Baroda Diary

VAT On Gas: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) plans to impose value added tax (VAT) of 12.5 per cent on the gas supplied to commercial and residential customers from March 2007. Following a state government directive, the prices of gas will go up in all the cities in Gujarat. VMC supplies gas to over 70,000 customers and the distribution network may be expanded further, to cover 70 per cent of the areas in the city. The city acquires gas from the Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL).

MSU's Popular Law Course: Following the success of the five-year integrated law course at the Baroda School of Legal Studies (BSLS) at MS University's Faculty of Law, three more universities - Saurashtra University, Gujarat University and South Gujarat University - will also introduce a similar course. BSLS offers courses on air and space law, psychology and stress management coupled with yoga sessions, a combination not available elsewhere in India. The five-year course was started in 2005.

New Art Centre: Rakesh Agrawal, Managing Director of ABS Lanxess Ltd., is setting up a modern art centre at a farmhouse in Jaspur, 20 kilometres from Baroda. It should be ready by March 2007. Equipped with five major studios - for digital art, painting, sculpture, printmaking and ceramics - it will have 10 residential air-conditional cottages and a central dining facility.

Bedsheets & Quilts: By Sheela Chandan. December 28 & 29. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. At Trisha Gallery, Jetalpur Road.

Paintings By Arunanshu Chaudhuri: ABS Gallery, Old Padra Road. December 22 to 31. 4 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

National Book Fair: Parsi Agiari Ground, Sayajigunj. December 22 to 31. 12 noon to 9 p.m.

28-12-06

EMS Course At Medical College: Baroda Medical College (BMC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of South Florida (USF), USA, to start an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) department. Though a short-term EMS course is already taught at the college, this is the first time that a two-year post-graduate diploma course will be conducted. The course has been actively pushed by USA based BMC alumnus (1978) Dr. Chandresh Saraiya, who presently teachers at USF. The teaching staff will be trained at USF.

Gas Pipeline Approved: The proposal of Adani Energy Ltd. (AEL) to lay gas pipelines on the periphery of Baroda has been approved by the Standing Committee of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). AEL expects to supply piped cooking gas to Barodians next year. VMC also approved a storm water drain project worth Rs. 70 million for the Waghodia area. The drain will start from Sardar Estate ring road, run through the Vrundavan crossings and end at Dabhoi ring road.

Stem Cell Bank At SSG: Gujarat's first stem cell and umbilical cord bank will be started at the new obstetrics and gynaecology department that is being set up at SSG Hospital by the alumni of Baroda Medical College. The umbilical cord, usually discarded at the time of delivery, is a rich source of stem cells. At the stem cell bank the umbilical cord will undergo tests for diseases and, if found to be safe, then stem cells will be processed from it.

Journalist Passes Away: Baroda's veteran journalist Kirit Bhatt, 73, passed away on 24th December at Bhavnagar. He had a long career with The India Express and Loksatta at Baroda in the 1970s. One of the persons jailed many years ago for the Baroda Dynamite Case, along with George Fernandes and others, he was an activist of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). Bhatt began journalism career with Janmabhoomi and later went on to head the Vadodara bureau of The Indian Express in the 1970s.

MSU Librarian Gets Award: MS University librarian Kautilya Shukla has received the best librarian award 2006 from the Indian Library Association.

Gujarati Plays:
To Karo Shree Ganesh: At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 26, 27. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Krutika Desai.

27-12-06

Restriction On Trucks: Thanks to the increasing frequency of accidents involving heavy vehicles, the Baroda police have banned the entry of heavy vehicles into the city during peak traffic hours - 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Heavy vehicles can ply only on the outer roads during the restricted hours. The ban is on trucks, trailers, tankers, containers and private luxury buses. It does not cover government, private and school buses, kerosene tankers and other vehicles carrying essential commodities. Surat and Ahmedabad already have a similar restriction.

IT Park At Baroda: According to reports, Singapore based Maxiiz plans to set up an IT Park on 220 acres at Nimeta. The expected cost: Rs. 17 billion. The major activity will be knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). Construction is likely to start in early 2007. Companies from the USA, Malaysia and Singapore are expected to set up their services in the park. Two million square feet of IT work space is planned.

Sarees & Victorian Jewellery: By Purvi Doshi and Purvi Shah. December 22 & 23. 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. At Trisha Gallery, Jetalpur Road.

Fusion Embroidery: December 18 & 19. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. At Trisha Gallery, Jetalpur Road.

Craft Bazar: Handloom & Handicrafts. Till December 25, 2006. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. At Parsi Agiari, Sayajigunj.

Exhibition Of Paintings By Shrabani Roy:
Exhibition at Sarjan Art Gallery, Vishwas Colony, Alkapuri. Till December 23. 12 noon to 7 p.m.

Exhibition Of Paintings By Sk. Sahajahan:
Exhibition at Sarjan Art Gallery, Vishwas Colony, Alkapuri. Till December 23. 12 noon to 7 p.m.

Gujarati Plays:
Jadoo Teri Nazar: At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 20, 21, 22, 23. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Siddharth Randeria.

19-12-06

Alumni Donate Obstetric Hospital: Baroda Medical College (BMC) alumni in USA are contributing to set up a modern obstetric facility to SSG Hospital. The Gujarat government has agreed to give the necessary land (opposite Kirti Mandir). The project cost will be met fully by the BMC alumni. The facility will house 150 patients in a four-storey building. It will have three major operation theatres, a classroom for 40 students, a 100-seat auditorium and a library. Also on the anvil is a special unit for foetal therapy in which unborn babies can receive treatment in the uterus.

Franchised Postal Services: The Department of Posts is experimenting with the idea of franchising some postal services. For this purpose, it has selected 100 cities in India to test the financial viability. Ten among the selected cities are in Gujarat. The Baroda franchises will be located at New VIP Road (Karelibaug) and Vishwamitri Township. Applicants for the franchises should have passed Class XII and be able to furnish a bank guarantee of Rs. 10,000. Services such as sale of postal stationery, booking of registered post articles and money orders, etc., will be handed over to the franchises. They will also be allowed to receive payment for phone bills and power bills wherever the state electricity board supplies power. Franchises will be paid Rs. 2 for booking registered post and Speed Post articles, Rs. 3.50 per Money Order transaction and five per cent commission on sale of stamps and other postal stationary. They will get 40 per cent of the commission charged by the department on payments received (phone bills, electricity bills, etc.). Hopefully, this move may help the department to cut losses; 89 per cent of India's 150,000 rural post offices and 50 % of the urban ones are not profitable. Out of Gujarat's 8967 post offices, 7,616 incur losses. Ahmedabad city has 102 post offices.

Paintings By Uren Patel:
Exhibition at Fine Arts Faculty Auditorium, MS University. December 15 to 20. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

VUDA Plans Ahead: To try and halt the declining growth rate witnessed in the last decade, the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) is toying with the idea of developing specialised zones for industries and other projects which can generate large-scale employment near the city. Among the proposals: a special node for medical health near Kalali-Talsat (150 hectares); a knowledge township in Waghodia (2,400 hectares); a commercial zone for technology and biotechnology, IT and on Ajwa Road (800 hectares). Corporate hospitals have also shown interest. Compared to Gujarat's overall growth of 36 per cent, Vadodara recorded 28 per cent growth in 1991-2001. Population growth has dropped from 40 per cent in 1981-1991 to 26 per cent in 1991-2001. The population is likely to be 4.1 million by 2031.

New Police Chief: P.C. Thakur has been appointed the new Commissioner of Police for Baroda. He had two earlier stints in Baroda - as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) for three-and-a-half years in 1981 and as Joint Commissioner of Police in 2002. He replaces Deepak Swaroop, who has been moved to the post of Additional Director General, Prevention of Atrocities on SC, ST and OBC, Gandhinagar. P.P. Pande, is the new Inspector General, Vadodara range.

Lucknawi Food Festival:
Sayaji Hotel. 7.00 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. Till 17th December. With Live Ghazals.

14-12-06

Vadodara Municipal Corporation: Effective January 2007 Vadodara Municipal Corporation may have to change its name to Vadodara Municipal Sevasadan. Gujarat's urban development ministry has issued a circular stating that all municipal corporations in the state should be referred to as municipal sevasadans. Also, all nagarpalikas will be renamed nagar sevasadans.

G.M. Oza Passes Away: Prof Gunvantrai Oza, the noted environmentalist and vice president of Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), passed away recently. Prof Oza, 74, was general secretary of international Society of Naturalists (INSONA) and founding editor of quarterly journal 'Environmental Awareness.' He had over 400 publications in national and international journals to his credit. His doctorate was on 'Flora and Fauna of Pavagadh'. He also co-authored a book on bio-diversity of Gujarat Forest Trees with Dr. Kishor Rajput.

Aerzener Maschinenfabrik: Aerzener Maschinenfabrik, the 140-year-old German company, plans to make blowers and screw compressors at the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation estate at Savli near Baroda. The company, which has formed a fully owned subsidiary Aerzen Machines (India) Pvt. Ltd. for its operations in India, has five to ten per cent of the market share of blowers and screw compressors in Asia.

11-12-06

Jetalpur Road Over-Bridge: The Jetalpur Road railway over-bridge project seems to have moved into first gear. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to deposit Rs. 25 million with the railway department as a part payment towards its own contribution. A part of the over-bridge passing over the railway tracks will be constructed by the railway department. The existing underpass near Jetalpur Road is overcrowded with commuters going towards Productivity Road. The proposed 720-metre long over-bridge will connect Sayajigunj to Jetalpur Road. The total cost of Rs. 90 million will be shared by the VMC and the railways.

Children Without Stationery: City based NGO United Way of Baroda is conducting a study to identify children from poor families who attend municipal schools but cannot afford even basic study materials such as paper and pencil. Not having note books they scribble on newspapers. The NGO has therefore taken up a programme to provide stationery and other materials. Initially, 462 orphans have been identified to receive basic study materials, sweaters and other garments. The profiling of the children is still going on.

Nuclear Physics Symposium: India's Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is holding a five-day nuclear physics symposium at MS University from 11th December. The meet is being attended by scientists from across the country and abroad.

EME School Chief: Major General V.K. Passi has taken over command of EME School, Vadodara. Commissioned into the Corp of EME in 1968, he was earlier the pro-vice chancellor, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Girinagar, Pune.

Khadi Gramudyog Commission Sale: At Parsi Agiyari Ground, Sayajigunj. Till 11th December.

09-12-06

One More Police Station: Baroda will soon get one more police station, the city's 14th, at Kishanwadi. This station will service the peripheral areas outside the walled city on the eastern side - Ajwa Road, Waghodia Road, Kishanwadi and neighbouring areas that were earlier under the Panigate police station. The other 13 police stations: City, Fatehgunj, Gorwa, J.P. Road, Karelibaug, Makarpura, Navapura, Panigate, Raopura, Sayajigunj, Wadi, Chhani, Jawaharnagar. Incidentally, the Raopura police station was established in 1916 in the erstwhile Baroda State; it is among the first three in the city, the other two being the Sayajigunj and City police stations.

Green Recreation Zone: The Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) is investigating the possibility of developing the Timbi irrigation lake in Dabhoi taluka as a green recreation zone. VUDA has earmarked 590 hectares in the lake's vicinity and in the nearest village for this purpose. Fifteen km from Baroda city, the lake supplies water to eight villages of Dabhoi taluka. The lake attracts thousands of migratory birds. About 15 resident and 25 migratory birds have been spotted in the area, and the numbers increase in winter.

Train Tickets From ATMs: The Vadodara division of Western Railway will introduce Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) which can issue tickets too at Nadiad, Bharuch, Ankleshwar, Vadodara, Vishwamitri, Dabhoi and Godhra. The ATMs will be installed by State Bank of India (SBI). SBI has similar plans for 681 railway stations in India. Passengers will be able to buy unreserved tickets from the ATMs, which will act as vending machines.

Sale At Crossword: Till 10th December. Up to 70 % off * on all special offer books, 10 % off on all regular books and bargains on movies, music and more. (* Conditions apply.)

Books & Stationery Exhibition: At Parsi Agiyari Ground, Sayajigunj. Till 10th December. 10.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.

Gujarati Plays:
Jadoo Teri Nazar: At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 20, 21, 22, 23. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Siddharth Randeria.
To Karo Shree Ganesh: At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 26, 27. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Krutika Desai.
Balwant Ane Babli: At Gandhinagar Gruh. January 8, 9. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Tiku Talsania, Vandana Pathak. Written by Pravin Solanki.

07-12-06

Hotel Management Institute: MS University may soon start a hotel management institute. Baroda has several institutes offering courses in hoteliering. Even MSU's Centre for Continuing Adult Education & Community Services (CCAECS) offers a course. However, the courses are short-term certificate course. The proposed institute will offer a self-financed diploma course. A committee has been set up to work out the details, with Home Science dean Prerna Mohite as the convenor.

01-12-06

People Help To Revive Lakes: The Sindhusagar Lake in Warasia is being 'renovated' through a public-private partnership. Sindhis perform their annual rituals during Chettichand at this lake. A local trust has agreed to bear some of the project cost. The trust will pay to clean up and beautify the lake. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) may chip in with a contribution of Rs. 500,000. The total cost is estimated at Rs. 5 million. The lake was earlier called Dhobi Talav because it was used by people to wash clothes. Incidentally, the Gotri and Gorwa lakes are also being developed in a similar fashion.

Business Information Centre: MS University's Faculty of Management is setting up a Business Information Centre (BIC) to assist business startups and potential entrepreneurs. The university will levy a charge for the service. To be functional by 2007, BIC will help to gather information about markets, locations, availability of finance and other resources, economic viability, etc.

Sales:
Ethnic Handcrafts: Hand painted Kalamkari, Warli and Madhubani tableware. Hand painted glass articles for homes and offices. At Trisha Art Gallery, Jetalpur Road. December 1, 2. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Diamond & Coloured Stone Jewellery: At Hotel Surya Palace. December 1, 2. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Gujarati Plays:
Dahyabhai Dodh Daya: At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 4, 5, 6. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Dilip Joshi.
Baye Mari Boundary: At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 7. 9.30 p.m. Cast: Padmarani, Sanat Vyas.

30-11-06

Outsourced Accounting: Americans are increasingly outsourcing the preparation of their tax returns to Indian firms. For instance, Baroda based Chartered Accountant Rahul Parikh services about 60 clients in USA. This year 360,000 US tax returns were prepared in India. The outsourcing of accounting and audit services, unlike other services which are usually outsourced due to higher costs, is largely due to a shortage of accountants. Offshored returns are faster, and 50 per cent cheaper. Other accounting work - book-keeping, financial statements, analysis - is also being offshored. Professional accounting services may soon follow. India already has 130,000 CAs, and another 400,000 are preparing to become CAs.

Registration Of Hospitals: A draft Clinical Establishment Bill formulated by India's health ministry is designed to ensure that diagnostic centres, nursing homes, clinics, health centres and hospitals adhere to minimum standards. They will be expected to register and indicate the facilities and expertise offered by them. The proposed law will apply to all recognised systems of medicines - allopathy, unani, ayurveda, etc. The same parameters will apply to a hospital, irrespective of size. A national council will be constituted to verify, categorise, and standardise the facilities.

Gujarati Play: Balwant Ane Babli. At Gandhinagar Gruh. December 1, 9.30 p.m. Cast: Tiku Talsania, Vandana Pathak. Written by Pravin Solanki.

Change In Building Rules: The Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) may change the rules to increase the maximum height of a building from the present 30 metres to 40 metres. The reactions of the public will be invited soon. The prevailing permissible limit is for 10 floors, and this may be extended to four more floors.

New Town Hall: Now in its 100th year the Bank of Baroda may decide to donate a modern town hall to Barodians. The possible site: a 15,000 square meter plot of land in Ajitnagar, Akota. The Bank of Baroda (BoB) may finance the project if the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) provides the land. Baroda has only two reasonably large halls - the Gandhinagar Gruh in the city and the C.C. Mehta Auditorium at MS University.

Gujarati Play: Tame Hastu Modhu Rakho. At Gandhinagar Gruh. November 29, 9.30 p.m. Cast: Phiroze Bhagat, Apra Mehta, Dinyar Contractor. Written by Pravin Solanki.

Kebabs & Curries: Food Festival at Taj Residency (Upper Deck). Till December 3. 7.30 p.m. to 11.00 p.m.

Exhibition At Sarjan Art Gallery:
Kala Kalash: Flourishing Art of Bhavnagar. 12noon to 7 p.m. November 26 to December 7.

24-Hour Health Centres: To reduce the maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR), the Baroda district health department has started 22 public health centres (PHCs) that operate round the clock. These 24-hour PHCs are spread across all the 12 talukas of the district. Most of the deaths of expectant mothers and new-born children occur due to delay in transport and medication. Earlier, PHCs were closed at night and expectant mothers had to often cover a long distance to reach a private clinic. These 22 PHCs have already attended to over 700 mothers, 50 per cent of whom had turned up during the night. The current IMR in Gujarat is 50 per 1,000 children, and the MMR is 3.9 per 1,000 mothers. The health department has also signed MoUs with 45 gynaecologists in the district, so that complex casers can be quickly referred to them.

Exhibition At Aakruti Gallery:
Exhibition of recent marble sculptures by C.P. Chaudhary. 11 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Till November 27.

24-11-06

College For Hearing Impaired: Baroda based Mook Dhwani Trust (MDT) runs a senior secondary school and a hostel for over 200 hearing impaired students. MDT recently received a donation of Rs. 1.7 million from USA based Ambubhai Patel to help expand and also set up a college for hearing and speech-impaired children. Mr. Patel worked in Sarabhai Chemicals before migrating to USA. Surprisingly, India does not have a single college for deaf and dumb children.

Recording Studio At MSU: Students at MS University's Faculty of Performing Arts now have their own recording studio. The facility was set up at a cost of Rs. 700,000 with assistance from the University Grants Commission (UGC). The studio is also equipped with a mixer and an editor. If the authorities approve, the studio may also be available for commercial use.

Punctuality At Panchayat: The Vadodara District Panchayat has installed a machine which will record employee attendance on the basis of their thumb impressions. Rather than sign in or punch a card, the employee will merely have to place his thumb on the machine. Hopefully, this will enable a more accurate recording of attendance. It should also help to avoid 'bunking'.

Stamp Design Contest: The Department of Posts has organised a national stamp design contest at the Postal Training Centre (opposite Harni airport) between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on November 26. The theme of the contest is 'Magic of the Night'. There will be three groups of participants: students of Classes I to IV, Classes V to VIII and Classes IX to XII. The first prize for all the three categories will be Rs. 30,000, the second Rs. 18,000 and the third Rs. 12,000.

Exhibition At Sarjan Art Gallery:
Sound of Silence: Exhibition of paintings by Mahjabin Majumdar. 12 noon to 7 p.m. Till November 24.

23-11-06

Licensed Guns: Did you know that 21 districts of Gujarat have a total of 40,579 civilians who are licensed to have guns. The number of licensed guns is 40,831. Only 398 women are licensed to carry a gun. Vadodara district tops the list with 6,252 guns, followed by Dahod (4,434) and Ahmedabad (4,004).

Sale At Crossword: Till 10th December. Up to 70 % off * on all special offer books, 10 % off on all regular books and bargains on movies, music and more. (* Conditions apply.)

Gujarati Play: Mummy 20 Ni Dikri 40 Ni. at Gandhinagar Gruh. November 26-27-28, 9.30 p.m. Cast: Ketki Dave, Ridhi Dave, Dilip Rawal, Utkarsh Majmundar. Written by Aslam Pervez and Nilesh Ruparel.

Non-Practicing Allowance Scrapped: The Gujarat government has decided to stop the Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) paid to government doctors (those working in government hospitals and ayurvedic and medical educational institutions). Instead, they will be allowed private practices after office hours. This decision will come into force from December 1, 2006. Four conditions will apply: no private practice during office hours, no shirking of work in emergencies and natural calamities, no pressure on patients to opt for private treatment under them, no misuse of government infrastructure for their private practice. The decision will save the government Rs. 100 million annually (doctors are paid an additional 25 per cent of their salary as non-practicing allowance). Over 6,000 doctors will be affected by this decision.

ISO Certification For Airport: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has applied for ISO 9001 certification for the Baroda airport in order to streamline its functioning. If the airport gets this certification, it will be the tenth airport in India to get it. The certification should help standardise operations. Four airlines - Indigo, Indian, Jet and Deccan - operate from Baroda airport. At present the airport can accommodate four aircraft in its aprons at a time, and capacity will be increased to eight.

21-11-06

Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway: The central government is speeding up work on the 400-km Vadodara-Mumbai stretch of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai expressway. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) says that work will begin by 2007 and be completed by 2012. Barodians will be able to get to Mumbai in four hours. The proposed six-lane stretch between Vadodara and Mumbai will be linked with the existing 100-km Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway. The expressway will be designed for a maximum speed of 120 km per hour. It will run parallel to the existing National Highway No. 8.

Name Change For Baroda Dairy Milk: Baroda Dairy's Sampurna, Shakti, Sfurti and Slim & Trim milk brands are being renamed 'Amul' as decided by the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). After Ahmedabad and Surat, Baroda is the third largest milk market with a daily consumption of 400,000 litres. Sampurna changes to Amul Gold, Shakti to Amul Shakti, Sfurti to Amul Taaza and Slim & Trim to Amul Slim & Trim. Baroda Dairy sells over 350,000 litres of liquid milk per day and uses another 40,000 litres for preparing value-added products like ice-cream. GCMMF's move towards a common brand is designed to reduce the overall marketing costs. The brand name of other products like ice-cream will continue to be 'Sugam'.

Chhotaudepur-Dhar Rail Link: After inaugurating the newly constructed platform No. 6 at the Vadodara railway station recently, the Minister of State Naran Rathwa said that a 180-km railway line between Chhotaudepur in Gujarat and Dhar in Madhya Pradesh has been approved by India's Planning Commission and will be considered in the next budget. The estimated cost: Rs. 6.8 billion. The Baroda-Chhotaudepur section is presently being converted into broad gauge and this should be completed by March 2007. Other plans on the drawing board include: a multi-storeyed parking facility near the main State Transport Bus Station, extension of platform Nos. 3, 4 and 5 to accommodate 24-coach trains, a seventh platform by December 2007, and a railway underpass near Parshuram Bhatta in Sayajigunj. The sixth platform was made at a cost of Rs. 28 million. Platform No. 7 will cost Rs. 150 million. Also on the agenda: overbridges near Dinesh Mills, Vadsar crossing and Navayard D-Cabin, each costing Rs. 70 million. The Vadodara railway station handles a daily traffic of about 90,000 people.

Smile Train To Continue: The Kashiba Children's Hospital in Baroda has extended till December 2007 its contract with Smile Train Inc, New York, to provide free treatment to underprivileged children who have the congenital bi-cleft lips disorder. One of every 700 children is born with this disorder. So far, around 12000 surgeries to correct the disorder have been performed at this hospital. The surgery involves chest X-ray, echo-cardiogram and blood check-up. These reports are sent for scrutiny to plastic surgeons at Smile Train, New York. Thereafter, the child is operated.

Mother-Daughter Donation: Hungarian artist Elizabeth Sass Brunner and her daughter Elizabeth Brunner have willed ten of their precious paintings to the Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery. Their will is in the possession of the Hungarian Embassy and the paintings will soon be brought to Baroda. The mother-daughter pair had travelled to India in search of spirituality in the 1920s and had stayed in Baroda in 1938. Their visit to Baroda was in response to an invitation from Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad. Elizabeth Sass Brunner died in 1950 in Bareilly, and her daughter Elizabeth Brunner died in 2001. The Baroda museum already has several other pictures by the two painters.

Archaeological Award For MSU Teacher: Dr. Krishnan, reader at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History at MS University, has been given the Bharat Jyoti Award for integrating material science methods in analysing archaeological artefacts and also for initiating research in the field of Ceramic Petrology. The award was given by the India International Friendship Society, New Delhi.

Hi-Tech Fire Tender: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation's (VMC) fire brigade now has a hi-tech foam tender to fight chemical fires. The vehicle costs Rs. 3.9 million and was purchased with World Bank aid. The fire brigade responds to almost 50 chemical fires per year, mainly in the Nandesari Industrial Estate. The vehicle is can withstand high temperatures and eject water foam to a height of 50 meters. It is equipped with special body suits which allow firemen to work in temperatures up to 700 degrees C.

Physiotherapy College: The Gujarat government has approved 60 additional seats at the Government Physiotherapy College in Baroda, taking the total to over 120. The intake of the Government Physiotherapy College at Ahmedabad will be increased to 100. There are around 500 seats for physiotherapy in the two government and eight self-financed colleges in the state.

New City IMA Chief: Dr. Siddharth R. Nayak, one of Baroda's leading paediatric surgeons, has been elected president of the Vadodara chapter of the Indian Medical Association. He is also attached to the K.G. Patel Children Hospital.

MSU Convocation: India's University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Sukhdeo Thorat will be the chief guest at the 55th convocation of MS University of Baroda on October 17, 2006. Over 9,500 students are expected to receive their degrees and 186 gold medals will be awarded.

11-10-06

'Razzmatazz' At Journalism Faculty: To celebrate its 15th year, MS University's Faculty of Journalism & Communication has organised a media festival - 'Razzmatazz, The Communication Buzz' on 13th and 14th October 2006. Established in 1992, this faculty aims to prepare professionals in print and electronic media and also in the field of advertising, public relations and media management. Many media personalities and alumni associated with leading media houses will be present for the celebrations. The festival will include a variety of events: photograph exhibition, screening of films, guest lectures, panel discussions and culturalprogrammes. For more details please contact Roopam Baruah (9376138139).

New VMC Chief: Vadodara Municipal Corporation has a new commissioner, Manoj Kumar Das. The 1990 batch IAS officer took charge on September 30, 2006. Prior to this he was on deputation to the Union Home Ministry where he was in charge of affairs pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir security and the peace process.

City Cricket Snippets: Former test cricketer Ashok Mankad has been appointed as the new coach of the Baroda Ranji team. Left-arm medium pacer Zaheer Khan has opted to play for Mumbai from this season. The cricket improvement committee of Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has appointed Dashrath Pardesi, a former Baroda Ranji player, as chairman of the selection committee. Pardesi took over from former India wicket-keeper Kiran More, who recently resigned from this post.

BBA Elections: The elections to the Baroda Bar Association (BBA) were held on September 30, 2006. Winning by a margin of 21 votes, Narendra Tiwari was elected president for the 19th consecutive year. Over 1,600 lawyers cast their votes.

BCA Selector Quits: After an innings lasting eight years as head of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) selection committee, former India wicket-keeper Kiran More has resigned from the post recently. A recent BCA resolution stipulates that no selector should be associated with any cricketing activity outside BCA. This includes running a cricket academy or being a selector in clubs. More runs his own cricketing academy. Incidentally, More's tenure as the chairman of selectors at the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will end soon.

Sun Pharma's R&D Wing: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. will hive off its research and development business, including new drug delivery systems (NDDS) into a separate entity �at Baroda - Sun Pharma Advance Research Company (SPARC). The Rs. 18-billion company will invest Rs. 2 billion in the new entity. It will shift 200 scientists to SPARC and add another 200 later. Sun Pharma presently employs 600 scientists at its R&D centre in Baroda.

Award For School Design: Mumbai based architect Brinda Somaya has won an award from the Leading Europeans Architects Forum (LEAF) for the design of Nalanda, the international school in Baroda. Her brief was to design a school building that created an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, Somaya says she was inspired by the original 5th century university 'Nalanda'.

Complaint Against Commissioner: Four Barodians have filed a court complaint against the municipal commissioner and city engineer under the Removal of Nuisance Act of the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act. The complainants have held the civic chief responsible for the sorry state of roads, drainage, storm water drains and cleanliness in the city. The court has issued a notice to both the civic chief and the city engineer and asked for a reply within 15 days.

TOEFL Centre In Baroda: Gujarat's second TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) centre will soon be opened at Baroda by city based Enbee Education Centre (EEC). The centre has been approved by the Education Testing Service (ETS), the body which certifies TOEFL centres worldwide. Gujarat's first TOEFL centre is at Ahmedabad. ETS conducts about 24 million tests in over 180 countries every year. TOEFL is an internet based English proficiency assessment to measure the student's ability to integrate and use all four language skills - reading, writing, listening and speaking. The EEC centre is at Windsor Plaza on RC Dutt Road.

Honorary Title For City Sculptor: Baroda sculptor Dhruv Mistryhas been selected to receive the title of Honorary Doctor of Birmingham University, UK, in February 2007. In 1993, he was the first Indian to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors, London.

Honour For Prof. Chattoo: Prof. Bharat Chattoo of MS University's Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology Centre has been elected as a Fellow of the 'Academy of Science for the Developing World' at the annual meeting of the academy held recently at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 44 scientists were elected for membership in 2006. The aim of the academy, founded in Italy in 1983, is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development.

Revamp Of Railway Station: India's Railway Board has sanctioned Rs. 170 million to develop the Alkapuri side of the Vadodara railway station. Incidentally, the foundation stone for this project was laid in 1994 by the then railway minister late Madhavrao Scindia. Over 50,000 passengers use the Vadodara station daily. The development of the Alkapuri side will take some of the load off the eastern side of the station that faces Sayajigunj.

SSI Benefits For Medium Units: Following changes in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Bill, hundred of medium enterprises in Gujarat will be able to get the benefits offered to small-scale industries. The definition of small units will now include units having plants and machinery up to Rs. 50 million. There are 15,000 to 20,000 medium enterprises in Gujarat which will fall into the small-scale industries (SSI) category. Earlier, units having plants and machinery up to Rs. 10 million were considered to be small industries. Gujarat has over 300,000 units, including micro, small and medium. Nearly 100,000 units are small units, 50 % are in the micro category and the rest are medium enterprises.

Sankho Chaudhuri Passes Away: Professor Sankho Chaudhuri, one of India's best-known sculptors and a much-loved teacher, passed away in New Delhi recently. Born in 1916 in Bihar, he had studied under the legendary sculptor Ram Kinkar Baij at Shantiniketan. In 1949 he was invited to Baroda to set up the Sculpture department at MS University. Raghav Kaneria and Dhruv Mistry were among his students. He played a pivotal role in putting MSU's Faculty of Fine Arts on the national map of India. He went on to become dean of the faculty, remaining there till 1970. He was later the chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi.

Hip Replacement Surgery: A German doctor Jens Boldt recently performed a new kind of hip-replacement surgery at Baroda's SSG Hospital. This is a first for Gujarat. It is claimed that this method substantially improves the lifestyle of patients post-surgery. In this technique a metal ball and cover are used as a replacement material instead of plastic or ceramic. The metal lasts longer than the plastic ball. The operation time is reduced to 45 minutes from the earlier 60 minutes. The patient is able to walk on the very next after the surgery and becomes completely mobile within two weeks. In earlier surgeries, patients took a minimum of six weeks to walk independently. The new technique was invented in Germany three years ago. Dr. Boldt works at St. Vincent Hospital in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Inform Police About Tenants: As a precautionary measure, the Vadodara district collectorate has issued a circular asking citizens to inform the police department when they rent their house to anyone. Details of the tenant will also have to be furnished. Anti-social elements often rent a house on a temporary basis and leave immediately after completing their mission. The circular will be in effect till November 3, 2006.

BSE's Gujarati Website: India's oldest stock exchange has launched its first website in an Indian language. The Bombay Stock Exchange has started its Gujarati website - http://gujbseindia.com/. The market estimates that 30 % of the turnover of BSE and NSE is clocked by Gujaratis. The website will initially focus on stock prices, corporate announcements, Sensex movements and company related information.

School Drop-Outs: According to a Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) survey, 3.96 % of children aged 6 to 13 in Gujarat have never been to school or have dropped out. At least 18 out of 35 states have a lower out-of-school children percentage than Gujarat. The national average of out-of-school children is 6.94 %. The number of other backward class (OBC) out-of-school children in Gujarat is 7.79 %, higher than the national average of 6.9 %.

Book Fair: At LMP Display Centre, Sayajigunj. Up to September 24, 20069.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Book Fair: Up to September 17. At Pratham, Apna Bazar, Vishwas Colony. 10.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.

VCD/DVD Festival: At Crossword, Arunodaya Society, Alkapuri. Up to September 17.

Lecture By 'Dabbawallahs': MS University's Faculty of Social Work and the Baroda chapter of the National Human Resource Development (HRD) Network have organised a lecture on 'Mumbai Dabbawallahs - Epitome of Management Excellence' on Saturday, August 26, at the Dr. I.G. Patel seminar hall. Mr. Raghunath Medge and his team from Mumbai's famous Nutan Tiffin Carrier Association will make the presentation.

Credit Rating For Cities: India's Urban Development Ministry will introduce credit rating for city development projects covered by the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM). This central programme was started to address the lack of basic civic amenities and improve infrastructure in urban areas. Four credit rating companies - Crisil, ICRA, CARE and Fitch - have been asked to submit rating proposals. The rating cost per city may be Rs. 1 million. Cities seeking financial assistance will need to have credit ratings; this will help to monitor progress and also enable local bodies to raise funds from the capital market. JNURM will provide assistance to 63 cities in the first phase; it has a budget of Rs. 55 billion for 2005-06. It will provide 35 per cent of the cost of projects to seven cities with a population of over four million; the rest will be borne by the state government (15 per cent) and the urban local bodies (50 per cent). For 28 cities with a population of 1 million to 4 million, it will provide 50 per cent assistance. Gujarat tops the list with the maximum number of sanctioned project (19). Andhra Pradesh has 15 projects and Maharashtra has 10 projects. According to the 2001 census 28 per cent of India's population lives in towns and cities, and this is expected to rise to 40 per cent by 2021. Baroda is among the cities that have sought assistance under this programme.

No EVMs In MSU Elections: MS University officials were keen to introduce the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the student union elections on September 12. They wanted to borrow the EVMs from the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), which owns 1200 such machines. However, most of VMC's machines are sealed due to an ongoing court case and only 70 machines can be spared, which MSU considers inadequate for an election which caters to 35,000 student voters. So, it will be paper ballots once again.

Largest Quran At Baroda: Not too many people know that one of the world's largest Qurans is at the Jama Masjid of Vadodara. The Quran, about six feet long and four-and-a-half feet wide, was soiled due to the heavy downpour in July 2005. Subsequent examination by experts suggested that the damaged portion is in fact restorable. The restoration has now been started, and it may cost about Rs. 1.8 million.

Assembly Of People Banned: Vadodara police commissioner Deepak Swaroop has promulgated prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four or more persons, the throwing of gulal or balloons filled liquids and the carrying of arms from August 25 to September 8.

Six-Lane Highway To Surat: The Vadodara-Surat stretch of National Highway No. 8 will be sixlaned soon. Work will start in January 2007 and is expected to be completed in 30 months. The 148-km road will have close-circuit television cameras, emergency communication systems every two kilometers, weather stations and rest areas. The Vadodara-Bharuch portion (83 kms) will be built by L&T Tollway Ltd. and a consortium led by IDAA Infrastructure Ltd. will build the Bharuch-Surat section (65 kms). This stretch has the highest traffic density in India.

Portal On Agriculture: Gujarat State Fertilisers & Chemicals Ltd. (GSFC) has launched a portal - Sardar Agrinet - to provide information to farmers not only on GSFC's products and services but also on crop management, crop-wise fertiliser recommendations, market prices, weather parameters, credit for farmers, etc. Farmers will get answers to their frequently asked questions related to various field of agriculture.

Voltamp Transformers IPO: Baroda based transformer manufacturer Voltamp Transformers Ltd. will enter the capital market on August 24 by offering 48.83 per cent of its equity shares - 4,883,840 shares of Rs. 10 each - in the price band of Rs. 295-Rs. 345. The issue will close on August 29.

Chhani Merged With Baroda: Following the long-standing directive of the Gujarat government, Chhani has finally been merged within the official limits of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). Most of Chhani's 23,000 residents are opposed the merger, because they believe that VMC's water and property taxes are substantially higher than those charged by the nagarpalika. Businessmen too are upset because they will no longer be outside VMC's octroi limits. The new ward that will be formed for Chhani will have about 18,000 voters.

Management Don Passes Away: Professor Mayank Dholakia, former dean of MS University's Faculty of Management Studies, passed away on July 14, 2006. A prominent management professional, Prof. Dholakia did his postgraduation from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, after graduating from MSU's Faculty of Commerce. He was an Associate Member of Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (AICWA) and the President's nominee in the selection committee of IITs. He was also a member of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

Barodian Tops CA Exam: Barodian Vishal Gajwani, 25, ranked first in the all-India Chartered Accountants examination this year. With 74 % marks, he topped the 5,940 students who passed the exam, out of a total of 27,000. Incidentally, he scored the highest marks ever by any CA student in India (last year's topper got 66 %). He will shortly complete his articleship from city based S.G. Bhagwat & Co. Vishal is the first candidate from Gujarat to have topped the CA Final. He passed M.Com from MSU with 74 % marks and won four gold medals.

Jyoti Ltd. Bags Major Order: Baroda based Jyoti Ltd. has recently got a Rs. 2.25-billion order from Hindustan Construction Co. and Nagarjuna Construction Co. to manufacture, supply and commission 14 large pumps for the Godavari Lift Irrigation Scheme of the Andhra Pradesh government. The value of the order is roughly twice the company's annual turnover of Rs. 1.15 billion. This will be the largest pump order for the firm. The mega pumps manufactured will be the first of their kind in India. The project, expected to be completed by September 2007, will help to supply 1,210 million litres of water per day (which is approximately four times the total water consumption of Vadodara city) to irrigate 285,000 acres of drought-prone areas in Andhra Pradesh.

Adopt A Public Health Centre: To improve the facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) the Baroda District Development Officer (DDO) encourages philanthropic individuals and organisations to 'adopt' a PHC and donate money to improve its infrastructure, or to even build a PHC in a particular area. The PHC will be named after the donor if he or she so desires. An NRI from America has agreed to donate Rs. 600,000 to improve the PHC in Shinor taluka. Another NRI is helping to build a new maternity home for the PHC in Savli taluka. A trust has adopted a PHC in Sankheda taluka. There are 76 PHCs in Baroda district.

Suzlon Unit In Baroda: Suzlon Energy Ltd., one of India's leading wind turbine manufacturers, plans to spend Rs. 15 billion on expansion activities. One of the activities is to set up a forging and machining (FFM) unit at Baroda with an investment of Rs. 2.5 billion. Suzlon has acquired 250 acres of land near the city and the project is expected to start in 2007. The city has been chosen for the FFM project because of the easy availability of gas that is used as fuel for the forging units.

Packaging Engineering Course: MS University's Faculty of Technology & Engineering will start, from 2006-07, a postgraduate diploma course in packaging engineering. The self-financed course is being started with help from MSU alumni. It will have 30 seats. The course was proposed alumni Kumar Nanavati, director of package design and development USA based Pfizer Global Manufacturing.

Vhalu Vadodara, Wet Vadodara: Many parts of the city were submerged in knee-deep waters after a heavy bout of rain from Tuesday (4th July) evening to Wednesday morning. Over 190 mm of rain caught Barodians off-guard, wet, waterlogged, traffic-jammed, angry, and wondering when, if ever, the city will learn to cope with a solid spell of rain. Some people were afraid that last year's monsoon mayhem will repeat itself. A majority of the city's roads were and inundated and traffic was totally thrown out of gear. Rail, road and airline services were also delayed. Among the city areas that were most affected: Alkapuri, Old Padra Road, Subhanpura, Akota, Makarpura, Manjalpur, Lalbaug, Dandia Bazaar, Ellora Park, Waghodia Road, Gorwa. The two main railway under-bridges at Alkapuri and Jetalpur were submerged in water. The under-bridge near Priyalaxmi Mill was also waterlogged.

Piped Gas Costlier: Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has increased the rates of piped cooking gas - from Rs. 7.00 per unit to Rs. 7.90 per unit. Apart from domestic consumers, the rates for hotels, university hostels and other commercial establishments have also been raised. This follows the increase in prices announced by Gas Authority Of India Limited (GAIL).

Monsoon Sale: At LSM (Latest Style Mantra). Till July 26. Casuals/Executives/Ethnic Wear. For men and women. Up to 40 % Off.

Lightning Hits Fire Brigade Office: Baroda received its first substantial rainfall this season on Wednesday (28th June). The rain was accompanied by fierce bursts of lightning. Lightning struck the headquarters of the Baroda Fire Brigade at Dandia Bazar. A flash hit the 35-foot wireless antenna on the terrace of the four-floor building and traveled to the basement control room. Electronic items and communication equipment was damaged. Telephone and power lines were disrupted. The building also has flats for fire brigade personnel, and equipment in the flats was also damaged. The building's lightning arrestor prevented more serious damage. No injuries were reported. The damage is estimated be around Rs. 250,000. The emergency number 101 was functioning, so regular calls were attended to.

New Feeder Channel From Ajwa: The Indian government has sanctioned Rs. 410 million to the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM). The grant will be used to construct an extra feeder channel to bring water from Ajwa to the city. The Gujarat government will contribute 20 per cent of the cost. VMC claims that this feeder channel will reduce the cost of bringing water to the city from several sources. The city's total daily demand is 240 million litres. Over 165 million litres is brought from the Mahi French Wells at around Rs. 4 per litre. The new feeder channel may allow VMC to access water at 20 paise per litre.

Another Ambani University: Anil Ambani controls the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT) near Gandhinagar. Now his brother Mukesh Ambani wants to set an elite educational institute in Gujarat which can accommodate about 10,000 students. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) have made an initial request to the state government for permission and allotment of land. The location may be near Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar, or on the outskirts of Vadodara. DAIICT is recognised as a university. The Mudra Institute of Communication at Ahmedabad (MICA) is also with the Anil Ambani group.

Khanderao Market May Move: The Baroda mayor has floated the idea that the Khanderao vegetable market, located below VMC office, should be shifted to some nearby location to help reduce traffic congestion and maintain cleanliness in the area.

Mall In Fatehgunj: Environmental Creation Private Ltd. (ECPL) plans to build a large mall on 220,000 square feet of prime land near MSU�s Faculty of Social Work in Fatehgunj. The project may also include a four-screen multiplex.

24-06-06

Vadodara-Bharuch Highway: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T) has bagged a Rs. 7.5 billion order from the National Highways Authority of India for six-laning of the National Highway 8 in Gujarat. The build-operate-transfer project involves widening of the existing four-lane highway from Vadodara to Bharuch to six lanes. The project will be domiciled in a special-purpose company - L&T Vadodara Bharuch Tollways Ltd. - formed exclusively for the project. The company will design, finance, construct and operate this section of the highway for the 15-year concession period. The project includes construction of 10 major and 36 minor bridges, 11 new flyovers, pedestrian and cattle crossings at specified locations and other junction improvements. The company will also put in place modern toll collection and highway traffic management systems. This stretch of the highway has the highest traffic density in India.

High Unemployment: Forty per cent of the workforce in Baroda district has been retrenched or given voluntary retirement. A large number of people are unemployed because many industries have closed down. This is the finding of a survey by the city based Documentation and Study Centre for Action. The study covered the period from 1999 to 2005. Among the companies that have offered VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme) are Alembic, Jyoti, IPCL and IOC's Gujarat Refinery. There may be as many as 10,000 employees who have taken advantage of VRS. Among the industries that have shut down are Petrofils, Windsor Foods, New India Industries, Ambica Mills and APS Star. Alembic plans to shift some operations to Himachal Pradesh, and Jyoti is contemplating moving to Mogar (near Anand).

15-06-06

MSU Tie-Up with PSU: Penn State University (PSU) York campus may extend its tie-up with MS University to cover three additional faculties and one department. Presently MSU's Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) programme has a collaboration with the Information Science and Technology (IST) programme of PSU. Now both universities want to extend the tie-up to include the Faculty of Performing Arts, Faculty of Home Science, Faculty of Social Work and the Environmental Science Programme of the Science Faculty. The officials have not yet signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Exhibition & Sale Of Art: At Art Haat. Up to June 30. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Parshwa Complex, Shrenik 4 Rasta, Akota.

Book Fair: At LMP Display Center, Sayajigunj. Up to June 25. 9.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. Organised by Ashish Book Centre.

Slow Train From Pratapnagar: The narrow-gauge Pratapnagar-Jambusar passenger train may no longer be the slowest train in India. The Vadodara division of Western Railways has increased its speed to 25 km per hour from 12 km per hour. Earlier, this train took four hours to cover a distance of 44 km. The new speed will reduce the running time by 25 minutes. The train will halt at Vishwamitri, Atladra, Bhaili, Padra, Latipura, Ranu, Pipri, Bhoj Padra, Mobha Road, Kural, Masar Road and Jambusar.

Big Land Deal In Wadiwadi: Newspaper reports suggest that the Delhi-based realty giant DLF Ltd. may shell out a cool Rs. 900 million for 600,000 sq ft of prime Baroda real estate. The land belongs to the Sarabhai group and is part of the 2.8 million sq ft plot of the Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises' plant at Wadiwadi. The price being mentioned is Rs. 1,500 per sq ft. Nothing is final though. DLF is also scouting around for land for an IT park and for retail, commercial and residential projects.

New Courses At MSU: The Centre for Continuing Adult Education & Community Services at MS University is offering two new courses this year - a six-month course on non-government organisation (NGO) governance and a 30-day course on fundamental learning and appreciation of classical vocal music. The NGO governance course is for graduates and persons with equivalent experience; vocal music appreciation course is open for all.

Petrol Dearer: Petrol and Diesel prices have risen from June 6. In Baroda the price of petrol went up from Rs. 47.42 to Rs. 51.73 per litre and the price of diesel went up from Rs. 35.19 to Rs. 37.49 per litre.

Showers Bring Relief: You win some, you lose some. Baroda has now seen rain for two days. The temperature has become more bearable; the flip side of the coin is that some areas were quickly waterlogged - parts of Waghodia and Ajwa Road areas and some localities in Alkapuri, Akota, Dandia Bazar and Lehripura.

'MSU Campus' In UK: A former alumnus of MS University of Baroda, and now a Member of Britain�s House of Lords, Lord Adam Hafejee Patel is working on the idea of MSU becoming the first Indian university to set up a campus abroad. Supporting the concept of an inter-continental campus in the UK, he said recently that he will take up the issue with fellow members of British House of Lords - Bhiku Parekh and Meghnath Desai.

Tiger Cubs At Zoo: Siddhi, a tigress from the Rajkot zoo, was successfully teamed up with Vadodara Zoo's Gabbar, and the zoo now has three brand new cubs. Born on March 21, 2006, the cubs are now up and about and have become permanent residents of the zoo.

Seed Technology Course Stopped: MS University's specialised course in 'Seed Technology' has now been terminated. The decision to discontinue the three-year B.Sc course affiliated to the Botany Department was taken after the University Grants Commission and the Gujarat government stopped funding it on account of poor student strength.

Fewer Takers For Science: IN 2000, The student strength in MS University's Science Department has fallen from 1,500 in 2000 to 900 last year. This seems to be the trend across the country too. Not particularly keen on pure science subjects, students prefer to study engineering or medicine. Pure science subjects include mathematics, chemistry, botany, zoology, physics, statistics, geography and geology. The cut-off percentage for chemistry at MSU was 70 per cent in the 1990s, now it is just 50 per cent. The departments most affected are Mathematics and Statistics.

L&T Helps MSU Techo: Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T) may help MS University to start a two-year Master's engineering course in welding technology at MSU's Faculty of Technology & Engineering. L&T will sponsor six students every year and pay their tuition fees. The sponsored students will get a stipend of Rs. 5,000 per month during the course. L&T has assisted in the course design and may also make available some expert faculty and laboratory and testing facilities.

Another Bank In Trouble: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revoked the licence of the sick Baroda Mercantile Co-operative Bank (BMCB) after it failed to recover Rs. 42 million of non-performing assets (NPAs) for the last three years. The Vadodara co-opratives registrar has started the process of liquidation. BMCB is the fifth bank in Vadodara in a similar situation in the last three years, after Baroda People's Co-operative Bank, Patni Co-operative Bank, Dabhoi Nagrik Sahakari Bank and the Swaminarayan Co-operative Bank.

Hansa Mehta Library: The Hansa Mehta Library at MS University has become the first university library in Gujarat to feature wi-fi or wireless fidelity internet access. The wi-fi system is free for all library members. The library has over 750,000 books.

Marathi Food Festival: Maharashtra Mahotsav At Taj Residency. 17th to 31st May 2006. 7.30 p.m. onward.

Back to School Festival: At Crossword Book Shop, 20th May to 18th June 2006. 10 % discount on many school items.

Peaceful Weekend: After several disturbed days and nights, peace returned to the city over the weekend. The curfew timings have been relaxed further; it will be in force from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. The army may be withdrawn fully by Tuesday.

Army Presence Calms City: With the Army called out to stage a flag march in the troubled areas of the city on 4th May, peace seems to be just round the corner. Though curfew continues in six police station areas, it is lifted for a few hours for women and children. It seems likely that a large measure of normalcy will return by Saturday. MS University has postponed all exams. Fresh dates will be announced on May 10, giving at least two days' notice to students.

Additional Police Deployed: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported throughout the day on Tuesday, 2nd May, and the trouble continued into the night. The total number of dead has now gone up to six. Additional police personnel have been pressed into service and the authorities expect to get the situation under control by Thursday. Curfew has been imposed in several localities in the walled city and normal life continues to be affected.

Violence In City: A spell of violence hit Baroda once again on Monday, 1st May. This time it was triggered off by the anti-encroachment drive of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). Begun on 1st April, 2006, the drive has seen many illegal structures being demolished all over the city, especially those which encroached upon roads. Among the structures affected were temples and dargahs. On Monday a dargah near Champaner gate on Fatehpura Road was razed by the municipal authorities, and this sparked off the trouble. It is said that the dargah was of Sufi saint Syed Rashiuddin Chishti, a descendant of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, and that it was 300 years old. Those who objected to the demolition decision had written to the National Minorities Commission quoting the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which ensures status quo to religious places built before 1947. VMC claims that the dargah did not have any ownership papers and that it was not a protected monument. It is only the city survey of 1911 of the then Baroda State that makes mention of the dargah. Though the trouble began near the dargah, it spread to surrounding localities and curfew was imposed in six police station areas. Five persons were killed in the riots, two of them in police firing, and 21 were injured. This is peak exam season at MS University and officials have postponed all ongoing exams till Wednesday. The new dates will be announced in due course.

MSU Foundation Day: MS University's Foundation Day on April 30 passed off without any fanfare or functions to mark the event. It was on April 30, 1949, that the Mumbai Assembly passed the MS University Act and Hansaben Mehta became the first MSU vice-chancellor.

Diploma In Hospital Admin: The Baroda unit of the Indian Hospital Association will conduct the 9th batch of the one-year post-graduate diploma course in hospital administration from June 2006 at Narhari Hospital. The course is recognised by Director General of Health Services and the Indian Hospital Association, New Delhi. Graduates interested in the course may contact 2327737 or 98243-66843. Email: ihavadodara@sify.com or ihavadodara@gmail.com.

6-Lane Baroda-Surat Stretch: Those driving on the stretch of National Highway no 8 between Surat and Vadodara are in for some good news, though not in the near future. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to convert the four-lane stretch of National Highway No. 8 between Surat and Vadodara to a six-lane road. This is one of the busiest roads in the west zone. The project, costing Rs. 10.5 billion, needs final clearance from India's surface transport ministry. To be developed on Build-own-Transfer (BoT) basis, it will be completed 20 months after it is approved. The present traffic density on this stretch is 70,000 passenger car units (PCU). Once the additional lanes are added, the 150 km distance between Vadodara and Surat can be covered faster.

Daylight Robbery On R.C. Dutt Road: Five armed men attempted a daring daylight robbery at the S Kanjibhai Jewellers showroom in Siddharth Complex on R.C. Dutt Road at 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 18th April. Though they managed to get away with jewellery worth about Rs. 15 million, their getaway car got into an accident - in Fatehgunj - as they fled the scene. Following the accident, one of the five was caught by the police and the other four managed to escape. Most of the stolen booty was recovered from the getaway car (which too happened to be stolen, from Surat). Hopefully, the apprehended culprit will lead the police to the rest of the gang.

Electric Loco Simulator: A modern electric loco simulator (ELS) has been commissioned recently at the Electric Loco Shed in Baroda. The Vadodara division is now the first division in the Western Railway, and the second in India, to have an ELS to train engine drivers. The simulator, set up at a cost of Rs. 100 million, is the replica of a train engine,and drivers can use it to learn how to control the train and direct its route. Visual images of tracks and routes are displayed on its monitor to provide real-life experiences to the driver.

Alumni Donation For MSU: MS University ex-student Jagdish Shah wants to donate Rs. 7.5 million for the BBA programme's proposed new building at the Donors Plaza ground. If the MSU Syndicate approves Shah's proposal then the university will save about 50 per cent of the construction cost. California based Shah, is a retired banker who graduated in 1965 from MSU's Commerce Faculty, has earlier donated generously to SSG Hospital.

Hawkers Will Be Relocated: To tackle the problem of larries encroaching on the city�s roadsides, Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) plans to shift hawkers to specially created hawking zones. VMC has identified 55 plots in the city to which the hawkers will be shifted from May 1. These plots will be developed on BOT (build, operate, transfer) basis. The civic body will collect a rent of Rs. 600 from each hawker for a six-feet-by-six-feet space; it expects to thus earn Rs. 50 million per month. VMC will provide all the necessary facilities (electricity, toilets, water, parking space, etc.). Baroda presently has 2,500 licensed larries, and 8,000 unauthorised ones.

Shreno To Merge With Alembic Glass: Baroda based Alembic Glass Industries Ltd. has announced that it will merge Shreno Ltd. with itself. The shareholders have approved the scheme of amalgamation. The company will file a petition with the Gujarat High Court to get approval for the amalgamation.

Rs. 24 Billion For City Projects: Under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM), development projects worth Rs. 24.3 billion have been tentatively approved for Baroda. This includes Rs. 18.96 billion for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and the rest for the Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA). Once the detailed project report (DPR) is approved VMC can get the first installment (Rs. 3 billion). The plans include roads, Vishwamitri riverfront development, water supply projects, sewerage and sanitation projects, storm-water drainage lines, flyovers and bridges, regeneration of water bodies, and preservation of heritage structures in the old city areas.

Chhaani In VMC Limits: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will soon include Chhaani village in the city's limits. VMC has asked officials and the mamlatdar of Chhaani to prepare for the merger and display the merger notice at prominent places in the village. VMC officials will take over the panchayat survey books and collect information of survey numbers, population, panchayat assets and land details. The VMC primary education committee will take over the administration of Chhaani's schools.

MSU Botany Project: The Botany Department of MS University of Baroda has initiated a project on 'Scouting and Documenting Traditional Knowledge' in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). Botany students in Gujarat will visit nearby villages in their districts and look for traditional knowledge, mainly related to the uncommon use of lesser-known plants, use for some medical, nutritional or pesticidal purpose.

Platform No. 6: The A new platform - No. 6 - is coming up at the Vadodara railway station to help cater to the heavy train traffic. Presently 84 pairs of trains pass through the station everyday, and many of them are often forced to wait outside the station till a platform is vacant. The new platform will be able to handle trains with 24 coaches. To be ready by June 2006, it will cost Rs. 20 million. Over 45,000 passengers use the Vadodara station everyday.

'Club Foot' Treatment AT SSG: 'Club foot' (Congenital Talipes Equino Varus) is a congenital deformity which affects one out of every 1,000 new-borns. The defect can be corrected surgically, but surgery on infants involves the possibility of infections and side-effects of anaesthesia. Surgery can be done only after the age of two. A special orthopaedic clinic at Baroda's Sir Sayajirao General (SSG) Hospital treats new-borns using the 'Ponseti Technique', a non-invasive procedure. The disease can be cured within three months in infants below two years. SSG adopted the technique three years ago and have treated about 100 cases. SSG is among the few hospitals in India which uses this technique, in which the deformity is corrected with the use of serial plaster cast application and manipulation. The technique, first used in Canada, is ideal for poor countries because it is cost-effective and easy to learn.

'Jantri' Revision: The Gujarat Government will shortly announce the revised rates of 'jantri' (ready reckoner) for areas falling under the seven municipal corporations and urban development authorities. The revisions for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, AUDA, Surat Municipal Corporation, SUDA, Rajkot Municipal Corporation, RUDA, Vadodara Municipal Corporation and VUDA will be completed by the end of April 2006. The 'jantri' helps to assess properties and land on the basis of prevailing market prices and this helps the revenue authorities to determine the stamp duty scientifically.

Sex Education In Schools: The Gujarat government has decided to introduce sex education for students of classes IX and XI in secondary and higher secondary schools from the next academic year. The new courses will be introduced in all 9,000 secondary and higher secondary schools. Over 2,000 teachers have been specially trained for the purpose.

Kohler's Jhagadia Project: The America multinational Kohler Inc plans to set up a $ 100 million (Rs. 4.5 billion) project to manufacture kitchen and bathroom vitrified products at the Jhagadia GIDC industrial estate in Bharuch district. When completed, the plant may employ about 4,000 people.

22-03-06

Luxury Cars For VMC: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) may soon shell out Rs. 1.2 million to buy a new Chevrolet Optra for the mayor. VMC may also spend Rs. 1.9 million for three Ford Fiestas - for the deputy mayor, the chairman of the standing committee and the leader of the opposition. The standing committee's approval is awaited.

Unreserved Rail Tickets: Passengers at Vadodara railway station can now buy tickets for unreserved coaches three days before the journey date. The unreserved ticketing system (UTS) has been introduced to shorten the queues and inconvenience associated with same-day ticket selling. UTS will also help the railways assess the number of passengers on a particular route or train and accordingly adjust the number of coaches. Unreserved tickets can be cancelled a day before the journey date.

Nirmal Gram Puraskar: Mota Fofalia village in the Shinor taluka of Baroda district has won this year's Nirmal Gram Puraskar - an award which encourages gram panchayats, blocks and districts working for the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC). The village has 506 families - 158 below the poverty line (BPL) - and it has put an end to open defecation. Every household in Mota Fofalia now has a toilet block. It is one of the four villages from Gujarat to get the national awards for promoting rural sanitation. Vadodara has 100 per cent sanitation coverage in only four villages - Timbi (Waghodia), Nanderia (Dabhoi), Sandha (Padra) and Mota Fofalia. Vadodara district has about 180,000 BPL families who will be the direct beneficiaries of the Total Sanitation Campaign; technical support will be given to the remaining families. Out of 2,260 primary schools 913 have no toilets, and 1,958 anganwadis have no sanitation facility. The Indian government has allocated Rs. 7 billion for TSC in 2005-06; a gram panchayat receives Rs. 200,000 and a block receives Rs. 1 to 2 million depending on the population.

Learn Driving At ITI: The Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Tarsali in Baroda will teach car driving in a classroom. The first government institute to start such a classroom course, it will give lessons on road safety and traffic rules and follow this up with practical training. The 30-day programme will include 10 hours of lectures and a minimum of 15 hours of actual driving practice. The school will be confined to light motor vehicles, but may include commercial and heavy vehicles in future. The fees have been fixed at Rs. 1,500. According to the Motor Vehicles Act it is compulsory for driving schools to hold lectures on road safety and traffic rules, but most private schools ignore this rule.

Genetically Modified Rice: Researchers at MS University's Genome Research Centre have been able to increase the resistance of rice and wheat to fungal attacks. A genetic modification - engineering a protein from onion into transgenic rice and wheat - was done to help the cereal plants fight fungal and bacterial diseases. The research has been published in the journal 'Molecular Biology' of Netherlands. Almost one-third of the world's population depends primarily on rice and fields cover over 360 million acres of land yielding 560 million tonnes of grain every year. Wheat is second to rice in terms of human consumption. At present rice is protected from fungal diseases by chemicals that are expensive and often hazardous.

Exhibition of Paintings: Alliance Francaise d'Ahmedabad-Baroda Annexe have organised 'Monuments', an exhibition on paintings by Munavver Hussain at the Annexe, Sangeet Society, Vasna Road, from March 18 to March 25. The exhibition will be open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

School Exams From March 16: The Gujarat State Higher Secondary and Secondary Board examinations begin on March 16. More than 1.055 million students will sit for the exam at 846 centres in Gujarat. Over 75,000 students will appear from 200 centres in Baroda District. The District Education Office has identified ten centres as sensitive. About 52,000 Students will appear for SSC, 19,000 for the HSC general stream and 7,000 for the HSC science stream. To help students and parents cope with stress guidance and counselling centres have been opened all over Baroda and in Atladra, Pavijetpur, Kwant, Naswadi, Chhota Udepur, Dabhoi, Shinor, Sankheda, Padra, Karjan, Savli and Waghodia.

E-Governance At VMC: Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will computerise and interlink some of the functions in all 12 administrative wards. Citizens will be able to pay taxes, apply for permission and register complaints online. The birth and death registration department has been computerised and birth and death registrations will be done at all 12 ward offices. Also, builders and architects will be able to put their plans online and monitor the status of their files.

Gujarat Budget: The 2006-07 Gujarat budget has the following proposals:
Value-added tax (VAT) regime from April 1, 2006, repealing the Gujarat Sales-Tax Act 1969.
... Tax relief of Rs. 1.2 billion in electricity duty.
... Tax relief of Rs. 1.95 billion in stamp duty.
... Tax relief of Rs. 180 million in entertainment tax.
... Tax relief of Rs. 30 million in luxury tax.
... Tax relief of Rs. 50 million in motor vehicle tax.
... Hoteliers charging up to Rs. 500 per room need not pay any luxury tax.
... Full exemption from electricity duty and luxury tax for five years for setting up hotels at important tourist places.

GM Increases Capacity: General Motors (GM) India will soon increase the capacity of its plant at Halol from 65,000 to 85,000 units. Presently, 3,500 people are directly and indirectly employed by GM India and now 400 more will be added. Extra investment of Rs. 100 million will be made. In 2004, 25,000 units were sold, and the target for 2006 is 50,000 units.

VMC Plans Major Projects: Development projects worth Rs. 16.41 billion are on the drawing boards at the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). If the plans are approved by the state and central governments the city may look quite different by 2012. The development projects, if approved, will be funded by the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM). The proposals include Rs. 2.24 billion for road development, Rs. 1.25 billion for sewage projects, Rs. 1.13 billion for fly-overs, Rs. 1.50 billion for storm water drainage, Rs. 2.14 billion for solid waste management, and Rs. 100 million for re-development of walled-city areas. The objective is to provide water for all by 2011. VMC wants to provide sewage and storm water drains to the entire city by 2011; at present only 70 % of the city is covered.

GSFC's Unit In Tunisia: Baroda based Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. (GSFC) and infrastructure provider GVC will set up a $ 250 million phosphoric acid plant in Tunisia. Large deposits of rock phosphate, the raw material. GSFC has very large requirements of phosphoric acid. The phosphoric acid plant in Tunisia is likely to be commissioned in September 2008.

Exhibition Of Digital Prints: Rahul Gajjar will display his recent digital prints at Exhibition Hall, Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University. February 9 to 12, 2006. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

United Way of Baroda Mela-2006: February 4 to 6, 2006. 3.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Polo Ground. The objective of the Mela is to provide a platform for Baroda based NGOs to showcase their activities and raise funds. Among the participants will be 95 NGOs, 7 government welfare organisations and two local government organisations.

Siemens To Make Turbines: Siemens Ltd. will invest Rs. 300 million to set up an industrial steam turbine manufacturing facility at Baroda. Spread over an area of 65,000 square metres, the factory will manufacture turbines for industrial applications.

Book Fair: Up to February 12, 2006. 10 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. Apna Bazar, Vishwas Colony, Alkapuri.

Padma Awards For Barodians: Two Barodians received awards on Republic Day this year. Artist K.G. Subramanyam was conferred the Padma Bhushan and litterateur Sitanshu Yashaschandra was conferred the Padma Shri. Poet and writer Sitanshu Yashaschandra (65) was vice-chancellor of Saurashtra University, syndicate member at MS University of Baroda, and professor in MSU's Gujarati department. He won the National Sahitya Akademi Award in 1987, the National Harmony Award for poetry and drama in 1996 and the Rashtriya Kabir Sanman in 1998. K.G. Subramanyam (more popularly known as Mani Sir) joined MSU's Faculty of Fine Arts in 1951 and subsequently become the dean of the faculty. He retired in the late 1970s. Professor emeritus at Shantiniketan, he won the Lalit Kala National Award in 1965 and the Kalidas Sanman in 1981. The Faculty of Fine Arts has won awards before too. Before Subramanyam (80), Padma awards have come to Sankho Chowdhary, N.S. Bendre, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh and Bhupen Khakhar. Incidentally, he scripted the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Maya Memsaab.

Hike In Water Charges: The standing committee of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has fixed the minimum water tax at a flat rate of Rs. 540 for residential and commercial properties. The present charge is Rs. 360. Property tax has been raised by Re. 1 per square metre for residential properties and by Rs. 2 per square metre for commercial properties. The rate for VMC's piped cooking gas has been raised by Rs. 1.10 per unit for domestic users and by Rs. 3.75 per unit for commercial users. The proposals to levy streetlight tax and solid waste disposal charges were rejected.

New CNG Station: Considering the increasing traffic movement on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway number 8, the Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) has commissioned a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway No. 8 near Dashrath on the outskirts Baroda. GAIL plans to set up two more CNG stations in Baroda this year. The city has about 30,000 autorickshaws and 80,000 four-wheelers. Very few use CNG. The CNG station at the S.R. Patel petrol pump in Nizampura can cater to 50 buses, 800 cars and 1500 three-wheelers everyday.

SSG's New Obstetric Unit: The USA based Baroda Medical College Alumni Association (BMCAA) is helping SSG Hospital to set up a new 200-bed obstetric unit with a donation of Rs. 50 million. It will have a special unit for fetal therapy in which unborn babies can receive treatment in the uterus and even intra-uterine surgeries can be performed. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2007. A classroom for 40 students and a modern auditorium that can seat 100 will also be built.

Video Trials: A video conferencing facility now links the Vadodara Central Jail and the Sessions Courts. Such a facility has already been introduced between the Sabarmati Jail and the Bhadra court in Ahmedabad. The district courts of Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Bhuj and Nadiad may soon have a similar facility to conduct video trials. The system will save the time and cost of the police since they will not have to provide vehicles and escorts to take undertrials to the courts.

More Investment From Apollo: Apollo Tyres Ltd plans to invest Rs. 1 billion in its plant at Limda, near Baroda. The company makes car, farm and light truck radial tyres and will now enter the heavy vehicle segment. It will make 400 heavy-vehicle radial tyres per day. Incidentally, Apollo is ranked 16th in the world in terms of tyre production. The 300-tonnes-per-day Limda plant was started in 1991 and is the company's biggest tyre-production plant in India; it has two other plants, in Pune and Cochin.

Hike In VMC Taxes: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation's (VMC)proposed budget for 2006-07 estimates Rs. 3.4569 billion income and revenue expenditure of Rs. 2.6993 billion. Octroi collection is 58 per cent of the estimated income (Rs. 2 billion). An increase has been proposed in the annual water charges from Rs. 360 to Rs. 1,000. At the new rate one litre of tapped water will cost 1.5 paise. Property tax may go up from Rs. 10 per sq m to Rs. 11 per sq m for residential and from Rs. 20 per sq m to Rs. 22 per sq m for non-residential. Gas charges may increase by Rs. 1.10 per unit for residential and Rs. 1.75 per unit for non-residential. Two new taxes may be a streetlight tax and a solid waste collection charge to take care of door-to-door collection and segregation of waste. The total increase is Rs. 410 million. The hike in water tax will yield Rs. 180 million. The increased property tax will yield Rs. 80 million. The solid waste management tax will yield Rs. 90 million. Major VMC expenditure heads: Water Supply (Rs. 840 million); Roads & Bridges (Rs. 840 million); Services For Urban Poor (Rs. 250 million); Solid Waste Management (Rs. 120 million); River Front Development (Rs. 100 million); Interlinking Lakes (Rs. 100 million). VMC's standing committee will discuss the proposed budget on January 27.

Barodians Assess City: Seventy students of MS University's Business Administration progamme (BBA) recently conducted a survey to assess the perceptions of Barodians about their city. A majority of those surveyed said that they were satisfied with the state of affairs. About 43 % of the respondents said that the overall development of the city was 'good', 30 % said it was 'adequate' and 12 % found it to be 'very good'. The survey covered 18 areas and 410 respondents.

Bhadralok Flats: The Bank of India may auction some blacks of Bhadralok Apartments on Old Padra Road in order to recover dues from the project's promoters. This step has been taken by the bank's Specialised Asset Recovery Management Branch, Mumbai, under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002. The bank had loaned about Rs. 90 million to the promoters in 1998. The property will be sold on 'as is where is and whatever it is' basis.

BHS 1981 Batch Reunion: The 1981 graduates of Baroda High School (Bagikhana) plan to hold their 25th year reunion from 22nd to 26th February, 2006. Those interested in participating or learning more about it can find more information at http://groups.yahoo.com/Bagikhana81. Manish Patel <manish_r_patel@yahoo.com>

Tribal Craft Mela: At Trisha Gallery, Opposite Swagat Restaurant, Jetalpur Road. Till January 29, 2006.

New NOOSR Ratings: The Australian National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR), the body which compares overseas and Australian educational qualifications, has recently issued new guidelines which suggest that the quality of MS University of Baroda has deteriorated in the last decade. Till 1996, MSU was in Section 1 which classified it as a premier university. Now MSU is in Section 2, in which a student would need to get marks in either first or second class to be on par with an Australian bachelor's degree. Similarly, a Section 3 University student would need marks in first class only. Section 1includes Indian institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Section 2 includes MSU, DAIICT, Gujarat Ayurved University, Gujarat Vidyapith, Sardar Patel University (Rajkot), Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Gujarat Agriculture University.

Baroda-Mumbai Expressway: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is considering a 400-km Baroda-Mumbai expressway. NHAI has invited consultancy firms to bid for the preliminary design study. Work may begin within two years and is likely to be completed by 2012. The existing Ahmedabad-Baroda expressway will be linked to the proposed project. The expressway will be constructed on BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) basis; the design, financing and operating responsibility will be the concessionaire's.

BCA Plans Stadium: The Baroda Cricket Association plans to buy land and build its own stadium. According to the norms of the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), the BCA will receive a subsidy after the stadium is constructed; this may amount to Rs. 40 million.

Youngest Ranji Player: When left arm spinner Swapnil Singh - 14 years and 355 days old - represented Baroda in a Ranji Trophy cricket match on 10th January 2006 he became the youngest player to play for Baroda in a Ranji match. He broke the record held by Jayendra Ghorpade, the 16-year-old who made his Ranji debut against Maharashtra in the 1954-55 season. Incidentally, Sachin Tendulkar played his first Ranji game at the age of 15 years and 231 days against Gujarat in 1988. Swapnil moved to Baroda from Rae Bareilly five years ago, on the advice of Baroda Cricket Association secretary Kiran More. The six-foot tall youngster studies in Class X at New Era High School.

Congested Roads: Baroda's roads can no longer take the load of the vehicles in the city. The number of vehicles increased by 92 % between 2003 and 2005, from 754,000 in 2003-04 to 819,000 in 2004-05. About 65,000 vehicles were added, mostly two-wheelers. The number of autorickshaws went up from 17,982 in 1995-96 to 30,056 in 2005. The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation's city bus service is running at a loss. A bus occupies the space of 2.5 cars, but can carry 50 people. Two-wheelers carry only two persons but take up as much space as half a car. Most important sections in the city carry five times the designed traffic load in peak hours. The Race Course Road carries 13 times its designed capacity; it is designed for 1,200 passenger car units (PCUs) but carries 16,064.

NUMBER OF VEHICLES ON CITY ROADS
Vehicles	00-01	01-02	02-03	03-04	04-05	2011 (Projected)
3-Wheelers	5126	5245	5367	5548	6382	8484
Cars	55636	61386	66626	72754	79609	105833
Taxis	3718	3808	4046	4418	4722	6277.48
Jeeps	6705	6827	6949	7109	7326	9739.27
Autorickshaws	26894	27243	28149	29040	30056	39956.8
2-Wheelers	297724	324160	360801	398127	438586	583067

Baroda State Railway: An exhibition has been organisedat MS University's Faculty of Fine Arts by Indian Railways to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Coronation of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. The exhibition portrays the heritage of the Baroda State Railway and Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway through photographs and manuscripts.

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