Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

Urban Challenge Fund (UCF)

♦ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the launch of the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with a total Central Assistance (CA) of Rs. One lakh crore. ♦ CA will cover 25% of the project cost, subject to raising minimum 50% of the project cost from market. ♦ This will lead to a total investment of Rs. Four lakh crore in urban sector in next five years, marking a paradigm shift in India’s urban development approach from grant- based financing to market-linked, reform-driven and outcome-oriented infrastructure creation. ♦ The Urban Challenge Fund will leverage market finance, private participation and citizen- centric reforms for delivery of high-quality urban infrastructure. ♦ The Fund aims to build resilient, productive, inclusive and climate-responsive cities, positioning those as key driver of the country’s next phase of economic growth. ♦ The Fund will be operational from FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31, with an extendable implementation period up to FY 2033–34.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

3rd International AYUSH Conference

♦ The 3rd International AYUSH Conference and Exhibition 2026 opened at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 15 February 2026. ♦ The three-day event, which runs until February 17, seeks to highlight ancient medical traditions and their contemporary applications. ♦ The conference theme is “Evidence-Based AYUSH Interventions in Mind-Body Health”. ♦ Inaugurating the conference, Minister of State for AYUSH Prataprao Jadhav said, India’s traditional knowledge systems are now playing a key role in global health discussions. ♦ He said, AYUSH systems offer holistic and evidence-based solutions focused on harmony between body, mind and the environment.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

Country’s first Central Bank Digital Currency

♦ Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the country’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Public Distribution System at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on 15 February 2026. ♦ The system will provide beneficiaries with digital wallet tokens containing item name, quantity, and price details. ♦ With the launch, Gujarat has become the first state in the country to transfer PDS subsidies using the Reserve Bank of India-authorised Central Bank Digital Currency. ♦ Under this pilot project, over 26,000 families in Ahmedabad, Surat, Anand, and Valsad will receive digital tokens in their wallets to procure rations via QR codes or OTPs.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

యూజీసీ

వివిధ రంగాల పరిశ్రమల నిపుణులను ఉన్నత విద్యాసంస్థల్లో ప్రొఫెసర్లుగా నియమించుకోవడంలో తమిళనాడు ముందుందని విశ్వవిద్యాలయాల నిధుల సంఘం (యూజీసీ) వెల్లడించింది. పరిశ్రమలు, విద్యాసంస్థల మధ్య అంతరాన్ని తగ్గించేందుకు ఆయా రంగాల్లో నిపుణులైన వారిని విశ్వవిద్యాలయాల్లో ఫ్రొఫెసర్లుగా నియమించుకోవడానికి 2022లో యూజీసీ మార్గదర్శకాలు విడుదల చేసింది. ఈ క్రమంలో తమిళనాడులోని విశ్వవిద్యాలయాలు 395 మంది పరిశ్రమల నిపుణులను ప్రొఫెసర్లుగా నియమించుకుని మొదటి స్థానంలో నిలవగా.. ఆ తర్వాతి స్థానాల్లో వరుసగా మహారాష్ట్ర(193), గుజరాత్‌(179), కర్ణాటక (170)లు ఉన్నాయి.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

దేశంలో విద్యుదుత్పత్తి

దేశవ్యాప్తంగా 2025-26 ఆర్థిక సంవత్సరం తొలి పదినెలల్లో 50వేల మెగావాట్ల విద్యుదుత్పత్తి సామర్థ్యం అదనంగా అందుబాటులోకి వచ్చినట్లు కేంద్ర విద్యుత్తుశాఖ తెలిపింది. 2025 ఏప్రిల్‌ 1 నుంచి 2026 జనవరి 31 నాటికి దేశవ్యాప్తంగా అన్ని ఉత్పత్తిమార్గాల్లో కలిపి నికరంగా 52,537 మెగావాట్ల విద్యుత్తు సామర్థ్యం పెరిగినట్లు వెల్లడించింది. ఇందులో 39,657 మె.వా. పునరుత్పాదక ఇంధనం ఉన్నట్లు తెలిపింది. అందులోనూ 34,955 మె.వా. సౌర, 4,613 మె.వా. పవన విద్యుత్తు అందుబాటులోకి వచ్చినట్లు పేర్కొంది.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

Pramod Bhagat captured the men’s SL3 gold medal

India’s Pramod Bhagat captured the men’s SL3 gold medal with a commanding straight-game win over Muhammad Al Imran of Indonesia at the BWF Para World Championships on 14 February 2026. He outclassed his opponent 21-12, 21-18 in the final to claim his fourth consecutive singles gold at the world championships and his sixth overall world title in the category. Bhagat, who developed polio when he was five, had secured world championship singles gold medals in 2009, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2024. Following recent win, he surpassed China’s legendary Lin Dan, who won five men’s singles world titles in able-bodied badminton, making Bhagat the most decorated singles champion across world championship history in the sport.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

PM RAHAT

The government on 14 February 2026, gave its go ahead to PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment) Scheme aimed at ensuring immediate medical assistance to road accident victims to prevent fatalities. A decision to this effect was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a life-saving intervention, financial certainty for hospitals, and a structured emergency response system for road accident victims, the ministry of road transport and highways said in a statement. ♦ Under the scheme, every eligible road accident victim on any category of road will be entitled to cashless treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh per victim, for a period of seven days from the date of accident.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

ఏపీ వెల్త్‌ఫండ్‌

దీర్ఘకాలిక ఆర్థిక లక్ష్యాలను దృష్టిలో ఉంచుకుని రూ.100 కోట్లతో ఏపీ వెల్త్‌ఫండ్‌ను ప్రభుత్వం ఏర్పాటు చేసింది. నార్వే, అబుధాబి సావరిన్‌ నిధుల మాదిరి విధానాన్ని అనుసరించాలని నిర్ణయించింది. ఈ తరహా విధానాన్ని దేశంలో ప్రవేశపెట్టిన మొదటి రాష్ట్రంగా ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌ నిలిచింది. రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వం ఏర్పాటు చేసే నిధితో పాటు.. ప్రైవేటు సంస్థల నుంచి నిధులు సమకూర్చుకోవాలని ప్రభుత్వం భావిసోతంది. ఫండ్‌పై వచ్చే లాభాలను పెట్టుబడి నిష్పత్తి ఆధారంగా చెల్లించాలని ప్రాథమికంగా నిర్ణయించారు.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

Narendra Modi inaugurated a series of major infrastructure projects in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a series of major infrastructure projects in Assam on 14 February 2026, including the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu over the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati and the North-East’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on a national highway in Dibrugarh district. ♦ The projects are part of a broader development push in the region, with the Prime Minister set to inaugurate and flag off initiatives worth over Rs.5,450 crore aimed at boosting connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education and urban mobility. ♦ The Prime Minister inspected and inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a 2.86-km-long, six-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge built at a cost of approximately Rs.3,030 crore. The bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India. With its opening, travel time between the two sides of the city is expected to reduce to just seven minutes.

Feb 16, 2026 Current Affairs

Andhra Pradesh State Budget for the 2026–27

Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav presented the State Budget for the 2026–27 financial year in the Assembly on 14 February 2026). The Budget specified a total outlay of Rs.3,32,205 crore. Of this, revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs.2,56,142 crore, while capital expenditure stands at Rs.53,915 crore. The revenue deficit is estimated at Rs.22,002 crore and the fiscal deficit at Rs.75,868 crore. Major initiatives and allocations in Budget.. Allocations for farmers: Allocations for farmers' schemes, irrigation projects The allocations in the Andhra Pradesh Budget of FY 2026-27 for farmers’ schemes and irrigation projects are; Major Irrigation Projects (Other than Polavaram) - Rs.9,906 crore Polavaram irrigation project - Rs.6,105 crore Annadata Sukhibhava- Rs.6,600 crore Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana - Rs.1,927 crore Price Stabilization Fund - Rs.500 crore Mastyakara Sevalo - Rs.260 crore Crop Insurance - Rs.250 crore PM Krishi Sinchayi Yojana - Rs.190 crore Allocations for education, children: The allocations in the Andhra Pradesh Budget for education, children and women-related initiatives for FY 2026-27 include: Thalliki Vandanam scheme - Rs.9,668 crore Woman and Child Welfare - Rs.Rs.4,581 crore Scholarships - Rs.3,836 crore Samagra Shiksha - Rs.2,946 crore Higher Education - Rs.2,566 crore Dokka Seethamma (Midday Meals) - Rs.2,161 crore Mana Badi Mana Bhavisyathu (Capital Works) - Rs.1,500 crore Skill Development - Rs.1,232 crore PM Schools for Rising India - Rs.707 crore Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra (scheme to minimise dropouts) - Rs.654 crore Youth Advancement and Sports - Rs.438 crore. Welfare and Social Security:. NTR Bharosa has been allocated Rs.27,719 crore. Thalliki Vandanam has received Rs.9,668 crore. Deepam 2.0 has been allotted Rs.2,601 crore. Financial assistance to various communities stands at Rs.2,320 crore. Sthree Shakti has been given Rs.1,420 crore. Subsidy and free power for weaker sections has been allocated Rs.600 crore. Welfare for auto drivers stands at Rs.450 crore. Highlights: VB G-RAM G scheme for rural employment has been allocated Rs.8.3 crore under the Andhra Budget. The Jal Jeevan Mission for water security received Rs.4,000 crore, and the Swachh Bharath Mission Rs.1,037 crore. Dr. Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao Vaidya Seva Trust, an initiative for affordable healthcare, has been allocated Rs.4,000 crore. The Pradhan Mantri Aayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure has been allocated Rs.838 crore. A flexible bool of Rs.2,144 crore has been allocated for reproductive and child care. Housing initiatives (Urban & Rural) have been allocated Rs.5,451 crore. The National Livelihood Mission received a total amount of Rs.955 crore. It allocated Rs 19,306 crore for the Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department. The Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department, held by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, received nearly Rs 23,000 crore. Allocations to major departments include Rs 18,224 crore for Water Resources, followed by Municipal Administration and Urban Development (Rs 14,539 crore), Agriculture (Rs 11,745 crore), Social Welfare (Rs 11,119 crore) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) Welfare (Rs 10,700 crore).

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