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Big News:

Governments in Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura all win re-election; Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand present their annual budgets; Uttar Pradesh announces a road tax and registration exemption for electric vehicles; Rajasthan approves the Rajasthan Climate Change Policy, the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Building Code and Rajasthan Energy Conservation Building Code Rules-2023; and more.

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations

Delhi launches a Modified Unified Portal for Licensing of Eating, Lodging and Boarding Establishments, aimed at helping entrepreneurs, businessmen and start-ups in the hospitality sector. The policy has a single easy-to-fill form which enables them to get or renew licenses from five different agencies simultaneously within a fixed timeframe of 49 days.

Source: The Print; In detail: Press release

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations

Nothing critical to report this week.

Infrastructure & Governance

Meghalaya re-elects its incumbent state government. National People’s Party leader, Conrad Sangma is set to return as the Chief Minister.

Source: India Today; In detail: Election Commission of India

Nagaland re-elects its incumbent state government. Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party leader Neiphiu Rio is set to return as the Chief Minister, unopposed.

Source: NDTV; In detail: Election Commission of India

Tripura re-elects its incumbent state government. BJP state leader Manik Saha is set to return as the Chief Minister.

Source: Scroll; In detail: Election Commission of India

Bihar presents the State Budget 2023-24 with a total outlay of about $32 billion, focused on youth and employment, education, health, and infrastructure.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Budget Highlights

Chhattisgarh presents the State Budget 2023-2024 ahead of the assembly election schedule for year-end, with an outlay of $12.2 billion.

Source: CNBC; In detail: Budget 2023-24

Madhya Pradesh tables State Budget 2023-24 ahead of the assembly election scheduled for year-end. Madhya Pradesh has recorded an increase in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) by 7.06%, currently at $161.35 billion.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Budget 2023-24

Jharkhand tables the State Budget 2023-2024 with an outlay of $14.2 billion. The budgetary estimates for FY24 were 15 per cent higher than the previous annual financial statement.

Source: Economic Times; In detail: Budget 2023-24

Climate Change

Rajasthan approves a new Rajasthan Climate Change Policy which focuses on reducing exploitation of natural resources.

Source: Punjab Express; In detail: CMO Press Release.

Oil & Gas

Nothing critical to report this week.

Water & Sanitation

Nothing critical to report this week.

Power & Renewable Energy

Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) announces wind power for 11-20 years period at INR 2.64 (~$0.032) per unit. The set price is INR 0.79 (~$0.0096) lower than the price sought by developers, and INR 0.86 (~$0.01) lower than the current tariff.

Source: Times of India; In detail: Tariff order

Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) announces average power purchase cost (APPC) for financial years (FY) 2019-20 and 2022-2023 as ~$0.036/kWh and ~$0.033/kWh respectively.

Source: Mercom; In detail: KSERC Order

Uttar Pradesh exempts electric vehicles from road taxes and registration fees. The move comes five months after the government rolled out its Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy- 2022.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: UP Government order

Rajasthan approves the Rajasthan E-waste Management Policy with the objective of reducing, reusing, and recycling e-waste and minimizing the damage caused to the environment.

Source: Punjab News Express; In detail: CMO Press release

Rajasthan cabinet approves the Rajasthan Energy Conservation Building Code and Rajasthan Energy Conservation Building Code Rules-2023 for construction of energy efficient buildings to save energy in commercial buildings.

Source: Daiji World; In detail: CMO Press release

Health

Assam cabinet approved a Statement of Purpose for providing millet under Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP), to ensure proper nutrition for children and women, and combat malnutrition in the state.

Source: Guwahatiplus; In detail: CMO Twitter

Rajasthan increases health insurance cover from $12,234 to $30,586 per family, and accident cover from $6,117 to $12,234.

Source: Business Standard

Center – State Relations

Nothing critical to report this week.

Any Other

Nothing critical to report this week.