UPSC current affairs · Monday

Current Affairs, 16 February 2026

3 issues picked from 57 PIB releases · about 2 minutes each · written by UPSC Grade, each fact checked against its PIB release or by a second model

How to readRead “Why in news” and “What it is” for every issue. Open For Prelims or For Mains for the exam you’re preparing for, then Test yourself at the foot of each card. Half the news questions in Prelims are answered from background, not the news itself.

In 60 seconds

Incentive Scheme for RuPay Debit Card and low-value BHIM-UPI (P2M). DFS report finds incentive scheme boosted UPI use; RuPay debit card use still lags in rural areas.
Ol Chiki Script. Ol Chiki, the Santhali script, completes 100 years; centenary begins with coin and stamp.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). CAQM directs Punjab, Haryana and UP to eliminate wheat stubble burning in 2026.

Report or index

Incentive Scheme for RuPay Debit Card and low-value BHIM-UPI (P2M)

GS3 Economy - Digital payments and financial inclusionPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 16 February 2026, the Department of Financial Services released a report assessing the incentive scheme for RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI (P2M) payments. It was released at the Chintan Shivir held on 13–14 February 2026.
What it is: The Incentive Scheme for RuPay Debit Card and low-value BHIM-UPI (Person-to-Merchant) transactions gives budgetary support to acquiring banks and ecosystem players. It aims to keep digital payments affordable, reduce cash dependence and formalise routine economic activity. It ran from FY 2021–22 to FY 2024–25.

Who released and who did the study: The Department of Financial Services (Ministry of Finance) released the report. An independent third-party agency prepared it in consultation with NPCI.
Scheme period: The scheme was introduced in FY 2021–22 and continued through FY 2024–25.
Survey size: The primary survey covered 10,378 respondents in 15 States: users, merchants and service providers.
Budget support: Budgetary support for the scheme was ₹8,276 crore. Disbursement peaked at ₹3,631 crore in FY 2023–24.
Main recommendation: The report calls for targeted steps to strengthen RuPay debit card usage in rural and semi-urban areas, and for promoting UPI Lite.

Don’t confuse with P2M vs P2P: P2M is a person paying a merchant, which this scheme covers. P2P is a transfer between individuals.

Don’t confuse with RuPay vs UPI: RuPay is a card payment network. UPI is an instant real-time account-to-account payment system. NPCI runs both.

Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting scheme topic on digital payments. Report-based facts are mostly background; only 14 of 327 news-linked Prelims questions were on reports, so no question.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Finance, 16 Feb, 14:44 IST · Release 284363

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Art and culture

Ol Chiki Script

GS1 Art and Culture - Languages and scriptsPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 16 February 2026 the Ministry of Culture began the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu was Chief Guest, and a Rs 100 commemorative coin and a postage stamp were released.
What it is: Ol Chiki is the script made for the Santhali language, an Austroasiatic tribal language. Pandit Raghunath Murmu created it in 1925. Before it, Santhali was written in Roman, Bengali, Odia and Devanagari, which could not capture its sounds well.

Creator and year: Pandit Raghunath Murmu developed Ol Chiki in 1925, only for Santhali.
Number of letters: The script has 30 letters, each matching a specific sound, and it captures glottal stops.
Language family: Santhali belongs to the Austroasiatic family and is spoken in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Bihar.
Eighth Schedule: Santhali was added to the Eighth Schedule in 2003 through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act.
Commemorative coin: The Rs 100 coin shows the Lion Capital of Ashoka on the obverse and Murmu's portrait on Ol Chiki characters on the reverse.

Don’t confuse with Ol Chiki vs. Eighth Schedule inclusion: The script dates from 1925. Santhali's Eighth Schedule inclusion came in 2003, and the script itself is not listed in the Schedule.

Don’t confuse with Santhali vs. Santhal Pargana: Santhali is a language and Ol Chiki is its script. Santhal Pargana is a region in Jharkhand.

Art and culture in the news: Prelims tests UNESCO listings, GI tags and where a site is.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting culture topic with centenary. Culture had only 8 news-linked Prelims questions and almost never reaches Mains, so no question.

Source: PIB Headquarters, 16 Feb, 16:16 IST · Release 284373

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Environment

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

GS3 Environment / PollutionGS2 Statutory bodiesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 16 February 2026, CAQM issued Direction No. 96, a Statutory Direction requiring Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to implement action plans to end wheat stubble burning in the 2026 harvest season.
What it is: CAQM is the statutory body for air quality management in the NCR and adjoining areas, set up under a 2021 law. It replaced the EPCA and can issue binding directions. GRAP is the Graded Response Action Plan, a set of stage-wise emergency measures that CAQM's Sub-Committee triggers as air quality worsens.

Trigger: The Sub-Committee on GRAP reviewed air quality and IMD/IITM forecasts on 6 November 2026 before invoking Stage-III.
AQI data source: The daily AQI bulletin of the CPCB put Delhi at 382, in the 'Very Poor' category.
Cumulative stages: Stage-III actions apply in addition to Stage-I and Stage-II actions already in force.
Implementing agencies: Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and the DPCC must ensure strict implementation of all three stages.
Legal basis: CAQM was set up under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, and replaced the EPCA.
PAVAN full form: PAVAN stands for Platform for Air quality Vigilance and Analytics for NCR. It is the name of CAQM's Integrated Command and Control Centre (I3C).
Data integrated: The platform uses over 30 APIs and data streams, including air quality, emissions, weather, satellite, camera, mobility, complaint and compliance data.
Working principle: The centre works on 'Detect, Analyse, Act'. Deviations from norms or Statutory Directions trigger alerts and escalation to the concerned agency.
States covered: The State Action Plan module covers Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Industries covered: The order covers all 17 highly polluting categories identified by CPCB, Red Category medium and large air-polluting industries, food and textile units with boilers or thermic fluid heaters, and metal units with furnaces.
Camera placement: Cameras must cover fuel-feeding points, gas meters, stack emissions and OCEMS sampling ports, and fume extraction areas where applicable.
Live feed: Video must stream continuously in real time using RTSP to the servers or portals of CPCB, the SPCBs and DPCC.
Enforcement: The State Governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and the GNCTD, with CPCB and the SPCBs/DPCC, must ensure implementation.
State split: Punjab has 18 districts and Haryana has 16 districts covered.
Reporting: Squads report the ground situation and steps taken to the CAQM Cell daily. The cell is at SAS Nagar.
Predecessor: CAQM replaced the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) for the NCR.
Revised GRAP size: The revised GRAP has 48 actions: 25 in Stage-I, 8 in Stage-II, 10 in Stage-III and 5 in Stage-IV.
Shift of actions to Stage-I: Actions on DG sets and entry of BS-IV and below buses moved from Stage-II to Stage-I.
Sonipat added: Restrictions on older LMVs (BS-III petrol, BS-IV diesel) now extend to Sonipat, along with the existing HVD districts.
C&D portal monitoring: The web-portal monitoring of dust control at C&D sites extends to eligible projects beyond municipal limits; the 500 sq m plot threshold is unchanged.
Technical Members: The ACC approved two full-time Technical Members for three years or until age 70, whichever is earlier.
Direction: Statutory Direction No. 98 sets a uniform PM emission limit of 50 mg/Nm³ for identified industries in Delhi-NCR.
Basis: The standard rests on CPCB recommendations, IIT Kanpur studies and a CPCB Technical Committee.
Timelines: Large and medium industries must comply from 1 August 2026; the remaining industries from 1 October 2026.
Who implements: NCR State Governments, the Delhi Government, the Pollution Control Boards of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee must implement it.
Main pollutant: PM2.5 is the dominant pollutant affecting Delhi's AQI. Both local emissions and transboundary movement across the airshed matter.
Direction on stubble: Direction No. 96 of 13.02.2026 mandates time-bound implementation of State Action Plans to end wheat stubble burning in 2026.
States addressed: The Direction is addressed to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi (GNCTD) and Rajasthan are only advised to make efforts.
Fire count, April-May 2025: Fire events recorded in the wheat season were 10207 in Punjab, 1832 in Haryana and 259 in the NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh. The standard protocol was developed by ISRO/IARI.
Parali Protection Force: States must set up a dedicated Parali Protection Force at district or block level to monitor and guard against open burning.
Support for small farmers: CRM machines must be available rent-free to small and marginal farmers through Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs).
Who invoked Stage-IV: The Sub-Committee on GRAP of CAQM took the decision at an urgent evening meeting.
Stage-IV trigger: Stage-IV is the 'Severe+' category, with Delhi's AQI above 450. It was invoked proactively, before that level was reached, and applies on top of Stages I-III.
Stage-III band: Stage-III of GRAP is for 'Severe' air quality (AQI 401-450). It was invoked early, as a proactive measure, while the AQI was still 'Very Poor'.
Legal basis of CAQM: CAQM is a statutory body created under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, replacing EPCA.

Don’t confuse with CAQM vs EPCA: EPCA was the earlier body set up under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on Supreme Court direction. CAQM is a statutory commission under its own 2021 Act and replaced EPCA.

Don’t confuse with CAQM vs CPCB: CPCB publishes the AQI bulletin and monitors air quality nationally. CAQM issues binding directions for the NCR and adjoining areas.

Don’t confuse with CPCB vs SPCB/DPCC: CPCB is the central pollution control body. SPCBs and DPCC are state and Delhi bodies that monitor compliance locally.

Don’t confuse with CAAQMS vs manual stations: CAAQMS are continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations giving real-time data. Manual stations sample periodically.

Don’t confuse with In-situ vs ex-situ management: In-situ management treats residue in the field itself. Ex-situ management removes the straw for other uses such as fodder or fuel.

Don’t confuse with GRAP Stage-III vs Stage-IV: Stage-III applies to 'Severe' (AQI 401-450). Stage-IV is for 'Severe+' (AQI above 450).

Environment: Prelims tests bodies, programmes and the law behind them; Mains asks why plans fall short.

Why it matters

A statutory body with binding powers gives a single authority across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which have separate governments.
A single data platform can cut delays in spotting and acting on pollution sources.
It supports regional coordination across States, since air pollution crosses State borders.
Live video lets regulators check fuel use and emissions remotely, which reduces reliance on periodic inspections.
It targets industrial pollution, a major NCR source in winter when pollutants disperse poorly.
A dedicated NCR-level body can direct neighbouring States, which tackles air pollution that crosses State borders.
Daily field reporting allows quick follow-up on fires in the harvest season.
A single statutory body can give binding, region-wide directions across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP, overcoming fragmented state action.
Stage-wise GRAP allows pre-emptive, graded action rather than emergency steps after air quality turns severe.
A uniform stack limit removes uneven norms across NCR states and targets a major source of PM and secondary particulates.
Source apportionment gives a scientific basis for targeted action on transport, dust, industry and biomass burning.
More monitoring stations improve regional data for an airshed-wide approach beyond Delhi.
A binding direction gives CAQM enforceable control over State action on a cross-border pollution source.
Extending action to the wheat season addresses a gap beyond paddy-season measures.
Shows CAQM acting as a single regional authority with power to bind NCR States and agencies.
Staged, pre-agreed GRAP curbs allow quick, predictable emergency response.
Pre-emptive action on forecasts can limit the worst pollution days in the NCR.
A single commission acting across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and UP reduces fragmented, state-wise responses.

Problems

GRAP is reactive: it acts after air quality has already worsened rather than preventing the pollution.
Enforcement depends on State agencies and on citizen compliance.
Alerts help only if State agencies and SPCBs act on them; enforcement capacity varies.
Stubble burning and weather-driven pollution have farm-economy and seasonal causes that data alone cannot fix.
Industries must install cameras and ensure power backup and connectivity within a short deadline.
Regulators need servers and staff to review large volumes of live video, and states must enforce consistently.
Farmers have a short window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing and face costs of alternatives.
Enforcement depends on State agencies, and the issue is politically sensitive.
Enforcement depends on State agencies; Haryana's plantation achievement (60 lakh of 1.2 crore target) shows uneven delivery.
Curbs on vehicles and construction impose economic costs on small traders and workers, and compliance is hard to monitor.
Monitoring thousands of stacks needs capacity in State pollution boards, and smaller units may struggle with the cost of control equipment.
Transboundary pollution and secondary particulates need coordination across several States with different capacities.
Enforcement of directions on stubble, dust and industry depends on weak local agencies, and compliance is uneven.
Enforcement depends on State machinery, and punitive measures may hurt small farmers.
Straw storage and a year-round supply chain for ex-situ use need investment.
Curbs are reactive and often invoked only after AQI is already severe.
Enforcement depends on several State governments and agencies, and curbs on construction and transport hurt livelihoods.
Many measures depend on state governments and pollution boards for enforcement, and compliance varies.
GRAP curbs fall hardest on daily-wage construction workers and small businesses, and it treats symptoms rather than root sources.

Way forward

Move towards preventive, year-round action on sources such as vehicles, dust, industry and biomass burning.
Use forecasts to trigger measures earlier and strengthen coordination among NCR States.
Tie alerts to time-bound action and public reporting of follow-up.
Pair monitoring with support for farmers on crop residue management and cleaner fuel and transport.
Link camera feeds with OCEMS data and use automated alerts for violations.
Impose penalties for non-compliance and publish compliance reports.
Ensure affordable access to crop residue machinery and in-situ and ex-situ management of residue.
Combine monitoring with incentives and crop diversification away from water-intensive paddy.
Strengthen monitoring through web portals, the Enforcement Task Force and real-time data, with action against non-compliance.
Address the root causes: clean transport, cleaner fuels, and alternatives to stubble burning, with coordination among states.
Use continuous emission monitoring with public data, and give small units technical and financial support to comply.
Use the apportionment findings to set season-specific, sector-wise targets with regular public reporting.
Back farmers with crop residue machinery and alternatives, and strengthen State and municipal enforcement capacity.
Pair monitoring and environmental compensation with free machinery access and viable markets for straw.
Use satellite data and monthly progress reports to hold States accountable.
Act earlier on forecasts and cut year-round sources such as vehicles, dust and industry.
Strengthen coordination and monitoring among NCR States, with support for affected workers.
Shift to year-round source control: cleaner transport, industry and power, and dust management.
Coordinate regional action on stubble burning and provide livelihood support when curbs apply.

Put in your answer

CAQM Act, 2021: A statutory commission replaced the EPCA, giving the NCR air quality regime legal backing and binding directions.

PAVAN-I3C data sources: The centre draws on 111 CAAQMS in Delhi-NCR, over 2,300 industries and over 3,200 construction sites, which shows the scale of integration.

Shift in compliance: CAQM moves from manual, agency-reported monitoring to digital, data-driven compliance management.

CAQM Flying Squads: Inspections by CAQM Flying Squads found use of unapproved fuels in NCR industries, showing the need for stronger surveillance.

Secondary particulate matter: Industrial emissions add to secondary particulate matter besides raising direct PM levels, and the effect is prominent in winter.

CAQM Act 2021: The 2021 Act created a statutory commission with powers to issue directions to curb air pollution in the NCR region.

Enforcement Task Force data: As on 17.09.2026, 1,831 violating units were issued closure orders, 1,479 of which got resumption orders after compliance.

Industrial stacks: Industrial stack emissions are a significant source of elevated PM in Delhi-NCR and cause secondary particulate formation.

Winter PM2.5 sources (Delhi): Expert report: secondary particulates 27%, transport 23%, biomass burning 20%, dust 15%, industry 9%.

Wheat-season fire data: Satellite monitoring of April-May 2025 recorded 10207 fires in Punjab, 1832 in Haryana and 259 in NCR districts of UP. This shows stubble burning is not only a paddy-season problem.

Farm-level mapping and nodal officers: The Direction requires mapping each farm's residue management mode and tagging at most 100 farmers to each nodal officer. This is an example of last-mile monitoring.

Stage-IV measures: Example of emergency curbs: BS-IV truck entry stopped, C&D bans extended to linear public projects, hybrid classes for schools.

GRAP Stage-III invoked, Jan 2026: CAQM acted on forecasts of a 'Severe' AQI, showing a shift toward pre-emptive, forecast-based action.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 11

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.The revised GRAP schedule contains a total of 48 actions across its four stages.
2.Under the revision, actions on DG sets and entry of BS-IV and below buses were moved from Stage-III to Stage-II.
3.Restrictions on older four-wheeler LMVs now cover Sonipat in addition to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar.
4.The amendment to Direction Nos. 11-18 lowers the plot-area threshold for C&D site registration below 500 square metres.
5.The Technical Members of CAQM were appointed with the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
6.CAQM was established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as an authority under Section 3 of that Act, replacing the Central Pollution Control Board.
7.The revision removed the exemption for BS-IV and below goods vehicles carrying essential commodities in Stages III and IV.
8.The expert report considered by CAQM was prepared pursuant to directions of the Supreme Court.
9.According to the report, in winter the largest single contributor to PM2.5 in Delhi is transport.
10.Of the new stations, Uttar Pradesh is to get the most, followed by Haryana and Delhi.
11.CAQM was established under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, replacing the EPCA.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 16 Feb, 17:24 IST · Release 284378

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Quick facts

C2i Semiconductors, backed by the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, raised $15 million in a Series A round led by Peak XV Partners, the largest for an Indian semiconductor startup.
CCPA fined Snapdeal Rs 5 lakh for facilitating sale of toys not meeting BIS standards under the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020.
The new Aadhaar App, dedicated to the nation on 28 January 2026, has nearly 14 million downloads, per UIDAI.

Source: PIB, 16 Feb

What we left out: 51 of 57 releases

Speeches without a decision (5)
Visit schedules (6)
Ceremonies and campaigns (7)
Same issue as another release (18)
Explainer without new decision (1)
Routine data releases (3)
Condolence messages (2)
Routine deals and awards (1)
Routine meetings (4)
Same issue as filed card (3)
Demonstrations without a decision (1)

Practise the day’s news

In UPSC’s formats, inside each issue. The answer and why come after you choose.

1Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)MCQ · 11 true or false · Mains

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