• In Haryana, International Gita Mahotsav will be organized from November 19 to December 6 at Kurukshetra this year. President Draupadi Murmu will attend this grand festival of Holy Gita.
• Renowned International and National scholars of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and researchers from across the country and abroad will present their research papers on ‘world peace and harmony with the inspiration of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’.

• The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration has introduced an integrated sheep development scheme (ISDS) for promoting the sheep farming sector.
• Various reforms & initiatives like ISDS were introduced for modernisation and promotion of the sheep farming sector and strengthening of commercial activities and output of the sector which provides the means of livelihood to about 12 lakh families in the UT.

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), Ministry of Education (MoE), and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) organised the inaugural Virtual Global Skill Summit to promote the movement of skilled workers abroad.
• The conference was co-chaired by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education, and Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry.

• The RBI has roped in at least five banks to work with it on a pilot project for its digital currency -- the Digital Rupee -- for the retail market. According to a report in The Economic Times, these banks are State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank and HDFC Bank.
• The RBI is working on two fronts to test the central bank digital currency (CBDC): one for the wholesale market, for which a pilot project is already underway, and the other for retail.

• Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced a regulatory framework to facilitate providers of online bond platforms that are selling listed debt securities.
• The move will also enhance the confidence among investors, particularly non-institutional investors, as the platforms would be provided by SEBI-regulated intermediaries.

• The State Bank of India (SBI) has received an additional low-interest loan of €150 million (about ₹1,240 crore) from Germany’s Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) Development Bank to finance solar projects.
• The two banks signed the loan agreement under the Indo-German solar energy partnership.The loan primarily funds innovative technologies, such as automated dry cleaning of solar modules to reduce water consumption.

• In Mumbai, Sumeet Anand, the founder of IndSight Growth Partners and the president of the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry, received the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) from Mr. Emmanuel Lenain, the French Ambassador to India.
• The highest civilian award given by France is in honour of Mr. Sumeet Anand’s excellent achievements in business and industry as well as in fostering links between France and India in the domains of education and business.

• Google announces Shlok Mukherjee as the winner of the 2022 Doodle for Google competition. Sholk Mukherjee is from Kolkata and he was declared the winner for India for his inspiring Doodle titled ‘India on the Centre State’. His doddle is also featured on Google.co.in on 14th November 2022. Shlok Mukherjee has showcased India’s scientific achievements and advancements through his doodle.

• Achanta Sharath Kamal, a prominent Indian paddler, is the first Indian to be chosen to the International Table Tennis Federation’s Athletes’ Commission (ITTF).Eight athletes, including four men and four women, were chosen for the Athletes’ Commission from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. They will serve for four years, from 2022 to 2026.
• Sharath Kamal got 187 votes, the second-highest number, behind Elizabeta Samara of Romania, who received 212 votes.

• The former India basketball captain and Arjuna awardee, Gulam Abbas Moontasir, passed away in Mumbai. He was born in Mumbai in 1942. He started playing in Nagpada by the American missionaries, later he started getting inclined towards basketball. From Nagpada Basketball Association to the International stage, he has always been an aggressive player with a unique physical style on the court.

Download Daily GK PDF of 18 November 2022