TAMILNADU

TheUnion territoryofPuducherryhas become the second state afterTamil Naduin the country to launch an online integrated temple management system (ITMS), connecting all the 243 temples and mutts in the territory.

The system will enable devotees, who are presently not permitted to visit any temples due to lockdown measures imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 infection, to register for pujas and have darshans online.

The system will help in identifying and preserving the architectural values of the temples and religious institutions. People can view the renovation and repair works in the temples using the system and those interested can also participate in the works.

The signing of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) by more than 120 countries in 1979 was a move to change that.

India too has made some moves in that direction. In 1993, a provision was introduced in the Indian Administrative Service (Probation Service) 1954, stating that maternity leave during probation period shall not affect seniority.

States such asKeralahave tweaked rules in favour of women. As per Rule 6(g) of the Kerala state subordinate service rules, 1958, for instance, a woman on maternity leave during her probation is declared to be on duty.

In 2000, theSupreme Courtdirected theNew Delhi Corporationnot to deny maternity leave to muster roll women employees. Based on the judgment, in 2011, theMaduraibench of the Madras in the L Kannaki vs Secretary to government animal husbandry and Fisheries department, directed the state authority not to deny maternity leave and EMPLOYMENT to a woman casual labourer and to regularise her service.

Nadu, one of the States hit hard by COVID-19, has created a record in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural EMPLOYMENT Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the just-concluded financial year (2020-21).

After four years, the number of person days generated in the State crossed the 30-crore-mark. It stood at 33.4 crore person days. For 2020-21, the Centre had fixed a target of 27 crore person days for the State. Later, it revised the target to 32 crore person days. This is a record for the State as the number of days of employment remained at 100 last year, points out an official of the State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.

When the generation of person days exceeded the 30-crore-mark last time, around 39.6 crore in 2016-17, the number of days of employment was increased to 150.

The forest department has deployed 64 temporary fire watchers and 69 anti-poaching watchers to preventforest fireinPollachiforest division in theAnaimalai Tiger Reserve(ATR).
ATR officials said they were creating fire lines for a length of 250km in the four forest ranges of Pollachi, Valparai, Monombolly and Ulandi in the division as well to curb the extent of fire. According to them, plans are also afoot to buy two off-road vehicles to transport the materials required to put out the fire in the reserve forest area.

Ganesan said the Forest Survey of India, an organization under the Union Environment and forest ministry, was closely monitoring incidents of forest fire across the country with the help of ISRO satellite.

IIT-Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundationin collaboration with the Asha For Education on Friday launched two rural technology centres to take digital Literacy to remote and rural government school students in Nadu. These centres in Kanakammachathram and Seethanjeri villages in Tiruvallur district will teach basic digital literacy and basics of programming after assessing the students.

Government school students studying in classes IX to XII are set to learn advanced technologies like drones, 3D printing, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence besides animation, webpage design and hardware-based programming, among others.

They will use programming tools such as Scratch from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and “Blockly” from Google to teach programming.

Government of Nadu notified the Regional Plan (Preparation, Publication and Sanction) Rules, 2021 in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971.

As per notification, the Regional Planning Authority (RPA) should prepare a land-and building-use map for regional planning areas as well as for different parts of regional area, within 18 months of its constitution.

RPA should further prepare a draft regional plan for regional planning area in association with the development & local planning authorities, within two years of preparation of map for land- and building- use.

What are the components of Draft plan

The draft regional plan comprises of following components, pertaining to the region:

Location

Historic evolution

Topography, geology and geomorphology

Hydrology (surface and ground water)

Climate

Administrative profile

Functional areas and

Ratio of urban and rural development.

Extent of land use for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and recreational purpose

Extent of land use for forest or for mineral exploitation

Tentative land requirement projections for various zones.

Regional Planning

In the year 1955, the Housing & Regional Planning Panel had highlighted the significance of regional planning. The objectives of balanced regional development were attempted to be achieved through industrial location policy because region based balanced and coordinated development of industrial & agricultural economy would help India in attaining higher standard of living.

Regional Planning in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has been divided into eight regions by considering factors like geographical boundary, market potential & facilities, resource base, Population threshold etc.

What other plans are prepared?

Master Plans (MPs):Master plan is prepared for town and cities by emphasizing on zoning regulation for judicious use of urban land. Apart from suggesting broader land use restrictions, it also identify the problem areas in traffic and transport, recreation sites, location for Education, etc.

Detailed Development Plans (DDPs):DDPs are prepared in conformity with Master Plan proposals. It is prepared for smaller areas within the urban area. Under these action plans, development projects and programmes are envisaged. It is a micro-level plan comprising of detailed road Network.

New Town Development Plans (NTDPs):Areas are developed by completely utilizing their potential into new towns, by taking into account the special features of the area like industries, education, HISTORY & heritage and tourism. There are 10 notified NTDAs in Tamil Nadu, as of now.

Tamil Nadu to get back three more of its idols soon

India would soon get back three more of itsstolen idols, all Chola-era bronzes from Tamil Nadu. They include aShiva Chandrasekharaidol stolen from Sripuranthan temple in Ariyalur district by jailed idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor, an exquisitely carved Nataraja and his consortSivakamasundari. Kapoor is now lodged inTrichyprison in Tamil Nadu.

Busting yet another major idol smuggling racket, the US attorney for the southern district of New York and an acting special agent of the Department of Homeland Security announced on January 11 the filing of a civil complaint seeking forfeiture of 35 Cambodian and Southeast Asian antiquities from a private American collection for the purpose of returning them to their countries of origin.