GK Power Capsule – Nov’ 2013 (The Hindu Review)

This GK Capsule has been prepared by Career Power Institute Delhi (Formerly Known as Bank Power). This has
been prepared on the basis of news and events appeared in The Hindu Newspaper in the month of November
2013.

1. Multi Commodity Exchange of India appointed 11. Anjolie Ela Menon was awarded with Dayawati
Satyananda Mishra as the chairman of MCX’s Modi Award for Art and Culture and Education by
board. Dayawati Foundation.
2. Indian Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar appointed 12. President of India Pranab Mukherjee presented
as UNICEF's first brand ambassador for South Asia. Indira Gandhi National Service Scheme Best
3. Neeraj Sahai, Indian-American has appointed as University Award 2012-13 to Mangalore University
president of Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, of Karnataka.
the world's largest ratings firm.
4. The All India Football Federation reappointed
Kushal Das as AIFF General Secretary for a second
term of another three years.
5. Nisha Desai Biswal was sworn in as the US
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central
Asia.
6. Union Government appointed Justice Ajit Prakash
Shah as the new Chairman of the 20th Law
Commission of India.
7. The Union Government appointed Usha
Ananthasubramanian as the chairperson and
managing director of public sector Bharatiya
Mahila Bank (BMB). She was an Executive Director
with Punjab National Bank (PNB).
8. Imomali Rakhmon was re-elected as the President
of Tajikistan.
9. Malala Yousafzai received the EU's Sakharov
human rights prize for her brave crusade for the
right of the children to education.
10. The 18th International Children's Film Festival
concluded in Hyderabad. A Dutch Film named
Kauwboy, directed by Boudewijn Koole won the
Golden Elephant Award for best film in the
'International Live Action' category.
13. Dr. Angela Merkel, German Chancellor selected for
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and
Development for the year 2013.
14. Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the
inaugural Centenary Award for the Indian Film
Personality of the Year 2013 at the 44th
International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
15. The Government of India decided to confer, the
Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award on
eminent scientist Prof CNR Rao and cricket player
Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar is the first
sports person to win the Bharat Ratna Award.
16. Lord Swraj Paul was presented with the
International Indian of the Decade award.
17. Barack Obama appointed an Indian-American
Gargee Ghosh as the member of the President’s
Global Development Council.
18. Abdulla Yameen defeated the former premier,
Mohammed Nasheed to win the Maldivian
Presidential elections.
19. Gabriela Isler from Venezuela won Miss Universe
2013 contest held at Crocus City Hall in Moscow,
Russia. Manasi Moghe from India had been
shortlisted for the top 10 finalists of Miss Universe
2013.
20. Frederick Sanger, a British biochemist who is the
only person to win Nobel Prize two times for
Chemistry died.
21. British Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing
was died.
22. Ram Kripalu Tripathi, popularly known as
Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj passed away on.
23. Tarla Dalal, one of the first celebrity chefs of India
died due to heart attack in Mumbai.
24. The Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was officially
launched in Sydney, Australia.
25. The 7th India-Republic of Korea Joint Commission
Meeting (JCM) was held in New Delhi.
26. As per the data released by the Internet and
Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on 6
November 2013, Mumbai emerged as the city with
highest internet penetration in India. Mumbai has
12 million internet users, followed by Delhi with
8.1 million users.
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27. ISRO successfully launched Mars mission from the
Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The
satellite is scheduled to reach the Mars orbit in
September 2014 and is designed to circle the Red
Planet in an elliptical orbit of 366 km X 80000 km.
28. The 9th International Heavy Minerals Conference
was held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
29. The North East Business summit began at
Dibrugarh in Assam.
30. Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh
inaugurated the 3rd BRICS International
Competition Conference in New Delhi. The theme
of the conference is: Competition Enforcement in
BRICS Countries: Issues and Challenges.
31. The 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting (CHOGM) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on
the theme Growth with Equity: Inclusive
Development ended. The participant leaders of the
CHOGM unanimously agreed on the proposal to
host the next CHOGM in 2015 in Malta.
32. The Indian delegation to CHOGM to Sri Lanka was
led by the Foreign Minister of India, Salman
Khurshid after Manmohan Singh, the Prime
Minister of India decided to skip the event.
33. The 11th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Foreign
Ministers Meeting took place in New Delhi. The
theme of the meeting was "ASEM: Bridge to
Partnership for Growth and Development.”
34. The cyclonic storm Lehar hit the Andhra Pradesh
coast and caused severe damage in the coastal
region. After cyclone Phailin and cyclone Helen,
this is the third severe cyclone within a month.
35. Eminent Scientist and Bharat Ratna Awardee Prof
CNR Rao was elected as honorary foreign member
of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS).
36. The 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
began at Panaji in Goa.
37. The Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram
released a Commemorative Coin of 20 Rupees a
circulation coin of 5 Rupees to mark the
culmination of the 125th Birth Anniversary of
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
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38. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Embassy of popularity with many firms claiming to be working
Sweden jointly unveiled a Nobel Memorial Wall at for BJP and Narendra Modi.
Rajiv Chowk metro station, Delhi. 48. The Indian economy grew 4.8% in the July-
39. Charkha of Mahatma Gandhi that he used in September quarter, recovering from the slowest
Yerwada Jail during the Quit India Movement was expansion in four years in the previous quarter at
auctioned in UK on 5 November 2013 for £110000 4.4%.
(1.1 crore rupees approximately) at England. 49. The Centre’s fiscal deficit touched Rs 4,57,886
40. A Bangladeshi court sentenced to death 152 crore or 84.4 per cent of its Budget estimate of Rs
soldiers for their role in a 2009 mutiny. 5,42,499 crore between April and October, 2013.
50. Current Account Deficit (CAD) in India is likely to
come down below 3 per cent of GDP in the current
fiscal on the back of measures taken by
government, Prime Minister's Economic Advisory
Council (PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan said.
51. The Reserve Bank said it will launch CPI-indexed
41. The 33rd India International Trade Fair began at
bonds (between Rs 10,000-15,000 crore) aimed at
Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. This year Japan is a
protecting the savings of retail investors from the
partner country and South Africa, the focus
impact of price rise by the end of next month with
country. While Bihar is a partner state, Odisha is
a maturity period of 10 years.
the focus state.
52. A consortium of lenders led by Axis Bank has sent
42. India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable
notice to Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt Ltd
Dhanush ballistic missile from a naval ship off
(DAMEPL) for payment of loans (Rs 1800 Cr.) which
Odisha coast. The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a
have turned into non-performing assets (NPA).
naval variant of India's indigenously developed
53. Inflation on Consumer Price Index was at 10.09 per
Prithvi missile, was test fired by the Srategic Force
cent in October, entering double digits after seven
Command.
months.
43. India successfully test-fired the advanced version
54. Wholesale inflation was at 7 per cent, the highest
of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with a
in current financial year.
range of 290 Km from the Pokhran test firing range
55. The Asian Development Bank announced plans to
in Rajasthan.
provide an annual $2 billion loan to India for the
44. INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (formerly known
next five years till 2017.
as Admiral Gorshkov) was inducted into the Indian
56. India is likely to become the third largest economy
Navy on 16 November 2013 at Sevmash Shipyard
by 2030 behind China and the USA, a Standard
in Severodvinsk, Russia.
Chartered report said.
45. India successfully test fired the indigenous Agni-1
57. UK has scrapped its controversial 3,000-pound
missile with a range of 700 Km from Wheeler
"security bond" for some "high-risk" foreign
Island off Odisha coast.
visitors, including those from India. The move
46. Indian Navy inducted the fourth generation
comes ahead of Prime Minister David Cameron's
advanced jet trainer aircraft Hawk 132. The aircraft
third visit to India.
was built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
58. India has slipped by five places to 106th spot in the
(HAL) with Transfer of Technology from M/s British
World Prosperity Index. Norway is at first rank.
Aerospace, UK.
59. Debit card holders will be required to punch in
47. Investigative website Cobrapost in its Operation
their PIN numbers every time they use the card at
Blue Virus alleged that IT companies are misusing
point-of-sales from 1 December.
social media to artificially boost politicians

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60. Reserve Bank of India has decided to permit banks 70. India and Vietnam signed an agreement that would
to undertake insurance broking business pave way for transfer of sentenced prisoners
departmentally, subject to the requirements, languishing in jails in the two countries.
including the minimum net worth of Rs 500 crore. 71. The joint retreat ceremony of the Border Security
61. Reserve Bank of India directed public sector banks Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh
to provide loans to women self help groups at a (BGB) would start on Petropole-Benapole.
rate of 7 per cent per annum under the 72. Pakistan successfully test-fired Hatf IX (Nasr)
Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana-Aajeevika missile, a surface-to-surface missile with a range of
scheme. 60 km.
62. The Election Commission clarified that if the 73. India and China began a 10-day joint military drill
number of electors who had utilised the NOTA on counterterrorism — the first such exercise
(none of the above candidates) option in the between the neighbours in five years — in
EVM/Ballot paper exceeded the votes polled by southwestern China.
any of the candidates, the candidate with the 74. The 9th World Agricultural Forum (WAF) congress
highest number of votes would be declared and Agri-Tech trade fair concluded in Hyderabad.
winner. 75. Japan has conferred “The Order of the Rising Sun,
63. Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge launched the Gold and Silver Star” on Dr. Sreedharan, former
High Speed Rail Corporation (HSRC) as a fully- Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
owned subsidiary of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.
64. The RBI asked banks to charge customers for
transaction SMS alerts on the basis of usage,
instead of imposing a fixed fee, to ensure equity
and to be reasonable.
65. Savings bank account and term deposit holders can
now earn interest at shorter intervals, with the
Reserve Bank allowing banks to revise the
periodicity of interest payments. At present, banks
are required to pay interest on savings and term
deposits at quarterly or longer intervals.
66. Reserve Bank has asked banks not to pay more
than Rs.50,000 in cash to customers holding at-par
cheques.
67. Supreme Court directed the Centre and the States
to set up a Civil Services Board (CSB) for the
management of transfers, postings, inquiries,
process of promotion, reward, punishment and
disciplinary matters.
68. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW) declared in a statement that
“the Syrian Arab Republic has completed the
functional destruction of critical equipment for all
of its declared chemical weapons.
69. Aam Aami Party plans to re-launch its fortnightly
76. Cabinet gave its approval for the follow-on public
eight-page mouthpiece “AAP Ki Kranti”.
offer of 17 per cent share of Power Grid
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 Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) to raise about
Rs.7,500 crore.
77. Kuwaiti Prime minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak 87.
Al-Hamad Al-Sabah visited india on 8th November.
78. The Election Commission has banned the
publication of exit polls in the five election-bound
States from November 11 till December 4. 88.
Channels have been banned from telecasting
interviews of voters after they cast their votes.
79. Nuclear power project will be establish in Kovvada
in Andhra Pradesh with a capacity of 10,000 MW.
80. The death toll from super typhoon Haiyan, which
has decimated entire towns in the Philippines
could soar well over 10,000 making it the country’s 89.
worst recorded natural disaster.
81. The International Court of Justice ruled that the 90.
area around a flashpoint ancient temple Preah
Vihear temple on the Thai border belongs to
Cambodia and that any Thai security forces should 91.
leave.
82. First ultra mega solar plant with a capacity of 4,000
MW would come up near Sambhar Lake in 92.
Rajasthan.
93.
83. In about 100 business days, U.S software giant
Microsoft will retire support services for its most
widely-used operating system Windows XP. April 8,
94.
2014, marks the end of 12 years of free-technical
support.
84. Japanese officials have admitted for the first time
that thousands of people evacuated from areas
near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
95.
may never be able to return home.
85. The One World Trade Center, currently being built
at the site of the twin towers destroyed in the 9/11
terror attacks, has been declared the tallest
building in the U.S. at a symbolic height of 1,776
96.
feet.
86. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram
Rajan said that the current account deficit (CAD)
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for this year would be about $56 billion, less than 3
per cent of gross domestic product.
World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have
assured financial assistance of $313 million to the
Odisha government for restoration and
rehabilitation activities in cyclone Phailin-hit areas.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate
the first all-women Bharatiya Mahila Bank in
Mumbai on November 19, the birth anniversary of
former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. With the
inauguration of the bank, seven branches would
become operational across the country, including
Kolkata, Chennai, Ahemdabad and Guwahati.
China relaxed its one child policy. Now couples can
have two children if one parent is an only child.
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter arrived in
Kathmandu to observe the crucial elections. Mr.
Carter will lead a team of 50 election observers.
EPFO will pay at least 8.5 per cent rate of return on
PF deposits for 2013-14 to its over 5 crore
subscribers as provided in the previous fiscal.
The Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Home
Minister Sushilkumar Shinde looking into issues
related to Andhra Pradesh bifurcation has
completed consultations with all stakeholders and
is expected to submit a report to the Union
Cabinet soon.
The Janata Dal-United and National Conference
have come out in favour of awarding the Bharat
Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.
The Bombay High Court directed the Central Board
of Film Certification (CBFC) to file an affidavit
clarifying if all the guidelines were followed while
issuing a certificate to film-maker Sanjay Leela
Bhansali’s film Ram Leela .
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory
Authority (PEMRA) has imposed Rs. 10 million in
fine on 10 entertainment channels for airing
excessive Indian content, more than 10 per cent of
the airtime.
A multi-party interim government headed by Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina was sworn in Bangladesh
for holding election.
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97. The Reserve Bank of India decided to provide
liquidity support to micro and small enterprises
(MSEs) to the tune of Rs.5,000 crore, through the
Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
98. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
clamped down on a fraudulent investment scheme
being run by MCX Biz Solutions.
99. Brazil is inviting Cabinet-level government officials,
top Internet industry executives and civil society
groups from all over the world for a global meet in
Sao Paulo on the governance of worldwide web on
April 23-24 next year.
100. Indian economy is expected to improve marginally
in the current financial year with its GDP at market
price projected to expand by 3.4 per cent from 3.3
per cent in the previous fiscal, think tank
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) said.
101. Eighty-one cases have been filed against yoga guru
Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust in Uttarakhand
for violations of land laws.
102. The Karnataka government has given a three-day
deadline to all banks to provide security at all
ATMs. This is following the attack on a woman in
an ATM kiosk in Bangalore city.
103. India and Vietnam reached an understanding on
enhancement of bilateral ties in the areas of
defence, energy and investments. India will
provide $100-million line of credit for defence
purchases.
104. Tata Power signed an agreement with the
Vietnamese government for setting up a 1,320
MW thermal plant in the Southeast Asian nation.
105. The Supreme Court restrained Subrata Roy, chief
of the Sahara group, and other directors from
leaving the country, and its companies from selling
of any movable or immovable property.
106. A media portal, Mediasarkar.com released tapes of
an alleged sting operation it carried out on AAP
candidates and senior leaders.
107. The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court
banned Bollywood film Goliyon ki Raasleela- Ram
Leela in Uttar Pradesh.
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108. Taking a serious view of the Uttar Pradesh
notification providing for a compensation of Rs. 5
lakh only to Muslims affected in the recent
Muzaffarnagar riots for relocation, the Supreme
Court directed the State government to recall the
October 26 order and issue a fresh one to include
all people hit by the violence.
109. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her
government was willing to offer infrastructure
such as office space for a token amount of Re.1 in
panchayat areas to any bank willing to open a
branch in rural areas without banks.
110. The Empowered Committee of State Finance
Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST) headed
by Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister A.R.
Rather, has unanimously rejected the Centre’s
proposal to enter GST in the Union List in the
Constitution.
111. Chinese State media reported that the military had
carried out the first test flight of a newly
developed stealth Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
112. A jury has added $290 million more to the
damages Samsung Electronics owes Apple for
copying vital iPhone and iPad features, bringing
the total amount the South Korean technology
titan is on the hook for to $930 million.
113. India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant,
being built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited and
formally launched in August this year, will be
commissioned by 2017
114. Indian director Shubhashish Bhutiani’s short film
“Kush” has been selected by the Academy in the
short-list of 10 live-action shorts that will advance
in the Oscar race.
115. The nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 (the U.S,
the U.K., France, Russia, China and Germany)
signed in Geneva.
116. The Supreme Court refused to direct the Election
Commission to hold fresh polls if the majority of
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 the electorate exercises ‘None of the Above
Option’ (NOTA) in the electronic voting machines
while casting their votes.
117. A long-awaited international conference to resolve
the Syrian crisis will be held in Geneva on January
22. The United Nations (U.N.) announced the date
of the conference a day after Iran and six global
powers successfully negotiated a landmark nuclear
deal in the Swiss city.
118. China said the Air Defence Identification Zone
(ADIZ) would include the airspace over the
disputed Senkaku or Diaoyu islands in the East
China Sea. Chinese authorities will require aircraft
to notify them of their flight plans, failing which
they could face interception from air defence
forces.
119. Pakistan inducted the first fleet of indigenously
developed Strategic Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs), named Burraq and Shahpar UAV Systems,
into the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force.
120. The Supreme Court issued notice to all States
seeking their response to a batch of petitions
seeking a declaration that the Aadhaar scheme is
unconstitutional.
121. Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam constituted a
10-member Gender Sensitisation and Internal
Complaints Committee (GSICC) in the Supreme
Court to receive and decide complaints against
sexual harassment. It will be headed by Justice Ms.
Ranjana Desai. A complaint has to be inquired into
and the report acted upon by the committee
within 45 days.
122. Narendra Modi is among the 42 global leaders
shortlisted by Time magazine for its Person of the
Year title, becoming the only Indian political leader
in the fray.
123. China announced plans to launch its third lunar
Chang’e-3 probe early next month. The Chang’e-3
probe will carry a moon rover – named Jade
Rabbit, or Yutu in Chinese – and conduct a soft-
landing on the lunar surface in the middle of
December.
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124. Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammed Nawaz Sharif
promoted and appointed Lt. Gen. Raheel Sharif as
army chief. He will replace General Parvez Kayani.
125. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked the
three-member ministerial committee looking into
the problems being faced by the sugar industry.
The panel of Ministers, headed by Union
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, has Union
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Civil
Aviation Minister Ajit Singh as members.
126. Upset that the UPA government has failed to pass
the Janlokpal Bill, anti-corruption crusader Anna
Hazare has said he will renew his agitation on the
first day of the winter session of Parliament.
127. The first book printed in The USA sold for $14
million at auction, becoming the world’s most
expensive printed book. The translation of Biblical
psalms “The Bay Psalm Book” was printed by
Puritan settlers in Cambridge, Massachusetts in
1640 and sold in just minutes.
128. Tata Sons has decided to withdraw its application
for a new bank licence. As on July 1, 2013, the RBI
had received 26 applications. On September 6,
2013, RBI communicated that Value Industries Ltd.
(Videocon) had withdrawn its application. In its
place, the application of K. C. Land & Finance Ltd.,
which was not included in the list of applicants
released orginally, was included.
129. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will launch its
platform for trading in currency derivatives,
making it the fourth bourse in the country to offer
such trades. Other stock exchanges present in the
currency futures segment are: National Stock
Exchange, MCX-SX and United Stock Exchange.
130. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
released the tariff structure and guidelines for
mobile banking services. The TRAI has prescribed a
ceiling tariff for an outgoing unstructured
supplementary service data (USSD)-based mobile
banking service at Rs.1.50 per USSD session.
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