Notes:
The India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has projected the India’s economic growth to improve to 7.1% for FY19 (2018-19) from 6.5% this year, buoyed by robust consumption demand and low commodity prices. In its outlook for 2018-19, the India Ratings, a subsidiary of Fitch Ratings, stated that there will be a gradual pick up in growth momentum owing to structural reforms like GST and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in place. The projection is a tad lower than 7.4% growth estimated by Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) for FY19. The agency has also said that it expects fiscal deficit in 2017–18 to come in at 3.5%, overshooting the budgeted estimate of 3.2%. The agency expects fiscal deficit in 2018–19 to be at 3.2%, higher than 3% stated in the medium-term fiscal policy statement.

Notes:
The Maharashtra Government has approved a Rs 4,000-crore Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivani Yojna project to promote climate-resilient agriculture. It will be implemented in 5,142 villages across 15 districts. The purpose of the project is to improve soil quality, develop foodgrain varieties which can sustain climate variations and effect necessary changes in the crop pattern as per the availability of water in a particular region. The scheme would cover small- and medium- scale farmers, who are more vulnerable to the impact of climate change. About 70% of the project’s cost will be borne by the World Bank while the state will contribute 30% over six years. The project will roll out in the upcoming financial year.

Notes:
India has become the 43rd member of the Australia Group export control regime on January 19, 2018. The inclusion is expected to raise India’s stature in the field of non-proliferation and help in acquiring critical technologies. With this, India has managed entry into Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group despite not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).The Australia Group is an informal forum which seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has celebrated its 13th Raising Day on January 19, 2018 in New Delhi. The NDRF raised on January 19, 2006, is a specialised force capable of responding to any type of disaster in the country and abroad. It is strategically deployed across the nation as per the vulnerability profile of the country.

Notes:
Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, has launched 100 accessible websites for Divyangs on January 19, 2018. These 100 government websites are now divyang friendly. The Accessible Websites are those websites into which Persons with Disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. The divyang-friendly websites, especially for visually impaired, use features such as screen readers and screen magnifiers, which can relay website content to the user in audio format. Approx, 900 such websites will be launched in a phased manner.

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The Government of India (GoI) will set up a $350 million Solar Development Fund (SDF) for financing solar projects to achieve its ambitious target of adding 175 Giga Watts (GW) in renewable energy by 2022. This announcement was made by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh during the Future World Energy Summit (WFES) 2018. The WFES was organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Abu Dhabi (UAE). The ISA is an alliance of sunshine-rich countries set up jointly by India and France on the sidelines of the historic Paris meeting on climate change in November 2015. So far, 19 countries have ratified and 48 signed the ISA Framework Agreement.

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S Selvakumar, the senior IAS officer, has been appointed as new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL) with effect from January 16, 2018. Selvakumar succeeded Anurag Agarwal. The state-owned SPMCIL produces bank notes, coins, postage stamps, non-judicial stamps and other official documents.

Notes:
Pt Buddhadev Dasgupta (84), the renowned Sarod maestro, has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on January 15, 2018. He will be remembered for his scholarly approach to music without getting dourly regimented. The doyen of the Senia Shahjahanpur gharana was born in Bhagalpur in Bihar on 1st February 1933. Dasgupta was one of the artists featured in Nimbus Records’ The Raga Guide.

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The 2018 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) military cooperation meeting was held in Beijing, China on January 15. An Indian delegation led by Major General Ajay Seth participated in the meeting, which discussed issues of practical cooperation among SCO nations. This is the first meeting attended by India in the field of defense cooperation under the SCO framework. India and Pakistan were admitted in 2017 into the grouping in which China plays an influential role. The SCO is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

Notes:
The Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) is located in Pune, Maharashtra. It was established in 1967 on the joint initiative of the Ministry of Shipping & Transport & the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASTRU). It is a nodal agency, known to be only one of its kind, providing a platform for higher research and training on road transportation and assists in testing, guidance and consultancy in the field.