• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)  raised India's growth forecast for FY24 to 5.9% from 5.7% in November.
• "We are impressed by the reforms India has been taking over the years. Also, steps like trying to open up the economy. We want India to keep the reform state of mind," said Alvaro Santos Pereira, acting chief economist, OECD.

• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed Confederation of Indian Industry Partnership Summit 2023.The Confederation of Indian Industry Partnership Summit 2023 c oncluded on 15th March in New Delhi.
• The 28th edition of the CII Partnership Summit has been organized by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.‘One Health: Integrated, Collaborative and Multisectoral Approach to Optimal Health’ is the theme of the summit.

• The Union Home Ministry has announced a 10% reservation for former Agniveers in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The Agnipath scheme has been launched by the central government for recruitment in the Armed Forces.
• Its objective is to provide opportunities to a specific group and promote their participation in the Armed Forces.This reservation is similar to the reservation announced for former Agniveers in the Border Security Force (BSF).Former Agniveers will get relaxation in the upper age limit and will also be exempted from Physical Efficiency Test.

• India and five central Asian countries asserted that Afghanistan's soil must not be used for any terrorist activities and called for formation of a "truly inclusive" political structure in Kabul that respects rights of all Afghans including women and minorities.
• At the first meeting of the India-Central Asia joint working group on Afghanistan, New Delhi also announced a fresh tranche of assistance of 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan and the consignments will be sent through the Chabahar Port in Iran.

• Delhi has been ranked fourth on the list of the world’s 50 most polluted cities.Delhi is ranked 4th in terms of PM2.5 levels in 2022 according to IQAir’s World Air Quality Report.In 2022, the average PM2.5 level in Delhi was 92.6 μg/m3.
• Delhi stood fourth in 2021 as well.According to the report, Lahore was the world’s most polluted city.Lahore was followed by Hotan in China, and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.Bhiwadi had an average PM2.5 level of 92.7 μg/m3. The annual average PM2.5 level of New Delhi is 89.1 μg/m3.New Delhi is the second most polluted capital city of the wor ld on a list of 116 capital cities.

• The Jharkhand government on 17 March launched ‘Jharniyojan’ portal where all private establishments have to register themselves. Its objective is to fulfill the state government's promise of ensuring 75 percent employment to local candidates in the private sector of the state.
• The portal will act as a platform for employers to share information related to occupations and manpower and for candidates looking for jobs.Employers using the portal will have to comply with the 'Jharkhand State Employment of Local Candidates in Private Sector Act, 2021'.

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two consecutive successful flight tests of the Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile at the integrated test range (ITR) Chandipur off the coast of Odisha
• The flight tests were carried out from a ground-based man-portable launcher against high-speed unmanned aerial targets.VSHORADS is a man-portable air defence system (MANPAD) meant for neutralising low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges.

• Hyderabad-based Svaya Robotics has developed India’s first indigenous quadruped (four-legged) robot and exoskeleton for the defense sector as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• The indigenous robots and wearable exoskeletons were developed by Svaya Robotics in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Labs,  Research and Development Establishment (R&DE), Pune, and the Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru, as technology demonstrators with their design inputs.

• The Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry is organizing the Khelo India Dus Ka Dum tournament from the 10th to the 31st March.
• Around 15000 women athletes from 50 countries are participating in the tournament.This tournament will have 10 sports.The main objective of the tournament is to provide a platform to the women athletes who were unable to participate in national or state-level competitions.Additionally, it aims to ensure that competitive sports reach remote geographic regions of India.

• INS Dronacharya, the premier gunnery school of the Indian Navy, will receive the prestigious President’s Colour in recognition of its commendable services. President Droupadi Murmu will confer the award, according to the defence ministry.
• The award is considered the highest honour that the President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the three services, bestows on a unit for its exceptional service to the nation.Located in Kochi, INS Dronacharya is entrusted with the training of officers and sailors of the Navy, Coast Guard and friendly foreign maritime forces on all aspects of gunnery and missile warfare.

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