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Big News: Andhra Pradesh power regulator orders utilities to uphold clean energy PPA; Haryana approves $173.8 million package for Mega Projects; MOUs worth $10 billion signed at Karnataka’s investors meet; Uttar Pradesh approves Ground Water Act-2020 to improve ground water levels; West Bengal announces 100 MSME parks; And more.

Center – State relations

The Reserve Bank invites comments on the draft framework for authorization of a pan-India New Umbrella Entity for Retail Payment System. Source: RBI In Detail: Draft Framework

Government to frame efficiency parameters to aid electric vehicle (EV) battery swapping. A high-level panel has been set up under the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. Source: Economic Times

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) calls for Solar-PV industry advice on components/capital goods that should get custom duty reductions. Source: MNRE

Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission directs state power utilities to honor the power purchase agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy producers and announced a hike in tariff for consumption over 500 kilowatt-hours, or units, per month. Source: Business Standard In Detail: Retail Supply Tariffs 2020-21

Bihar

Nothing critical to report this week.

New Delhi

Arvind Kejriwal, takes oath as chief minister of Delhi for the third term. Source: Business Standard

Gujarat

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission has invited public opinion on a draft paper discussing issues in establishing tariff for solar power procurement by distribution licensees. Source: Mercom In Detail: Discussion Paper

Haryana

The Haryana Enterprise Promotion Board, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal, approved incentives amounting to over $173.8 million for the four mega projects of Adani Wilmar, Aarti Green, Amperex, Wonder Cement. Source: Economic Times In Detail: Press Releases

Karnataka

Memorandums of understanding (MOU) worth over $10 billion were signed at the Invest Karnataka-Hubballi conference. The MOUs include an EV and battery manufacturing unit and a hybrid wind and solar power plant. Source: Times of India

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week.

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra cabinet approved a five-day week for all state government employees starting February 29. Source: Times of India

Maharashtra’s first inter-city electric bus service rolled out on February 14 with the inauguration of the Mumbai to Pune service. Source: Money Control

Rajasthan

Nothing critical to report this week.

Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu budget included a $760 million allocation for eco-restoration of the Buckingham Canal, a $433 million allocation for construction of Phase II of Chennai Metro Rail project, and provided environmental clearance for a $250 million irrigation scheme. Source: Financial Express In Detail: Budget speech

Telangana

Nothing critical to report this week.

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved the Ground Water Act-2020 on February 11, 2020 to improve the falling groundwater level. Source: Jagran Josh In detail: Cabinet Decision

The Uttar Pradesh government has notified new stamp duty rates on registration fees for property. Registration fees will be calculated as 1 percent of the value. Source: Economic Times

West Bengal

The West Bengal budget includes provision for 100 micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) parks in 3 years, free electricity for consumers with quarterly consumption up to 75 units, and $69 million for a housing scheme for tea garden workers. Source: Mint In detail: Budget statement

Best of the Rest

Chhattisgarh

The Solar Energy Corporation of India has signed a power sale agreements for 100 megawatts (MW) solar power combined with 50 MW /100 megawatt-hours of energy from battery storage with the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited. Source: Sau Energy

Himachal Pradesh

The 15th Finance Commission grants $2.69 billion devolution to Himachal Pradesh for 2020-21. Himachal Pradesh had been given the second highest revenue deficit grant in the country. Source: The Tribune

Jammu and Kashmir

The Election Commission has announced the schedule of the panchayat polls for vacant seats in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The polling will be held for nearly 13,000 vacant posts in eight different phases between March 5 and 19. Source: Financial Express In Detail: Press Release

Manipur

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh launched the online portal of the Inner Line Permit to do away with the hassle that travelers face when applying for the permit system. Source: Indian Express In Detail: Manipur Inner Line Permit

Nagaland

The Nagaland assembly passed the state budget of $2.93 billion for the fiscal 2020-21. Source: India Today

Odisha

The Odisha government increased the dearness allowance (DA) of the state government employees to 5 percent with effect from January 1, 2020. With this, the Odisha government employees’ total DA stands at 14 percent. Source: Business Today

The MSME department of Odisha government has signed an MOU with HDFC bank to promote the start-up ecosystem in Odisha. Source: Times of India In Detail: HDFC Press Release

Puducherry

A resolution opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 was passed in Puducherry assembly. With this, Puducherry became the sixth assembly to adopt anti-CAA resolution after West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Source: India Today