Current Affairs – 15 September 2026. Daily Important News Compiled from official public sources, for preparation of UPSC, SSC, RRB, UPSSSC competitive exams.
Economy
UPI payments of up to 2,000 rupees to remain free of bank charges
The government has announced that banks cannot impose any charges on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions of up to 2,000 rupees on 15 September 2026.
- According to a government gazette notification no charges can be imposed on such 2,000 rupees payments made through RuPay-powered debit cards either.
- The notification said no bank or system provider can impose any direct or indirect charge on a person making or receiving payments through these modes.
- The Finance Ministry notified the changes under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act to clarify the rules around charges on UPI transactions.
- The notification specifically categorised RuPay-powered debit cards and UPI transactions of up to 2,000 rupees as “electronic modes of payment”.
India’s WPI based inflation rises to 9.92 % in August
India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation rose marginally to 9.92 per cent in August, from 9.78 per cent in July, on an annual basis on 14 September 2026.
India’s retail inflation accelerates to 4.82 % in August
India’s retail inflation accelerated to 4.82 per cent in August on an annual basis, remaining above the Reserve Bank of India’s target of four per cent for the third consecutive month this year on 14 September 2026.
- The August inflation reading was higher than the 4.45 per cent recorded in July as food prices remained elevated.
- According to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, inflation in rural areas increased to 5.23 per cent, while in urban regions it rose to 4.31 per cent.
- The food inflation rate, based on the All India Consumer Food Price Index, stood at 5.95 per cent last month, up from 5.52 per cent in the preceding month.
- According to the data, the increase in inflation during the last month was mainly attributed to rising prices in personal care, social protection, restaurants and accommodation services, food, beverages and intoxicants.
Environment
World Circular Economy Forum 2026 to begin today at Gandhinagar in Gujarat
The prestigious ‘World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026’ is set to begin today at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
- The conference which is being held for the first time in South Asia, will be jointly inaugurated by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
National
NHAI to Upgrade 1033 Highway Helpline with AI, Real-Time Tracking
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to modernise its 1033 National Highway Helpline with artificial intelligence, real-time location tracking and smart emergency-response systems to provide faster assistance to highway users across the country on 14 September 2026.
- The proposed Next Generation 1033 Helpline is aimed at improving emergency response during medical emergencies, vehicle breakdowns and other highway-related incidents.
- The upgraded system will be designed to identify a caller’s location in real time, process calls in multiple Indian languages and facilitate quicker deployment of emergency services.
- While technology will play a greater role in the new system, human operators will continue to remain central to the response mechanism, particularly in situations requiring judgement and decision-making.
- Introduced in 2018, the 1033 helpline operates round the clock and currently covers more than 1.46 lakh kilometres of National Highways.
India’s Data Centre Capacity Surges to 1.57 GW, Set to Reach 8 GW by 2030
The capacity is projected to rise further to nearly 8 GW by 2030, reflecting the growing need for computing power, data storage and high-speed connectivity as digital services, cloud computing and Artificial Intelligence expand across sectors.
- The government has been strengthening the policy ecosystem for the sector through infrastructure status, fiscal incentives, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing initiatives, as well as measures to promote cleaner energy and resource-efficient operations.
- Data centres are secure facilities that house computing, storage and networking infrastructure required to process and manage large volumes of digital information.
- They form the backbone of several everyday services, including online banking, digital payments, e-Governance, cloud computing and emerging AI applications.
- A modern data centre brings together servers, storage systems, networking equipment, power infrastructure, cooling systems and security mechanisms to ensure reliable and uninterrupted digital services.
Polity
Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 2026 to come into force from 1st October 2026
The Government has consistently pursued reforms to strengthen the banking and financial sector, promote ease of doing business and modernise the legal and regulatory framework in line with the evolving needs of the economy on 14 September 2026.
- With banking practices and technology evolving rapidly, laws governing banking records also need to keep pace with these changes.
- The Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 2026 , which received the assent of the President on 13th August 2026 , replaces the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891 and provides for a modern framework for the use of banking records as evidence in line with contemporary banking practices.
- The notification dated 10th September 2026 (Gazette Notification link attached below) appoints 1st October 2026 as the date on which the provisions of the Act will come into force.
- The Act adopts a technology-neutral approach by recognising banking records maintained in physical, electronic, digital, virtual, cloud-based and other contemporary forms .