Big News: States and union territories ease land related transactions despite the COVID-19 pandemic; Punjab announces ease of doing business measures for the micro, small, and medium enterprises; Telangana announces a rebate on the property tax; Rajasthan permits net metering for the grid-connected renewable energy systems; and more.

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations

Punjab launches a slew of measures aimed at improving the ease of doing business for the micro, small, and medium enterprises within the state. The measures include rationalizing trade license in the Shops and Establishments Act and reducing imprisonment terms in non-labor related rules. Source: Punjab News Express; In Detail: Press Release

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations

The National Council of Applied Economic Research’s (NCAER) second “land records and services index 2021” finds that states have made considerable progress in digitising land records. Bihar and Odisha now offer online registration of a land transaction, while four other states have enabled online payment of land registration fees and duties. Source: The Print; In detail: NCAER Index 2021

Infrastructure & Governance

Telangana announces a five percent concession on the property tax for the financial year (FY) 2021-22. The rebate will be available to the property owners within the state until the end of April, 2021. Source: Hans India; In detail: Circular

Oil & Gas

Nothing critical to report this week

Water & Sanitation

Nothing critical to report this week

Power & Renewable Energy

Rajasthan permits net metering and net billing arrangement under the renewable energy service company model. The regulations will apply to all grid-connected distributed renewable systems to be commissioned on or after July 1, 2021. Source: Mercom; In detail: Order (RERC Regulations, 2021)

Health

Nothing critical to report this week

Business Negative Reforms

Nothing critical to report this week

Any Other

Nothing critical to report this week

Center – State relations

NITI Aayog launches an energy data portal. The portal provides time series energy data from FY 2005-06 to FY 2019-20. Source: Economic Times; In detail: Press Release

The government of India announces a phase three of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country. Per the phase three guidelines the vaccine manufacturers will supply 50 percent of their monthly central drugs laboratory released doses to the central government and will be free to supply the remaining 50 percent doses to the state governments and in the open market. Source: The Mint; In detail: Press Release