Page 31 - Gujarat

Gujarat govt paid Rs 8,200 cr in excess to Adani Power, says Congress

The Congress on Tuesday alleged the Gujarat government has paid Rs 8,200 crore in excess to Adani Power towards electricity purchase charges in two years which it dubbed "favouritism", a claim dismissed by the power minister who cited the rise in coal purchase cost. The Congress also demanded that the government recover the "additional Rs 8,265 crore" from Adani and invest it in increasing the capacity of state-run power generators. During Question Hour of the budget session of the Assembly, Congress MLA Tushar Chaudhary sought to know the rates at which the government purchased electricity from Adani Power Ltd during 2022 and 2023. In his reply, Power Minister Kanubhai Desai said electricity is purchased as per the "merit order" system which was introduced by the former Congress-led UPA government. "The state government had entered into an agreement with Adani Power in 2007 to purchase power at Rs 2.89 per unit under bid-1 and at Rs 2.35 per unit under bid-2 for 25 years. Such pow

555 Asiatic lions died in five years, no rise in mortality rate, says Govt

A total 555 Asiatic lions died in the last five years but there has been no increase in their mortality rate, the government told the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Gir forest in Gujarat is the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion. According to government data, the number of these big cats in Gir rose from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020. Replying to a question, Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey told the Lower House that 555 lions died in the last five years. He said 113 lions died in 2019, 124 in 2020, 105 in 2021, 110 in 2022 and 103 in 2023. Asked if an increasing number of lions were dying in the country, the minister replied in the negative. Over the years, experts have demanded the translocation of lions in India as the big cats have been geographically isolated in Gir. A second home would protect the lion population from extinction in case of an epidemic, an unexpected decline in prey or natural calamities. In September 2018, 27 lions died in Gir becau

IRMA, NCDEX launch centre in Gujarat to promote commodity derivatives mkt

Commodity exchange NCDEX's Investor Protection Fund and Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) on Monday launched a centre of excellence in Anand, Gujarat, for growth of commodity derivatives market. NCDEX and IRMA would collaborate to further develop the "commodities derivatives ecosystem, providing support in the areas of research, policy formation, policy advocacy, capacity building, thought leadership, product development, and leveraging synergies within the industrial and financial ecosystem", a statement said. The project seeks to redefine policy maker's perspectives on commodity derivatives markets, fostering a deeper understanding of price discovery for both banned and unbanned commodities, it added. IRMA will spearhead efforts to enhance the scope of commodity markets through rigorous research and analysis. NCDEX will provide technical support and data-related assistance. NCDEX MD & CEO Arun Raste said, We are entering the 'Amrit Kaal' during which we have resolved ..

India's largest theatre festival 'Bharat Rang Mahotsav' begins in Gujarat

The Bharat Rang Mahotsav is a 21-day cultural event featuring over 150 plays, workshops, and discussions

Gujarat govt presents Rs 3.32 trillion Budget; no new taxes proposed

The BJP-ruled Gujarat government on Friday presented a Rs 3.32 lakh crore budget that imposed no new taxes. Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai presented the budget for 2024-25 in the Assembly here on the second day of the Budget Session. Desai informed the House that the budget outlay of Rs 3,32,465 crore for 2024-25 indicates an increase of Rs 31,444 crore, or 10.44 per cent, over the previous fiscal. The state government presented the budget with an estimated surplus of 146.72 crore and proposed no new taxes. In his budgetary address, Desai announced a host of schemes and projects and said the state government kept GYAN Garib' (the poor), Yuva' (youth), Annadata' (farmer) and Nari Shakti' (women power) at the core while preparing the budget. Under the newly proposed Namo Lakshmi' scheme, girls studying in government, aided and private schools from Classes 9 to 12 will be given Rs 50,000 over the four years of their education. A provision of Rs 1,250 crore has been made in the bud

Surajkund Mela 2024: Date, timing, online tickets, price, and other details

The Surajkund mela remains a global celebration, giving a stage to craftsmen from around the world to display their way of life and exhibit their gifts

Honda Motorcycle domestic overall sales rise 42% to 419,395 units in Jan

Exports grew a whopping 102 per cent year-on-year at 36,883 units in the previous month, it stated

Deepak Chem inks pact to invest Rs 9,000 cr in Gujarat in chemical sector

Deepak Chem Tech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deepak Nitrite, on Wednesday said it has inked an agreement with the Gujarat government to invest around Rs 9,000 crore to establish projects at Dahej. Under the memorandum of understanding, the company will invest Rs 9,000 crore to set up units to manufacture chemicals at Dahej, expected to commence operations in 2027, Deepak Chem Tech (formerly Deepak Clean Tech) said in a regulatory filing. This investment is likely to create about 1,300 direct and indirect employment opportunities, it added. Earlier, the company had expressed its intention to invest around Rs 9,000 crore during Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 held on January 10-12. The proposed investment will help the country reduce its imports, the company said.

Earthquake of 4.0 magnitude hits Gujarat's Kutch district; no casualties

An earthquake of 4.0 magnitude hit Gujarat's Kutch district on Sunday evening but there is no report of damage to property and life, officials said. The epicentre of the earthquake was located near Bhachau in Kutch district, as per the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR). The tremor was recorded at 4:45 pm on Sunday with its epicentre around 21 km north, northwest (NNW) from Bhachau, the ISR said in its latest update. "No damage to property or life was reported as per the preliminary information," said Kutch collector Amit Arora. Kutch district is located in a "very high risk" seismic zone, and tremors of lower intensity are a regular occurrence. In 2001, a massive earthquake shook the Kutch district affecting several towns and villages, killing around 13,800 people and leaving 1.67 lakh injured.

Gujarat govt razes houses, 150 huts to free encroached Somnath temple land

A mega anti-encroachment drive was undertaken to clear around 3 hectares of land behind Somnath temple in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district that belonged to the temple trust and state government, officials said on Saturday. As many as 21 houses and 153 huts that had unauthorisedly come up were being demolished to clear the land belonging to Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the activities of the revered Somnath temple, and the state government, said Collector Harji Vadhvaniya. The mega demolition drive began Saturday morning in the presence of five mamlatdars' and around 100 revenue officials, Vadhvaniya said. Heavy police presence was also maintained to ensure that it went off peacefully, he said. The land, which measures 3 hectares (7.4 acres), will be cleared of encroachment and fenced as per a circular issued by the state revenue department, he said. Somnath temple is located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval town along the coast of the Arabian Sea. It is believed to be the first am

SJVN bags solar project worth Rs 550 cr from Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam

State-owned SJVN Ltd on Thursday said it has bagged a 100 MW solar project under an e-reverse auction conducted by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL). SJVN bagged the 100 MW solar project at the rate of Rs 2.54/unit on a build-own and operate basis through a tariff-based competitive bidding process of GUVNL Phase XXI, a company statement said. According to the statement, SJVN has secured the full quoted capacity of a 100 MW solar power project through e-Reverse Auction conducted by GUVNL. This ground-mounted solar project will be developed by SJVN through its wholly-owned subsidiary SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL) at a tentative cost of Rs 550 crore. The project will be executed by SGEL in Solar Park being developed by Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Limited in Khavda, Gujarat, through an EPC contract. The power purchase agreement will be executed after the issuance of the Letter of Award from GUVNL. The project is expected to generate about 252 million units in its first

Vadodara boat capsize: Gujarat Police arrests contractor of Kotia Projects

According to the police, the accused has been identified as Vineet Kotia, the contractor of Kotia Projects

Gujarat to showcase its global identity in border tourism on Republic Day

The tableau highlights Dhordo's inclusion in UNWTO's Best Tourism Village list, emphasizing the seamless integration of tradition, tourism, and technology in achieving the vision of a Developed India

11 convicts in Bilkis Bano case surrender at Godhra sub-jail, say officials

All 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case surrendered late Sunday night at Godhra sub jail in Gujarat's Panchmahal district in keeping with the deadline imposed by the Supreme Court. "All 11 convicts have surrendered before jail authorities late Sunday night," said local Crime Branch inspector NL Desai. The top court had on January 8 annulled the remission the Gujarat government granted to the 11 convicts in the high-profile case while slamming the State for being "complicit" with an accused and abusing its discretion. It ordered the convicts, who were released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022, to go back to jail within two weeks. The apex court had a couple of days ago rejected pleas of the convicts for grant of more time to surrender and had asked them to do so by Sunday. The 11 convicts are Bakabhai Vohania, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Govind Nai, Jaswant Nai, Mitesh Bhatt, Pradeep Mordhiya, Radheshyam Shah, Rajubhai Soni, Ramesh Chandana and Shailesh ...

Stones pelted on Ram 'shobha yatra' in Mehsana; cops fire teargas

Police fired teargas shells after stones were pelted on a "shobha yatra" (procession) of Lord Ram in Gujarat's Mehsana district on Sunday, an official said. The incident took place in Kheralu town on the eve of the idol consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and three teargas shells had to be fired to control the situation, Inspector General of Police Virendrasingh Yadav said. "Fifteen persons have been rounded up after a combing operation at the site. Police personnel accompanying the shobha yatra took immediate action to avert any (further) incident and brought the situation under control," the IG said. No one seems to have been seriously injured in the stone pelting, he added. The situation at the spot is peaceful and police patrolling has been intensified in the area, Yadav told reporters.

Reliance to commission new energy giga complex in Gujarat this year

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd will commission a new energy giga complex in Gujarat in the second half of 2024, the company said in an earnings statement and investor call. Reliance is building a giga complex spread over 5,000 acres in Jamnagar in Gujarat. The complex comprises five giga factories for photovoltaic panels, fuel cell system, green hydrogen, energy storage and power electronics. "On track to commence new energy facilities in phases this year," the company said in a post-third-quarter earnings call with investors. Post announcement of third-quarter earnings on Friday, Ambani stated that the "New Energy Giga Complex is all set to be commissioned in the second half of CY24. I am confident that Reliance's New Energy business will play a pivotal role in the global movement for adoption of cleaner fuels." The Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex will be among the largest integrated renewable energy manufacturing facilities in the world. Reliance

Half-day declared for govt offices, educational institutions in Guj on Mon

According to a notice issued by the Gujarat government, all government offices and educational institutions in the state will remain closed on January 22 until 2:30 pm

LIVE: India's forex reserves jump $1.634 bn to $618.937 bn, shows RBI data

Catch all the latest updates LIVE from across the globe here

Bilkis Bano case convicts are under 'police watch', not missing: Official

The Supreme Court earlier in the day refused to give more time to surrender to the 11 convicts in the case of gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of 7 of her family members during the 2002 riots

Ram mandir: These states have declared a holiday on January 22. Check list

Several states have declared a public holiday or half day on January 22 in honour of the 'Pran Prathishtha' ceremony for the Ram mandir in Ayodhya