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Big News

Haryana relaxes land rules for mining; Mizoram releases State Water Policy; Bihar denies power utilities fee increases; Chhattisgarh announces a reduction in power tariffs for all categories for domestic consumers in the state; Gujarat demands more data from bidders on wind projects; Punjab approves a debt waiver plan for farm laborers and landless farming; Nagaland releases its State Power Policy 2018 and its Start-up Policy 2019; Himachal Pradesh and Punjab release new excise policies, raising excise duties on liquor; and more.

Center – State relations

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the construction for a four-lane bridge on National Highway – 127 B in Meghalaya. This bridge project was funded under the North-East Road Network Connectivity Project, funded by a loan from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency. Source: Times of India In detail: Press Release

The center approved a $1.26 billion gas-grid project to transport natural gas among India’s seven northeastern states and West Bengal. Source: Economic Times In detail: Twitter Announcement

The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited issued three tenders for the expansion of renewable capacity across the three states, including 750 megawatts (MW) of solar projects in Rajasthan, 500 MW of projects in Tamil Nadu, and 150 MW of projects in Jharkhand. Source: Mercom In detail: Tender details (Jharkhand), Tender details (Tamil Nadu), Tender details (Rajasthan)

The center approved an additional assistance of $225.6 million to Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan for damages incurred in natural disasters during 2018. Source: NDTV In detail: Press Release

Andhra Pradesh

The finance department of the Andhra Pradesh government signed an agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for a loan of $455 million to finance the Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project. Source: New Indian Express In detail: AIIB Project details of Andhra Pradesh Rural Road Project

Bihar

The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission refused to hike tariff for the Fiscal Year 2019-20. The decision came despite two power distribution companies (discoms) in the state proposing a 6.5 percent increase in the retail electricity tariff. Source: Economic Times In detail: Press Release of Tariff Order FY 2019-20

New Delhi

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal presented the Delhi government’s $8.4 billion budget for 2019-20 in the Delhi assembly. The government allocated $1 billion, or 14 percent of the total budget, towards healthcare despite cutting funding for the much touted “Aam Admi Mohalla Clinics” by 6.9 percent. Source: Financial Express In detail: Budget Highlights

The Delhi government’s cabinet announced a decision to provide agricultural consumers in the union territory an electricity subsidy of $1.47 per kilowatt (KW) per month. The subsidy is expected to benefit at least 11,000 consumers, and will cost the government $105,000. Source: Financial Express

Gujarat

The Gujarat government announced two major changes in the Information Technology (IT)/ IT-Enabled Services Policy (ITES), 2016-21. Over the last three years, around 28 new firms under the IT/ ITES sector have been established providing employment to over 3,700 people. Under the new amendments, companies will be able to apply to receive the benefits under the policy two times, as well as receive incentives from the government if they generate employment. Source: Times of India In detail: IT/IT-Enabled Services Policy, 2016-21

The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission has passed an order mandating that all bidders in auctions for wind projects specify at least three equipment manufacturers or engineering, procurement, and construction contractors they have tied up with to execute the project.

Source: Economic Times

Haryana

The Haryana assembly passed an amendment to the Punjab Land Preservation Act 1900, opening up thousands of acres of land under the Aravallis and Shivalik mountain ranges for real estate development and mining. While this will make mining and construction easier, the opposition in the Haryana assembly alleged that such development would threaten local biodiversity and forest cover. Source: Hindustan Times

The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a new All India Institute for Medical Sciences at Manethi in Rewari District, Haryana at a cost of $182.7 million. Source: NDTV

Karnataka

Nothing critical to report this week.

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week.

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government presented an interim budget with an estimated revenue deficit of $2.8 billion (₹19,784 crore). The interim budget estimates a revenue income of $44.9 billion (₹3,14,489) crore and expenditure of $47.7 billion (₹3,34,273) crore in 2019-20. Source: Live Mint In detail: Budget speech 2019

Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government announced a decision to no longer charge stamp duty on transfer of immovable property from a husband to his wife as a gift. Source: Economic Times

Tamil Nadu

Nothing critical to report this week.

Telangana

The Telangana government launched “Telegana State GlobalLinker,” a digital networking platform as part of an agreement with GlobalLinker to accelerate the financial inclusion of the state’s micro, small, and medium enterprise. The platform will offer Telangana’s MSMEs tools and support such as support for digitization, an e-commerce store, and access to business efficiency tools. Source: Economic Times

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission proposed new tariffs for electric vehicle charging stations in the state to spur growth in the electric vehicle sector. The proposal was up for comments until March 6, 2019, following which a public hearing to discuss the proposals will be held. Source: Mercom In detail: Tariff for Electric Vehicle Charging

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the proposed Agra Metro Rail Project. Source: Business Standard In detail: Press Release

West Bengal

Nothing critical to report this week.

Best of the Rest

Assam

The central government announced a decision to invest $177 million to produce ethanol and renewable fuel from bamboo in Assam’s Bongaigaon Refinery. Source: The Sentinel

Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission announced a reduction in power tariffs for all categories for domestic consumers, which will benefit 91 percent of consumers in the state. The new tariffs would come into effect from April 1. Source: Money Control In detail: Tariff Order for FY 2019-20

Himachal Pradesh

The Himachal Pradesh state cabinet approved a new excise policy, which will generate additional revenue of $28.1 million for the state. The cabinet also decided to reduce export duty in order to encourage export of liquor to other states. Source: Times of India

Following the conclusion of the Himachal Pradesh Global Investors Meet, the state government announced that Himachal Pradesh signed 158 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with private companies and public-sector undertakings with a total investment of $2.37 billion for the state. These investments are likely to generate employment for 39,450 residents of the state. Source: Times of India In detail: Press Release (in Hindi)

Jharkhand

The central government approved a $1.96 billion special economic zone project by Adani Power in Jharkhand, which will export all of the e power generated to Bangladesh. Source: Economic Times

Kerala

The Kerala government launched five major IT projects, including the Space Technology Application Development Ecosystem (STADE) and the World Trade Center (WTC) project of the Brigade Group. STADE is a project supported by the Kerala Start-up Mission and by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. Source: The Hindu

Mizoram

Mizoram released its State Water Policy to address the high incidence of severe droughts and floods, which affect agriculture and water availability in some areas of the state due to climate change. Source: Eastmojo In detail: Press Release (in Mizo)

Nagaland

Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio presented the Nagaland State Power Policy 2018 during the last day of the third session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Some of the key objectives under this policy include building adequate capacities in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure to attain energy security, and achieving 24x7 power for all by 2021. Source: Nagaland Post

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio unveiled the Nagaland Start-up Policy 2019 at the state’s assembly. Source: Morung Express

Odisha

The Odisha government amended its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy - 2014 to make it more attractive, officials said. The key changes include offering new companies and those undertaking plans to expand or modernize a 100 percent refund of their state Goods and Services Tax. Source: Business Standard In detail: Odisha ICT Policy - 2014

The Odisha government announced a plan to provide primary school students in remote areas of the state with a transportation allowance of ranging from $4.22 to $8.44, depending on levels of attendance. Source: Odisha Sun Times

Punjab

The Punjab government announced it would support a constitutional amendment to give preferential treatment to the economically weaker sections, reserving government jobs to those economically weaker citizens in the general category. Source: Business Standard In detail: Twitter Announcement

The Punjab cabinet approved, in-principle, a debt waiver plan for farm laborers and landless farming members, providing loan relief to 285,000 people. Source: Business Today In detail: Press Release

The Punjab government released its Excise Policy for 2019-20, with focus on breaking the monopolistic trends in the liquor trade and allotment of liquor vends in small groups. Under the new policy, the state government has set a target of collecting $872.2 million, significantly higher than the anticipated collection of $768.3 for 2018-19. Source: Punjab News Express In detail: Salient features of Excise Policy for the year 2019-20 and Press Release

Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand cabinet announced a decision to increase the dearness allowance for state employees from 9 percent to 12 percent. The government also announced it will waive off pending water bills for the 10,000 people that have been displaced due to the construction of the Tehri dam. Source: Times of India