Legal Current Affairs for 15 February 2026

Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY): Launched in 2015 to address mounting DISCOM debt, UDAY enabled states to take over 75% of DISCOM liabilities through low-interest bonds. It aimed to reduce AT&C losses, improve billing efficiency, promote smart metering, and enhance operational accountability.
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS): Introduced with an outlay of ₹3,03,758 crore for FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26, RDSS seeks to reduce AT&C losses to 12–15% and eliminate the ACS-ARR gap. Funding under RDSS is linked to performance-based reforms and measurable operational improvements, promoting financial sustainability and reliability in the distribution sector.
Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS): Focused on strengthening urban power distribution infrastructure,IPDS aims to improve supply reliability, reduce technical losses, and enhance customer service in urban areas.
Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) Rules: Implemented to enforce financial discipline, these rules allowed DISCOMs to clear legacy dues in up to 48 equated monthly instalments (EMIs). Outstanding dues reduced significantly from ₹1,39,947 crore in June 2022 to ₹4,927 crore by January 2026, improving liquidity and payment cycles across the power value chain.
Integrated Rating of DISCOMs: Annual ratings assess financial and operational performance, promoting transparency and accountability. Recent editions highlighted reductions in AT&C losses and improvements in payment discipline.

The case centers on a Hyderabad-based doctor accused of attempting to weaponize ‘Ricin’, a lethal toxin extracted from castor beans, marking a concerning shift towards the use of dual-use biological agents for terror activities termed as bioterrorism.
Ricin: It is an extremely potent, naturally occurring type II ribosome-inactivating protein (lectin) derived from castor beans (Ricinus communis).
Extraction: Acetone, an industrial solvent, can be used to extract and refine ricin from the residual mash left after castor oil production.
Threat Level: Ricin blocks protein synthesis within cells, leading to severe cellular damage and death, and is extremely toxic even in minute doses through inhalation, ingestion, or injection, with no known antidote available.
Security Status: Classified as a Schedule 1 substance under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) due to its high potential for misuse as a biological weapon.

Location & River: Situated on the Chenab River (a ‘Western River’ under the Indus Waters Treaty) in the Ramban district of Jammu & Kashmir.
Capacity & Type: It is a massive 1,856 MW project designed as a run-of-the-river scheme, utilizing the natural flow of the river with minimal storage.
The project involves the construction of a concrete gravity dam with a reservoir.
Status: Although initiated in 1984, it faced long delays and has now been declared a “Project of National Importance.”
Strategic Significance: It is expected to generate over 7,000 million units of electricity annually, making it one of India’s largest hydro projects.

The Assam Rifles is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and India’s oldest paramilitary force, primarily responsible for security and counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast and guarding the Indo-Myanmar border.
It was established in 1835 as the “Cachar Levy,” a militia raised to protect British tea plantations and settlements from tribal raids in the Northeast.
The force functions under the dual control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (administrative) and the Ministry of Defence (operational).

Entry of New Regional Carriers: In December 2025, the Ministry of Civil Aviation granted No Objection Certificates to Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to expand regional air connectivity and reduce market concentration.
Focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities: These airlines aim to operate from emerging hubs such as Noida International Airport, Kochi and Telangana, targeting underserved regional routes and improving last-mile air access.
Strengthening Regional Connectivity through UDAN: Under the UDAN scheme, 625 routes and 85 airports have been operationalised by 2025, including over 100 routes in the Northeast, promoting inclusive air travel.

The Arctic lies north of the Arctic Circle (66°34′ N), centred on the North Pole, and includes the Arctic Ocean and parts of eight countries, Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the USA, forming the Arctic Council.
It possesses significant reserves of minerals and rare earth elements and is increasingly geopolitically significant owing to emerging sea routes, resource potential, and its strategic closeness to major powers.

About: Born on 25th September 1916, he was an Indian politician, philosopher, and ideologue of the RSS and Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) (the predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party).
Contributions: He focused on Antyodaya, i.e., uplifting the last person and addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged.
His philosophy of “Integral Humanism” emphasized welfare, social justice, economic equality, and self-reliance.
Recognition: Since 25th September 2014, his birth anniversary has been observed as Antyodaya Diwas to honor his contributions to the nation.
In 2015, the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) was renamed Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM.
In 2018, Mughalsarai Junction in Uttar Pradesh was renamed after him.