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Articles by Kalpesh Damor
Really long shot: Parents in Gujarat taking kids abroad for Covid vax-cation
AHMEDABAD/SURAT: Rajdeep Brahmbhatt and wife Siddhi recently returned from the US to Ahmedabad. The couple did not go to America on any business or social trip – the purpose of their 19-day-travel was to ensure that their fiveyear-old twin boys Sarva and Sattva get vaccinated against Covid-19. “The kids are natural-born citizens of the US and were eligible for the vaccine.
Electric vehicles ecosystem takes shapes in Gujarat
Even though electric vehicles, particularly two-wheelers, have been in the market for at least a decade, the uptakes had not been significant despite the subsidies rolled out by state and central governments. However, with growing awareness, the emergence of technologically sound and efficient vehicles, and the creation of charging infrastructure, the demand for electric vehicles has grown substantially in Gujarat.
Cyber fraud cases in Gujarat grew by 67% in 2020-21
Representative image AHMEDABAD: As more people lean on digital transactions amid the Covid pandemic, hundreds also fell victim to financial cyber fraud. The number of such cases in Gujarat rose by 67% in 2020-21, as fraudsters cast their nets wider to dupe people who were largely at home due to restriction induced by Covid-19. Scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) in the state reported 4,671 cases of cyber fraud in the 2020-21 fiscal compared to 2,803 in 2019-20.
Rising demand charges up electric two-wheeler manufacturing in Gujarat
Subsidies offered by Centre and state governments, awareness among consumers and high fuel prices have led to surge in demand AHMEDABAD: With electric two-wheelers’ demand seeing a spurt amid greater thrust on faster adoption of electric vehicles and high fuel prices, more and more players are betting big on electric two-wheeler manufacturing in Gujarat.
Power generation from coal falls 56% in Gujarat
Private sector’s generation from coal plunged 70% to 1,858GWh from 6,142GWh. AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s production of electricity from the coal-fired thermal power plants halved in October as private sector plants struggled to generate power due to spiralling prices of imported coal.
Gujarat’s stock investors on BSE set to touch 1 crore-mark
AHMEDABAD: With soaring share markets attracting more and more investors, the number of stock investors from Gujarat on BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) is set to cross the one crore-mark. India’s premier bourse has already seen the count of its registered users (based on unique client codes) from Gujarat jump to 99 lakh as of November 21, which is the second highest registered accounts on BSE after Maharashtra, shows the data compiled by the exchange.
Healthcare sector’s share in Gujarat’s CSR spend jumps to 55% after pandemic
AHMEDABAD: With the corporate world joining forces with state and central governments to combat Covid-19 pandemic, the healthcare sector became the top priority and grabbed the largest share of corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure incurred by companies in Gujarat. Gujarat saw an estimated Rs 582 crore being spent by firms—public and private sector—for CSR activities in 2020-21.
Costlier coal: Dye makers see production costs soar
AHMEDABAD: Spiralling coal prices have pushed up the prices of basic raw materials used to make dyestuff and dyes. Costly coal along with the reduction in imports from China have caused dye and dyestuff raw material prices surge 50 per cent to 400 per cent during April-October period.
Diwali to Diwali, 17 Gujarat companies reward investors with returns above 100%
AHMEDABAD: Stock market investors are a happy lot with many listed companies rewarding them with handsome returns. As many as 17 companies from Gujarat have yielded returns above 100% since last Diwali, which fell on November 14, 2020. Riding on the stock market rally, Gujarat-based 10 companies’ share prices have galloped more than 200% from their price levels on Diwali last year. Out of these star performers, seven firms trebled their investors’ wealth.
Pharma products' approvals in Gujarat rise as firms expand portfolios
AHMEDABAD: With a strong demand growth in the healthcare space and people focusing more on preventative care after the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, pharma companies are adding more drugs and products to their existing portfolios. As a result, there has been a substantial jump in product approvals granted to manufacture medicines in Gujarat. For instance: Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) in September issued 5,494 licences to make different allopathic drugs and products.
Gujarat: Sales of Covid-19 drugs plunge
AHMEDABAD: With the Covid-19 cases plummeting steeply across the state and remaining in double digit for the past few months, the sales of drugs — favipiravir and remdesivir — used in the treatment of Covid-19 have also plunged drastically. Vitamins, sanitizers and immunity boosters’ sales too have dropped in line with the reduction in Covid cases. The sales of remdesivir across the state have declined to 1,680 vials in so far in October as against the record sale of 3.49 lakh injections in April.
Gujarat's bolt from blue leaves global paint makers in red!
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat paints Ferrari red and BMW blue! No wonder, paint-makers across the world are blue in the face. Spiralling raw material costs and working capital constraints have red flagged pigment blue manufacturers to cut down production significantly. As a result, leading paint manufacturers across the globe are finding it difficult to make some shades of the hue.
'Most preferred destination': In 5 years, Gujarat bags maximum projects
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat seems to have emerged as the most preferred destination for setting up projects by private corporate companies as the state attracted the maximum number of projects sanctioned by banks and financial institutions during the five-year period from 2016-17 to 2020-21. At 14.7%, Gujarat grabbed the highest percentage share of the sanctioned projects during the quinquennial period.
Investors back Gujarat startups; 7 get Rs 77 crore funding in FY22
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat-based startups seem to have begun the current financial year on a positive note with seven of them cumulatively raising around Rs 77 crore so far in fiscal 2021-22. For instance: Ahmedabad-based sampling and management platform for direct to consumer (D2C) brands Smytten raised about Rs 44.4 crore in August. The startup intends to utilize the fresh investment primarily for scaling up its user base and building many industry-first tech and data solutions.
Ahmedabad: IBM eyes GIFT City for software development centre
IBM Software Labs, as part of its expansion in Gujarat, is planning to set up a state-of-the-art product engineering, design and software development center AHMEDABAD: Global information technology major IBM is scouting for space in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar for establishing its software lab. The multinational giant is most likely to take up 1.5 lakh square feet (sq.ft.) space in a phased manner, said market sources.
Ahmedabad restaurant brands going global to tickle NRG taste buds
Jay Bhavani Vadapav, a local fast-food joint in Ahmedabad, has invested at least Rs 1 crore to launch an outlet in Canada AHMEDABAD: Food and flavours from back home invariably bring along a lot of nostalgia and joys especially when in a foreign land. Gujaratis settled abroad will now be able to relish local food specialities such as pulao, pav bhaji, vadapav and sandwiches as Ahmedabad's popular restaurant brands are now either entering or expanding in foreign countries.
Farm use drives power demand across Gujarat to new high
AHMEDABAD: Power demand across Gujarat soared to a record high on Tuesday, thanks to the increased consumption of electricity in the agriculture sector amid the stalled monsoon. With more and more farmers drawing groundwater using pumps to save their crops, the electricity demand from the agriculture space, too, has reached near its all-time high level.
Gujarat Inc spends less than 1% of CSR funds on sports
AHMEDABAD: Even as homegrown Amul and Adani Group have joined as sponsors for the Indian contingent at the ongoing Olympic Games in Tokyo, sports receive less than 1% of the total corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure by Gujarat Inc. Corporate companies in Gujarat spent about Rs 910 crore on various CSR projects in 2019-20, of which only Rs 1.86 crore went towards encouraging sports.
Five Gujarat companies' m-cap crosses Rs 50,000 crore in 2021
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Gas Limited (GGL)'s market capitalization crossed Rs 50,000 crore on Friday. With this, five Gujarat-based companies have achieved this milestone in 2021 on the back of a strong rally in their share prices. Apart from Gujarat government-owned GGL, other four companies to have made it to the Rs 50,000 crore and more m-cap club this year are Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Adani Total Gas Ltd (ATGL) and Adani Transmission Ltd (ATL).
Not just IPOs, Gujarat firms opting for PE investments to fuel growth
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat-based companies seem to be warming up to private equity (PE) investments with a growing number of Gujarati promoters, who normally bank more on initial public offers (IPOs) to raise funds, now also striking deals with PE players. For instance, global PE major KKR last month announced an investment of Rs 4,600 crore for a controlling stake in Vini Cosmetics, the Ahmedabad-based maker of the deodorant brand Fogg.
Gujarat: CNG sales cross pre-Covid levels while petrol prices soar
The sales had even plummeted to 8 lakh kg a day in May last year amid the nationwide lockdown AHMEDABAD: The sales of compressed natural gas (CNG) in Gujarat have bounced back and even surpassed its pre-Covid levels. Soaring petrol and diesel prices, demand growth after easing of curbs imposed due to the second wave of the Covid-19 as well as addition of new stations by city gas distribution (CGD)companies have pushed up CNG sales.
Green leap: Gujarat set for 3-fold RE surge
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat is making rapid strides into the renewable energy (RE) sector with a slew of mega green energy projects. These projects relate not just to electricity generation but also to equipment manufacturing. Backed by policy initiatives and strong investor support, Gujarat’s renewable power generation capacity is expected to jump to 38,466MW by 2025 and 61,466MW by 2030, according to the state government’s estimates.
Medicine makers set to ramp up production
Ahmedabad: The second wave of Covid-19 in Gujarat was all about queues – right from getting tested to finding an ambulance to getting a bed. But two things got added in the mix very soon – the relatives scurried for essential drugs along with oxygen for their relatives admitted in hospitals. Thus, when the announcements were made for remdesivir by a few hospitals, hundreds turned up in hope to get a shot at faster recovery.
Gujarat’s exports from SEZs surge 20% in May
AHMEDABAD: The cumulative exports from Gujarat’s functional special economic zones (SEZs) surged 20% to Rs 18,441 crore in May this year from Rs 15,418 crore in the preceding month of April, according to government data. Increase in exports of petroleum , pharmaceutical and chemical products pushed up the overall exports from the 20 SEZs operational within the state. The exports from Reliance SEZ increased by 36% from Rs 10,203 crore in April to 13,869 crore in May.
Gujarat tally of firms with $5bn-plus m-cap up 3 times since pandemic
AHMEDABAD: It is not just billion dollars, Gujarat's tally of companies with mcap of five-billion-dollar (Rs 36,500 crore) and more has also trebled thanks to rallying stock prices of these listed firms. The number of Gujarat-based companies having $5 billion-plus market cap has now galloped to 10 from three in February 2020, just before the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
Gujarat: Zydus Cadila now plans to test its Covid-19 vaccine for 5-12 age group
“We will have a good amount of data on children in this age group.
Gujarat again tops new wind power capacity
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat continues to be the preferred destination for setting up wind power projects in India. Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Gujarat witnessed the highest addition of wind power generation capacity in the country in 2020-21. Wind power projects with the cumulative generation capacity of 1,020.3MW were installed and commissioned in Gujarat from April 2020 to March 21.
Gujarat: Kutch cylinder units restart as liquid oxygen supply resumes
AHMEDABAD: Oxygen cylinder manufacturing plants in Kutch district have resumed operations with liquid oxygen being made available to them. The oxygen cylinder makers had to temporarily shut production for the want of liquid oxygen amid the unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases and the consequent spike in the demand for the lifesaving gas from hospitals. Liquid oxygen is a raw material used in the process of making seamless cylinders that store medical-grade oxygen.
Gujarat: In pandemic year, SEZs see 19% dip in exports
AHMEDABAD: There has been a 19% decline in exports from operational special economic zones in Gujarat during 2020-21, due to disruptions in demand and supply caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The cumulative exports — both merchandise and services — from functional SEZs in Gujarat plummeted from Rs 1.57 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 1.27 lakh crore in fiscal 2020-21.
Ahmedabad: Oximeter, inhaler prices up as demand rises
Patients undergoing treatment at Shardaben Hospital AHMEDABAD: With reports of hospitals gasping for oxygen and patients waiting for beds, Amdavadis have been making a beeline for pharmacies to stock on ‘essentials’ like steam inhalers, pulse oximeters, and thermometers among other devices. So much so that chemists are running out of stock. Everyone is scared of catching the virus and are buying everything possible to keep the family protected, or if they test Covid-positive, help in the cure.
Ahmedabad: Industry chips in, as Covid-19 battle turns fierce
Image used for representational purpose only AHMEDABAD: Even as the government is pulling out all stops to fight the fierce second wave of Covid-19, trade and industry has once again chipped in to aid the efforts of controlling the spread and breaking the chain of transmission. Last year, when the pandemic began, Gujarat Inc had opened its purse and donated wholeheartedly to contain the Covid-19 spread.
Cylinder makers in Kutch halt exports to meet demand
AHMEDABAD: Top manufacturers of seamless cylinders — namely Everest Kanto Cylinder and Rama Cylinders — have stopped exporting oxygen cylinders from their plants in Kutch to serve the domestic market only. The move to cater to the domestic requirement has come in due to the spike in demand for oxygen cylinders following a massive surge in the use of the lifesaving gas at hospitals across the country.
Home-based oxygen demand also shot up in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD: Fifteen days ago there were few Covid patients in hospitals , but the number of patients now has shot up dramatically. “Suppose a small hospital had 10 beds a fortnight ago, the number of beds in that hospital has now gone up to 20. Hence, their requirement of medical oxygen has also gone up manifold,” said an oxygen manufacturer and re-filler. Oxygen suppliers also explained that several new hospitals, especially smaller ones, have been allowed to admit and treat Covid-19 patients.
Gujarat billion-dollar club grows bigger at 22
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s billion-dollar-plus market cap club has grown bigger on the back of stock markets rally since last June. The number of listed companies having m-cap of more than a billion dollar (approximately Rs 7,532 crore) has now increased to 22 from 17 within a year since April 2020.
Flipkart ties up with Adani for logistics, data hub
NEW DELHI/AHMEDABAD: In a strategic move that marks billionaire Gautam Adani’s foray into India’s booming e-commerce space, the Adani Group has inked a pact with Walmart-owned Flipkart to build one of India’s largest logistics hubs and data centres.
Gujarat added most CNG stations in India
AHMEDABAD: Continuing its thrust on the usage of clean fuel, Gujarat added the highest number of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in India during the April-January period in 2020-21. In fact, the state accounted for 20% of the new CNG stations developed in the country during the period. The number of CNG stations in Gujarat increased by 102 to 738 by the end of January 2021 as compared to 636 CNG stations on April 1, 2020.
Covid-19 cripples most Gujarat listed firms’ first-quarter profit
AHMEDABAD: Covid-19 induced slowdown -- domestically and globally -- has left most corporate companies bleeding, with their earnings taking a substantial blow in the first quarter of fiscal 2020-21. An analysis of Gujaratbased 45 listed firms’ financial performance in April-June period shows that 35 companies either posted losses or clocked reduction in their net profits.
FDCA nod to 134 Gujarat companies to make hand sanitizer
AHMEDABAD: The rush to make hand sanitizers has intensified with more companies venturing into this personal hygiene product. In the past two months, as many as 134 new manufacturers across Gujarat have been granted permission to manufacture hand sanitizers. With the demand for hand sanitizers skyrocketing amid rising cases of Covid-19 across the country, new players continue to enter the hand sanitizer space.
Gujarat coronavirus spend: Rs 500 crore and counting
GANDHINAGAR: Battling coronavirus pandemic has not come cheap for the state government. In the four month between April and July, the state government has spent about Rs 500 crore towards treating Covid patients. This comes to an average Rs 100 crore every month. Top sources in the state health and family welfare department revealed that the government has so far released Rs 329 crore in grants to civil hospitals, district administrations, and municipal corporation-run hospitals.
Ahmedabad: Many bureaucrats surrender apartments, seek bungalows
The Samarpan Flats complex in the Gulbai Tekra area GANDHINAGAR: Samarpan Flats, among the most well known residential addresses in Ahmedabad for top IAS and IPS officers and senior high court judges, is seeing an exodus. Top babus and cops living at Samarpan have sought bungalows in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, citing the Covid situation.
Gujarat nod for 92 firms to make immunity boosters
Representative image AHMEDABAD: With demand for vitamin C and D spurting drastically amid unprecedented rush for immunity boosters, more and more firms have ventured into manufacturing of these micronutrients since the outbreak of Covid-19. Since April 2020, 92 manufacturers have received a go-ahead by Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) to make vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in the state.
Employees in Gujarat firms get additional Covid cover
Representative image AHMEDABAD: With corporate offices resuming operations adhering to safety norms and government guidelines, many companies have now raised health insurance cover for their employees post Covid-19 outbreak. Corporate houses such as Adani Group, Torrent Group, Zydus Cadila and many other have increased health covers for their employees. “Considering the ongoing pandemic situation, we have provided additional mediclaim cover of Rs 5 lakh to all our employees for Covid-19.
Gujarat: 150 Morbi firms join hands to take on Chinese manufacturers
Morbi houses 350 MSMEs engaged in manufacturing clocks, toys, gift articles, electronic and electrical as well...Read More AHMEDABAD: In a novel initiative supporting the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat or self reliant India, around 150 firms in Morbi have joined hands to create a local alternative to products manufacturing currently being outsourced to China.
Groundnut yield in Gujarat to be highest in decade
Image used for representational purpose AHMEDABAD: Groundnut production in the state is heading towards a record yield this year that may be the highest annual groundnut crop yield in a decade, say agriculture experts.
Gujarat lends its base to two Covid-19 drugs
Remdesivir (L) and favipiravir were recently been approved by the Drug Controller General of India AHMEDABAD: Two antiviral drugs-- favipiravir and remdesivir—recently greenlighted for treatment of Covid-19 patients in India have a Gujarat connection. While remdesivir generic version is now being manufactured in Vadodara, the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of favipiravir is being made at Ankleshwar in the state.
Gujarat companies produce 2 crore litres of sanitiser a day
A worker arrange hand sanitizer bottles at the Sterlife Biotec company in Changodar. (Photo: AFP) AHMEDABAD: With more firms foraying into hand sanitiser space to cater to the unprecedented demand for this personal hygiene product due to Covid-19 pandemic, the cumulative capacity to manufacture hand sanitizers has galloped to a whopping 2 crore litres per day (LPD) across Gujarat.
Gujarat: Industries resume, then face lockdown aftershocks
Shortage of labourers, triggered by the mass exodus of migrants from Gujarat, coupled with decline in demand f...Read More AHMEDABAD: Even though industries have resumed operations since over a fortnight in Gujarat, production has mostly failed to cross 50% of installed capacities across sectors.
Migrant exodus from Gujarat derails plans of industries to resume operations
The mass movement of migrant labourers back to their home states has come as a major setback to industrial uni...Read More AHMEDABAD: A packaging material factory in Sanand industrial estate received permission to operate in early April itself and used to clock 16-17 tonnes of production. Ganpat Mehta, the owner of the factory ensured the labourers are paid and taken care of, while his factory continued production activity with due social distancing and limited strength.
Industrial units across Ahmedabad restart work
Photo used for representational purpose only AHMEDABAD: After nearly two months of lockdown, manufacturing units at industrial estates in the city, finally resumed operations, albeit with limited staff. While only a few could start production, most have begun cleaning and maintenance of machinery and their premises to restart production and fulfil pending orders. Factories in the Vatva, Naroda, Odhav and Narol industrial estates in Ahmedabad opened on Tuesday.
37 pharma firms get Gujarat FDCA nod for azithromycin - ET HealthWorld
AHMEDABAD: More and more pharmaceutical companies are venturing into manufacturing of azithromycin, which along with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is used in the treatment of Covid-19. Since March, Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has granted permissions to 37 firms to manufacture this antibiotic in Gujarat. “Azithromycin has been included into the standard treatment protocol for Covid-19.
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