Surat Beat

State govt to donate Rs 5 cr for Kargil fundGandhinagar: The State Government has decided to contribute Rs 5 crore to the Central Relief ...

State govt to donate Rs 5 cr for Kargil fund
Gandhinagar: The State Government has decided to contribute Rs 5 crore to the Central Relief Fund for the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of those Army jawans who have laid down their lives in Kargil. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday. Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel said the Government had also decided to launch a special fund-raising drive in the State from July 23 to August 15 and the funds raised would be deposited in the Chief Minister8217;s Relief Fund for the welfare of families of the Kargil martyrs.

CII on octroi
Ahmedabad: Confederation of Indian Industry CII has claimed that Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel has agreed to postpone the decision on replacing octroi by entry tax and turnover tax due to misgivings in industry and has invited proposals on alternatives to octroi.

SMC meet
Surat: Surat Municipal Corporation councillors on Wednesday met to review the preparatory works done to tackle the monsoon. The meeting was presided over by mayor Savita Sharda. The civic officials informed the councillors in the meeting that emergency cells had been set up in all the six zones. The health department has taken all precautionary measures to prevent outbreak of epidemics and waterborne diseases. Arrangements have also been made to avoid water-logging in low-lying areas.

Protest demo
Mahila Mandal, an organisation of rag-pickers and slum-dwellers, has decided to stage a demonstration in front of the Surat Municipal Corporation office. More than 2,000 women are expected to join the demonstration against what they term 8220;communal8221; bias of the standing committee which has directed the former civic chief S Jagadeesan to demolish the 8220;illegal structure8221; built by rag-pickers of Rasulabad slums to expand their existing scrap shop. Jagadeesan had permitted Mahila Mandal to expand their scrap shop on 20215;40 plot. The issue had created a furore in the civic corridors with some standing committee members alleging that the Mandal is an organisation affiliated with Christian missionaries.