SCHOOL ADJUSTS PERIODS, ALLOWS KIDS TO GO HOME AND FILL WATER
Worried that education may fall casualty to water crisis, Sheth Amulakh School at Mahatma Gandhi Vasahat in Gota allows students to go home early. Reason: Here ‘clean’ water comes for 15 minutes in 48 hours
MEGHA BHATT
Irregular water supply at Mahatma Gandhi Vasahat in Gota adversely affects the education of children living here. The kids, particularly girls, skip school many a time to stay back home so that they can fill water, which Gujarat Slum Clearance Board (merged with Gujarat Housing Board) pumps from its borewell at unexpected hours.
As many as 550 of them study in Sheth Amulakh Vidyalaya. Luckily for these children, the school authorities are very co-operative. They allow the students to go home during recess and sometimes even leave them a period early so that they can go home and fill water in the buckets.
Principal Neeta Shah changed the school uniform two years ago to ease woes of students and parents. “Earlier the uniform was white. But white clothes get dirty easily and more water is required to clean them. So, two years ago, we changed the colour to light green.”Since people residing here belong to low-income group, the married couples, mostly contract labourers, are out for work. Hence, most household chores are done by the children. Ahmedabad mirror, april 6, 2011
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Jantri to clean dirty money in Gujarat realty
Cash-Rich Mkt Pauses As Govt Cracks Whip
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: The steep rise in the benchmark prices of realty across Gujarat has shocked land sharks, who had expected to make a killing by riding Gujarat’s growth story even as developers started looking at the fineprint to find out whether a tsunami would follow the tremors.
The jantri, as the government’s ready reckoner of property prices is called in Gujarat, has marked a jump of up to 400 per cent with effect from April 1. One week into the hikes and developers still don’t know what has hit them, as moves were afloat to challenge the new order legally. The government, of course, had anticipated this resistance and had filed a caveat before the Gujarat high court before issuing the order. TOI ahmedabad April 7, 2011
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Jantri jhatka likely to push up rentals on all properties
Jitendra Dave
The new jantri rates implemented by the state government will lead to increase in property tax, eventually resulting in higher rents for residential and office space. Presently, commercial property market is reeling under pressure and property tax burden will increase the losses for owners.
The new jantri rates, two to 10 times higher, depending on location of the property, will lead to around 35%-60% rise in the property tax of residential and commercial properties. Property owners won't bear this burden and will ultimately pass it on to the tenants.
Experts in the real estate industry believe that the residential market will not be impacted much and commercial property is likely to bear the brunt of the decision. As the commercial property market is already under pressure because of excess supply, new customers will have a choice. However, existing tenants will have to bear the additional burden.
Pravin Bavdiya, president of Ahmedabad Realtors' Association, said that residential segment will not witness sharp increase in property tax, but commercial segment is bound to be affected. "Owners will pass it on to tenants," he said.
He said that property owners will have to lease out their properties to get rid of additional burden in form of property tax. "The owners who are not able to rent out their properties will be worried as their losses will mount," said Bavdiya.
In most rental deals involving corporates, property tax is borne by the tenants. So, while rents will not increase, the tenants will have to shell out more money, said Hitesh Shah, CEO of Space Management. DNA ahmedabad April 7, 2011
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Census shows rapid urbanisation in Guj
Population growth dips to 19.17% from 22.66% in 2001 Had growth rate stayed
at 22.66%, the count would’ve been 6,21,53,069 Urban population is
42.6%, a sharp rise from 37.4 % in 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Gandhinagar: Diamond city Surat’s population grew from 28.12 lakh in 2001 to 44.62 lakh in 2011 — a phenomenal rise of 58.68%.
Another city, which witnessed rapid growth in population, is Rajkot — 28.21% — while Ahmedabad’s population rose by 23.12%, from 45.25 lakh to 55.71 lakh. Gujarat has also become more urban with the population in cities growing from 37.4% in 2001 to 42.6% in 2011. The growth in rural population has dropped from 62.6 per cent to 57.4%.
State census 2011 figures were released by chief secretary A K Joti here on Thursday. Additional chief secretary (planning) V N Maira attributed the spiral in Surat’s population to “immigration” from other parts of Gujarat as well as other states of India. Population of Ahmedabad and Rajkot includes the freshly merged areas in the municipal corporation limits.Vadodara’s population rose by just 11.8% while Bhavnagar grew by 14.67%. The Times of India, Ahmedabad, April 8, 2011
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Heritage property owners find new ways to attract tourists
Ahmedabad: A royal vacation at Gujarat’s youngest stepwell or going on an ancient dinosaur trail will soon be a reality in Gujarat. Royal families of Gujarat are trying now to attract the tourists to the state’s heritage.
Wankaner has a stepwell built in 1935 as part of the royal summer retreat. The project recently got a facelift. “We wanted to give the visitors a unique experience. Think about enjoying a royal experience within few feet of a river and a stepwell right in the middle. The experiment is already a hit,” said Dr Digvijay Sinh of Wankaner, former union minister and scion of erstwhile rulers of the Kathiawari state. The Times of India, Ahmedabad, April 8, 2011
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SSNNL: Govt in overdrive to finish canals
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: With only 17% work completed till now, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL) is in overdrive to complete the canal network for the Sardar Sarovar Project as soon as possible. Nitin Patel, water supply and water resources minister, said that so far, of the total 74,626 km canal networking, which is needed to complete the project, SSNNL has been able to finish only 19,354 km.
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CEPT’s work for AMC to be brought under lens
Ahmedabad All dealings of the Centre for Environmental Research and Planning (CEPT) University in the past five years with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will be brought under the scanner following the reservations expressed by the elected wing in the civic body.
This is more to clear doubts than to have any grudge against the apex academic institution of the national repute, the ruling BJP has said. The Indian express, ahmedabad, April 8, 2011
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/cepts-work-for-amc-to-be-brought-under-lens/773425/
April 9, 2011
State revenues fail to keep pace with growth
Rajiv Shah | TNN
Gandhinagar: A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) study has suggested that though Gujarat experienced a very high growth rate, claimed to be in double digits, the state’s own revenues have failed to rise proportionately. It notes, it is one of the few states which “witnessed the adverse impact of the economic slowdown and upward pay revision”, and a simultaneous “decline in revenue receipts as a ratio to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and increase in revenue expenditure as a ratio to GSDP.”
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SUNSHINE IN SARONA
Thanks To NRI’s Philanthropy, A Small Village In Navsari Has Free Potable Water, Medical Services
Bharat Yagnik | TNN
Ahmedabad: Sarona, located in Navsari is a small village with a population of 800. In recent years, the destiny of the village has changed for the better.
The village has its own mineral water plant which supplies potable water to the residents of the village. There is a private doctor who visits every household, does routine checkups and gives medicines to the ill.
And the villagers do not have to pay a single penny for these extraordinary services they utilise. The village has 350 houses. About 200 of them have undergone significant transformation, with a landscaping done in front of them.
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New jantri rates: Property deals continue ‘unabated’
As many as 150 documents were registered in Ahmedabad district on Friday despite builders asking people to refrain from making deals
DILIP PATEL
There has been no change in the registration pattern despite the new jantri rates in force from April 1, say sources.
As many as 150 property documents were registered in Ahmedabad district on Friday. Developers have been appealing to people to refrain from property registration till May 5, but Amdavadis are in no mood to oblige.
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April 11, 2011
No hike in property tax
Despite New Jantri, Rules Don’t Permit Revision in Tax Rates For Next Two Years
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: If the recent 400 per cent hike in land jantri rates has set your heart racing, here is a reliever — the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has decided not to raise the corresponding property tax rates for two financial years. So, any hike in property tax rate, corresponding to jantri rates, can be expected only in the financial year 2013-14. The property tax formula makes use of various factors to decide the amount to be charged from the owner. These factors are carpet area of the property, location, age and type of property (chawl, flat, bungalow, commercial or residential use) rented or privately owned. Each of these has been assigned a value based on jantri rates. TOI Ahmedabad April 11, 2011
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KNA to be expanded to 10% of JNNURM cities
DNA Correspondent
The one-day workshop on Knowledge Needs Assessment (KNA) and Improving City to City Learning, held at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept), came to a fruitful conclusion on Friday. The workshop helped point out the necessity of expanding the knowledge needs assessment to 10% of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) cities.
Various dignitaries, including representatives from World Bank Institute (WBI), National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Peer Experience and Reflective Learning Network (PEARL), Cept and UMC had gathered for the seminar which had discussions about the need to standardise the KNA.
Coordinator for the workshop, Prof Saswat Bandhopadhyay, announced the resolution to include 10% of JNNURM cities for the knowledge assessment need. "Cities for the same will be chosen by studying different criteria like size, geographical location and the type of city," he said.
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Ghuma plot owners threaten to go on indefinite fast
They are protesting against the 40 per cent deduction by AUDA from all plots in Ghuma; they want the authority to come up with a solution soon
KULDEEP TIWARI
The nation has found a hero in Anna Hazare. His fast-unto-death stance forced the UPA government to give in and agree to form a panel to draft the Lokpal Bill. Owners of plot in Ghuma are taking a leaf out of Anna’s book.
Around 2500 plot owners gathered at Pleasure Club in Ghuma village on Sunday morning to discuss Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority’s proposed Town planning scheme and the issues related to it. The Ghuma Plot Owners’ Association has decided to protest against AUDA for being unclear on the proposed town planning scheme in Ghuma.
In fact, some of the plot owners are in a mood to apply Hazare’s formula and go on indefinite fast till the authorities find a solution to their problems. Ahmedabad mirror April 11, 2011
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April 12, 2011
New jantri: Builders continue stir
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: Already at loggerheads with Gujarat government over the new jantri rates, realtors in Gujarat will not register documents even after a committee comprising three ministers was formed to look into the issue.
Revenue minister Anandiben Patel, minister of state for industries Saurabh Patel and urban development minister Nitin Patel — have been assigned the responsibility to hear out the developers and find a solution to their problems. The Times of India, Ahmedabad, April 12, 2011
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Garudeshwar weir project gets go-ahead
The . 400 Crore Weir Will Come Up 12 Km Downstream Of Narmada Dam
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Gandhinagar: The powerful inter-state body, Sardar Sarovar Construction Advisory Committee (SSCAC), on Monday gave final clearance to the construction of Garudeshwar Weir, to be built 12 kilometres downstream of the Narmada dam. Tenders are expected to be floated soon for building the weir.
Senior officials of the Gujarat government, who took part at a high-level meeting of the SSCAC under the chairmanship of Union irrigation secretary DV Singh at Kevadia Colony off Narmada Dam, said the weir would “enable production of power during peak hours with the help of reversible turbines, put up at the dam”.
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Green belt along railway tracks
Civic body, in association with the railways, is soon coming up with gardens on either side of the tracks that are often filled with filth
RUTURAJ JADAV
Usually, stingy and rotten garbage, faecal matter, drainage water, stray cattle feeding on the leftovers... is a common site along the railway tracks across the city. But not anymore.
Soon the railway tracks will be turned into green belts.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, in association with Ahmedabad Railways, has begun a project to convert both sides of the railway tracks across the city into gardens. Ahmedabad Mirror April 12, 2011
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