Page 34 - Gujarat

157 cases of Covid sub-variant JN.1 detected; highest from Kerala: Insacog

A total of 157 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country, with Kerala reporting the highest number of 78, followed by Gujarat at 34, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Thursday. Several states have been reporting an uptick in the number of Covid cases over the last few weeks and nine states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are -- Kerala (78), Gujarat (34), Goa (18), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The INSACOG's data showed 141 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 16 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk. The JN.1

Liquor permits on health ground in Gujarat go up by 58% in 3 years

The number of people holding liquor permits on health ground in Gujarat has gone up by 58 per cent in three years, as per figures of the state prohibition and excise department. As against 27,452 liquor permit holders in November 2020, Gujarat now has 43,470 permit holders, according to the data. Being the state in which Mahatma Gandhi was born, the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages have been banned in Gujarat since its formation. The state's population is estimated to be around 6.7 crore. A senior official from the prohibition department said apart from the people who have been given permits on health ground, foreign nationals and people from other states are given the permit for a maximum period of one week during their visit to Gujarat. The data revealed that Ahmedabad district was on top of the list with 13,456 liquor permits, followed by Surat (9,238), Rajkot (4,502), Vadodara (2,743), Jamnagar (2,039), Gandhinagar (1,851) and Porbandar (1,700)

Bomb blast threat to RBI: Mumbai police apprehend three men from Gujarat

The Mumbai police's crime branch on Wednesday apprehended three men from Vadodara in Gujarat in connection with a threat mail to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) about bomb blasts at multiple locations here, an official said. During the probe conducted so far, the police found that the accused persons sent the threat mail to play mischief, he said. "The threat email was sent to the RBI here mentioning that 11 bombs were planted at different locations in the city, including the RBI's new office building, HDFC House in Churchgate, and ICICI Tower in Bandra Kurla Complex," the official said. A first information report (FIR) was registered at Mata Ramabai Ambedkar (MRA) Marg police Station in South Mumbai against an unidentified person, and the crime branch of the Mumbai police was roped to conduct a probe, he said. Based on the technical inputs, the crime branch team apprehended Mohammed Arshil Mohammed Iqbal Topala (27) from Vadodara, he said. Topala had created the email id to send

Gujarat police begin questioning of passengers sent back from France

To unearth a suspected illegal immigration network, the police have begun questioning some Gujarat residents who reached their native places on Wednesday, days after their plane was grounded in France over suspected human trafficking, an official said. The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, an Airbus A340, carrying 276 passengers, mostly Indians, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking. It landed in Mumbai in the wee hours on Tuesday. According to a senior official of the state Crime Investigation Department (CID), those passengers included at least 21 from Gujarat. We have learnt that 21 passengers were from Gujarat and some of them have reached their respective places in the state. Our teams are in the field right now and we have already begun their questioning, Superintendent of Police, CID (Crime), Sanjay Kharat said. The police will try to find out how the passengers were contacted for possible illegal immigration into America, how they were supposed to go

LIC board clears proposal to setup branch office in Gujarat's GIFT City

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Tuesday said its board has approved a proposal to set up a branch office in the International Financial Services Centre, GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The board on Tuesday approved the proposal to set up a branch office at IFSC, LIC said in a regulatory filing. LIC's presence in the Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City-International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) will enable the company to expand its global business. At present, GIFT IFSC is the maiden international financial services centre in India. In an interview with PTI last month, LIC Chairman Siddhartha Mohanty had said "this will enhance our foreign operations". LIC has presence in 14 countries through branch offices, subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Corporation directly operates through its branch offices in Fiji (Suva and Lautoka), Mauritius (Port Louis) and United Kingdom (Watford). Besides, it has subsidiaries in Life Insurance Corporation (International

Gujarat Maritime Board attracts investment proposal of Rs 1.50 trillion

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has attracted investment proposals of Rs 1.50 lakh crore by inking investment intentions with over 200 entities ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2024, a top official said on Tuesday. GMB, a state government agency for port development, inked more than 140 Investment Intention Forms (IIFs) and about 50 strategic partnership MoUs, he said. The cumulative proposed investment amounts to Rs 1.5 lakh crore, with 90,000 employment opportunities in the run-up to the 10th edition of the Summit to be held in Gandhinagar from January 10-12, said GMB vice chairman and CEO Rajkumar Beniwal. Addressing media persons, Beniwal said GMB will host a seminar on port-led city development in Gujarat on January 11 under the 10th edition of VGGS. "The seminar is designed to explore, discuss, and promote the transformative potential of port-led development in the urban system," he said. He said the upcoming seminar aims to enhance understanding of the ...

Gujarat's semiconductor policy setting stage in technology world: CM Patel

The 'Gujarat Semiconductor Policy' will help realise the state's commitment for a self-reliant India and Gujarat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has said. The policy is setting the stage for a future in the world of technology and manufacturing, and helping Gujarat transform itself into a semiconductor powerhouse, he said. According to the state government, chip maker Micron Technology's decision to set up a USD 2.75-billion plant at Sanand near Ahmedabad indicates that Gujarat's dedicated semiconductor policy is bearing fruit and attracting global players. Under the policy, the state government will set up 'Dholera Semicon City' near Ahmedabad where eligible projects will be given subsidies for setting up manufacturing units, it said ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) to be held in Gandhinagar next month. The summit is a forum for business networking, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships for inclusive growth and sustainable development. In June this year, t

Merchant ship attacked two days ago by 'drone' arrives outside Mumbai port

The cargo of the ship is planned to be transferred to another ship and a joint investigation is being carried out by the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Intelligence agencies and other officials

Gujarat industrial policy aims to make state global biz hub: Stakeholders

The Gujarat government's industrial policy, launched in August 2020 with an aim to provide Rs 40,000 crore in subsidies to industries over five years, is a reflection of its commitment to make the state a global business destination, stakeholders have said. The policy, valid for a period of five years since its launch, promises an average annual outlay of Rs 8,000 crore, indicating substantial support for industries, they said ahead of the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit to be held from January 10-12, 2024, in Gandhinagar. The summit is a forum for business networking, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships for inclusive growth and sustainable development. The state's industrial policy has been well on target to achieve its mission to promote entrepreneurship and innovation by inclusive and balanced regional development, world-class infrastructure, and initiatives aimed at easing the business environment and export competitiveness. This is a reflection of th

India's Olympic bid: Gujarat's Sardar Patel complex to be venue, says Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday expressed hope the 2036 Olympics will be held in the Sardar Patel complex coming up close to the imposing Narendra Modi cricket stadium here. In October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said during an event in Mumbai that the country would submit a bid to host the Olympics that year. The Gujarat government has engaged the services of some of the finest firms to create sports infrastructure to ensure it can host the event. Speaking at the inauguration of the Sansad Khel Pratiyogita, a sports event organised in his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah said Modi had asked all MPs to promote sports in their areas. "This competition will last for one-and-half months. I will join you after the finals. Sports brings out sportsmanship in us. It is important to lose with grace and have a winning habit. Those who play badly in sports or politics are said to be lacking in sportsmanship," Shah said. Gujarat has the world's biggest cricket arena in t

Navy begins probe into attack on merchant vessel off India's west coast

The Indian Navy has launched an investigation into a suspected drone strike on a Mangalore-bound cargo vessel off India's west coast in the Arabian sea even as the merchant ship is on its way to Mumbai, officials familiar with the matter said on Sunday. The Navy and the Indian Coast Guard swung into action by deploying their assets including a warship and maritime patrol aircraft on Saturday soon after the UK Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, reported the drone "attack" on MV Chem Pluto that has around 20 Indian crew members. There was no report of any casualty in the incident. The Liberian flagged vessel is now on its way to Mumbai and Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is providing security to it, the officials said. The Navy has launched an investigation into the incident including into the origin of the strike, said an official on the condition of anonymity as the matter is sensitive in nature. The vessel, carrying crude oil to the New Mangalore port from the Al Jubail po

PM Modi ensured public welfare schemes reach every person: Gujarat CM

The Gujarat Chief Minister was addressing a meeting programme of beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi Yojana and their families at GMDC Ground here

140 pvt universities set up in India in last 5 yrs; maximum in Gujarat: MoE

A total of 140 private universities have been established across the country during the last five years with a maximum of them being set up in Gujarat followed by Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, according to the Ministry of Education statistics. According to data accessed by PTI, 28 private universities have been established in Gujarat during the last five years while 15 universities were set up in Maharashtra. Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka welcomed 14 and 10 universities respectively during the period. "Private University is established by an Act passed by the concerned state legislature and Notification issued by the concerned state government," a senior education ministry official said. "The name of a private university is included in the list of universities by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as per Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956, on receipt of the copies of the Act and notification from the university," he said. Such private universities are empowered to award gener

Suspected drone attack on merchant ship; crew, vessel safe: Coast Guard

A suspected drone attack led to an explosion and a fire on a merchant ship with 21 Indians onboard off the Gujarat coast on Saturday morning, disrupting its power supply, Coast Guard sources said. The 22-member crew and the vessel, Chem Pluto, are safe, they said. The ship was on its way to New Mangalore from Saudi Arabia, the sources said. The fire has been extinguished and the ship's engineers are working to restore its electricity supply which got disrupted in the incident, they said. Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram, which was on Exclusive Economic Zone patrol, was diverted to the site, they said. The MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) Mumbai received an email from the ship's agent, Fleet Management, about a fire on board suspected due to a drone attack 217 nautical miles off Porbandar at around 10 am, said an official from the maritime security agency. The vessel has 21 Indians, including the master, and a Nepali citizen, the official added. The crew could extinguish

Gujarat's GIFT City exempted from liquor ban, 'wine-and-dine' allowed

In an attempt to provide "global business ecosystem" at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the Gujarat government on Friday lifted the ban on liquor in the area, exempting it from prohibition which is in place across the state. Being the state in which Mahatma Gandhi was born, the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages have been banned in Gujarat since its formation. Such exemption had never been granted in any area of the state in the past. "GIFT City has emerged as a global financial and technological hub which is bustling with economic activities. An important decision has been taken on Friday to change rules to allow 'wine and dine' facilities in the GIFT City area to provide a global business ecosystem to global investors, technical experts and national and international companies," the state prohibition department said in a statement. "Under the new system, hotels, restaurants and clubs (existing and that will come up) in the GI

Nexzu Mobility plans to set up smart EV park in Gujarat worth Rs 5,000 cr

Atulya Mittal-founded electric mobility firm Nexzu Mobility has proposed to set up a smart EV Park in Gujarat and plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore in the project over the next 10 years, the company said on Thursday. Nexzu Mobility said it has signed an initial pact (MoU) with the state government for this purpose. It also said the work on the proposed project is set to begin next year once land has been allotted to the company. "Nexzu Mobility will invest Rs 5,000 crore over the next 10 years to set up the smart EV park in Gujarat, which is expected to generate employment for over 5,000 people," the company said in a statement. The proposed park will serve as hub, provide comprehensive solutions for Electric Vehicle (EV) companies, professionals, owners, and users by enabling an ecosystem in a concentrated area and infrastructure sharing, among others, it said. "With its focus on clean energy and mobility, high-tech manufacturing and innovation, Gujarat is a fantastic destination fo

Gujarat's diamond sector sparkles, new bourse to take turnover to Rs 2 trn

The diamond sector in Gujarat, where eight of the world's 10 rough diamonds are processed by around eight lakh polishers based in Surat, is a major contributor to the state's economy, and the new diamond bourse coupled with the Vibrant Gujarat Summit are projected to spur its growth further, experts feel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the sprawling Surat Diamond Bourse, calling it a symbol of strength and determination of new India. According to industry experts, the contribution of the state's diamond sector is only going to get bigger with the new bourse as the turnover is projected to go up to Rs 2 lakh crore annually. The industry is set to provide employment to another 1.5 lakh people and help achieve the central government's ambitious export targets for gem and jewellery, they say. The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit will help in the growth of the gems and jewellery sector, which accounts for 3.5 percent of world's export, which will add sheen to the state's

147 MoUs worth over Rs 2 trn signed so far at Vibrant Gujarat Summit

Leading up to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 scheduled for January 2024, as many as 147 MoUs have been signed, projecting potential investments worth Rs 2.91 lakh crore in the initial phase

Morbi bridge collapse: HC rejects bail plea of Oreva Group CMD Patel

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rejected the regular bail plea of Oreva Group CMD Jaysukh Patel, the main accused in the October 2022 Morbi suspension bridge collapse which claimed 135 lives. "The application is dismissed," Justice Divyesh Joshi said while denying bail to Patel, who has been behind bars since his surrender in January this year after being named as the main accused in the case. His regular bail pleas were earlier rejected by lower courts. Patel's firm was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi town which collapsed on October 30 last year, killing 135 people, including children, and injuring 56 others. Patel and nine others have been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336 (act which endangers human life), 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and 338 (caus

Surat Diamond Bourse symbol of strength, determination of new India: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Surat Diamond Bourse, world's largest and modern centre for international diamond and jewellery business, is the symbol of strength and determination of the new India. Modi inaugurated the Surat Diamond Bourse in Gujarat and the new integrated terminal of the city's international airport during his visit here. Later addressing a gathering, Modi said the Surat diamond industry is giving employment to 8 lakh people, and with the new bourse, 1.5 lakh more jobs will be added. "One more diamond is added to Surat's grandeur. The diamond is not small but the world's best. Even the biggest buildings of the world pale before the glint of this diamond," he said. "Whenever one talks about this diamond bourse in the world, Surat and India will be mentioned," the PM said. The Surat Diamond Bourse shows the capability of Indian design, designers, material and concept. "This building is the symbol of new strength and determination of new India," he