EVEN as preparations for the Vibrant Gujarat Navratri Mahotsav 2006 beginning September 23 are on in full swing, the government has permitted garba organisers to use loudspeakers till midnight.
As per an earlier Supreme Court directive, all state governments are allowed to exercise their powers to extend the deadline from 10 pm to midnight and use loudespeakers for 15 days in a year to mark certain festivities. The same guideline has been brought into force this Navratri, said a senior Tourism official. Meanwhile, going back on its word to mark the event with austerity in view of the recent flood havoc, the Modi Government is preparing for a grand celebration of the Navratri Mahotsav at Gandhinagar Helipad.
As per the plan, about 100 artistes from 11 countries— Scotland, Israel, Bhutan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Russia, Astrakhan, Malaysia and Nepal— are expected to participate. Besides, 250 artistes from different states and 300 from Gujarat will be there.
The government will set up 24 food courts and a craft bazaar. As many as eight theme pavilions will be erected at the venue, besides an audio-visual gallery highlighting the significance of various tourist places in the State.
Cultural programmes will be staged between 8:00 pm and 12 midnight during the nine-night festival.
The official said road shows had been held in Mumbai, Jaipur, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkatta to woo people to visit Gujarat. Similar road shows will soon be staged in Delhi, Bhopal, Indore, Pune, Nasik and Nandurbar, he added.
Source: Expressindia.com
At Navratri, loudspeakers allowed till midnight
September 6, 2006, 10:04 amGCMMF dairies set to milk Brand Amul
September 6, 2006, 10:02 am
NOW, a common Amul milk brand will come into effect throughout the state from October 1, following a decision in Tuesday board of directors’ meet of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). Barring absentees— the Surat and Ahmedabad dairy chiefs—the rest agreed to adopt the common brand name for selling milk in the state from October 1 onwards, with the local dairy brand names for milk to be phased out gradually.
The 12-member dairies of GCMMF, barring Kaira Dairy based in Anand, have been selling milk or milk products under their respective local brand names so far, while the marketing of milk and milk products is done by GCMMF. Moves were afoot to adopt the common brand name of Amul for milk, which has wider acceptance and reach. Consensus had eluded the proposal with some dairy federations resisting the move. In the Tuesday meet, all except the Ahmedabad and Surat dairy chiefs who remained absent on health grounds unanimously agreed that the common Amul brand name can spell profit both for the milk farmers and consumers. Incidentally, Surat and Ahmedabad were among the district milk federations which had expressed doubts about the common brand name. The decision has been restricted only to milk, and not milk products so far, with the local brand names for milk to be phased out gradually. But hints are being also dropped that a common Amul brand could be possibly be in the offing for milk products.
Interestingly, Mehsana Dairy chairman Vipul Chaudhary who has been hinting at asserting his independence on Tuesday was all praise for the move saying, ‘‘It is the right decision in the right direction. It will also address the issue of cross-subsidisation that I had raised earlier and the price difference to milk farmers that existed now will be breached.’’ Chaudhary added that the issues he had raised in the last board meeting about right price to milk farmers and cross-subsidisation have been addressed, to a large extent, with this decision to adopt a common brand name.
With a common brand name, a common price for the consumers will also come into effect across the state. So far, it has been Surat Dairy which has been selling milk to consumers at higher prices as compared to other districts in the state. Both Mohan Bharwad, the Ahmedabad dairy chief, and Surat Dairy chief Manubhai Patel remained absent at Tuesday’s meeting reportedly on health grounds and were unavailable for comments.
Panchmahals Dairy chairman Bhupendra Solanki was praise for the Tuesday decision. ‘‘Smaller dairies do not spend on advertising, Amul has a widely-accepted marketing presence as well as advertising budget which will only help us. Phasing out local brands will be no problem,’’ said Solanki.
The decision will not affect the local sale of milk by respective district unions, said Baroda Dairy director Ajit Thakore. ‘‘Each district dairy will continue to sell its product in the respective city or district. The profits will be decided upon the volume share of milk sold by each dairy. ’’ said Thakore.
Who’s jumping on to Amul brandwagon
GCMMF and Kaira Dairy: Amul
* Baroda Dairy: Sugam
* Mehsana Dairy: Sagar
* Ahmedabad Dairy: Uttam
* Surat Dairy: Sumul
* Rajkot Dairy: Gopala
* Panchmahals Dairy: Panchamrut
* Valsad Dairy: vasudhara
* Bharuch Dairy: Dudhdhara
* Surendranagar Dairy: Sursagar
* Sabarkantha dairy: Sabar
* Gandhinagar Dairy: Madhur
Source: Expressindia.com
The 12-member dairies of GCMMF, barring Kaira Dairy based in Anand, have been selling milk or milk products under their respective local brand names so far, while the marketing of milk and milk products is done by GCMMF. Moves were afoot to adopt the common brand name of Amul for milk, which has wider acceptance and reach. Consensus had eluded the proposal with some dairy federations resisting the move. In the Tuesday meet, all except the Ahmedabad and Surat dairy chiefs who remained absent on health grounds unanimously agreed that the common Amul brand name can spell profit both for the milk farmers and consumers. Incidentally, Surat and Ahmedabad were among the district milk federations which had expressed doubts about the common brand name. The decision has been restricted only to milk, and not milk products so far, with the local brand names for milk to be phased out gradually. But hints are being also dropped that a common Amul brand could be possibly be in the offing for milk products.
Interestingly, Mehsana Dairy chairman Vipul Chaudhary who has been hinting at asserting his independence on Tuesday was all praise for the move saying, ‘‘It is the right decision in the right direction. It will also address the issue of cross-subsidisation that I had raised earlier and the price difference to milk farmers that existed now will be breached.’’ Chaudhary added that the issues he had raised in the last board meeting about right price to milk farmers and cross-subsidisation have been addressed, to a large extent, with this decision to adopt a common brand name.
With a common brand name, a common price for the consumers will also come into effect across the state. So far, it has been Surat Dairy which has been selling milk to consumers at higher prices as compared to other districts in the state. Both Mohan Bharwad, the Ahmedabad dairy chief, and Surat Dairy chief Manubhai Patel remained absent at Tuesday’s meeting reportedly on health grounds and were unavailable for comments.
Panchmahals Dairy chairman Bhupendra Solanki was praise for the Tuesday decision. ‘‘Smaller dairies do not spend on advertising, Amul has a widely-accepted marketing presence as well as advertising budget which will only help us. Phasing out local brands will be no problem,’’ said Solanki.
The decision will not affect the local sale of milk by respective district unions, said Baroda Dairy director Ajit Thakore. ‘‘Each district dairy will continue to sell its product in the respective city or district. The profits will be decided upon the volume share of milk sold by each dairy. ’’ said Thakore.
Who’s jumping on to Amul brandwagon
GCMMF and Kaira Dairy: Amul
* Baroda Dairy: Sugam
* Mehsana Dairy: Sagar
* Ahmedabad Dairy: Uttam
* Surat Dairy: Sumul
* Rajkot Dairy: Gopala
* Panchmahals Dairy: Panchamrut
* Valsad Dairy: vasudhara
* Bharuch Dairy: Dudhdhara
* Surendranagar Dairy: Sursagar
* Sabarkantha dairy: Sabar
* Gandhinagar Dairy: Madhur
Source: Expressindia.com
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