Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of Nov 15th to 21st Nov 2024. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2024 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs Nov 15th to 21st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• Jharkhand celebrates its Foundation Day annually on November 15.
• World Quality Week 2024: Observed from November 11 to November 15.
• International Day for Tolerance 2024 is observed on the 16th of November 2024.
• International Students Day 2024 is observed on the 17th of November 2024.
• National Epilepsy Day 2024 is observed on the 17th of November 2024.
• International Men’s Day 2024 is observed on the 19th of November 2024
• World Toilet Day 2024 is observed on the 19th of November 2024 & this year's theme is ‘Toilets - A Place for Peace’ which emphasizes that billions of people face heightened threats to sanitation due to conflict, climate change, natural disasters, and systemic neglect.
• Women's Entrepreneurship Day (WED), celebrated annually on November 19, honours women entrepreneurs and their contributions to innovation, economic growth, and community development.
• National Integration Day is observed every year on November 19, marking the birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi, India’s first woman Prime Minister.
• National New Born Care Week is a national health care event, observed in India between the 15th to 21th of November annually, intended to raise awareness about the importance of newborn care for child survival and development & the theme for 2024:"Safety, Quality, and Nurturing Care – Birth Right of Every Newborn.
• World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is an annual global campaign observed from 18-24 November & the theme for 2024: "Educate. Advocate. Act Now."
• World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence Observed on November 18, this day emphasizes raising awareness about the widespread and devastating issue of child sexual abuse and violence.
• Every year World COPD Day is observed on the Third Wednesday of November & this year World COPD Day 2024 falls on the 20th of November 2024 & the year 2024, theme is “Know Your Lung Function”.
• Universal Children’s Day 2024 is observed on the 20th of November 2024.
• World Television Day 2024 is observed on the 21st of November

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank will continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs).
• Markets Regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI ) has exempted infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs) and real estate investment trusts (REITs) from specific lock-in and allotment restrictions when issuing units to an employee benefit trust under unit-based employee benefit (UBEB) schemes.
• Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) may soon allow angel funds to expand the scope of investors by including Hindu undivided families (HUFs), family trusts, and sole proprietorships, among others.
• The capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has proposed measures to ease operations and compliance for custodians,entities that manage foreign portfolio investors (FPIs).
• Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to add between $359 billion and $438 billion to India's GDP by FY30 (2029-30).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a new directive mandating banks to deploy Note Sorting Machines (NSMs) that comply with updated standards.
• According to a report released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Municipal corporations (MCs) in the country need comprehensive reforms to boost their own sources of revenue through tax reforms, rationalisation of user charges, and strengthening of collection mechanisms to plug leakages.
• State Bank of India (SBI) is reportedly planning to borrow $1.25 billion, which would be the largest dollar-denominated loan by India’s financial sector in 2024.
• State Bank of India (SBI) has increased the Marginal Cost of Fund-Based Lending Rate (MCLR) by 0.05% for certain tenors.
• Karnataka Bank Limited. has launched two financial products – ‘KBL Peak’, an education loan with financing of up to ₹2 crore and comprehensive coverage, and ‘KBL Genius’, a student savings account featuring free cyber insurance.
• IDFC First Bank has become the first Indian bank to offer real-time tracking for international money transfers via SWIFT, enhancing cross-border payment transparency.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will expand its climate-related lending by up to $7.2 billion following sovereign guarantees from the United States and Japan.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given banks and ATM operators some wiggle room for implementing the cassette swap mechanism for cash replenishment in ATMs.
• Galaxy Health Insurance Company Limited has launched its first health insurance product, 'Galaxy Promise'.
• JPMorgan Chase & Co. has set up a unit in India's Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), becoming the first global bank to establish such a unit aimed at developing derivative products.
• The World Bank has increased its lending capacity by 50%, enabling it to offer a record $150 billion over the next decade.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has issued its first biodiversity and nature theme bond to finance a pool of eligible projects across Asia and the Pacific.
• IDFC FIRST Bank has launched a new Startup Lounge to support early-stage startups and entrepreneurs in India.
• HDFC Bank and Times of India (TOI) organized the Cyber Security Summit in New Delhi to mark the fifth year of HDFC Bank's participation in International Fraud Awareness Week.
• Most Public Sector Banks (PSBs) are set to launch a credit risk assessment model for MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) to assess loans ranging from ₹25 lakh to ₹5 crore.
• The government will nudge banks to begin a new campaign to trace unclaimed account holders or their legal heirs to return their deposits.
• Canara Bank has classified Reliance Communications (RCom) and its subsidiary, Reliance Telecom, as "fraud" accounts due to non-utilization of funds as per the sanctioned terms.
• Unifi Asset Management Private Limited, a subsidiary of Unifi Capital, has received final approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch its mutual fund operations.
• Large Public Sector Banks (PSBs) like State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Canara Bank, and Bank of India are expanding their corporate loan books, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, and renewable energy.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the licence of Vijayawada-based The Durga Co-operative Urban Bank as the lender does not have adequate capital and earning prospects.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to launch a pilot programme for cloud services in 2025 to offer local cloud data storage for financial firms at affordable rates.
• State Bank of India (SBI) has raised ₹10,000 crore at a coupon rate of 7.23 per cent through its seventh infrastructure bond issuance, payable annually for a tenor of 15 years.
• The State Bank of India (SBI) plans to open 300-400 branches annually in the medium term.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed stricter listing regulations for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) due to concerns over misuse of funds and inflated prices in initial public offerings (IPOs).
• One97 Communications Limited (OCL), which owns the brand Paytm, has enabled Paytm users to make UPI payments at select international locations.
• Navi, a fintech app owned by Sachin Bansal, grew 31% in October 2024 compared to September, overtaking Cred to become the fourth-largest UPI app in India.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a specially minted ₹100 commemorative coin to mark the centenary of SBI's Horniman Circle Branch.
• Matchmaking service provider com has launched a new financial technology platform, Weddingloans.com, designed to provide financial assistance for marriages.
• IndusInd Bank Limited (IBL) and Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited (BFIL) have partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to launch the Bharat Sanjeevani Krishi Utthan initiative.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has exercised its powers under Section 36AAA and Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (as applicable to Co-operative Societies) to take action against the governance issues at Abhyudaya Cooperative Bank Limited.
• The Finance Ministry has come out with revised guidelines regarding capital restructuring of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
• To create financial literacy awareness among the tribal population, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Odisha office has prepared five specific booklets in Santali (Ol Chik) language.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• The Union Home Ministry, under the leadership of the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, has approved three major fire service modernization projects totaling 725.62 crore for the states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
• Prasar Bharti, the public broadcaster, will officially launch its OTT platform on November 20 during the inaugural ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in
• US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will be in New Delhi on November 13-14 to participate in the first India-US Indian Ocean Dialogue.
• The Ministry of Power is set to launch a 1,000-crore scheme next month aimed at encouraging micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt energy-efficient technologies.
• On November 14, 2024, the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF) revealed plans to launch The Nehru Archive, a comprehensive digital platform dedicated to preserving and sharing materials that chronicle the life and legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister.
• India's fossil-based CO2 emissions are projected to increase by 4.6% in 2024, contributing significantly to the global challenge of climate change.
• The Ministry of Mines has been lauded for its exceptional performance during the National Learning Week (NLW), a nationwide learning initiative hosted on the iGOT platform.
• The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has rolled out Phase II of the 2024 Sasta Ghar Housing Scheme, offering over 2,600 affordable flats across several locations in Delhi.
• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Virendra Kumar, inaugurated 'Tulip', a new digital platform designed to improve market access for artisans from marginalised communities.
• External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and UAE Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan inaugurated the first international campus of Symbiosis International University (SIU) at Dubai Knowledge Park, marking a new chapter in Indo-UAE educational and bilateral relations.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first-ever Bodoland Mohotsav in New Delhi, a two-day festival spotlighting the rich language, literature, and culture of the Bodo community.
• Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, has unveiled the ‘Know Your Medicine (KYM)’ app, a key step in India’s commitment to combating doping in sports.
• A new report by the Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance highlights the urgent need for $2.4 trillion annually by 2030 to support climate action in Emerging Market and Developing Countries (EMDCs), excluding China.
• The Government of India has launched the PAIR initiative under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to foster research excellence and innovation in central and state public universities, especially those with limited research infrastructure.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced a comprehensive plan to train approximately 2.5 million food handlers across the country by March 2026.
• The NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation) and DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) have introduced a unified QR-ticketing system, enabling seamless travel across Namo Bharat and Delhi Metro services via their respective mobile apps.
• NTPC, India’s largest energy conglomerate, is making significant strides in the green energy sector with a target of investing Rs 5 trillion by 2030.
• The Global Freight Summit 2024 commenced on November 18 in Dubai, hosted by DP World. Marking its third edition since 2022, the summit brings together over 5,000 industry leaders from 155 countries.
• The Indian government has initiated a nationwide survey using face-recognition tools to identify at least 8 million beneficiaries for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
• At the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India and Giorgia Meloni of Italy have decided to further strengthen their strategic partnership.
• The government has extended demand incentives for electric cargo three-wheelers under the PM E-Drive scheme at a reduced rate for the current financial year.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The first United States (US)-India Indian Ocean Dialogue will be held on November 14, 2024, aimed at deepening cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) began on November 11 in Baku, Azerbaijan, and will run until November 22, 2024.
• From December 2024, Australia will open a new scheme named Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) which allows talented young people from India to work in the country.
• The G20 Summit marks the conclusion of the year-long work of the country holding the rotating presidency.
• The UAE has unveiled an ambitious initiative to establish the “Global Energy Efficiency Alliance” during COP29, hosted in Azerbaijan.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the state's first double-decker electric bus service in Lucknow as part of efforts to improve public transportation and eco-friendly conveyance.
• Meluri has been officially declared the 17th district of Nagaland, following its elevation from a sub-division of Phek District.
• The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from January 8 to January 10, 2025.
• Meghalaya is celebrating the "Year of Legends" with the return of the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2024.
• Asia’s largest open-air trade fair, Bali Jatra, started to celebrate Odisha’s ancient sea-trading history.
• The Tamil Nadu government has asked the 16th Finance Commission to adopt a different method of measuring per capita income, from nominal to purchase power parity, while calculating the biggest criterion for devolution of funds between the Centre and the State, namely, ‘income distance’.
• Dhudmaras, a village in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, was selected for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Best Tourism Village Upgrade programme, emphasizing sustainable tourism development.
• Around 46% of the councillors in India are women, and in 19 out of 21 capital cities that have active urban local bodies, including Patna, Shimla, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar, the figure goes well over 60%.
• Karnataka government has signed 5 memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with tech giants including Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Accenture, and the BFSI consortium to skill 1 lakh professionals in the state.
• Karnataka is the first state in India to unveil a dedicated GCC (Global Capability Centers) policy.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Sonu Sood, the renowned actor, philanthropist, and humanitarian, has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador and Honorary Tourism Advisor for Thailand.
• United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump appointed Elon Musk as co-leader of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on November 12, 2024.
• Arvindar Singh Sahney, currently Executive Director at Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), has been appointed as the new Chairman of IOC.
• Moldova’s Pro-Western President, Maia Sandu, has been re-elected for a second term.
• Praveena Rai has taken office as the CEO and Managing Director of the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) for a five-year term.
• Navin Ramgoolam has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Mauritius by President Prithvirajsing Roopun.
• Tayyab Ikram was re-elected for a second consecutive term as President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at the 49th FIH Statutory Congress held in Muscat, Oman.
• Mallika Srinivasan's tenure as Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has been extended by one year beyond the age limit of 65 years.
• The Indian government is expected to extend RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das's term for the second time, which could make him the longest-serving Governor since the 1960s.
• President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Sanjay Murthy as the next Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) under Article 148 of the Constitution.
• President Anura Kumara Dissanayake installed Sri Lanka’s new 21-member Cabinet after his National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won a massive mandate in the parliamentary elections.
• Burra Vamsi Rama Mohan, an engineering graduate with a post-graduate diploma in management, assumed the charge as project director of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) on 13 November, 2024.
• Brazil’s Federal Police Commissioner Valdecy Urquiza has been elected as new secretary general of Interpol at the global police organisation’s 92nd General Assembly, currently ongoing in Glasgow.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS & HONOURS

• Orbital by Samantha Harvey is the winner of the 2024 Booker Prize, praised for its "beauty and ambition" by the judging panel.
• The Commonwealth of Dominica is set to honor Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its highest national accolade, the Dominica Award of Honour, for his significant contributions to the Caribbean nation during the Covid-19 pandemic and his efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
• GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) has achieved global recognition at the 2024 Airport Excellence Awards at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC).
• Manoj Bajpayee's critically acclaimed film, The Fable, has earned the prestigious Best Film award at the 38th Leeds International Film Festival.
• The 46th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards 2024 were conferred in Mumbai. Four distinguished individuals were recognized for their exceptional contributions to education, health, employment, and promoting Gandhian values.
• Victoria Kjær Theilvig from Denmark has been crowned Miss Universe 2024, marking the first time a Danish contestant has won the prestigious title.
• India has emerged as the global leader in the number of artificial intelligence (AI) app downloads in 2024, comprising 21% of global downloads.
• Sipan Kumar Garg, Director (Finance) of THDC India Limited, was awarded the ‘Visionary CFO of India’ title at the National Economic Growth Summit 2024, recognizing his significant contributions to the finance sector and his leadership in driving innovation and growth.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) sold a 2.02% stake in Tata Power for ₹2,888 crore, reducing its holding in the company from 5.906% to 3.881%.
• The Air India Group completed the operational and legal merger between Air India and Vistara, enabling Singapore Airlines (SIA) to hold a 25.1 per cent stake in the merged entity.
• Reliance Industries has completed the merger of its media assets with the India business of global media house Walt Disney, forming a joint venture (JV) worth ₹70,352 crore.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

• According to the S&P Global Mobility Report, 39 Indian cities have made it to the top 100 most polluted cities worldwide, surpassing China’s 30 cities.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• Municipal corporations’ borrowings from financial institutions rose from ₹2,886 crore in 2019-20 to ₹13,364 crore in 2023-24.
• SoftBank Corp. partners with NVIDIA to enhance AI capabilities within Japan’s industrial and telecommunications sectors.
• Aditya Gupta, Executive Director (Corporate Communications) of LIC of India, inaugurated the corporation's stall at the 43rd India International Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi.
• Amazon, the global e-commerce leader, has announced a significant expansion of its Global Selling Seller Exports and Delivery (SEND)

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Navy is set to conduct the 4th edition of the ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-24’ on 20 & 21 Nov 2024.
• The Defence Space Agency (DSA), under the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), conducted the Space Table Top Exercise titled Antariksha Abhyas-2024 from November 11-13, 2024.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight trial of India's first long-range hypersonic missile on November 16, 2024, from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
• A Memorandum of Implementation was signed at the Embassy of India, Tokyo between Government of India and Government of Japan, for co-development of Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) mast for fitment onboard Ships of Indian Navy.
• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) (Odisha), under the aegis of Coast Guard Region (North East), conducted a Regional Level Pollution Response Exercise (Re-PREX-24) at Paradip from November 12 to 14, 2024.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the Flight Tests of Guided Pinaka Weapon System as part of Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) Validation Trials.
• The contract for constructing and delivering six 25T BP Tugs was signed with M/s Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL).
• The 7th Annual High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) was conducted at Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will pay an official visit to Vientiane, Lao PDR from November 20-22, 2024 to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).
• Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 136th Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) meeting at Hyderabad, Telangana on November 19, 2024, to review the preparedness and effectiveness of the security of India's offshore installations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The world's first wooden satellite, LignoSat, has been launched, aiming to revolutionize sustainable space exploration by tackling space debris and minimizing environmental impact. Here are the key details:
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Earth Observation Satellite in early 2025.
• The GSAT-N2 (GSAT-20) communication satellite was launched by SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket on November 19, 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States (US).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUs & AGREEMENTS

• The Keris Woomera 2024 exercise underscores Indonesia and Australia’s commitment to reinforcing regional stability and security amid shifting dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Nazara Technologies collaborates with ONDC Network to introduce gCommerce, an in-game eCommerce platform designed to blend shopping and gaming.
• GAIL (India) Limited has entered into a 10-year sales and purchase agreement (SPA) with ADNOC Gas, marking a significant step in India’s efforts to secure energy resources and expand its natural gas portfolio.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Indian tennis star Prajnesh Gunneswaran, best known for his bronze medal victory at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, has announced his retirement from professional tennis.
• Tim Southee, New Zealand’s legendary fast bowler and all-time leading wicket-taker, has announced his decision to retire from Test cricket following the conclusion of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) campaign.
• The Chennai Grand Masters 2024 concluded on a high note, with GM Aravindh Chithambaram clinching the Masters title after a dramatic late surge, and GM V Pranav taking the Challengers title with an unbeaten streak.
• Magnus Carlsen triumphed in the sixth edition of Tata Steel Chess India Blitz after a dramatic turn of events.
• Jyothi Surekha, the 28-year-old ace archer from Vijayawada, clinched the gold in the compound category of the World Indoor Archery Series in Luxembourg.
• Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Ducati has won his first MotoGP World Championship in the 2024 season.
• Mithali Raj, the former Indian women’s cricket captain and a trailblazer in the sport, has been named Mentor of Women’s Cricket Operations by the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

• Bela Karolyi, the charismatic, polarising gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power, has passed away at the age of 82.
• Uma Dasgupta, who immortalised the role of 'Durga' in Satyajit Ray's iconic film Pather Panchali passed away in Kolkata at the age of 84.