CURRENT AFFAIRS 22-23 September, 2026

CURRENT AFFAIRS 22-23 September, 2026

1. AYUSHMAN BHARAT COMPLETES 8 YEARS, COVERS OVER 60 CRORE PEOPLE –

• The Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is a programme that has reached its eighth anniversary in the health assurance programme of India’s government. This programme was introduced by the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, in September 2018 from the city of Ranchi, Jharkhand. This programme gives health insurance cover up to ₹5 lakh annually to eligible individuals. As per reports released by the government, more than 60 crore individuals are covered under the programme whereas 13 crore beneficiaries have already got cashless treatment.

Ayushman Bharat Celebrates 8th Anniversary

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in September 2018 with the intention of enhancing the availability of affordable and high-quality healthcare.
• Since then, in the past eight years, the scheme has gained traction across India and now it can be termed the world’s largest health insurance scheme funded by the government.
• In excess of 60 crore people have been covered under an annual health cover of ₹5 lakh. The savings made by families due to cashless healthcare services have also been emphasized by the government.  

2. US, DENMARK AND GREENLAND SIGN NEW ARCTIC DEFENSE AGREEMENT –

• An agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland has been made for the amendment and enhancement of the 1951 Defense Agreement on Greenland, which provides for an extensive revision of the agreement framework concerning US military operations in the Arctic island. Signed in New York on September 22, 2026, the agreement deals with security in the Arctic, access for military purposes, defense infrastructure, and cooperation between the three countries. In addition, it covers Greenland interests, environment protection, economic involvement, and foreign investment screening. There is no expiry date for the agreement.

What is Included In Defense Agreement?

• First, it allows the parties to undertake the necessary actions that will enable them to defend the North Atlantic Treaty organization, Greenland, and the American continent, taking into account the interests of Greenland.
• Second, an important provision of this agreement is that the United States will be allowed to improve and increase the presence of its military activities at the Pituffik Space Base, located in northwest Greenland.
• Moreover, the agreement provides for the creation of additional Defense Areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig.

3. CYCLONE ARNAB: IMD PREDICTS DEEP DEPRESSION NEAR ANDHRA-ODISHA –

• A weather system that has developed over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression and is approaching the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast. According to the IMD, the weather system is likely to cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur in the vicinity of Kalingapatnam by the night of September 23.
• The weather system was located near 18.0°N and 85.0°E late on September 22, roughly 100 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam and 150 km south of Gopalpur. The system was traveling westwards at around 7 kmph but is forecast to turn west-northwestwards subsequently.

Will the System Develop into Cyclone Arnab?

• Arnab is the next name to be assigned to a regional cyclone in the North Indian Ocean area, which was provided by Bangladesh. But, the current forecast from IMD states that it will pass through as a deep depression and not as a cyclonic storm.
• According to IMD categorization, a deep depression has sustained winds of 52-61 kmph. The system becomes a cyclonic storm when sustained winds become 63 kmph or more.
• Thus, it would be too early to call it “Cyclone Arnab.”

4. MIRABAI CHANU WINS SILVER, ENDS INDIA’S 28-YEAR WEIGHTLIFTING WAIT –

• Mirabai Chanu made a breakthrough by earning her first Asian Games medal with a silver in the women’s 49kg category weightlifting competition during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The 32-year-old Indian woman lifted 198kg in total, with 87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk. The gold medal was taken by the North Korean athlete Ri Song Gum, and bronze by the Indonesian Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri who scored 191kg. Chanu’s silver medal is India’s first in 28 years in the Asian Games weightlifting tournament since the victory of Karnam Malleswari in 1998.

Mirabai Chanu Wins Silver in 49kg Category

• In the women’s 49kg category, Chanu earned silver by lifting 198kg in total.
• The Indian woman lifted 87kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk. The gold medal was won by North Korea’s Ri Song Gum, while the bronze was claimed by Indonesia’s Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri who scored 191kg.
• For Ri Song Gum, it was a third gold medal in the tournament.

5. HEPATITIS ELIMINATION BY 2030 –

• India reiterated its firm commitment to achieving the target of eliminating Hepatitis B and C as public health threats by 2030. This people-centric approach includes strategies related to prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and care. At the side event of 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81), ‘Advancing Global Action to Eliminate Hepatitis,’ Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava talked about the initiatives being taken by India. The side event was organized by the UN Group of Friends to Eliminate Hepatitis.

Approach of India towards Elimination of Hepatitis

• At the UN General Assembly 81 side event, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava emphasized on the comprehensive approach followed by India against Hepatitis.
• The strategy is aimed at ensuring effective public health measures right from prevention and screening to treatment and care. It is a comprehensive approach which caters to people’s requirements.
• As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India is committed to the 2030 SDGs on Hepatitis and the goal of eliminating Hepatitis B and C as public health threats by 2030.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.  Which city is the host of the 2nd edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 ?

1. a) Sulur, Tamil Nadu
2. b) Jodhpur, Rajasthan
3. c) Ambala, Haryana
4. d) Kalaikunda, West Bengal

Q2.  India defeat which country to win the women’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 ?

1. a) Bangladesh
2. b) Sri Lanka
3. c) Pakistan
4. d) Japan

Q3.  Which city in Madhya Pradesh has been selected for the establishment of Asia’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) ?

1. a) Indore
2. b) Bhopal
3. c) Gwalior
4. d) Jabalpur

Q4.  Consider the following statements regarding the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA):

1. New Zealand has agreed to provide 100% duty-free access to Indian goods upon the operationalization of the agreement.
2. India has completely removed import tariffs on all New Zealand dairy and agricultural products to fast-track bilateral trade.
3. The agreement includes service sector commitments and provisions covering traditional knowledge practitioners, including AYUSH.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 1 and 3 only
3. c) 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct: Under the market access provisions of the India–New Zealand FTA, New Zealand provides 100% duty-free access to goods originating from India.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: India has excluded sensitive domestic sectors—specifically dairy and vulnerable agricultural products (such as sugar, rice, wheat, onions, and edible oils)—from tariff concessions to protect local farmers and producers. India’s approach balances trade liberalization with domestic protectionism.
• Statement 3 is correct: The agreement spans 118 service sectors and features unique pathways for professional mobility, including cooperation and provisions relating to AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) and traditional medicine practitioners.

Q5.  Consider the following statements with reference to the recent official status granted to the Tulu language in Karnataka:

1. Tulu has been granted the status of an additional administrative language applicable statewide across all districts of Karnataka.
2. Tulu is a major Dravidian language that is officially included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
3. Article 345 of the Indian Constitution provides state legislatures with the authority to adopt any one or more languages in use in the state for official purposes.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 3 only
3. c) 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The Karnataka Cabinet decided to grant Tulu the status of a second additional administrative/official language strictly restricted to the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, rather than across the entire state.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Tulu is recognized as an independent, non-scheduled language by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. However, it is not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution (which currently contains 22 scheduled languages). Inclusion in the Eighth Schedule requires a formal constitutional/parliamentary amendment.
• Statement 3 is correct: Article 345 of the Indian Constitution empowers the Legislature of a State to adopt by law one or more languages in use in the State (or Hindi) for any or all of the official purposes of that State.

Answer Key