 State-run Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC) started its socio-economic Neem Project, inaugurated by Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi District of Uttar Pradesh. GNFC intends to collect 8,000 to 10,000 MT Neem seeds from the State. Since 2015, GNFC, through its Neem Project has collected over 45,000 tonnes of neem seeds by engaging 4.5 lakh rural women in over 60 districts of five states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan. |
| Source- The Hindu Business Line |
 Jim Bridenstine, a congressman from Oklahoma, US Navy veteran, and former pilot, was confirmed on a 50-49 vote and will become the 13th administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seven months after Trump named him to lead the agency. Bridenstine, 42, has expressed an interest in returning humans back to the moon, spoken of closer ties between NASA and the commercial space industry, and has voiced skepticism about human-caused climate change. |
| Source- DD News |
 As per the 2018 Commonwealth Innovation Index, India fetched 10th position in the index topped by the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada. The index was launched on the sidelines of the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) as part of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub. The Commonwealth Innovation Index has been created in partnership with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its annual Global Innovation Index (GII). It is aimed at providing a tool that allows member states, organisations and citizens to benchmark themselves against 53 countries of the Commonwealth. |
| Source- The Economic Times |
 Amid the ongoing difficulties of cash crunch being faced in various states of India, the country’s biggest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) has come up with an alternate and convenient method of cash withdrawal for its customers. The bank is now providing facilities of cash through ‘Cash@POS’ initiative. Under this, the debit card holders of SBI and all other banks can withdraw cash from PoS machines installed by SBI across various merchant locations. A customer can withdraw Rs 1000 in Tier I and Tier II cities whereas Rs 2000 can be withdrawn in Tier 3 to Tier 6 cities per day per card. |
| Source- The Financial Express |
 The Most Film Friendly State Award was announced by the Chairman of the Jury, Shri Ramesh Sippy. State of Madhya Pradesh was conferred the award for the Most Film Friendly State for its efforts towards easing filming in the State by creating a well-structured website and film-friendly infrastructure. Total 16 states have participated in this award. The State of Uttarakhand is given a Special Mention Certificate to recognize the efforts made by the State of Uttarakhand towards creating a film-friendly environment. The award will be conferred by the President of India in May 2018. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the worth of the economy, clocked in at $2.6 trillion for 2017,according to the database of the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook (WEO) for April 2018. India is now the world’s sixth largest economy, displacing France. |
The Top 5 economies of the world are:
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| Source- The Hindu |
.jpg) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has extended total credit support of Rs 14,690 crore to Rajasthan for 2017-18. Rajasthan has been one of the biggest beneficiaries under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of NABARD, under which NABARD disbursed concessional loan of Rs 1,851.29 crore to the state government during 2017-18. |
| Source- The Moneycontrol |
 The Indian Government has launched the ‘Study in India’ initiative to attract international students to study in India. The website of Study in India can be accessed at www.studyinindia.gov.in. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Human Resources Development Satya Pal Singh jointly launched the initiative in New Delhi. The portal will enable students from 30 countries across South Asia, Africa and West Asia to select and apply for different courses from 150 select Indian institutions which are high on NAAC and NIRF ranking. The Study in India is aimed at making India a preferred destination for the foreign students to pursue their education. |
| Source- AIR World Service |
 Former US first lady Barbara Bush passed away at the age of 92. Office of George H.W. Bush informed about her demise in a statement. As the first lady, from 1989 to 1993, she embraced the cause of universal literacy and founded a foundation for family literacy. She was the mother of another President, George W. Bush and one-time presidential aspirant and former Florida governor Jeb Bush. |
| Source- The Newyork Times |
 India and the UK have signed 10 agreements in several sectors including cyber-relationship, rejuvenation of Ganga and skill development. |
The Important agreements signed between the 2 countries are as follows:
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| Source- AIR World Service |
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