Gujarat’s high-powered committee with Chief Minister in chair reviews truant monsoon

“Implement ‘monsoon contingency plan’ in entire state without delay

 “Take urgent preventive steps for long-term supply of water, fodder” 

– Narendra Modi

Gandhinagar, Saturday: In the wake of uncertain and inadequate rainfall during the current monsoon season, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today directed the administration to implement the monsoon contingency action plan for all the 26 districts on a war footing without delay.

Addressing the high-powered state-level review meeting, he asked the entire administration to be compassionate to the problems of the people and be committed to provide enough water for irrigation and drinking purposes, fodder, essential commodities and create rural employment opportunities.

Mr. Modi, who returned here late last night form official tour of Japan, today asked the high-powered committee to review the situation due to truant monsoon looking to the urgency and gravity of the problem on daily basis. The committee was constituted before he had left for Japan.

He also asked Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam and Water Supply and Water Resources Department to complete early the works related to Narmada canals, canals-based and pipeline-based water grid schemes which were to be taken up after monsoon. He called for optimizing water supply from reservoirs behind big dams or smaller check dams for a long-term and, if needed, supply water through tankers.

The situation is graver in the villages of Saurashtra & Kutch and North Gujarat regions. He called for taking up the water-grid projects for 6,026 villages and 105 problem towns post-monsoon should be taken up immediately, install hand pumps in hilly tribal areas, deepening wells, sinking bore wells and drip-irrigation schemes. 

  

Mr. Modi discussed the presentation for Centre’s assistance to be placed before the Central Team scheduled to visit Gujarat on August 3, 2012. He also explored possibility of artificial rain. Today’s meeting was attended by high-power ministerial committee, senior secretaries, besides other top functionaries of departments concerned.

 The historic “Monnet Go for Gold” torch reaches its final frontier

Completes its journey from Jammu to Kanyakumari, travelling 6486 kilometers across 50 cities

Kanyakumari, July 27, 2012:  Monnet Go for Gold - an initiative by Sandeep Jajodia led Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited (MIEL) - a flagship company of the Monnet Group, travelling through over 6000 kilometers across 50 cities has been working towards spreading the spirit of sportsmanship in a nation which has been working hard to strengthen itself on the global map for the Olympic sports.

Monnet Go for Gold torch run that was flagged off from Jammu & Kashmir amidst lot of fanfare has been traversing through several cities across India before culminating the historic crusade today in Kanyakumari. The symbolic “Monnet Go for Gold” torch from its flag off to its culmination in Kanyakumari today has had major stopovers in Chandigarh, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Nagpur, and Mumbai.

The Monnet Go for Gold torch run has received an overwhelming response and it has been a heart-warming experience to receive a warm welcome from each city that Monnet Go for Gold torch travelled through. The entire journey right from the launch of the campaign, at the fun runs and at stopovers, the Monnet Go for Gold initiative has witnessed mammoth support from local masses along with political and sports stalwarts who have come forward in support of this initiative.

The Monnet Go for Gold torch was flagged off from Jammu on March 1, 2012 by the Honorable Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. Omar Abdullah. The torch since then travelled through the northern parts of the country touching Chandigarh on 07th March 2012 and finally making its way through New Delhi on the 11th of March 2012. Eminent personalities from the field of politics, sports and entertainment welcomed the Monnet Go for Gold torch at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The convoy and the torch travelling through the heart of India made its way to Bhubaneswar on April 01, 2012.  Honorable Chief Minister of Orissa, Shri Naveen Patnaik flagged off the Monnet Go for Gold torch from the Kalinga Stadium. On April 11, 2012, the torch travelling from Bhubaneswar via Cuttack, Angul, Sambalpur and Katapali reached Raipur at the Outdoor Stadium, sports complex, Budhapara. Honorable Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh flagged off the Monnet Go for Gold Torch from Raipur. On April 22, 2012 the convoy reached Nagpur at the Yashwantrao Stadium.  On this historic day, the Yashwantrao Stadium was audience to political and sports stalwarts who came together in support of the Monnet Go for Gold torch. Travelling from Nagpur via Amrawati, Akola, Jalgaon, Dhule, Malegaon, Nashik and Kalyan the symbolic torch has entered Mumbai. From Mumbai the torch traversed through Panaji, Mangaluru, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to reach its final frontier, Kanyakumari.

Mr. Sandeep Jajodia, Chairman and Managing Director, Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited, said “Monnet Go for Gold – Fun Run – Kashmir Se Kanyakumari Tak”, saluting the spirit of sportsmanship in India, aims at positioning India as Sporting Nation and not just as a cricketing Nation by creating awareness amongst the people of India towards the efforts of our athletes in putting India on the global map for sports. It is my firm belief that if we manage to do so, we can very well be on course to perform well at the 2016 or perhaps 2020 Olympics."

“Travelling through the length and breadth of the country, today we mark the culmination of the Monnet Go for Gold torch initiative in Kanyakumari. Through this journey we have tried to touch the soul of every Indian to unite for the support of all athletes that are representing India at the Olympics and to cheer and motivate for them and send a strong message that the wishes of the entire nation is with them. I would like to congratulate everyone associated with this initiative and a special thanks to the athletes who held the torch high and ran across the country. ", he added

Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited is also the proud sponsors of the Indian Boxing team whose seven men boxers and one women boxer have qualified for the upcoming 2012 London Olympics. Monnet Group has also announced cash prizes of Rs 51 lakhs for the gold medal winners, 21 lakhs for the silver medal winners and Rs 11 lakhs to bronze medal winners at the London Olympics 2012.

Mr. AslamSher Khan, Former Olympian & President, Olympians Association of India and Former Indian Hockey team captain Mr. Zafar Iqbal from the Arjuna Awardees Association of India also have come forward in support of the ‘Monnet Go for Gold’ initiative.

About Monnet Group:

Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited (MIEL): MIEL is promoted by Mr. Sandeep Jajodia. Its principal activities include manufacturing and marketing of Sponge Iron, Steel and Ferro Alloys. In addition, MIEL is engaged in mining of mineral assets like coal & iron ore and is also involved in the generation of power for captive consumption. The Monnet Group has manufacturing facilities in Raipur and Raigarh in Chhattisgarh and is currently in the midst of implementing a 1.5 Million Tons integrated steel plant to produce plates, structural and rebar’s at its facility at Raigarh in Chhattisgarh to cater to the high growth infrastructure sector. MIEL through its subsidiary is now making measure of forays in the development of Merchant Power Plants and is currently implementing the first 1050 MW power plant at Angul

About Monnet Boxing Foundation (MBF)

Monnet Group has been actively engaged in promoting boxing as a sport in the country and as a part of its CSR initiative the Monnet Group has proudly associated itself with boxing by being the official sponsors of the Indian Boxing Team. Monnet believes that our country having population of more than 1.2 billion has potential to churn good boxers, however the irony is that not much attention is given towards developing boxing as a loved sport and identifying and training amateur boxers. Monnet, to address this concern has also set up Monnet Boxing Foundation –to identify and train amateur boxers.  Monnet in order to provide a platform with world class facilities would be setting up Monnet Boxing Academy to train the amateur boxers from the grassroots level.

For further details please contact:

TRAI Directs Telecom Service Providers to Provide Adequate Information to Broadband Consumers

In order to ensure transparency in delivery of broadband services and to protect interests of consumers in the telecom sector, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today issued directions to telecom service providers for delivering broadband services in a transparent manner by providing adequate information to the broadband consumers about various plans and Fair Usage Policy (FUP).

Through this direction, telecom service providers have been asked to provide adequate information on Fair Usage Policy (FUP); to ensure that speed of broadband connection is not reduced below the minimum speed specified and to provide alert to consumers when their data usage reaches 80% and 100% of the data usage limit bundled with the plan.

This direction has already been placed on TRAI website- www.trai.gov.in .

Gujarat to develop model port city on the lines of Kobe

CM meets 2,000 key personnel, including seven ministers, top industrialists and bankers at 66 functions in official visit to Japan.

“With this visit to Japan begins a new chapter of mutual trust” ~ Narendra Modi.

Chief Minister, Modi leading business delegation from Gujarat to Japan, starts return journey 

Ahmedabad, Friday: The high-level business delegation from Gujarat, led by Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, started on return journey from Osaka this afternoon after a very successful four-day tour of Japan on the invitation of Japanese Government.The delegation is scheduled to land in Ahmedabad International Airport tonight.

In Japan, Mr. Modi met nearly 2,000 top honchos and key personnel of different organizations, including seven ministers, at 65 functions, in groups or over one-to-one meetings, receptions, in five provinces, namely Toyo, Hamamatsu, Aichi-Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe-Hyogo. He had a roundtable meeting with top brass of Mizuho Corporate Bank as he addressed three seminar of JETRO at different locations.

Responding to a grand farewell function at Kobe on the last day of his official visit to Japan today, Mr. Modi observed that this visit would serve as value addition to the cordial relation between Gujarat and Japan and take it to greater heights, opening up new avenues of co-operations in myriad ways. Mr. Modi said he is overwhelmed by the warmth received everywhere.

The function was extended by Kobe-Hyogo Prefecture Governor Mr. Toshizo Ido and Vice-Governor at the Governor House.

Mr. Modi said that Gujarat’s similarities and close relations with Kobe is not limited to disaster management but also in several development projects, in new frontiers. It included setting up a Disaster Management Museum, developing a Model City on the lines of Kobe.  

He said Gujarat could do wonders by combining the technology and discipline of Japan on the one hand, and Gujarat’s entrepreneurial skills and work culture in developing DMIC, Asia’s biggest Auto Hub and other projects. Similarly, Japans’ expertise in hardware and Gujarat’s talent in software could also be developed on mutual relations.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ido recalled his visit to Gujarat in 2010. The Kobe-Hyogo Province had also extended its assistance to the quake-hit Kutch in Gujarat and helped build a school and boarding at Bhachau. He assured complete co-operation to Gujarat’s Disaster Management and developing a Model Port on the lines of Kobe.

Earlier, in the morning, Mr. Modi took one hour’s ride in the Bay Area on a marine boat to acquaint himself about the working of Kobe port in the Bay Area. The Kobe port is known for rising from the debris within two years of the disastrous earthquake in 1995. The Kobe airport has also been declared as a marine airport.

This assumes special significance as Chief Minister’s dream to develop Dholera SIR (Special Investment Region) as an International Port City, projected to be larger than Shanghai. He proposes to stretch the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) as ‘Coastal Corridor’, extending it from Ahmedabad to Dholera and Bhavnagar, up to Kalpsar dam-cum-tidal power project.

Mr. Modi finds uncanny similarity between Kobe and Dholera in Gujarat. Both the regions were devastated by the earthquake. Kobe port was established in 812 A.D. Likewise, Dholera is also an ancient port in the Gulf of Cambay (Khambhat), with historical records of trade with Eurasian countries.

Anand Sharma invites British participation in at least one NMIZ

 The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Textiles, Shri Anand Sharma in a bilateral meeting with Mr. William Hague, British Foreign Secretary in London today, invited British participation in at least one National Manufacturing and Investment Zone (NMIZ) as partner. British Foreign Secretary Mr. William Hague responded positively to it and asked his Office to examine the opportunities for NMIZ in the United Kingdom.

Shri Sharma also raised the issue of visa and stated that the bilateral trade and investment between the two nations is getting impacted by difficulties in obtaining visas. To this, Foreign Secretary Mr. Hague assured Shri Sharma to look into the issue early as the United Kingdom greatly appreciates the contribution of Indian professionals working in the country.

Mr. Hague also said that there will be British support for an early conclusion of the India-European Union Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement. Shri Sharma said that both the sides engaged intensively to find solutions on outstanding issues which are mutually beneficial and acceptable. He also mentioned that a Ministerial review of the negotiations was held on 26th June, 2012 at Brussels.