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BJP to form government in Tripura and be part of coalitions in Meghalaya and Nagaland; Tamil Nadu approves business facilitation act allowing delayed approvals to be considered approved; Haryana announces its bio-energy policy; Bihar and Madhya Pradesh announce their annual budgets for 2018-2019; Karnataka to provide free healthcare for below-poverty-line families; and more.

Center-State relations

The central government has chosen Nagpur and Varanasi to host India’s first two pilot intermodal stations to integrate various transportation modes at an estimated cost of $30.6 million. An additional 13 cities are being selected for future phases of this project. Source: Economic Times

The central government will provide $447 million to eight cities under the Nirbhaya fund, in order to fund projects to make the cities safer for women. Source: Times of India

Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chennai-based online legal services start-up Vakilsearch, to provide free incorporation services for entrepreneurs to set up companies. Source: The News Minute

Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has taken responsibility of four major renewable energy projects, including electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and smart meters in Andhra Pradesh entailing an investment of $570.9 million. Source: Hindu Business Line

Bihar

The two Bihar power distribution companies have reduced their aggregate transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses by close to 10 percent in the last year. Source: Telegraph India

Bihar’s deputy chief minister presented a revenue-surplus budget of $26.9 billion for 2018-19. Source: Business Standard In Detail: Bihar Budget 2018-2019

New Delhi

Tata Power Delhi Distribution (TPDDL) signed an MOU with Électricité de France (EDF) and its subsidiary, Enedis, to demonstrate de-carbonization of local energy systems and evaluate smart grid technologies. Source: Daily Pioneer

Gujarat

The Gujarat government will begin paying benefit arrears to 870,000 government employees and pensioners after adopting recommendations from the seventh pay commission. Source: Financial Express

Haryana

The Haryana government approved a new Textile Policy 2018 aimed at generating 50,000 new jobs, and attracting investment of $765 million. Source: Times of India

The Haryana state cabinet has approved its Bio-Energy Policy 2018 to attract private investment to generate 150 megawatts (MW) of biomass-based power, and to support research and development of new technologies. Source: United News of India

The Haryana government decided to give city magistrates the responsibility to manage district urban affairs officers to ensure quicker execution of development projects. Source: Times of India

Karnataka

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah announced the ‘Arogya Karnataka’ healthcare initiative to provide free and subsidized quality treatment to below-poverty-line and above-poverty-line families in the state. Source: Economic Times

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched “Innovate Karnataka,” an umbrella brand for technology innovation in the state to focus emerging technologies and setting up of various centers of excellence. Source: Inc 42

The Karnataka government inaugurated the first phase of a 2,000 MW, $2.5 billion solar park in Pavagada region of Tumkur district. Source: Live Mint

Karnataka will offer a 30 percent hike in pay to over a million pensioners and state government employees starting July 1, which will cost the state an estimated $1.6 billion annually. Source: The Hindu

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the municipal corporation for the greater Bengaluru metropolitan area, announced a $1.43 billion budget for 2018-19. It also includes a ‘Pink Baby’ initiative to start a $7,653 fixed deposit account for a family’s first girl child starting in 2019. Source: Livemint

Madhya Pradesh

According to Madhya Pradesh’s economic survey, the gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth has dropped from 14.01 percent from the previous year. to 7.3 percent. Source: Times of India In Detail: Madhya Pradesh Economic Survey 2017-18 (In Hindi)

Madhya Pradesh finance minister Jayant Malaiya presented the state budget of $30.6 billion for 2018-19. Source: Business Standard In Detail: Press Note

Madhya Pradesh hosted a workshop to discuss development its happiness index. The state has also introduced happiness and personality-development activities in 10 schools in the state on a pilot basis. Source: Indian Express In Detail: Agenda for International Workshop-Development of Happiness Index for state of Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government has accounted for $5.5 billion in investment due to its new textile policy. Source: Business Standard In Detail: Maharashtra Textile Policy 2018-2023

Maharashtra will allow urban cooperative banks to charge lower interest rate than the contracted amount in order to recover the over $1.5 billion in bad debt and impaired loans. Source: Livemint

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal along with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the state’s first mega food park in Satara. Source: Knn India

The Maharashtra government decided to release $48 million, from the state disaster response fund (SDRF), for farmers whose crops were damaged in the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms. Source: Free Press Journal

Rajasthan

According to a report on public sector undertakings (PSU) in Rajasthan, as many as 16 out of 45 working PSUs incurred losses of $430 million in the financial year 2016-17, and 12 PSUs did not commence their business. Source: Indian Express In Detail: Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Public Sector Undertakings (for the year ended 31 March 2017)

A recent report indicates that 9.887 million tons of minerals worth $31.3 million were illegally excavated in five districts of Rajasthan between 2011 and 2017 by the state government. Source: The Hindu In Detail: Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Economic Sector (for the year ended 31 March 2017)

Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje launched the $77.3 million start-up promotion fund, which will include components for women-led and green solution start-ups. Source: Inc 42

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu passed its business facilitation act, which automatically indicates a status of ‘deemed approval’ in a case of delay or non-response to applications for approvals, permits, licenses, and concessions from micro, small, and medium enterprises. Source: The Hindu In Detail: Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation Act 2018

The Tamil Nadu government has launched a toll-free number ‘14417’ as a 24-hour helpline for students to access services of the education guidance center. Source: Indian Express

Telangana

The Telangana government launched ‘T App Folio,’ a mobile application to provide citizens with a single platform to access government services like MeeSeva and bill payments. Source: Economic Times In Detail: T App Folio Application

Telangana has recorded $1.1 million worth of digital transactions, the highest number in the country. Source: Deccan Chronicle

Uttar Pradesh

State-run Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) will lend $7.6 billion to Uttar Pradesh power utilities for executing generation, transmission and distribution projects. Source: Economic Times

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL) has canceled Reliance Power’s Chitrangi power project in Singhrauli on account of not setting up the project on time. Source: Financial Express

West Bengal

The Bengal Government has launched a special pension initiative for 300,000 beneficiaries who are senior citizens, widows, or disabled. Source: Millennium Post

Best of the Rest

Arunachal Pradesh

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned $108 million for the construction of 43 roads and 15 bridges in Arunachal Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Source: Money control

Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland

The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to form a majority government in Tripura, and with its partners in the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will be part of coalition governments in Meghalaya and Nagaland. Source: The Wire In Detail: Election Commission of India

Punjab

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) notified farmers, who voluntarily surrender their power subsidy, that they will be charged a fixed rate of $6.16 per BHP each month. Source: Times of India