Daily Current Affairs – 10-02-2026

Tamil Nadu News

CM Launches Expansion of Chief Minister’s Food Scheme for Sanitation Workers

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the expansion of the Chief Minister’s Food Scheme at Polivakkam Panchayat in Thiruvallur district, extending the scheme to 1.30 lakh sanitation workers working in 25 Corporations, 145 Municipalities, and 479 Town Panchayats across Tamil Nadu. The scheme, first launched for sanitation workers in the Chennai Corporation on November 15, 2023 by the Municipal Administration Department, now provides daily hygienic and hot meals to sanitation workers in all urban local bodies. An annual allocation of ₹213.93 crore has been earmarked for this initiative, making Tamil Nadu the first state in India to implement a government-led daily meal scheme for sanitation workers. During the launch, food containers with thermal insulated bags were distributed to sanitation workers from Avadi Corporation, Thiruvallur Municipality, and Thirumazhisai Town Panchayat, along with welfare assistance including subsidized loans for self-employment, educational scholarships for children, and financial assistance to the legal heirs of sanitation workers who died during service.

Indian Library Conference in Chennai on February 16–17

The fourth edition of the Indian Library Conference will be held at the Anna Centenary Library, Chennai, on February 16 and 17. The conference is organised by the Indian Library Congress and is aimed at strengthening libraries, particularly in socially and economically backward areas. Around 500 delegates from various fields across India are expected to participate in the conference. The event will be attended by School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh, Members of Parliament Kanimozhi, Su. Venkatesan, Salma, and R. Girirajan, along with Justice K. Chandru and former Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu.

National News

New Draft Income Tax Rules: PAN Quoting Limits Revised

Under the new draft Income Tax Rules issued in connection with the Income Tax Act, 2025, which will replace the Income Tax Act, 1961 from April 1, the limits for mandatory quoting of PAN (Permanent Account Number) have been revised. As per the draft rules, quoting PAN is compulsory if an individual deposits or withdraws ₹10 lakh or more in cash in a financial year across one or more bank accounts, replacing the existing requirement of quoting PAN for cash deposits above ₹50,000 in a single day. The draft rules also mandate quoting PAN for the purchase of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, priced above ₹5 lakh, whereas earlier PAN was not required for two-wheelers. Further, PAN must be quoted if hotel or restaurant bills exceed ₹1 lakh at marriage halls, exhibition centres, or banquet halls, increasing the earlier limit of ₹50,000. In the case of immovable property transactions, including purchase, sale, gift, or joint development agreements, quoting PAN is mandatory if the total value exceeds ₹20 lakh, revised upward from the previous threshold of ₹10 lakh. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has stated that public feedback on the draft rules and simplified income tax forms will be reviewed before issuing the final notification.

Gujarat Government Signs MoU with Starlink for Satellite Internet

Gujarat State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Starlink, the satellite internet service company owned by Elon Musk, at Gandhinagar. The agreement aims to extend high-speed internet connectivity to remote and underserved areas of the state, with priority given to border regions, hilly areas, and tribal villages. Under the project, government schools, primary health centres, district disaster management centres, and public service centres will be connected to improve access to education, healthcare, and online government services. The service will also be used in ports and coastal areas to enhance maritime communication and strengthen coastal security operations. For effective implementation, a joint committee comprising officials from the Gujarat Government and representatives of Starlink will be formed, as stated by Bhupendra Patel.

New Crab Species Discovered in Lakshadweep

Scientists reported the discovery of a new crab species from Agatti Island, one of the 10 inhabited islands of Lakshadweep, located in the coral reef ecosystem. The crab, measuring about 3 mm, belongs to the genus Galathea, commonly known as squat lobsters, and has been named Galathea balasubramanianii in honour of T. Balasubramanian, former Director and Dean, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, for his contributions to marine biology. The research was conducted by scientists of the ICAR–National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), under the guidance of T. T. Ajith Kumar, with research scholar Surendran carrying out the study. The new species was confirmed through morphological comparison and DNA analysis, published in the international taxonomy journal Zootaxa, and the specimen has been preserved at the National Aquatic Organism Repository, NBFGR, Lucknow.

Moody’s Projects India’s Economic Growth in FY 2027

According to Moody’s Ratings, India is projected to record 6.4% real GDP growth in the 2027 financial year (FY27) and remain the fastest-growing economy among G20 countries, as stated in its banking system outlook report released on February 9. The projection highlights domestic consumption and policy support as key drivers, with GST rate cuts implemented in September 2025 and an increase in personal income tax thresholds supporting consumption-led growth. The report notes that household spending, aided by rising incomes, rapid urbanisation, and a young workforce, will remain a major growth driver, while government-led initiatives in infrastructure, industrial expansion, and affordable housing are expected to boost investment. In the banking sector, asset quality is expected to remain strong, despite some stress among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with banks having sufficient buffers to absorb losses. Overall bank credit growth is projected to rise to 11–13% in FY27, compared to 10.6% in FY26, and corporate loan quality is expected to remain healthy due to strong balance sheets and improved profitability of large companies.

International News

Indian Army Provides Military Utility Vehicles to Nepal

On February 9, the Indian Army handed over 50 military utility vehicles to the Nepal Army as part of defence cooperation between the two countries. The vehicles were formally transferred during an event held at the India–Nepal border, with the official handover scheduled in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, through the Indian Ambassador. In a related development, a contingent of the Indian Army is also providing training at a military training school in Myanmar, where Myanmar military personnel are being trained in handling small arms, use of military computers, field training, and technical maintenance of weapons.

India Announces Development Assistance for Seychelles

India announced a ₹1,587 crore (175 million US dollars) development fund for Seychelles following discussions held in New Delhi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie, who is on a six-day official visit to India. The assistance is intended for development-related purposes in Seychelles and forms part of India–Seychelles bilateral cooperation, with the funding allocation officially announced during the high-level meeting in the national capital.

India–Greece Five-Year Road Map for Defence Cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with Greece’s Minister of National Defence Nikolaos-Georgios Dendias under the India–Greece Strategic Partnership, focusing on strengthening defence industrial cooperation. A Joint Declaration of Intent was signed to launch a five-year road map to deepen cooperation, and the two sides exchanged the Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026, outlining future military engagements between the armed forces. The meeting aligned India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative with Greece’s defence reforms under ‘Agenda 2030’ to expand indigenous defence industry capacities. The discussions also covered regional peace and security and highlighted convergence on maritime issues. Greece announced the deployment of a Greek International Liaison Officer at the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), Gurugram, to enhance maritime cooperation.

Sports News

India’s Medal Performance at Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship

Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship, India’s Manu Bhaker won the silver medal and Esha Singh secured the bronze medal in the women’s 25 metre pistol event. In the final held on the sixth day of the competition, Manu Bhaker tied with Vietnam’s Thuy Trang Nguyen at 35 points, with Nguyen winning the gold medal after a shoot-off. Esha Singh finished with 30 points, earning her third medal of the tournament, having already won two gold medals in the 10 metre air pistol event. In the same event, Rhythm Sangwan finished fourth, and the Indian women’s team comprising Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan won the team gold with 1,751 points. In the junior women’s 25 metre pistol event, Naamya Kapoor won gold, Anjali Mahendra Bhagwat won bronze, and along with Parisha Gupta, the Indian junior team secured gold with 1,723 points. With these results, India has won a total of 59 medals at the championship, including 34 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Tamil Nadu Wins Overall Title at National Masters Athletics Championship

Tamil Nadu won the overall championship title at the National Masters Athletics Championship held in Kerala, with the national-level events conducted at Thiruvananthapuram. Athletes were selected for the national competition through state-level trials held at Karaikudi by the Tamil Nadu Masters Athletic Association, where top three finishers qualified. A total of 645 athletes represented Tamil Nadu at the national event and won medals across categories. In the men’s category, Tamil Nadu secured 109 gold, 79 silver, and 84 bronze medals totaling 272 medals, while in the women’s category, the team won 55 gold, 53 silver, and 45 bronze medals totaling 153 medals, taking the team championship titles. With an aggregate of 425 medals, Tamil Nadu emerged as the overall champion, and athletes finishing in the top six positions qualified to represent India at the World Masters Athletics Championships.

Economy News

RBI Raises Collateral-Free Loan Limit for MSMEs

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced revised guidelines increasing the collateral-free loan limit for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh, with effect from April 1, 2026. The decision, indicated earlier during the monetary policy review meeting held on February 6, aims to strengthen last-mile credit delivery, improve financial inclusion, and encourage formal borrowing among MSMEs with limited assets. The move also complements the ₹10,000 crore MSME Growth Fund announced in Budget 2027. The RBI has advised lenders to adopt cash-flow-based credit assessment using digital and GST-linked data instead of relying only on traditional collateral-based models. MSMEs contribute about 30% to India’s GDP, provide employment to over 11 crore people, and account for more than 40% of total exports, making the sector critical to the economy.

Marico Acquires Majority Stake in Vietnam’s Skinetiq

Marico Limited, an Indian FMCG company, announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Marico South-East Asia Corporation will acquire 75% equity stake in Skinetiq Joint Stock Company, a Vietnam-based direct-to-consumer skincare company, valuing the firm at about ₹350 crore. Through this acquisition, Marico gains control of Skinetiq’s digital-first skincare brand ‘Candid’ and obtains exclusive distribution rights for the luxury clinical skincare brand ‘Murad’ in Vietnam. Skinetiq, founded in 2020 by Bui Ngoc Anh and Hannah Nguyen, recorded revenues of ₹152 crore in 2025. The acquisition strengthens Marico’s international operations, which contribute 25% of total revenue, and aligns with its expansion in the Vietnamese beauty and skincare market. Marico reported revenues of ₹10,800 crore in FY 2025, and its product portfolio includes Parachute, Saffola, and Beardo.

Personalities, Awards and Events

R. Vijay Anandh Appointed MD & CEO of City Union Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of R. Vijay Anandh, who is currently the Executive Director, as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of City Union Bank. The appointment will take effect from May 1 and will be for a tenure of three years, as announced by City Union Bank in Chennai.