Big News: Bihar launches a new Textile and Leather Policy; Madhya Pradesh waives its monthly vehicle tax; Tamil Nadu amends its Shops and Establishments Act to allow stores to remain open 24x7; West Bengal eases criteria for setting up industrial parks; Himachal Pradesh launches a new Drone Policy; Jammu & Kashmir approves a new Rooftop Solar Scheme; the Ministry of Power pushes a new Green Open Access Rules for electric power; and more.

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations

Bihar launches its Textile and Leather Policy. The policy includes incentives like capital subsidy and freight subsidy to attract investors to the state. Source: Times of India; In detail: Bihar Textile and Leather Policy, 2022

Madhya Pradesh waives monthly vehicle tax totalling $13.27 million on passenger buses for the period April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021. Source: Times of India; In detail: Press Release

Tamil Nadu government amends its Shops and Establishments Act to operate 24 hours on all seven days of the week for a period of three years. Source: Indian Express; In detail: Notification

Goa notifies the “Goa State Mariculture Policy 2020” to carry out open sea cage fish culture in the territorial waters of the state of Goa. Source: Dajiworld; In detail: Notification

The state cabinet approves the ‘Himachal Pradesh Drone Policy 2022’ becoming the first state to have a dedicated drone policy. The policy envisions creating a holistic drone ecosystem built upon the foundation of Governance and Reforms Using Drones (GARUD). Source: Business Insider; In detail: Drone Policy

Punjab issues its new Excise Policy for 2022-23, removing quota restrictions on beer and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The move is expected to bring down the liquor prices by 35-60 per cent, effective July 1. Source: News 18; In detail: Excise Policy

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations

West Bengal eases the eligibility criteria for private developers and industry associations looking to set up industrial parks under the Scheme for Approved Industrial Park, reducing the turnover limit from $255,800 per acre of land to $127,900 per acre. Source: Telegraph India; In detail: Meeting details

Infrastructure & Governance

Nothing Critical to report this week

Climate Change

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) bans use of coal in Delhi-NCR region in industrial, domestic and other miscellaneous applications from January 1, 2023. Source: Economic Times; In detail: Order

Oil & Gas

Nothing Critical to report this week

Water & Sanitation

Nothing critical to report this week

Power & Renewable Energy

The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council approves the roll out of rooftop solar scheme for installation of 200 MW of grid-tied rooftop solar power plants under the “Solar City Mission” in Jammu. Source: Kashmir Reader; 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

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya releases a new State Food Safety Index. The index measures the performance of states across five parameters to encourage States/UTs to work towards ensuring safe food for people. Source: Financial Express; In detail: Press Release; State Food Safety Index

The Ministry of Power notifies the Green Open Access Rules, 2022 reducing the open access transactions limit from 1 MW to 100 kW for green energy to enable small consumers to purchase renewable power through open access. Source: Economic Times; In detail: Notification; Press Release

Ministry of Power notifies rules for surcharge on late payments. A late payment surcharge will be payable on the outstanding amount after the due date at the base rate, increasing by 0.5% for the successive months of default. Source: Mercom; In detail: Notification

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) notifies regulations providing a framework to facilitate non-discriminatory open access to generating companies for inter-state transmission systems (ISTS) through general network access (GNA). Source: Mercom; In detail: Notification

Ministry of Finance launches Single Nodal Agency (SNA) dashboard tracking transfer of funds to states for centrally sponsored schemes and utilisation of funds by central agencies for transparent governance. Source: Indian Express; In detail: Guidelines