Gujarat to tie up with ERIA for HRD, skill development

Economic Research Institute for ASEAN & East Asia (ERIA), a leading international research organisation, is keen to forge ties with Gujarat for human resource development and skill development among technical professionals.

Hidetoshi Nishimura, executive director and founder of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN & East Asia (ERIA), met Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi .

Established in Jakarta of Indonesia, ERIA has a network in 16 Asian countries for economical research and for creating a pool of technical professionals.

Impressed by the rapid growth of Gujarat's manufacturing sector and strong partnership between Japan and Gujarat for industrial development, Nishimura expressed keenness in tying up with Gujarat for human resource development in automobile manufacturing sector, a state government release here said.

The chief minister expressed the state government's desire that the state's Gujarat Technological University (GTU) and ERIA join hands for human resource development in the field of technology.

Even as the state is emphasizing specifically on the skill development, Nishimura suggested to jointly organise a symposium on skill development.

Gujarat won two gold medals in the points table at the Inter-Frontier Shooting Championship

Gujarat won two gold medals to finish on top in the points table at the Inter-Frontier Shooting Championship here yesterday.

Ajay Kumar, Assistant Commandant, 78th battalion of Gujarat Frontier, won gold medal in the central fire pistol category. He bagged 254 out of 300 points to finish on top.

Constable Shyam Singh of Kashmir and Constable Patil Manohar of Gujarat won silver and bronze medals with 232 and 227 points, respectively, a BSF release said today.

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NCDEX clears 5 warehouses in Gujarat

The National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) has accredited five warehouses in Gujarat for deliveries and expects that their capacities would be increased further, an official said on Friday.

The five warehouses, the commodities they handle and their capacities are: castorseed at Deesa and Patan (3.50 lakh tonnes), jeera at Unjha (40,000 tonnes), cottonseed oilcake at Kadi (2.30 lakh tonnes), wheat at Rajkot (20,000 tonnes), and cotton at Surendranagar (3,000 tonnes ), M.K. Anand Kumar, Chief Corporate Services, NCDEX, said here.

He said private sector is setting up more warehouses and capacities could be increased.

In the oilseeds group on the exchange, castor seed futures contract has emerged as a perfect hedging tool for all the value chain participants of the commodities.

The open interest in this contract has now reached the level of 1.80 lakh tonnes with an average open interest of 1.27 lakh tonnes in 2012-13, until January this year, he added.

Kumar said with the ongoing mandi modernisation across various States, the futures market is expected to get a boost.


Source: BL

Gujarat Wado Karate Championship

The International Wado Federation Vadodara organized 1st Gujarat State Wado Karate Championship 2013 at Delhi Public School on Sunday.

The aim of this tournament is bring out the best talent of Karate Do among children.

About 200 participants from all over Gujarat took part in the tournament. Participants from Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, Anand, Kheda and Bharuch turned up for the tourney.


The categories for Gujarat Wado Karate Championship are from Under-6 and above for boys and girls. International Wado Federation, Vadodara is affiliated with International Wado Federation, Gujarat and International Wado Federation (IWF), India.

IWF is affiliated with All India Karate do Federation which is recognized by Indian Olympic Association and School Games Federation of India.

The championship on Sunday was graced by Shihan Vikas Sodhi who is chief instructor of IWF, Gujarat and Shihan Pratik Trivedi, president of IWF, Gujarat.

TOI

27th Gujarat Science Congress held at Charotar University of Science and Technology

The Changa-based Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT) and Gujarat Science Academy, Ahmedabad jointly organized the 27th Gujarat Science Congress 2013 in Anand district on Sunday 24th Feb, 2013

This one-day programme consisted of plenary lectures, thesis and poster presentation in diverse areas of science and technology. The Dr Ajay Divetia Memorial Lecture and Shri S R Thakore Memorial Lecture were followed by parallel sessions on research work.


Renowned physicist professor Yashwant Waghmare deliberated upon science fiction and its scientific basis.

Dr George Joseph, distinguished space scientist, and fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy was felicitated and honoured by additional chief secretary of Gujarat Government's Department of Science and Technology (DST) Ravi Saxena.

Saxena informed the gathering about DST's efforts to popularize science among students and masses by establishing 2,000 science clubs across Gujarat.

"More than 16 lakh students have been benefited by this," he said.

CHARUSAT's president Surendra Patel expressed hope that the Science Congress will act as a platform for inter-disciplinary interaction among scientists, teachers and research scholars of Gujarat.

Source: TOI

Huebach and Toyo to open a new company in Gujarat

HeubachColour, part of Germany's Heubach group, will establish a joint venture with Japan based Toyo Ink SC Holdings to manufacture azo pigments at Ankleshwar in Gujarat.

This JV would be a key supplier to both the partners for their internal consumption. It would also offer these products to their customers in Indian and international players.

The JV partners are claiming that it is the first JV in India in the pigment field in recent times.

"This JV comes on top of a series of recent developments for Heubach India starting from the very significant acquisition of avecia range of pigments in 2007 then recently the acquisition of technology from Mitsui for backward integrated PB60 and now this very significant development of this JV with Toyo,"" said Heubach India MD Ravi Kapoor said in a media statement.

"This will further result in an increase of market share as well as result in a fuller basket of pigments which will be offered to our customers"", he added.

Heubach entered Indian market in 1995 to manufacturer and market high performance organic pigments and pigment dispersions. It produces pigments for demanding applications in the coating, plastic and ink segments.

Huebach India supplies pigments for automotive paints some of the leading car makers. Incorporated in 1907, Toyo Ink SC Holdings is one of the largest ink makers in the world.

It is expanding its activities on a global level and recently acquired land for setting up an ink manufacturing facility in Dahej, Gujarat.

During the recent Vibrant Gujarat summit Heubach signed an MoU with the government of Gujarat for co-developing a regeneration of activated carbon project, which could be one of the key answers to tertiary treatment for COD reduction which is one of the main areas under the pollution authorities scanner today.

SOURCE : ET

Buddha Temple to be build at Dev-ni-Mori, Gujarat

A world class 'Buddha Temple' will be built at Dev-ni-Mori in Gujarat, a state rich in Buddhist relics and heritage, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday.

He made the announcement during his meeting with 'Global Buddhist Congress Convener' and head of 'Ashoka Mission', Ven Lama Lobzang, who visited him today to discuss preservation and promotion of Buddhist relics in the state.

Lama Lobzang met the Modi and discussed the issue of taking leadership in preserving and promoting Buddhist relics and heritage sites, an official communique said.

The Gujarat CM also expressed the state government's keenness to preserve and promote Buddhist culture and heritage.

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Tune hotels to enter in India by starting their first hotel in Gujarat

Tune Hotels, will mark its debut in the Indian market, with the opening of the 100-room Tune Hotel Ahmedabad in Gujarat, said Mark Lankester, Group CEO, Tune Hotels. The upcoming property will be a part of the 4D Square Mall in Motera town of Ahmedabad

Gujarat's vibrant economy is among the key factors in the budget hotel chain's decision to start its ventures in India from the state, which is located in the North West, he said. 

Tune Hotels focuses on five key essentials – superior quality bed, power hot shower, convenient location, clean environment and 24-hour security. One unique feature for the Ahmedabad hotel will be a medium-sized function hall.

Reliance Industries and Sibur start work in Gujarat on the project size of 450 million dollars

Reliance Industries and its Russian partner Sibur have begun construction on a $450 million butyl rubber plant at Jamnagar in Gujarat.


RILBSE 0.69 % and Russian rubber giant Sibur, Eastern Europe's largest maker of petrochemicals, had in February last year formed a a joint venture company called Reliance Sibur Elastomers Pvt Ltd with a view to become the fourth largest global supplier of butyl rubber - an input for tyres.

"Reliance Sibur Elastomers Pvt Ltd (RSEPL) today began construction of their new butyl rubber plant, in Jamnagar," the two firms said in a joint statement here.

The joint venture will manufacture 100,000 tonnes of butyl rubber per year to meet demand for synthetic rubber from the Indian automotive industry, whose current requirement for more than 75,000 tonnes per year is satisfied by imports.

RIL owns 74.9 per cent in the JV, while SIBUR has the remaining 25.1 per cent stake.

"When commissioned in 2015, the new plant will be India's only manufacturer of butyl rubber and the JV will be amongst the world's top five manufacturers of butyl rubber," the statement said.

RIL and Sibur signed a technology licence agreement facilitating use of Russian firm's proprietary butyl rubber production technology at the new facility. The Mukesh Ambani-run firm will supply monomer and provide the JV with world-class infrastructure and utilities.

Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has launched a toll-free helpline - 1800 233 5500

Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has launched a toll-free helpline - 1800 233 5500 - for students of SSC and HSC science and general streams. They can seek answers to queries regarding exams and alleviate anxiety. They can also seek guidance on how to prepare for the exams and write better so they can score better.

Last year, the helpline received 8,075 calls from students between February 22 and March 15 - the entire period of the helpline operation. Of these, the maximum - 3,500 - calls were from HSC (science) students, 1,334 were from HSC (commerce) students and 3,241 from SSC students.


Interestingly, 1,200 calls each were received from students who were depressed by their own under-preparation and lack of confidence and also from students who were confident of their preparation but were seeking tips to study and write the exam better, to score higher.

"Of the students who confessed to being depressed, the major cause was anxiety about the exams. These students are bothered by their inability to concentrate and recall what they learnt. Such students ask for help on enhancing their memory and tackling anxiety and pressure from the parents and teachers about their performance in the exams," said a senior board official.

There were also a large number of students who were kicked about exam preparations and wanted guidance from counsellors on how to improve reading skills and exam writing which would give them an edge over others.

"The most anxiety is seen among brilliant students, who scored very high marks in the prelim exams. These students are under immense pressure, not only from parents and teachers, but also from themselves. They want to perform better. So they feel anxious," said an official.

Over 4,500 students called the helpline last year to ask subject-related questions, whether they should study from the guides or the textbooks, and if they should spend time on last-minute revision books.

In 2011, 9,000 calls were received which revealed that 70% of callers were students who wanted doubts regarding the paper style clarified, and tips on preparation for exams and how to score better. The remaining 30% complained of severe depression and anxiety.

Surat, Gujarat implements first-ever city-surveillance project in India

Surat-based Innovative Telecom & Softwares has implemented one of India’s first city surveillance projects in Surat. The Surat Safe City project was inaugurated by Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, recently.

For the end-to-end execution of this project, an open bid invitation was floated which was won by Innovative. The project is being implemented in 5 phases, and aims to deploy a network of 5,000 surveillance cameras at 500 locations that will cover an area of 150 sq km.

The first phase, costing Rs 10.5 crore and completed in record time of less than 4 months from the date of tender issue, included installation of 104 CCTV cameras; setting up of a state-of-the-art Command and Control Center (CCC) equipped with 280 sq ft video wall; a datacenter with 200 TB storage; and an integrated physical security information management system. 

For this project, Innovative used technologies from Verint System, IBM and Delta.

In the first phase, CCTV cameras have been installed at entry and exit points of Surat city, important traffic junctions, bus station, railway station, public places, markets, and other core and sensitive areas. Footage of all cameras will be stored for 30 days. 

“The vigilance network is monitored at the CCC located at the Commissioner of Police Office, Surat. It will provide actionable intelligence that will help the police curb crime and terror in Surat. It will also be used to generate 2D mapping reports which will facilitate the city administration in resource planning and disaster management during natural and man-made calamities,” said Mihir Chahwala, Director, Innovative Telecom & Softwares. 

This is perhaps the first-ever city-surveillance project in India built with public-private partnership. Large companies like Reliance Industries, Essar, L&T and other local industries including diamond, textile and real estate, have contributed Rs 8 crore to the project. The Surat Municipal Corporation has contributed Rs 2 crore. 

Shanghai Hitachi to invest Rs 500 cr to make compressors in Gujarat

Shanghai Hitachi Electricity Appliances Company, a joint venture company of China-based Shanghai Highly Group and Hitachi Appliances of Japan, will invest Rs 500 crore in the next two years in Gujarat to manufacture air-conditioning compressors and relevant refrigeration products to focus on India and West Asian markets.

The company has taken 40,000 square meters of land on lease at Changodar, an industrial area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, for this facility. It will give employment to nearly 1,000 people, and also provide job work to many SMEs.

The venture was facilitated by the India China Economic and Cultural Council (ICEC), Gujarat, and has initiated procedure to register its India entity Highly Electrical Appliances India Private Ltd with the Registrar of Companies, Ahmedabad, said Shen Jian Fang, Chairman of the company, here on Wednesday.

The annual capacity of the plant would be two billion H/L series air-conditioner compressors once the plant becomes fully functional. The Phase I work will be completed by October 2013 and second and last phase is expected to finish at the end of 2014.

According to Fang, the plant would also generate indirect employment opportunities for 10,000 people that include local suppliers and their employees. He said that priority will be given to local workforce in direct employment as well as selection of vendors. The venture would initially assemble the air-conditioner compressors and then outsource certain parts and give job work to local vendors.

The joint venture was formed 20 years ago in 1993 with 75 per cent share of Shanghai Highly Group and 25 per cent stake of Hitachi. The company’s annual turnover is $1 billion. The company has three plants in China.

The joint venture was originally set up to cater the Chinese market only. It later started exporting to 30 countries, including India, the Gulf, Brazil, the Philippines and European countries. More than 8,000 people are working in different parts of the world for the joint venture, which is at present a Rs 6,400-crore company.

Amul , five other brands from Gujarat among India's most trusted brand

INDIA’s MOST-TRUSTED BRANDS
Brand

1 Nokia

2 Samsung

3 Sony

4 BMW

5 Tata

22 Amul

141 Navneet

178 Rasna

194 Nirma

344 Vadilal

Source: Brand Trust Report, India Study (BTR) – 2013
Six state-based brands – Amul, Vadilal, Nirma, Rasna, GIPC and GSFC – have topped their respective categories in recently-unveiled ‘Brand Trust Report, India Study (BTR) – 2013’.

BTR – 2013 was published by Trust Research Advisory, which is a leading research organisation dedicated to understanding and simplifying concepts related to the trust. BTR – 2013 lists 1,100 most trusted brands in 211 categories from among 19,000 unique brands generated in the study.

As per the report, Amul is India’s most trusted food and beverage (F&B) brand among 123 candidates in the category, jumping 56 positions to the zenith. Amul is also 22nd in the most-trusted brand across all categories. Nokia, meanwhile, is the brand people have rested most faith in.

Nirma has displaced Hindustan Lever to become India’s most-trusted consumer product manufacturer this year. India’s second largest ice-cream manufacturer, Vadilal Industries Ltd, leads the dessert’s category. Baskin-Robbins and Kwality Wall’s India are ranked second and third respectively.

Gujarat has a deep and long tradition of business, and business is trust incarnate – believes N Chandramouli, CEO of Trust Research Advisory. “With them being the category toppers, it shows how Gujarat’s brands have now begun to pervade national consciousness,” says Chandramouli.

“Gujarat is a state everyone looks up to – not just for governance or quality or life, but also for quality of brands that emerge from here. This is a high point of the evolutionary cycle in terms of perception,” he added.

Among other companies and categories, Rasna is India’s most-trusted powdered drink trouncing Glucon-D and Tang.

The state-owned Gujarat Industrial Power Company (GIPC) is the most-trusted infrastructure company, followed by National Thermal Power Company (NTPC) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). Gujarat State Fertilizer Company (GSFC) is the sixth brand from Gujarat which is the most-trusted brand in fertilizer category.

Gujarat government is set to produce and distribute genetically modified seeds across India at competitive rates

A year after Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of the Government of India gave green signal for commercial distribution of Bt cotton seeds, developed by Gujarat Seed Supply Corporation(GSSC) with the help of Navsari University and US firm Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech Limited (MMB), the state is ready to produce and distribute 1 lakh packets in the current year. Each packet contains 450 gm of seeds.

This means the state government will be competing not only with private players, but also with dealers of uncertified seeds who enjoy a major share of market given their competitive rates.

Gujarat has become the first and so far the only state to have this technology and it is testing a total of five varieties in various climatic conditions across the state as well as India.

So far, there are only private players in the market. Rajasthan and Maharashtra have also received GEAC nod for commercial distribution, but they are yet to get licence for technology and production.

"In the first phase, soon after the nod from GEAC, the Gujarat government developed 25,000 packets, each of 450 gm, of two varieties. This year, the Gujarat Seed Supply Corporation is set to touch the mark of 1 lakh packets of five varieties," said a top official from GSSC.

"By the end of next year, GSSC will take a quantum jump and produce and distribute 10 lakh packets, covering one fourth of state," he said.

The state budget for the current financial year had made a provision of Rs 47 crore for the same.

"This simply means farmers no longer have to depend on private players and their products that cost nearly Rs 1,000 per packet. At the same time, farmers no longer have to go for non-certified seeds, which are available at cheaper rates. The government will provide them a third option, which also guarantees certification at reasonable rates. Government seeds are cheaper by 25 to 30 per cent in comparison to what is being sold by private players," the GSSC official said.

The new varieties have been developed by genetically modifying popular brand of Shankar6 and Shankar8 and their other higher hybrid varieties. The new seeds, officials claimed, are expected to raise the yield by nearly 30 per cent.

"We see this as a welcome change. The Gujarat government becomes the first public sector entity to get into production and distribution," said Gyanendra Shukla, MMB's regional head in India. "The move will mean a support system for farmers as it will discourage illegal players," he said.

Since Bt cotton's arrival in Gujarat in 2003, cotton production in the state has gone up from 40 lakh bales to over 1 crore bales this year in a season, the highest in India. Gujarat, especially Saurashtra region, at present has currently one fourth of total cotton cultivation area. The huge production has helped boost cotton exports in recent years.

At present, there are 35 private players in Gujarat, most of them licensed subsidiaries of MMB. Together, they sell about 35 lakh packets of seeds.

"Seeds at reasonable rates mean we can cut cost of production and enhance profits. At the same time, when it is a certified seed, we can rest assured about quality," said Sanjay Sankalia, a farmer from Junagadh.

Reasons for Gujarat's Agriculture success

Apart from the various measures adopted by the State Government, improvements in delivery system, democratising, capacity building and encouraging farmers to take their own decisions as clusters, have made the Gujarat miracle in agriculture possible.

“We have unbundled rules and 70 per cent of all decisions are taken at farmers’ groups at the taluka level itself. Since we do not make any purchases whatsoever, at Government or agricultural corporation levels, we have seen the number of probes in malpractices fall from 892 in 2009 to just three in 2012,” says R. K. Tripathi, Principal Secretary, Agriculture.

So liberalised has been the process in Gujarat that most of the decisions are taken by about 16,000 clusters of farmers and 7,000 groups of women across the State.

The State Government does not force the farmers to buy seeds, machinery or equipment and encourages them to decide it on their own as a group. So, the demand is being created by the farmers. Purchasing officers are no longer extension officers. Even the Director of Agriculture has no powers in this regard, nor any political interference allowed.

NO PAPER, NO QUOTA SYSTEM

The State Government has adopted a policy of no paper and no quota system and does not sanction anything to the farmers. It only provides a fixed financial assistance to farmers and has de-controlled decision-making. The Government prefers the farmers’ clusters to take a collective decision and make a choice. “We are focused on increasing productivity and creating a knowledge-base through the annual Krishi Mahotsava,” he said.

In the case of horticulture, the State Government has been flooded by 18,000 applications to set up green or net houses. Even with the existing 3,500 greenhouses, Gujarat currently tops in India. The State Government is likely to assist the selected greenhouse developers with finances of up to Rs 70 lakh.

In Gujarat, irrigation has been debottlenecked. Now, even drip irrigation can be decided by farmers’ clusters on a group basis. The State Government does not keep payment of grants pending: 75 per cent of grants are released in the month of April itself every financial year and all payments are completed for the year by August-September.

Interestingly, the agricultural revolution in Gujarat has been the strongest in areas which were water deficient until the last few years. These areas have registered the highest productivity with the optimum use of available water. “In these areas, about two lakh farmers applied to the Government agreeing to share water through the drip irrigation technology.”

Another important aspect of Gujarat agriculture has been that most investments in this sector have been for creation of agricultural infrastructure for collective usage, rather than using the money for individual subsidies.

source: BL

Ankleshwar-Rajpipla railway route in Gujarat to become operational soon

The gauge conversion work on the Ankleshwar-Rajpipla railway route in Gujarat is nearing completion and it will become operational this year.

According to Mahesh Kumar, General Manager, Western Railway, passenger trains will begin running on this route of Vadodara Division, from March as the work is almost over


Rail movement on this line was suspended after floods in Karjan river damaged a railway bridge at Rajpipla in late 70s following which running trains on the narrow gauge became uneconomical.
The existing 63-km narrow gauge line between Ankleshwar --an industrial town in Bharuch -- and Rajpipla -- the headquarters of Narmada-- passes through tribal-dominated areas of Jhagadia, Umalla, Rajuwadia and Amletha, which has been demanding completion of this conversion for long.

This gauge conversion will also give a boost to small and medium scale industries at Rajpipla, which is 15 kms away from the Sardar Sarovar dam across Narmada river at Kevadiya.

The project on the Ankleshwar-Rajpipla line was approved in 2006 during the tenure of Naranbhai Rathwa, then Union Minister of State for Railways. Rajpipla is part of the reserved Chhotaudepur Parliamentary constituency which was represented by Rathwa in Lok Sabha.

Now this seat is occupied by Ramsingh Rathwa, a tribal leader belonging to BJP.

The tenders for the line gauge conversion were invited in August 2008 for undertaking works on the Rs 196.97 crore project but it took more than four years for completion.

The gauge conversion project will connect four stations on Ankleshwar-Jhagadia-Rajpipla route to the national rail network.

Source: BS

17-km long painting in Gujarat

Over 35,700 school children here today created a world record by making a 17,855-metres long painting on the theme of 'Vivekanand and his vision of Bharat'.

The programme was organised as part of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

The children started painting on cloth at Gujarat Housing Board Ground at 8 am and completed it by 10.30am.

Around 10,000 litres of colour and 35,000 brushes were used for making the painting, coordinator of Swami Vivekananda Sardha Shati Samaroha Samiti, Bhaskar Bhatt said.

Gujarat's education minister Bhupendrabhai Chudasama, energy minister Saurabhbhai Patel and city mayor Jyotiben Pandya were among those present on the occasion.

A world record was also created by about 1,600 school children here depicting the image of 'Mashal' (Torch) who attired like Vivekananda and stood motionless for 10 minutes.

The event, held on January 12, was recorded by a team from the Guinness Book of World Records.

Education minister Bhupendra Sinh Chudasma congratulated the school children of Vadodara for making two world records.

Source: TOI