Consider the following Assertion (A) and Reason (R): Assertion (A): India delivered soil carbon payments to farmers for the first time. Reason (R): Farmers earn soil carbon credits by using sustainable/regenerative farming that stores carbon in the soil.

Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A

Daily Current Affairs — 18 September 2026

18 September 2026 · 15 min read · TS Police Hub (Anvil Edtech)

India's fertility rate falls to 1.9 (SRS); Article 371K proposed for Ladakh; Project Cheetah at 4 years (52 cheetahs); new frog & eel species; DRDO's underwater vehicle (MPAUV); the Lindsey Graham Russia–Iran sanctions Act; India's first soil carbon payments; India–NZ FTA & Djibouti in the Artemis Accords; QS MBA Rankings 2027; and Abhishek Sharma's fastest T20I ton for India.

1. Reports & Data — India's Fertility Rate

Why in news: India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to 1.9 — the lowest ever, and below the 'replacement level' of 2.1. This was reported in the Sample Registration System (SRS), released by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner (under the Ministry of Home Affairs).

TFR & replacement level: TFR is the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime. 'Replacement level' (2.1) is the TFR needed to keep a population stable across generations; India is now below it. (World average TFR is about 2.2.)
States high & low: Highest TFR: Bihar (2.9), Uttar Pradesh (2.6), Madhya Pradesh (2.4), Rajasthan (2.3). Only six states are still above the replacement level — Bihar, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Lowest: Delhi (1.2), then West Bengal and Tamil Nadu (1.3) and Maharashtra (1.4).
Rural vs urban: Rural TFR stays at 2.1 (replacement level), but urban TFR has fallen to 1.5 — showing that the fall is sharpest in cities.

2. Polity — Article 371K for Ladakh

Why in news: The Union Home Ministry has proposed introducing Article 371K for Ladakh, to give it an elected legislative body and special protections. This comes amid demands to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule.

Background: After Article 370 was read down in 2019, the former state of Jammu & Kashmir became two UTs — J&K (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without one). Over 90% of Ladakh's people are tribal, so there are demands to protect their land, culture and resources.
Article 371 & Article 371E: Article 371 (Part XXI, and its sub-clauses 371A–371J) gives special provisions to certain states. Article 371E provides for a Central University in Andhra Pradesh.

3. Environment — Project Cheetah at 4 years

Why in news: Project Cheetah completed four years, and India's cheetah population has reached 52 — of which 32 were born in India.

Key facts: Of the 52, about 49 are in Kuno National Park and 3 in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary — both in Madhya Pradesh. Project Cheetah began on 17 September 2022 (Ministry of Environment; NTCA is the nodal agency), bringing cheetahs from Namibia (2022), South Africa (2023) and Botswana.
Static GK: The Asiatic cheetah went extinct in India in 1952. Cheetah scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus (Asiatic = A. j. venaticus, Critically Endangered; African = A. j. jubatus, Vulnerable). The cheetah is one of the 7 big cats of the International Big Cat Alliance.

4. Biodiversity — New Species in the News

Why in news: Scientists discovered two new frog species in Mizoram and a new eel species off the Kerala coast.

Mizoram frogs: 'Ingerana aizawl' and 'Dattaphrynus phangpuii' were found in Mizoram (capital Aizawl; Phawngpui is the state's highest peak). The North-East is part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
Kerala eel: A new conger eel species, 'Ariosoma cmfriense', was found off the Kollam coast (Arabian Sea) by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI, an ICAR institute in Kochi).

5. Defence & Technology

Why in news: The DRDO successfully tested a Man-Portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (MPAUV) at the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam.

What it does: It is a small, man-portable underwater 'drone' that works autonomously (without human control) to detect underwater threats such as sea mines, using sonar (acoustic) technology. NSTL is a DRDO laboratory.

6. International

Why in news: The US Congress passed the 'Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026'. It still needs the US President's signature to become law.

What it allows: It lets the US President impose sanctions on Russia and Iran, and tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian energy — which could affect countries like India and China that buy Russian crude oil.
India–New Zealand FTA: The New Zealand Parliament passed the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (implementation) — a key step for it to take effect. The two aim to double bilateral trade to about USD 5 billion in five years. NZ PM: Christopher Luxon.
Artemis Accords: Djibouti became the 72nd country (and 8th African nation) to join the Artemis Accords — the US-led framework for peaceful, responsible space exploration (launched 2020; India joined in 2023).

7. Agriculture — India's First Soil Carbon Payments

Why in news: For the first time, India delivered soil carbon payments directly to farmers — over Rs 2.9 crore to 2,550 farmers in Punjab and Haryana via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), at an event at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Each farmer got about Rs 3,000-15,000 based on verified credits.

What are soil carbon credits: Farmers who use sustainable / 'regenerative' farming (e.g. natural/organic methods that cut emissions and store carbon in the soil) earn soil carbon credits, which can be sold. It was delivered under the 'ADI Farmer Carbon Program' (launched 2019 by Grow Indigo with ICAR).
ICAR: The payments were facilitated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) — HQ New Delhi, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare; DG M. L. Jat.

8. States in the News

Kerala — Hazard Perception Test: From December 2026, Kerala will become the first Indian state to make a computer-based Hazard Perception Test (HPT) mandatory for driving-licence applicants — it tests the ability to spot road hazards early, using simulated traffic.
Andhra Pradesh — SASCI funds: Under SASCI 2026-27 (Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment — 50-year interest-free loans from the Centre for asset creation), Andhra Pradesh is to get about Rs 8,226 crore. Nodal ministry: Finance.

9. Rankings, Awards & People

QS MBA Rankings 2027: Released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS, London). Top 3: MIT Sloan, Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB. In the global top 100 are three IIMs — IIM Bangalore (64), IIM Ahmedabad (~70), IIM Calcutta (95).
Asia's richest person: Per Bloomberg, Zhang Yiming — founder of ByteDance (TikTok's parent) — became Asia's richest person, with a net worth above USD 105 billion, overtaking Gautam Adani.
Arthur M. Bueche Award: Sethuraman Panchanathan won the 2026 Arthur M. Bueche Award of the US National Academy of Engineering — the first Indian-American to do so.

10. Sports Round-up

Abhishek Sharma — fastest T20I ton for India: Indian opener Abhishek Sharma scored the fastest T20 International century for India — in just 30 balls against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi — breaking Rohit Sharma's 35-ball record.
NADA lifetime ban: India's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) imposed a lifetime ban on athletics coach Rakesh Kumar for a doping violation. (NADA — set up 2005, New Delhi, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports; the global body is WADA, 1999, Montreal.)

Practice questions with answers

India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has fallen to 1.9. What is the 'replacement level' TFR?
1. 1.9
2. 2.1
3. 2.5
4. 3.0
Answer: (B) 2.1
Explanation: The replacement level is 2.1 — the TFR needed to keep a population stable across generations. India's 1.9 is below it. The data is from the Sample Registration System (SRS), released by the Registrar General & Census Commissioner (under the Ministry of Home Affairs).
With reference to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, consider the following statements:
1. It provides for Autonomous District Councils in certain tribal areas.
2. It currently applies to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
3. Ladakh is already included in the Sixth Schedule.
1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (A) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: Ladakh is NOT in the Sixth Schedule — there are demands to include it, and the Home Ministry has instead proposed Article 371K. The Sixth Schedule is under Article 244.
Under Project Cheetah, India's cheetah population has reached how many?
1. 32
2. 42
3. 52
4. 62
Answer: (C) 52
Explanation: India's cheetah population reached 52 (32 born in India), mostly at Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh). Project Cheetah began on 17 Sept 2022; the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) went extinct in India in 1952. NTCA is the nodal agency.
The two new frog species 'Ingerana aizawl' and 'Dattaphrynus phangpuii' were discovered in which state?
1. Meghalaya
2. Mizoram
3. Assam
4. Manipur
Answer: (B) Mizoram
Explanation: They were found in Mizoram (capital Aizawl), part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. India has 4 of the world's ~36 hotspots — Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats & Sri Lanka, and Sundaland.
Consider the following Assertion (A) and Reason (R):
Assertion (A): India delivered soil carbon payments to farmers for the first time.
Reason (R): Farmers earn soil carbon credits by using sustainable/regenerative farming that stores carbon in the soil.
1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
3. A is true, but R is false
4. A is false, but R is true
Answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: Both are true and R explains A. Over Rs 2.9 crore went via DBT to 2,500+ farmers in Punjab & Haryana, under the ADI Farmer Carbon Program, facilitated by ICAR (DG M. L. Jat) — because sustainable/regenerative practices store soil carbon, earning credits.
The 'Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026' — recently passed by the US Congress — allows tariffs of up to what level on the top buyers of Russian energy?
1. Up to 25%
2. Up to 50%
3. Up to 100%
4. Up to 150%
Answer: (C) Up to 100%
Explanation: It allows tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian energy, plus sanctions on Russia and Iran — potentially affecting buyers like India and China. It still needs the US President's signature to become law.
Match the item with its correct detail:
List I List II
A. Artemis Accords — 72nd country 1. Abhishek Sharma
B. Fastest T20I ton for India 2. Djibouti
C. QS MBA Rankings 2027 — No. 1 3. Zhang Yiming
D. Asia's richest person 4. MIT Sloan
1. A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
2. A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
3. A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
4. A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
Answer: (A) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
Explanation: Djibouti is the 72nd Artemis Accords country; Abhishek Sharma hit the fastest T20I century for India (30 balls); MIT Sloan topped the QS MBA Rankings 2027; Zhang Yiming (ByteDance) is Asia's richest. Hence A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3.
Which state is set to become the first in India to make a Hazard Perception Test (HPT) mandatory for driving licences (from December 2026)?
1. Tamil Nadu
2. Kerala
3. Karnataka
4. Gujarat
Answer: (B) Kerala
Explanation: Kerala will be the first state to make a computer-based Hazard Perception Test mandatory for licence applicants (from December 2026), testing the ability to spot road hazards using simulated traffic. The Motor Vehicles Act is of 1988.

తెలుగులో సారాంశం (Telugu summary)

డైలీ కరెంట్ అఫైర్స్ — 18 సెప్టెంబర్ 2026

భారత సంతానోత్పత్తి రేటు 1.9కి (SRS); లడఖ్‌కు ఆర్టికల్ 371K ప్రతిపాదన; ప్రాజెక్ట్ చీతా 4 ఏళ్లు (52 చీతాలు); కొత్త కప్ప & ఈల్ జాతులు; DRDO నీటి అడుగు వాహనం (MPAUV); లిండ్సే గ్రాహం రష్యా–ఇరాన్ ఆంక్షల చట్టం; భారత తొలి నేల కార్బన్ చెల్లింపులు; ఇండియా–NZ FTA & ఆర్టెమిస్ అకార్డ్స్‌లో జిబౌటీ; QS MBA ర్యాంకింగ్స్ 2027; భారత్ ఫాస్టెస్ట్ T20I శతకం అభిషేక్ శర్మ.

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