<h1>Government Lowers Small Savings Interest Rates by 0.1% for Q1 2017-18; Key Schemes for Seniors, Girls Unchanged.</h1> The Union Government has revised interest rates on Small Savings Schemes for the first quarter of 2017-18, reducing them by 0.1 percentage points to align more closely with market rates. The Post Office Savings Account remains unaffected. Despite this reduction, these schemes remain attractive due to higher interest rates compared to bank deposits and income tax benefits. Special schemes like the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme and Sukanya Samriddhi Account offer additional interest rate spreads. This change reflects the government's ongoing financial sector reforms aimed at improving interest rate transmission while prioritizing small savers, including senior citizens and savings for the girl child.