Gujarat - Projects and Development

[SSCaddict]

Suzlon Energy bags 50.4MW order from GSFC

Suzlon Energy today announced the signing of an order with Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (GSFC) to set up, operate and maintain wind energy projects totaling to 50.4 MW in Gujarat.

“The projects, utilising 24 units of Suzlon’s S88–2.1 MW wind turbine, will be set up in wind farms operated by Suzlon in the Rajkot and Surendranagar districts of Gujarat. This is GSFC’s fifth order with Suzlon and is scheduled for completion and commissioning by September 2011,” one of the world’s leading and India’s largest wind turbine manufacturer said in a filing to the stock exchanges.

GSFC is a leading state Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in Gujarat in the field of fertilizers and chemicals.

At 10.04 am, Suzlon Energy stock was trading up 1% on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

[SSCaddict]

Pharma exports from Gujarat up 12% in FY11

State contributed 28% of national exports.

Pharmaceutical exports from Gujarat has clocked a 12 per cent growth during the 2010-11 fiscal touching around Rs 11,000 crore, according to estimates from the Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association (IDMA).

"Gujarat contributed nearly 28 per cent of national pharmaceutical exports in the last financial year, which is roughly around Rs 11,000 crore," said Chirag Doshi, secretary, IDMA, Gujarat chapter.
The industry is back on a growth track after the relatively dull years during the global meltdown, when exports from the state had dipped , he added. India's net turnover in the pharmaceutical industry including exports is Rs 90,000 crore, and at present Gujarat is contributing around 30 per cent of total pharmaceutical production in the country.

The pharmaceutical industry in the state has been clocking a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11 per cent. "It had peaked to a 14-15 per cent growth during 2007-08, after which there was a slump in exports growth. Exports had bottomed out during 2008-09, when it grew by only 9.5 per cent," Doshi said.

Net pharma exports from India during 2008-09 was around Rs 30,759 crore compared to Rs 31,130.70 crore in 2007-08. Gujarat contributed around 22-24 per cent of national pharmaceutical exports during that period.

One of the reasons behind the state's revival in terms of pharmaceutical exports is the coming home of many Gujarat based companies in the last two years who had moved to tax-free havens like Uttrakhand and Sikkim.

The state's share in national pharmaceutical production, once around 42 per cent, had fallen to 20 per cent during 2008-09. The graph, Doshi said, is back on its upward curve for the past few years, for two reasons. One, the deadline for tax exemption in most hill states is nearing the deadline. Two, the excise duty is now down to 4 per cent from 16 per cent in 2006-07, so the hill states are not as attractive.

Many companies in the state are in the middle of setting up or expanding their special economic zones (SEZ) which is likely to boost exports in the coming years.

Zydus Infrastructure, which is developing the Zydus Pharmez, has applied for a second phase of development for its SEZ in December last year. Dishman Pharma too has started work on its proposed SEZ, while another major custom research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) company Jubilant Organosys is in the process of adding new manufacturing facilities at its Bharuch SEZ.

Even mid-sized local pharma companies are also on the lookout for foreign tie-ups. Last month at least three Gujarat based companies were a part of the 55 member delegation to Nigeria sent by the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) under its 'Brand Pharma India' campaign.

The team comprising Medivil Pharmaceuticals, Callion Laboratory and West Coast Pharmaceuticals from Gujarat had gone to create awareness about the Indian pharmaceutical industry in the African country and also look for potential investment opportunities. Indian pharmaceutical exports to Nigeria had dipped from Rs 226 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 190 crore in 2009-10. Pharmexcil has set a target of Rs 300 crore for this year.

[sixsigma1978]

Drive on a six-lane ‘super expressway’ to Vadodara, in 3 years

For motorists, driving on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara stretch of National Highway (NH) 8 will be a breeze once the six-laning project gets completed in next three years. The busiest road route of Gujarat will be widened into six lanes and will turn into a ‘super expressway’.

When the project is completed, there will be two expressways between Ahmedabad and Vadodara.The present Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway is a four-lane highway, while the Ahmedabad-Vadodara stretch of NH-8 is both four-lane and two-lane. After it is made a six-lane highway, the NH-8 stretch between Ahmedabad and Vadodara will become broader and wider than the existing expressway.

At a cost of Rs3,600 crore, IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited will make the NH-8 stretch a six-lane road. An official statement said the company won the bid for thesix-laning project for the section from 6.400 km to 108.700 km NH-8.Simultaneously, the company will also improve the existing Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway from 0.000 km to 93.302 km on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

It is an ultra mega project of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The project length is approximately 102.300 km. IRB gets a concession period of 25 years and the company has to pay a premium of Rs309.60 crore for the project to NHAI in the first year and will increase it by 5% year-on-year.

The current expressway has already been handed over to IRB.

“The expressway was handed over to us from April 12 to toll and maintain it and also do value additions to it. The NH-8 conversion into a ‘super expressway’ will take three years, after which tolling on that corridor will be applied,” said an official.

CMD of IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd, VD Mhaiskar, said: “With the bagging of the first ultra mega project of NHAI in highways in Gujarat, we are poised to take a quantum jump in our execution capability. With the addition of this project, our total order book stands at about Rs12,000 crore.”

Source: Link

[vibrant]

Modi to board Gujarat’s first intra-state flight connecting Surat to Ahmedabad

Guajrat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two inaugural flights connecting Surat with Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar On April 29 in presence of Captain Gopinath of ‘Deccan 360′ air company. Gujarat tourism department and Gujarat government’s civil aviation department have tied up with Air Deccan founder Captain GR Gopinath`s new company `Deccan 360` to run intra-state air services from Surat and Ahmedabad covering cities like Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Porbander, Bhuj, Mundra, Jamnagar, Gandhidham, Vadodara and Junagadh.

Two 60-seater ATR turbo planes to Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar from Surat airport as part of intra-state air connectivity to 11 important cities in the state commencing from May 1.

A delegation of industrialists from various fields such as diamond, textile and chemical sector and members of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries will board the first intra-state flight between Surat to Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar led by Modi and minister of state for civil aviation and industries Saurabh Patel in two groups(Modi will be in Surat-Ahmedabad flight while Saurabh Patel will be in Surat-Bhavanagar flight).

[munda]

Secure? Are these planes secure? I know Deccan had many problems with these planes. Why not lease 737s

[vibrant]

I don't know about Deccan planes and your experience with it. But, most of the domestic flights in the US also uses small 60 seater planes. As they fly on lower Altitude(compare to 737s), easier to get AAI permission to fly. Moreover, they don't need to pay airport parking and take off & landing fees to Airport athority. So, that makes them cheaper and more affordable to common man.

[shreyas1684]

Originally Posted by munda

Secure? Are these planes secure? I know Deccan had many problems with these planes. Why not lease 737s

turboprop aircrafts are known for their durability, reliability and fuel economy, because of which they are most suited aircrafts for small distance flights...

[vibrant]

Gujarat takes development planning to taluka level

Vadodra, Apr 28 (PTI) The Gujarat Government today launched a Rs 600-crore programme that will involve talukas in the development process and redress people's grievances at the block level. The scheme, `Apno Taluko Vibrant Taluko (ATVT)', covering all the 225 talukas of the state, was launched from Dabhoi town near here. A new three-storeyed building, housing all the offices of the State Government, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 12 crore at Dabhoi. Such buildings will come up in other talukas also, officials said. "It is first of its kind in all the 6,000 talukas, of the country," claimed Vadodara District Collector Vijay Nehra. Gujarat is the first state to take such a step towards decentralised planning and involve talukas in the development process, they said. People now need not go to the district headquarters with their complaints and grievances. They can now be resolved at the taluka level, the officials said. "In this new experiment, every taluka will devise plan as per its requirement and reap the benefits of development," said Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel. "It is important that every taluka aspires to develop faster and this would give a stimulus to development process.It is our goal that we have competition across talukas through which we will be able to take fruits of development to the common man."

[GJ10]

Dahej PCPIR Update:

Samsung Engineering wins USD 230 Million order from India

Samsung Engineering Co., South Korea's largest industrial plant builder, has said that it has won a USD 230 million order to build a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plant in western India.

Under the deal with ONGC Petro-additions Ltd. (OPaL), a unit of India's state-run Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC), Samsung Engineering will build the plant with an annual production capacity of 340,000 tons of HDPE by August 2013, the company said in a statement yesterday.

HDPE is a raw material used for industrial film, pipes and paints.

The plant will be built at the special economic zone in Dahej, Gujarat Province, Samsung Engineering said.

In February 2009, Samsung Engineering signed a deal with OPaL to build an ethylene plant with an annual production capacity of 1.1 million tons in Dahej with the aim of completing it by December next year.

Narmada Project Update:

HCC wins Rs 298.63 Cr Limdi Canal Contract

Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) has won a Rs 298.63 crore contract from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam to construct the Limbdi branch canal in Gujarat.

The project will be completed in 18 months and it will also maintain and operate the canal for five years, the engineering and construction company said in a notice to the stock exchanges.

HCC said the Limbdi branch canal will extend irrigational benefits to 2.71 lakh acres of land in 189 villages of 11 talukas in Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Surendranagar districts.

[Meeeet]

GANDHINAGAR: A sharp rise in the number of tourists coming to Gujarat has prompted the state government to offer sops to entrepreneurs who want to set up new tourism-related units. Officials in the state tourism department said that the government has finalised two sets of incentives for tourism developers. "The incentives will be available for five years and only to new units," a senior official said.

"The state finance department has cleared a proposal to provide an interest subsidy of four per cent up to a maximum amount of Rs 50 lakh to units that will be set up across Gujarat," the official said, adding, "Another incentive looks at providing 15 per cent subsidy in electricity duty on industrial rate. Until now, tourism units were being charged commercial rates."

The incentive package will be available to entrepreneurs wanting to set up all types of tourism-related units, including hotels, motels, resorts, health farms, wellness spas, amusement parks, golf courses, picnic spots, tented accommodations, exhibition complexes and so on. "Those owning heritage buildings and wanting to convert them into hotels with minimum 15 rooms too will get sops," the official said.

Officials conceded that projects to set up tourism-related units, including those signed at the Vibrant Gujarat business summit in January 2011, have been held up because of failure of the government in coming up with the package. "They have already waited for long. The incentive package will be out this month," the official said. At the Vibrant Gujarat summit alone, 564 small and big projects were proposed.

The main thrust of attracting tourism units is going to be along 16 virgin beaches, already identified by the state government for development. The most important proposal is by Atlantis Group, which wants to develop several resorts and other facilities along the Suvali beach near Surat for Rs 9,000 crore. Of the 16 beaches identified, two are in Kutch, four in South Gujarat and 10 in Saurashtra.

source: timesofindia

[AjayGJ21]

Very shameful.
આજે ગુજરાત-મહારાષ્ટ્ર બન્નેનો ૫૧મો સ્થાપના દિવસ છે. આ દિવસે સુરત અને મુંબઇ છુટાં પડ્યાં હતાં. ૫૧ વર્ષે મુંબઇ દેશનું આર્થિક પાટનગર અને સુરત ગુજરાતનું. મુંબઇ પાડોશી હોવાથી સુરતને ફાયદો થવા કરતાં નુકસાન વધુ થયું છે. હીરા અને કાપડ તૈયાર કરવામાં વિશ્વમાં નામ તો છે પરંતુ દામ નથી મળતા. આજે મજૂર દિવસ પણ છે. અહીં મજુરી સુરત કરે છે અને તેનો ફાયદો મુંબઇ લઇ જાય છે કારણ કે આપણે વેપાર કરવા આજે પણ મુંબઇ પર નિર્ભર છીએ. આવું ક્યાં સુધી?

મુંબઇ જ્યાં આખા દેશનું આર્થિક પાટનગર છે ત્યાં સુરત ગુજરાતનું આર્થિક પાટનગર ગણાય છે. માત્ર ૩૦૦ કિલોમીટર દૂર આવેલા આ બન્ને ખ્યાતનામ શહેરોનો સંબંધ ઘણો જુનો છે. આમ તો મુંબઇને જન્મ આપનાર સુરત ગણાય. અંગ્રેજોએ સૌપ્રથમ સુરતમાં સ્થાપેલો તેમનો વેપાર વર્ષ ૧૬૭૨માં મુંબઇ શિફ્ટ કર્ર્યો ત્યારે ત્યાં કંઇ ન હતું. તે પછી સુરતની પડતી શરૂ થઇ અને મુંબઇની ચડતી.

જોકે, વર્ષ ૧૯૬૦માં દ્વિભાષી મુંબઇ રાજ્યમાંથી ગુજરાત અને મહારાષ્ટ્ર બન્યા તે પછી સુરતે પણ પ્રગતિની હરણફાળ ભરી. આજે સુરત હીરા અને કાપડ ઉદ્યોગમાં સૌથી આગળ છે. સુરતને મુંબઇથી નજીક હોવાના ફાયદા કરતા નુકસાન વધારે છે.

વિશ્વના ૯૦ ટકા હીરા સુરતમાં તૈયાર થાય છે પરંતુ તેની નિકાસ મુંબઇથી થાય છે. દેશના માનવિનર્મિત કાપડનો ૬૦ ટકા ભાગ સુરત તૈયાર કરતું હોવા છતાં નિકાસ માટે મુંબઇનો સહારો લેવો પડે છે. આમ કેમ?

અર્થશાસ્ત્રનો સીધો નિયમ છે કે ઉત્પાદન કરતા વેપારમાં નફો વધુ થાય છે. અહીં મહેનત સુરત કરે છે અને નફો મુંબઇ મેળવે છે. જે ટેક્સ જાય છે તે પણ મહારાષ્ટ્રને જાય છે. આવું કેમ થાય છે? શું આપણા અગાઉના નેતાઓમાં દૂરંદેશીનો અભાવ હતો? શું આજના નેતાઓ પણ દિશાહીન છે? શું માત્ર એક એરપોર્ટ નહીં હોવાનું બહાનું આગળ ધરીને સુરતને થઇ રહેલા અબજો રૂપિયાના નુકસાનને યોગ્ય ઠરાવી શકાય? શું એક સચિન ખાતે એક એસઇઝેડ તૈયાર કરીને બેસી રહેવાનું? શું જેમ્સ એન્ડ જવેલરી પાર્કને ફક્ત નામ ખાતર તૈયાર કરી સમય પસાર કરતા રહેવાનું? સરકાર કે નેતાઓ કરશે ત્યારે કરશે પરંતુ કેટલાક ઉદ્યોગકારો તો તેમનો ધંધો મુંબઇથી સુરત શિફ્ટ કરવા લાગ્યા છે. કેટલાક શાણા ઉદ્યોગકારો તેમનો બિઝનેસ ઓનલાઇન કરવા લાગ્યા છે. જોકે, તેનાથી બધાને ફાયદો નહીં થાય. સુરત જે રીતે મેન્યુફેકચરિંગ હબ બન્યું છે તેવી રીતે જ ટ્રેડિઁગ હબ બનાવવું જ પડશે. નહીં તો આપણે રહીશું મજુર અને મુંબઇ બની રહેશે શેઠ!

શું એર-કનેક્ટિવિટીને દોષ દઇને બેસી રહીશું?

સુરતમાં નેશનલ અને ઇન્ટરનેશનલ કનેક્ટિવિટીના અભાવે કરોડો રૂપિયાની આવક તો ગુમાવવી જ પડે છે. . અહીં જ એરપોર્ટથી કાર્ગો મોકલવાની સુવિધા હોત તો આપણે જ મજુર પણ હોત અને આપણે જ શેેઠ! કહેવાય છે કે સુરતને કનેક્ટિવિટી ન મળે તેની પાછળ મુંબઇના રાજકારણીઓનો મોટો હાથ છે. તેમાં કદાચ તથ્ય હશે. પરંતુ આપણા રાજકારણીઓએ વચનો આપવા સિવાય કે આંદોલનોની ચીમકી આપવા સિવાય શું કર્યું? તારીખ ૯ મે એ અણ્ણા આવે છે. તેમને કહીશું કે સુરતના નેતાઓને તેમની થોડીક તાકાત આપતા જાય.

દુનિયાભરથી હીરા લાવીને તૈયાર કરીએ તો દુનિયાભરમાં વેચી કેમ ન શકીએ?

આખા વિશ્વમાં હીરાઉદ્યોગ એ એવી યુનિક ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રી છે કે જ્યાં રફ હીરાની ખાણ નથી છતાં મેન્યુફેકચરિંગમાં વિશ્વભરમાં અવ્વલ છે. આજે હીરાઉદ્યોગમાં માત્ર સુરતમાં જ ૫ લાખ લોકો સીધી યા આડકતરી રીતે રોજગારી મેળવી રહ્યા છે. વર્ષે દિવસે R ૧ લાખ હજારકરોડથી વધુની સુરતના ડાયમંડની નિકાસ છે પરંતુ આશ્ચર્યની વાત એ છે કે જે લાભ સુરતને મળવો જોઈએ તે મુંબઈને મળી રહ્યો છે. અહીં પ્રશ્ન એ થાય છે કે જો દુનિયાભરના હીરા લાવીને સુરતમાં તૈયાર કરી શકીએ તો દુનિયાભરથી ખરીદવા અને વેચવા શું કામ મુંબઇ પર આધાર રાખીએ છીએ?

હવે મુંબઇથી કાપડ પ્રોસેસ નથી કરાવતા પણ નિકાસ ત્યાંથી જ થાય છે

ટેક્સટાઇલ ઉદ્યોગની વાત કરીએ તો ૧૯૩૫-૪૦માં લૂમ્સ શરૂ થયાં. ગ્રે અહીં બનતું પરંતુ પ્રોસેસિંગ મુંબઈમાં કરાવવું પડતું. ૧૯૭૪-૭૫ પછી ટેક્સટાઇલ માર્કેટ બની અને ત્યારથી સુરતમાં પ્રોસેસિંગ એકમો ધમધમતાં થયાં. આજે સુરતમાં ૪૦૦ જેટલાં ડાઇંગ એકમો છે. ટેક્સટાઇલ ઉદ્યોગ સીધી યા આડકતરી રીતે ૧૦ લાખ લોકોને રોજગારી આપે છે. આ ઉદ્યોગે છેલ્લાં ૫૦ વર્ષમાં ખખડધજ લૂમ્સથી માંડીને રેપિયર લૂમ્સ જેવી હાઈ ટેક્નોલોજી અપનાવી છે. ટેક્સટાઇલ ઉદ્યોગ પછી એમ્બ્રોઇડરી ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રી પણ આજે ઝડપથી વિકાસ પામી રહી છે. ટેક્સટાઇલ ઉદ્યોગની સમસ્યા પણ હીરાઉદ્યોગ જેવી જ છે. મેનમેઇડ ટેક્સટાઇલમાં દેશના કુલ ઉત્પાદનનો ૬૦ ટકા હિસ્સો હોવા છતાં અને ૧૦૦૦ કરોડથી વધુની નિકાસ હોવા છતાં ટ્રેડિંગ અને નિકાસ માટે મુંબઈ પર જ આધાર રાખવો પડે છે.

વર્ચ્યુઅલ ટ્રેડિંગ હાઉસ તૈયાર કરીએ

આપણે એવા વર્ચ્યુંઅલ ટ્રેડિઁગ હાઉસ તૈયાર કરીએ. આ ટ્રેડિઁગ હાઉસમાં બધો જ વ્યાપાર ઇન્ટરનેટના માધ્યમથી ઓનલાઇન થઇ શકે. મુંબઇમાં ઓફિસ રાખવાની જરૂર નહીં પડે. મુંબઇનો ઉપયોગ ખરીદ-વેચાણના હબ તરીકે નહીં પરંતુ ટ્રાન્સપોર્ટ એજન્સીના સ્ટેશન તરીકે કરીએ. શ્રી રામકૃષ્ણ એક્સપોર્ટના ડિરેક્ટર અક્ષય ધોળકિયા કહે છે કે જે રીતે શાંઘાઇમાં ટ્રર્ડિંગ એક્સચેન્જ છે તે રીતે સુરતમાં પણ શરૂ કરાય તો ઘણો ફાયદો થાય. કોશિશ કરાય તો થઇ શકે તેમ છે.

http://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/articl...66597.html#abc

We should not take it lightly. Gujarat is loosing thousands crors of rupees mainly due to improper export infrastucture. This's not a minor issue then why state Gvt. not taking it seriously. If Modi is growth oriented, then this ia also a part of it. Atleast save the present industrial environment in the state especially in south Gujarat rather to jump on Future mege projects. Surat is facing and struggling a lot these days and needs some lights.
Thanks to DB.

[aks_sky]

Narendra Modi launches E-Prasar project in Amreli

In a yet more brilliant e-governance initiative, Chief Minister Narendra Modi today launched ‘Gujarat Swarnim Gram E-Broadcast Project’ in Amreli. Initially the project is being implemented as ‘district pilot scheme’ in 51 villages of 11 talukas of Amreli district.

Launching the project, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi in his address congratulated the District Development Officer(DDO) of Amreli who had presented this idea in state government’s Chintan Shibir.

“If kerosene is dispatched for your village from district headquarter, you will be informed about that on this LED board, while RTI application can take month to provide information, this brave initiative will provide you important information very speedily. Be it a vaccination drive announcement, or APMS prices, be it a natural calamity or some information about Krushi Mahotsav, you will get all on this LED screen. This is the century where information is a key, and therefore this initiative is important for you,” Modi said.

Under this project, the state government has place LED display screens in villages with a view to establish direct contact with villagers. The government has planned to use the LED screens to rapidly broadcast all useful information like – precautionary actions to be taken at the time of natural calamities, weather information for agricultural use, pro-village schemes of the government, 24-hour alert system, important public messages of the government, daily commodity rates, government recruitment, health related information and others.

The project is one of the yields of the deliberations made during Chintan Shibir organized by Chief Minister this year and will be the first experiment of mass communication on village level throughout the nation.

LED display Installations would prove to be a great boon at times of natural calamities or epidemics. Besides info like,

• Weather reports for agriculture
• 24 hours alert system
• Important messages from the government
• Market prices for agriculture products
• Announcement about Government recruitment
• Announcement of different Government schemes
• Health related announcements

[GJ10]

Campaign against land acquisition launched

SURAT: To save fertile land from acquisition for industries, farmers of south Gujarat came together in Bardoli on Wednesday. A meeting was held in which a resolution was passed to form associations of farmers at taluka level in six south Gujarat districts.

The meeting was called as a second step in the direction to resist land acquisition by government authorities. Earlier, a meeting was called of around 1,700 farmers of Surat district in Jahangirpura area of the city under the leadership of BJP MLA Kanu Kalsariya, former finance minister Sanat Mehta and Gandhian Chuni Vaidya.

In the earlier meeting, it was decided to continue the movement and involve more farmers of the region. "After discussion of the issues, we decided to call the meeting of leaders of farmers in Bardoli to take few concrete steps. As part of the statewide movement started against acquisition of farm lands for industries, we decided to work under zonal committees," a farmer leader in Surat district Jayesh Patel said.

The farmers decided that until the long-awaited amendments are not made in land acquisition laws by central government, they will oppose it across the state. "Presently, land acquisition takes place under laws of 1894 which are unlawful for farmers. Hence, it should be done once the amendments are done," Patel added.

The farmers are opposing the current acquisition law as it is against the rights of farmers and pushes the rural residents in social and economic backwardness. Kisan Sangh, Gujarat Khedut Samaj and Gujarat Lok Samiti, Ahmedabad, have joined hands against policies of the state government.

"We are fighting the fight to save water, land and forests, which includes farms too. We don't want our future generation to eat or drink polluted food and water. Why do we need polluting industries when agro industries can give higher returns and overall development of the society," secretary of Navsari Valsad Khedut Samaj Natu Naik said.

He said the movement to save farmland needs to be strengthened as the government is working on acquiring land in Navsari and Surat districts for bauxite and lignite mines.

Same Congress backed team behind the Anti-Nirma agitation in Mahuva. Hopefully a bit of perspective for those who maybe under some false impression that Congress will be of benefit to the development of South Gujarat.

A Megaproject that bit the dust before most of the new Surti members joined here, Guj Vittal Innovation City, Rs11.5k Crore Multi-Sector SEZ in Valsad District. SSC Summary Post

Congress backed agitating farmers won out and the promoters are now trying to breathe life into the project... in Congress ruled Andhra Pradesh.

If the farmers in fertile South Gujarat dont create the same kind of investment environment that the farmers in Kutch, Northern Saurashtra or North Gujarat do, then the ppl who are pissed off now are going to be a whole lot more pissed off. I just hope one day they get pissed off at the right people.

[GJ10]

Usha-Brecos Girnar Ropeway project gets approval

Usha Breco’s ambitious ropeway project at Girnar in Gujarat has received Central Environment and Forest Ministry’s “in principle” clearance. Located in Junagadh district of Gujarat, the Girnar Ropeway project when completed is expected to give a big boost to Pilgrim Tourism in the region. The company also has plans ready to establish ropeways at more locations in the country in the coming years. Three projects in the pipeline include Chotila on Ahmedabad-Rajkot road; Jatayupara in Kollam district of Kerala; and Purnagiri on India – Nepal border. These projects will be taken up once the approval process is completed.

The Girnar Ropeway project, located inside the Gir Forest, is estimated to cost Rs 100 cr, and will make the pilgrimage to the famous Ambaji Temple on the hill top smooth and less cumbersome. According to Lt. Col. (Rtd) Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Usha Breco Limited, the 2.3 km long 850 mtr. high ropeway will be taken up with technical support from Doppelmayr, world leaders in ropeway technology.

Usha Breco Limited, a joint venture company of Usha Martin Limited, and British Ropeway Engineering Company (Breco), are the pioneers in Ropeway Tourism in the country. They already own and operate ropeways in famous pilgrim destinations like Mansadevi and Chandidevi (Hardwar), Pavagadh near Baroda (Gujarat), Ambaji Temple near Mount Abu on Gujarat – Rajasthan border; and Malampuzha in Kerala. “We also have plans to extend the existing ropeway in Pavagadh,” Col. Sharma informed.

Speaking to TravelBiz Monitor, Deepak Kaplesh, Project-In charge of Usha Breco said that the Girnar ropeway would be one of the most advanced ropeways using world-class technology. The ropeway will have a capacity to carry 1,000 pilgrims to the Ambaji Temple per hour with 38-trolley cars attached to it. Giving a tourism perspective, Ashish Kumar, Management Consultant on Tourism for Usha Breco said that the Girnar project will give a big boost to the development of a religious circuit around Somnath and Dwarka.

[GJ10]

Five Coastal tracts to have Industrial Zones

Plans are being worked out in the corridors of power to put on sale areas in the vicinity of five important sea beaches, identified by the Gujarat government, to be developed as special zones for marine-based industrial activities. Two state-sponsored agencies - Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) - will be working in coordination in these areas for buying up land from farmers, developing them complete with infrastructure, and encouraging port-related industrial activities.

While one of the areas - 30 km waterfront stretching between Mandvi and Jakhau - is situated in the Kutch district, the other five are in Saurashtra. These are: 24 km waterfront in the Manrol-Veraval stretch, 18 km waterfront in the Ghogha-Lakhanka stretch, 18 km waterfront in the Gopnath-Kotda stretch, and 10 km waterfront between old and the new port near Bhavnagar. "Industrial activities will take place 500 km inside the water front and will seek to feed port-related development along the coast," a senior government official said.

The GIDC, sources said, will be building special-purpose industrial estates here, and for this it plans to take GMB support for identifying the sectors that should be particularly encouraged. "The total area to be developed next to each of the waterfronts has not been fixed, but the sectors are already being identified. The most important activity will be shipbuilding. Proposal is being examined to have shipbuilding parks in each of these stretches," a senior official said, adding, "GIDC estates next to them will house ancillary units."

Total investment in infrastructure alone in these five stretches is expected to be around Rs 2,500 crore. "Industrial activities other than shipbuilding which can be developed here include warehousing, freight container depot and fish processing," the official said, adding, "The overall plan will encourage entrepreneurs to put up ports quickly in these areas. Some of them like Shapoorji Palonjee, who wants to set up a port at Simar, for instance will particularly gain if the state government quickly goes ahead with its proposal."

Apart from these five areas, the state government has decided to set up infrastructure worth Rs 1,000 crore through GMB and GIDC for developing shipbuilding activities next to the waterfront off Dahej in south Gujarat. "While the area for a shipbuilding park has been identified, it will get extra fillip on account of Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) set up in Dahej," the official said, adding, "Dahej special economic zone (SEZ), perhaps one of the fastest growing in the state, too will gain."

[reshapco]

Originally Posted by Gamerrs

Its the Truth that Gujarat is one of the leading state now but we dont have to forgot that corruption is also very high here in Gujarat.

It is probably high while dealing with lands.

[Cosmicbliss]

Originally Posted by reshapco

It is probably high while dealing with lands.

Well said.Even one of the Wiki Leaks cables points out that there are rumors of massive corruption at higher levels in Gujarat.

[GJ10]

SIR Act 2009 outlined new land acquisition policy for main investment regions (inc Dholera), now, new land acq policy in Narmada areas is undoubtedly a reaction to the decision that supported the Anti-Nirma agitation in Mahuva.

Narmada water in Kutch and more parts of Saurashtra is desperately needed. Agitations that hold up private cement plants are one thing, but there should be no tolerance if anyone attempts to slow down this project, especially as this compensation package is a vast improvement on the old one (which was widely accepted)

In a major SOP to Gujarat farmers, the state government on Wednesday announced that it will give a much higher compensation to 86,000 cultivators whose land is being acquired for Narmada canal network. This is based on the new jantri rate plus 30 per cent solatium. Talking to media soon after the weekly cabinet, government spokesperson Jay Narayan Vyas said, "The new higher rates will be given with retrospective effect, starting with the day on which a policy was announced for land acquisition, May 10, 2010."

"It will mean that the Gujarat government will have to bear an additional burden of Rs 770 crore," Vyas said, adding, "In all, 86,132 farmers will gain, including those whose land was acquired on the old rate, which was the old jantri plus 30 per cent solatium." He added that total land to be acquired to build Narmada canal network is 21,671 hectares (ha). "Of this, 10,183 ha land belonging to 55,395 farmers was acquired on the old rate and they were paid Rs 500 crore as compensation. All of them will gain," Vyas further said.

According to Vyas, the new jantri rate came into force on April 18. Based on this, the total amount payable to the farmers - including the compensation to the farmers whose land was acquired - will reach Rs 1,270 crore. Jantri is government valuation of the market rate of the landed property, based on which compensation for all types of land acquisitions is paid; be it an irrigation, industrial or educational project. The old jantri, fixed in 2008, was two to three times lower than the new one.

The farmers of south and central Gujarat who gave away their land for Narmada canal network before May 10, 2010 will, however, not get any compensation. The eight districts selected for compensation are Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan and Mehsana. Asked to explain the discrimination, Vyas said, "Till this date, the state government was acquiring land on the basis of negotiations. On May 10 last year, we came up with a new formula of jantri plus 30 per cent solatium. The additional burden will be paid from the Narmada project's Rs 6,835 crore budgetary allocation for 2011-12."

[Cosmicbliss]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/8325854.cms

Maritime park to come up in Narmada estuary
TNN | May 14, 2011, 11.04pm IST

GANDHINAGAR: The estuary of Narmada river, considered lifeline of Gujarat, will now become the lifeline for ship-building activities of India. Chief minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the state government's decision to set up world-class maritime park on the seacoast. "The future economy will depend greatly on business on the sea-route," Modi said, adding, "Gujarat is positioned very well with its 1,600-km long coastline and the state government wants to take advantage of this by developing ship-building and ship-repairing industries around it."

Modi's announcement came even as state officials of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) worked out a complete plan for a 12-km stretch, starting from the south of Dahej in Bharuch district - at the point where the Gulf of Khambhat and Narmada river meet - for the maritime park. GMB proposes to spend Rs 1,000 crore in infrastructure for developing the park.

At least a dozen shipyards are proposed to be set up in the area, each with an investment ranging from Rs 300 crore to Rs 1,200 crore. To be located on the northern bank of Narmada estuary, the reason for choosing the location is that ships get nearly 10-metre deep draft during high tide, which is considered good for big ships with 10,000 dead weight tonnage (DWT).

Modi's announcement came while inaugurating Rs 159 crore manufacturing plant of a Denmark-based company Roxul Rockwool at the special economic zone (SEZ), Dahej, in Bharuch district. It will manufacture fire-safe insulation material, stone wool, used in the construction sector.

The decision to move the Kalpasar dam north of Dahej will not just activate Dahej port but also shipbuilding activities. "Had Dahej and Narmada river remained within the Kalpasar reservoir, the government would have had a maritime park on the Bharuch coast," sources said.

Currently, India accounts for just one per cent of shipbuilding activities in the world. But, with the decision to develop the maritime park at Bharuch and five others in different locations in Kutch and Saurashtra, Gujarat may well fulfill the government of India's shipbuilding policy perspective of taking it to 10 per cent.

"The maritime park in Bharuch will get extra fillip on account of Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region ( PCPIR) set up in Dahej," a senior official said, adding, "Dahej special economic zone (SEZ), perhaps one of the fastest growing in the state, too will gain."

[Cosmicbliss]

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...-areas-gujarat

42.6% of Gujarat's population is urban

May 14, 2011, 07.07am IST
GANDHINAGAR: Thanks to rapid growth in industrial and service sectors over the last one decade, Gujarat is set to break all its previous records of urbanization. Gujarat's urban population is now 42.6 per cent, or 2.57 crore, of the state's total, according to the 2011 census figures. No doubt, urbanization in Gujarat has been on the rise ever since Gujarat was founded 50 years ago. However, the latest figures suggest the state's urbanization is the highest ever.

Previous figures suggest, 28.08 per cent of Gujarat's population lived in urban areas in 1971. It rose to 31.1 per cent in 1981, further to 34.49 per cent in 1991 and 37.36 per cent in 2001. "Only two states - Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra - are more urbanized than Gujarat", a senior state bureaucrat said, adding, "Tamil Nadu's urban population has been put at 46 per cent of the total, while that of Maharashtra's at 45 per cent."

Calculations further show that Gujarat's decadal rise in population between 2001 and 2011 stood at 19.17 per cent. However, the urban population during the same period rose by 36 per cent. This is against nine per cent rate of growth in the rural population. The eight municipal corporations - Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar and Gandhinagar - together constitute about 75 per cent - or 1.47 crore - of the total urban population.

While final figures of urban population in different districts are still in the process being calculated, sources said, certain bigger towns are all set to acquire the status of a municipal corporation. "This is especially true of twin-towns Bharuch and Ankleshwar. Urbanization around the two towns is so fast that both together turn into a municipal corporation. Part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, the twin-towns can gain the status any time", the official said.

Further, the official said, there are nearly two dozen villages which are on the verge of being turned into municipalities, if one goes by the number of people living there. "The census has not calculated these villages' population as part of urban areas. But their urbanization is quite stark, one reason why they are being termed as rurban areas by the state government", the official said, adding, "This is particularly true of villages next to big urban conglomerates."