1. PM Modi Inaugurates Largest Urban Local Body-Run Hospital
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the largest hospital run by any Urban Local Body (ULB) which has more than 1,500 beds. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation conceptualised the hospital in 2012 and its groundbreaking was done in 2014. The entire structure, with interiors, was ready by July 2018.
PM Modi, after inaugurating Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Science and Research, addressed the gathering.
"I was amazed to see a public hospital of this scale. It is like a dream fulfilled to have a hospital like this. This is first public hospital to have helipad and air ambulance facility," the PM said.
(Source: DNA)
2. Five Petitions Challenging Prohibition Law Filed in High Court
Five petitions, including a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), have been filed before the Gujarat High Court challenging the prohibition law in the state. All pleas will come up for hearing on Friday, 18 January, before the bench of acting Chief Justice AS Dave and Justice Biren Vaishnav.
All pleas have mostly uniform contentions that the people of the state have a right to consume liquor under the Right to Privacy as per the verdict issued by the Supreme Court.
The PIL has been filed by city-based resident Malay Patel. He contended that the state government has no right to implement ban on liquor as it is not only the state subject, but it also has union government’s jurisdiction.
(Source: Ahmedabad Mirror)
3. Vibrant Gujarat Summit: Korean Trade Agency Opens Office in Ahmedabad
Industries from Gujarat have sought a dedicated cluster for South Korean companies investing in the state. Till now about 10 Korean companies have their investment in Gujarat, which could easily rise to 100 in a matter of years, industrialists hoped.
"There should be an industrial estate dedicated for Korean companies, a sort of mini Korea. It will enable them to work together on a collaboration basis. Projects coming up in a joint venture with Indian companies can also be located here," said Piruz Khambatta, chairman of Western Region for Confederation of Indian Industry during the opening of an office of Korean External Trade and Investment Agency (KOTRA) in Ahmedabad.
KOTRA will handhold Korean companies willing to invest in Gujarat.
(Source: DNA)
4. Shopping Festival a Sign of Changing Ahmedabad, Says PM Modi
Amdavad Shopping Festival (ASF) is an indication of a change, Ahmedabad has witnessed over years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during the inauguration of ASF in the city on Thursday, 17 January. He hoped that the festival will increase the business for local shopkeepers.
Modi was referring to the conservative and economic nature of Amdavadis, known for their consciousness for value when it comes to shopping. "The very idea of organising ASF (to lure such customers) is a brave act. Such festivals display the combined strength of businessmen," said Modi, while inaugurating the festival, organised for the first time in the state.
(Source: DNA)
5. Made-in-Vadodara Space Suit to Be Used in Gaganyaan
Indigenously developed astronaut crew escape suit, bearing the ‘Made in Vadodara’ tag is the first on Isro’s wardrobe for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission. The suit is 20 percent lighter and one hundredth of the cost of its foreign counterpart.
Its features include a flexible hood zipper, touch screen sensitive gloves, utility pockets, air diverters and light weight shoes. The space suit operates at temperature ranging from minus 40°C to 80°C.
Sure Safety, a Vadodara-based industrial safety equipment manufacturer has designed the suit from scratch after collaborating with Isro’s Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad.
(Source: The Times of India)
6. PAN Card Fraud: Man Gets Rs 3 Crore Income Tax Notice
Jignesh Narola got the shock of his life when he received an income tax (I-T) notice asking him to cough up Rs 3.23 crore. Narola, who works at a private firm in Rajkot, explained to the I-T officials that he had never done transaction of such huge amount.
When Narola probed the matter further, it was revealed that a chartered accountant, an accountant and a clerk had carried out the transaction of black money after opening two accounts in his name with his PAN card.
The accused are yet to be nabbed.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. Three Incidents of Burglary Reported in Different Parts of City
With most Ahmedabad police personnel roped in to provide security for VVIPs attending various events of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, burglars, looters and robbers had a free run in the city with three incidents each of burglary and chain-snatching along with one of cash loot reported on Wednesday, 16 January.
A resident of Shyam Sarthi bungalows in Chandkheda, Sartaanji filed a complaint with city police that some unknown burglars broke into his house and decamped with ornaments worth Rs 63,600 and Rs 1.14 lakh in cash.
In another incident, a 21-year-old man from Ramol, stated in an FIR that he had found his house ransacked and gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 1.45 lakh and Rs 10,000 cash stolen.
In Ghatlodia, burglars broke into a pharmacy shop and fled with medicines and cash worth Rs 62,000.
(Source: The Times of India)
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