Modi sweep: Muslim majority town elects all BJP candidates

Tuesday, February 12, 2013, Ahmedabad, Feb 12: It was a straight fight and the BJP created history by winning all 27 seats of town municipality in Salaya, a Muslim-majority town in Dwarka district. Salaya is know for its mega power project and now it will be known for giving Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi another triumph in the development agenda. Among BJP's 27 candidates, 24 were Muslims while remaining three were Hindus including one Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidate. The BJP's sweep in a township comprising 90 percent Muslims will take wind of many psedo-secular elements. Of the 27 seats spread over nine wards, BJP candidates won unopposed on four seats in state municipal elections. Voting for remaining 23 seats took place on Sunday (10th February) with Congress in straight fight with BJP. The Congress party candidates even lost deposit on three seats. Salaya has been enjoying fruits of development with Essar Energy's integrated energyc company establishing a power unit to generate 1200 mw. Salaya I is Essar Energy's first coal fired power project and has been built at a total investment cost of US$1.1 billion. Most of the power produced will be sold to the Gujarat state electricity utility, GUVNL, under a long term contract. When all the units are commissioned, the project is expected to generate nearly 2000 mw power. Salaya will also be getting a world-class marine infrastructure project with a state-of-the-art material handling facility. The bulk handling port will be capable of handling 20 MMTPA of cargo. The jetty is located in the Salaya Harbour, which is naturally protected by two islands - Kalubhar Tapu and Dhani Be. Essar has been conducting various projects under its social development initiative in Salaya. To empower the local women, Essar Foundation runs a stitching centre in Salaya. The Foundation is supporting the stitching center by providing skills and creating new business opportunities. This will also provide the associated families with an alternative source of income, by establishing market linkages. The stitching center at Salaya initially started as a small community program by the local Wagher Muslim Community Jamat, with the idea to provide skill development to the women without them having to leave their houses. The center is also imparting the women several life skills such as basic literacy, personality development, accounts and business entrepreneurship. News credits : Oneindia
The Modi Magic

Amitabh Kant on DMIC, Dholera and future Singapore in Gujarat

Gandhinagar, 11 January 2013 He is a central government official, but he spoke from his heart at the inaugural function of the Vibrant Gujarat summit 2013. He admired Gujarat, he admired the Chief Minister and said that in the coming years, there will be a completely new Gujarat. He said a new Singapore will be created in the heart of Gujarat. He is Amitabh Kant, CEO of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). And here is what he said, extremely important in connection with the future of Gujarat: “The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor passes through the six most dynamic states of India, but in Gujarat we find a very different energy, a different vibrancy, a different positivity to get things delivered. This project will link Delhi – the political capital with Mumbai and it will transport goods which presently take 14 days within 12 hours. This is a revolutionary change that will be taking place. But when this happens, it creates unique and exciting opportunities, and Gujarat was the first state to realize its potential and tap it by enacting a completely new SIR act, under which it is creating new cities. The key challenge for India is to grow at rates of 8-9% per year on a constant basis for three decades or more to lift this vast segment of population above the poverty line. And the challenges for the manufacturing sector is to grow at rates of 15-16% constantly year after year for the next three decades. I think this challenge has been grasped by Gujarat, and it has taken a lead.” “It is creating jobs, it is driving manufacturing and it is driving urbanization. Because by 2030, as many as 350 million people will get into the urbanization process, and every minute 30 Indians are moving from rural areas to urban areas, and therefore you need new urbanization.
In Dholera we are creating a city by partnering with the Government of Gujarat under the dynamic leadership of Narendra Modi. A city which will be 903 sq km in size. You will realize the dimension when I say that Singapore is just 670 sq km. This is the only state which has managed, through a process of community participation and town planning, to pull/acquire land totalling an area of 540 sq km. This is unparalleled and unbelievable in many ways. And we are creating a smart city of the future, with BRT, LRT, MRT, transportation, recycling of water, recycling of waste, real time governance and control.
This is an opportunity for India which has been behaving like a frog reluctant to leap forward whereas Gujarat has truly grasped the opportunity. I see a very different dynamism, energy, vibrancy, and a unique decisiveness when I deal with civil servants in Gujarat, and that is why Gujarat has taken the lead in the DMC. I complement the Chief Minister, the civil servants, the politicians for this very visionary, decisive leadership, and I am sure what you will see in the coming years, is a completely new Gujarat, a completely new Singapore created in the heart of Gujarat.”

India Inc calls Narendra Modi leader with vision

Anil Ambani teams up with China’s WandaNarendra Modi making false claims, Congress saysNarendra Modi accused of crony capitalismInflation: Narendra Modi demands Sonia's apologyGadkari’s plight a Narendra Modi plot? GANDHINAGAR: There were no lofty investment promises but captains of the industry and a battery of foreign diplomats queued up to hail Gujarat's economic progress on Friday when the sixth edition of the two-day Vibrant Gujarat business summit started at Mahatma Mandir here on Friday. Apart from tycoons, several foreign dignitaries, including Japanese ambassador to India Takashi Yagi, Canadian high commissioner Stuart Beck and UK high commissioner James Bevan were present. As were heads of US India Business Council, UK India Business Council and Japan External Trade Organisation. While most industry captains praised Modi, the most lavish praise came from ADAG chairman Anil Ambani, who placed Modi on the same pedestal as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Dhirubhai Ambani, as a visionary. He called Modi "king of kings"; at last year's Vibrant Gujarat, Anil Ambani had controversially said Modi should become a national leader. Ratan Tata, the star attraction of the 2009 Vibrant Gujarat summit for bringing Nano factory to Gujarat from West Bengal, said Gujarat stands out, the credit for which goes to Narendra Modi. He has set "high standards" for investment, said Tata. Adi Godrej, who came as Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) representative, spoke of Modi's "futuristic approach" in making Gujarat "one of the best investment destinations". Shashi Ruia of Essar, whose company was forced to pay thousands of crores as sales tax dues to Gujarat government, also referred to "Modi's vision and unparalleled leadership" — which was in complete contrast to his reference to being treated as "ghar ki murgi" (taken for granted) at a previous summit. Most tycoons confined their focus on what they called "the entrepreneurial spirit of Gujarat". In fact, speaking of the great strides made by Gujarat in the past, General Motors' Lowell C Paddock recalled how Halol, where the GM plant came up decades ago, was connected with a "high-speed highway" with Vadodara. "Earlier, it took four hours to reach Vadodara but after the highway it takes just half-an-hour," he said. Modi, who concluded the inaugural ceremony, said this summit was about "finding solutions" to the impact of global slowdown. "Despite the slowdown, Gujarat did reasonably well," he claimed, adding, "We did well with 10% rate of growth in service, industry and agricultural sectors." Modi further claimed Gujarat accounts for 72% of nation's employment generation, and the growth rate of small and medium industries was 85% in a year. Credits TOI

Kochi Metro Hopes and Dreams

Kochi Metro to be entrusted to DMRC: Kamal Nath

Kochi: Union minister Kamal Nath said that Kochi Metro would be implemented with the support of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). The entire responsibility would be given to DMRC. DMRC will take care of all tenders regarding this and will look into technical dealings too, Kamal Nath said. The minister also said that E Sreedharan would continue to be the consultant of DMRC and Kochi Metro. The project is planned to be completed in 3 years time. Kamal Nath revealed this to mediapersons after a high-level meeting on Kochi Metro. Chief minister Oommen Chandy, Union Urban Development secretary Sudhir Krishna, minister Aryadan Muhammed, E Sreedharan among others took part in the meeting. Chief minister Oommen Chandy thanked Kamal Nath for the support and hoped the project would be completed in a time bound manner.

Kochi Metro will be implemented under Sreedharan's leadership - 18 Dec

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister Aryadan Muhammad told in the Assembly on Tuesday that the Kochi Metro would be implemented under the leadership of E Sreedharan and with the participation of DMRC. Union urban affairs minister Kamal Nath would be arriving in Kerala on January 8 to discuss the issue and a final decision would be taken after discussions with him. He also added that the govt has so far not enquired if an explanation from KMRC former MD Tom Jose was sought in connection with the allegations raised against Sreedharan by him who had sent a letter to the centre in this connection.

Actor Dileep In another new avatar

Dileep will soon be seen as Satya Sai Baba. The actor talks about his preparations for this role Talking to Dileep is exactly like watching him in his films. His adorably wacky humour is intact and he speaks with refreshing originality. It is evident that he loves talking, taking time to answer every question in great detail. And while he does so, a good many laughs are guaranteed. “Are you here to interview me?” he asks, clad in an off-white silk shirt and a matching dhoti, on the sets of Kamath and Kamath he is doing with Mammootty. “Are you sure it is me?” he asks again and the small crew of people around him bursts out laughing. He then leads us into his swanky caravan and settles down on the chair placed in front of the mirror. The box office has received his My Boss well and he is still basking in the glory of his mega success Mayamohini, but the real game changer is yet to come, he feels. Dileep will be playing Satya Sai Baba in a multilingual project by Telugu director Kodi Ramakrishna. Homework The actor, who has experimented unabashedly with his on-screen persona, feels he is still coming to terms with the magnitude of the role he has taken on and the responsibility that comes with it. “The project is huge and for the first time, I am doing something this big that is not a comedy. And let me tell you, I am a bit tensed. The Baba is an international figure. He has millions of devotees all over the world. When I am playing someone like him, there is so much that I need to do… so much that I need to understand about the person,” he says. Homework for the role is elaborate, Dileep explains, as it entails watching countless videos of Satya Sai Baba. “Getting his mannerisms right is a challenge. There is a peculiar way in which he walks. It is extremely important that I get it right.” He describes how he was overwhelmed by the Baba’s humanitarian activities. “He has done things that no man or Government has done in a country like ours. If you go to his hospital in Puttaparthi, you will know what I am talking about. Free medical service to so many people is not something an ordinary human being can do,” he says. Visits to the Baba’s ashram in Puttaparthi and the Satya Sai Trust Hospital reaffirmed his respect for Baba’s personality, Dileep says. “It is vital that I am convinced about the person I am portraying.” Research did not end with watching videos. Dileep began gathering materials on Baba, books written on him, including prayer books. Though a devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba, there wasn’t much he knew about Satya Sai Baba until he signed the film, he says. So is he a devotee now? Dileep pauses a moment, smiles, and says, “I had a small experience, which makes me believe in him.” He is now a vegetarian and a teetotaller. “I may even continue to be so even after the film releases,” he says. The mega-budget film will be simultaneously released in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. Hindi, English and Malayalam, too are on the cards. Critics have often attacked him for the choice of roles and his range. “It does not bother me. Ultimately, it is the people I want to please. If you know the pulse of your audience and as long as they enjoy your films that is all that matters,” he signs off. Credits: ANASUYA MENON The Hindu