Page 11 - Gujarat

BHEL bags Rs 7,500 cr order to set up 800 MW unit at Ukai plant, in Gujarat

State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on Friday said it has secured an order worth Rs 7,500 crore for setting up a unit of 800 MW at Ukai Supercritical Thermal Power Plant in Gujarat. The order has been placed on BHEL by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd (GSECL), a statement said. The unit will start commercial operation within 54 months. According to the statement, BHEL has secured an order under international competitive bidding, for setting up a 1x800 MW Ukai supercritical thermal power plant (Unit-7) on an Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) basis, in Tapi district, Gujarat. Notably, the proposed unit will be set up on the existing ash dyke area. BHEL's scope of work in the project envisages design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, testing, and commissioning for the EPC package, along with all necessary electrical, civil, and structural works. The scope also includes the supply of highly efficient emission control equipment. Notably, the first

Adani Energy Solutions wins $325 million transmission project in Gujarat

The project will create a power transmission system for a green hydrogen/ammonia manufacturing unit in Mundra, Gujarat and will be completed in three years

Gujarat ATS arrests two for illegal precursor chemical exports to Mexico

Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested two persons for illegally exporting precursor chemicals for manufacturing fentanyl and other banned psychotropic substances by air to drug mafias in Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries, it said on Tuesday. An investigation showed that the partners of certain chemical and pharma companies in Surat had illegally procured and exported precursors for the manufacturing of the controlled psychotropic substance fentanyl, prohibited in many countries, the ATS said in a release. The accused individuals used bogus end-user certificates and fake invoices, and misdeclared the shipments to evade detection by the Customs Departments and international narcotics agencies while smuggling the chemicals via air cargo to companies in Mexico and Guatemala, it said. These substances -- 1-Boc-4-piperidone (N-Boc-4-piperidone) and 4-piperidone -- have been placed on the Red List by the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and also listed

In 'dry' Gujarat, govt collects ₹34 cr in tax in two years on liquor sales

The Gujarat government has collected Rs 33.98 crore in taxes in two years from sale of liquor through 28 hotels in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts, the state assembly was informed on Monday. During Question Hour in the ongoing Budget Session, Congress MLA Imran Khedawala raised the query related to number of hotels having permits to sell liquor in these two districts and the tax collected by the government during the last two years. In his written response, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who handles Prohibition and Excise department, said 22 hotels in Ahmedabad and six hotels in Gandhinagar district have been given permits to sell liquor. The state government earned Rs 14.45 crore in 2023 and Rs 19.53 crore in 2024 as tax on the sale of liquor at these hotels, Patel said. Patel added that no permit has been cancelled during the last two years. Notably, Gujarat has been a 'dry' state since its inception and sale of liquor is regulated by the government.

False narrative created over Guj riots, courts found us innocent: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the discourse around the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat was an attempt to create a false narrative and his political opponents in power at the Centre wanted him to be punished but the courts cleared his name. In a podcast with Lex Fridman, Modi said the perception that the 2002 riots were the biggest riots ever in Gujarat was an attempt to push misinformation. "If you review the data from before 2002, you will see that Gujarat faced frequent riots. Curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere. Communal violence would erupt over trivial issues such as kite flying contests or even bicycle collisions," Modi said. The prime minister said the riots in Gujarat in 1969 lasted for more than six months and that was an era when he was nowhere on the political horizon. Modi said the Godhra train burning incident took place barely three days after he was elected as a legislator of the Gujarat Assembly. "It was a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude, pe

Violence erupts during bike rally in Gujarat after India's CT win; 11 held

At least 11 people were detained after a late-night motorcycle rally to celebrate India's ICC Champions Trophy win led to violence in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district, police said on Monday. A group of people took out a motorcycle rally in Dehgam town after India won the Champions Trophy final match against New Zealand on Sunday night, an official said. As per the first information report, the rally was passing by a mosque in a minority-dominated area around 10.30 pm when some bikers raced their two-wheelers, blaring horns. It said around 15 persons sitting in the mosque for the ongoing Ramzan festival objected to this, hurling abuses and trying to attack the bikers with sticks when they fled. Deputy Superintendent of Police P N Vanda said, "Most bikers left after being attacked by persons objecting to the noise of the bike rally. Some five to six persons escaped after leaving their motorcycles behind. The accused persons damaged the two-wheelers that were left behind." "We have ...

Was asked not to talk speak against RSS in Gujarat, says Digvijaya

Congress MP Digvijaya Singh has claimed he was asked not to speak against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while campaigning in Gujarat, when he was the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, for fear of "angering Hindus". In a post on X on Sunday, Singh also hailed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's tough talk in Gujarat on Saturday about those in the party helping the ruling BJP. Addressing Congress workers in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Gandhi said the party's first job was to separate two groups of Congress workers and leaders ones who carry the party ideology in their hearts and stand with the public and the others who were cut off from the public, "half of whom are with the BJP". The Lok Sabha member had underlined the need to filter out such leaders and workers and warned of strict action, even removals. Singh congratulated Gandhi for his statement and said, "I remember when I went to Gujarat to campaign as the Chief Minister of MP, I was instructed not to speak against the RSS. Hindus

PM Modi interacts with Lakhpati Didis in unique boardroom-style in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday engaged in a boardroom-style discussion with Lakhpati Didis in Navsari, similar to his interactions with corporate CEOs.

Stop blaming others for your failures: BJP takes swipe at Rahul Gandhi

The BJP on Saturday took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about his own party leaders and said he should first understand that he is responsible for his party's defeat in elections and stop blaming others for his "failures". This came after Gandhi, while addressing party workers on the second day of his two-day Gujarat visit, said there was a need to filter out leaders and workers from his party who were working for the BJP and warned of strict action, even removals. Reacting to his remarks, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the condition of the Congress has worsened ever since Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi came at the helm of affairs of the party. "The most unsuccessful leader of the Congress in its 140-year history was holding a meeting of party workers in Gujarat to teach them the core mantra of success. Although it's an internal matter of the party, his statements definitely point to the internal misery of the Congress and his ...

PM Modi interacts with 'Lakhpati Didis' in Gujarat on Intl Women's Day

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil accompanied the Prime Minister during the occasion on International Women's Day

PM Modi inaugurates free benefit distribution under PMGKAY scheme

As a symbolic gesture of the PMGKAY benefits, the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and other dignitaries distributed grain kits to the beneficiaries

Rahul Gandhi begins two-day Gujarat visit, meets key Congress leaders

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Ahmedabad on Friday morning as part of his two-day Gujarat visit, during which he will hold meetings with party leaders with a focus on the 2027 assembly elections. After his arrival at the airport here, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha headed Gujarat Congress' headquarters in the Paldi area of the city. He first met senior party leaders, including former state Congress presidents, and former leaders of opposition in the assembly, said the party in a statement. Later in the day, he will attend a meeting with members of the state political affairs committee. In a statement on Thursday, the Congress said Gandhi had earlier asserted that the party would win the 2027 Gujarat assembly elections and he would be visiting the state to start the work for the polls. Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been under BJP rule since 1995. On Friday evening, Gandhi will meet district and city presidents of the Congress and

PM to visit Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Gujarat on Mar 7-8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Gujarat on March 7-8 to inaugurate multiple development projects as well as participate in a Lakhpati Didi programme on International Women's Day. He will travel to Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on Friday and inaugurate the NAMO Hospital (Phase I) around 2 pm, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Friday. Around 2:45 pm, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects for the union territory worth over Rs 2,580 crore at Silvassa. Thereafter, he will travel to Gujarat and launch the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign around 5 pm, according to the statement. On Saturday, he will travel to Navsari and interact with Lakhpati Didis around 11:30 am. This will be followed by a public function that will witness the launch of various schemes. The NAMO Hospital (Phase I) in Silvassa will be a 450-bed facility that will

Constitution prevents passing law mandating local hiring: Gujarat minister

The Gujarat government cannot enact a law requiring industries to give 85 per cent of their jobs to local residents due to certain constitutional provisions, Minister of Labour and Employment Balvantsinh Rajput told the legislative assembly on Thursday. Responding to a query raised by Congress MLA Tushar Chaudhary, Rajput pointed out that Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution prevent a state government from enacting a law which mandates that 85 per cent jobs in an industrial unit must be given to locals. Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees equality and equal protection of the law, while Article 21 guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. In March 1995, the then-BJP government in the state, through a government resolution (GR), had ordered all commercial entities, including central PSUs and private factories, to hire 85 per cent of their workforce from Gujarat, said Rajput. Chaudhary wanted to know how many industrial units had violated the GR on local hiring in ...

Tata Electronics to make up display semiconductor chips in Gujarat

Tata Electronics will set up a display chip manufacturing unit in Gujarat in partnership with Taiwan-based PSMC and Himax Technologies, a top official of the company said on Wednesday. Speaking at IESA Vision Summit, Tata Electronics CEO Randhir Thakur announced signing of an agreement with the Gujarat government for the plant. "Today, I am delighted to announce the signing of an MoU between Tata Electronics, PSMC and Himax to revolutionise India's display product and technology ecosystem. With PSMC's proven technology, Tata Electronics will manufacture display chips for Himax in Dholera, Gujarat," Thakur said. Display chips are widely used in products like television, mobile phone screen, camera image sensors, LEDs, OLEDs etc. Vedanta Group had also proposed to set up a display fab in Gujarat but the project has not received government approval yet. With its foray in display manufacturing, Tata Electronics will have presence in all top three semiconductor manufacturing ...

India Semiconductor Mission, Tata ink fiscal pact for Gujarat chip plant

The Centre through the India Semiconductor Mission, has committed 50 per cent fiscal support on a pari-passu basis for eligible project costs

State to focus on building social infra around semicon units: Gujarat CM

The country has so far attracted investment worth $18 billion under the first phase of ISM, he said

Rahul Gandhi to visit Gujarat on March 7-8 to plan for Assembly elections

Ahmedabad AICC meet will bring together AICC delegates from across the nation to deliberate on the challenges

Coca-Cola to sell North Gujarat bottling plant to Kandhari for Rs 2,000 cr

Beverage major Coca-Cola is selling its bottling plant in the North Gujarat region to Kandhari Global Beverages. Though the company has not shared financial details, industry insiders have pegged the deal to be around Rs 2,000 crore, where Coca-Cola will transfer business from HCCBL, its bottling arm in India, to its bottling partner Kandhari Global Beverages. The Atlanta-headquartered beverage major is divesting assets globally by franchising regional operations to local partners as part of its asset-light business model. "We have reached an agreement to transfer the North Gujarat bottling operations currently being operated by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd (HCCBL). Subject to regulatory approvals, the North Gujarat business will be owned and operated by Kandhari Global Beverages Private Ltd," said an HCCBL spokesperson. This transfer will ensure that the right level of investments can be undertaken in all parts of the business while bringing scale and contiguity to the ..

Watch: PM Modi inaugurates Vantara; high-fives lion, feeds leopard cubs

Vantara is one of the world's largest wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation centers