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NITI Aayog ranks states’ water management- Gujarat on top; Ministry of New & Renewable Energy ranks states’ rooftop solar policies- Karnataka on top; Andhra softens on re-opening the states’ power contracts with generators; Delhi working with World Bank to assess energy storage capacity; Madhya Pradesh expands electric power subsidies; Uttar Pradesh launches new electric vehicle policy; and more.

Center – State relations

Gujarat continues to be the top performer in water management even as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have further increased their scores over the last three years, according to a report by NITI Aayog. Meanwhile, states, including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar, continued to be in the low-performing category. Source: Live Mint In detail: Press Release

Karnataka has emerged as the best state for setting up a roof top solar project, according to a survey released by the Center. The state rooftop solar attractiveness index–SARAL released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said that Telangana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh were among the top four states with a rating of A++. The states were evaluated on the basis of on their attractiveness for rooftop development. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on August 22, chaired the 24th meeting of the Western Zonal Council, a forum for the Center and states to exchange ideas on issues like health, security and social welfare, in Goa. Chief ministers of three states - Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Vijay Rupani (Gujarat), Pramod Sawant (Goa) - and representatives from the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli attended the meeting. Source: Money Control

The Center has approved release of over $615.8 million to Odisha, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh for the damage caused by natural calamities in these states during the last financial year. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh government has softened its stand on the controversial plan to reopen the power purchase agreements (PPAs) inked under the previous TDP government. Union power and new and renewable energy minister Raj Kumar Singh said that he has seen a communication wherein the Andhra Pradesh state government has clarified that they will not open all power purchase agreements (PPAs), but only in those cases where malfeasance is established. Source: Live Mint

Bihar

Nothing critical to report this week.

New Delhi

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (Tata Power-DDL), a distribution arm of Tata Power, has entered into an agreement with International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to assess storage capacity requirement in its area. Source: Saurenergy

Gujarat

Nothing critical to report this week.

Haryana

The Haryana Government has designed a new policy governing the establishment of underground and overhead connectivity and communication infrastructure. Source: The Tribune

Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa expanded his Cabinet with the induction of 17 ministers, but minutes after the swearing in ceremony several legislators openly expressed their discontent, saying that he had ignored them. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government decided to provide electricity at $0.013 per unit to all domestic consumers using up to 100 units every month, with an upper cap of 150 units. The proposal was cleared at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath. “Till now, this subsidised scheme of providing 100 units per month at a rate of $0.013 per unit was meant for poor laborers registered under Indira Griha Jyoti Yojana.” Source: Financial Express

Maharashtra

Maharashtra government has formed a 12-member Investment Promotion Council chaired by state chief minister. The surge in investment, the government believes, will help achieve the $1 trillion economy target by 2025 from the present level of $475 billion. Source: DNA

Rajasthan

Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan tops a 16 state-chart detailing implementation of the free medicine scheme run under the National Health Mission, according to NHM Secretary Manoj Jhalani. Source: E health

Tamil Nadu

With a view to save water for irrigation, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamiy announced a ploughing subsidy of $8.33 per acre to promote direct sowing of paddy in delta districts. “This grant will be given for 500,000 acres where direct sowing is adopted. For this purpose, $4.1 million has been allocated,” the chief minister said in a statement. Source: New Indian Express

Telangana

Google and the Telangana government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to increase and improve local language content online using Google’s digital publishing tool - Navlekha. Source: Live mint

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh government announced Electric Vehicle Manufacturing & Mobility Policy 2019 to promote e-mobility. This policy provides attractive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract investments and increase electric mobility in the state. It also promotes the early adoption of electric vehicles in the state and creates demand in the sector. This policy will come into effect on the date of its notification and will remain in force for a period of 5 years. Source: Electric Vehicles.in In detail: Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy 2019

In a severe blow to Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL), Power System Operation Corporation (Posoco) has blocked the company from purchasing any electricity from power exchanges due to alleged lapses. UPPCL has faced the action for deliberately keeping state power generating companies, including independent power producers, out of the ambit of the Union power ministry’s order regarding implementation of a payment security mechanism-based scheduling of power at intra-state level. Source: Financial Express

Petrol and diesel will cost more in Uttar Pradesh from Tuesday after the state government hiked Value Added Tax (VAT) on both. The VAT on petrol is now up to 26.80 percent, raising the cost $0.013 per liter, while the VAT on diesel has risen to 17.48 percent, raising the cost $0.03 per literThe new and hiked prices came into effect at midnight on Monday. Source: Economic Times

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath allocated portfolios to the 6 newly sworn-in ministers of his cabinet, while also making changes to the departments held by other members of his cabinet. Source: First post

West Bengal

Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) will install 100,000 smart LED streetlights in Kolkata and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation areas. EESL plans to supply 56,000 LED street lights to municipal bodies outside Kolkata. Source: Economic Times

Best of the Rest

Assam

State-run hydro power giant NHPC is likely to begin construction of the 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri power plant in October this year as it has received the requisite approval from the Assam government, an official said. NHPC had inked a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Arunachal Pradesh for setting up the project in 2010. However, since the project falls in the territories of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, the latter’s approval was needed as well. Source: Money Control

Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh government has introduced a rebate on power tariffs to specific units. As per the decision of the state government, mini steel plants operating captive power plants of up to one MW will be eligible for a discount of $0.011 per unit of power consumed. Source: Business Standard

Jharkhand

Supply of domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) was launched in Ranchi on Friday, within 15 months of Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the project’sfoundation .Two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations were also inaugurated for refilling CNG-run private and commercial vehicles in the Jharkhand capital. Supply of domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) was launched in Ranchi on Friday, within 15 months of Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the project’sfoundation .Two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations were also inaugurated for refilling CNG-run private and commercial vehicles in the Jharkhand capital. Source: Energy Infra Post Energy Infra Post

Jammu and Kashmir

Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to be conducted only after the process of delimitation of Assembly seats is finished, which is expected to take about 14 months. Therefore, the polls are likely to be deferred until 2021according to sources in the Election Commission of India (ECI). Source: News nation

Kerala

Kerala government has approved a proposal to frame a new law for the appointment of women as drivers in State Public Sector Undertakings and various departments of the Kerala Government. According to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, the new law will ensure gender equality in driver posts. Source: Jagran Josh

Odisha

The High Level-Clearance Authority (HLCA), the apex body to approve investments in Odisha, has given its go-ahead to five new projects, with a total value of $28.3 billion. Four of the five proposed investments were in non-mineral-based sectors, endorsing the state government’s aspiration to diversify and lure investors beyond its historical strengths of mining, metals and power. Source: Business Standard

Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha (CESU) has inked a pact with Smart Power India (SPI), a subsidiary of Rockefeller Foundation, to work on a model to improve electricity access and reliability in rural areas of Odisha. As per the agreement, CESU and SPI will work together to develop and implement a model distribution zone in a selected area to demonstrate improvements in electricity service by enhancing reliability and customer services. Source: New Indian Express

Punjab

The Punjab government rolled out a mega health insurance scheme clubbing the Center’s Ayushman Bharat plan with its own, a combination which it said will benefit 4.6 million families covering 76 percent of the state’s population. Source: Economic Times

The Punjab government inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UN Development Program (UNDP) for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Source: Millennium Post

Tripura

The Center has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh for transporting 20 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bullet trucks through the Mongla port in Bangladesh to cater to the growing petroleum demand in Tripura. Source: Times of India