Daily Current Affairs – 13-08-2026

Environment News

Mullaperiyar Dam Strengthening Issue

The Mullaperiyar Dam, constructed across the Periyar River in Idukki district, Kerala, is a 131-year-old masonry dam. Although located in Kerala, it is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu under the 1886 lease agreement. On 7 May 2014, the Supreme Court Constitution Bench held the dam structurally safe and permitted Tamil Nadu to raise the water level from 136 feet to 142 feet. The Court had earlier, in 2006, permitted raising the level to 152 feet after completion of strengthening works. Tamil Nadu has sought cooperation for strengthening the Baby Dam, earth dam and main dam, including permission for tree felling and transportation of construction materials and machinery. The issue is related to the implementation of Supreme Court directions and the structural strengthening of the Mullaperiyar Dam.

Kabini Reservoir Disrupts Elephant Migration Routes

An ecological reconnaissance party conducted a study in 1975 to map wildlife concentration areas and examine environmental factors affecting wildlife in South India. The study covered the proposed Jawahar National Park, spread over about 2,000 sq. km, comprising Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks in Karnataka, Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala. The study found that the Kabini Reservoir and encroachments in the Pulpally vested forest of Kerala had reduced wildlife habitat and divided the habitat into two parts, disrupting several traditional elephant migration routes. The report emphasised the need to conserve the traditional elephant habitats of South India.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Chennai Woman Reaches Everest Base Camp

K. Jayalakshmi, aged 58, from Chennai, became the first woman with a disability from Tamil Nadu to reach Mount Everest Base Camp in April 2026. She has a minimum 40% disability due to polio affecting her right leg. The 14-day trek to Everest Base Camp was completed on 14 April 2026. Jayalakshmi works as a Higher Grade Assistant at the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and is also an emcee who has hosted more than 2,000 events. She has regularly participated in calisthenics, strength training, trekking and mountaineering activities, including treks to Parvathamalai, Vagamon, Gandikota and Puligundu. She undertook the Everest Base Camp expedition with Muthamilselvi, recognised as Tamil Nadu’s first woman to summit Mount Everest and a climber who has reached the highest peaks of all seven continents.

Economy News

India and BRICS De-dollarisation Agenda

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, headed by Shashi Tharoor, examined India’s approach to de-dollarisation at the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi in September 2026. India assumed the BRICS chairmanship on 1 January 2026 and will hold the rotating chair until the end of 2026. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has advocated linking the official digital currencies of BRICS countries to facilitate cross-border trade and tourism payments and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar. The committee also examined India’s efforts to promote local currency trade mechanisms, including with Russia, and the broader objective of strengthening financial sovereignty among BRICS countries.

July 2026 Retail Inflation

India’s retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 4.45% in July 2026, the highest level in 19 months, mainly due to higher food and fuel prices. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the CPI data. Inflation in the food and beverages category increased from 5.05% in June to 5.2% in July 2026. Inflation in restaurants and accommodation services rose to 7.7%, while transport inflation increased to 4.4%. Inflation in the health category declined to 1.3%, and inflation in recreation, sport and culture fell to 1.6%. The CPI series was updated in 2026 with 2024 as the new base year. Sector-wise CPI data under the new series is available from January 2026.

Sports News

Praggnanandhaa Wins at Sinquefield Cup

Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa defeated Javokhir Sindarov in the second round of the 2026 Sinquefield Cup, held in St. Louis, USA, recording his first win in the tournament. The Sinquefield Cup is a major event of the Grand Chess Tour. After two rounds, Praggnanandhaa had 1.5 points and shared the lead with Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Wesley So. The tournament has a total prize fund of $475,000, with seven rounds remaining at this stage. Other second-round winners were Levon Aronian over Vincent Keymer, Wesley So over Jorden van Foreest and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave over Savian Samuel.

Tamil Nadu News

Possible Sangam-age Irrigation Structure in Tiruchi

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) identified brick remains on the Kollidam riverbed at Koogur near Lalgudi in Tiruchi district, close to the ancient Kallanai (Grand Anicut). The remains, found at two locations about 500 metres south of the Moongil Karuppar Temple, include a semi-circular brick wall and a submerged structure with two parallel walls. The construction may represent an ancient water-management structure, such as a sluice or inlet/outlet channel, and has been provisionally associated with the early historic or Sangam period, possibly the 3rd–4th century CE. The bricks were rectangular and wedge-shaped and were comparable to the water-management structure found at Vanagiri near Kaveripattinam (Poompuhar). The structures were inspected by an ASI team led by P. Aravazhi, Superintending Archaeologist (in-charge), ASI Tiruchi Circle. The exact date of the remains can be established only through systematic excavation and scientific dating.

TNPDCL Plans Smart Meter Installation in Chennai

The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) plans to install smart meters for 50 lakh domestic and commercial consumers in Chennai as announced in the Tamil Nadu Budget 2026–27. The earlier proposal for a State-wide smart meter rollout was shelved due to its high cost. Existing static digital meters can store electricity consumption data for up to one year and may be upgraded to smart meters by adding connectivity devices such as SIM cards, enabling automatic transmission of consumption data. Smart meters also support automatic disconnection and reconnection of electricity supply. TNPDCL is planning to implement the smart meter project in Chennai through tenders.

Welfare Scheme Renaming in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has a history of renaming welfare schemes, government buildings and public places following changes in government. Under the present TVK-led Tamil Nadu Government, several schemes have been renamed, including the Free Laptop Distribution Scheme as the Vetri Laptop Scheme, Kalaignar Kanavu Illam Scheme as the Vetri Veedu Scheme, and the Free Distribution of Goats/Sheep Scheme, introduced by the AIADMK Government in 2011, as the Vetri Magalir Goat Rearing Scheme. The Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT) scheme of the previous DMK Government is proposed to be renamed the Madhippumigu Magalir Thittam. Historically, after the DMK came to power in 1967, the names of leaders such as C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi were used for public schemes and institutions. After M.G. Ramachandran became Chief Minister in 1977, a policy was adopted against naming public buildings after living personalities, following which Kalaignar Karunanidhi Nagar in Madurai was renamed K.K. Nagar. In 1991, J. Jayalalithaa renamed the Anjugam Ammaiyar Memorial Inter-Caste Marriage Assistance Scheme as the Tamil Nadu Inter-Caste Marriage Assistance Scheme and introduced V, VV, J and JJ symbols on Chennai bus routes, which were later removed. In 2011, the Kalaignar Health Insurance Scheme was renamed the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme of the previous DMK Government has also been renamed after former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. These examples are relevant to Tamil Nadu’s political and welfare-scheme history.

Science and Technology News

India’s First Branded Train

India’s first private branded train, the Lucknow–Delhi–Lucknow Tejas Express, operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will be operated as the ‘Sprite’ Tejas Express for six months under a train-branding advertisement agreement. The train operates as Train No. 82501/82502 between Lucknow and Delhi. It was flagged off by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 3 December 2021 and is India’s first private train operated by IRCTC. The fully air-conditioned Tejas Express provides food, beverage and infotainment services, and allows group booking of an entire AC Chair Car coach with 78 seats. Although operated as a private train, IRCTC pays hauling charges to Indian Railways for using railway infrastructure such as tracks and stations.

States’ News

Rajya Sabha Passes Kerala Name Change Bill

The Rajya Sabha passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The Kerala Bill seeks to change the official name of the State from Kerala to Keralam, following a resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2024 requesting the change. Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs, participated in the debate on the Bill. The NCDC (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to expand the functions of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) by enabling it to provide loans and grants directly to cooperative societies.

Women’s Representation in Karnataka Politics

The Karnataka Legislature’s Monsoon Session began on August 13, 2026, with no woman in the State Cabinet. D.K. Shivakumar is the Chief Minister of Karnataka, and the Cabinet has 33 members. The Congress government in Karnataka has implemented women-focused schemes such as Gruha Lakshmi, which provides ₹2,000 per month to eligible women heads of households, and Shakti, which provides free bus travel for women in State-run transport services. The final electoral rolls before the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election showed that women voters outnumbered men in 17 of the 34 electoral divisions. In the 2023 Assembly election, 185 women contested among 2,613 candidates, and 10 women were elected, accounting for about 4.5% of the Assembly strength. Karnataka is also a pioneer in providing 50% reservation for women in local bodies. At the national level, the Congress has supported 33% reservation for women in legislative bodies. The issue of women’s political representation remains significant in Karnataka despite the State’s relatively high level of women’s participation in local governance.

National News

Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, 2026

The Lok Sabha passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. The Bill prevents State governments from imposing additional taxes, cesses or levies on mineral rights and provides greater regulatory powers to the Central Government over mineral-rich areas. The Bill was introduced by G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Coal and Mines. The legislation aims to create greater uniformity in the fiscal framework for the mining sector and support domestic mineral supply chains.

FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for examination. The Bill proposes changes to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Under the proposed provisions, an organisation may lose its registration if renewal is refused, renewal is not applied for, or renewal is not granted before the existing certificate expires. Its foreign contribution and assets created from such funds may then be transferred to a government-designated authority. The Bill also provides for an appeal to a District Judge regarding the handling of such property, while the refusal of renewal is not subject to appeal under the proposed provisions. The FCRA amendments of 2020 had prohibited the transfer of foreign contributions from one registered organisation to another and reduced the permissible administrative expenditure from 50% to 20% of foreign contributions.

Food Security and Nutrition Reform in India

India’s food-security policy is being reconsidered through the Draft National Food Security (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes linking Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) foodgrain entitlement to household size. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, Priority Households receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month, while AAY households receive 35 kg per household per month. The draft proposes 7 kg per person, subject to a maximum of 35 kg. The NFSA permits coverage of up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population, while the current beneficiary ceiling of 81.35 crore is based on the 2011 Census. The 2027 Census is expected to provide the basis for revising this coverage. The NFHS-6 (2023-24) reported a decline in stunting among children below five years from 35.5% to 29.3%. The ICMR-NIN 2024 dietary guidelines recommend that cereals and millets contribute not more than 45% of total energy, with greater emphasis on pulses, milk, nuts, vegetables, fruits and other protein sources. The ICMR-INDIAB study estimated that in 2021 India had about 101 million people with diabetes and 136 million with prediabetes. Important food and nutrition programmes include the Public Distribution System (PDS), Anganwadi Services and Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN). By the end of 2025, about 5.50 lakh of 5.51 lakh Fair Price Shops were equipped with electronic point-of-sale devices, and the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) system covered nearly all NFSA beneficiaries. As of June 2026, India had more than 1.86 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, with 41.3 crore diabetes screenings recorded by government data. The 2026-27 Union Budget allocated ₹2,27,629 crore for food subsidy.

Rajya Sabha Passes Kerala Name and NCDC Bills

The Rajya Sabha passed the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The Kerala Bill seeks to change the official name of the State from Kerala to Keralam, following a 2024 resolution of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs, was associated with the Bill’s consideration in the Rajya Sabha. The NCDC Amendment Bill, 2026 expands the mandate of the National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC) to provide loans and grants directly to cooperative societies.

NCSC to Review De-reservation Proposals

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has decided to comprehensively review all de-reservation proposals received from the Central Government during the last three years, particularly those relating to promotion vacancies. De-reservation means filling a reserved vacancy as an unreserved vacancy and is permitted only in exceptional circumstances. Under Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) rules, de-reservation is generally prohibited, with limited exceptions for Group ‘A’ direct recruitment vacancies that cannot remain vacant in public interest. Such proposals are examined by the concerned National Commission for SCs, STs or OBCs, followed by the Committee of Secretaries, DoPT and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment before the final decision. The DoPT has increased the time given to the SC and ST Commissions to raise objections to de-reservation proposals from two weeks to one month. At its Full Commission meeting on June 4, 2026, the NCSC decided to undertake a comprehensive review to strengthen the implementation of the reservation policy.

Women’s Electoral Participation in India

India’s first general election was held in 1951–52, with the Election Commission of India undertaking the registration of eligible voters, including women. During the preparation of the electoral rolls, around 2.8 million women were initially excluded because they did not register under their own names. Women’s participation in elections increased over the following decades, and the gender gap in voter turnout had narrowed significantly by 2019. The recent protests at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, also highlighted concerns regarding the online disclosure of personal information of women protesters, known as doxxing. India will observe its 79th Independence Day on 15 August 2026.