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Big News: Tamil Nadu releases its data center and fintech policy; Shimla tops NITI Aayog’s sustainable development goals index; Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu prepare to privatize their electricity distribution business; Andhra Pradesh repeals laws to establish three different state capitals; and more.

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations

Tamil Nadu releases its data center policy. The policy aims to offer a range of incentives to date center developers and operators including concessions on stamp duty, electricity tax, and state support in procuring power, land, and connectivity infrastructure. Source: The Hindu Business Line; In detail: Press release; Policy

Tamil Nadu releases its fintech policy. The policy aims to incentivize firms utilizing information technology to deliver financial services within the state. Source: Business Standard; In detail: Press Release (Tamil); Policy

Odisha cabinet approves its Odisha Electronics Policy, 2021. The policy aims to offer a range of incentives to the electronics industry in the state, including production-linked incentives, fixed capital investment subsidies, and land and power incentives. Source: Indian Express; In detail: Press release

Odisha cabinet agrees to amend the state’s industrial policy to offer special incentives to new age industries like green energy, automobile manufacturing, electronics, and telecommunications. Source: United News of India; In detail: Press release

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations

Nothing critical to report this week

Infrastructure & Governance

Andhra Pradesh assembly passes a bill to repeal two laws that the assembly cleared in 2020 to establish three different state capitals. Source: Indian Express; In detail: Assembly Agenda

NITI Aayog’s baseline report on the multidimensional poverty index shows Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh as the poorest states in the country. The report is an in-depth analysis of the headcount ratio and intensity of multidimensional poverty at the national, state, and district levels. Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: National Multidimensional Poverty Index

Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla tops NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Urban Index & Dashboard. The index is an SDG progress monitoring tool at the urban local body level. Source: Jagran Josh; In detail: Press release; Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Urban Index Dashboard 2021-22

Climate Change

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change issues draft notifications to allow a gas-based power plant in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Source: Economic Times; In detail: Notification; Notification

Oil & Gas

Chhattisgarh reduces value-added tax on petrol and diesel by $0.01 and $0.019 per liter, respectively. Source: Economic Times; In detail: Chief Minister Office’s Tweet

Water & Sanitation

Nothing critical to report this week

Power & Renewable Energy

The union cabinet approves the privatization of the electricity distribution business in the union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. Source: Economic Times; In detail: Press release

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

The Ministry of Power notifies the Electricity (Transmission System Planning, Development and Recovery of Inter-State Transmission Charges) Rules, 2021. The rules aim to allow power sector utilities easier access to the electricity transmission network. Source: Mercom; In detail: Notification

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare releases the latest national family health survey. The survey shows a significant rise in severe wasting among children under the ages of five in at least 17 states and union territories. Wasting is acute malnutrition that identifies children who are thinner than a healthy, well-nourished child of the same height. Source: Scroll; In detail: National Family Health Survey 2019-21; Press release