Page 26 - Gujarat

Hindus must seek permission to convert to Buddhism, says Gujarat govt

The Gujarat government said that Buddhism is an independent religion and conversions from Hinduism to Buddhism, Jainism, or Sikhism must receive prior approval from district magistrates

LS polls: Special polling stations set up in Gujarat's remote areas

Election authorities in Gujarat have set up special polling stations in 11 remote and difficult-to-access places, including deep forests and small islands, to ensure no eligible person is deprived of voting in the Lok Sabha polls. All the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will go to polls in a single phase on May 7. The Election Commission has already erected necessary infrastructure for the special polling stations. One such remote area is Banej, situated deep inside the protected Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, where a polling booth has been set up for a lone voter, Mahant Haridasji, who is the priest of a Lord Shiva temple there, a release from the office of the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer said. The nearest human-populated area from Banej is several kilometers away, as per the release. While the area falls under the jurisdiction of Gir Somnath district, Banej booth comes under Junagadh Lok Sabha seat. "A special polling booth has been set up for this single voter during every election

Adani to invest Rs 2.3 trillion in renewable energy, manufacturing capacity

Adani Group will invest about Rs 2.3 lakh crore through 2030 in India's most ambitious renewable energy expansion and solar and wind manufacturing capacity addition ever as it shrugs off a short-seller attack to pursue its trademark rapid growth plans. Adani Green Energy Ltd, India's largest renewable energy company, will invest about Rs 1.5 lakh crore in expanding capacity to generate electricity from solar energy and wind power at Khavda in Gujarat's Kutch to 30 gigawatts from 2 GW currently and another Rs 50,000 crore in 6-7 GW of similar projects elsewhere in the country, a top company official said. Adani New Industries Ltd (ANIL), a unit in the group's flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd, will invest close to Rs 30,000 crore in expanding solar cell and wind turbine manufacturing capacity at Mundra in Gujarat. AGEL, which currently has an operating portfolio of 10,934 megawatts (10.93 GW), is targeting 45 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. 30 GW of this will come up at just on

Wooing electric vehicle titan Tesla: Four states pull out all the stops

Gujarat likely the front runner but TN, Telangana, Maha not far behind

RBI to permit investment, trading of Sovereign Green Bonds at Gujarat IFSC

The Reserve Bank on Friday announced that it will allow investment and trading of Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), Gandhinagar. Based on an announcement in the Union Budget for 2022-23, the government issued Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) in January 2023. Subsequently, SGrBs were issued as part of the government borrowing calendar in 2023-24. At present, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) registered with SEBI are permitted to invest in SGrBs under the different routes available for investment by FPIs in government securities. "With a view to facilitating wider non-resident participation in SGrBs, it has been decided to permit eligible foreign investors in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to also invest in such bonds," RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said, while announcing the first bi-monthly policy for FY'25. A scheme for investment and trading in SGrBs by eligible foreign investors in IFSC is being notified separat

Cong confident of good show in Gujarat bypolls, yet to announce candidates

The Congress has expressed confidence about winning all the five vacant assembly seats in Gujarat where bypolls will be held along with the Lok Sabha elections on May 7 though it is yet to announce its candidates. Along with voting for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat on May 7, bypolls to five out of six assembly seats which fell vacant after the resignation of sitting MLAs, including four of the Congress and one independent, will be held the same day. While the ruling BJP has already given tickets to four Congress turncoat MLAs, including former state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia and an independent legislator who joined the party after quitting his assembly membership, the opposition party has not yet announced its candidates for the bypolls. Though results of the bypolls will not alter the state assembly power structure as the BJP enjoys a huge majority in the House, the outcome will be crucial for the Congress's future in Gujarat, a state which was once its stronghold and wher

Gujarat BJP sees differences over selection of candidates in some LS seats

Differences have cropped up among BJP workers over the selection of candidates in some Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat even as senior party leaders have sought to address their concerns to maintain grip over the state. The Congress, however, claimed the internal differences could hamper the BJP's bid to repeat a clean sweep and win all 26 seats in the state for the third time in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. With differences over the selection of candidates in seats such as Amreli, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Surendranagar and Vadodara, the BJP has been making every effort to resolve them by holding meetings with the disgruntled members. On Saturday, Kshatriya community leader Raj Shekhawat resigned from the BJP in protest against Union minister and Rajkot Lok Sabha candidate Parshottam Rupala's remarks wherein he claimed that several Rajput rulers had collaborated with the British. Asserting that the community was being neglected by the BJP in ticket distribution, Shekhawat said, The party ..

Adani group begins operations of its copper unit plant at Mundra, Gujarat

Adani group on Thursday announced start of its maiden copper plant at Mundra in Gujarat. Adani Enterprises is setting up plant with 1 million tonnes capacity in two phases. "Close to $1.2 billion will be invested in the first phase," the firm said in a statement. This marks the Adani portfolio's debut in the metal industry. "The successful progress of the greenfield unit showcases the Adani Group's ability to plan and execute largescale projects," it said. Adani Enterprises is investing nearly USD 1.2 billion to set up a copper smelter with 0.5 million tonnes capacity in the first phase. On completion of the second phase that will add similar capacity, Kutch Copper, with 1 million tonnes annual capacity, will be the world's largest single-location custom smelter, benchmarking ESG performance standards while leveraging state-of-the-art technology and digitalisation. It will create 2,000 direct and 5,000 indirect employment opportunities. "With Kutch Copper commencing operations, t

Temperatures cross 40-degree mark in parts of Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan

Temperatures crossed the 40-degree-Celcius mark in parts of Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan on Wednesday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of heatwave conditions over these places for the next two days. The mercury touched 41.6 degrees Celsius in Bhuj, 41.1 degrees Celsius in Rajkot, 41.5 degrees Celsius in Akola and 41.4 degrees Celsius in Washim. An IMD official said the maximum temperatures were two to three notches above normal over these regions on Wednesday but did not meet the criteria for heatwave conditions. The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius in coastal areas and 30 degrees Celsius in hilly regions, with a departure of at least four-and-a-half notches from normal. In a statement, the IMD said heatwave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over North Interior Karnataka during March 27-29, Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat on March ..

Zydus Lifesciences gets 4 observations from USFDA for Gujarat plant

Zydus Lifesciences on Wednesday said the US health regulator has issued a Form-483 with four observations following the inspection of its Ahmedabad-based SEZ Onco Injectable manufacturing plant. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted the cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) inspection at the facility from March 18-27, 2024, the company said in a regulatory filing. The inspection closed with four observations, it added. There were no data integrity-related observations, the drug firm said. Zydus will closely work with the USFDA to address the observations, it added. Shares of the company ended 1.82 per cent lower at Rs 999.60 apiece on BSE.

India prepares to start new LNG import terminal as demand increases

India currently imports LNG via seven terminals. Along with the Chhara facility, Swan Energy Ltd.'s Jafrabad import facility is also expected to begin operations this year, according to BloombergNEF

3 more held for attack on int'l students at Gujarat University hostel

Police on Monday arrested three more persons in connection with the alleged attack some international students in the Gujarat University hostel premises here for offering namaz near the hostel block, the crime branch said. The city crime branch on Sunday nabbed two persons - Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel - and handed over them to the Gujarat University police station for further legal process, it said in a release. On Monday, the crime branch arrested three more persons, Kshitij Pandey (22), Jitendra Patel (31) and Sahil Dudhatiya (21), all residents of Ahmedabad, and handed them over to the local police for further probe, taking the total number of the arrested accused to five so far, the release said. Students hailing from different foreign countries were assaulted on Saturday night by a group of persons in the Gujarat University hostel for offering namaz neat the facility's block, according to the police. Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were ...

Lok Sabha elections 2024: EC orders removal of home secretaries in 6 states

The Election Commission has ordered the removal of home secretaries in 6 states and Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal

Int'l students at Gujarat University attacked for offering namaz in hostel

An FIR was registered against 20-25 individuals, and nine teams have been formed to conduct a probe into the incident, Police Commissioner GS Malik said

Political ad spends on Google already up 9x ahead of Lok Sabha polls

BJP emerges as largest advertiser so far in 2024

Strict action against perpetrators of violence: MEA on Guj Univ incident

India on Sunday said that the Gujarat government is taking strict action against the perpetrators of violence at a university in Ahmedabad in which two foreign students sustained injuries. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said one of the two foreign students injured in the violence has been discharged from hospital. "An incidence of violence took place at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad yesterday. State government is taking strict action against the perpetrators," he said on 'X'. "Two foreign students were injured in the clash. One of them has been discharged from hospital after receiving medical attention," he said. According to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik, the incident occurred on Saturday night when some 20-25 people entered a hostel premises of Gujarat University in Ahmedabad "and objected to the international students offering namaz there, asking them to do so in a mosque. They argued over the issue, assaulted them and hurled stones". Two stud

LS polls: 49.2 mn electors, including 1.1 mn first-time voters in Gujarat

As many as 4.92 crore persons, including 11.32 lakh first-timers and 10,322 centenarians, will be eligible to exercise their franchise for the 26 seats in Gujarat in the Lok Sabha elections, a senior Election Commission official has said. Elections to all the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies and bypolls to five assembly seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7, with the nomination process beginning on April 12, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Bharathi said here on Saturday. Of the total registered voters, 2.54 crore are men and 2.39 crore are women. The state has 1,503 transgender voters, Bharathi said. The number of voters for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat has increased by 43,23,789 compared to the 2019 elections. A total 4,94,49,469 voters are registered as per the final electoral roll published on January 5, 2024, Bharathi told mediapersons. The State Election Commission is fully prepared to hold the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, and elaborate arrangements have been made in ...

18 Hindu refugees from Pakistan get citizenship during camp in Gujarat

Eighteen Hindu refugees from Pakistan residing in Ahmedabad were on Saturday conferred Indian citizenship at a camp attended by Gujarat minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi. Gazette notifications of 2016 and 2018 empower the district collectors of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Kutch in the state to grant Indian citizenship to people of minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, said an official release. With this, a total of 1167 Hindu refugees from Pakistan residing in Ahmedabad district have so far been granted Indian citizenship, it added. At the camp organised at the district collector's office, Sanghavi conferred Indian citizenship to the migrants and urged them to work together to realise the dream of a new India. "It is expected that all of you will be determined to participate in the development journey of the country," he said, adding the Central and state governments were committed to bringing all those who have obtained Indian citizenship to the ..

Modi launches 3 semiconductor units in Gujarat, Assam: Key things to know

At the event, PM Narendra Modi hailed chip-making as the fourth industrial revolution and said that India will not miss out on this opportunity

Dholera plant's first semiconductor chip to be rolled out by 2026 end

The joint venture between Tata Group and Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation will begin by manufacturing 28-nanometer chips