News in Shorts: 24 February 2026

National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0

Context: Recently, the Union Finance Minister launched the second phase of the National Monetisation Pipeline, or NMP 2.0.

• The Union Budget 2025–26 proposed NMP 2.0 to expand sustainable infrastructure financing through monetisation of operational public assets.
• NMP 1.0 achieved nearly 90% of its ₹6 lakh crore target, providing best-practice insights for NMP 2.0.

About National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0

• It provides a medium-term roadmap, asset visibility for private investors, and a guidance framework outlining methodology and implementation.
• Participating Sectors: The pipeline covers key sectors, including Roads, Railways, Power, Oil & Gas, Civil Aviation, Ports, Telecom, Coal, and Mines.
• Progress under NMP 2.0 will be monitored by the Core Group of Secretaries on Asset Monetisation (CGAM), chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, ensuring a whole-of-government approach.
• Asset Recycling: NMP 2.0 emphasizes “Asset Recycling,” using private sector efficiency to unlock capital from brownfield assets for reinvestment in new infrastructure (CAPEX) without raising government budgetary outgo.
• Monetisation Instruments: It  includes PPP concessions, InvITs, and cash flow securitisation.
• Proceeds: Proceeds from asset monetisation are allocated based on the implementing agency: Consolidated Fund of India (Ministry projects), PSUs/Port Authorities (entity projects), and State Consolidated Fund (mainly mining royalties).

Significance

• Recycles productive public assets for new projects.
• Mobilises funds efficiently with minimal budgetary burden.
• Promotes private investment and operational efficiency.
• Medium-term roadmap provides visibility of potential assets for private investors.

Winter Olympics 2026

Context: The 2026 Winter Olympics concluded in Italy with a grand closing ceremony at Verona Arena, marking the most geographically spread-out Winter Games ever.

About Winter Olympics

• The Winter Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event featuring snow and ice sports, held every four years.
• Organised By: They are organised and supervised by the International Olympic Committee, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Recent Hosts
• • 2018 – PyeongChang, South Korea
  • 2022 – Beijing, China
  • 2026 – Italy (Milan–Cortina)
  • 2030 – France (Alps and Nice)

Winter Olympics 2026

• Officially called Milano Cortina 2026, it was the 25th Winter Olympic Games, featuring 116 medal events across 16 disciplines.
• Host: The Games were jointly hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, making Italy’s fourth Olympic hosting.
• Closing Ceremony: Held at Verona Arena, the ceremony celebrated Italian music, culture, and innovation, with twin Olympic flames ceremonially extinguished.
• • The theme of the ceremony was “Beauty in Action”.

Performances

• Norway emerged as the top performer at the 2026 Winter Olympics, securing 18 gold medals and a total of 41 medals, finishing first in the overall medal standings despite its relatively small population.
• The United States of America finished second in the medal table, winning 12 gold medals and a total of 33 medals, recording one of its strongest Winter Olympic performances.
• Italy recorded its highest-ever Winter Olympic medal tally with 30 medals, including 10 golds.
• India’s Participation: Arif Khan achieved India’s best-ever men’s slalom finish (39th place), marking steady progress in winter sports.

Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine

Context: On 21 February 2026, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda launched India’s indigenously manufactured Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine at Central Research Institute, Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

About Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine

• The Td vaccine protects against tetanus and diphtheria and replaces the earlier Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine under India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), following World Health Organization recommendations.
  • Tetanus: It is a bacterial disease caused by Clostridium tetani, leading to painful muscle stiffness and lockjaw; it spreads through contaminated wounds and is preventable through vaccination.
  • Diphtheria: It is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, affecting the throat and airways, potentially causing breathing difficulty and heart complications, and is preventable by immunization.
• Developed By: The vaccine has been indigenously developed and manufactured by the Central Research Institute, a premier public sector vaccine manufacturer functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Features

• Provides combined protection against tetanus and diphtheria across age groups, including pregnant women.
• Manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.
• Received regulatory approvals, including Marketing Authorization and clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli.
• To supply 55 lakh doses to the Universal Immunization Programme by April 2026, with planned scale-up.
• Integrated into digital beneficiary tracking through the U-WIN platform.

Significance

• Strengthens India’s commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat in health and pharmaceutical sectors.
• Supports the world’s largest immunization programme covering nearly 5 crore beneficiaries annually.
• Enhances protection against diphtheria while sustaining maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination gains.
• Reinforces India’s global standing as the “pharmacy of the world” with robust regulatory standards aligned to World Health Organization global benchmarking (Maturity Level 3).

Tetrodotoxin (TTX)

Context: The food safety authorities suspect tetrodotoxin contamination after multiple people fell critically ill after consuming fish roe at a restaurant in Kerala.

About Tetrodotoxin (TTX)

• A Neurotoxin: Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a naturally occurring, extremely potent marine neurotoxin.
  • It is considered one of the most powerful non-peptide neurotoxins known.
• Heat-Stable: The toxin is very heat-stable, meaning that ordinary cooking methods (like boiling or frying) cannot destroy it.
• Bacterial Origin: TTX is primarily produced by bacteria (such as Vibrio and Pseudomonas species).
  • Animals that carry the toxin accumulate it, often through the food chain by eating these bacteria or other contaminated organisms.
• Source: While famously associated with pufferfish, TTX has been found in a wide variety of marine and terrestrial species. 
  • This includes the blue-ringed octopus, certain gastropods (like snails), starfish, crabs, and even newts and frogs.
• Concentration in Organs: In marine species like pufferfish, the toxin is often highly concentrated in specific organs, particularly the liver and the ovaries (roe or eggs).
• No Antidote: There is currently no known antidote for tetrodotoxin poisoning.
• Supportive Care: Treatment is primarily supportive, focusing on managing symptoms.

What are Neurotoxins

• Definition: Neurotoxins are poisonous substances that specifically target, damage, or disrupt the function of the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves).
• Mechanism of Action: They typically work by interfering with the transmission of electrical signals across nerve cells. 
• Common Sources:
• • Biological/Natural: Venoms produced by snakes  (cobras), spiders (black widows), scorpions, and marine animals (pufferfish, cone snails).
  • Heavy Metals: Lead, mercury, and arsenic are well-known neurotoxins that can cause long-term cognitive damage.
  • Chemicals: Pesticides, certain solvents, and industrial chemicals.
• Medical Applications: Despite being deadly in large doses, trace amounts of certain neurotoxins are used in medicine.

79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) 2026

Context: Manipuri-language film Boong won Best Children’s and Family Film at the 79th British Academy Film Awards 2026, marking a historic milestone for Indian cinema.

• One Battle After Another won six awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

About BAFTA

• The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a prestigious United Kingdom-based institution that honours excellence in film, television, and related creative arts.
• Origin : BAFTA was established in 1947 by leading filmmakers under producer Alexander Korda, with director David Lean serving as its first Chair. 
• • It has since grown into a global membership body promoting artistic and technical advancement in screen industries.

About Boong

• Boong is a Manipuri coming-of-age drama directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, portraying a young boy’s emotional journey to reunite his fractured family, set against the socio-cultural backdrop of Manipur.
• Winning Category: The film won the Best Children’s and Family Film award, becoming the first Indian production to secure this honour.

Significance

• The victory highlights the growing global recognition of regional Indian storytelling and independent children’s cinema.
• It brings international visibility to Northeast India’s socio-cultural narratives, historically underrepresented in mainstream cinema.

PRAHAAR: India’s First Anti-Terror Policy

Context: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has released India’s first comprehensive national anti-terror policy titled PRAHAAR, strengthening the country’s counter-terror and cyber security framework.

About PRAHAAR

• PRAHAAR is India’s first-ever unified anti-terror policy framework aimed at addressing evolving threats from cross-border terrorism, cyber-attacks, and emerging technological challenges.
• It reflects a comprehensive and zero-tolerance approach toward terrorism while reaffirming that India does not associate terrorism with any religion, ethnicity, nationality, or civilisation.
• Key Features
  • Multi-Dimensional Threat Recognition: The policy acknowledges threats across land, air, and maritime domains, including state-sponsored and non-state actors.
  • Cyber and Hybrid Warfare Focus: It highlights risks from criminal hackers and hostile nation-states targeting India through cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure.
  • Protection of Critical Sectors: Capacities have been strengthened to safeguard power, railways, aviation, ports, defence, space, and atomic energy installations.
  • Technology-Driven Terror Networks: Terror groups exploit social media, encrypted messaging platforms, the dark web, and crypto wallets for propaganda, recruitment, funding, and operational coordination.
  • Legal Strengthening Mechanism: The policy recommends involving legal experts at every stage, from FIR registration to prosecution to ensure strong, evidence-based convictions.
• Significance
• • Strengthened National Security Framework: PRAHAAR institutionalises a coordinated, zero-tolerance counter-terror strategy integrating cyber, maritime, air, and land security while protecting critical infrastructure from state and non-state actors.
  • Legal and Global Alignment: It enhances prosecution through early legal involvement and aligns India’s efforts with global commitments against terror financing, cyber-enabled extremism, and transnational terrorism.

Base Year Revised for Merchandise Trade Indices

Context: The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S) revised the base year of India’s Merchandise Trade Indices from 2012–13 to 2022–23.

About Base Year

• A base year is a reference year assigned an index value of 100, used to measure changes in prices or quantities over subsequent periods.
• Used: To compute Merchandise Trade Indices such as Export and Import Unit Value Indices, Quantity Indices, and Terms of Trade.
  • These indices are used by the National Accounts Division (NAD) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimation, balance of payments analysis, and external sector assessment.
• Determination Process: The base year is selected based on economic stability and representativeness of prevailing trade patterns.
• Weights are assigned according to trade values of that year using the Laspeyres index method.

Need for Revision

• Structural Changes in Trade Composition: India’s export and import basket has changed significantly due to technological advancements and global supply chain shifts.
• Improved Policy Relevance: Updated weights enhance accuracy in measuring price movements and trade competitiveness.
• Alignment with International Standards: Periodic revision ensures methodological refinement and conformity with global statistical best practices.

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