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The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy begins inter-state transfers of wind power from wind-rich states to wind-deficient states; the Karnataka state cabinet approves two key debt relief measures for farmers in the state;Indian Oil Corporation announces it will invest $1 billion in infrastructure facilities in Tamil Nadu over three years;the U.S. Food and Drug Administration collaborated with the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration on capacity building, training, networking, knowledge sharing, and compliance; and more.

Center – State relations

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy began the first set of inter-state transfers of wind power from wind-rich states to wind-deficient states, with 126 megawatts (MW) of commissioned wind generated power set to be transferred to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: Press Release

The center has approved construction of nearly 112,000 more affordable houses for urban poor in eight states under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna, with 37,000 of the houses to be constructed in Andhra Pradesh. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release

Andhra Pradesh

Andra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu rang the opening bell to mark the listing ceremony of "Amaravati Bond 2018" at the Bombay Stock Exchange. The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority is expected to raise $286.2 million through these bonds by the end of October for the construction of the new state capital, Amaravati. Source: News 18

Bihar

Nothing critical to report this week

New Delhi

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited has installed over 100,000 energy efficient LED streetlights, replacing the conventional sodium vapor lamps. Source: Money Control

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has announced an ambitious plan to set up solar drains, solar farms, and covering municipal buildings with solar panels to generate clean power. Source: Times of India

Gujarat

The Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited has invited expression of interest from project developers to develop 1,000 MW of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the Dholera Special Investment Region in the state. Source: Mercom In detail: Expression of Interest (EOI) for procurement of 1000 MW Solar Power from proposed Dholera Solar Park

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission granted a license to Torrent Power Limited to supply electricity to the Dholera Special Investment Region, a greenfield industrial city under development 100 kilometers from Ahmedabad. Source: Times of India

A team from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently visited Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration as part of the global harmonization program for capacity building, training, networking, knowledge sharing, and compliance. Source: Pharmabiz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated several development projects in Gujarat, including a government civil hospital, 13 projects of the Junagadh Municipal Corporation, and a milk processing plant in Junagadh. Source: India Today In detail: Press Release

Haryana

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the state government would provide a $43 subsidy to industrial units for three years for each Haryanvi employee in their group C and D categorisation jobs. Source: The Tribune In detail: Press Release

The Northern Lakes Data Corporation has offered to invest $28.6 million in Haryana to strengthen public transport system and mobility. This investment will create 2,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities for youth in the State. Source: News 18 In detail: Press Release

Karnataka

The state cabinet approved the "Karnataka Debt Relief Bill 2018," in a move to ease financial burden on small farmers, agricultural laborers and other weaker sections of society. The bill proposes that any loans taken from non-institutional sources excluding non-banking finance corporations, stand null and void, and any pledged items such as gold and land documents, will have to be returned. Source: Live Mint

The Karnataka cabinet approved a waiver of $4.3 billion in farm loans held by nationalized or commercial banks. This waiver will benefit about 2.3 million farmers. Source: Business Standard

Private engineering colleges signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the World Bank in the presence of state higher education minister G. T. Deve Gowda to review the third phase of the implementation of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Project. The project is an initiative by the government of India with assistance from the World Bank to improve the quality of technical education in engineering colleges. Source: Deccan Herald

Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal was ranked as the city with the lowest overall emission and energy use from urban commute according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think tank. Source: The Hindu Business Line In detail: The Urban Commute

Thirty-one companies have participated in the 35 MW tender by the Renewable Energy Service Company to establish rooftop solar plants in Madhya Pradesh. This tender advances the government of India's target to achieve 40 gigawatts (GW) of solar rooftop installation by 2022. Source: Business Standard

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission has fixed generic tariff rates of $0.03 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for solar PV projects and $0.04/kWh for wind energy projects in the state for FY 2018-19. Source: Mercom In detail: Generic Tariffs for Renewable Energy for FY 2018-19

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission approved a proposal amend the load-shedding protocol for the Eastern Vidarbha region and increase electricity supply to six districts in the region from 8 hours to 12 hours to save the standing crops in those districts. Extended power supply will ensure that agricultural pumps can irrigate crops that are at risk due to low rainfall. The extended hours of electricity supply would be valid till October 15. Source: The Hitavada In detail: Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission Order

State-owned power distribution companies in Maharashtra have purchased 9.93 million renewable energy certificates in FY18, the highest among states. These certificates are an alternative to the physical procurement of renewable energy, and are designed to promote renewables and facilitate renewable purchase obligation compliance. Source: Financial Express

In an apparently inconsonant decision with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency has decided to provide subsidy for solar rooftop systems in 2018-19. The distribution company had earlier sought to discourage subsidies, and had advocated for the levy of a surcharge and gross metering of the rooftop systems. Source: Energy Infra Post In detail: Circular from Maharashtra Energy Development Agency

Rajasthan

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the Bhamashah Techno Hub in Jhalana Industrial Area of Jaipur. Raje said the hub would be the country's biggest center equipped with the ultra-modern technology and would help around 700 entrepreneurs. Source: The News Minute In detail: Press Release (Hindi)

Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government inaugurated a Special Investment Region in Krishnagiri district, as part of its efforts to boost economic growth in northern parts of the state. The region will be developed jointly by GMR Infrastructures Ltd and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. Source: Financial Express In detail: Press Release

Tamil Nadu's Health Department has signed a pact with the government of Victoria, Australia, to improve collaboration on efficient trauma system governance, the creation of trauma registry, and improvement in trauma care quality and research. The health department also launched the Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Care Initiative with the assistance of the National Trauma Research Institute of Australia. Source: eHealth In detail: Press Release

Indian Oil Corporation announced it will invest $1 billion in infrastructure facilities in Tamil Nadu over the next three years. Source: First Post

Telangana

A recent report from the Indian Banks' Association, Boston Consulting Group, and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry found that Telangana is the leading the charge in digital transactions India. Data from the second half of financial year 2017-18 shows that 21.7 percent of the total active savings accounts in the state carried out at least one transaction using Internet banking, compared to a national average of 11.3 percent. Source: India Today In detail: Annual FIBAC Productivity report on Indian Banking Industry, 2018

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced a slew of welfare measures, including free power up to 101 kWh for domestic usage for Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes citizens, salaries on par with government employees for archakas performing poojas in Hindu temples, and payment of $71.50 per month to Imams and Mouzams who perform prayers in mosques. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press release and Press release

Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation plans to add 45 MW of roof-top solar energy capacity this year by encouraging individuals and institutions to set up PV solar panels to meet their energy needs as well as to supply excess generation to the grid. Source: The Hindu

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government has taken up the second phase of implementation of projects for which MOUs were signed with entrepreneurs and industrialists at the Uttar Pradesh Investors' Summit. In the second phase, 152 projects are expected to be launched. Source: Daily Pioneer

West Bengal

The West Bengal government has signed pacts with the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange to raise awareness among the state's micro, small, and medium enterprises to tap the capital market as an alternate funding source. Source: The Hindu In detail: Press Release from the National Stock Exchange

The Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) India has signed an MOU with the West Bengal State Export Promotion Society to set up an Export Facilitation Center. The center would be established inside the premises of EEPC India headquarters and would act as a single-window information venue. Source: Knn India In detail: Press Release

Best of the Rest

Arunachal Pradesh

The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, has cleared projects worth more than $100 million. Source: Indian Express

Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency will utilize a unique Wind-Solar PV hybrid system to generate green power across the State. Source: Daily Pioneer

Himachal Pradesh

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced that, under the Ujjwala Yojna in Himacahal Pradesh, over 70,000 liquefied petroleum gas connections have been provided to families in the state. Source: Economic Times

Jharkhand

Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha inaugurated plans to expand Bokaro airport, which will pave the way for the launch of commercial flights for Calcutta and Patna under the regional connectivity scheme. Under an MOU signed between Steel Authority of India Ltd and Airports Authority of India (AAI) in New Delhi on April 24 this year, the airport will be developed at a cost of $7.52 million and AAI would operate and manage the flight operations. Source: The Telegraph

Jammu and Kashmir

The Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power RK Singh recently said at an event that the central government will issue a single tender to set up a 25 GW solar power park in the Ladakh district of Jammu & Kashmir. The project will deliver power to a transmission point in the neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh for further dispensation. Source: Clean Technica

Former Bihar governor Satya Pal Malik was sworn-in as the new governor of Jammu and Kashmir at a function at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar. Source: First Post

Kerala

Prime Minister Modi has assured Kerala governor P Sathasivam that the flood ravaged state would get more central funds from the National Disaster Response Fund, and that the $85.88 million already released by the center to the state was only the advance assistance. Source: NDTV

Meghalaya

Tathagata Roy was sworn in as the governor of Meghalaya. Meghalaya high court chief justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir administered the oath of office and secrecy to Roy at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong. Source: Times of India

Nagaland

The Nagaland Tribes Council has denounced a warning from the United Naga Council and the Naga Hoho aimed at ostracizing Naga members of the legislative assembly and other members of the community in Manipur if they attend a special session of the Manipur Assembly or any meeting for discussing peace talks. Source: The Hindu

Odisha

The Odisha government has announced that it will draft a single revenue act that would merge various revenue laws that were enacted at different point in times. A 12-member committee has been tasked to frame such a revenue code. Source: The Hindu

The Odisha government has signed an agreement with the government of Japan to serve as Odisha's "Country Partner" for its mega investment Make in Odisha Conclave 2018, scheduled to place in November this year. Source: Economic Times

The state government approved a supplementary budget of $1.82 billion which will be presented during the upcoming session of the Odisha Assembly beginning September 4. The budget was approved during a meeting of the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat. Source: Odisha TV

Punjab

Tariffs are set to decrease in Punjab starting next year, as the Punjab State Power Corporation will begin procuring coal from a coal plant at Pachwara, Jharkhand at a cost of $21.5 per ton, compared to the current price of $34.35 per ton from Coal India, resulting in a 60 percent reduction in costs, and an annual saving of $107.3 million. Source: The Tribune

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited announced that it has partnered with the Bharat Bill Payment System to make electricity bill payment easy for its 8 million consumers through a single online platform. Source: Daily Pioneer In detail: Press Release

Sikkim

Ganga Prasad was sworn in as the 16th Governor of Sikkim at a function held at New Raj Bhawan, Gangtok. Justice Meenakshi M. Rai, acting chief justice of High Court of Sikkim, administered the oath of office. Source: Voice of Sikkim

Tripura

Kaptan Singh Solanki was sworn in as the governor of Tripura. Tripura high court chief justice Ajoy Rastogi administered the oath of office at the Pushpabanta Palace in Agartala. Source: Times of India