stake in the lender. This is
higher than the 15% stake that RBI had
previously advised.
SEBI Postpones Linking of SCORES with
ODR Portal to April 2024
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
has extended the timeline of linking of SEBI
Complaint Redressal (SCORES) platform with the
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Portal from 4th
December 2023 to 1st April 2024.The circular was
issued under Section 11(1) of the Securities and
Exchange Board of India Act, 1992.
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HDFC Securities Launches Mobile Trading
App HDFC SKY On AWS Cloud
HDFC Securities Limited, the stock-broking arm of
HDFC Bank, has launched its mobile trading app,
HDFC SKY on Amazon Web Services (AWS), the
cloud computing unit of Amazon.com.AWS is the
world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted
cloud.
✓ HDFC Securities will provide secure and
low-latency trading services to retail
investors who prefer mobile trading.
ADB provided USD 200mn loan for
U’khand’s Climate-Resilient Power System
Development Project
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a
USD 200 Million loan for Uttarakhand Climate
Resilient Power System Development Project to
improve the quality, efficiency, and reliability of
power supply, and aiding the state in achieving
24×7 power to its residents and transitioning to
the use of clean energy.
✓ The Japan Fund for Prosperous and
Resilient Asia and the Pacific, financed by
the Government of Japan through ADB, will
also provide USD 2 million grant to support
livelihood enhancement, training, and
awareness-raising activities of this project.
✓ ADB has unveiled a new initiative to
address climate and disaster risks in the
crucial Hindu Kush Himalaya region, a vital
water source supporting over a billion
people across Asia.
Godrej Capital Nirmaan partners with DBS
Bank India, Visa and Amazon to aid MSME
growth
Godrej Capital, Non-Banking Finance Company
(NBFC) arm of the Godrej Group, has partnered
with DBS Bank India, Visa and Amazon as part of
its Nirmaan digital platform initiative, aimed at
providing an extensive range of services to micro,
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small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).This is in
line with Nirmaan’s commitment to support
MSMEs through diverse value-added services
(VAS) to enhance market reach, financial
assistance, legal and compliance simplification,
employee welfare, and others.
LIC Notifies Framework for Appointment of
Shareholders’ Director in its Board
On December 1, 2023, Life Insurance Corporation
of India (LIC) has notified LIC (shareholders’
director) Regulations, 2023 to allow the
induction of shareholders' directors on LIC’s
board.
✓ Election: Upon notice of not less than
1000 shareholders or one-tenth of the total
number of shareholders (whichever is
lower), LIC would elect a shareholders'
director through a general meeting of such
shareholders.
✓ Term: The board will appoint a
shareholders' director for a tenure of 4
years.
✓ Re-election: The director will be eligible
for re-election and re-appointment for
another 4 years.
World Bank Launched Various initiatives to
Address Methane Emissions Globally at the
COP28 summit
The World Bank (WB) launched
partnership platforms namely the Global Methane
Reduction Platform for Development (CH4D), a
hub for methane reduction in agriculture and
waste, and the Global Flaring and Methane
Reduction Partnership (GFMR) which focuses on
reducing methane leaks in the oil and gas sector.
Bank of Baroda Introduced BOB Parivar
Account for Savings & Current Accounts
Bank of Baroda (BOB), a leading public sector
bank(PSB), has launched the BOB Parivar
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Account for Savings and Current Accounts which
groups all the bank accounts belonging to
members of a single family under One Family. The
accounts under the BOB Parivar Account will be
operated independently by the primary account
holder.
HDFC Bank Partnered with Tata Neu to
Launch Tata Neu HDFC Bank Credit Cards
HDFC Bank Limited in partnership with Tata Neu
launched the co-branded credit card “Tata Neu
HDFC Bank credit card” powered by RuPay/Visa.
The credit card is available in 2 variants:
✓ Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card
✓ Tata Neu plus HDFC Bank Credit Card
ADB Offered Loans for Various Projects in
India and Co-Hosts 'Kutumb' with IIFL Home
Finance Ltd
Asian Development Bank (ADB) helps its
members and partners by providing loans,
technical assistance, grants, and equity
investments to promote social and economic
development. Recently it has collaborated with
GOI, Uttrakhand, and IIFl Home Finance Limited
for various projects.
✓ ADB Loan to Promote Plant Health
Management in India’s Horticulture
✓ ADB approves USD 200 million boost to
enhance water supply and sanitation in
Uttarakhand
✓ IIFL Home Finance Ltd. presents the 15th
chapter of ‘Kutumb’ in collaboration with
the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
SBI Card joins Bharat BillPay in the Credit
Card Category
SBI Card has joined the credit card category of
Bharat BillPay. The integration of the SBI Card into
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Bharat BillPay was made by NPCI Bharat BillPay
(NBBL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI),
Aditya Birla Sun Life launches ABSLI
Salaried Term Plan for Salaried Individuals
Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI) has
launched the ABSLI Salaried Term Plan, a
budget-friendly term insurance plan for salaried
individuals.
✓ The plan is categorised as a non-linked,
non-participating, Life Individual, pure risk,
and premium plan. ABSLI Salaried Term
Plan provides long-term comprehensive
protection with a policy term of up to 49
years.
Union Bank Collaborates with Accenture to
Boost Operational Efficiency
The Union Bank of India (UBI) has partnered with
Accenture, a leading global professional services
company, to design and develop a scalable and
secure enterprise data lake platform with
advanced analytics and reporting capabilities.
AIIB, UNDP Signed MoU for Promoting
Sustainable Infrastructure Development
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) to promote sustainable
infrastructure development and address
development challenges in Asia and beyond.
✓ The MoU recognises the shared objectives
of AIIB and UNDP in supporting national
climate goals and the 2030 Agenda
through financing sustainable development
initiatives in common members of
operations.
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ECONOMY & BUSINESS
OECD: India’s GDP Growth Expected to
Slow to 6.3% in FY24
According to the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) Economic
Outlook November 2023 titled ‘Restoring
growth’, the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
growth of India is expected to be at 6.3% in
financial year (FY) 2023-24.
✓ The report also pointed out that the
economy will slow down to 6.1% in FY25
due to adverse weather-related events and
the weakening international outlook.
✓ This will facilitate the convergence of
headline inflation toward 4.2%, enabling
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to reduce
interest rates from mid-2024, reaching
5.5% by the end of 2025.
India GDP growth in Q2FY24 estimates at
7.6%: NSO
National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of
Statistics and Programme Implementation
(MoSPI) released the estimates of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) for the July-September
Quarter (Q2) of 2023-24 (Q2FY24), both at
Constant (2011-12) and Current Prices.
✓ India’s Real GDP or GDP at Constant
(2011-12) Prices in Q2FY24 is projected to
grow at 7.6% as compared to 6.2% in
Q2FY23. It is estimated to attain a level of
Rs 41.74 lakh crore in Q2FY24 as against
Rs 38.78 lakh crore in the
Q2FY23.Nominal GDP or GDP at Current
Prices in Q2FY24 is estimated at 9.1% as
compared to 17.2% in Q2FY23.
SBI’s Research Ecowrap raises India’s FY24
GDP forecast to 7% from 6.7%
State Bank of India (SBI) through its Research
‘Ecowrap‘ report has raised its forecast for India’s
GDP growth for FY24 to 7% from 6.7%, citing
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robust Q2FY24 growth at 7.6%, driven by a 13.9%
surge in manufacturing and a 13.3% rise in
construction.
Kerala Startup Mission Inks MoU with
Business Finland to Boost Start-Up
Ecosystem
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Business
Finland have signed an MoU to boost the startup
ecosystems in India and Finland.A KSUM
volunteer exchanged the MoU with Business
Finland Senior Director Laura Lindeman, during
the Slush 2023 held in Helsinki, Finland, from 30th
November 2023 to 1st December 2023.
S&P’s Global Credit Outlook 2024: India set
to become 3rd largest economy by 2030
According to ‘Global Credit Outlook 2024: New
Risks, New Playbook’ released by S&P Global
Market Intelligence, India is set to become the
third-largest economy in the world by 2030 and it
is projected to be the fastest-growing major
economy in the next 3 years.
i.At present, India is the fifth largest economy in
the world.
ii.The top five economy along with their Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) are as follows (according
to the ranking):
✓ United States of America (USA) - USD
26,954 Billion
✓ China - USD 17,786 Billion
✓ Germany - USD 4,430 Billion
✓ Japan - USD 4,231 Billion
✓ India - USD 3,730 Billion
ONDC launches ‘Build for Bharat’ Initiative
to Tackle Challenges in Digital Commerce
Space
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
has launched a nationwide initiative called 'Build
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for Bharat' in collaboration with Google Cloud
India Private Limited, Antler Innovation India
Private Limited, Paytm(One97 Communications
Limited), Protean eGov Technologies Limited and
Startup India.
Bharat Electronics Limited Receives orders
worth Rs. 3,915 Crore
The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna
Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), has received
multiple orders worth Rs. 3,915 crore for the
supply of various defense equipment. It received
an order worth Rs 580 crore from the Indian Army
for supplying an artificial magnetic conductor
(AMC) of radars.
CII Projected India’s GDP to Grow at 6.8%
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has
projected the India’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) to grow at 6.8 % in Financial Year 2023-24
(FY24) supported by infrastructure development
and promotion of ease of doing business.
✓ The projected economic growth is higher
than earlier projection of 6.5-6.7% which
was made in June 2023. CII also projected
that the growth will further accelerate to
7% in FY25.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

ISRO Scientist V R Lalithambika Honoured annual ranking of the most influential people in art,
with France’s Chevalier Award published by Art Review, a London-based
Dr V R Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist at magazine. Bose Krishnamachari is ranked 38th on
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) the list. He has curated the murals on
was honoured with with “Chevalier de la Légion Manaveeyam street in Thiruvananthapuram,
d’Honneur”, the highest civilian award of France, Kerala Traditional Historical and Colonial
for her contributions in promoting space Architecture photography exhibition and
cooperation between India and France. ‘Contextual Cosmologies.
✓ She becomes the 2nd ISRO scientist to
receive the award. Previously, A S Kiran
Kumar, former chairman of ISRO received
the award in 2019.
✓ Eminent Indian author and translator, Dr
Arshia Sattar, was honoured with
“Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des
Lettres” (Knight of the Order of Arts and
Letters), a prestigious honor from French
Government.

Bose Krishnamachari among 5 Indians

featured on Art Review’s 2023 Power100
Most Influential People in Art
5 Indians including Bose Krishnamachari, an
Indian painter and artist-curator hailing from
Kerala, are featured on 2023 Power 100, the

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 Weekly Content PDF

Forbes Asia’s 2023 Heroes of Philanthropy ✓ The World Congress was co-organised by
List features 3 Indian: K.P. Singh, Nandan the International Labour Organization
Nilekani, & Nikhil Kamath (ILO), SafeWork New South Wales (NSW)
The Forbes Asia’s 2023 Heroes of Philanthropy and ISSA. The theme of the event was
list, the 17th edition of the annual unranked list, “Shaping Change: Collaborating for a
features 3 Indians: Kushal Pal Singh (K.P. Singh), healthier and safer world of work”.
Chairman Emeritus of DLF Limited; Nandan
Nilekani, co-founder and Chairman of Infosys; and
Nikhil Kamath, Co-founder and Chief Financial
Officer, Zerodha. The list features a total of 15
philanthropists from the Asia-Pacific region.

Educate Girls Founder Safeena Husain

Honoured with WISE Prize for Education
2023
Safeena Husain, the founder and board member of
Educate Girls, was awarded the WISE Prize for
Education 2023 by the Qatar Foundation at the
11th edition of the World Innovation Summit for
Education (WISE) Summit held on 28th -29th
November 2023.
✓ Safeena Husain became the first Indian
Oxford University Press names ‘Rizz’ as
woman to receive the WISE Prize for
Education, and she received the WISE
Word of the Year 2023
Prize medal along with USD 500,000 prize On December 4, 2023, the Oxford University Press
money. (OUP) has named ‘Rizz’, a colloquial noun defined
✓ Safeena Husain has been awarded the NITI as style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to
Aayog Women Transforming India attract a romantic or sexual partner, as its word of
Award(2017), and the NDTV-L’Oréal Paris the year for 2023. It is mainly used by the younger
Women of Worth Award(2016). generation.

ESIC received “ISSA Vision Zero 2023”
Award at the 23rd World Congress on Safety
and Health at Work
The Employees' State Insurance Corporation
(ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment
(MoL&E) was awarded Vision Zero 2023 Award
by International Social Security Association (ISSA)
at the 23rd World Congress on Safety and Health
at Work, held in Sydney, Australia from 27th to
30th November, 2023.
Suganthy Sundararaj Honored With PRSI
National Award 2023
Public Relations Society of India (PRSI)
honoured Suganthy Sundararaj, Regional Head of
Public Relations at Apollo Hospitals, with the PRSI
National Award 2023 for her outstanding
contributions to PRSI and the industry.
The award was presented during the International
Public Relations (IPR) Festival 2023 held in New
Delhi, Delhi from 25th to 27th November 2023.

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 Weekly Content PDF
Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship (RKGF)
2023-24 and Chakra Awards Presented at
the 12th Edition of the annual REX
CONCLiVE
Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship (RKGF) 2023-
24 and the most prestigious and inclusive
Karmaveer Chakra Medal were presented to
people who have innovative ideas which may
make a difference to the world.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
India re-elected to International Maritime
Organisation Council for 2024-2025
India has been re-elected to the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council under
Category B states for the 2024-2025 biennium.
India got 157 votes out of 167, which is the highest
number of votes among candidates in category B.
✓ The election was held during the 33rd
Assembly of IMO in London, The United
Kingdom (U.K.).
✓ Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of
India to the United Kingdom, represented
India at the IMO Assembly.
Chandra Shekhar Ghosh Re-appointed as
MD & CEO of Bandhan Bank for 3 Years
The board of Bandhan Bank
Limited approved the re-
appointment of Chandra Shekhar
Ghosh as the Managing Director
(MD) and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of the Bandhan Bank , for 3 years.The re-
appointment is subject to the approval of the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the shareholders
of the bank.
✓ If approved by RBI, the re-appointment
would be effective from July 10, 2024.
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✓ The awards are instituted by the
International Confederation of Non-
Governmental Organisation (iCONGO) in
association with the United Nations (UN).
✓ The awards were presented during the
12th Edition of the annual REX
CONCLiVE and Karmaveer Chakra Award
event at Shri Nadar School, Faridabad,
Haryana.
Renowned Cricketer Suresh Raina
Appointed as the Youth Voter Awareness
Ambassador for Jammu & Kashmir
Election Commission of India (ECI)
appointed Former (Retired) Indian
cricketer Suresh Kumar Raina as
the Youth Voter Awareness
Ambassador for Union Territory
(UT) Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), to create awareness
among the youngsters to participate in the
electoral process for higher voter turnout.
✓ Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of J&K,
Pandurang K Pole presented a letter of his
appointment on 1st December, 2023.
PNB MetLife appointed India’s Star Cricketer
Smriti Mandhana its ambassador
Smriti Mandhana, Vice Captain of Indian Women’s
Cricket team has been appointed as the brand
ambassador of PNB MetLife India Insurance
Company Limited for their campaign “Karo Bade
Sapno Ki Tayyari”.
Pakistan Elected as Vice Chair of
UNESCO Executive Board from the Asia
Pacific Group
Pakistan was elected as the Vice Chairperson of
United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Executive Board
for the term 2023-2025 from the Asia Pacific
Group.
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Out of the 58-member Executive Board, Pakistan
received 38 votes defeating India which got only
18 votes.
Rajiv Anand Appointed as Chairman of Max
Life Insurance; succeeds Analjit Singh
Rajiv Anand, a Non-Executive
Director of Max Life Insurance Co.
Ltd. nominated by Axis Bank Ltd,
has been named the Chairman of
Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd., with effect from 5th
December 2023.
✓ Rajiv Anand, Deputy Managing Director
(MD) of Axis Bank(since 2021) succeeded
Analjit Singh, the Founder and Chairman
Emeritus of Max Life Insurance Co Ltd.
India to Represent Asia in Executive
Committee of Codex Alimentarius
Commission
India has been unanimously elected to represent
the Asian region in the Executive Committee of
the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The
election took place during the 46th meeting of the
CAC held at the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in
Rome, Italy from 27th November to 2nd
December 2023.
About the Executive Committee of CAC:
✓ The Executive Committee comprises of the
Chair, 3 vice Chairs, 6 regional
coordinators and 7 elected representatives
from the 7 geographical regions of Codex:
(Africa; Asia; Europe; Latin America and
the Caribbean; Near East; North America;
& The Southwest Pacific).
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✓ The Executive Committee is chaired by the
Chairperson of the CAC. At present,
Chairperson of CAC is Steve Wearne,
Director of Global Affairs at the United
Kingdom Food Standards Agency.
Vivek Kumar Gupta Appointed as Part-time
Govt Director on the Board of RVNL
Droupadi Murmu, The President of India, has
approved the appointment of Vivek Kumar Gupta
as Part-time Government Director on the Board
of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) with
immediate effect.
Indian Air Force Officer Manisha Padhi
Appointed India’s 1st Woman Aide-De-
Camp to Mizoram Governor
Squadron leader Manisha Padhi, a 2015 batch
Indian Air Force (IAF) officer was appointed as the
Aide-de-Camp (ADC) of Mizoram Governor Hari
Babu Kambhampati. She became the first woman
Indian Armed Forces officer to be appointed as
Aide-de-Camp (ADC).
10 BJP MPs Including 2 Minister resigned
from Parliament After winning State
Elections
10 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of
Parliament (MPs) including Union Minister
Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministry of Agriculture
and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and Minister of
State (MoS) Prahlad Singh Patel, Ministry of Food
Processing Industries (MoFPI), have resigned from
the Parliament after winning the respective state
assembly elections. Prahlad Singh Patel also
holds charge as the MoS for Minitry of Jal Shakti.
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ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
CCI Approves Atlas 2022 Holdings Stake
Increase in Vodafone Group Plc
The Competition Commission of India (CCI)
approves the proposed acquisition by Atlas 2022
Holdings Limited to increase its voting
rights/shareholding in Vodafone Group Plc
(Vodafone) from 14.6% to less than 25% through a
series of on-market and/or off-market
transactions.
✓ CCI approved the acquisition of
shareholding of Delanord Investments
Limited (Delanord) by Abu Dhabi Ports
Company PJSC (Abu Dhabi Ports
Company).
SBI MF Gets RBI Approval to Buy 9.99%
Stake in Karur Vysya Bank
SBI Mutual Fund (SBI MF) received approval from
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for acquiring
aggregate holding of up to 9.99% of the paid-up
share capital or voting rights of Karur Vysya Bank
Ltd (KVB). SBI MF has received regulatory
approval, pursuant to Regulation 30 of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI)(Listing Obligations and Disclosure
Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
✓ About KVB: MD & CEO– B Ramesh Babu
,Headquarters– Karur, Tamil Nadu.
SBI’s Stake in Jio Payments Bank Drops to
23% in FY23
State Bank of India’s (SBI) shareholding in Jio
Payments Bank Limited reduced to 23% in
Financial Year2022-23 (FY23) from 30% that SBI
maintained since the inception of Jio Payments
Bank. With shareholding less than 25%, SBI will
not be able to restrict special resolutions in the
payment bank.
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SBI to Acquire Additional 20% Stake in SBI
Pension Funds for Rs 229.52 Crore
The Executive Committee of the Central Board
(ECCB) of State Bank of India (SBI) has approved
SBI to acquire an additional 20% stake in SBI
Pension Funds Private Limited (SBIPFPL) for a
cash consideration of Rs. 229.52 crore.
After the acquisition, SBI will own 80% of the
stake in of SBIPFPL whereas the remaining 20% of
the stake will be owned by SBI Funds Management
Limited.
Govt to sell 8% stake in IRCON International
through OFS
The government of India has proposed to sell
8% stake in Ircon International Limited (IRCON), a
Navratna Central Public Sector Unit (CPSU) under
the Ministry of Railways (MoR), through an offer
for sale (OFS).
Ambuja Cements Completes Acquisition of
Sanghi Industries, at Rs 5,185 cr
Adani Group-owned Ambuja Cements Limited
(ACL) completed the acquisition of Gujarat-based
Sanghi Industries Limited (SIL) at an enterprise
value of Rs 5,185 crore by holding a controlling
stake of 54.51%.
✓ The deal offers low-cost debottle necking,
with total clinker capacity of 6.6 MTPA,
cement capacity of 6.1 MTPA and 1 billion
tonnes of limestone reserves to Adani
Group.
✓ SIL also offers potential for green power
generation, reaching up to 45%,
incorporating an additional 12 MegaWatt
(MW) Waste Heat Recovery Systems
(WHRS) and 30 MW of Solar/Wind power.
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Enemy Properties Shares Worth Rs 2709
crore Disposed through e-auction
The enemy property shares worth Rs 2709 crore
were sold by the Government of India as part of its
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Garuda Aerospace received ‘Second Type’
Certificate from DGCA for Medium Category
Drones
Garuda Aerospace Private Limited from Tamil
Nadu has secured the second type certificate for
medium category drones from the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The certification
showcases Garuda Aerospace’s dedication to
pioneering advancements in Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (UAV) technology.
✓ The DGCA Type Certification is issued
under the provision of Rule 8 and Rule 9 (3)
of the Drone Rules 2021.
CSL launches 3 Anti-Submarine Warfare
Water Crafts for Indian Navy; Delivery of 3rd
ACTCM Barge, LSAM 17 Made
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) launched the first
three ships of the 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare
Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) project namely
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mahe, INS Malvan, and INS
Mangrol at its Kochi Yard in Kerala for the Indian
Navy (IN).The 3rd Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum
Missile (ACTCM) Barge, LSAM 17 (Yard 127) has
been delivered to IN.
✓ The 3rd Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum
Missile (ACTCM) Barge, LSAM 17 (Yard
127) has been delivered to IN in the
presence of Shankar Mukharjee, INAS
(Indian Naval Armament Service), AGM
Naval Armament Depot (NAD), Karanja in
Mumbai, Maharashtra.
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initiative to dispose the enemy properties in India.
The enemy properties are the assets left behind by
people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan and
China, mostly between 1947 and 1962.
Tata Advanced Systems Partners Satellogic
to Develop Local Space Tech Capabilities in
India
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a leading
aerospace and defence solutions provider, has
announced a partnership with Satellogic Inc., a
sub-meter resolution Earth Observation(EO) Data
collection company, to develop local space
technology capabilities in India. This collaboration
is a first step in TASL’s satellite strategy. For this,
TASL is commissioning a Satellites’ Assembly,
Integration and Test (AIT) in Karnataka.
Gajraj System: Indian Railways to Install AI-
based Surveillance System to Prevent
Elephant Deaths on Tracks
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of
Railways, announced that the Indian Railways will
install ‘Gajraj System’, an Artificial Intelligence
(AI)-based surveillance system, covering 700-
kilometer (km) track across India to reduce
elephant deaths on railway tracks.
✓ 700 km of rail network across Assam,
West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Jharkhand,
Chattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu will be
covered under this system.
✓ The implementation of this system will
costs around Rs 181 Crore.
PCI Launched Revamped ‘DIGI-PHARMed’
Portal for Pharmacists
Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) launched the
revamped version of the DIGI-PHARMed
application, a cloud-based application to provide
end-to-end services to Pharmacy
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institutions/Pharmacist/Pharmacy
student/Pharmacist jobseeker.Dr. Montu Kumar M
Patel, President of PCI inaugurated the revamped
DIGI-PHARMed application.
GRSE delivered Sandhayak (Yard 3025) SVL
to Indian Navy
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE),
Kolkata (West Bengal) has delivered Indian Naval
Ship (INS) Sandhayak (Yard 3025), the first of four
Survey Vessel (Large) (SVL) ships to the Indian
Navy(IN) on 4th December 2023.
✓ The contract for building four SVL ships
was signed between the Ministry of
Defense (MoD) and GRSE on 30 October
2018. Other three Survey Vessel (Large)
(SVL) are Nirdeshak (Yard 3026), Ikshak
(Yard 3027) and Sanshodhak (Yard 3028)
China Launches MisrSat-2 satellite jointly-
developed with Egypt
On 4th December 2023, China National Space
Agency (CNSA) launched the MisrSat-2 or
Aiji Yaogan Weixing Erhao (Aiji 2) satellite with a
Long March-2C carrier rocket from the Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.
MisrSat-2, the optical remote sensing satellite,
was jointly developed by the Egyptian Space
Agency (EgSA) and CNSA.
World's Biggest Experimental Nuclear
Fusion Reactor JT-60SA Inaugurated in
Japan
The world's largest and most advanced nuclear
fusion reactor, Japan Torus-60 Super Advanced
(JT-60SA) started its operations in Naka,
Japan. The reactor is a joint initiative between the
European Union (EU) and Japan.
✓ JT-60SA reactor is a six-storey-high
machine which is constructed as per
Broader Approach (BA) Agreement. The
agreement was signed between the
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European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom) and Japan in 2007.
Indian Researcher Dr. Akshata
Krishnamurthy, 1st Indian Woman to
Operate a Rover on Mars with NASA
Indian Researchers Dr Akshata Krishnamurthy has
became the first indian citizen (woman) to operate
the rover (Perseverance) on Mars and also the first
Indian citizen to collect sample from the Mars to
bring back to Earth.
Space regulator IN-SPACe Launches Seed
Fund Scheme for Startups to Promote
Innovation in Space Sector
India's space regulator Indian National Space
Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe)
has unveiled a seed fund scheme to offer
financial assistance of up to Rs 1 crore each to
start-ups operating in the areas of Urban
Development and Disaster Management by using
space technology.
✓ The scheme was launched in collaboration
with the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO)'s National Remote
Sensing Centre (NRSC) to provide
opportunities to companies that leverage
space technology for societal benefit.
Chandrayaan-3 Propulsion Module Moves
from Lunar Orbit to Earth Orbit
The Propulsion Module (PM) of Chandrayaan-3 by
the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO)
retreats from an orbit around the moon to an orbit
around Earth.
ISRO set to launch India’s first X-Ray
Polarimeter Satellite
ISRO is set to launch India’s first X-ray polarimeter
satellite (XPoSat) to investigate the polarisation of
intense astronomical X-ray sources.
Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 21
 Weekly Content PDF

Google Launches its largest and most Variants of Gemini:

capable AI Model ‘Gemini’
Google launched its largest and most capable
multimodal Artificial intelligence (AI) model,
‘Gemini’, which comes in three sizes: Gemini
Ultra, Gemini Pro, and Gemini Nano.
Gemini Ultra: The largest and most capable
model for highly complex tasks
Gemini Pro: The best model for scaling across a
wide range of tasks
Gemini Nano: The most efficient model for on-
device tasks

ENVIRONMENT
--------

SPORTS

Indian Shooter Anish Bhanwala won Bronze
at ISSF World Cup Final 2023
Indian shooter Anish Bhanwala won the bronze
medal in the Men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event at
the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)
World Cup Final Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun 2023 held in
Lusail Shooting Range in Doha, Qatar held from
18th to 26th November 2023.
✓ This was India’s 1st medal in the men’s
25m rapid fire pistol event in the ISSF
World Cup Final history.
✓ India ranks 13th, along with Czechia; Great
Britain; Latvia & the United States of
America(USA), in the medal tally with 1
bronze.
Vaishali Rameshbabu Becomes India’s 84th
Chess Grandmaster
Indian Chess player Vaishali Rameshbabu(22
years old), has become India’s 84th
Grandmaster(GM) by crossing the 2500 Elo live
ratings during the ongoing 4th edition of the
Llobregat Open Chess Tournament (Llobregat
Open 2023) from 30th November 2023 to 8th
December 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.
✓ She is the third Indian female, after Koneru
Humpy (2002) and Harika Dronavalli
(2011), to get the GM title.
✓ Vaishali and her brother Praggnanandhaa
became the world’s first sister-brother pair
to be GrandMasters.
Indian Tennis Player Ramkumar
Ramanathan Wins ITF Kalaburagi Open
2023
Indian tennis player Ramkumar Ramanathan won
the men’s singles title of the International Tennis
Federation(ITF) Kalaburagi Open 2023 by
defeating David Pichler (Austria) in the finals held
at the Chandrashekhar Patil Stadium, Kalaburagi,
Karnataka.This marks his 3rd ITF title of 2023.
✓ He has recently won the men’s singles title
in the ITF Dharwad Open (Oct’ 2023) in
Dharwad (Karnataka) and the ITF Men’s
Tennis Championship (Dec’ 23) in Mumbai
(Maharashtra).

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 Weekly Content PDF

OBITUARY

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Henry Kissinger
Passed Away at 100
Henry Alfred Kissinger, the Nobel Peace Prize
winner and former American Diplomat, passed
away at the age of 100 in Connecticut, the United
States of America(USA).Henry Kissinger was born
as Heinz Alfred Kissinger in Furth, Germany, on
27th May 1923. His family moved to the USA in
1938. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973,
jointly with Le Duc Tho(Vietnam), for jointly having
negotiated a cease fire in Vietnam in 1973.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami released

New book titled “Resilient India”
Pushkar Singh Dhami , Chief Minister (CM) of
Uttarakhand, released a new book titled “Resilient
India: How Modi Transformed India’s Disaster
Management Paradigm” at the 6th World
Congress on Disaster Management in Dehradun,
Uttarakhand.
✓ The book is edited and compiled by
Bluekraft Digital Foundation and Modi
Story.
✓ It is published by Rupa Publications India.
Mohan Kumar’s book “India’s Moment:
Changing Power Equations Around the
World” Launched by Indian HC
Vikram K. Doraiswami, High Commissioner(HC) of
India in London, United Kingdom(UK), released a
new book titled “India’s Moment: Changing Power
Equations around the World” authored by
Ambassador (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, one of India’s
leading experts on foreign trade.The book is
published by HarperCollins Publisher India.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Day of Remembrance for All Victims of
Chemical Warfare 2023- November 30
The United Nations (UN) Day of Remembrance for
All Victims of Chemical Warfare is annually
observed across the globe on 30 November to pay
tribute to the victims, who lost their lives or
suffered from chemical warfare.The Day also
reaffirms the commitment of the Organisation for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to
eliminate the chemical weapons threat and
promote the goals of peace, security, and
multilateralism.
World AIDS Day 2023- December 1
United Nations (UN)’s World Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Day is annually
observed across the globe on 1 December to raise
awareness about AIDS and to unite people across
the globe to show support for people living with
AIDS and affected by Human Immunodeficiency
Viruses (HIV).
✓ 1 December 2023, marks the 35th
anniversary of World AIDS Day,
✓ The theme of World AIDS Day 2023 is, “Let
Communities Lead.”
✓ The red ribbon has become an
internationally recognized symbol of
solidarity and support for people living with
HIV and for AIDS awareness.

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 Weekly Content PDF
59th Raising Day of the Border Security Force
– December 1, 2023
The Border Security Force (BSF) of India annually
celebrates the BSF Raising Day on 1 December to
mark the establishment of BSF, a primary border-
guarding organisation of India that came into
existence on 1st December 1965.1st December
2023 marks the observance of the 59th Raising Day
of BSF.
✓ BSF, also known as the First Line of
Defence of Indian Territories, is a
paramilitary force charged with guarding
India’s land borders with Pakistan and
Bangladesh during peacetime and
preventing transnational crime.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
2023- December 2
United Nations (UN) International Day for the
Abolition of Slavery is annually observed across
the globe on 2 December to combat and eradicate
contemporary forms of slavery, such as human
trafficking, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of
child labour, forced marriage, and the forced
recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.
✓ The 50 for Freedom Campaign is led by the
International Labour Organization (ILO) and
its partners, the International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC) and the International
Organization of Employers(IOE).
National Pollution Control Day 2023-
December 2
National Pollution Control Day or National
Pollution Prevention Day is annually observed
across India on 2 December in the memory of
those who lost their lives in the disastrous 1984
Bhopal Gas Tragedy.The Day also aims to raise
awareness of the management and control of
industrial hazards and avoid pollution caused by
industrial processes or human negligence.
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✓ 2 December 2023 marks the 39th
Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
✓ Bhopal Gas Tragedy was India’s first major
industrial disaster that took place on the
intervening night of December 2 and 3,
1984, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh(MP).
World Computer Literacy Day 2023 –
December 2
World Computer Literacy Day is annually
observed across the globe on December 2 to raise
public knowledge of computers and encourage the
development of technological skills, particularly
among children and women in India.The day aims
to promote digital literacy and raise awareness in
underserved communities across the globe.
✓ 2nd December 2023 marks the observance
of 23rd World Computer Literacy Day.
✓ National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) or
Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA) aimed
at creating at least a digitally literate and
empowered person per household in India.
International Day of Persons with
Disabilities 2023- December 03
The United Nations (UN) International Day of
Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is annually
observed across the globe on 3 December to
promote an understanding of disability issues and
mobilise support for the dignity, rights, and well-
being of persons with disabilities.IDPD also seeks
to increase awareness about the situation of
persons with disabilities in every aspect of
political, social, economic, and cultural life.
✓ The 2023 theme of IDPD is, “United in
action to rescue and achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
for, with, and by persons with disabilities“.
Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 25
 Weekly Content PDF
International Day of Banks 2023 –
December 4
The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of
Banks is annually observed across the globe on
December 4 to recognise the vital role of banking
systems in the Member States in contributing to
the improvement of the standard of living.4th
December 2023 marks the observance of the 4th
International Day of Banks. The Addis Ababa
Action Agenda (AAAA) is a global framework for
financing sustainable development.
✓ The UN Principles for Responsible Banking
(PRB), launched in 2019, collaborates with
the banking community to accelerate a
positive global transition for people and the
planet.
Indian Navy Day 2023- December 04
Indian Navy Day is annually observed across India
on December 4th to recognise the role and
achievements of the Indian Navy in ensuring the
safety of the nation.The day also commemorates
the Operation Trident, Indian Navy’s offensive
operation conducted during the Indo-Pakistan war
in 1971. Operation Trident was an offensive
operation launched by the Indian Navy on the night
of 4–5 December 1971 on Pakistan’s naval
headquarters (PNHQ) (port city) of Karachi.
International Volunteer Day 2023-
December 05
The United Nations (UN) International Volunteer
Day for Economic and Social Development
commonly known as International Volunteer Day
(IVD) is annually observed across the globe on 5
December to raise awareness about volunteer
service, encouraging individuals, who dedicate
their time and skills to contribute their services as
volunteers locally and internationally.
✓ The 2023 theme of IVD centres on “The
power of everyone - collective action - if
everyone did".
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World Soil Day 2023 - December 05
The United Nations(UN)’s World Soil
Day (WSD) is annually observed across the globe
on 5th December to create awareness about the
importance of healthy soil and to advocate the
sustainable management of soil resources.
✓ The theme of WSD 2023 is “Soil and
water, a source of life”. 5th December
2023 marks the observance of 10th WSD.
The first ever WSD was observed on 5th
December 2014.
UNCTAD eWeek - December 4 to 8 2023
The United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD) eWeek, previously
known as UNCTAD eCommerce Week, is a
global forum on development and the digital
economy.
✓ UNCTAD eWeek 2023 is being observed
from 4th to 8th December 2023 at the
International Conference Center of
Geneva(CICG) in Geneva, Switzerland.
✓ Theme: The theme of UNCTAD eWeek
2023 is "Shaping the future of the digital
economy."
International Civil Aviation Day 2023-
December 7
The United Nations (UN) International Civil
Aviation Day is annually observed across the
globe on 7 December to create awareness about
the importance of international civil aviation and
its role in the social and economic development of
a country.
✓ The 2023 theme of International Civil
Aviation Day is “Advancing Innovation for
Global Aviation Development”.
Armed Forces Flag Day 2023- December 07
Armed Forces Flag Day (AFFD) is annually
observed across the globe on 7 December to
honour the martyrs, men, and women in the armed
Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 26
 Weekly Content PDF
forces who bravely fought and continue to fight on
the borders to safeguard the country's honour.
✓ A committee was set up on 28 August
1949 under the then Defence Minister
Baldev Singh. The committee
STATE NEWS
Veera Rana takes Additional Charge as
Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh
Veera Rana, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative
Service (IAS) officer, was given the additional
charge as the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh
(MP). She became the 2nd woman IAS officer to
be elevated to the post of Chief Secretary of
MP.Nirmala Buch was the 1st woman Chief
Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, from 1991 to 1993.
✓ Veera Rana succeeds CS Iqbal Singh
Bains, who retired on 30 November 2023
after getting 2 six-month extensions.
Arunachal CM Pema Khandu, US
Ambassador Inaugurated ‘The Hump WWII
Museum’
Pema Khandu, Chief Minister (CM) of Arunachal
Pradesh along with Eric Garcetti, Ambassador of
the United States of America(USA) to India
inaugurated ‘The Hump World War-II (WW-II)
Museum’ in Pasighat, East Siang district of
Arunachal Pradesh.This 2nd of its kind museum in
Asia is dedicated to the fallen airmen of the Allied
forces who participated in the ‘Hump’ airlift during
WWII.
Assam govt and NDDB sign MoU for holistic
dairy development in Assam
The Government of Assam has signed a MoU with
the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for
the holistic development of the dairy sector in
Assam.This partnership is in line with efforts to
make Assam, sufficient in milk and egg production
in the coming years. The government has targeted
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recommended observing Flag Day annually
on December 7. The 1st Armed Forces
Flag Day was observed on 7 December
1949.
to increase Assam’s milk production to 39 lakh
litres per day from 29 lakh litres.
Bengaluru’s KIA set to become India’s 1st
Airport to Introduce CTX System
The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in
Bengaluru, Karnataka, is set to become the first
Airport in India to introduce the Computer
Tomography X-ray (CTX) machine to eliminate the
need for removing personal electronic devices
from handbags during pre-boarding security
checks.The CTX machine integrated with
the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) and
full-body scanners, will enhance the security
measures and operational efficiency.
Odisha CM Launches ‘AMA bank’ Scheme to
Provide Banking Service in Unbanked Gram
Panchayats
Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has
launched “AMA Bank” scheme for providing
banking services through Customer Service Point
(CSP) Plus banking outlets in 4373 unbanked
Gram Panchayats (GPs) in Odisha.
✓ Ama Bank model is the first-of-its-kind
financial inclusion programme in India.
Ama Bank offers credit for small
businesses along with 15 banking services
through CSP Plus banking outlets. It was
launched with a budget of about Rs 500
crore.
✓ The scheme was launched in collaboration
with six public sector banks (PSBs)
namely State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab
National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India
Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.com 27
 Weekly Content PDF

(UBI), UCO Bank, Bank of India (BoI) and
Bank of Baroda (BoB).
Gujarat & AAI signed a MoU to develop
airports in Gujarat
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was
signed between the Civil Aviation Department of
the Government of Gujarat and the Airport
Authority of India (AAI) for the advancement of
airports in Gujarat.
✓ Under this MoU, AAI will advance the
establishment of 11 proposed greenfield
airports, and evaluate their technical
feasibility and the availability of land.

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