Baroda Online

Ranjitsinh Gaekwad Passes Away

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:20:15 -0700

Former 'Maharaja of Baroda' and Congress MP Ranjitsinh Gaekwad passed away on 10th May at a private hospital in Baroda. He was 74. He is survived by his wife Shubhangini Raje Gaekwad, a son and two daughters. The funeral will take place at Kirti Mandir, where the last rites of royal family members are performed. Mr. Gaekwad, the second son of the late Maharaja Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad, was born in 1938 and became the 'Maharaja' of Baroda after his elder brother Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad died in 1988. He did B.A. (Fine Arts) from the MS University of Baroda. He also studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadodara in 1980 and again in 1984.

Double-Decker Buses In Baroda

Sun, 06 May 2012 13:06:08 -0700

Vitcos, the private operator which runs the city bus service, is likely to introduce double-decker buses within a few days on a few select routes. The buses have a capacity of 78 persons, 35 on the lower floor and 43 on the upper floor. Trials will first take place to check whether overhead electricity cables on the road are a safe distance away. Ticket rates will be the same. Using diesel as a fuel, each bus costs Rs. 3.8 million.

Black Films Banned On Cars

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:26:34 -0700

Following a recent Supreme Court judgment the police in Vadodara have asked car owners to remove black films from their cars. The use of black films of any visual light transmission (VLT) percentage or any other material on safety glasses, windscreens and side glasses has been prohibited on all vehicles throughout India.

Gujarat's Harappan Civilisation

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:18:43 -0700

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) plans to open, at Vadodara, a gallery dedicated to Gujarat's Harappan civilisation which flourished around 5,000 years back in Gujarat. The gallery will display artefacts excavated from prominent Harappan sites of Gujarat - Lothal, Dholavira, Surkotda, Juni Kuran, Khirsara, etc. The gallery will be housed in the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) building. MS University's Department of Archaeology & Ancient History also has a similar exhibition room. The gallery at VUDA should be ready by June 2012.

Milk Prices Increased

Wed, 02 May 2012 08:07:04 -0700

The prices of Baroda Dairy's milk, buttermilk, curd and flavoured milk have been increased from May 1, following a decision to this effect by members of Baroda District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited. The new milk prices, per litre are Amul Gold (Rs. 38), Amul Shakti (Rs. 35), Amul Cow (Rs. 32), Amul Slim & Trim (Rs. 27). Incidentally, this is the 15th price hike since 2006.

Another Road Bridge Over Narmada At Bharuch

Tue, 01 May 2012 08:50:10 -0700

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will build a six-lane bridge parallel to the existing four-lane Sardar Bridge on the Narmada at Bharuch. The new bridge will help to reduce the driving time on the 527 km stretch of the National Highway No. 8 between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. There already are two existing bridges over the river - Sardar Bridge for heavy vehicles and Golden Bridge for light vehicles. The current estimated project cost is Rs. 5.5 billion, for construction of the new bridge as well as for two new flyovers near Zadeshwar and Mandva crossings.

Canal-Based Solar Power Project

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:23:14 -0700

India's first canal-based solar power project has come up in Gujarat, on one of the branches of the Narmada canal network. The 1-MW project became operational in February 2012 on the Sanand branch canal near Chandrasan village of Mehsana district. The solar panels were set up over a 750-meter stretch of the canal. It has already generated 200,000 units of electricity; the annual capacity is 1.6 million units. Also, it will prevent evaporation of 9 million litres of water. The advantage of such a project is that it requires no land; a 1 MW solar project would otherwise have needed 5 to 7 acres of land. The state's total canal network is 19,000 km long. Even if 10 per cent of the existing canal network is used to set up solar power plants, it will lead to a power generation capacity of 2,200 MW. This can eliminate the need of 11,000 acres of land that would have been required otherwise. Canal-based solar power projects deliver peak performance for 5.5 hours (11 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.) daily for 300 days of light in a year. This project was handled by Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd. and Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. (SSNNL).

Baroda Cricket Association Elections

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 11:35:57 -0700

The current management team headed by Chirayu Amin and Samarjitsinh Gaekwad has again won the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) elections which were held on April 20. Amin secured 1,008 votes to win the president's post and Gaekwad was elected vice-president by getting 1,151 votes. Besides these two, the new managing committee includes Amul Jikar, Arun Gandhi, Bhupendra Patel, Pranav Amin, Chetan Pawar, Snehal Mehta, Sudhir Parab, Anant Indulkar, Jatin Vakil, Ravindra Hota, Roufus Rockey.

India's National Drink

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 11:34:21 -0700

Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Planning Commission deputy chairman, has suggested that tea may quite possibly be declared as a national drink by next year, specifically April 17, the 212th birth anniversary of the first Assamese tea planter and Sepoy Mutiny leader Maniram Dewan. India is the world's largest producer and consumer of black tea. ORG-India data reveals that 83 per cent of Indian households consume tea. It is claimed that tea is the cheapest beverage in the world, after water. However, what exactly are the advantages of being designated as a national drink?

Aaykar Seva Kendra Lunched

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 03:59:43 -0700

The income tax (I-T) department in Vadodara has launched Aaykar Seva Kendra (ASK) in Aaykar Bhavan at Race Course Circle. ASK is meant to be an integrated model to provide a single window for registration of all applications and attend to complaints. Set up at a cost of Rs. 3.4 million, the cell has 10 employees to attend to people. The I-T department hopes that people at large will see it not as an enforcement agency but as a service provider.

Urban Heritage & Renewal Cell

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:35:16 -0700

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will set up a Vadodara Urban Heritage and Renewal Cell (VUHRC) to look after the city's natural heritage and culture. The city is presently celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. VUHRC will have experts from Archaeological Survey of India, Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery, Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India, Indian Institute of Architects and VMC. The cell will work in co-ordination with Indian Heritage Cities Network and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. Its office will be located in the health museum building in Sayajibaug.

REUNION 13

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:16:43 -0700

MS University plans to organise a three-day alumni meet - 'REUNION 13'. The meet will begin on January 3, 2013, which marks Sir Sayajirao Diamond Jubilee Day. The first day of the meet will be at the department level, the second day at the faculty level and the third day at the university level. MSU hopes to begin alumni registration, offline and online, from April 30, the university's foundation day.

Interesting IIM Study

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:29:29 -0700

A study conducted at Indian Institute of management (Ahmedabad) has thrown up an interesting statistic: companies with lesser carbon emissions get better returns. An analysis of carbon footprints of companies revealed an inverse relationship between carbon emissions returns on investments. This inverse relationship holds true for companies across different sectors. While further study is called for, this could be because companies with higher carbon emission gobble up more by way of power, materials and processes.

MSU 'Sthapana Din' On April 30

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:16:53 -0700

When MS University celebrates 'Sthapana Din' (foundation day) on April 30 this year, it will also recognise the contributions of 145 donors besides the Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad Smarak Trust. The present programme will cover only those donors who are registered as such with the university, that is, those individuals, trusts and organisations who have donated Rs. 100,000 and above. Somewhere down the line, however, MSU plans to also recognise the contributions of those who have not registered as donors but have still benefited the university significantly.

Improved Personal Hygiene For Rural Women

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:43:29 -0700

Anand based Tribhuvandas Foundation (TF) has for some time now been encouraging rural women to use proper sanitary pads in order to improve their personal hygiene and avoid the problems associated with reproductive tract infections. Thanks to TF's efforts the Gujarat government reduced VAT on sanitary napkins from 15% to 5%. The latest development is that the multinational Johnson & Johnson has been roped in to provide branded sanitary pads at subsidised rates - Rs. 12 for 8 pads as against the market price of Rs. 22. The foundation will cover a population of 1.7 million in 836 villages of Anand and Kheda districts through 18 centres in 18 talukas. It is hoped that tangible results will be seen in 12 months. The Tribhuvandas Foundation, started in the memory of Amul Dairy's founder chairman Tribhuvandas Patel, receives some support from Amul. To set up the foundation Mr. Patel donated the prize money of his Ramon Magsaysay Award. Run by the villagers themselves, the foundation fulfils the basic health care needs of the villages. It has pioneered in the large scale implementation of the concept of 'Safe Delivery Kits' to ensure hygienic and safe deliveries for pregnant mothers in remote rural areas.

Unique Identification Number

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:59:17 -0700

By the end of 2012 as many as 600 million Indians will have the unique identification number (UID) under the Aadhaar scheme. This was stated at Anand recently by Nandan Nilekani, chairman of UID Authority of India. Incidentally, only 80 million Indians have PAN cards, 50 million have passports and 200 million have driving licenses.

Apollo Knowledge Institute

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:51:09 -0700

Apollo Tyres Limited has recently set up Apollo Knowledge Institute in a joint initiative with the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED). This public-private partnership venture is located at Apollo's Limda plant near Vadodara. The institute will focus on modular training and skill development programmes to meet the needs of Indian industry. To impart the training the institute has partnered with Automation Industry Association and Q Ultima Consultants.

Energy Saving In Government Building At Gandhinagar

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:01:05 -0700

The recently inaugurated building of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) at Gandhinagar is completely solar-powered. Its solar plant supplies 80 kilowatts of electricity to the building. National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has certified GPCB as a national laboratory. Solar energy powers the 40 air-conditioners in the new building, along with 600 fans and 1,000 CFL tube lights. The investment of Rs. 10 million in the plant is likely to be recovered in five years.

Ahmedabadis Love Ice-Cream

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:55:21 -0700

If a report by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) is to be believed, Ahmedabadis eat more ice-cream than bigger cities like Mumbai and Pune. Over 35% of ice-cream sold in India is consumed in the western region, that is, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa. Delhi and Gujarat consume about 30% of the total ice-cream in the country. Ice-cream is consumed in Ahmedabad round the year. Nearly 60% of ice-cream sales are from traditional flavours like vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. The total size of the ice-cream market is Rs. 3,000 crore, 60% of which is controlled by the organised sector.

Camel's Milk

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:10:16 -0700

Gujarat is likely to set up a commercial dairy to process camel milk. The Kutch District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Ltd. (Sarhad Dairy) may work with a union of camel breeders - Kutch Unt Uchherak Maldhari Sangathan (KUUMS) - and a Kutch non-governmental organisation, Sahjeevan, HACKED BY NYRO HACKERrol, and three times more vitamin C. It is easy to digest because of its similarity to breast milk and is good for those who are lactose intolerant or suffer from food allergies. The cosmetic properties of 'white gold' are well known in the Gulf region. Camel breeders have made ice-cream and kheer from camel milk.

VIBRANT - 2012

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:32:52 -0700

VIBRANT - 2012 is the name for the Western India Inter-Medical College Meet which will have participants from Baroda, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Anand, Karamsad and Bhavnagar medical and dental colleges. Four major night events (7.30 p.m. to 11 p.m.): 27th - Garba; 28th - Fashion Show; 29th April - Musical Night; 30th - DJ Night. Other events (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Baroda Medical College): dance competitions, singing competitions, debates, inter-college cricket championship, drama events, informal games, etc. For entry to cultural events please contact: Dr. Divyesh Patel (Junior Doctors' Association President, 9925049187; Dr. Raj Bumiya (JDA Vice President, 9978345496, Dr. Arpan Mehta (JDA Vice President, 9978338329). Venue: Navlakhi Ground & Baroda Medical College, Jail Road, Vadodara 390 001 Ph: 09978345496.

Designing Types for Indian Languages

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:13:53 -0700

The Association of British Scholars, Vadodara chapter, in association with the Gateway Hotel, Akota, Vadodara, has organised a talk by Czech type designer David Brezina on the 'Challenge of Designing Types for Indian Languages'. Brezina has designed types for Devanagari languages, including Gujarati. He will be introduced by Dr. Ganesh Devy. The talk will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at the Tropicana, The Gateway Hotel, Akota. The talk is open to all. There are thousands of languages in the world, but only a few of them have a script and are therefore available to us in the form of writing which we can read according to the spoken sounds of that language. In the hierarchy of languages, those with scripts are invariably considered more 'powerful' than those that have survived in their oral form only. Oral languages are also at a much greater risk of dying out. The scripts of written languages have evolved in the form of hieroglyphs, picture-forms, abstract forms and so on. Abstract forms often use 'Types', and Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. In traditional typography, text is composed to create a readable, coherent, and visually satisfying whole that works invisibly, without the awareness of the reader.

Innovation In Gujarat's Schools

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:03:54 -0700

Education officials in Gujarat are attempting to digitise the syllabus of class 11 and 12 in 4,000 higher secondary schools in the state. The aim is to develop interactive multimedia content. It is claimed that this e-content project is the first of its kind in India. The software content has already been uploaded in over 2,400 schools and all the 4,000 schools will be covered by June. All the non -language subjects are being covered: Maths, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Business Administration, Accountancy, Economics, Psychology and Geography. The cost so far has been Rs. 40 million.

Income of Dwarkadheesh Temple

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 03:28:56 -0700

Did you know that 83 per cent of the official income of the Dwarkadheesh temple in Dwarka goes to the priests and 17 per cent goes to the trust that manages the temple. This is according to an agreement. The income of the priests was Rs. 108.9 million in the last three years, while the income of the trust was Rs. 21.8 million.

School Examination Results

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:07:55 -0700

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) results will be declared as follows: class 10 on June 3 (mark sheets will be sent to schools by June 7), class 12 science on May 10 (mark sheets on May 14), class 12 Commerce and general stream on May 24 (mark sheets on May 29), GujCET on May 3 (mark sheets on May 14). Over 114,000 students gave class 12 Science exams and 435,000 students appeared for class 12 general streams. Over 926,000 students appeared for the class 10 exams.

VMC May Lease Open Plots For Sports Activities

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:33:16 -0700

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) may lease some of its 27 vacant plots for sports activities at a token rate. The plots will be leased to organisations and NGOs who want to promote sports in the city. The upkeep and maintenance of the grounds will have to be done by the organisations that take them on lease. The initial lease period will be three years. The list of plots will be announced shortly. Some of the plots are in Akota, Waghodia Road, Karelibaug, Navayard, Manjalpur, Tandalja and Atladara.

MSU Proposes Course In Cellular & Molecular Biology

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:52:45 -0700

MS University's Faculty of Science has proposed a five-year integrated course in cellular and molecular biology from this academic year. The proposal needs to be approved by the syndicate. The Indian government's department of biotechnology will give the faculty three teaching positions to run the course. The course will admit 30 students through an all-India entrance test. Applicants should have passed HSc with 60 per cent marks in group B.

Computer Literacy Compulsory For Headmasters

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:50:11 -0700

Computer literacy is now compulsory for those who want to become headmasters in Gujarat's primary schools. Candidates who want to appear in the examinations for the Head Teacher Aptitude Test (HTAT) must have passed the qualifying examinations for computer knowledge in accordance with the Gujarat Civil Services Computer Competency Training and Examination Rules, 2006. The minimum educational qualification is a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognised university and a two-year certificate examination of primary teacher's course.

Another Award For Mani Sir

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:41:50 -0700

Barodian artist professor K.G. Subramanyan - popularly known as Mani Sir at MS University - was recently conferred the Padma Vibhushan award for his contribution to the field of arts. He had received the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Bhushan in 2006. Mani Sir, now 88, lives and works in Baroda. He studied at MSU in the 1940s and taught at the Faculty of Fine Arts between 1951 and 1980.

Gujarat's Airports

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:22:32 -0700

Four new airports are proposed to be set up to handle mid-size airplanes in Gujarat, at Palitana, Ambaji, Dwarka and Ankleshwar. Gujarat currently has 17 airports, not counting the two at Daman and Diu. Incidentally, the state has the largest number of operational airports in India.

Hockey Stadium Coming Up In City

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:52:59 -0700

Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is building a modern hockey stadium in Manjalpur. The stadium is part of an outdoor sports complex being set up by VMC on a large plot of land near Darbar Chowkdi. The hockey ground will be laid with astro turf. It will be suitable for hosting national and international tournaments. The stadium, costing about Rs. 50 million, will be able to take in 6,000 spectators. The facility will be administered by Baroda District Hockey Association (BDHA). Gujarat has only one other hockey stadium of this kind, the one at Gandhinagar which is owned by Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Plastic Park At Sanand

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:54:26 -0700

The Gujarat government may allot 240 acres of land at the Sanand auto hub for members of the All India Plastic Manufacturers Association (AIPMA). About 150 kgs of plastic is used in the average finished car. AIPMA has about 2,500 members. Gujarat accounts for over 65 per cent of India's total plastic production.

Land Deals In Gujarat

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:29:18 -0700

A new Gujarat state revenue department government resolution (GR) has been issued to help regularise land deals made through a power of attorney (PoA). The procedure will enable a PoA holder to register the property in his or her name, subject to some formalities, if the original land owner has migrated or is no longer alive. Once the formalities have been completed and no objection is received from the original owner, the PoA holder will be registered with the government as the current occupant of the land. This move is designed to help the government to computerise all land deals in rural areas. It seems that over 40 per cent of all land deals have been struck through the PoA route.

Lalbaug Overbridge May Be Opened By February

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:31:55 -0700

The Lalbaug overbridge is likely to be inaugurated by the end of February. Considering the doubts over its design, it has been decide that no right turns will be allowed on the four-way overbridge in order to avoid accidents and traffic jams. If you approach the bridge from Kashivishwanath Temple, you will not be allowed to turn towards Vishwamitri; if you approach from Manjalpur you will not be permitted to turn towards Pratapnagar.

Appeal To Vegetable Vendors

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:29:32 -0700

Vadodara's vegetable and fruit sellers have assured the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) that they will not provide plastic bags to customers from 15th January. VMC had appealed to the vendors to help out in this way because plastic bags are non-biodegradable and clog the city's drainage and storm water systems. Citizens have also been requested to use paper and cloth bags instead.

International Language Meet In City

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:22:00 -0700

Bhasha Vasudha (languages of the world) is the theme of a conference to be held in Baroda on January 7 and 8. The meet has been organised by Bhasha Research and Publication Centre, a Baroda based organisation devoted to the conservation of the languages and oral traditions of marginalised communities. Representatives of almost 900 languages of the world will participate in this international language meet. Over 100 scholars from 35 countries are expected to attend. Over 600 Indian linguists will also participate. The conference will be held at three venues: Sir Sayajirao Nagargruh at Akota, Dashrath village, and Bhasha Centre's Adivasi Academy in Tejgadh village. On this occasion, Bhasha Research Centre will launch its People's Linguistic Survey of India (PLSI) for 12 states (Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh). The remaining states of India will be covered by the end of 2012. Over 800 languages are used in India and this survey covers 375 languages.

School Examinations

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:22:20 -0700

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has fixed the examination dates. The Std 10 exams will be from March 6 to 19. The exams for Std 12 (General - Arts and Commerce) will be from March 6 to 19. 0will be from dates for the examinations for Std 10 and 12 as well the second-semester examinations for Std XI (science). The exams for Std 12 general (Arts and Commerce), Science and post-basic streams will be from March 5 to Mach 21. The vocational stream examinations will be from March 13 to 21.

Philatelic Exhibition

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:50:19 -0700

Gujarat Circle of India Post will organise a philatelic exhibition - Gujpex 2011 - at Vadodara from 23rd to 25th December at Akota Atithi Gruh. On this occasion a set of 22 special used picture postcards will be released to commemorate the historic Dandi March. During the event the legendary cricketer Vijay Hazare will be paid a tribute by the postal department and Baroda Cricket Association (BCA): a special stamped envelope with photographs of Hazare will be exhibited. Over 2,000 such envelopes will be printed by BCA. The envelopes will be auctioned and the funds raised will be shared between BCA and the postal department. Hazare captained India in 14 matches between 1951 and 1953. He scored 2,192 runs in 30 Test matches (with a batting average of 47.65). He passed away in 2004.

Science City At Sayaji Baug

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:59:16 -0700

Science City At Sayaji Baug: There is talk of a Science City being set up near the Sayaji Baug Planetarium. Discussions are on between the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). New equipment will be set up in the planetarium and it will be a part of the science city complex. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 250 million. It is still at the planning stage.

Lalbaug Railway Overbridge Will Open Soon

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:28:04 -0700

It looks as if the Lalbaug Railway Overbridge will finally be opened soon. Assisted by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, this project was started in 2009 and has been substantially delayed since then. The bridge has two 'Y' junctions to facilitate traffic in four directions - Pratapnagar, Vishwamitri Road, Rajmahal Road and Manjalpur.

New Vadodara Airport Terminal Building

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:23:32 -0700

The new integrated terminal building of Vadodara airport should be ready in another 17 months. This is the indication given by India's Civil Aviation Minister Vyalar Ravi in a letter to Vadodara MP Balkrishna Shukla. The foundation stone for this project was laid in February 2009 by Praful Patel, who was the Union Civil Aviation Minister at that time. The new integrated terminal building - a glass and steel structure - will have an area of 18,120 square meters. It will have peak hour passenger handling capacity of 700 and an annual handling capacity of 730,000 passengers.

Panchayat Elections In Gujarat

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:27:53 -0700

Elections for 10,231 village panchayats in Gujarat will be held in the last week of December 2011. The term of these panchayats ends on December 31. There are 13,500 village panchayats in the state. Since the required number of electronic voting machines is not available, ballot papers will be used in the elections. Over 400,000 candidates may be in the fray for the posts of 100,000 panchayat members and sarpanchs. Over 60 percent of the state's electorate may participate in the process.

AICTE To Open Office In Gujarat

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 02:26:14 -0700

With its headquarters at Bhopal, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has eight regional offices in the country, but it does not have an office specifically for the Gujarat region. It has now decided to open an office in Vadodara and it will be located on the MS University campus. Currently, engineering and management institutes have to deal with the Bhopal office for project grants and additional seats. MSU has sanctioned land near the university guest house for this purpose.

Shoot Your Films In Gujarat

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 02:24:45 -0700

The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. (TCGL) has set up a special cell to promote the state as a good location for film shooting. TCGL will offer some incentives to film producers: no charges for infrastructure facilities, free police security during shooting, access to tourism properties at concessional rates, etc. In return, the producers will have to give credit to the state and mention the names of the tourist spots where the shooting has been done. The tourist destinations identified for this purpose are Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Bhuj. TCGL will help the producers to quickly obtain the necessary shooting permissions.

Products Made By Prisoners

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:28:42 -0700

Inmates of the central jails in Ahmedabad and Baroda make a lot of products which are sold to customers outside the jails. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Ahmedabad has now designed a marketing course for these inmates. The course will cover sale, distribution and management of factory products. Interpersonal skills will also be taught. The skills that the inmates acquire will help them to be gainfully occupied once they are released from prison. IIM will also help in branding and marketing the products (for instance, in the way that the products from New Delhi's Tihar Jail are marketed).

Sensor-Based Automated Driving Test

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:51:38 -0700

Gujarat's Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) may introduce a sensor-based automated driving test. Tracks will be fitted with sensors that will detect if the driver is doing a reasonably good job. The tracks for two- and four-wheelers will be lined with over 100 sensors embedded near curves and speed-breakers. Test results will be available immediately (a score above 70 % will be necessary to pass the driving test). This facility will be started at Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara and other major RTO offices. It is hoped that this method will eliminate errors and corruption. The project will cost Rs. 100 million. Closed-circuit TV cameras will also be installed to monitor performance. Those who pass this test will also need to pass an online test featuring questions relating to road signals and traffic safety.

World's Largest Clean-Energy Project

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:18:50 -0700

The world's largest clean-energy project to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions is being planned by Ahmedabad based Self-Employed Women's Association (Sewa). The organisation will give 200,000 energy-efficient stoves and solar lanterns to its members in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Sewa's self-employed women spend as much as 35% of their income on fuel alone, so they can benefit immensely through an alternative energy initiative. The three-year-long project, called 'Hariyali', will receive financial assistance from International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

Two New Flyovers In City

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 07:24:13 -0700

Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has begun work, though tentatively, on the city's first flyovers - the Harinagar flyover on Gotri Road and the Amitnagar Circle flyover on VIP Road. The two projects are likely to cost Rs. 400 million. The expected project duration is 15 months. Soil testing has begun at both sites.

Barodian Elected To Golf Body

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:12:26 -0700

Baroda's Samarjitsinh Gaekwad is now an elected council member of the Indian Golf Union (IGU). Though IGU was formed in 1955, it had no member from Gujarat in its council. Gaekwad has been elected from the west zone. He is associated with the golf course of Gaekwad Baroda Golf Club (GBGC) that is on the grounds of Laxmi Vilas Palace. He will be in three IGU committees - selection, junior development and technical.

Renovation Of MSU Hostels

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:58:51 -0700

MS University plans to renovate all its student hostels, starting with the four halls of residence on the campus for girls. A sample room has been done up at Hansa Mehta Hall at a cost of Rs. 150,000. If this is approved, then Rs. 20 million will be spent to renovate the entire hall. Renovation of the other three halls for ladies - Pandita Gargi Hall, Sarojini Devi Hall and Kasturba Gandhi Hall - may cost another Rs. 50 million. Once a model hall is ready, MSU will approach donors for funds.

Solar Powered Pond Aerator For Gotri Lake

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:00:33 -0700

A mobile solar powered pond aeration system has been installed on an experimental basis at the Gotri Lake to increase the level of dissolved oxygen in the water. The process of aeration enables the absorption of atmospheric oxygen so as to restore the water body to a healthy state. The unit, developed by S.N. Jha, a researcher at Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, was demonstrated to fishermen and officials from the state fisheries department and Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). Claimed to be the first such system in the South Asia region, it is considered to be better than the ones powered by conventionally generated electricity or diesel engines. It is quite suitable for increasing the production of shrimps and fishes, and it reduces algae growth. A similar system may be installed at Sursagar Lake. One such aerator can increase aquatic life in a lake spread over three acres. The water body appears clearer after 15 days and the smell of dead fish reduces.

Crocodile Park Behind Laxmi Vilas Palace

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:22:00 -0700

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is considering the feasibility of setting up a crocodile park somewhere along the banks of the river Vishwamitri. The location proposed is behind the Laxmi Vilas Palace compound. Many crocodiles have been seen in the stretch of the Vishwamitri near the palace. The crocodile park may also be developed as a rescue and education centre. VMC will formally approach the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI) to take up the matter further. VMC may pick up some tips from the crocodile park in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu.

Badges For Auto-rickshaw Drivers

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:56:49 -0700

The Vadodara traffic police have specified a dress code for the drivers of auto-rickshaws: if the owner is driving he will have to wear a white dress, and if the driver is not the owner he will have to wear a khaki dress. All drivers will also have to wear badges issued by the Regional Transport Office.

Closed Circuit Television Cameras For Police

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:10:19 -0700

Police departments in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhinagar will soon install several hundred hi-tech PTZ CCTVs (pan-tilt-zoom closed circuit television cameras) in public places. This decision follows the recent terror alerts in Gujarat. The high-resolution CCTVs will be more sophisticated than the ones in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. They will be more expensive too, with each unit costing over Rs. 100,000. In Vadodara, 53 strategic locations have been identified on busy roads and traffic islands and in trouble-prone areas. The CCTVs will have an automatic vehicle number plate recognition system to trace and photograph the movement of suspect vehicles.

New LPG Cylinder Connections

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:31:29 -0700

The Vadodara district administration plans to improve the process of giving fresh connections for LPG cylinder. The system proposed is that residents seeking new connections should submit the necessary documents at the City Civic Centre at Narmada Bhavan instead of at various LPG agencies. Vadodara district has over 510,000 LPG cylinder consumers and 43 LPG agencies; over 50 per cent of the connections are in the city. Over 23,700 consumers have piped natural gas connections. The new system is likely to start from October 1.

E-Libraries In Courts

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:29:45 -0700

Courts in 225 talukas in Gujarat may soon have e-libraries to provide easy and cost-effective access to legal and judicial databases for the benefit of judges and advocates. This should help to improve the quality of judicial administration. The e-libraries will feature important law journals and books and major judgments of the Supreme Court and high courts. Access to the e-library will be free, but advocates will have to pay for printouts of judgments.

More Relevant Education For Doctors

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:12:57 -0700

Come 2012 and medical education in India is likely to undergo a major change. The Medical Council of India (MCI) recently invited suggestions from the deans of several medical colleges. The medical curriculum has by and large remained unchanged the same since 1989. The revamp will take into account the latest medical advances, diseases and treatments. A brief foundation course for medical students was also suggested to provide an overview of hospital administration, medical economics and medical ethics. Other suggestions: first year MBBS to increase from 12 months to 14 months, and second and third year MBBS to be 20 months each; introduction of subjects such as telemedicine, bio-informatics and healthcare management.

Ahmedabad-Mumbai Expressway

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:59:17 -0700

Work on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai expressway project via Vadodara and Surat has been put on the fast track. The average speed on a two-lane road is around 50 kmph and it is 65 kmph on a four-lane road. The speed will increase to 80 to 100 kmph on the six-lane road. Travel time on the Ahmedabad-Surat stretch will reduce from five hours to about 3.5 hours. Work on the Surat-Mumbai part is likely to be completed by December 2011.

Gujarat's Population Crosses 60 Million

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:57:40 -0700

Gujarat's population touched 60.4 million in 2011. It grew 19.17 per cent between 2001 and 2011, 35.83 per cent growth in the urban areas and 9.23 per cent in the rural areas. Migration into Gujarat and intra-state migration from rural to urban areas (for jobs) seems to have caused this rural to urban shift. More rural areas are drifting to non-agricultural activities. In 153 towns, 75 per cent of the people who were formerly rural have changed to non-agricultural activities.

New Examination System At Major MSU Faculties

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 01:06:02 -0700

Starting this academic year MS University may follow a common examination system at the Faculty of Commerce, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Science. These three faculties have switched over to the choice based credit system (CBCS) and now the semester-end exams will be conducted by the university's examination section instead of being conducted internally. The grading system will also be introduced. Among the issues yet to be resolved are: method of giving grace marks, whether the examiners should be internal or external, the examination fee structure, and the re-assessment and dispute settlement mechanism. At all other faculties, examinations will be conducted internally by the faculties themselves. The CBCS will be introduced next year in the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, Faculty of Performing Arts and Faculty of Fine Arts.

Sayajirao's 150th Birth Anniversary

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:13:48 -0700

Member of Parliament Balkrishna Shukla has requested the central government to release a commemorative postage stamp on the 150th birth anniversary of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Born on March 11, 1863, Sayajirao was adopted by the royal Gaekwad family on May 27, 1865, and later became the ruler of the Baroda state.

Tax Exemption For Properties Of Defence Personnel

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 05:26:21 -0700

Following requests by the Army Welfare Association, Gujarat's Urban Development Department (UDD) has directed civic bodies of Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to give tax exemption to properties owned by defence personnel. The exemption will be limited to just one residential - not commercial - property owned by them within municipal limits. All properties, except properties owned by charity organisations, within civic limits are taxable as per the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act. The Gujarat government has asked the civic bodies to amend the Act to benefit retired and serving defence personnel. The standing committee of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation has already forwarded a proposal to this effect to the general body for approval. In Vadodara about 6,000 defence personnel should benefit from this move.

Boat Ambulances In Gujarat

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 05:11:27 -0700

Boat Ambulances In Gujarat: GVK Emergency Management & Research Institute (EMRI) proposes to add boat ambulances to their fleet in Gujarat for the 108 emergency response services. This will help in quickly reaching victims in the state's coastal areas. At present EMRI has 506 ambulances. The boat ambulances will be introduced in four to five coastal locations on an experimental basis. If the experiment is successful, then the plan will be carried forward.

Ganesh Immersion Processions Peaceful

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:22:19 -0700

The Ganesh immersion processions were peaceful (except for a minor incident) throughout Vadodara on Sunday, 11th September. To maintain the peace the city authorities had made elaborate security arrangements. In addition to the city police and the four companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) posted in the city, additional forces had also been deployed: a deputy inspector general of police, four deputy commissioners, 13 deputy superintendents of police, 20 trainee Dy SPs, 31 inspectors, 23 sub-inspectors, 231 trainee sub-inspectors, 510 other police personnel, eight additional companies of SRP, two companies of Rapid Action Force and 2,355 Home Guards. Volunteers of Civil Defence and Vadodara Traffic Education Trust were also roped in. Over 150 videographers were used to record the processions and the crowds. On standby duty were six quick response teams equipped with bulletproof jackets and automatic weapons, bomb detection and disposal squads and sniffer dogs.

Smart Cards To Monitor Attendance

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:15:46 -0700

MS University's Department of Russian Studies in the Faculty of Arts has started a pilot project to electronically register the internal marks of students and the attendance of students and teachers. During the experimental phase 50 students and three teachers have been given radio frequency smart cards. The system has been installed at Bhasha Bhavan building. The system can in theory also enable parents to know whether their wards attend classes regularly. It has been installed by Miracle Smart Card Pvt. Ltd.

Urban Transport Helpline Numbers

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:50:02 -0700

India's ministry of urban development is toying with the idea of introducing a common helpline number for travellers throughout the country to answer questions relating to bus routes, taxi tariffs, etc. The number will be similar to 100 for police and 139 for Indian railways. Two urban transport helpline numbers are planned: 15220 will be toll-free or at a nominal cost for basic services, and 15221 for value added services. This is still at the idea stage, and the eventual success of the plan will depend on how effectively different cities cooperate.

Communication Cell At MSU

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:33:39 -0700

MS University has started a communication cell to address the needs of internal and external communications. It is hoped that the cell will help create a better awareness in society regarding developments and activities at MSU. Dr. Amit Dholakia will be the new director of the cell. Among its activities will be media liaison, maintaining the university website, publication of the university's journals and newsletters, etc.

Gujarati Film Industry

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:22:42 -0700

The Gujarati film industry recently crossed the figure of 1,000 films. The first Gujarati film, 'Narsinh Mehta', was released in 1932. The popularity of Bollywood (Hindi film industry) overpowers the world of Gollywood (Gujarati film industry). The directors of Gujarati films find it safer to cater to audiences in villages, and urban audiences thus stay away. Roughly, only 80 theatres screen Gujarati films in the state. Besides, the acting and other related talent is gravitating towards the greater attractions and glamour of Bollywood and the small screen (television serials).

Railway Overbridges Opened At Last

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:38:41 -0700

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two railway overbridges in Vadodara - on Jetalpur Road and at Navayard - on August 28. Mr. Modi's visit also provided the occasion to kick off development of two new flyovers, at Harinagar crossroads on Gotri Road and Amitnagar Circle on VIP Road. It is also proposed to widen the bridge over the Vishwamitri River near Urmi School in Sama.

108 Service Completes Four Years In Gujarat

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:19:51 -0700

The 108 services of Emergency Management & Research Institute (EMRI) started in Gujarat in August 2007. The service has completed four years. It now saves one life every 14 minutes. On an average, 2,250 emergencies are handled per day and an ambulance is dispatched every 42 seconds. Every hour, there is one child born in a 108 emergency vehicle. Post August 2007 there has been a 70 per cent improvement in infant mortality rate and mother mortality rate. It is claimed that in 99 cases out of 100 an emergency 108 call is answered after the first ring itself. It is further claimed that 125,000 lives have been saved in the state so far. Roughly 60 per cent of the patients are women while 40 per cent are men, and 69 per cent are from rural or semi-urban areas while 31 per cent are from cities.

Second-Hand Mobile Phones

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:20:07 -0700

Second-Hand Mobile Phone Registers: The Vadodara city police have instructed all shops dealing in second-hand mobile telephone handsets to maintain a separate register showing details of the buyer or seller, the IMEI number of the handset, other details of the mobile phone and also the identity proofs of the buyer and the seller. The reason behind this directive is to facilitate investigations into terrorist related activities, in which mobile telephones are used extensively.

New Grass Species Found By MSU Researchers

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:59:19 -0700

Rinku Desai, a student of MS University's Botany Department, and her guide Dr. Vinay Ravle have discovered a unique species of grass at Bhayli, near Baroda. They have named this species 'Ischaemum Sayajiraoi', in honour of Sayajirao Gaekwad III. According to them, this species of grass has been identified for the first time in the world; its leaves and flowers are different from other varieties. The new species has already been registered with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, and the International Plant Names Index (IPNI). The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) is a database of the names and associated basic bibliographical details of seed plants, ferns and lycophytes. IPNI is the product of a collaboration between The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Harvard University Herbaria and the Australian National Herbarium. The MSU duo are engaged in research on various species of grass in south Gujarat. The study has been carried out over three years. Dr. Ravle has done his PhD from MSU.

Nagar Ratna Award For VMC

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 03:55:09 -0700

The All India Institute for Local Self Government (AIILSG) has given the Nagar Ratna Award for urban poor housing schemes to the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). Houses for the urban poor in the city have been constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Of the planned 21,000 houses, 8,000 have already been built. Over 5,400 houses have already been allotted to owners.

Encourage Farming Of Medicinal Herbs

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 03:45:25 -0700

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has suggested to AYUSH (the department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy under the ministry of health and family welfare) that they may have something to learn from Chinese examples by introducing the farming of medicinal herbs and doing mass scientific validation of medicines. IIM's suggestions were based on recommendations by managers, professors, doctors, researchers and field workers. Over 90 % of the medicinal herbs used to manufacture AYUSH medicines are procured form forests, while China has begun to farm these medicinal plants. IIM also suggested that incentives be offered to cultivators of medicinal plants, along with a buy-back policy.

First Batch Graduates From Forensic Sciences University

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 03:27:54 -0700

The first batch of students has graduated from Gujarat Forensic Sciences University (GFSU) in Gandhinagar, India's first such university. Already, more than half of those who have completed the two-year masters course in forensic and behavioural sciences have found jobs with companies in the areas of corporate espionage, data theft, adulteration, counterfeit drug prevention, ballistics testing and financial frauds. The employers include Zydus Cadila Pharmaceuticals, ICICI Lombard, Perkin Elmer (India), Forensic Science Laboratory (Goa), Claris Pharmaceuticals, Environment Pollution Control Board, Indian Air Force, etc.

Get Your Biometric Identity Card

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 03:11:01 -0700

Aadhar, the biometric identity card under the Union government's Unique Identity number project (issued by the Unique Identity Development Authority of India, or UIDAI), is now being issued by the Fatehgunj head post office after submitting the relevant documents. The UIDAI biometric card has a unique 12-digit number. Issued free of charge, it will be useful for opening a bank account, to obtain a mobile connection, withdraw NREGS money, get an insurance policy, apply for a ration card, and whenever you have to produce and identity and address proof. In Vadodara district, there will be 39 centres to implement this project. In the city there will be centres at post offices in Karelibaug, Raopura head post office, Mandvi, Khanderao Market, Madan Zampa, Baranpura, Race Course and Subhanpura.

Parul Institute Permitted To Admit Foreign Students

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:48:32 -0700

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given permission to Baroda's Parul Institute of Engineering and Technology to admit students of foreign countries, persons of Indian origin (PIOs) and children of Indian workers in Gulf countries from this academic year. Nirma University is the other Gujarat based institution which has a similar clearance. Parul can admit a total of 113 such students in the supernumerary categories, at the undergraduate level in mechanical, electronics and communication, computer science, civil engineering, electrical engineering and information technology, and at the postgraduate level in thermal engineering, electronics and communication engineering, MBA and MCA. Parul has set up an NRI hostel.

International Linguapax Award For Barodian

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:13:34 -0700

Baroda's Dr. Ganesh Devy, founder of Bhasha Research and Publication Centre (BRPC), has been awarded the 2011 International Linguapax Award in recognition of his efforts to promote and preserve various languages in the country. The Linguapax Awards are announced every year on February 21, Mother Language Day. They are the only public recognition in the world to promote linguistic diversity and are awarded to linguists, researchers, professors and social activists dedicated to linguistic diversity and multilingual education. Linguapax is a non-governmental organisation. Dr. Devy is the first Indian to receive this award. He has been working for tribals and their languages since 1996 after resigning as professor from MS University (MSU) of Baroda. Bhasha Trust was founded in 1996 for the study, documentation and conservation of languages not protected by the Constitution of India. The term 'bhasha' means, in most Indian languages, 'language', 'speech', 'definition' or 'voice'. The major areas of work of the trust have been conservation and promotion of minority languages, education, healthcare and empowerment of Adivasi communities in India, protection of human rights of the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), study and development of Adivasi arts, and policy level interventions in the interest of ecology, human rights and Adivasi empowerment. Bhasha Research and Publication Centre is recognized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, as a Centre of Excellence.

Mobile Number Portability

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:11:57 -0700

People in Gujarat have so far made the largest number - 834,000 in all - of mobile number portability (MNP) requests in India (to change their telecom service providers). As of April 30, 2011, 8.54 million users in the country had applied for MNP. The MNP service was started on January 20, 2011. The next three states are Rajasthan (710,000), Karnataka (663,000) and Tamil Nadu (641,000). The Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is a service that allows its customers to use the existing number while switching to another operator.

Land Record Digitisation

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:52:40 -0700

The Gujarat government has begun work on a land record digitisation project at a cost of Rs. 150 million. This will cover all existing land records, urban as well as rural. It will involve biometric authentication and photo identity proofs of the land owners at city survey offices and the offices of village talatis and mamlatdars. A unique bar-code number will ultimately be given to each record and it will be made available only to authorised government agencies. The digitisation project should help to reduce cases of forgery and cheating, and also enable the relevant authorities to monitor every land deal in the state.

'Cricket Na Niyamo'

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:52:01 -0700

Ranji cricket umpire Keki Doodhwala of Surat has written 'Cricket Na Niyamo' a Gujarati book on the laws of cricket. The book has been approved by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The book costs Rs. 50. It has been put on www.lords.org/mcc the official website of the MCC.

MSU To Offer Software Technologies Course

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:31:29 -0700

MS University's Faculty of Science proposes to offer a master's course in Software Technologies with an emphasis on cloud computing. The two-year four-semester course is meant to prepare students to get jobs as senior level programmers. The capacity will be 40 seats, 20 of them reserved for MSU students.

Gujarat Moves Fast On Solar Power Front

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 23:51:15 -0700

The first phase of the 10 MW Azure Power solar plant was recently inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, at Khadoda village in Sabarkantha district. Gujarat plans to establish 100 MW capacity of solar power in the next six months. The power plant in Khadoda is one of India's largest utility-scale solar power plants. It has been connected to the Gujarat State Electricity Board grid. It will benefit over 100,000 villagers and will reduce carbon emissions by 15,000 metric tonnes. It has been set up on 60 acres of community land, at a cost of Rs. 1.7 billion, under the Build-Own-Operate mode. Gujarat has the advantage of high solar radiation levels, with 300 days of clear sun. The state has 14.4 million acres of wasteland in areas of high solar radiation. The Khadoda plant uses about 9,120 photovoltaic solar modules to convert sunlight into electricity.

AMUL To Make Indian Sweets

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 06:02:58 -0700

The Kheda District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited, otherwise known as Amul Dairy, will soon be making kaju katris and pedas. The company is entering into the traditional Indian sweet market. It is setting up an automatic khoya manufacturing section at its chocolate plant at Mogar in Anand. To increase the shelf life of these sweets it will rely on modified atmosphere packing (MAP), the technology that it uses to package cheese slices. MAP can increase shelf life to 30 days.

New MSU Vice-Chancellor

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 06:00:09 -0700

The Gujarat government has appointed 45-year-old Mr. Yogesh Singh, professor at the University School of Information Technology (USIT) at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIU), Delhi, as the 16th vice-chancellor of MS University. He will have a tenure of three years. He is from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. He has done his M.Tech and PhD in computer engineering from National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra. He was also the founder chairman of Guru Jambheshwar University's Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Hisar, Haryana.

Helmets For 2-Wheeler Drivers

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:57:29 -0700

Baroda's police department has once again decided to implement the helmet rule for two-wheeler drivers. It has also started extensive vehicle checking to try and curb incidents of vehicle theft and chain snatching. New city police commissioner Satish Sharma seems to have instructed his force to ensure that the Supreme Court directive making use of helmets compulsory for two-wheeler riders is followed strictly. Helmets help to avoid serious injuries in motor accidents, but many people are taking the rule lightly.

New Airport Terminal For Vadodara

Mon, 16 May 2011 05:53:52 -0700

Work on the new Rs 115-crore integrated building at Harni airport is finally due to begin in July. The project is expected to be completed in 18 months, that is, by the end of 2012 or early 2013. The new terminal building will be spread over 17,500 sq m (the existing one occupies 7600 sq m). It has been designed by Delhi-based 'Creative Group'. It will be able to handle 700 domestic and international passengers during peak hours. Incidentally, the foundation ceremony had taken place in February 2009.

Free Orthoses & Prosthesis Aids

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:17:21 -0700

Medical Care Centre Trust's (MCCT) Department of Orthotics & Prosthetics has received a Government of India grant in aid for free Orthoses and Prosthesis aids and appliances for economically backward needy patients. MCCT would like to pass on this benefit to financially needy patients. Some documents need to be submitted: proof of disability; photograph; income proof. Needy patients should contact Dr. Veerendra Shandilya (Head of Orthotics & Prosthetics Department, KGP Children's Hospital, Jalaram Marg, Karelibaug, Vadodara 390 018. Phones: 2463906, 2462404, 2321234. The grant is valid for a limited period only. For any questions, please feel free to contact Dr Shandilya on 9824034343 or bionicrehabs@gmail.com.

Hospital For Baroda Police Personnel

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:57:07 -0700

The Vadodara city police department proposes to build a hospital for police personnel and their families. The department has formed a trust (Vadodara Police Medical and Welfare Charitable Trust) and identified suitable land for this purpose. The hospital will be set up as a public-private partnership entity and it will be located at the police headquarters in Danteshwar. Over 25,000 police personnel and their families are based in Vadodara. This hospital will serve the needs of personnel from the city police, rural police, State Reserve Police (SRP) and Police Training School. The trustees will include the police commissioner, retired police officers, MLAs and the dean of the Baroda Medical College.

IIM Ahmedabad To Tap Alumni Resources

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:55:36 -0700

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and its alumni propose to set up a company to tap the resources of the 34,000 students who have graduated from the institute in the last 50 years. The company, Vidya Vardhini Education Foundation (VVEF), will be set up under Section 25 of the Companies Act. The company hopes to eventually raise Rs. 250 crores. The funds will be utilised for infrastructure expansion and case studies and to help students from economically weak backgrounds. Section 25 companies are non-profit entities meant to promote commerce, art, science, religion or charity. Their profits and other incomes are deployed only to further their objectives.

Major Donations For CHARUSAT

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:56:59 -0700

The Charutar University of Science & Technology (CHARUSAT) in Changa (District Anand) has recently received three major donations: Rs. 10 million for the PG Pharmacy Studies Centre (from Mr. H.T. Patel), Rs. 10 million for the development of the Civil Engineering Department (from Mr. Hasmukhbhai Patel), and Rs. 30 million for CHARUSAT's healthcare initiative (from Mr. P.D. Patel). Started in 2000, CHARUSAT has a capital outlay of Rs. 650 million. It has received donations from over 800 persons. Almost 4,000 students are enrolled.

Bank of Baroda's 100th Branch In Vadodara District

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:41:39 -0700

Bank of Baroda has recently inaugurated its 100th branch in Vadodara District, near Amitnagar Circle on New VIP Road in Karelibaug. Incidentally the first branch was started in 1908, in Mandvi at Baroda.

Centre for Marine Bio-Diversity

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 05:07:54 -0700

The National Centre for Marine Bio-Diversity (NCMB), the first institution of its kind in India, was launched recently in Jamnagar. NCMB is a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) project between the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Reliance Industries Ltd. Of the start-up cost of Rs. 300 million, MoEF will contribute Rs. 200 million and Reliance Industries will give the rest. The centre will promote research related to India's coastal and marine eco-system, part of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP) recently launched by the MoEF with World Bank assistance through the Society for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (SICOM). This programme will be managed by the Gujarat Ecology Commission. NCMB will help protect the rich marine bio-diversity in Jamnagar.

No Pre-Admission Interviews For Primary Schools

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 04:32:10 -0700

Primary schools will no longer be allowed to interview children or their parents prior to admissions. Admissions will now have to be on a first-come-first-served basis or by draw of lots. Following a recent notification by the Gujarat government, the administration of primary education will be subject to new rules. The objective is to enforce the right of children to free and compulsory education under the act of 2009. The rules will apply to all school boards - state CBSE, ISCE, etc. Private schools will reserve 25 per cent of seats for underprivileged children in the primary sections. Capitation fees are also prohibited. Schools violating these rules will be fined heavily.

New Cricket Stadium For Baroda

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 04:08:01 -0700

The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) may buy a piece of land to build a stadium in Dena Village along the Ahmedabad-Vadodara highway. Though the land belongs to the Gujarat government it is under the jurisdiction of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). A final decision is awaited. There is talk that 40 acres may be bought for a 40,000-capacity modern stadium.

Pratapnagar-Chhotaudepur Railway Line

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 09:04:41 -0700

The 100 km railway line from Pratapnagar to Chhotaudepur, one of the few surviving narrow gauge railway lines, has finally been converted into broad gauge. The work was done in three stages: the 28 km section between Pratapnagar and Dabhoi was completed in October 2008, the 36 km stretch from Dabhoi to Bodeli was completed in April 2010, and the 36 km stretch from Bodeli to Chhotaudepur has recently been inaugurated. On 26th February, a train was ceremoniously flagged off to Chhotaudepur at the Pratapnagar railway station in Vadodara. Two trains will cover this route daily, both ways.

Parent Interviews By Schools Banned

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 09:03:02 -0700

Schools in Gujarat will no longer be allowed to interview parents and test their children prior to admission in first standard. The Gujarat government has now banned this system. The government will also not permit primary school teachers to run coaching classes and give private tuitions. The working hours of teachers have been increased from six to eight. This rule will apply to all primary schools without exception.

School Teachers Not Permitted To Have More Than One Spouse

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:23:02 -0700

Any person with more than one spouse will not be eligible to be a teacher in private-run schools receiving government grants. This rule is applicable to male as well as female teachers. If a teacher has a spouse and marries another person or enters into a contract of marriage with another person will be disqualified from being appointed as a teacher. This rule has been framed by the Gujarat State Education Department and circulated to all the grant-in-aid schools in the state. Those persons whose personal laws permit more than one marriage will be exempted, but only if the personal laws of both the parties allow multiple marriages.

GSFC May Opt For Carbon Credit Auditing

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:07:39 -0700

The Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. may opt for carbon credit auditing in the next three years in order to get significant returns for its large banyan tree plantations. The company has planted 1.6 million banyan and peepal trees, mostly on its campus at Vadodara. The banyan tree is normally grown by planting its branches or through natural growth. In addition, GSFC scientists have successfully developed seedlings after several trials. The company will opt for the carbon credits after three years because the size of the trees is small now. The carbon credits are given considering the size of the leaves and also the quality; the bigger the leaves, more is the absorption of carbon from the environment. The best results can be expected after three years.

CBCS At Faculty of Family & Community Sciences

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:57:39 -0700

MS University's Faculty of Family & Community Sciences (FFCS) will introduce choice-based credit system (CBCS) in the next academic year. CBCS will offer 23 new courses which students can opt for. The new courses include sports nutrition, entrepreneurship management, media appreciation, publicity media, image styling, change makers for social development, and world costumes and cultures. Students will get a chance to learn new subjects along with the core subjects.

Vadodara District's Gains From Vibrant Gujarat Summit

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:48:57 -0700

According to Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), Vadodara district may attract investments worth Rs. 43,000 crores after the recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat summit. This should result in 182,000 jobs in the district. In addition, 526,000 indirect employment opportunities will be created. Considering entire central Gujarat, investments worth Rs 253,000 crores expected in Anand, Kheda, Vadodara, Bharuch, Narmada, Panchmahal and Dahod districts. This involves 1,756 projects, with job opportunities for 2.1 million persons. All of this can happen only if the MoUs signed at the summit lead to actual investments.

Talk By Design Guru John Thackara

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 23:45:12 -0700

John Thackara is Director of Doors of Perception, which was founded in 1993 to create a conference of that name in Amsterdam. It now produces festivals and projects that engage a worldwide network of designers, media artists, technology innovators and grassroots innovators to imagine (and begin to design) sustainable futures. He also works with cities and regions seeking to build next-generation institutions. A former London bus driver, and later a book and magazine editor, John was the first Director (1993-1999) of the Netherlands Design Institute. He is a senior advisor on sustainability to the UK Design Council. He also organises events and festivals in which citizens, designers, and grassroots innovators explore two questions: "what might life in a sustainable world be like?"; and, "what design steps are needed to get us from here, to there?". The talk will be on 22nd February at 6.30 p.m. at Jyoti Garden, Jyoti Circle, Near Shastri Bridge. Organised by Navrachana University, it is open to all.

New Private Universities Likely To Be Incorporated In Gujarat

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 04:23:13 -0700

Four private universities may be incorporated under the Gujarat Private Universities Act, 2009. This is likely to happen during the forthcoming Gujarat Assembly session. Eight more applications are also being scrutinised by the stat's education department. The four private universities are the Ahmedabad University, the Calorx Teacher's University (Ahmedabad), the Navrachna University (Vadodara) and the Charotar University of Science and Technology (Changa). These universities will not be eligible for any government grant-in-aid or financial assistance. They will be allowed to have affiliated colleges.

Gujarat's Expanding Orchards

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 04:21:40 -0700

A recent study by the Gujarat Forest and Environment Department has thrown up a new trend in the growth of non-forest tree cover in the state. The number of orchards are increasing because they give good returns to owners from the sale of fruits, and the number of departmental plantations have reduced because of the felling of trees to widen roads. Gujarat has witnessed increasing demand for fruits and vegetables due to rapid economic growth and export policies that have encouraged horticultural products. The study, which covered over 800 villages in the state, revealed that orchards of mango, lemon, chikoo and drumstick have expanded because of the high returns.

Online Payment Of Municipal Taxes

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 04:20:00 -0700

Barodians may be able to pay their municipal taxes online from the financial year 2011-12. The e-payment services are likely to start in March. Many NRIs too will be able to pay their taxes without having to come to Baroda. Citizens can pay by using their credit or debit cards. Offline testing has been completed. It now remains to be seen whether the system actually works in practice.

Multi-Purpose Welfare Facility

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 04:18:39 -0700

Orphans, old people, beggars, the visually impaired, juveniles, mentally challenged persons, etc., are cared for by separate government institutions. In a unique experiment, Gujarat's Social Justice & Empowerment Department plans to set up a social welfare complex at Vadodara in which all these groups will be housed in the same building. The intention is to confirm whether these separate groups will be more happy living together. It is hoped, for instance, that orphans and old persons may in fact get along very well with each other. Besides the social advantages, such complexes may also reduce the running and monitoring costs for the government. The department has planned to allocate Rs. 40 million for this complex.

New 375 MW Gas Based Power Plant At Dhuvaran

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:27:27 -0700

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has received an order from Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL) to set up a 375 MW gas based power plant at Dhuvaran, near Baroda. The order, valued at over Rs. 1,100, includes design, detailed engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the complete power plant on a turnkey basis. The project will be executed by the Gas Based Power Projects Business Unit of L&T Power which is based in Baroda.

SSC & HSC Examinations Helpline

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 06:17:08 -0700

A toll-free helpline, 1800-233-5500, has been set up by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) for students appearing for the SSC and HSC board examinations. The line will function from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Students and their parents can call the number on matters pertaining to the syllabus, paper setting style, examinations centres, examination related stress and phobias, etc.

Human Urine As Fertiliser

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 06:15:22 -0700

Struvite, a phosphate mineral that can work as a fertiliser, can be extracted from human urine. The Indian Institute of Technology at New Delhi and the Society for Community Organisation and People's Education (SCOPE) are collaborating in an effort to set up India's first Human Urine Bank at Musiri, near Tiruchirapalli. The bank will use processed urine from Ecosan Community Compost Toilets in the region. Ecosan toilets convert faeces into manure and use urine as a fertiliser. Millions of tonnes of urine are available in the country every day and it is wasted for all practical purposes. Urine is used as a liquid fertiliser in Sweden, Netherlands, Mexico, Germany and China. In India, urine's feasibility as a fertiliser has been proved in studies by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and National Research Centre for Banana.

Choice-Based Credit System

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:50:45 -0700

MS University's Science Faculty proposes to start a Master's in Science (MSc) course in Software Technology. The faculty may also offer more choices - music, Gujarati, disaster management, event management - in the choice-based credit system (CBCS). The faculty adopted CBCS last year. It has included 12 courses in the list of foundation courses. Students of first, second and third year may choose one of these subjects to earn credits. They will also get credits from NCC. Another course proposed is Cellular and Molecular Biology.

Eligibility Test For School Teachers

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:40:27 -0700

Those who aspire to become teachers and principals in Gujarat's secondary and higher secondary schools may now have to pass the Teachers' Aptitude Test (TAT). The test will be conducted by Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB). Seventy per cent weightage will be for TAT marks and 30 per cent for educational qualifications. TAT will be conducted annually. The test will be valid for five years.

Round Table Members Adopt Slum Kids

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:26:57 -0700

'Bal Gokulam' is a government-run care centre for orphans and slum children Recently, 49 children at the centre were adopted by some members of Vadodara Round Table. The members will pay for the children's food, clothes and education. The donors contributed Rs. 183,000. The boarding costs are met by the state government. The organisation, located in Karelibaug, has four dormitories, classrooms, computer training facilities and an indoor games hall.

Jagrut Nagrik's New Laboratory

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:13:37 -0700

Consumer protection organisation Jagrut Nagrik will set up its own laboratory to test food and beverages. This will be Gujarat's second laboratory run by a voluntary consumer protection organisations; the other one is at Ahmedabad. The laboratory will be started in the organisation's new building - Grahak Suraksha Bhavan - on Harni Road. It will be privately funded and there will be no government control over it. However, samples tested in it can be furnished as evidence in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act. A drug and chemical testing laboratory is also planned.

'Ahmedabad' Moves Toward 'Amdavad'

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:12:18 -0700

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is now officially 'Amdavad Municipal Corporation' in its new logo. The Gujarati logo already used 'Amdavad', so the English version has been changed accordingly. In all other records, the name of the city is still 'Ahmedabad' to ensure that people outside Gujarat or India do not have any problems regarding the name. The name of the city can be changed only after the state government brings out a gazette notification to that effect.

'God's Own Country' to 'Khushboo Gujarat Ki'

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:10:44 -0700

Sanjay Kaul, the recently managing director of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), is a Kerala cadre IAS officer of the 2001 batch who played a key role in promoting Kerala as a major tourist destination worldwide. The state was marketed as 'God's own country'. Kaul's parents live in Vadodara. The Gujarat government has roped in Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador who features in several promotional films to advertise 'Khushboo Gujarat ki'.

Class X & XII Examinations

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:25:51 -0700

The Gujarat state education department plans to penalise teachers of class X and XII in schools that have less than 30 % results in the coming board examinations. The penalty will be that their increments will be withheld. Last year the results were less than 30 % in 1,000 schools. Previously, the Gujarat State Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) used to cut off the grants of such schools, but this step had not proved to be effective.

Manjalpur Gets A New Police Station

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:09:58 -0700

Baroda recently got its 16th police station, the Manjalpur police station, but it is located in Makarpura village. Incidentally, the Makarpura police station is in Manjalpur. The Manjalpur police station has been started because the Makarpura police station was over-burdened. Earlier, the plan was to start a police station in Tarsali, but the decision was then changed in favour of Manjalpur.

Environment Clearance Certificate Compulsory

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 03:45:13 -0700

Do not buy a house in a large residential scheme unless you are sure that the developer has an environment clearance certificate from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB). GPCB's certificate is needed for all schemes which are spread over more than 20,000 square meters. GPCB says that that if you buy residential apartments without the required environment clearances then you too will be considered to have violated the law. The necessary circulars have been sent to municipal corporations in Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Vadodara and Jamnagar. The factors evaluated are: baseline environment report of the area, plans for water and sewerage systems, access roads, green belt area, emergency entry and exit provisions, safety of roads, impact on surrounding areas, etc.

Semester System For Arts Faculty

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:06:04 -0700

MSU's Faculty of Arts will have the semester system from this academic year. The proposal to introduce a semester and choice-based credit system (CBCS) was approved recently. Instead of the current system in which students appear for two internal tests and one final exam every year, they will have to appear for four exams every year.

Museum Design Course

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:04:35 -0700

The National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, has joined hands with London's Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum to try and introduce a course in museum design. The new programme is expected to start in 2013. V&A Museum will assist NID in preservation and restoration of artefacts, museum planning and museum management.

New Name Proposed For MSU Faculty

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:02:25 -0700

Ashir Mehta, a senate member of MS University (MSU), has suggested that the Faculty of Arts should be re-named as 'Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences'. It seems that many people assume that this faculty teaches painting and music too, subjects which are in fact taught at the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Performing Arts respectively. Mr. Mehta believes that the name suggested by him more adequately defines the scope of a faculty which teaches subjects such as archaeology, economics, political science, sociology and history.

Census Exercise In Gujarat

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:00:19 -0700

The second phase of the massive census will take place between February 9 and 28. In Gujarat over 100,000 teachers from 32,000 primary schools will be deployed for the exercise; they will be monitored by 15,000 supervisors. Each teacher will be paid Rs. 9,500 for participating in the census effort. The census will cover 18,217 villages in 225 talukas of the 26 districts in the state. Incidentally, the census form this time allows for the third gender; a person can be classified as 'male', 'female' or 'other'.

Gujarat's Urban Wireless Teledensity

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 10:20:03 -0700

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Gujarat's urban wireless teledensity (number of mobile phones for every 100 persons) is 105 %. The figure for urban India is 130 %. Of course, may people have multiple connections. Among all the 23 circles, Gujarat is 17th in terms of urban teledensity. India's average teledensity is 57.99 %. Gujarat (65.53 %) figures in the 9th place in terms of total teledensity. The state's rural teledensity is 38.49 %. As of November 2010 Gujarat had 41.8 million connections and 10 telecom operators.

Gujarat's First Equestrian Endurance Competition

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:34:09 -0700

Gujarat's first equestrian endurance competition will be held on 6th February on a 10-km track at Santej near Ahmedabad. Thirty Kathiawadi, Marwari and Arabian horses belonging to industrialists, farmers and horse enthusiasts from Gujarat and Rajasthan will participate. They will be tested for strength, ability to negotiate hurdles and health. The event has been organised by the Equestrian Club of Gujarat. This sport is usually on 20, 40, 60, 80 and 120 km distances at the national and international levels. This particular event will be on a 20-km distance. Before the ride, the horses are inspected by a veterinarian to ensure that they are fit for the race. The event will follow the rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Engineering & Pharmacy Admissions

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:14:07 -0700

The new rules of the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) for 2011-12 stipulate that the minimum qualification for admission to engineering and pharmacy colleges will be 50 % marks in HSC. Students in reserved categories will have to score a minimum of 45 %. Until now students of science stream in Gujarat were eligible for admission to these courses even if they scored 35 %. Of the 48,000 engineering and pharmacy seats, last year only 50 % seats were filled by students who had scored more than 50 %. Out of the 7,500 seats in pharmacy colleges, 2,500 seats were vacant in spite of the 35 % cut-off.

Integrated Traffic & Signal Management System

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:43:52 -0700

Vadodara's cops are trying to modernise the city's traffic management. An integrated traffic and signal management system is under consideration. The objective is that the signals in busy areas should be interconnected and operate automatically based the density of traffic. A study has been initiated, which should take at least six months to complete. When implemented, Vadodara may be the first city in Gujarat to have such a system.

'108' Service Crosses Milestone

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:23:32 -0700

The '108' mobile emergency medical service crossed the 2-million-calls mark on January 31. The service is operated by the Emergency Management and Research Institute. This financial year the service will add 50 emergency vehicles to the 452 ambulances already in use in Gujarat to cater to a population of 50.5 million. The service has so far attended 659,000 pregnancy related cases, 310,000 trauma and road accident cases and 109,000 cases of cardiac trouble.

Electricity Duty Concession

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:05:33 -0700

The Gujarat government may give electricity duty concession to entrepreneurs who expand their existing units. At present, electricity duty concession for five years is allowed only to new units. This move is designed to encourage industrialists to increase capacity.

Baroda Golf Course May Be Expanded

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:44:39 -0700

The 10-hole golf course of the Baroda Gaekwad Golf Club (BGGC) on the grounds of Laxmi Vilas Palace may soon become an 18-hole international class facility. It will then be allowed to host national and international tournaments. No other golf course in the world encircles a palace. To plan the expansion - which may take one year to implement - BGGC may take the help of professionals like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

Two Flyovers Proposed

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:26:04 -0700

Two flyovers have been proposed by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) in the draft budget presented 1st February. Currently, work is going on - though at a leisurely pace - for several rail overbridges. The city's first flyovers will be at Amitnagar Circle (cost Rs. 450 million) on VIP Road and Harinagar Circle (cost Rs. 350 million) on Gotri Road. The proposal has not yet been sanctioned.

Railway Staff College Celebrates Foundation Day

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:20:20 -0700

The Railway Staff College (RSC) at Vadodara celebrated its 60th Foundation Day on 31st January. Spread over a 55-acre campus at the Pratap Vilas Palace in Lalbaug, this institution trains officers of Indian Railways at all levels - from probationers to General Managers and above. The college also offers some training programmes for senior officers of the Indian government. RSC was established in 1930 at Dehra Dun but was later shifted to Vadodara. Indian Railways offers training facilities also at Indian Railway Institute of Transportation Management (IRITM) at Lucknow, Indian Railway Institute of Civil Engineering, Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications at Secunderabad, Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE) at Jamalpur, Indian Railway Institute of Electrical Engineering at Nasik Road and Railway Protection Force Academy at Lucknow.

Medical University In Gujarat

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:39:01 -0700

The Gujarat government proposes to set up a medical university that will include all the colleges which offer medical, dental, physiotherapy and paramedical courses. A bill to this effect may be tabled in the next session of the state assembly. The state already has the Gujarat Technological University (GTU) which oversees all colleges offering technical courses such as engineering, pharmacy, MBA and MCA. The proposed university will introduce a uniform syllabus in all medical colleges and conduct a common entrance test for postgraduate courses.

Dr. M.H. Mehta receives Padma Shri

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:49:00 -0700

Baroda based agriculture scientist and former vice-chancellor of Gujarat Agriculture University (GAU) Dr. M.H. Mehta, 68, has received the Padma Shri. He has for long been a champion of the cause of eco-agriculture. It was after the tsunami hit the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu that the Science Ashram headed by Dr. Mehta had proposed a bioshield project. The project was implemented jointly by IGCAR, Navsari Agriculture University, Chennai's M,S, Swaminathan Research Foundation and Bhavnagar's Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute. Dr. Mehta is now in charge of the 'Vaho Vishwamitri Abhiyaan' to restore life in and around the Vishwamitri river system.

Padma Vibhushan For Homai Vyarawalla

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:42:52 -0700

Homai Vyarawalla of Baroda, India's first woman photojournalist, has received the Padma Vibhushan at the age of 97. In 2010 she had received the National Photo Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Navsari born Vyarawalla studied at the Bombay University and the J.J. School of Arts. She was originally a Bombay photographer who worked for Current, Onlooker, Bombay Chronicle, The Illustrated Weekly of India and Time Life. She did some of her best work after she moved to Delhi in the 1940s. She learned photography from Manekshaw, a Times of India employee who she later married. She gave up photography in 1970. Not many may know that her nickname is Dalda 13, coined from her year of birth and the number plate of her vehicle in Delhi (DLD 13).

Vadodara Marathon

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:49:44 -0700

Over 34,000 persons - including 155 international runners mostly from Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria - participated on January 23 in the Vadodara Marathon 2011. The event was flagged off at 7.15 a.m. by Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. The marathon had three categories: 5 km (Vaccine Institute Circle, Taj Residency (Gateway Hotel), Jain Derasar Circle, and back; 15 km: Vaccine Institute Ground, Diwalipura Circle, Rajvi Tower, Akshar Circle, Mujmahuda Circle, Vishwamitri Bridge, BSNL Telephone Exchange, Central Jail, Kala Ghoda, IPCL Circle, Pandya Hotel, Ellora Park, GM Circle, Chakli Circle, Malhar Point, and back; 21 km: Vaccine Institute Ground, Diwalipura Circle, Rajvi Tower, Akshar Circle, Mujmahuda Circle, Vishwamitri Bridge, BSNL Telephone Exchange, Central Jail, Kala Ghoda, IPCL Circle, Nizampura, Chhani Jakat Naka, Pandya Hotel, Ellora Park, Inox, Natubhai Circle, Malhar Point, and back. Prizes worth Rs. 2.5 million were given to the winners. Mvamzmtebe Kew did the men's 21 km stretch in 61 minutes and 20 seconds, just 2.97 seconds short of the world record.

Samosas With A British Twist

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 02:39:31 -0700

Farsan Limited, a food manufacturer based in Leicester, UK, has opened a factory in Gujarat to make snacks such as samosas and bhajias. Farsan's chief Nainesh Patel wants to market his products to supermarket chains in India. He says that his samosas have a British twist which Indians will find to be unique.

Ajwa Zoo

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 01:15:05 -0700

Vadodara Municipal Corporation's zoological park project at Ajwa is unlikely to be ready this year. The Central Zoo Authority had asked VMC to shift the Sayajibaug zoo away from its present location in Sayajigunj, because the space and the facilities are inadequate for the animals. Started in 1879 by the zoo presently occupies 40 acres. The Ajwa zoo will instead be spread over 100 acres.

Semester System For MSU's Commerce Faculty

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 01:12:24 -0700

MS University's Commerce Faculty plans to introduce the semester system. The system will take effect after approval by the university's syndicate members. Student strength will reduce to 100 students per class from the first year onwards.

Vadodara's Financial Health

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:07:53 -0700

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has an income of Rs. 460 crores. The expenses are Rs. 508 crores: Rs. 333 crores for salaries, Rs 150 crores for maintenance and Rs. 25 crores for other expenses. A rise in property and professional taxes appears to be unavoidable.

Fresh Look At Jantri Rates

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 02:16:26 -0700

The Gujarat government has instructed state's 26 to re-assess jantri rates considering the current market value of real estate in rural, semi-urban areas and urban areas. The exercise will take place between January 31 and February 10. Jantri rates determine the stamp duty charged for real estate transactions. Each square kilometre has its own jantri, depending on its location and zone (residential or industrial). A revision in the jantri rates can possibly increase stamp duty collections by over 30 per cent. After VAT, stamp duty collections are the most vital for the state.

Liquid Bio-Fertilisers

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:07:20 -0700

Baroda based Kemrock Group's Kemrock Agritech will join hands with Anand Agricultural University (AAU) to make and market liquid bio-fertilisers. AAU has developed the product which it presently sells at cost to farmers in the Charotar region. The liquid fertiliser - brand name 'Anubhav' - has a shelf life of one year. It is suitable for drip irrigation and in green houses.

Solar ATM

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:42:32 -0700

The State Bank of India has installed a solar-powered biometric ATM machine at Dhordo village in the Banni grasslands of Kutch. A conventional ATM eats up about 1000 watts of power and requires an air-conditioned space which calls for another 1500 watts of power.- for functioning. Before this machine was installed, the villagers had to travel 80 km to the bank. It can be used by an illiterate person just by putting his or her thumb impression. The ATM will make life a little easier for 150 border area villages and BSF jawans.

Indian Oil To Expand Koyali Refinery

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:32:17 -0700

The Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) plans to convert the Koyali Refinery near Vadodara into a major refining hub by making it a virtual coastal refinery. The annual refining capacity of the existing unit will be increased to 18 million metric tonnes. The expansion to 18 MMTPA will be done in a phased manner. Gujarat Refinery was set up with Soviet assistance in 1965 at a cost of Rs. 260 million. The starting capacity was 13.5 MMTPA. Subsequent expansions raised the capacity to 13.7 MMTPA.

Appointment Of New MSU VC

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:09:03 -0700

MS University chancellor Mrunalini Devi Puar has appointed professor Bakul Dholakia, former director of Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), to the three-member search panel which will look for a new vice-chancellor. MSU's syndicate members have appointed molecular biologist Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale as their nominee. The joint board of vice-chancellors (JBVC) has appointed vice-chancellor of Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kutch University as its nominee. The term of the incumbent VC - Ramesh Goyal - ends in May 2011. The search panel will shortlist candidates and recommended them to the state government for the final selection.

Laptops For Schoolchildren

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:18:37 -0700

The Information Technology division of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Company ( GNFC), (n)Code Solutions, plans to tie up with Intel to manufacture and market light-weight and waterproof laptops for school children at prices starting from Rs. 10,000. Intel's Classmate PC will be meant for children between 7 and 15 years of age. The laptop's features include restricting access to certain websites, creating curriculum and learning through the web. The target: 250,000 units over three years, starting August 2011.

SSC & HSC Exams

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:05:39 -0700

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has announced that the SSC and HSC exams will start from March 10. Over 1.4 million students will appear for these exams.

Additional Police Stations

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:01:08 -0700

The Gujarat government has sanctioned two additional police stations in the city, one at Gotri and one at Tarsali. These two police stations for the time being do not have their own buildings. The city currently has 14 police stations.

New Railway Station Building

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:51:59 -0700

The new railway station building on the Alkapuri side of the Vadodara railway station is more or less ready. The building has been designed in the Gaekwadi style. The railway station will be inaugurated soon, another activity completed during the year-long celebrations to mark 150 years of railways in Vadodara. The Vadodara railway division has also set up two heritage parks, one at Dabhoi and the other at the Pratapnagar railway station. It has also spruved up the railway museum at Pratapnagar.

Qualifications Of School Principals

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:12:09 -0700

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has decided that principals of secondary and higher secondary schools must now have a postgraduate degree and 10 years' experience, instead of the present requirement of a graduate degree and five years' experience. The objective is to introduce more experienced and qualified managers of school education.

New Mayor

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:11:02 -0700

Ms Jyoti Pandya has been elected the twenty-fourth mayor of Vadodara. Arvind Patel is the new deputy mayor and Shabdasharan Brahmbhatt will be the standing committee chairman of Vadodara Municipal Corporation. Ms Pandya was elected from Ward 8, of which Karelibaug is a big part. She is a medical practitioner.

Dr Vikram Sarabhai Centre

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:09:32 -0700

MS University (MSU) will set up a sophisticated instrumentation centre. To be named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the centre will also serve the needs of industry. It will have sophisticated equipment to facilitate life science research, for which the university has received a grant of Rs. 135 million from the central government’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT). The centre will come up in the DN Hall campus.

Biometric Identification Of Farmers Who Own Land

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:48:09 -0700

The Gujarat government has decided to introduce biometric identification of all farmers who own land. The purpose is to eliminate cheating in the transfer of land titles to anyone wanting to buy land from a farmer in order to set up a project. Fingerprints will be taken of all the concerned farmers, and a comprehensive date base will be prepared. In each village, the talati-mantri and the sarpanch will be responsible for taking biometric impressions and details such as address, photograph, telephone number, date of birth, survey number, hissa number, the total land under the title, the way the land has been acquired, liabilities of the owner, soil classification, source of irrigation, crops grown, whether the land can be acquired by the government in future, etc. This task may take 12 months to complete.

Mobile Number Portability

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:12:07 -0700

Mobile number portability (MNP) has been launched in India; it has been started in Haryana and will be available nationwide by 2011. You can now change your mobile operator without having to change your mobile number. You will be able to switch operators by paying a transaction fee of only Rs. 19. Porting will be completed within seven working days after making an application. Subscribers must ensure that they have paid their last bill. In the case of pre-paid subscribers the balance amount will be carried forward when the number is transferred to the new service provider. Out of India's 700 million users, over 90 % are pre-paid. According to a recent study roughly 18 % of subscribers want to change their operator.

Power Utilities To Be Streamlined

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:10:09 -0700

Gujarat’s government run power utilities have been instructed to ensure that they implement the e-Urja project by March 2011. The government is serious about this deadline. The idea is to have totally paperless operations and also provide significantly better service to consumers. The e-Urja project is designed to deliver accurate billing, efficient accounting and proper assessment of T&D losses, besides facilitating better management of finance, procurement and human resources. The companies have also been asked to reduce transmission and distribution (T&D) losses.

Vibrant VCCI 2011

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:07:45 -0700

The Vadodara Chamber of Commerce & Industry (VCCI) has announced that its seventh industrial exhibition, Vibrant VCCI 2011, will be held from February to 17 to 26 at Navlakhi Ground in Baroda. Over 500 exhibitors are expected to participate. A special feature will be a vendor development information centre (VDIC).

Railway Heritage Park

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:03:14 -0700

The Vadodara Division of Western Railway has recently set up India's first railway heritage park on narrow gauge at Dabhoi near Baroda. Dabhoi was once the world's biggest narrow gauge railway junction. The Dabhoi-Miyagaam narrow gauge section, India’s first narrow gauge railway section, was started in 1862; almost 150 years later, is still functioning. The heritage park displays plans and maps that are over 100 years old. Old railway time tables are also on display. The park has been set up as part of the celebrations to mark the completion of 150 years of railways in Vadodara. A smaller railway heritage park is also being set up in Vadodara at the Pratapnagar railway station. A heritage restaurant will be made in a railway coach. The exhibits will include old weighing machines, lanterns and clocks.

Lalbaug Railway Crossing Closed

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:33:00 -0700

The Lalbaug railway crossing on the stretch between Makarpura and Rajmahal Road has been closed for some time in order to facilitate the construction of the road overbridge at Lalbaug. As a temporary diversion till the work is completed, the level railway crossing near Yogini Vasanti Devi Hospital at Goyagate has been opened to traffic.

Com-cubator

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:28:45 -0700

The Mudra Institute of Communication Ahmedabad (MICA) has started a business incubator for start-ups working in the communications sector. Called 'Communications Technology-based Business Incubator' (Com-cubator), it has been set up with the help of a Rs. 50-million grant from the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The idea is to help develop next generation businesses in the web and mobile communications sectors. The DST grant will pay for the equipment and recurring expenses and MICA will provide the space, expertise and manpower. A committee will select those business ideas that are most likely to be successful. The facilities include software such as Mindjet, Thought Office, I-Mac Lab, Media and Web Development Lab, and security systems to ensure confidentiality of new ideas. Mentorship and legal support will be available for the incubatees.

Revision Of Electoral Rolls

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:29:25 -0700

Those persons whose names are not included in the electoral roles have until November 28 to ensure that they are enrolled. On November 27 and 28, officials will be available with applications at every polling booth and people of the area can go to their respective booths to fill up the forms and submit it to the authorities. Special campaigns will also be organised in colleges to ensure that eligible students are enrolled. People can also go to their respective district collectorate offices for this purpose. The final electoral rolls will be published on January 5, 2011.

Jetalpur Rail Overbridge

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:26:09 -0700

Western Railway’s Vadodara Division is expected to take up the most crucial exercise of the Jetalpur rail overbridge (ROB) in April 2011. This involves the construction, over the railway tracks, of the connecting link that will join the two sides of the Jetalpur Road flyover. The bridge will arch over seven railway tracks. The tracks are on the busy Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Mumbai route. All rail traffic will have to be halted for six hours, affecting the movement of 200 passenger and freight trains between Vadodara and Mumbai. Work on the Jetalpur Road flyover began in April 2008.

Vadodara Half Marathon

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:21:06 -0700

The next Vadodara Half Marathon is due to be held on 23rd January, 2011. Over 30,000 entries are expected for the 21-km race. Associations from 124 countries will take part in the event. The prize money at stake is Rs. 2.5 million. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags will be given to all participants.

Another Accident At GIDC Nandesari

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:21:22 -0700

The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estate at Nandesari near Vadodara saw yet another accident on Monday, 22nd November. There were several explosions at a chemical factory of KDAC Chem Pvt. Ltd. One worker was killed and seven were injured. A blast is reported to have taken place in a boiler. The explosion was so strong that some machinery fragments were flung as far away as 500 metres. The explosion led to a fire which caused extensive damage to the whole factory. The fire was brought under control in four hours. Accidents of this nature are not infrequent at Nandesari GIDC.

FGI EXPO - 2010

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:04:43 -0700

This MSME Centric Exhibition will facilitate a marriage between the major manufacturing industries who outsource components and MSMEs from Vadodara and adjoining districts who have the capabilities to supply these components. Some of the likely participants are ABB Ltd., Areva T & D India Ltd., Bombardier, Defense Sector, Elecon Engineering Co. Ltd, GAIL, General Motors, GUVNL, GSPCL, IOCL, Kemrock Industries and Exports Ltd., ONGC, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd., Thermax Ltd. These industries will showcase their requirements of components outsourced by them. About 100 MSMEs from Vadodara and Districts around Vadodara are expected to form the core MSME sector who will showcase their capabilities to meet the component requirements of the major industries. It is planned to bring out an exclusive catalogue showcasing the requirements of components of all the large exhibitors. Concurrent seminars and interactive conferences will be going on throughout the business hours. Date: 02-12-2010 To 04-12-2010 Timings: 10:30 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. Venue: FGI Business Centre, Gotri-Sevasi Road, Sevasi, Vadodara 391 101. 2372901. Organised By: Federation of Gujarat Industries

Garbage Collection System Upgraded

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:09:24 -0700

Vadodara Municipal Corporation has begun to fit garbage collection vans with global positioning systems (GPS) to monitor their movements within the city. This is in response to mounting complaints about the inefficiency of the vans. The system has been designed by Centre for Development Communication (CDC), a Jaipur based. Work has already started in ward 4 in South zone and ward 11 in West zone. Two control rooms have been set up to monitor the operations.

Solvay Research Fellowships

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:55:11 -0700

Multinational chemicals company Solvay has instituted two PhD fellowships at MS University’s Department of Chemistry. MSU will carry out research in areas that have possibilities for industrial applications. Incidentally, Solvay is establishing a research, development and technology centre near Baroda.

Another Limca Record For Dipak Shah

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:54:15 -0700

Barodian Dipak Shah has made into the Limca Book of Records for the third time, now for his collection of 137 'gulabdanis' (narrow-necked flasks used to spray perfume on auspicious occasions). His two earlier awards were for his unique collection of currency notes bearing seven-digit serial numbers. Seven-digit currency notes are unique because it is only every millionth currency note which has seven digits. Mr. Shah has a farsan shop in Khanderao Market.

Workshop On Dramatics

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:52:46 -0700

MS University is currently hosting a one-month national workshop on dramatics conducted by National School of Drama. The workshop is being held the Faculty of Performing Arts. During the exercise a play will be created by the team and staged at the end of the programme. Prominent theatre personalities will participate, among them Aniruddha Khutwad, Sashidhar Acharya and Suresh Bharwadwaj.

Community Development Through Polytechnics

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:43:13 -0700

India’s Ministry of Human Resources Development conducts a progamme for Community Development Through Polytechnics (CDTP). Under this scheme MS University’s Polytechnic College has started a training programme to create a workforce of helpers for glass industries. This will help to create employment opportunities for jobless youngsters in Vadodara district. The first batch of 25 students is going through the six-month course at a school in Padra. The Padra-Jambusar belt has several glass industries: Philips Glass, Crompton Greaves, Schott Glass, Haldyn Glass, etc. Similar programmes are planned for tractor mechanics, welders and wiremen.

New Zealand India Match At Baroda

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:27:23 -0700

The Baroda Cricket Association has announced the sale of tickets for the 3rd One-Day International Cricket Match between New Zealand and India to be held in the city on 4th December at the Reliance Cricket Stadium. The tickets will be on sale between 22nd and 24th November (10.30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) in Bank of Baroda's branches at Alkapuri, Old Padra Road, Jawaharnagar (IPCL), Karelibaug and Khanderao Market. BCA's email address is: brdca1@rediffmail.com