Big News

Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra will conduct a survey on water sanitation in all districts to rank water sanitation levels; The Meghalaya cabinet has approved the implementation of Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS); the Government of Goa announces an employment subsidy for companies that employ 60 percent or more Goans; Himachal Pradesh's 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri plant and the 412 MW Rampur Hydro Electric Project temporarily shut down, leading to blackouts; and more

Center – State relations

The center has approved construction of nearly 267,000 more affordable houses for the poor in 10 states under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban). Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra have been allocated over 50,000 housing units each. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

Three states – Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra – launched the Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018 (SSG 2018) announced by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation on July 13, 2018. Under the SSG 2018, an independent survey agency will conduct a survey on water sanitation in all districts in August 2018, and the results will be announced in the form of a ranking of all districts and states on the basis of quantitative and qualitative metrics. Source: 5 Dariya News In detail: Press Release

Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) has removed a generation-based incentive offered to wind energy generators and has allowed the state's power distribution companies to procure wind power through a tariff-based bidding process in response a petition from the Southern and Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited. Source: Mercom In detail: Order from APERC

Bihar

Nothing critical to report this week.

New Delhi

To increase the income of farmers in the national capital by three times, the Delhi government has approved a farm solar power scheme to provide an additional income of $1,455 per acre per year to farmers. Source: Live Mint

Dutch science agency Department of Biotechnology and NOW, the Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) have undertaken a joint venture to bring dynamic changes in the way sewage is treated in India by launching "Local Treating of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse" or "LOTUS HR" at Delhi's Barapullah drain. Source: Financial Express In detail: LOTUS HR

Gujarat

The Gujarat government submitted a memorandum to the 15th Finance Commission asking for compensation for the revenue loss of over $1.3 billion annually due to prohibition of alcohol in the state. Source: Financial Express

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani released the state's Urban Sanitation and Cleanliness Policy for better management of solid and liquid waste in cities, which seeks to streamline collection and disposal of all kinds of waste in cities and towns, as well as convert solid waste into fuel to generate "green energy." Source: Times of India

Haryana

The Haryana government has constituted an inter-district council, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, to identify the developmental priorities of the state and will prepare district specific action plans, assessment of development needs, and delegate powers to panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies. Source: Times of India

Karnataka

According to a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Karnataka has overtaken Tamil Nadu as India's leading state in renewable energy generation, with a total of 12.3 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity installed as of March 2018. Source: Economic Times In detail: Karnataka's Electricity Sector Transformation

Taiwan's Wistron Technologies is investing $436 million in Narasapura industrial area of Kolar district to set up an iPhone manufacturing unit. Source: BGR

The Karnataka Iron & Steel Association (KISMA), as well as other affected manufacturers, have appealed to the state government for an immediate repeal of its decision to hike water tariff for industrial use by 100 times, claiming it has led to significant escalation in production costs for industries in the state. Source: Economic Times

Madhya Pradesh

Union Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stones for over $521 million of road projects in Madhya Pradesh, and announced that work on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway passing through Jaipur and the Bhopal-Indore Expressway and the Chambal Expressway will start soon. Source: Business Standard

Maharashtra

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a special session of the Maharashtra legislature would be convened to pass "a law or a resolution" regarding reservation for the Marathas. Source: Times of India

According to data from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Maharashtra has the highest level of rooftop solar installations and capacity, coming in at 145.1 megawatts (MW) out of 1,095 MW of capacity in India. Source: Hindustan Times

Rajasthan

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated various information technology-related projects in the state, including an incubation center to be established in Kota and Jodhpur, a security operations center and disaster recovery data center in Jodhpur, and an integrated health management system in Jaldhara. Source: DNA In detail: Press Release

Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has released the draft state Forest Policy aimed at preserving forests and wildlife, conservation of ecosystems, and climate change mitigation among others in the state. Source: Money Control In detail: Draft State Forest Policy

Telangana

The state cabinet decided to set up 119 new residential schools for the Backward Classes across the state and recruit 4,284 staff members to manage them. A decision was also taken to conduct a Backward Classes (BC) population census in Telangana. Source: New Indian Express In detail: Press Release (in Telegu)

The Telangana government has released $863 million for the second phase of the Rythu Bandhu scheme, which is a $1.7 billion scheme to provide financial assistance of $58 each to farmers for every acre they own. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to build the capacity of the state's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector to raise funds from the markets and list on stock exchanges. Source: Business Standard

Following the high solar tariff of 5 cents per kilowatt hour, or unit, bid at an auction for 1,000 MW in grid-connected solar projects conducted by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), the state government has canceled the auction and will be conducting another bid. Source: Financial Express In detail : Original Tender

UPNEDA has retendered 500 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity to be developed across Uttar Pradesh. Officials stated that, "Now, instead of tendering 1 GW at once, we have split the capacity into two tenders of 500 MW each. Once the first 500 MW is auctioned, only then will we issue the tender for the other 500 MW." Source: Mercom In detail: Notice for Tender

West Bengal

The West Bengal state government released the West Bengal Direct Selling Guidelines 2018, becoming the seventh state in the country to regulate direct selling. ** Source:** Outlook India In detail: West Bengal Direct Selling Guidelines 2018

State-owned oil company, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), is investing nearly $1.74 billion in West Bengal to lay a liquefied petroleum gas pipeline, improve capacity at Haldia, and upgrade fuel quality. Source: The Hindu Business Line

The state assembly passed the West Bengal Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2018. Source: The Hindu

Best of the Rest

Assam

The Assam government has drafted a logistics policy to make the state a logistics hub by promoting the setting up of warehouses and cold storage facilities. Source: The Telegraph

Goa

To encourage employment of Goans in the local industries, the Government of Goa announced the Employment Subsidy Scheme, 2017, where MSMEs and large industries will be reimbursed $36,400 and $72,800, respectively for hiring 60 percent and more Goans. Source: KNN India In detail: Employment Subsidy Scheme, 2017

Himachal Pradesh

Four hydro projects in the state, including the country's two mega hydro projects, the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri plant and the 412 MW Rampur Hydro Electric Project were temporarily shut down due to rise in slit levels in the Satluj river, leading to blackouts and power supply disruptions. Source: New Indian Express

Kerala

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the center has approved $11.6 million for flood relief in Kerala and added that an inter-ministerial team will visit the state's flood-hit areas within next 10 days. Source: The News Minute

Meghalaya

The Meghalaya cabinet has approved the implementation of Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) phase-IV, converging with the health protection scheme of the center, which was launched under the Ayushman Bharat Programme. Source: BioSpectrum

Mizoram

The Mizoram government will construct four solar plants and a solar park in different parts of the state, to generate 80MW solar power by 2021, as per the Mizoram Solar Power Policy adopted in 2017 to encourage, develop and promote solar power generation in the state. Source: The Telegraph

Odisha

The Odisha government is vehemently opposed to the center's latest approach to resolve the crisis in stressed power assets by floating an electricity distribution (discom) company. Under the latest plan for bailing out the stressed power assets, the central government has proposed to forge a discom to buy power from such stations. Source: Business Standard

Punjab

The Punjab government has approved renewable energy projects worth $14.5 million, according to the state minister for power and new and renewable energy sources, Gurpreet Singh Kangar. The approvals include nine small hydro projects with the combined 5.55 MW capacity, one bio- compressed natural gas project, and a bio-coal plant. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) announced it has started distribution of energy efficient appliances through post offices of Punjab and Chandigarh, following an agreement between the Department of Posts and EESL. Source: CNBC

Sikkim

Fertilizer company IFFCO announced it has signed an agreement with Sikkim government to explore business opportunities in organic food market with an initial investment of $29 million. Source: Times of India