In Gujarat, the Election Commission has deputed an Inspector General rank police officer as police observer in the Dangs district in South Gujarat region.

The district returning officer P.K. Solanki told our correspondent that the new incumbent is a Maharashtra cadre IPS officer and said that he was not aware about the recall of already working police observer against whom the BJP had lodged complaint.

The Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi along with Chief Electoral Officer of the state Ms. Anita Karwal will today review poll preparedness in 7 districts of south region including Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dangs, Navasari, Valsad and Tapi.

Senior civil and police officers from concerned districts and the state and all observers from the election commission will be present in the review meetings.

Our correspondent reports that only three days are left for canvassing for first phase of Assembly Elections in the state and all major political parties have put their maximum strength to woo the voters.

Senior Congress leader and Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh will address an election rally at tribal dominating Navasari district today. It will be his first rally for the assembly election.

Several Union Ministers including Shankar Singh Vaghela, Bharat Singh Solanki, Ajay Maken, Jyotiraditya Scindhia and Sachin Pilot and senior party leader Ahmed Patel have addressed public meetings across the Saurashtra and South regions.

They have targeted the Modi government for alleged poor law and order situation, making alleged false assurances and putting wrong picture of development of the state.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Leaders of opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely have attended public meetings for BJP candidates.

They sharply criticised the Congress led UPA government for its alleged failure in checking price rise and indulging in corrupt practices.

Leaders from JDU, Nationalist Congress Party, NCP and Keshu Bhai Patel led Gujarat Parivartan Party have also hectic schedule for their party candidates in different constituencies.

 Gujarat High Court today dismissed a PIL challenging the state government's decision to give further extension to Justice G.T. Nanavati Commission, inquiring the 2002 post-Godhra riots cases.

While dismissing the PIL, the division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J.B. Pardiwala held that the state government was justified in granting extension to the Commission.

The government had granted 18th extension to the Commission in March earlier this year till December 31, 2012. While pronouncing the judgement today, the bench noted that the Commission received voluminous evidences and its task was mammoth.

 ormer Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel formally launch his new party after he resigned from the BJP on Saturday. His new party is called the Gujarat Parivartan Party and will contest the state Assembly polls scheduled by the year end.

Addressing the media persons at his Gandhinagar residence, Patel said the present BJP had gone miles away from democracy and had become insensitive towards the people. He said in the present situation, he could not remain a mute spectator and that was the reason he decided to form a new party.

He said main aim to launch the party was to give a better alternative to the people.

The former chief minister and veteran BJP leader left the party last Friday along with ex-union minister Kanshiram Rana. AIR correspondent adds that Patel's decision to float a new party could see a realignment of anti-Modi forces in the state, months ahead of the Assembly polls. The Maha-Gujarat Janata Party of former state minister Gordhan Zadafia is all set to merge with the newly launched Gujarat Parivartan Party.

 Kutch and Saurashtra are the worst-affected area, which had recorded scanty rainfall.

The State Government has started process to officially declare the draught affected areas to make arrangements for drinking water, fodder and employment.

India's unemployment rate stood at 3.8 per cent during the last fiscal, with Daman and Diu and Gujarat topping the list of least unemployed among states and UTs. Director General of Labour Bureau D S Kolmakar told reporters in Chandigarh that India's unemployment level is much better than that of other countries like US, Spain and South Africa.
The latest report for the year 2011-12, released by Labour Bureau (under Union Ministry of Labour and Employment) said Daman and Diu and Gujarat had unemployment rates of 0.6 per cent and 1 per cent respectively. Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan stood at 3rd and 4th position in the list.

ujarat has registered 30 percent rise in tourist inflow during the last year. According to State Tourism Minister Jaynarayan Vyas, tourist arrivals in the state has jumped from 1.70 crore to 2.23 crore in 2011-12. Mr.Vyas claimed that due to concerted efforts and aggressive marketing, the state has emerged a top tourist destination in the country during last couple of years. State Government has repositioned local festivals and fairs as major tourism-promoting events. Festivals including Navratri, kite festival, Saputara monsoon festival and Kutch desert festival have been proved as a major booster for tourism infrastructure development in the state with impressive growth in number of tourist arrivals. AIR Bhuj Correspondent reports that Success of Kutch desert festival, the Government is now focusing on Saputara monsoon festival to be held during next month.

Gujarat High Court has directed the state government to expedite the recovery of sales tax deferral liability from Essar Oil Ltd. A division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice Mohinder Pal of Gujarat High Court has rejected Essar Oil's petition seeking relief in payment of 6,414 crore rupees sales tax liabilities by way of annual installments and exemption in payment of interest and penalty amount.

According to the state government, the penalty amount alone stands at nearly 2,000 crore rupees. In an Order issued on Monday, High Court asked the government to extract the huge amount from the company as per the Supreme Court's directions.


AIR Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that after the apex court rejected the company's review petition, Essar Oil approached the state government with a request to permit tax payment in eight annual installments from April 2013. As the government did not respond, the company moved High Court last month seeking direction to the government to decide on its request.

India and Pakistan have reiterated their desire to find an amicable solution of the Sir Creek issue through sustained and result oriented dialogue. During the two day talks that began yesterday in New Delhi,the two sides discussed the land boundary in the Sir Creek area and also delimitation of International Maritime Boundary between India and Pakistan. 

The ministry of external affairs statement issued in New Delhi said, both the sides agreed to hold the next round of the talks on Sir Creek issue in Pakistan at mutually convenient dates.

AIR correspondent reports that the Indian delegation was led by Surveyor General of India Dr Swarna Subba Rao. The Pakistan delegation was led by Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Rear Admiral Farrokh Ahmad. The Pakistan delegation also met Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Shekhar Agarwal.

India and Pakistan have begun two days of talks to resolve a maritime border dispute. The talks are being held in New Delhi to resolve the maritime boundary dispute in the Sir Creek region, a narrow marsh area between the two countries. Our Correspondent reports that Sir Creek is a 96-kilometre strip disputed region between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marsh-lands. The Creek which opens up into the Arabian Sea, divides the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat with the Sindh province of Pakistan.The creek has been a point of contention for decades.India says the creek boundary should be in the middle of the estuary, while Pakistan says the border should lie on the south-east bank.The talks on the maritime boundary dispute come a week after inconclusive talks on the demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier between the two sides.

he Planning Commission today finalized the Annual Plan of 51 thousand crore rupees of Gujarat for the year 2012-13. The Plan has been approved in a meeting between Deputy Chairman of Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Ahluwalia pointed out that the state has been registering a robust growth but human development indicators were not matching the pace of economic growth. He said more attention will be needed in achieving more sustainable growth in agriculture and for addressing the problems of malnutrition. 

He said the State needs to further promote public private partnership in infrastructure development. Mr. Modi said the state is committed to provide better health care to the poor and vulnerable sections of the society.

They demanded the removal of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal for her alleged role in grabbing agricultural land in Rajasthan.


Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Gadkari said the party has asked the President to intervene in the matter .


AIR correspondent reports, the delegation also submitted documents to Ms Patil in this regard .

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation has decided to hike prices of Amul brand milk by up to 2 rupees per litre in Delhi and NCR region from Monday. The Amul Taaza toned milk will now cost 30 rupees per litre, Slim and Trim 26 rupees and Amul Gold full cream 40 rupees per litre.

Mild tremors were felt today in Mumbai and other parts of Western Maharashtra and Konkan following an earthquake of magnitude 4.9 on the Richter Scale.

Tremors were also felt in Kutch district of Gujarat. No damage to life and property has been reported so far. Sources in the Met department in Mumbai said, the Koyna dam in Satara is safe.

Scientists at Institute of Seismological Research in Ahmedabad said, 4.1 magnitude earthquake had its epicentre at Vayka taluka in Kutch, which is an active fault line. After shocks measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale were also felt.

Essar Oil has announced the completion of its 8,300-crore rupee expansion of its Vadinar oil refinery in Gujarat that will boost company's turnover by 30 to 35 per cent, besides improving margins.

Vadinar Refinery is now India's second largest single-location refinery, with an annual capacity of 18 million tons, up from 14 million tons currently.

The capacity expansion and complexity enhancement gives the Vadinar Refinery the capability to process much heavier crude, which is cheaper

The Cargo Traffic at major ports of the country has registered growth despite slow down in the global economy. The 12 major ports traffic during April to February in 2011-12 was over 510 million tones, which is 1.59 per cent more than the same period last year.  He said during this period Ennore Port of Tamilnadu recorded highest growth in traffic at 47 percent and it was followed by Cochin. Mr. Vasan said, amongst the major Ports, Kandla Port of Gujarat handled the maximum cargo of over 75 million tones