Ahmedabad, Feb.

Ahmedabad, Feb 3 : In Gujarat, the Supreme Court''s Special Investigating Team (SIT) has declared Minister of State (MOS) for Higher education Dr. Maya Kodanani and Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) leader Jaidip Patel as absconding.

Kodanini has been accused in the Naroda Patia and Naroda Gam riot cases. Patel is also an accused in the Naroda Gam case.

Both the leaders have filed an anticipatory bail to evade their arrest.

Jamnagar, Jan. 29 : The popular brass industry of Gujarat's Jamnagar city is presently facing a major challenge to sustain itself following a sharp erosion in the demand for its products in the world market.

A sudden drop in the prices of scrap metal and aggressive marketing from their Chinese counterparts has pushed many of the units manufacturing brass-based parts in Jamnagar region to the brink.

The brassware industry is an important part of the handicrafts and cottage Industry of the country and is known world over for its unmatched range of brass antiques and brass decoratives.

Illol (Gujarat), Jan 27 : The villagers in Gujarat who are normally engaged into agricultural activities or work as labourers, have turned entrepreneurs with their maiden supermarkets like Hearty Mart.

Illol, a small village in Himmat Nagar district of Gujarat, has set an example on improving rural economy in the state.

The initiative was taken by Nadeem Jafri, a Ahmedabad entrepreneur who started setting up franchises of ''Hearty Mart'' with an aim to satisfy the desires and demands of the rural population as provided in the urban areas.

RPG Enterprises owned CEAT tyres laid the foundation stone of a radial tyre plant worth Rs 700 crore at Halol, near Baroda in Gujarat. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding in this regard at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit (VGGIS) in Ahmedabad on January 13.

The chairman of RPG Enterprises Group, Harsha Goenka said that the first phase of plant would be operational by May 2010. The state of Gujarat is also celebrating its foundation day on the same day.

Vadodara (Gujarat), Jan