Ahmedabad, 15 August 2012

Gujarat Congress has reacted to Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s popular announcements in Junagadh district.

When asked, leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said, “Gujarat Chief Minister is in power for last more than ten years, but he never took a decision to ban Gutkha. Similarly in his entire rule, he never gave separate district status to Somnath. Now when elections are near, he is declaring the things. If he was really concerned, who was stopping him to declare ban on Gutkha or separate Somnath district earlier?”

“These are all poll tactics,” he added.

Gujarat Congress President Shri Arjun Modhwadia had yesterday issued a statement asking the same.

Modhwadia in his statement said, “it was Congress government that had taken a decision to provide sales tax/VAT free diesel to fishermen as early as in 1980. The Congress government had executed the scheme by making subsidized diesel available at petrol pumps near fishing ports. It was BJP government that stopped the scheme, due to which in last ten years poor fishermen faced added burden worth thousands of crore of Rupees. The state government should return this money to them. If govt doesn’t provide sales tax/VAT free diesel even now, we would start agitation.”

Modhwadia added that the government didn’t build even a single fishing port in these many years, but now when the elections are near, the Chief Minister is promising construction of number of fishing ports.

Ahmedabad, 25 July 2012

While the entire world is waiting for the opening of the London Olympics from day after tommorrow, Gujarat Science City is organising a four days Orientation Programme on Science Olympiads at Science City from tomorrow, i.e., 26th to 29th July 2012.

As many as 200 plus meritoius students, who are the district toppers in their SSC examination and now pursuing their career in Std. XI science are invited to participate

Shri Ravi S Saxena, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, DST, Govt of Gujarat is ianugurating this programme and Dr. R. N. Vakil, eminent science educator and Director, CEPT University will be the Guest of Honour.

In addition, a special exhibition on Disaster Awareness is also to be inaugurated by the Chief Guest tomorrow.

Science Olympiads Orientation Workshop at Science City: 26th to 29th July 2012

There is are dreams, desires and imagination for science students while they are in std XI and XII. If anybody wish to make their dream true, Gujarat Science City is a place to be visited..

Would you like to show your physics talents in Copenhagen (Denmark) or chemistry reactivity in Russia, Mathematics at Colombia, Biology in Switzerland and astronomy in Greece during July 2013 next year? If yes, the preparation is starting here.

These are the free opportunities stored for students who are in Std. XI and XII pursing their career in different disciplines of basic science and to finalyse their career with the top premier scientific institutions like Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai or in Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore.

Yes, this is about National and International Science Olympiads, where students of Std XI and XII can enroll their name and choice subject on or before 15th September 2012 and undergo different stages to finally reach at the international destinations.

Science Olympiads which encourage greater contact and cooperation among the secondary students world-wide, are an exhilarating and uplifting movement for students, teachers and the organizers. Keen interest in subject, inventiveness, critical analysis, creativity and perseverance are necessary to tackle the task in the Olympiad.

Every year about 40,000 to 50,000 students across the country enrolled for science olympiads in different subjects including, physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and astronomy. The entire process is going through four different stages, with first stage of national standard examination which has been scheduled to be held on 25th November 2012.

Out of the 50,000 students appeared in the first test in each subjects, only 250 students from each of the subjects to be selected for the second stage, i.e., Indian Science Olympiads in each of the subjects in which will be held in January 2013.

From the second stage, again the best 50 students in each subjects have to be selected and invited for the selection and training for the international olympiads as third stage which will be held in Mumbai during May-June 2013.

And finally, the fourth stage is the participation in the international science olympiads in different subjects in different countries. The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai is the nodal centre for the Science Olympiads programme in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and astronomy subjects.

However, the enrollment drive for the stage I test in Gujarat is not so high.

Gujarat Science City in the support of the Department of Science & Technology and Department of Education, Govt of Gujarat is taking a bold step by organizing orientation programmes for the meritorious students to motivate them for the wonder world of science and technology.

Orientation workshop on Science Olympiads at Science City:

To inspire the students and to bring awareness for science olympids in different subjects, the Gujarat Science City organized a four days orientation programme for the Std. XI and XII students of the state from 26th to 29th July 2012 at Science City.

The programme aims to inspire and motivate the meritorious students about the philosophy of the process and enroll them for the National and International Science Olympiads in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology and Astronomy.

Shri Ravi S Saxena, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, DST, Govt of Gujarat is ianugurating this programme and Dr. R. N. Vakil, eminent science educator and Director, CEPT University will be the Guest of Honour.

Eminent scientists and Faculties including Prof. Vijay Singh, National Coordinator of the Science Olympiads, Dr. D. V. Prabhu, Dean of Science, Mumbai University, Prof. Bharat Chatoo, Professor and Head, Biotechnology Dept, M. S. University, Vadodara, Prof. K. N. Joshipura, Head, Department of Physics, S. P. University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Prof. A. M. Vaidya, Prof. in Mathematics, Gujarat University, Prof. Udayan Prajapati, St. Xavier College will conduct different sessions to guide the students during the orientation workshop.

The sessions are so meticulously designed so that students can take an example to crack equations, brew concoctions and prove their skills to excel in this prestigious international competition.

In addition, Gujarat Science City is also coordinating the programme with HBCSE and Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) in setting up new examination centers for the local students in Gujarat.

Gujarat Science City is also prepared a special informative CD in this regard which will give information about all science olympiads subjects, its syllabus, previous year question papers as well as guidance for the current year preparation.
(Inputs by Scientist Narottam Sahu)

Ahmedabad, 6 July 2012

For the convenience of passengers, Ministry of Railways has decided to introduce a new weekly train 13425/13426 between Surat and Malda Town.

Train No. 13426 Surat-Malda Town Weekly Express will leave Surat at 12.50 hrs every Monday from 09th July, 2012. It will reach Malda Town at 06.00 hrs the third day. Similarly, Train No. 13425 Malda Town-Surat Weekly Express will depart at 12.50 hrs from Malda Town every Saturday from 7th July, 2012 and reach Surat at 04.50 hrs o­n the third day.

The train will halt at Nandurbar, Amalner, Jalgaon, Bhusaval, Malkapur, Akola, Badnera Jn, Wardha Jn, Nagpur, Gondiya, Durg, Raipur, Bilaspur, Jharsuguda, Raurkela, Ranchi, Muri, Bokaro Steel City, Dhanbad, Asansol, Durgapur, Siuri, Rampur Hat, Pakur and New Farrakka in both the directions.

It consists of AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper & Second Class General coaches.

The booking of Train No. 13426 Surat – Malda Town Weekly Express will open from 7th July, 2012.