Floods wreck havoc in Rajasthan villages    Pichiyag , August 7, 2008 (ANI):  An overflowing barrage has flooded several villages in Rajasthan. Incessant rains led to the breach of a barrage near the Jaswant Sagar Dam, resulting in the inundation of several villages. In Pichiyag village, roads, houses and other buildings were submerged. People are facing problems due to the flooding of the region. People are stranded and  nobody has come from the government to assess the situation. According to some residents, the barrage has collapsed before because of heavy rains, but the State Government has not bothered to repair it. (ANI)    Four bombs found, defused in Rajasthan     Jaipur, July 30, 2008: A crude bomb was found in Pali district of Rajasthan on Wednesday, a day after three explosives were defused in the same district, the police said.  According to the police, the low-intensity bomb was found inside a plastic box in Pali, about 300 km from in Jaipur. A search operation team of the Rajasthan police spotted it in a roadside bush and a bomb disposal squad soon defused it.    The recovery comes after Bangalore and Ahmedabad were hit by serial bombings,  killing at least 52 people, and 23 bombs were found in Surat.  Source: Hindustan Times   69 more protected monuments in Rajasthan   JAIPUR, July 27, 2008: The timeless allure of historical monuments in Rajasthan holds major fascination. Now in a bid to preserve its enduring heritage, the department of archaeology and museums has granted the status of protected monuments to at least 69 more historical buildings spread across the state. The newly-listed locations and monuments would also be up for adoption under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.   The notification for granting protected monument status to these buildings has already been issued. With this move, the total number of protected monuments in the state has gone up from current figure of 225 to 294. "The initiative for granting a protected monument status is the first move towards protecting any monument.    Among several others, this spells hope for one of the once holiest pilgrimage sites for the Hindus, the Devyani Kund or sarovar at Sambhar that is also included in the list of protected monuments  now. The sarovar, also called the 'chota' Pushkar comes into the list by virtue of the mythological importance attached to it. Once considered one of the holiest pilgrimage sites, a dip in the sarovar  was considered to absolve all human suffering.  Source: The Times of India    Rajasthan rejects limestone mining applications   Mumbai July 20, 2008: BK Birla Group's Mangalam Cement, Sanghi Industries, MP Birla Group's Birla Cement, Indorama Cement and three other companies are in a spot with the Rajasthan government rejecting their applications for a limestone mining lease. The rejection follows a denotification of the region in and around Jaisalmer for limestone mining. The reasons for denotification could not be ascertained. The cement companies had applied for mining licences in the state between 2005 and 2007.    Rajasthan is the fourth largest state in respect of cement-grade limestone, with the state housing total reserves of 7,634 million tonne. The other limestone-rich states are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The state had earlier identified 890 million tonne of probable reserves in the area and notified a few mining blocks as suitable for cement manufacturers.  Similarly, Shree Cement and Binani Cement too had shown interest in Jaisalmer's limestones as they have substantial cement plants in the state.  Source: Business Standard    Rajasthan House adjourned sine die   Jaipur, July 17, 2008: The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly was today adjourned sine die after four days of sittings that saw the passing of a quota bill for special backward class including Gujjars and poor among upper caste.   Opposition Congress staged a walkout alleging the BJP government of "crushing democratic values and running a 'Rajshahi' (feudal rule) in the name of democracy". Speaker Sumitra Singh conferred best parliamentarian awards to Bharat Singh (Congress) and Shantilal Chaplot (BJP).     BGR Energy wins Rs 5,023-cr contract from Rajasthan Vidyut     Chennai, July 16< 2008: Chennai-based BGR Energy Ltd on Wednesday announced that it has won a Rs 5,023-crore contract from Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd — the electricity generation company of Rajasthan’s electricity Board. The ‘engineering, procurement, construction’ contract is for putting up the 2x600 MW Kalisindh Thermal Power Project at Jhalawar, Rajasthan (near Kota). The scope of the contract includes design, engineering, supply of boiler, turbine and generator and ‘balance of plant’.    At a press conference here on Wednesday, the Chairman and Managing Director of BGR Energy, Mr B.G. Raghupathy, said that the boilers and TG equipment will be bought from Dongfang of China. The value of the imported equipment is estimated at $405 million. The value of material and services from within BGR Energy will be about Rs 2,000 crore, he said. With this order, BGR Energy’s order book swells to Rs 11,000 crore, which includes four balance of plant contracts of 500 MW each and two EPC contracts of 600 MW each, apart from contracts for supply of equipment for oil and gas industries. A unique feature of the project is the cooling towers. The 200-metres high natural draft cooling towers will be the highest in Asia. It is taller than the 156-metre cooling tower at NTPC’s Simhadri plant, Mr Swaminathan said. Source: The Hindu      Reservation Bill for Gujjars introduced in Rajasthan House    Jaipur, July 14, 2008 (PTI): A Bill seeking reservation of jobs for four castes including Gujjars, under the Special Backward Classes category, and the poor among the upper castes was today introduced in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Law Minister G S Tiwari introduced the Bill even as the opposition Congress members were holding protest against an ordinance on university teachers' regularisation.    Congress charge the ruling BJP government with moving the ordinance without divulging the objections and suggestions made by the Governor on the original Bill. Amid the opposition MLAs shouting anti-government slogans on the teachers' ordinance matter, Speaker Sumitra Singh took a  voice vote of the ruling BJP legislators for introduction of the quota Bill in the House.   The Bill titled the Rajasthan Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Class (OBC), Special Backward Classes, and Economically Backward Classes, 2008, is likely to come up for discussion in the next sitting of the House.- PTI    Rain brings respite to Rajasthan    Jaipur, July 12, 2008 (PTI): Rain has brought respite from the humid weather in  several parts of Rajasthan. Overnight rainfall in the state capital has flooded the low lying areas affecting the movement of traffic. According to Meteorological Department maximum rainfall of 121.6 mm was recorded at Mount Abu during the last 24 hours.     A weather office spokesman said Sawaimadhopur recorded 116 mm of rain followed by Viratnagar with 115 mm and Shahpur 113 mm. The other places which recorded rainfall were Vamanvas (78 mm), Pratapgarh(75 mm), Malpura(72 mm), Chittorgarh(56 mm) Jaisalmer (23 mm), Jaipur(21 mm), Udaipur(21 mm), Ajmer(20 mm), Tonk(17 mm), Kota (10 mm), Sirohi (9.2 mm) and Churu(9 mm).    Heavy rains in Dholpur a draught prone district Dholpur, July 11, 2008 (ANI): After years of wait for rains, the record downpour in Dholpur district in the last four days has brought a big wave of cheer among farmers here. Local officials of the irrigation department are also delighted to notice such a heavy rain, especially in the last four days. It's raining since June this year here.   Lack of rainfall and dried up water sources over the past couple of years had made this region drought-prone. Many residents say that they witnessed such high water level in the district's Parvati Dam for the first time in last one decade.   Farmers are delighted, as the downpour has come as a major help from the heavens to make them expect a good harvest. Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department, apart from monitoring the situation like measuring the rainfall, has geared up for water conservation.     Daikin to invest Rs 160 cr at Neemrana     NEEMRANA, July 09, 2008: Daikin Airconditioning India Pvt Ltd, a fully-owned subsidiary of Japan-based Daikin Industries, on Wednesday announced an investment of Rs 160 crore for setting up a manufacturing facility at Neemrana in Rajasthan.    The unit is expected to start production by 2009 and it would have a capacity to produce 20,000 variable refrigerant volume units and 1,800 chiller units per annum, Daikin India Managing Director  Toshiki Hayashi told reporters at the ground breaking ceremony here. Daikin India hopes to generate a revenue of Rs 1,100 crore by 2010, he said.    Daikin is the world's second largest airconditioning systems brand with manufacturing facilities in Japan, Thailand, Europe and China. The company plans to manufacture multi-split type commercial -use airconditioning equipment and chillers (large-capacity airconditioning heat source equipment) at the Rajasthan unit. When put into operations, the plant would provide direct employment to about 300 persons.  Source: The Economic Times    Wind power project planning by ACC in Rajasthan    Mumbai, July 08, 2008: ACC company is planning to set up its second wind power project in Rajasthan. The second power project would support the company's Lakheri plant in Bundi district, which had undergone modernisation with its capacity increased to 1.5mn tons from 0.9mn tons.    The Rajasthan wind power project is a part of the company's efforts to adopt environment-friendly technologies and reduce dependence on conventional energy. Shares of ACC has gained by 2 percent at Rs507 following reports that the company is planning to set up its second wind power project in Rajasthan.      Lafarge Boral  gypsum plant in Rajasthan    NEW DELHI, July 5,2008 (Reuters): A joint venture of France's Lafarge (LAFP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and Australia's Boral (BLD.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) has invested 1 billion rupees ($23 million) in a gypsum plant in India, to meet the demand in the rapidly urbanising country, officials said.    The plant in the western state of Rajasthan will have an annual capacity of 10 million square metres of gypsum board, they said on Friday. Gypsum board is used as a replacement for brick, especially in high-rise buildings. "As urbanisation grows, as the case in India, the floor-space index will go up, therefore use of gypsum, which is 10 times lighter than brick per square feet, will definitely take preference," Olivier Chaudet, chief executive of Lafarge Boral Gypsum India, told reporters at a news conference.   The plant would be running at full capacity in six months to two years, depending on demand, and Lafarge Boral would continue to import the product if required, he said. Lafarge Boral sells around 5 million square metres of gypsum board in India, all of which is imported, Chaudet said. Chaudet said he estimated the market for gypsum board in India at 25-30 million square metres and to be growing at an annual rate of 25-30 percent.   IIT Rajasthan: Makeshift building, no funds   JAIPUR, July 04, 2008: Rajasthan’s long-awaited IIT premiere tech institute that opens in the IIT Kanpur campus from this academic session is unconvincing. Its infrastructure is makeshift, the teachers would be ad-hoc appointees and the campus is on a short lease.    The Ministry of Human Resource and Development is yet to release funds for IIT Rajasthan, even when the new academic session is less than a month away. Registrar of IIT Kanpur, Sanjeev S Kashalkar made it clear that the administration was not going to draw upon the resources of the existing institute. Even the fund raised from students’ fee for Kanpur campus is not sufficient to maintain the standard of infrastructure required to run a premier engineering institution.   There are an additional 120 students of the Rajasthan campus who would have to be offered lodging and boarding facility, a fresh faculty and a new campus. “The arrival of funds from the  HRD ministry is pending so we are making temporary arrangements to house the IIT Rajasthan,” he told DNA. Rajasthan IIT students would not share the Kanpur campus.    They are converting vacant bungalows and staff quarters into “makeshift dormitories” for students. “We are hiring ad-hoc teachers before first semester,” an official of IIT Kanpur said. Initially 12  to 15 faculty members are being hired. In addition, the administration is converting available space into a library and computer science laboratory for students who enroll in Rajasthan IIT. They would have separate classes. The registrar said the institution did not want to carry the burden of the Rajasthan IIT which would in time have it own administrative set up.  Source: DNA    Central Assistance to Rajasthan under Desert Development Programme     July, 01, 2008: The Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned Rs.580.0571 lakh to the State Governments of Rajasthan under the Desert Development Programme (DDP) for Haryali-IV Batch for the Jalore and Jhunjhunu districts of the state during the current financial year(2008-09).     The Zila Parishad (ZP) of Jalore is to receive Rs.297.00 lakh for planning and development of 44 watershed projects under DDP as 2nd installment. Similarly, the Zila Parishad (ZP) of Jhunjhunu will be getting Rs.283.0571 lakh as 3rd installment for the planning and implementation of 42 projects under DDP for Haryali-IV Batch during the current financial year.     The grant is towards plan expenditure and is subject to the terms and conditions laid down in the guidelines for Watershed development and to the orders issued or may be issued from time to time by the Central Government. - PIB    Home Secretary among 38 IAS officers reshuffled     Jaipur, June 30,2008: 38 IAS officers including Rajasthan''s Principal Home Secretary were  transferred tonight in a major administrative reshuffle ahead of the assembly polls later this year.  Besides, 276 officers of the Rajasthan Administrative Services have also been reshuffled, an official spokesman said.   Monsoon session of Rajasthan Assembly from July 21    Jaipur, June 29, 2008 (PTI): Rajasthan Governor S K Singh has convened the monsoon session of the State Assembly from July 21 next. The state government is likely to table Bills for seeking approval of the house for according five per cent quota to Gujjars and 14 per cent to the economically backward classes which have already been approved by the Vasundhra Raje cabinet, official sources said.

Rajasthan's forts, castles on sale   JAIPUR, June 25, 2008: Over 100 crenellated forts — once ornate palaces and castles built over centuries, home to Rajput kings and chieftains —are up for sale across the state. And queuing up to buy these now crumbling properties, neglected by decaying royal families, are potential buyers from Europe, America, Singapore and the Middle East. Sale of castles for a more viable adaptive re-use has been taking place in Europe but where will you get a piece of history at prices amazingly close to or even less than that of a city penthouse?     Sources close to the deals won't give out names but say the owners of these properties are in negotiations with NRIs and overseas business houses — either to sell them or run heritage hotels in collaboration with an overseas partner.  One such seller is Gajraj Singh. With no heir to inherit his ancestral property, the 70-year-old owner of Pushkar castle who manages various philanthropic missions in Ajmer, said: "Maintaining a property like that requires immense effort and funds and in the present scenario I just can't afford to spend that kind of money. I want to sell Pushkar castle and give part of the money to my adopted son and spend the rest on building a charitable hospital in the district."  Source: The Times of India

Over 100 crenellated forts — once ornate palaces and castles built over centuries, home to Rajput kings and chieftains in Rajasthan are up for sale across the state.

Saint-Gobain to invest Rs 10 bn in Rajasthan   CHENNAI, June 23, 2008: The Indian arm of French float-glass manufacturer Saint- Gobain is setting up a 300,000 tonne plant at Bhiwadi in Rajasthan with an investment of Rs.10 billion ($250 million), top company officials said. The new plant will take the company's capacity to 750,000 tonnes per annum, as its Rs.15 billion unit at Sriperumbudur near here has a capacity of 450,000, Saint- Gobain India managing director B. Santhanam told a press conference here. "The investment in the first phase of the new unit will be Rs.10 billion," said Santhanam, who is also president of the group's float glass division for South Asia.  Source: The Economic Times

President expresses concern over plight of widows of soldiers    JAIPUR, June 23, 2008: President Pratibha Patil on Sunday called for “special initiatives” for development of skills of widows of soldiers who sacrificed their lives and said their condition should be improved by providing necessary training and proper livelihood to them. She said the benefits of special packages were not reaching these widows.   Addressing a felicitation function attended by ex-servicemen and widows of martyrs at Indrapura village in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, Ms. Patil said the condition of widows of martyred soldiers often became “very pathetic” as they were mostly illiterate and had little knowledge of the outside world. “They also become dependent on others.”   Ms. Patil, who felicitated about 40 widows on the occasion, said the Government departments releasing special packages should pay full attention to the welfare of such widows, look into their problems and try to ensure that they get their full dues. The children of martyrs should also get the best of education and scholarships, she added.

President Pratibha Patil

Cairn to begin pipeline laying to ferry Rajasthan crude    New Delhi, June 22, 2008 (PTI): Cairn India will this week begin laying a USD 800-million pipeline to evacuate crude oil from its Rajasthan fields, peak output from where is now seen at 175,000 barrels per day - 17 per cent more than the previous estimate. "Physical laying of the 585-km long pipeline will begin on June 24 at a place on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border," a company official  said.      The heated pipeline for transporting crude oil from the Rajasthan fields will begin at Mangala terminal, located at Barmer, to Salaya oil export terminal near Jamnagar in Gujarat. Crude oil production from the Rajasthan fields is to begin in second half of 2009 even as estimates for peak output have been raised by about 17 per cent.     Sources said Mangala, the largest field in the RJ-ON-90/1 block, was previously envisaged to produce 100,000 bpd (5 million tons annually) but discovery of additional reserves has raised the output to 125,000 bpd. Bhagyam, the second biggest field, will produce 40,000 bpd and Aishwariya 10,000 bpd, totalling to 175,000 bpd (8.75 million tons annually). The government has already approved inclusion of the pipeline investment in field development plan and recovering the cost through sale of crude oil. - PTI   Now quota system is 68 per cent in Rajasthan   JAIPUR, June 20, 2008: The new quota regime has put Rajasthan among the States in the country with maximum reservation. Till now the State had 49 per cent quota — Scheduled Tribes (12 per cent), Scheduled Castes (16) and Other Backward Classes (21) — but Wednesday’s announcement, ending the Gujjar agitation, along with the new quota for EBCs (Economically Backward Classes) would take it up to 68 per cent.   The ST quota in Rajasthan is mostly cornered by East Rajasthan’s Meenas, leaving behind the Bheel Meenas of South Rajasthan and Garasias of Sirohi and Saharias of Kota and Baran districts in deprivation. The SCs constitute a much larger group while the prominent members of the OBCs now include Rawats, Yadavs, Malis (Sainis), Charans and the recent entrant, Jats. Gujjars will be out of the OBC group with the creation of the new category, which would enjoy 5 per cent quota along with Banjaras, Gadia Luhars and Raikas. Rajasthan does not have a Most Backward Classes category.

Gujjars, Raje government to sign agreement   Jaipur, June 18, 2008: The Rajasthan government on Wednesday signed a  historic agreement with the agitating Gujjars. The Raje government promised to provide five per cent reservation in the state to a fresh, separate category of backward classes which would include the Gujjars. The Gujjars in turn will call off their 27 day agitation.    With this the quantum of reservation in Rajasthan rises from 49 per cent to 68  per cent. With an eye on the assembly polls, Raje announced another 14 per cent  reservation for the poor among nine forward castes and sects, including Brahmins  and Bohra Muslims. With this the quantum of reservation in Rajasthan rises from  49 per cent to 68 per cent. With the Supreme Court having specified 50 per cent  as the upper limit for reservations, it is a moot point whether the fresh ones  announced will stand judicial scrutiny.    The government also agreed to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of the  38 people killed in the agitation, as well as to provide a government job to one  family member. It promised to withdraw cases filed against agitators, subject  to judicial sanction.

Now Colonel Bainsala will go to Peelupura and then formally call off the agitation

Bainsla arrives in Jaipur for talks with Raj govt   Jaipur, June 16, 2008(PTI): Accepting Rajasthan government's invitation for joining the talks, Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla arrived here today and chaired a meeting of his outfit's representatives who have been holding parleys with the state authorities in a bid to end the 25-day-old stir. 70-year -old Bainsla reached here from Karwadi, the epicentre of the agitation for Scheduled Tribes status, by a state government helicopter.   Shortly after arrival, he met the 22-member team of his outfit, Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, at Teej Hotel here and held consultations ahead of the parleys with the Rajasthan government delegation. Both Bainsla and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje have so far been out of the talks, two rounds of which were held at the level of officials and lower-rung leaders of both sides in the state capital. PTI    11 trains cancelled on the 23rd day due to Gujjar agitation    Jaipur, June 14, 2008 : Railway today cancelled 11 trains passing through Rajasthan and diverted several others to different routes on the 23rd day due to the ongoing violent agitation by the Gujjar community  demanding Scheduled Tribe status. The Jaipur -Agra road is still blocked and the buses and transport is diverted to another routes.     Gujjars agree to resume talks with Raj govt   Karwadi/Jaipur, June 12, 2008 (PTI): After two days of deadlock, Gujjar leadership today agreed to resume talks with the Rajasthan government following grant of bail by a court to 25 arrested women, whose release was made a precondition by the community for the dialogue to begin in Jaipur. A 22-member team of Gurjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, agitating for ST status, would be leaving by road for the state capital, a distance of 220 kms from here, for the talks, a senior government official said.   Earlier in the day, Additional District and Sessions Judge Bhuvan Goel in Dausa granted bail to 25 Gujjar women, who were taken into custody for damaging rail tracks in Bandikui in the district last week. The judge asked them to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each and a surety of like amount for their release from prison, Station House Officer of the police station here Girdhari Lal Sharma told PTI on phone from the court premises. Their bail pleas were rejected yesterday by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Bandikui Rita Tejwani.     Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla had yesterday said that he will not send a delegation to Jaipur for the second round of talks till the women were freed. Bainsla, who had agreed on Tuesday to send a Gujjar delegation to the state capital to resume talks with the government, had retracted his decision yesterday on the issue of the women, who were arrested under various sections of the IPC and the Railway Act. PTI      Rajasthan Univ exams postponed again  JAIPUR, June 10, 2008: The problems of thousands of students of Rajasthan University (RU) and its affiliated colleges are not going to end soon as the annual exams, scheduled from June 11 to 14, have further been postponed. Earlier, the exams for various courses including LLB, BEd, BCA, MEd and others, which were scheduled to begin on May 25, have been postponed due to the ongoing Gujjar agitation.    Earlier, RU had postponed several examinations, which were proposed between June 3 and 7, till further orders. It was done after members of students’ union met education minister Kalicharan Saraf and demanded postponement due to Gujjar strike. Meanwhile, the PRO of RU said that the MBA and MLib examina-tions proposed at Jaipur centre would be conducted as per the original schedule. Also, the venue for entrance test of Poddar Institute of Management, which is scheduled on June  15, has been shifted from Commerce College to Maharani’s College.    Source: The Times of India    Gujjar-Rajasthan govt talks open in Bayana     Jaipur, June 09, 2008: The much-awaited official talks between the Rajasthan government and agitating Gujjar leaders over the community's demand for ST status began in Bayana in Bharatpur district of the desert state this afternoon, an official spokesman said. A two-member ministerial delegation comprising Mines Minister     Laxmi Narain Dave and Irrigation Minister Sanwar Lal Jat held the initial round of talks with the 37-member Gujjar delegation led by Delhi Legislator Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and former Haryana Congress President JP Nagar at the Government College in Bayana.    The Vasundhara Raje government refused to hold talks with Gujjars    JAIPUR, June 08, 2008: The Vasundhara Raje government refused to hold talks with Gujjars in Bayana, the hub of the agitation for ST status. Earlier, in response to a dialogue offer from the government on Thursday, Bainsla had sent a three-line letter the following day saying they could meet in Bayana, but with some riders.    The conditions: Only the single-point agenda of ST status for Gujjars and a recommendation for it thereof and that a delegation of 60-members would meet the government representative. At hearing the figure of the community members they would have to deal with, the government seems to have had second thoughts and tried to get them to send a smaller group. At a government official's request that they pare down the group, the Gujjars announced they would send 51 members. "How does one deal with a 51-member delegation," a bureaucrat involved in the talks asked. "We realised it is like trying to talk to a mob, which would not help at all."    The stand-off is likely to continue with Bainsla reiterating that a meeting between the Gujjars and government will take place "only" in Bayana. "We have not received any intimation from the Gujjars, but we have learnt from media reports that they have turned down the offer to come to Jaipur," said S N Tanvi, principal secretary, water works, who's camping in Bayana. "We are waiting for an official intimation."    Gujjars want Pilot to attend mass funeral   DAUSA/RAJASTHAN, Jun 6, 2008: Agitating Gujjars on Friday demanded the presence of Congress MP Sachin Pilot as a condition for cremating bodies of 20 protesters killed during the May 24 violence. The Gujjar Samaj at Sikandra in Dausa district put forward a set of fresh demands including the presence of Pilot at the funeral and release of two rebel BJP MLAs, Prahalad Gunjal and Attar Singh Bhadana, currently detained in Cental Jail in Jaipur, a senior state government official said.    Meanwhile, groups of Gujjars were moving into Pilupura- Karwadi area in Bharatpur district to participate in a meeting called by their leader K S Bainsla on Friday to discuss the Rajasthan government's invitation for talks.    The situation at the meeting venue was peaceful, the official said, adding that a strict vigil was being maintained in the area, which has seen large-scale violence in the Gujjar agitation for ST status.  Source: The Times of India     India Inc loses $1.25 billion due to Gujjar stir     NEW DELHI, June 3, 2008: India's corporate sector has lost some $1.25 billion since May 23 due to the ongoing Gujjar stir, apart from cancellations of at least 75 trains by the railways, as per estimates by official agencies and industry chambers. The losses are in addition to the physical damage to train tracks because of the stir called by the Gujjars to demand Scheduled Tribe status in Rajasthan with support from people of their community in   adjoining states.    "Our estimate of losses does not include the inconvenience caused to passengers who were stranded at stations and disruption to goods transport," said V.N. Dhoot, president, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham).     "Added to this is the huge losses that the tourism sector in Rajasthan and some parts of Uttar Pradesh have suffered," the chamber president told IANS, adding that their estimates placed the losses at around Rs.50 billion for India Inc.  Source: The Economic Times  Centre rules out dismissal of Rajasthan govt on Gujjar issue  New Delhi, Jun 1 (PTI) The Centre today ruled out dismissal of the BJP government in Rajasthan in the wake of the Gujjar agitation and violence, saying it was not in favour of use of Article 356. "We do not think it proper to use Article 356. We do not want to sack any government," Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal told NDTV, when asked if the Centre planned to take any tough measure against Rajasthan government. Jaiswal said the state government should take adequate steps on its own to deal with the situation and assured all assistance to it from the Centre.   On Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending four to six per cent reservation for Gujjars in the category of denotified class of tribals/nomadic tribe, he said the letter was meaningless as reservation could not exceed 50 per cent.   Jaiswal alleged that the letter had been written just because the state government had made a "false promise" to the Gujjars at the time of elections that the community would be included in the Scheduled Tribe list.    However, Rajasthan Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore said no such promise had been made to the voters as it was the Centre alone which was empowered to include any particular tribe in the ST list. PTI  Gujjar agitation: Rajasthan top cop removed NEW DELHI, May 31, 2008: Unhappy with the handling of the Gujjar crisis, the Rajasthan government on Saturday asked Director General of Police Amarjot Singh Gill to go on a long leave. According to reports, KS Bains will now act as the new DGP. Till Friday, more than 42 people had lost their lives in the clashes between Gujjars and Rajasthan police.    Meanwhile, the Gujjar organisation spearheading the ongoing agitation for ST status for the community on Friday passed a resolution expressing no-confidence in the BJP government in  Rajasthan. The Gujjars have now sought Centre's intervention to resolve the matter.    Gujjar ST demand supporters block NH-8   GURGAON, May 29, 2008: Activists of the Ajit Singh-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Thursday blocked the Delhi-Jaipur highway at Narshingpur Chowk near here in support of the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan. About 500 people including some women, led by INLD district president Anantram Tawar, squatted on the NH-8, forcing the traffic to come to a standstill.    The INLD demonstrators raised slogans against Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her government demanding Scheduled Caste status for Gujjars.    Gujjar agitation spills over to NCR   GURGAON/JAIPUR, May 28, 2008: The Gujjar agitation for ST status on Wednesday spread to the National Capital Region (NCR) with protesters blocking traffic on certain key stretches as agitators forced shutdowns in several areas in Rajasthan. A group of protesters set tyres afire in Gurgaon's M G Road area, where major malls are located, causing a major traffic jam, police said. They dispersed after police intervened. Vehicular movement was affected in sections of Mehrauli- Gurgaon and GT-Karnal roads by protesters who put up blockades.     With the Gujjars threatening to bring the NCR to a halt on Thursday, large contingents of police are keeping a close watch across the Capital, especially in Gujjar-strongholds of Mehrauli, Ghazipur,  Patparganj, Badarpur, Khanpur, Ayanagar, Chilia village and Rampur.    In Rajasthan, the agitators forced shutdowns in Tonk, Sawaimadhopur, Rajsamand, Rawatbhata, Pali and Deoli areas. Traffic was also affected on the Jaipur-Agra, Jaipur- Kota and Udaipur- Ahmedabad national highways, police sources in Jaipur said. Rajasthan Government has clamped the stringent National Security Act in 15 districts, under which a person can be arrested without a warrant. - PTI  Tension mounts as Gujjar stir spreads to new areas  Jaipur-Bayana, April 27, 2008 (PTI): Tension mounted as the five-day old Gujjar agitation spread to new areas in Rajasthan on Tuesday amid reports of violence and traffic chaos on highways. Police teargassed Gujjar protesters who blocked the Delhi-Jaipur national highway as the agitation spread to Tonk and Banswara. There were no signs of an end to the standoff between the Vasundhara Raje government and the protestors demanding ST status to the Gujjar community.    Hopes of a breakthrough were dashed with Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla outright rejecting a letter by the Chief Minister to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending four to six per cent reservation for Gujjars in the category of denotified tribes. Hundreds of Gujjar youths put up blockades on National Highway- 8 near Kotputali, 130 km from Jaipur, leading to jams on either sides of the road and queuing up of buses, police said.    Police first resorted to lathi charge and later used teargas shells to disperse the protesters. In Tonk district, about 200 km from Jaipur, police used teargas against Gujjars who were forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters and blockading roads, Superintendent of Police, Giriraj Lal Meena told PTI. At least ten people including two policemen were injured when protestors indulged in brick batting at Ghas village, 12 km from Tonk, Meena said.    Taking a tough stand, the Rajasthan government followed up cases of murder, arson and violence slapped against Bainsla with a contempt plea for allegedly violating High Court order restraining the community leadership from taking law into their hands. The High Court today issued notice to Bainsla on the contempt petition. Bainsla, 70, a retired Colonel, made it clear that there was no question of relenting on their demand. -PTI   9 trains cancelled, several diverted due to Gujjar agitation    New Delhi, May 26, 2008 (PTI): Northern Railway today cancelled nine trains passing through Rajasthan and diverted several others to different routes due to the ongoing violent agitation by the Gujjar community demanding Scheduled Tribe status. The rail traffic in Rajasthan was badly affected for the third consecutive day with nine trains, mostly originating from Delhi, being cancelled  in the interest of passengers safety, a Railway official said.   The trains that have been cancelled are Nizamuddin-Mumbai August Kranti Express, Dehradun- Bandra Nimach Link Express, Nizamuddin-Udaipur Intercity Express, Nizamuddin- Indore Intercity Express, Amritsar-Mumbai Golden Temple Mail and Firozpur-Mumbai Janta Express. Other cancelled trains are Nizamuddin-Kota Janshatabdi Express, Ahmedabad-Nizamuddin Gujarat Sampark Kranti and Nizamuddin-Bandra Sampark Kranti.   The train services have been stopped due to the agitation by Gujjar Samaj Mahapanchayat Samiti and largescale public disturbance between Gangapur City-Bayana section in Kota Division, a Northern Railway statement said. The prime reason for suspension of traffic on this section was to prevent damage to railway property. "The situation has not improved. Railways' properties have been damaged at several places. Until calm is restored, it will not be possible to operate railway services in certain areas of Rajasthan," a senior Railway official said. Train movement in other zones were also badly affected by the agitation with several trains being diverted to other routes. The diverted trains are New Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express, Amritsar-Bandra Paschim Express, Jammu Tawi-Hapa Super Fast, Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani and Bandra T-Jammu Tawi Swaraj Express. PTI.

38 killed as Gujjar agitation spreads  Jaipur, May 25, 2008: Tension is building in Rajasthan as 38 people have died ever since the Gujjars started their agitation for Scheduled Tribe status on Friday. 18 people, including one policeman died in Bharatpur where as 20 people, also including one policeman, died in Sikandra.   According to sources, there is uncertainty over Sunday's talks between Gujjar leader Col Bainsla and Rajasthan government. Throughout, the Gujjars stood their ground through police firing. Neither a sandstorm nor rains through Friday night could move them. A crowd of Gujjars sat with the bodies of nine relatives, refusing to cremate them, after they died in the police firing. Thousand more people joined them in the morning. Their message was clear and their livelihood was on the line.    ''Till your demands are met, we will continue to sit here on the rail tracks,'' said Col KR Bainsla, Gujjar leader. Village after village, only the elderly, children and women remain the men have all gone to join the fight for reservation. Even bereaved families think it is a worthy cause. The 15,000 who gathered in Bayana think they are fighting a battle for the future of the Gujjar community.

Tension is building in Rajasthan as 38 people have died ever since the Gujjars started their agitation for Scheduled Tribe status on Friday.

Serial Bomb Blasts that rocked Jaipur    Jaipur 22, 2008: In a press conference following the Jaipur blasts, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claimed that intelligence agencies had managed to prevent several attacks, though the reality of innumerable terror strikes remains stark. Manmohan has called for the setting up of a unified federal crime agency, a proposal, he said, that had not taken off as states were hesitant to "surrender [their] powers".    Manmohan said a federal agency was required as terrorism had inter-state spans and separation of intelligence-gathering and investigating arms created coordination and implementation issues.    However, in a more damning self-indictment, National Security Advisor (NSA) M K Narayanan, who reports to Manmohan directly, blamed the intelligence agencies that he leads for not providing "actionable intelligence" on terror attacks.   JAIPUR, May 15, 2008: "This is not a crime, we are in the middle of a war," Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said on Thursday as her government scaled down the number of dead in the horrific  terrorist attack to 61. Raje, however, said an email sent to a television channel showing a bag apparently stuffed with the bomb and placed on the carrier of a parked bicycle "seems to be a ploy to mislead  us".    She said a curved projectile was used in all the bombs. "They were of very high intensity and had ball bearings to inflict maximum damage." "We have got some clues regarding the bicycles, and we have some other clues, but we will not to like to share them because it will hamper our investigations."   JAIPUR/NEW DELHI, May 15, 2008:  A little-known outfit, Indian Mujahideen , has claimed responsibility for carrying out the fatal blasts in Jaipur on Tuesday. And to buttress its claim, it sent video clips to the media of a cycle strapped with a bag that it claimed held the bomb.   JAIPUR, May 14,  2008 : Seven major bomb blasts rocked Jaipur last night killing at least 80 people and injuring more than 150. The first blast took place at 7.20pm on Tuesday in the crowded Johari Bazaar and within 15 minutes seven more blasts occurred in adjoining areas in the walled city — near the Hanuman Mandir, which was milling with devotees, near Hawa Mahal, at Badi Chaupad, Tripolia Bazar and Chandpole.    This was the first time that Jaipur, known as the Pink City, had been targeted by terrorists. Shocked by the blasts, people in the five congested areas panicked leading to a near-stampede situation. The areas targeted included Tripolia Bazar near Hanumanji temple, Johari  Bazar, Manas Chowk, Badi Choupal and Choti Choupal in the walled part of the city. The Jaipur attack might have been worse had three unexploded bombs not been defused in the walled city area. Another bomb was defused in the upmarket Raja Park area, triggering fresh  fears.

See the detailed news in Hindi गुलाबी नगर जयपुर      A devastated scene at Johri Bazar after the serial blasts rocked Jaipur.

BJP says extend quota for ST to private sector  KOTA, May 12, 2008: BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde has demanded that the quantum of reservation for Scheduled Tribes be extended to the private sector also. Fund allocation for the STs in Rajasthan's budget should be proportionate to their population in the respective state, he said while addressing a SC/ST rally of the party here yesterday.    Munde said legislators should use at least 20 per cent of their local area development fund in areas inhabited by ST communities.    Child marriage rush on Akha Teej   JAIPUR, May 7, 2008: It's raining child marriages in Rajasthan this Akha Teej, just like it does every year. Every year, large-scale child marriages take place on Akshaya Tritiya in the rural areas of the state, especially among the tribals. Districts like Kota, Jhalawar, Barmer, Chittorgarh and Dungarpur are infamous for witnessing child marriages in massive scale. Though the official figures are quite low,  according to the NGOs, over 60% of the girls in the state are married off before they turn 18.   A 1993 survey says that out of the 5,000 women studied in Rajasthan, 56% had already entered into wedlock before the age of 15 while 17% of them were married off before they could attain 10. A recent survey by Save The Girl, UNICEF, as many as 82% of girls in Rajasthan get married by the age of 18.  The National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) also suggests that more than 50 per cent girls in the state become mothers by the age of 19. Rajasthan tops the list in the country with the average age of a girl at marriage being 16.6 years, closely followed by Bihar (17.2 years) and Madhya Pradesh (17 years). A majority of the weddings are held during the ‘abuj sava', which is considered as the most auspicious time to tie the knot and continues from Akshaya Tritiya to the next full day.    According to Joshi, as many as 35 child marriages are held in each of the 5,000 gram panchayats of Kota during this time. “The state authorities randomly collect figures of the child marriages organised on Akshay Tritiya and quote a much lower figure than actual,” she claims, adding that child marriages  are closely linked to lack of education and poverty. The situation is equally bad in Ajmer where, according to rough estimates, over 60% of the girls below 10 are married off in Pisangan, Masuda, Bhinai and the interior areas of Shrinagar villages.  Source: The Times of India    Content of sex education modified in Rajasthan   Jaipur, April 27, 2008: The government in Rajasthan has modified the contents of sex education introduced for the six lakh students of Class 11. The government has asked the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education to remove what it said were objectionable parts of a book, titled Jeevan Kaushal. "We have asked authorities to amend the contents because the issue was raised in the Assembly. Also, several teachers organisations objected to it," said minister of state for education Vasudev Devnani. The government also consulted yoga guru Ramdev on this subject.   The government has already rejected sex education introduced by the Central board, saying it would "corrupt young minds". But the BJP government introduced a textbook, Jeevan Kaushal, to impart sex education for the students of Class 11.    Wedding celebrations in Rajasthan turn tragic    Jaipur, April 24, 2008 (PTI): Two wedding celebrations turned tragic when 43 persons including 24 from a single family died in separate accidents in Rajasthan and Maharashtra while they were returning from the festivities.    At least 24 people, including seven women and five children, were killed and six others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling collided head-on with a truck in Rajasthan's Jodhpur district, police said. All the 24 victims belonged to one family and they were returning to their village Sethrava after attending a marriage. The accident occurred near Kanodia village, about 100 km from Jaipur  on Jodhpur-Jaisalmer road, when a pick-up van carrying the people was on its way to Dechu from Setrawa and collided head-on with a truck at around 12.30 a.m, Jodhpur Superintendent of Police Sanjeeb Kumar Narzary told PTI.    Seventeen people died on the spot while seven others succumbed to their injuries on their way to the hospital, Narzary said. The injured have been admitted in Madhuradas Mathur Hospital at Jodhpur.  Nineteen people drowned when a boat capsized in the Bhatghar reservoir near Pune, police said. The mishap occured last night.    Eleven bodies have been fished out after the tragedy struck a marriage party returning in a boat from village Welwand to Wakamba in Bhor taluka in Pune district. Nine persons out of the 28 occupants on the boat were rescued by the villagers who rushed to the spot on hearing distress calls, police said. According to information available here, the mishap occured when the boat tilted and lost balance in deep waters due to a strong gust of wind. The victims included women and children.    BRAJ BHOOMI IN RAJASTHAN    RAJYA SABHA, April 22, 2008: The Minister for Tourism and Culture Smt. Ambika Soni has said that mining operations have degraded Braj Bhoomi area in Rajasthan. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha today she said, the representations to this effect has been received from Members of Parliament, NRIs, prominent citizens, etc. She said, the Government of Rajasthan was requested to initiate necessary action to stop mining operation in this area and to restrict and regulate activities that are likely to endanger the heritage remains. The major steps taken by the Government of Rajasthan, as informed by them, are:   1. Notices for premature termination of working major and minor leases have been issued.   2. No new mining leases have been sanctioned after June, 2004.   3. Government land measuring over 5200 hectares in 76 villages in Deeg and Kaman Tehsils has been transferred to the Forest Department for afforestation.   4. The Department of Art and Culture has protected 4 important sites/ monuments under the State law.   5. “Brij Bhumi Tourism Circuit” is being developed.    Smt. Soni said, the Archaeological Survey of India has also started the process of considering 8 important sites/ monuments on the Chaurasi Kos Parikrama Marg for protection as of national importance.    People 'deceived' over Narmada water in Rajasthan    Jaipur, April 10, 2008 (PTI): Noted Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar on Tuesday alleged that the people in Rajasthan were "politically deceived" over their right of water share from Narmada river through Sardar Sarovar dam, released at a function chaired by Vasundhara Raje in Jalore last month. Neither the channels were completely built, nor the Canal area development (CAD) project was over at the tail end in Rajasthan's Jalore district (receiving end), and it was a deceitful act of the Rajasthan and Gujarat BJP governments on the eve of assembly polls in the desert state, Patkar alleged a press conference here.     Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's Irriation Minister Nitin Patel had told the assembly in Gujarat that Narmada water would reach Rajasthan by 2010 depending on the financial situaton of the Sardar Sarovar dam project, she said. "Even Gujarat's Banaskanatha town bordering Rajasthan has not received Narmada water so far and the local people have already threated to breach the canal system, if water was released to Rajasthan," she said and questioned how 300 cusec (out of 0.5 million acre feet) was released from the Sardar Sarovar dam. An Environment Sub-Group of Narmada Control Authority had already warned the Gujarat government to be careful while releasing water to down stream areas, she said.     Patkar said Rajasthan has to pay Rs 1,975 crore but by the end of 2010, the cost would be more than five times to just receive 0.5 Maf (million acre feet) out of 9.5 Maf as per the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal award, she said. Sardar Sarovar Project approved at Rs 6,407 crore by the Planning Commission in 1988 now costs Rs 45,774 crore by the 11th plan working group last year, she said.   Cairn India raises projection of oil production by 17%   New Delhi, March 31, 2008: Cairn India on Monday raised the projection of crude oil production  from its Rajasthan fields by 17% to 8.75 million tons even as it reported a net loss of Rs24.54 crore for the year 2007.   Plateau production from the three main Rajasthan fields - Mangala, Bhagyam and Aishwariya - has been raised to 175,000 barrels per day (8.75 million tons) from the previously announced 150,000 bpd (7.5 million tons), Cairn India Chief Executive Officer Rahul Dhir said.  Rajasthan Day Celebration Jaipur Festival 2008   Jaipur, March 23, 2008: Government of Rajasthan and the Jaipur Virasat Foundation, a non- governmental organisation dedicated to heritage-based social and economic development with the support of the Department of Tourism and UNESCO, have announced the launch of Indias largest festival Rajasthan Day Celebration Jaipur Festival 2008.   The festival will be held from March 24 to 30. This week long event will showcase a number of events ranging from folk performances, rural sports, craft bazaar, night bazaar, Rajasthan food festival, police tattoo show, army band performance, theatre festival, evening concerts and the grand procession during the closing ceremony. One special highlight this year will be the Surya Kiran Air Display by the Indian Air Force.    Citizens of Jaipur as well as visitors to the city will get to see some of the top artistes and stars like Hema Malini, Sunidhi Chouhan, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Madhvi Mudgal, Mallika Sarabhai, Rama Kutinayal, Geeta Chandran among others. JVF has organised 5 nights of superb performances at Amber Fort, in addition to community events in the city. These events will include theatre from Poland, contemporary jazz from Netherlands in collaboration with folk artistes, international Kathak performance and dance theatre from Switzerland, heritage walks, amongst others.   Religious Freedom Bill passed in Rajasthan   JAIPUR, March 21, 2008: Despite strong resistance by the Opposition Congress, the Rajasthan Assembly on Thursday passed the contentious Religious Freedom Bill after an acrimonious debate lasting three hours with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party affirming that the proposed law would check  conversions by force and allurement and promote “freedom of conscience.”   Agitated Congress MLAs staged a walkout after the House passed the Bill by voice vote, in which the treasury members endorsed the proposed legislation and rejected the Opposition’s vociferous demand to defer it by a month to send it for determining the public opinion. Earlier, the Congress members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the BJP-led government.   The Bill of 2008 was re-introduced in the Assembly despite the previous Rajasthan Dharma Swatantraya Bill, 2006, still awaiting the assent of President Pratibha Patil. Ms. Patil, as the then Governor of Rajasthan,  returned the Bill to the State Government in May 2006 asking it to get it cleared from the then President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.  Cairn India to sell 5.37% stake for Rs 2,534cr  Mumbai March 18, 2008: Cairn India, the Indian arm of British oil and gas company Cairn Energy, has decided to sell 5.37 per cent stake to Malaysian state oil and gas firm Petroliam Nasional, or Petronas, and Singapore-based Orient Global Tamarind Fund for Rs 2,534 crore ($625 million) to fund expansion plans. The company will sell a total 113 million shares – 63.3 million shares to Petronas and 49.7 million shares to Tamarind, New Zealand billionaire Richard Chandler’s investment group – at Rs 224.30 each.    Cairn India plans to utilise the sale proceeds to fund its expansion plans and ongoing projects, which includes production of oil at Mangala, Rajasthan, by next year. ONGC is Cairn’s partner in the project. “The company is confident of producing commercial oil from Rajasthan in 2009. The private placement will help the company to meet its investment plans and provide greater financial and operational flexibility,” Cairn India Chief Executive Rahul Dhir said in a statement.    In January, the company raised its production forecast for the Mangala block by 25 per cent to 125,000 barrels a day. It has offered to lay a 600-km pipeline from Mangala to Salaya in the Gujarat coastline for delivery of Rajasthan crude after the government’s plan to build one was delayed.    Cairn India has so far drilled 140 wells and made 24 discoveries with a resource base of around 3.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Among these discoveries are major fields like Mangala, Bhagyam, Aishwariya and Saraswati. The government has already approved the field development plan for Aishwariya field with a planned plateau production rate of 10,000 barrels of oil per day.   Source: Business Standard   LITERACY IN RAJASTHAN   RAJYA SABHA, March 10, 2008: Based on the Selected Educational Statistics 2004-05, against  the all India Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 93.54% at the elementary stage (Classes I to VIII, ages 6-14), the GER of Rajasthan is 102.67%. In Rajasthan, GER for SC students is 105.16% and is 96.33% for ST students as against national average of 98.79% and 102.36% respectively. For SC girls, the GER is 95.65% against national average of 90.29% and for ST girls it is 86.10% against national average of 95.82%. The GER figures at the elementary level for all States are given in the Annexure. The drop out rates in Rajasthan is 56.59% for all categories for Classes I-V. It is 52.90% for girls, 53.80%  for SCs and 56.22% for STs. For Classes I-VIII it is 65.34% for all categories, 71.33% for girls, 71.97% for SCs and 69.14% for ST students. For Classes I-X, it is 73.87% for all categories, 80.72% for girls, 80.74% for SCs and 75.30% for STs.    The Government of India has launched Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in year 2001 to address these issues. This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shri M.A.A.Fatmi in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.  PIB Press Release   Half of sugarcane produce lying waste in Rajasthan   Jaipur, March 10, 2008: The main opposition in Rajasthan, the Congress on Monday warned the government that more than half of the sugarcane produce by farmers in the state would be wasted as it will have to burnt if it was not crushed in time.  Rajasthan Police to imbibe women power  Jodhpur, March 8, 2008: In Rajasthan the first elite female commando force of 74 women police personnel get ready to get rigorous training. At the training centre in Jodhpur, they are being taught everything a commando needs to know. From using automatic weapons to detecting explosives and defusing bombs, the recruits are also being specially trained to deal with assassination attempts. Equipped with the latest technology, this women commando unit will also be in trained in carrying out anti terrorist combing operations. For most of these young women in there twenties, these are challenges on which they just can't wait to get started. Undergoing training as tough as their male counterparts, these young women are truly an example of women power that has finally come of age. Source: NDTV.com  Wheat scarcity may hit  Rajsthan   Jaipur, March 06, 2008: It is estimated that the coming crop of  wheat in the state may be  6 lakh tons less in the state. Rajasthan Assembly was adjourned four times over farmers' woes Jaipur , March 04, 2008 : The Rajasthan Assembly was on Tuesday adjourned four times following uproar on the issue of farmers' woes in the state raised by Opposition Congress and CPI-M members. In a rare protest, the treasury bench members, including some ministers led by Parliamentary Minister R S Rathore raised anti-Congress slogans in retaliation to the Opposition members who were not allowed to speak on adjournment motion during Zero Hour.    When Congress whip Juber Khan raised the grievances of farmers' and said there was no water and power to the standing crops in the field and compensation has not yet been paid to the farmers' for their  crops damaged due to the chilly weather, the BJP MLAs protested the charges, which led to an uproar in the house.    Opposition members rushed to the well shouting anti- BJP slogans. This led to the adjournment of the house three times. When the house met again, Congress MLAs demanded that a CBI probe be ordered into the alleged land deals along the state's border. Amid pandemonium, the deputy speaker adjourned the house for the fourth time for one hour till 1430 hours.    Replying to a question posed by Congress MLA B D Kalla, Home Minister G C Katarai said a Special Police Force would be formed to deal with cases related to vehicle theft. Replying to a query, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Madan Dilawar a competitive examination for the recruitment of hostel wardens in the state would be held in April.   Source: PTI Railway Budget provided four new trains to Rajasthan   Jaipur, February 27, 2008: Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, has provided four new trains to Rajasthan and proposed three new gauge conversions on the important rail routes of the state in the Railway Budget. The four new trains include a Garib Rath from Jaipur to Chandigarh which will run thrice a week.    Other trains introduced are Udaipur to Indore via Ratlam thrice a week, Udaipur to Delhi via Neem Ka Thana (earlier this route was opened only for the meter gauge trains) and a train from Jodhpur to Yashwantpur near Bangalore. The railway minister has also given three new gauge conversions including Ahmedabad to Udaipur via Dungarpur, Suratpur-Sriganganagar via Hanumangarh, and the Jaipur-Ringas-Churu-Loharu route.

Rajasthan Govrnment presented its fifth budget    JAIPUR, February 25, 2008: The CM of Rajasthan government Vasundhra Raje presented its fifth budget in State Assembly on Monday that had plenty of 'small trader' friendly proposals, including a four per cent tax on fruits and vegetables sold by corporate-run food stores. The budget, which outlines the government's Rs 180.39 crore expenditure plan for 2008-09, implements like coal-fired press, wire brush, small construction tools sold by street vendors wou ld be exempt from taxes. She also proposed to raise the minimum wages for unskilled labourers to Rs 100 a day from Rs 73, semi-skilled to Rs 107 from Rs 77, and skilled to Rs 115 from Rs 81. But by far, the most populist of her proposals was the four per cent tax on vegetables and fruits sold by company run food retail stores.    The levy is aimed at protecting street vendors, who have been protesting the entry of industrial houses in the food-products retailing space. The budget also proposed several sops for the people, mainly farmers, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, wom en and students, besides the small and medium traders. Ms Raje proposed a customised incentive package on a first-cum-first serve basis to three corporate houses that invest Rs 500 crore in districts that are relatively untouched by industrial activity. In her budget speech that lasted two hours and fifteen minutes, the Chief Minister said that through better management, fiscal deficit was expected to come down to Rs 5,266 crore in 2008-09 from Rs 5,420 crore last year. She said revenue receipt is expected to touch Rs 32.986 crore against an estimated expen diture of  Rs 31.803 crore. - PTI

Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje presented its fifth budget in State Assembly on Monday

Raje condemns anti-Marwari remarks Jaiur, February 23, 2008: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has said that Marwaris have only added to the economic strength of West Bengal. She was reacting to CPI(M) minister Abdul Rezzak Mollah, who had made derogatory remarks against Marwaris in the state. The minister had later apologized for his remarks.   Raje called the remarks objectionable and unfortunate, as migrants from Rajasthan have only strengthened the economy of whichever state they have gone to. Her note also said that people from Rajasthan have accepted local customs and tradition wherever they have gone. Source: NDTV  Rajasthan’s budget session  ...  Leader of Opposition weeps in Rajasthan House  Jaipur, February 20: Hurt by the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's sarcastic smile and ruling party members not allowing him to speak, opposition leader in Rajasthan assembly Hemaram Choudhary on Wednesday broke down in the House where the deadlock over the size of the state cabinet persisted for the third consecutive day.    Protesting farmer chained himself to Rajasthan State Assembly gate  By adapting an unusual mode of protest, a farmer seeking compensation for his damaged crops from government created a ruckus earlier this week, as he chained his leg to the front gate of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Rajpal Puniya, the farmer was perturbed over his crops getting damaged due to the unexpected frost in the recent onslaught of winter. He wanted the State government to reimburse him for his losses suffered. Next elections under Raje`s leadership   Kota, February 19, 2008: A senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh has said that in the forthcoming Assembly Elections in Rajasthan the party will go to polls under the leadership of Chief Minister  Vasundhra Raje. Replying to a question about the performance of the Raje's government during its four and a half years tenure, Singh yesterday said it would be known after the Assembly Elections how satisfied are the people. Singh also said that the party's parliamentary board plays a key role in selecting the name of candidates for Prime Minister and Chief Ministers posts.   Rajasthan’s budget session starts Jaipur, February 18, 2008 (IANS): The budget session of the Rajasthan assembly witnessed a stormy start Monday with the opposition Congress boycotting the governor’s address. The Congress objected to the appointment of six parliamentary secretaries by the BJP government and dubbed it against the Constitution.  “Only 15 percent of the total strength of the assembly can become ministers and the Vasundhara Raje government has surpassed the figure by appointing six parliamentary secretaries, which is unconstitutional,” Hema Ram Chaudhary, leader of opposition, said.  In a 200-member house, the Vasundhara Raje government has 17 cabinet ministers, 11 state ministers and six parliamentary secretaries.    The Congress also demanded a bigger relief package for the frost-affected farmers. “The farmers have suffered heavily because of the long spell of cold wave and frost and the package of Rs.1.26 billion announced by the state government Saturday is inadequate,” Chaudhary added.   Governor S.K. Singh, after reading the first few lines and some lines from the last page of his address, requested the house that the address be deemed read. There was considerable din in the house and nothing from the governor’s speech could be heard as the Congress members raised anti-government slogans. Then they walked out of the house. The governor in his address highlighted the achievements of the state government. He spoke about various steps being taken to improve the economy of the state.  Rajasthan Government provided 126 crore help to farmers  Jaipur, February 15, 2008: The Rajasthan government has anounced a relief package of Rs.126 crore for those farmers  whose crops were damaged due to frost and cold wave in Rajasthan. The package includes waiver off four months electricity bill for small and marginal farmers, agriculture input subsidy from the state government and water of irrigation dues. The state provided the financial assistance from their  own fund. The Chief Minister Vasundra Raje urged the center to release special grant from national calamity fund.    The number of farmers  who lost their crops due to frost and cold wave are 1,37,287.  They lost nearly 8.96 lakh hectares crop due to frost and cold wave. Rajasthan may add 5,000 seats in engineering colleges JAIPUR, February 11, 2008: The Rajasthan government is mulling over giving the go ahead to 30 new engineering colleges from the next session, resulting an addition of around 5,000 seats to the existing 16,225 engineering seats in the state. At present, the state has 48 engineering colleges, including seven government-run colleges.    Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani said,  “We are working on fast track to approve the opening of new private colleges without compromising on the standard of education. We would try to make every engineering college a model college.”  Post introduction of PPP model in education, the state has been flooded with proposals from the private sector.    The state government has agreed to allot land free of cost for opening engineering colleges in 18 districts. The government would also open 100 schools on the PPP model incurring around Rs 50 lakh in the establishment of schools. The private partner would have to bear the management cost which can be recovered by charging fees from the students of the general category.    The approval for opening private universities in the state is also a step towards inviting private partnership in education. At present, five private universities - Amity University, Nims university and Jaipur National University in Jaipur, Sir Padampad Singhania University in Udaipur and Singhania University in Jhunjhunu have been given nod while 20 universities are in the queue.   “The state government would now pass individual Acts for each university in the upcoming budget session. These universities  have proposed to start job-oriented courses including advertising, architecture, event management, fashion design, nanotechnology and tourism,” an official said.  Source: Economic Times

Rajasthan looks to Japan for investment  Jaipur February 08, 2008: Japan’s cooperation and technical skills can play an important role in putting Rajasthan on the industrial map of the world, according to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Raje was addressing a 60-member trade delegation of the Japanese External Trade Organisation at her office here on Wednesday.    She said the Rajasthan Industrial Investment Corporation had reserved 1,000 acres for Japanese investment and land been allotted to seven Japanese companies. She said that Rajasthan had become an attractive investment destination for industrial houses today due to the intensive and untiring efforts made in the past four years. Raje said the economy of Rajasthan had been strengthened and the state was revenue- surplus for the first time in the past 15 years.    She expressed the hope that the state would become power-surplus state by the end of next year. Raje said the Nimrana and Bhiwadi regions were being developed as prominent industrial centres. She said that the construction of a car unit was expected to be completed in time. She said that Jaipur had been ranked third among 12 important cities of the world from the point of business work convenience according to  World Bank Report.  Source: Business Standard

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje

Icy conditions prevail in Rajasthan   Jaipur, February 07, 2008 (PTI): Chilly conditions continued in Rajasthan on Thursday where Jaisalmer remained the coldest in the state at 3 degree Celsius and Mount Abu remained coldest at minus 3 degree Celsius at hills.   The western disturbances, active from today, guided mercury to take an upward swing and rise in temperatures were recorded in some of the stations, however, the blowing of the northerly winds shivered people in the state, the Met reports said here.  Early morning fog and mist affected the vehicular traffic on the national highways connecting Delhi, Agra, Ajmer, Udaipur. Some flights coming from Delhi were delayed due to fog in the pink city.    Jaisalmer was followed by Churu that recorded a minimum of 3.5 degree Celsius, Sriganganagar 4.1, Dabok 5.2, Jodhpur and Pilani 5.4 degree Celsius each, Barmer 5.8, and Jaipur recorded a minimum of 7.0 degree Celsius. With the presence of the western disturbances the mercury is likely to shoot up in the next 24 hours, a forecast said.  Rajasthan Government has asked the Centre to set up an IIT in Kota Jaipur, February 4, 2008: The Rajasthan Government has asked the Centre to set up an Indian Institute of Technology in Kota, Industry Minister Digamber Singh has said. At a function yesterday, Singh said "a letter has already been sent to the Centre by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje asking it to set up an IIT at Kota."  He claimed Kota was the most ideal place for setting up such an institute in Rajasthan because it had already become a hub for technical education in northern India.   Cold wave, frost damage crops worth Rs 677 cr in Rajasthan  Jaipur, January 31, 2008 (PTI): Standing rabi crop and green vegetables worth Rs 677 crore perished due to ongoing cold wave conditions leading ground frost in 22 districts in Rajasthan, a state Agriculture Department statistical report said on Thursday. Rabi crops, including mustard and its varieties, chana, jon, dhania, saunf, jeera, isabgol and leafy vegetables in 9,00,000 hectares of cultivable land wilted as the mercury dipped and ranged between 2 and -1 degree celsius at many places in the state after January 15, the report submitted to the state government said. On an average about 40 per cent crop got ruined in the state, the report said.    The statistics showed that crops worth Rs 313.8 crore was damaged in Hanumangar district followed by Sriganganagar Rs 253.5 crore, Jhunjhunu Rs 18.1 crore, Sikar Rs 11.9 crore, Alwar Rs 11.9 crore, Bikaner Rs 10.6 crore, Jaisalmer Rs 8.7 crore, Sawaimadhopur Rs 7.6 crore and Dausa Rs 7.4 crore. Based on this the state government was all prepared to start a fresh crop assessment and asked the state Revenue Department to take up the task at village level, another official said.     Earlier this month, the state government had declared about 4,309 drought affected villages in 12 districts based on the last crop assessment conducted after kharif crop damage of up to 50 per cent  due to insufficient rains and had decided to launch drought relief works from January 11.  No respite from cold wave in Rajasthan   Jaipur, January 28, 2008: The cold wave continuing unabated for the past about 15 days in the state. The minimum temperature was observed in Churu, Pilani, Sri Ganganagar below freezing point in the past fortnight. The most affected were the aged and the poor and homeless people. Strong chilly winds sent chills down every spine. There was some rain followed by hail storm was reported in some parts of the state.     Rajputs' Karni Sena demonstration for reservation  Jaipur, January 21, 2008: After Gujjar agitation now Rajputs are up in arms against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for ignoring their plea of inclusion of Rajputs' community in Other Backwards Classes in Rajasthan. Rajputs' Karn Sena organised a one-day Mahapadav in Jaipur and lifted it today to have a dialogue wih the chief minister.    Patron of the Karni Sena, Lokendra Singh Kalvi said, "we have launched a do or die battle to get reservation in government jobs. Eighty percent of Rajputs had voted for BJP during 2003 assembly polls but situation wouuld diffrent in next assembly elections as the community is feeling cheated." Temple Priest in Pushkar held for molesting an American  tourist  Pushkar, January 10, 2008: A temple priest has been arrested on charges of molesting an American tourist in the tourist town of Pushkar. The tourist alleged the priest tried to sexually harass her, while helping her offer prayers. The incident happened on Tuesday and the priest was arrested after a police complaint was filed.   In her FIR lodged with the Pushkar police station, the 28-year-old woman said the priest indulged in eve-teasing and molestation while she was performing puja at Papmochani temple on the banks of Pushkar lake on Tuesday, the Circle Officer (CO) Sangram Singh said. Power crisis in Rajasthan Jaipur, January 07, 2008: The closure of several power units in the state sector due to technical snags and low production in the central power stations, Rajasthan government has decided Monday to impose power cuts in the state. The state is facing an estimated daily shortage of around 20 million units of power. To tide over the crisis, the state government from Monday has imposed power cuts in both urban and rural areas.  'The power cuts in urban areas will range from 2-5 hours. Industrial units will receive power for 12 hours daily,' Energy Secretary Yaduvendra Mathur said. However, no power cuts have been imposed on farmers. 'By imposing power cuts, we propose to fulfil the demands of farmers, who require it for their winter crop sowing,' officials of the energy department said. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has now sought help from Chhattisgarh. Official sources said here that she spoke with her counterpart in that state to buy power during the Rabi cropping season. The public sector power companies were also trying to get additional electricity from other states, the sources added. Rajasthan CM's chopper plan raises heat JAIPUR, January 2, 2008: The purchase of an Italian chopper is raising a dust storm in Rajasthan. The state government, in a bid to outsmart the Andhra Pradesh government, which is also vying for the same 17-seater Augusta Westland 139 helicopter, is reported to be paying a premium of Rs 7 crore for inducting it in the election year itself (2008).    According to sources, the Rajasthan government has offered to pay Rs 59 crore as against Rs 52 crore quoted by Andhra Pradesh to ensure the delivery in February 2008. “The Andhra Pradesh government had booked it earlier.  The Italian company has conducted training for Andhra Pradesh pilots as well. But now with the premium being offered, the helicopter is likely to be delivered to Rajasthan before AP gets it,” sources said.     Source: The Economic Times         Read  More   Rajasthan news 2007

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