JAISALMER: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to inaugurate two 50 megawatt solar projects at Phalodi in Jodhpur district by the end of this week. A detailed itinerary of his visit is yet to come but after his approval the state as well as district administration has begun preparations.

The PM's confirmation to the visit is a testimony to the silent yet successful revolution to tap non-conventional sources of energy in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer districts. Pokhran belt in Jaisalmer and Phalodi belt in Jodhpur, over the past few years, have witnessed a surge in the number of solar and wind projects with big-ticket firms competing to set up plants.

The company will on March 13 sign a MoU with the Rajasthan government for setting up the refinery-cum-petrochemical complex

State-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) plans to invest Rs 37,000 crore in setting up a nine million tonne oil refinery and a petrochemical complex at Barmer in Rajasthan. The company will on March 13 sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government for setting up the refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, a source privy to the development said.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot is again in the midst of a controversy involving his family members.

Presenting his last budget before the assembly elections later this year, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Wednesday doled out sops for farmers, elderly, journalists, employees.

JAIPUR: In the financial year 2013-14, the state government has set a target to provide 75,000 new connections and increase power production capacity to 900MW in the public sector and 660MW in the private sector. It has also estimated that power production from wind energy products in the state would be 400MW.

In the budget presented in the House on Wednesday, Gehlot announced that in the new financial year, two 400 KV and 28 grid substations (GSS) of 132 KV will be completed.

JAIPUR: Anticipating more investments in tourism sector, the 'Tourism Unit Policy-2007' has been extended till March 31, 2014.

JAIPUR: The ravines of Chambal, known for being the hideout of dacoits, may finally get to witness some positive growth indicators.

At least that's what chief minister Ashok Gehlot's budget allocation for the agricultural sector envisions. The budget has drawn up an ambitious plan of leveling the land along the Chambal so that it could be allocated to people without farm land in the area. By providing them an alternate source of livelihood the government wants to ensure that people stay away from joining dacoits. The budget has earmarked Rs 25 crore for the leveling work.

Jaipur: Like charity begins at home, CM Gehlot, obviously remembered his home turf Jodhpur. The sun city will be developed as a solar city and the chief minister made a budgetary allocation of Rs 100 crore for its development. As part of the plan, the government announced a roof top power generation scheme.

The Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has identified 54 places in the country to develop solar cities with three of them being in Rajasthan — Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer. While proposals for preparing master plans for Jaipur and Ajmer are yet to be approved by the MNRE, the same has been cleared for Jodhpur.

JAIPUR: In what will be the biggest ever investment in the state, the board members of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) approved the Rajasthan government's proposal to set up the 19th oil refinery of the country in Barmer.

"The memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up the refinery at Barmer will be signed in Jaipur on March 14 in the presence of Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Veerappa Moily," said a delighted state chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Talking to TOI, Gehlot said that the proposed refinery is a landmark achievement for the entire state and it will translate into revolutionary growth. "I immediately called Mr Moily and welcomed the decision," he added.

JAIPUR: On the eve of the state budget presentation, wildlife activists have pinned their hopes on chief minister Ashok Gehlot to announce some steps towards wildlife conservation.

Some are hoping that the long neglected state bird, the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), will finally get its share in the budget. Rajasthan was once home to 50% of the bird population which has now come down to just about 100.