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Big News

Uttar Pradesh allows women to work night shifts at factories; Maharashtra announces its ban on plastic; Telangana reduces VAT on aircraft fuel from 16 percent to one percent; West Bengal to develop 23 modern facilities for storage of food grains; Punjab eases rules on building and construction; and more.

Center – State relations

The union cabinet has approved the launch of the central government's health insurance project and will allow states to choose their own financing model, operational guidelines for which will be shared with the states in April. Source: Hindustan Times In Detail: Press Release

Andhra Pradesh

A total of 16 companies have signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) of $737 million with Andhra Pradesh to set up ancillary auto units for Kia Motors' upcoming manufacturing facility in Anantapuramu district. Source: Money Control

The center released $215 million for the multipurpose Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh. Source: Money Control

Bihar

The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced an average five percent power tariff hike for 2018-2019 from six cents to nine cents per unit. Source: Business Standard

New Delhi

The Delhi government, led by the Aam Admi Party, presented a $8.12 billion annual state budget and also tabled its economic survey, reporting an 11 percent growth rate over the last fiscal year. Source: Livemint In Detail: Budget Speech 2018-2019, Economic Survey Highlights

Gujarat

Nothing critical to report this week

Haryana

Nothing critical to report this week

Karnataka

The Karnataka government has allotted its solar tender to ReNew Power, Avaada, and Azure Power, who were the only three bidders in the latest auction. Source: Economic Times

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra environment department has issued a notification to ban all plastic bags, and single-use plastic products, and proposes fines for violation ranging from $76.65 for the first offense to a maximum punishment of a three-month jail term. Source: Indian Express

Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government announced a two percent hike in dearness allowance and relief for the state's 1.15 million government employees and pensioners. Source: Business Standard

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu passed a bill to amend the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998, for efficient handling and streamlining of the tender processes. Source: The Hindu

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded $682.6 million-worth highway projects to IRB Infrastructure Developers and Oriental Structural Engineers in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. Source: Money Control In Detail: Press Release

Telangana

The Telangana government has reduced the value added tax (VAT) on aircraft fuel from 16 percent to one percent, which will allow airlines to cut their operational costs. Source: Economic Times

Telangana has issued orders regulating parking fee in commercial establishments, which will come into force from April 1. Source: Telangana Today

The Telangana government amended the assigned lands act to only allow the transfer of assigned lands in cases they are in the possession of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes persons. Source: The Hindu

The Telangana state assembly passed a bill mandating teaching and learning of Telugu in all schools in the state affiliated with various education boards, including CBSE, IB, ICSE and Cambridge. Source: NDTV

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government will now allow women to work night shift in factories, the same as allowed in the information technology industry. Source: Business Standard

IRB Infrastructure Developers won a $521.8 million road project from the NHAI in Uttar Pradesh to be developed on build, operate and transfer basis. Source: Money Control, Money Control

West Bengal

The West Bengal government has decided to develop 23 modern storage facilities at a cost of $36.7 million and each of the store houses will have a capacity of 10,000 metric tons. Source: Economic Times

Best of the Rest

Punjab, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Nagaland

The state governments of Punjab, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Nagaland presented their annual budgets for the financial year 2018-2019. Source: The Hindu, Business Standard, Business Standard, Money Control In Detail: Punjab Budget Summary 2018-2019, Odisha Budget 2018-2019

Punjab

The Punjab state cabinet approved easing rules regarding urban planning and development, allowing for purchasable unlimited floor area ratio (FAR) for group housing, commercial and public offices, hotel and industrial buildings, and increasing the allowed FAR for residences and education building. Source: Punjab News Express In Detail: Press Release

Tripura

The Tripura government announces it decision to launch 21 e-hospitals, 50 life-support ambulances with GPS tracking systems and an emergency helpline in the state. Source: Business Standard