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Niti Aayog proposes 15-point action plan called "Breathe India" to combat air pollution in the 10 most polluted cities in India; Andhra Pradesh passes an amendment to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013; Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd proposes a hike of 5-6 percent in electricity charges for residential consumers; Goa releases a new IT Policy 2018; West Bengal looks to optimize river transport and tourism potential with assistance of $151 million from the World Bank; and more

Center – State relations

Niti Aayog has proposed 15-point action plan for combating air pollution in the ten most polluted cities in the country. The draft action plan titled 'Breathe India' includes encouraging electric vehicles, phasing out private diesel vehicle and development of crop residue utilization policy. Source: Economic Times In detail: Breathe India

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh attended the 67th Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council in Shillong, stressing the importance of skill development, increasing investment, and infrastructure but completely sidestepped the issue of militancy plaguing the Northeast.

Source: Live Mint

Andhra Pradesh

The Chandrababu Naidu-led government in Andhra Pradesh ranked first in the Ease of Doing Business scorecard that was released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Delhi. Source: Bloomberg Quint In detail: Combined Scorecard of Reform Evidence and Feedback

Andhra Pradesh has passed an amendment to the center's Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013 (LARR 2013), after over two years of legal and constitutional challenges. With this move, the Andhra Pradesh government has finally succeeded in reducing the acquisition of private agricultural land to a simple agreement initiated by the district collector. Source: First Post In Detail: The Right of Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Andhra Pradesh Amendment) Bill

The Commerce Ministry has approved a proposal by HCL Technologies to set up a new IT special economic zone in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, with a proposed investment of $59.6 million. Source: Economic Times In Detail: Board of Approval Minutes

Bihar

The Department of Urban Development announced that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between Energy Efficiency and Services Limited (EESL) and urban local bodies to install 600,000 street lights on Bihar's roads by March 2019 under the center's national program for street lights. Source: The Telegraph

New Delhi

The cabinet of the state government of New Delhi approved a proposal from the administrative reforms department to introduce an extra "facilitation fee" of 73 cents to provide public services such as issuing birth certificate, caste certificate, driving license, and ration card at people's doorstep starting next month. Source: The Tribune

The state government of Delhi gave in-principle approval for the hiring of a consultant to run 1,000 electric buses, estimated to cost $364.8 million, in the national capital as promised in its 2018-19 Budget. Source: NDTV

Gujarat

The urban development department of the Gujarat government has sanctioned seven 'Town Planning' schemes in the state in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Rajkot, in a bid to improve civic amenities in the municipal corporations in the three cities. Source: Times of India

An MOU was signed between the Industries and Mines Department under the Gujarat government and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in Delhi to enhance and strengthen South Korea-Gujarat trade and industrial investment relations in several priority sectors outlined in the MOU.

Source: Business Standard

Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) scrapped a tender for procurement of 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity generated from wind power. The auction, which has faced several delays since it was launched at the end of February, was scrapped due to concerns of certainty and stability raised by bidders. Source: Economic Times In Detail: Notice of GUVNL

Haryana

EESL signed MOUs with Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam to install 1 million smart meters in Haryana within three years.

Source: Financial Express

The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has approved a petition from the Haryana Power Purchase Center for the procurement of power from green energy sources other than solar in order to fulfil their stipulated renewable purchase obligation. Source: Mercom In Detail: HERC Order

Karnataka

Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) has signed an MOU with two Taiwanese Science Parks, the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau and the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau, to enhance technological know-how in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics through mutual development and innovation. Source: Money Control In Detail: Press Release

The Karnataka state government awarded Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL) an order to develop 250 MW solar project in the state's Tumkur district. The project will be set up at Pavagada Solar Park in Tumkur and the energy will be supplied to the state power distribution companies, or discoms, under a power purchase agreement valid for 25 years. Source: Economic Times In Detail: Press Release

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan inaugurated NTPC's 250 MW Solar Power Plant in Suwasra, District Mandsaur. Source: Economic Times

Maharashtra

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd has proposed a hike of 5-6 percent in electricity charges for residential consumers. However, for industrial consumers, the hike proposed is just 2 percent, while for high tension commercial users such as business houses, shops and malls, the rate hike is proposed at just 1 percent. Source: Times of India In Detail: MSEDCL's Mid Term Review Petition

Rajasthan

Rajasthan signed an MOU with Microsoft to provide digital training to 9,500 students and 500 faculty members at government colleges in order to enhance youth employability and empower students with technical education. Source: The Hindu In Detail: Press Release

Jaipur Vidut Vitaran Nigam (JVVNL) announced that all power bills except agricultural connections over $292 will be collected online or digitally only starting June 15. The decision was taken to support the center's initiative to promote digital payments, as well as to reduce administrative costs of bill collection at the company. Source: Times of India

The Ministry of Water Resources approved the $5.9 billion Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP). The ERCP will likely to be sent to the cabinet for approval this month.

Source: Economic Times

Tamil Nadu

Phoenix SA Luxemburg has given a letter of intent for a total investment of $600 million with an initial contribution of $25 million, subject to due diligence to the Tamil Nadu government's asset management company, Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation (TNIFMC). Source: Financial Express

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed the Lokayukta Bill, 2018. Source: Live Mint

Telangana

The Telangana government signed an MOU with Taiwanese Century Development Corporation to develop 200 acres of the electronics manufacturing cluster aimed at fostering local manufacturing of electronic components at the planned e-City in the state. Source: Money Control

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce & IT, announced that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be allocated about 100 acres of land in the Model Plastics Park being developed by the Telangana government at Mankhal-Thummalur on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Uttar Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Varanasi City Gas Distribution (CGD) network which will supply environment friendly natural gas to the city's households, transport sector and industries. Source: Economic Times In Detail: PIB Press Release

The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) auctioned 1,000 MW of solar photovoltaic projects in which Mahoba Solar (UP) Private Limited (Adani) entered the lowest bid of around 5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to develop 250 MW of projects. Source: Mercom

Azure Power announced it has won a 160 MW solar power project in Uttar Pradesh in the latest auction conducted by UPNEDA. Azure Power will sign a 25-year power purchase agreement with Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) at a tariff of per 0.5 cents per kWh. Source: Economic Times In Detail: Press Release

The Uttar Pradesh state government will now allow individual flat owners living in apartments and multi-story buildings to obtain individual power connections directly from power companies. Source: Economic Times

West Bengal

The state government of West Bengal has received $151 million in assistance from the World Bank to optimize river transport and tourism potential, looking to improve both cargo and passenger movement across West Bengal's rivers. Source: The Hindu Business Line

The 15th Finance Commission, chaired by N K Singh, will visit the state from July 16-18 and hold meetings with the chief minister, ministers, and other officials Source: Devdiscourse

Best of the Rest

Arunachal Pradesh

After scrapping 15 hydroelectric power projects in the state, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that government may soon cancel more projects due to poor execution by companies contracted to establish the projects. Source: North East Live

Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to build six multi-specialty hospitals, with 100 beds each, on a public-private partnership basis in the state. Two of the hospitals would be built in Raipur and one hospital each will be built in Bhilai Nagar, Kurud (Dhamtari), Bhatapara, and Manendragarh. Source: Business Standard In Detail: Request for Proposal

The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission (CSERC) has approved the Marwa Thermal Power Project at $1.2 billion, despite objections from the state government of Telangana, whose consumers will face high costs due to a long-term power purchase agreement with the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company that was signed before a tariff for the Marwa power plant was specified. Source: The Hindu In Detail: Approval from CSERC

The Chhattisgarh government has signed four MOUs to attract an investment of $56.3 million in electronics and food processing sectors in the state. The MOUs regarding electronics were signed with Smartron India Pvt Ltd, Forstar Techno Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Wattson Electronics, while the MOU regarding investment in the food processing sector was signed with ArkasBiocon India Pvt Ltd (BEC Foods). Source: Money Control

Goa

Union Minister for Electronics and IT and Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad unveiled the Goa IT Policy 2018, and also announced that Goa will soon have a National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology in the state. Source: All India Radio In detail: Goa IT Policy 2018

Himachal Pradesh

The center approved the construction of 69 national highways (NHs) in Himachal Pradesh, and received a go-ahead to prepare detailed project reports on 58 out of the 69 NHs. Source: Financial Express In Detail: Press Release

Kerala

NABARD launched a program for the development of microenterprises in the sectors of vegetable cultivation, organic farming, poultry, and value addition to spices and fruit on a pilot basis in the districts of Alapuzha, Idukki, Thrissur and Waynad in Kerela. Source: Money Control

Odisha

At a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary A P Padhi, the Odisha government and representatives of the Tata Trust decided to jointly spend $145.9 million for development of cancer care facilities in the state in next five years. Source: Money Control

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of Odisha announced the government will ban the use of plastic in its five municipal corporation areas of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur as well as the pilgrim town of Puri from October 2 this year. Source: Hindustan Times

Punjab

The Punjab state government signed an MOU with SAB Industries Ltd to establish a bioethanol project with proposed investment of $105 million. Industry and Commerce Minister Sundar Shyam Arora said this project will produce 25,000 tons annually of Bio-ethanol from paddy straw collected from the state. Source: Business World

The state government of Punjab signed multiple MOUs worth $66.4 million at the one-day Punjab Apparel and Textile Conclave. Source: Punjab News Express

Sikkim

Despite vehement opposition to the Sikkim Regulation of Transfer of Land (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018, the Sikkim government passed the bill during the ninth session of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. The bill is aimed at protecting land held by the Sherpa community. Source: North East Live