The Union Government has declared 17 districts in Gujarat as drought-affected, Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani has said.

Swine flu cases have reached epidemic proportions in Gujarat with 121 deaths, most of them females between 15 and 45 years of age, during the past two-and-a-half months.

Besides, at least 652 people have been detected positive for H1N1 virus. In comparison, only 30 deaths were reported last year out of 101 cases that were reported.

At a time when neighbouring Maharashtra is facing the worst drought in 40 years, Gujarat is gearing up to conserve water on a war-footing: About five lakh people will gather in Rajkot district on M

Ahmedabad: The state government has admitted that the water crisis looms large over Saurashtra region. Even in January, a total of 74 villages in three talukas of Junagadh faced severe crisis. The government said that atotal of 216 dams in Rajkot and Kutch have gone dry.

In written reply to a question from Somnath MLA Jasa Barad, the state government said that Junagadh city was being given an additional 50 lakh litres of water every day. In far off villages in Sutrapada, Junagadh and Veraval, the water was being supplied through water tankers. In Junagadh, the number of villages where water was supplied with tankers was 42, followed by 26 in Sutrapada and six in Veraval taluka.

Gandhinagar: The incidences of swine flu continues unabated in the state as seven fresh cases of patients testing positive for the virus came to light on Thursday. Of these, five cases have been reported from Rajkot while one each was reported from Bharuch and Surat.

The flu that is also referred to as H1N1 virus has claimed 30 lives in Gujarat in the past two months, health minister Nitin Patel said in the state assembly on Thursday. An alert has been sounded in the health fraternity regarding the virus which has Saurashtra in its grip. Patel said that H1N1 virus was a cause of concern which has spiked because of the prolonged winter.

For most part of the year, it's only the roar of Asiatic lions that breaks the tranquility of Mityala Wildlife Sanctuary in Amreli district.

Chief minister Narendra Modi's Rs 10,000 crore Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) scheme for water-starved Saurashtra is facing serious challenge from BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh (MP).

Rajkot: Wildlife activists have demanded a ban on illegal lion shows in Amreli district on the outskirts of Gujarat’s Gir sanctuary, where cattle is set as bait for Asiatic lions to entertain touri

Ahmedabad Gujarat Housing Board (GHB) would launch seven projects offering 6,300 residential units for people under various income groups, a decision which comes close on the heels of opposition Congress announcing a housing scheme for women ahead of the Assembly poll.

"A decision to launch seven housing projects - three in Ahmedabad, two in Rajkot and one each in Surat and Vadodara - was taken during a Board meeting held today," Chairman of GHB, Jayantilal Barot said. These projects would have around 6,300 units in three categories LIG (low income group), MIG (medium income group) and HIG (high income group), for which applications forms shall be available from August 27, he said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's toughest challenge in a tough election year could be from the rain gods.