Ministry of water resources and parliamentary affairs released Atlas for six states namely- Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

What is special about this Atlas?
In this Atlas which is named Aquifer Sysytem of India, the Central Ground Water Board has compiled and integrated data on various aspect of ground water since its inception. The atlas gives a panorama and summary of the most important information available for each principal and major aquifer systems and provides aquifer wise ground water scenario. It also gives an account on major issues and challenges which need immediate attention for sustainable management of ground water resources.

How will it help?

The Atlas will be immensely useful in Regional and National ground water resources planning by the policy makers and anyone who wants to comprehend ground water scenario in the country.

4,139 NGOs, most of them located in Tamil Nadu, will now be prohibited from receiving contributions from foreign sources. These NGOs have lost their Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration as they violated the FCRA. 19% of the total NGOs blocked are based in Tamil Nadu, state witnessing protests against the Kudankulam Nuclear power plant.

Why this move?

• As per the Govt, NGOs in TamilNadu allegedly funded the protest against the Kudankulam plant.

What is FCRA?

• Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) clearance is mandatory for an NGO to receive any contribution from overseas.

Some Facts:

• India has a total of about 43,451 registered NGOs.
• Tamil Nadu has the largest number of NGOs.

• The apex Court permitted Tamil Nadu government to execute a repair and maintenance work on the Mullaperiyar dam. All the same, the court also instructed that the repairing and maintenance work is to be carried out in the presence of the Superintending Engineer of Kerala and an independent member nominated by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission. A verdict was given by the apex court after hearing an application filed by Tamil Nadu government for the court’s permission to carry out certain maintenance works.

About the Mullaperiyar Dam

• A Dam constructed in 1895 by the British Government on the Periyar River in Kerala.
• The objective of its construction was to feed the water needs of the state of Tamil Nadu.
• The dam is located 2,889 feet above mean sea level on the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkadi, Idukki District in Kerala.
• Height: 176 feet
• Length: 1200 feet.

The Periyar National Park is located around the dam's reservoir.

What is the controversy?

• Over the past few years a bitter disagreement has arisen b/w the Tamil Nadu and Kerala government over the safety of the dam.
• Kerala has conveyed its disagreement over the safety of the dam as it contends that dam is 117 years old and has well outlasted the mean life span of a dam that stretches out b/w 50-60 years. Kerala thus contends that in the face of a disaster, it will be enormously challenging to forestall the loss caused by the rupture of dam.
• The developing apprehensions over the safety of dam are largely due to the deficient safety maintenance and monitoring of the dam.
• In contrast, the Tamil Nadu government argues that if the dam stops to work it will create a grave water scarcity in 5 districts of the state, resulting to a draught in the area.

Gujarat is gearing up for another leap in the sector of public health. The Gujarat Health and Family welfare department has put forward a proposal to the state government to grant autonomy to the Central Medical Stores Organization (CMSO). The move if executed will make it an independent body similar to Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC).

How will it benefit the health sector?

• The move is thought to make the process of procurement of drugs and distribution faster and more efficient.
• It would bring more services under its purview, like procurement and installation of medical equipment in state run institutions etc.
• The number of drugs in the list of essential drugs would increase.
• Cut down the long Bureaucratic and Administrative processes.
• The CMSO now operates with funds solely from the state exchequer.

What is the current status?

• Currently, the CMSO has a list of 100 essential drugs that also include life saving drugs.
• The agency floats open tenders to procure drugs from both public and private sector pharmaceutical companies, and channelizes them to state run hospitals.

Why the state government trying to follow the footprints of TNMSC?

• The TNMSC model is regarded as one of the most efficient systems in the country for procurement and distribution of drugs at affordable costs.
• As per a study conducted by Planning Commission, TNMSC had bought medicines at up to 1/20^th of the retail price through bulk procurement and distributed it to people at an affordable price.
• Around 100 companies supply over 450 different drugs and surgical equipment to the TNMSC for distribution.

As per a latest study, Tamil Nadu has left behind states like Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The state has attracted investments of around Rs 6,711 crore in 2011-12, which is 66 % higher than Andhra Pradesh and 41 % more than Gujarat.

As per the study conducted by Frost & Sullivan and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham):

• FDI equity inflows in Tamil Nadu surged from Rs 3,653 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 6,711 crore in 2011-12. The FDI inflow to the state expanded by around 10 % during the fiscal, compared to Rs 6,115 crore during 2010-11.
• Tamil Nadu has attracted FDI at a faster rate than Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat
• Maharashtra leads the country in attracting FDI to the tune of Rs 44,664 crore during the fiscal, as against Rs 27,669 crore during 2010-11
• Tamil Nadu provides better infrastructure in the form of special economic zones (SEZs) and offers tax benefits. FDI is permitted in the manufacturing industries based in the SEZs.
• Gujarat attracted an FDI investment of Rs 4,730 crore during 2011-12, registered a growth of 43.6 % in FDI inflow during the fiscal
• Andhra Pradesh attracted investment of Rs 4,039 crore during the fiscal exhibited a decrease of around 30 % in FDI inflow in 2011-12.
• Karnataka registered FDI of Rs 7,235 crore during 2011-12, rising from Rs 6,133 crore in the previous year.
• The total FDI inflow into India was at Rs1,73,946 crore during 2011-12, which shows an increase of 96.5 % from Rs 88,520 crore in the previous fiscal year.