Daily Current Affairs and GK | 27 February 2026

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. The government launched a pilot project under PMGKAY in Puducherry for CBDC-based Food Subsidy Distribution.

• A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Food Subsidy Distribution Pilot project under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana launched in Puducherry on 26 February 2025.
• The pilot project was inaugurated by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi.
• He inaugurated the pilot project in presence of Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya.
• As part of the initiative, identified beneficiaries will receive food subsidies in their digital wallets in the form of Digital currency tokens issued by RBI.
• The beneficiaries can use these CBDC tokens for purchasing entitled foodgrains at authorised merchants and Fair Price Shops.
• The pilot is being implemented with the Puducherry government, the RBI, the Public Financial Management System, and Canara Bank.
• Its aim is to improve transparency, efficiency and targated delivery of food subsidy.

Topic: Committees/Commissions and Taskforces

2. A high-level committee constituted by MeitY for Harmonization of DigiLocker Regulatory Framework.

• A high-level committee was constituted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for harmonization of the regulatory framework of DigiLocker.
• The committee was established to undertake a legislative review of the Digital Locker Rules in alignment with the current technical and legal landscape.
• A future roadmap for Entity Locker, ecosystem expansion and commercialization of the Digital Locker system is to be charted by the panel.
• The initiative was taken to ensure that the DigiLocker framework remains robust, future-ready and responsive to emerging digital requirements.
• The committee is being headed by Ajay Sawhney, former Secretary of MeitY.
• Legal experts, technology specialists and industry representatives have been included as members of the committee.
• The introductory meeting of the panel was held on 24 February 2026 at Electronics Niketan, CGO Complex, New Delhi.
• During the meeting, deliberations were carried out on the vision and evolving role of the Digital Locker ecosystem.
• The contribution of DigiLocker towards achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat through Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business was discussed.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. MoUs worth ₹90,000 crore signed by Uttar Pradesh Government with Japanese Companies.

• Memorandums of Understanding worth ₹90,000 crore were signed by the Uttar Pradesh government with various Japanese companies during the visit of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Japan.
• The agreements were finalised as part of a two-day visit aimed at attracting maximum investment into Uttar Pradesh.
• It was stated that investor confidence in the state has been strengthened due to transparent policies, improved law and order, and robust infrastructure development.
• The partnership between India and Japan was described as a milestone toward achieving the vision of making the region a one-trillion-dollar economy.
• A state-of-the-art hydrogen power plant in Yamanashi province was visited by the Chief Minister during his tour.
• A separate MoU was signed with Yamanashi province to promote cooperation in green hydrogen technology and related sectors.
• Under this agreement, students from higher technical institutes of Uttar Pradesh will be provided advanced training opportunities in Japan.
• Additionally, MoUs worth ₹60,000 crore were also signed with Singapore-based companies during the visit, reflecting strong investor interest in Uttar Pradesh.
• Investment proposals worth up to ₹1 lakh crore were received from Singapore for diverse sectors aimed at boosting economic growth in the state.
• A major roadshow was held in Singapore, attracting leading investors, financial institutions, chairpersons and CEOs to explore business opportunities in Uttar Pradesh.

Topic: National Appointments

4. Arvind KC appointed as Chief People Officer of OpenAI.

• Indian-origin executive Arvind KC was appointed as the Chief People Officer of OpenAI.
• He was appointed to succeed Julia Villagra, who has transitioned into an advisory role within the organisation.
• The appointment was made at a time when several Indian-origin leaders have assumed senior roles in global artificial intelligence firms.
• It was stated that he will support OpenAI’s growth by strengthening hiring, onboarding, professional development and internal systems to enable high performance.
• Prior to this role, he served as Chief People and Systems Officer at the online gaming platform Roblox.
• He has previously held leadership positions at major technology companies including Google, Palantir Technologies, and Meta Platforms.
• He completed his graduation in chemical engineering from the University Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai.

Topic: National News

5. Rail Tech Policy, Portal and e-Railway Claims Tribunal unveiled by Union Railway Minister.

• On 26 February, the Rail Tech Policy, Rail Tech Portal and e-Railway Claims Tribunal system were unveiled by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw as part of Indian Railways’ reform agenda.
• The announcements were made under the broader commitment of undertaking 52 reforms in 52 weeks during the year.
• The Rail Tech Policy was introduced with the objective of promoting large-scale and systematic adoption of technology across Indian Railways.
• It was stated that innovators, startups, industry players and institutions will be engaged to drive technological transformation in the rail sector.
• Key innovation areas have been identified, including AI-based Elephant Intrusion Detection Systems and AI-driven fire detection in coaches.
• A drone-based broken rail detection mechanism and obstruction detection technology for foggy conditions have also been incorporated as priority areas.
• The Rail Tech Portal was launched to provide a structured platform for collaboration with innovators and industry stakeholders.
• The e-Railway Claims Tribunal system was introduced as a citizen-centric digital reform to modernise the processing of claims.
• The initiative is intended to make filing, processing and adjudication of cases faster, transparent and accessible nationwide across 23 RCT benches.
• It was announced that all Railway Claims Tribunal benches will be fully digitised within the next 12 months to enhance efficiency, accountability and transparency.

Topic: Important Days

6. World NGO Day 2026: 27 February

• World NGO Day is celebrated annually on 27 February to recognize and honour all non-governmental and non-profit organizations.
• The theme of World NGO Day 2026 is “Restoring Dignity Through Inclusion.”
• It was first proposed in 2010 by the Baltic Sea NGO Forum. It highlights the work of NGOs around the world.
• In 2014, the UN, EU leaders, and international organizations adopted 27th February as World NGO day.
• It is celebrated in over 89 countries and in more than six continents.
• The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland hosted the global inaugural event of World NGO Day on 27 February 2014 in Helsinki, Finland.
• India has more than three million non-governmental organizations (NGO). They play important roles as facilitators and partners in different sectors.
• Non-governmental organization (NGO):

• A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit group that functions independently.
• It plays a vital role in international development, improving communities, and philanthropy work.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. The Telecommunication Engineering Centre and the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur have signed an MoU.

• The Telecommunication Engineering Centre is the technical branch of India's Department of Telecommunications.
• This partnership focuses on advanced telecommunications research and global standardization efforts.
• The two institutions will work together to develop India-specific standards for future network technologies.
• These include 6G, optical communication systems, and non-terrestrial networks.
• This collaboration also includes passive optical networks and advanced antenna systems.
• The MoU was signed at IIT Kharagpur on February 23, 2026.
• This agreement creates a structured framework for joint research and standardization activities.
• The aim of this collaboration is to promote indigenous innovation in telecommunications technology.
• This partnership is expected to enhance India's role in shaping future global telecommunications standards.

Topic: Defence

8. Droupadi Murmu is on a two-day visit to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

• She witnessed the Indian Air Force’s ‘Vayu Shakti’ exercise.
• Before the exercise, she flew a sortie in the Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’.
• The helicopter is an indigenously developed combat platform.
• The sortie was carried out in a two-aircraft formation.
• Air Chief Marshal Amarpreet Singh flew the second helicopter in the formation.
• ‘Prachand’ is India’s first domestically designed and developed combat helicopter.
• It is manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It is capable of operating in desert conditions.
• It is also designed for missions in high-altitude regions.
• The ‘Vayu Shakti’ demonstration took place at the Pokhran Field Firing Range located near the India–Pakistan border.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

9. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has approved a green hydrogen jetty project at the Paradip Port.

• The estimated cost of the project is approximately ₹797 crore.
• As part of the project, the development of associated facilities for handling green hydrogen, ammonia, and other liquid cargo at Paradip Port has also been approved.
• The project will be implemented on a build-operate-transfer basis. The Paradip Port Authority will implement the project.
• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated that the project will increase the port's cargo-handling capacity.
• He added that this will help attract new investment.
• The facility will include provisions for handling additional liquid cargo.
• This will help maintain optimal utilization during the initial phase of the green hydrogen sector.
• The project is in line with the goals of the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• This initiative will promote port-based logistics for clean energy commodities.
• The proposed jetty will include advanced safety systems for handling and storage.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

10. NITI Aayog member Dr. Vinod K. Paul said the government will introduce the HPV vaccine as a national campaign.

• This vaccine protects against cervical cancer.
• It prevents infection caused by human papillomavirus.
• The campaign will focus on girls around 14 years of age.
• It aims to immunize them before they begin their reproductive lives.
• This initiative also aims to raise awareness about early prevention.
• Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, stated that the vaccine has been safely used in more than 160 countries.
• He explained that it has been used worldwide for more than two decades.
• He clarified that the vaccine cannot cause HPV infection and that mild side effects, such as fever or redness, are rare.
• This vaccine has already been safely administered in the private sector in India.
• The government program will now provide it free of charge to teenage girls.
• The move aims to ensure more people have access to life-saving cervical cancer prevention.