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Retail inflation inches up to 3.4% in March
Retail inflation in India, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose marginally to 3.4% in March 2026 from 3.21% in February. This uptick was primarily driven by rising food prices and geopolitical disruptions stemming from the ongoing West Asia crisis.
![Illustration about International Relations: The U.S. Central Command ([CENTCOM]) has announced a naval blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-13%2Fus-military-says-it-will-start-blockade-of-all-ships-going-to-and-from-iran-on-monday-64c5cd92.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadU.S. military says it will start blockade of all ships going to and from Iran on Monday
The U.S. Central Command ([CENTCOM]) has announced a naval blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports in the [Arabian Gulf] and [Gulf of Oman].
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Polity & Governance: Parliament is expected to take up amendments to operationalize the [Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023], commonly](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-13%2Fthe-many-constitutional-questions-around-womens-reservation-act-9937e395.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadThe many constitutional questions around Women’s Reservation Act
Parliament is expected to take up amendments to operationalize the [Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023], commonly known as the [Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam], mandating a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. Originally tied to the completion of the next Census, the government is now exploring a pragmatic approach to bypass delays: utilizing the 2011 Census data and a proportional formula to increase the overall size of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats.
Read on Indian Express · +1 sourceDive Into Study Notes
IMD forecasts below-average monsoon rains for 2026 amid El Nino concerns
In April 2026, the [India Meteorological Department] projected a 'below normal' southwest monsoon, estimating seasonal rainfall at 92% of the [Long Period Average]. This pessimistic forecast is primarily driven by emerging [El Nino] conditions, which historically disrupt and weaken India's precipitation patterns.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study NotesSC seeks Centre’s response on plea over MSP linked to cost of cultivation
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre and the CACP regarding a public interest plea demanding that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) be calculated based on the comprehensive cost of cultivation (C2). The petition links inadequate crop pricing to widespread farmer suicides and argues that current procurement policies artificially depress demand for alternative crops like millets.
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Must Read‘Parliament making history’: PM Modi says special session to end decades of wait for women’s reservation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a special parliamentary session (April 16-18) to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, officially the [106th Constitutional Amendment Act]. The amendment aims to delink women's reservation from the delayed census, instead removing the census-linked contingency to ensure implementation by the 2029 elections (specific data year not mentioned in source).
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadTourism and trade: On the Great Nicobar mega-infrastructure project
The Union government is pushing forward with the ₹92,000 crore holistic development project for Great Nicobar Island, which includes an International Container Transhipment Port, an airport, and a tourism-led economy. The administration's draft master plan envisions massive demographic expansion, sparking severe concerns over the irreversible ecological impact and the displacement of indigenous tribal communities.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadDelimitation, and not women’s reservation, is the issue
In April 2026, a major political dispute erupted over the Central government's proposal to call a special session of Parliament to fast-track the implementation of women's reservation. The government plans to amend the Constitution to conduct the necessary delimitation using the 2011 Census, rather than waiting for the post-2026 Census data.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes
ImportantAshok Gulati writes: To ensure food security amid war clouds, goverment must reform fertiliser policy
Amid escalating geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, global supply chains for chemical fertilisers and natural gas have faced severe disruptions, causing import prices to soar. This editorial by agricultural economist Ashok Gulati argues that India must urgently reform its fertiliser pricing and distribution policies—through rationing or cash transfers—to ensure food security, curb a ballooning subsidy bill, and prevent environmental degradation.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadAs Centre seeks tighter control over online content, why it may lead to pre-censorship
The Union Government is proposing amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules to expand its regulatory oversight over individual digital news creators and user-generated current affairs content. Critics and tech industry insiders argue that these proposals mirror the withdrawn Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, and could fundamentally alter India's digital public square by imposing publisher-style compliance on ordinary citizens.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
ImportantWhy energy shock from Iran war has not spread to food
The article analyzes why the recent global energy shock caused by Middle Eastern geopolitical conflict has not yet triggered a spike in global food prices, unlike the crises of 2008 and 2022. It attributes current food price stability to record global reserves of cereals and oilseeds that act as a buffer.
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Must ReadSmriti Irani on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: Closing the representation gap
Despite significant economic and educational strides, women remain severely underrepresented in India's apex legislative bodies, making up only 13.6% of the 18th Lok Sabha. Former Union Minister Smriti Irani highlights this democratic deficit and argues that the momentum generated by the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam must be sustained through timely execution to achieve true political equity.
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ImportantAfter failure of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, picking up the pieces
High-level peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad, aimed at translating a recent ceasefire into a lasting regional peace, have collapsed without a resolution. The failure of these negotiations heightens the risk of a broader Middle Eastern conflict and threatens India's energy security and economic stability.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadWhat’s Keytruda, why is it a big deal in India’s cancer fight
Merck's Keytruda, a leading cancer immunotherapy drug, is seeing a surge in counterfeit markets in India due to its prohibitive cost of over Rs 3 lakh per month. Although the Indian government previously exempted it from basic customs duty to improve affordability, the overarching challenge of rising cancer incidence and patent monopolies underscores the need for indigenous healthcare solutions.
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Must ReadUS to blockade Iran’s ports from Monday, Iran threatens ‘severe’ response: Why the strategy reversal
The United States has announced a recalibrated naval blockade targeting Iranian oil shipments through the [Strait of Hormuz] to cut off Tehran's war financing. This strategic shift raises fears of a complete closure of the strait by Iran, threatening global oil supplies and signaling a shift in traditional American commitments to maritime security.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
ImportantAre biomass stoves a cleaner, cheaper alternative to LPG?
Due to rising LPG costs and supply constraints, many rural households are reverting to traditional firewood for cooking. This shift highlights the limitations of purely LPG-based energy transitions and brings renewed focus to modern biomass stoves (Improved Cookstoves) as a pragmatic, cleaner, and more affordable alternative.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes
Must ReadNoida workers’ protest: Why anger has been simmering in industrial belts in many cities
In early 2026, widespread protests erupted across major Indian industrial hubs, including Noida, Manesar, and Surat, as contract and industrial workers demanded higher minimum wages and better working conditions. The unrest was triggered by unmet expectations following the implementation of the new Labour Codes, and was heavily exacerbated by a severe cost-of-living crisis driven by soaring energy and LPG prices.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes
ImportantAre biomass stoves a cleaner, cheaper alternative to LPG?
Due to rising LPG costs and affordability constraints, many rural households are reverting to traditional firewood, threatening recent gains in clean cooking. To mitigate the severe health risks, pollution, and gendered drudgery of old mud stoves, modern Improved Cookstoves (ICS) are being highlighted as a cost-effective alternative that cuts fuel consumption by two-thirds and drastically reduces smoke.
![Illustration about Economy: The Haryana government recently mandated [Aadhaar]-based biometric verification and geofencing for agricultural procurem](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-13%2Fwhy-farmers-in-haryana-are-protesting-against-biometric-verification-in-mandis-01788c66.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadWhy farmers in Haryana are protesting against biometric verification in mandis
The Haryana government recently mandated [Aadhaar]-based biometric verification and geofencing for agricultural procurement in state mandis to curb corruption following a massive paddy scam. However, farmer unions like the [Samyukt Kisan Morcha] are aggressively protesting these technological mandates, arguing they create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, cause immense harassment, and unfairly treat legitimate farmers with suspicion.
Read on Indian ExpressDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Polity & Governance: The [Election Commission of India] (ECI) recently conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Wes](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-04-13%2Factivists-flag-sir-deletions-in-bengal-those-excluded-may-see-rights-diluted-75a25730.png&w=1200&q=75)
ImportantActivists flag SIR deletions in Bengal: ‘Those excluded may see rights diluted’
The [Election Commission of India] (ECI) recently conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections, resulting in the deletion of approximately 90 lakh names. Activists and political leaders have sharply criticized these massive deletions, alleging it is a targeted exercise to disenfranchise legitimate voters, particularly minorities.
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