Current affairs 09 January 2025

Nitin Gadkari Launched Cashless Treatment Scheme for Accident Victims.

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the Cashless Treatment scheme to cover road accident treatment costs up to ₹1.5 lakh for 7 days if the police are informed within 24 hours.
• ₹2 lakh ex-gratia payment for families of victims in hit-and-run cases.
• Gadkari stressed road safety as a priority, highlighting alarming accident statistics & new measures for safer transport of school children.

1.80 Lakh Deaths in India in 2024 Occured Due to Road Accidents.

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari reports 1.80 lakh road accident deaths in 2024, with 30,000 fatalities from not wearing helmets.
• 66% of deaths occurred among individuals aged 18 to 34.
• Approximately 10,000 children died due to inadequate safety measures near school and college entry-exit points.

Gadkari Announced Pan-India Scheme for Driver Training Institutes.

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched a pan-India scheme to establish Driver Training Institutes, offering incentives for setting up DTIs and Automated Testing Stations.
• The initiative aims to address the shortage of skilled drivers & improve road safety across the country.
• Gadkari emphasized road safety as a top priority & discusses transport sector reforms with state transport ministers.

Microsoft’s $3 Billion AI Investment in India.

• Microsoft will invest $3 billion to expand AI and cloud infrastructure in India, aiming to accelerate innovation and support PM Modi's 2047 vision.
• Plans include skilling 10 million Indians in AI by 2030 and fostering 5,000 startups via the SaaS and AI ecosystem partnership.
• The investment enhances data center campuses, with a fourth region operational by 2026.

₹57,000 Crore Capacity to Boost Kandla Port Development.

• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced ₹57,000 crore investment in Kandla Port, including a ₹30,000 crore Mega Shipbuilding Facility to produce and repair ships, and a ₹27,000 crore new cargo terminal to enhance capacity by 135 MTPA.
• Additional projects include a mega cargo terminal, oil jetties, and a ship repair facility at Vadinar.
• Kandla port is located in Kutch district of Gujarat.