Gujarat

Gujarat witnessed a slew of tragedies during the year, which saw a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India plunge to the ground and erupt into a massive fireball, claiming 260 lives, the Gambhira bridge collapse in Vadodara district and a deadly inferno at a firecracker godown in Banaskantha. While the Bhupendra Patel-led government's decision to set up a panel to implement the Uniform Civil Code drew criticism from the Opposition, Gujarat also had its moments of celebration with the state's selection as the host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games, and the encouraging number of Asiatic lions. Nearly 40 seconds after Air India's flight AI 171 to London Gatwick took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, the Boeing plane crashed into a medical hostel complex, in what was among the worst aviation disasters in recent history. The accident killed 241 persons, including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, on board the plane and 19

Gujarat remains the top state in rooftop solar installations and has already achieved 50 per cent of its goal to install 1 million residential rooftop solar systems by March 2027

Gujarat has eased liquor rules in GIFT City by removing temporary permits for visitors and allowing licensed hotels and restaurants to serve across premises, while prohibition stays statewide

Any person from outside Gujarat or India can now consume liquor at designated hotels or restaurants inside GIFT City, a global finance centre in Gandhinagar, by just showing photo ID card, as per changes made in alcohol rules at the hub by the state government. The government has introduced major changes to liquor rules at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) and done away with the norm of obtaining a permit for alcohol consumption. The state home department has announced the changes through a gazette notification. Through the December 20 notification, the department has further eased liquor consumption rules at GIFT City. Gujarat is a "dry" state where manufacture, sale, and consumption of liquor are prohibited. However, the government made an exemption for GIFT City in 2023 by allowing sale and consumption of alcohol inside the central business district with some conditions. As per the latest notification, any "external person", who is not from Gujarat, or a foreig

As many as 73.73 lakh voters were removed following the special intensive revision (SIR) drive in Gujarat, reducing the number of registered voters in draft electoral rolls to 4.34 crore from the earlier 5.08 crore, officials said. The draft electoral rolls were published by the Election Commission on Friday. The names of 73,73,327 voters were omitted after the SIR undertaken by the Election Commission to clean up voter lists, said state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Harit Shukla. Before the SIR, a total of 5,08,43,436 voters were registered in the state. After the publication of the draft electoral rolls, the number is 4,34,70,109, he said. The names of 73,73,327 voters were removed for various reasons. Of these, 18,07,278 voters are deceased, 9,69,662 voters were absent, 40,25,553 persons have migrated outside the state, while 3,81,470 voters were registered in two places. Besides, 1,89,364 voters were removed for other reasons, the release from CEO's office said. The SIR was .

In a significant judgment, the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday rejected nearly 150 petitions from Muslim Waqf institutions seeking exemption from payment of fees to the State Waqf Tribunal to access a court of law. Justice JC Doshi dismissed the petitions, many of which involved contested rent claims, possession disputes, and rights of occupancy over key properties across the state. Waqf trusts such as Sunni Muslim Idgah Masjid Trust, the Vadodara Saher Masjid Sabha Trust, and the Sarkhej Roza Committee in Ahmedabad, had challenged orders of the Gujarat State Waqf Tribunal requiring payment of court fees before their disputes could be heard. The court observed that they had sought reliefs before the tribunal which were adversarial in character wherein rights and obligations of contesting parties are required to be judicially determined. "An application instituted under section 83 of the Waqf Act, forming part of the judicial proceedings contemplated under Chapter VIII thereof, ...

As many as 10 private schools in Ahmedabad received an email on Wednesday threatening bomb blasts, which later turned out to be a hoax as nothing suspicious was found during searches, police said. As a precautionary measure, these schools declared a holiday for the afternoon shift as the morning shift was already over when they received the emails, having a common text, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 1, Harshad Patel said. After being alerted, police, along with the bomb detection and disposal squad, dog squad and anti-sabotage teams, reached the schools and conducted a thorough search, Patel told reporters. "In the email sent to the schools, it was claimed that bomb blasts will be carried out in these establishments during the afternoon. As a precautionary measure, these schools declared a holiday for the afternoon shift as the morning shift was already over," he said. "Our teams reached the schools and conducted a thorough search. However, nothing suspicious was found. ...

RBI data shows state-wise credit trends; Maharashtra leads in outstanding credit and deposits, while Gujarat records highest growth

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday flagged the issues of "rising menace of drugs and illegal liquor" and the plight of farmers in Gujarat, and claimed that the state is "sinking" despite a double-engine government being in place. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that during the Congress party's ongoing 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' in Gujarat, people, especially women, have repeatedly stated that the "rising menace of drugs, illegal liquor, and crime" has deepened the sense of insecurity in their lives. "Gujarat is the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, where traditions of truth, morality, and justice have prevailed, but over the past few years, the future of the state's youth is being pushed toward the dark world of drugs and crime," Gandhi said in a post on X in Hindi. Women are taking to the streets in large numbers because criminals are receiving protection from those in power, while they themselves are met only with neglect, he claimed. "Gujarat is asking why i

K Rajaraman, chairman of the IFSCA, outlines how the IFSC is emerging as a hub for India Inc's foreign-currency needs

The Cabinet has approved ₹2,781 crore worth of railway projects in Gujarat and Maharashtra; these will add new tracks, improve train services, and boost connectivity

Tata Chemicals on Friday said its board has approved an investment of Rs 910 crore for expansions of manufacturing capacities of its plants at Mithapur in Gujarat and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. The board of directors of the company have, in a meeting held on Friday, approved an investment of Rs 135 crore towards the expansion of dense soda ash manufacturing capacity at its plant located at Mithapur, Tata Chemicals said in a regulatory filing. Further, the company stated that the board also approved an investment of Rs 775 crore to expand precipitated silica manufacturing capacity at its plant in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. Shares of the company closed at Rs 809.95 on Friday, down 1.09 per cent on BSE.

ACME Solar Holdings on Thursday said it has commissioned an additional 16 MW of its 100 MW wind power project, located in Surendaranagar, Gujarat. This follows the first phase commissioning of 28 MW in October, 2025, a company statement said. The current commissioning takes the project's operational capacity to 44 MW out of the 100 MW to be commissioned in phases. It has enhanced ACME Solar's total operational capacity to 2,934 MW. Recently, the project was granted an extension to its Scheduled Commercial Operation Date (SCOD) by the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC). The revised SCOD date is March 5, 2026 and the project has been early commissioned with part capacity of 44 MW in first two phases. This wind power project has been financed through Power Finance Corporation (PFC). The power generated from the project will be sold through the 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed between ACME Eco Clean and Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. The commissioning was .

KPI Green Energy on Monday said it has inked contract agreements with state-owned SJVN Ltd for an order worth Rs 696.50 crore to develop a 200 MW (AC) solar power project at the GIPCL Renewable Energy Park in Khavda, Gujarat. This development represents a major advancement in KPI Green's expanding portfolio of utility-scale renewable energy projects, a company statement said. KPI Green Energy Ltd has signed contract agreements with SJVN Ltd, a Government of India enterprise, for the execution of a 200 MW (AC) solar power project at the GIPCL Renewable Energy Park in Khavda, Gujarat, according to the statement. The contract, valued at Rs 696.50 crore (excluding GST), reinforces KPI Green's position as a credible and trusted EPC partner for large-scale renewable projects, it stated. Under the executed agreements, KPI Green will supply all plant and equipment required for the 200 MW (AC) solar project, in accordance with approved specifications and quality assurance plans. It is also

The fourth of a six-part series examines why daily commute in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and GIFT City remains a challenge despite better bus and metro services, and new infrastructure

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted searches at 10 locations across five states in an Al Qaida Gujarat terror conspiracy case allegedly involving illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, officials said on Thursday. NIA teams conducted searches at premises on Wednesday linked with various suspects and their associates in West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, Haryana and Gujarat, an agency spokesperson said in a statement. The official said several digital devices and documents were seized that have been sent for forensic analysis. The case was registered in 2023 and centres around four Bangladeshi nationals -- Mohd. Sojibmiyan, Munna Khalid Ansari, Azarul Islam, and Abdul Latif -- had illegally infiltrated into India from Bangladesh using forged Indian identity documents, the NIA alleged. "They were found to be connected with the proscribed Al-Qaida terrorist organisation. The men were involved in collection and transfer of funds to Al Qaida operatives in Bangladesh, and were al

The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad has busted a suspected terror syndicate by arresting a 'doctor' with a Chinese MBBS degree, who was allegedly preparing highly-lethal chemical poison, 'Ricin', and whose handler is associated with the Islamic State Khorasan Province, and two others. One of the accused, Dr Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed, and two other arrested accused, identified as Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail Mohammad Saleem, had conducted a recce of several sensitive locations in Lucknow, Delhi, and Ahmedabad, a senior ATS officer said on Sunday. "Dr Ahmed Mohiyuddin Saiyed is highly educated and radicalised, and had planned to collect funds and recruit persons as part of a conspiracy to carry out major terrorist activities", Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi told reporters. The accused men have also disclosed that their handler sends the arms consignment via a drone across the Pakistan border, he said. Acting on a tip-off, an ATS team arrested Dr Saiyed, originally from Hyderabad,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday administered the oath of unity to participants of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat on the 150th birth anniversary of the country's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. PM Modi arrived at Patel's 182-metre-tall statue, near Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district, in the morning and paid his respects to the Iron Man of India by offering flower petals. He then left for a nearby venue where he administered the Ekta Diwas pledge to the gathering and witnessed the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade. Through this pledge, participants reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the unity, integrity, and security of the nation. The pledge also emphasised the importance of spreading this message among fellow countrymen. This year's Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations included a cultural festival and the National Unity Day parade by police and paramilitary forces. One of the major attractions of this year's celebration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Friday at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat's Narmada district, home to the 'Statue of Unity', the world's tallest statue honouring India's first home minister. This year's Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations, which commemorate the birth anniversary of the 'Iron Man of India', will include a cultural festival and the National Unity Day parade by security forces, showcasing their skills, discipline and valour, an official statement said. The parade, which marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, will be organised at Ekta Nagar, where the 182-metre-tall Statue of Unity stands. One of the major attractions of this year's celebrations at Ekta Nagar will be the "Republic Day-style" parade of the armed forces along with decorative tableaus, a Gujarat government release said, adding that 10 tableaus, including of the state, will be presented during the parade. Union Home Minister Ami

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) and private entity Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an investment of Rs 17,000 crore here with the aim to strengthen the maritime sector of Gujarat. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and A P Moller-Maersk Board Chairman Robert Maersk Uggla were present on the occasion. Pipavav Port or APM Terminals Pipavav, partly owned by A P Moller-Maersk, is a major private port located near Rajula in Amreli district of Gujarat, while the GMB is a government agency that manages and regulates ports in the state. "The objective of this MoU is to further strengthen the maritime sector of Gujarat through the capacity expansion of Pipavav Port," stated an official release. This project will create about 25,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, giving new impetus to the local economy and improving the standard of living in rural areas, it said. "It will increase the existing container, bulk, liquid and Ro-Ro