Current Affairs Quiz - February 2026

Notes:
Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme was launched in 2018 under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen). It focuses on solid waste management in villages by converting bio-waste like cattle dung, kitchen waste, crop residue, and market waste into biogas and bio-slurry. The scheme incentivizes Gram Panchayats to recover biodegradable waste and supports rural cleanliness. State/UT-wise details of functional Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and community/cluster biogas projects are available on the GOBARdhan portal as of 27 January 2026. Information provided by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Shri V. Somanna in Rajya Sabha.

Notes:
The Supreme Court directed the Centre to set up a tribunal for the long-pending Pennaiyar River water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Tamil Nadu filed the case in 2018 against Karnataka’s construction of check dams and diversion works. Tamil Nadu argued that water in an inter-state river is a national asset and cannot be claimed exclusively by any state. Pennaiyar River, also called South Pennar, Dakshina Pinakini, Thenpennai, or Ponnaiyar, flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Notes:
Union Budget 2026–27 launched a new Khelo India Mission to transform India’s sports sector over the next decade. The focus areas are talent development, sports infrastructure creation, and manufacturing-led employment generation. Mission builds on the earlier Khelo India programme with a mission-mode approach to nurture talent and strengthen the sports ecosystem. ₹500 crore allocated for promotion of sports goods manufacturing, research, and innovation to boost domestic capability and global competitiveness. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ budget increased by ₹1,133 crore, from ₹3,346 crore to ₹4,479.88 crore, supporting athlete development, coaching, sports science, and infrastructure.

Notes:
NeophyteID is an Artificial Intelligence powered mobile application launched by the Chief Minister of Kerala. It is designed to identify invasive plant species across Kerala and support biodiversity conservation. The app is developed by the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences (MBGIPS). The application is citizen friendly and helps communities, students, and ecologists monitor invasive plants. It uses image recognition and geospatial tracking through camera or gallery images.

Notes:
The 6th Badminton Asia Team Championships began on 3 February 2026 in Qingdao, China, with men’s and women’s national teams from Asia. India’s women are defending their title without two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who withdrew from the tournament. Women’s team is in Group Y with fourth seeds Thailand and Myanmar, featuring Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Malvika Bansod, and doubles pair Treesa Jolly–Gayatri Gopichand. Men’s team is in Group C with fourth seeds Japan and Singapore, comprising Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, and doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy–Chirag Shetty.

Notes:
A rare snow leopard sighting by Project Himank highlights successful wildlife conservation along with infrastructure growth in the High Himalayas. Project Himank is a Border Roads Organization (BRO) initiative started in 1985 in the Ladakh region of India. Its main objective is to develop and maintain road communication in Ladakh’s high-altitude and harsh terrain. It ensures strategic connectivity near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Minority Affairs informed the Rajya Sabha about the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme. PM VIKAS is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2025. It focuses on the socio-economic empowerment of six notified minority communities. The scheme aims to ensure inclusive growth for minority and artisan communities, especially youth and women. The Ministry of Minority Affairs is the nodal ministry for implementation. It promotes skill development through need-based training and employment support. The scheme preserves cultural heritage by promoting traditional arts, crafts, literature, and manuscripts.

Notes:
Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the National Conference of State Election Commissioners (SECs) on 24 February 2026. The conference will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi after a gap of more than 25 years. The last National SEC Conference was held in 1999. State Election Commissioners from all States and Union Territories will attend along with legal and technical experts. Chief Electoral Officers of all 36 States and Union Territories will also participate. The aim is to build coordination between Election Commission of India (ECI) and State Election Commissioners (SECs) in electoral processes and logistics.

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PLASTINDIA 2026 begins on 5 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi and will run till 10 February. It is supported by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The theme “Bharat Next” aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat vision. More than 2,000 global exhibitors will display innovations in plastics, machinery, raw materials, and circular economy solutions. PLASTINDIA 2026 is India’s first Zero Waste exhibition with full recycling of solid waste.

Notes:
Spain has announced a nationwide ban on social media access for children below 16 years of age. It became the first European country and the second globally after Australia to take this step. The ban is expected to come into force within a week. Social media companies must enforce strict age verification and compliance. Australia introduced a similar ban in December 2025, leading to removal of over 5.5 lakh underage accounts. The move may influence other European Union countries to adopt stricter digital child protection laws.