News in short from across the state:Wednesday 9 Feb digest

-Second season of census was kicked off today at Gujarat Governor’s residence.

-Gujarat minister Anandiben Patel and Vasuben Trivedi were traveling in Innova that faced accident on Ahmedabad-Vadodara express way between Nadiad and Anand near Chaklasi. Anandiben has minor injury on leg and she is admitted in Ahmedabad’s SAL hospital.

-The official who played an important role in marketing Kerala as “God’s own country” and turning it into one of the top Indian destinations, Sanjay Kaul, a Kerala cadre IAS bureaucrat of the 2001 batch, has been appointed the new managing director of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL). Kaul has come to Gujarat as part of “inter-state cadre transfer” rule, under which an IAS official is allowed to spend three years in her or his home-state. Kaul, whose parents live in Vadodara, worked as director, tourism, Kerala government. The rule allows one to extend the stay in home state to five years. Current MD, TCGL, Anoop Shukla has been sent back to his parent cadre.

-Jamnagar port to have 24 hours Custom clearance facility.

-20-member Pakistani band including singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan performed at Saurashtra’s Torania based Naklang dham during Ram katha.

-Due to lifting and shifting procedure of Flying Rani express’s coaches that derailed two days back in Surat, the Western Railway has declared Mega block during Wednesday afternoon. This would affect timings of about 24 trains before evening.

-Rickshaw owners to go on strike on 12th in Vadodara against what they say police harassment. There are around 45000 rickshaws in Vadodara.

-Saurashtra’s Mangrol will observer one day strike today against transfer of local Swaminarayan Mandir’s Kothari swamy.