Current Affairs Quiz - February 2026

Notes:
Multiple major disasters in 2025 highlighted serious gaps in India’s disaster victim identification and management systems. In response, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) released India’s first comprehensive SOP for Mass Fatality Incidents (MFIs). The guidelines are titled “National Disaster Management Guidelines on Comprehensive Disaster Victim Identification and Management.” They aim to standardise procedures for identification, documentation, and dignified handling of victims during large-scale disasters.

Notes:
Scientists warned that the Thwaites Glacier is melting rapidly due to human-induced climate change. It is a massive glacier in West Antarctica, often called the Doomsday Glacier. The glacier is very wide and fast-flowing, roughly the size of Florida or Great Britain. It is extremely important because it already contributes about 4% to global annual sea-level rise. Studies show it is thinning, retreating, and adding more meltwater to the oceans. If it collapses, it could destabilise the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, causing severe sea-level rise.

Notes:
India began work on the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a 1,856 megawatt run-of-the-river hydropower project located in Ramban district. It will be the largest hydroelectric project in the Union Territory and among the biggest in North India. Planned since the 1980s, it was revised multiple times to address environmental and technical issues. The project will be built by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) with nine turbines and an underground power station.

Notes:
National Deworming Day (NDD) 2026 is observed on 10 February across India. It targets intestinal worm infections in children and adolescents aged 1–19 years. Coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it provides free albendazole tablets in government schools, private schools, and Anganwadi centres. National Deworming Day (NDD) ensures coverage in remote villages, urban slums, and suburban areas simultaneously. The day was launched in 2015 under the National Health Mission, initially in 11 states/UTs, targeting 140 million children. By 2018, it expanded nationwide, making it the world’s largest single-day school-based deworming program.

Notes:
India has taken over as Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for the year 2026. The Kimberley Process is a global partnership of governments, civil society, and the diamond industry to stop the trade in conflict diamonds. The Kimberley Process has 60 participants representing 86 countries and covers over 99% of global rough diamond trade. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) ensures each rough diamond shipment carries a conflict-free certificate in tamper-proof containers.

Notes:
Global research and development (R&D) spending reached about 2.87 trillion US dollars in 2024, nearly 3 percent higher than the previous year. Since 2000, global R&D spending has almost tripled, as per World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) data. Asia accounted for around 45 percent of total global R&D expenditure in 2024. China became the world’s largest R&D spender with about 785.9 billion US dollars, closely followed by the United States. The United States spent about 781.8 billion US dollars but saw a decline in its global share. India ranked seventh globally with R&D spending of 75.73 billion US dollars, more than three times its level in 2000.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister objected to Karnataka’s proposal to raise the height of Almatti Dam on Upper Krishna River. Almatti Dam is built on Krishna River in Karnataka for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood control. It is 52.5 meters high and about 3.5 kilometers long. It has annual power generation capacity of about 713 million kilowatts. It is main reservoir of Upper Krishna Irrigation Project.

Notes:
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), a statutory body under Ministry of Cooperation, implements Ayushman Sahakar Scheme to promote cooperative healthcare. The scheme aligns with National Health Policy 2017 to provide affordable and holistic healthcare through cooperatives. Financial assistance is given as term loan or investment loan after technical and financial appraisal. The scheme supports hospitals, AYUSH, medical colleges, telemedicine, digital health and insurance services. Loan period is up to 8 years with moratorium, and women-majority cooperatives get 1% interest rebate. The initiative promotes community participation and sustainable cooperative healthcare delivery.

Notes:
World Radio Day is observed every year on 13 February to mark the establishment of United Nations Radio in 1946. The theme for 2026 is “Radio and Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a tool, not a voice.” India’s first Community Radio Station was inaugurated on 1 February 2004 by Bharat Ratna Shri Lal Krishna Advani. Ram Singh Bouddh from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, known as the “Radio Man of India,” was recognised by Guinness World Records in 2025 for owning 1,257 radios, the world’s largest collection.

Notes:
The Kerala government has launched the Sthree Suraksha Scheme to provide a monthly pension of ₹1,000 to unemployed women and transwomen. The first installment was transferred to 10,18,042 beneficiaries whose applications have been approved so far. Women aged between 35 and 60 years who are economically backward and not receiving any other social welfare pension are eligible for this scheme. Transwomen are also included as beneficiaries under this pension scheme.