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Big News: Ministry of Power approves the implementation plan for the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme in Ladakh; Uttarakhand announces the creation of its economic policy body- the State Institute for Empowering and Transforming Uttarakhand (SETU) commission; the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission rules that power distribution companies will not be allowed to impose an ad-hoc “reliability charge on their green open access consumers; and more.

Industrial Policy & Business Regulations  

Nothing critical to report this week.  

Land Acquisition & Labor Regulations  

Nothing critical to report this week.  

Infrastructure & Governance  

Odisha rolls out a five-year strategic partnership with the University of Chicago Trust (UCT) for using data to advance innovations and drive policy decisions. Earlier in January this year, they had signed a MoU to establish the Data, Policy, and Innovation Centre (DPIC), that will support evidence-based research in areas of energy and environment, health, education, agriculture and water and sanitation.

Source: The Statesman; In detail: Press release

Uttarakhand announces the formation of the State Institute for Empowering and Transforming Uttarakhand (SETU) commission, after getting clearance from the central government, and the NITI Aayog. The commission will serve as the state’s economic policy descriptive body.

Source: Times of India

Oil & Gas  

Nothing critical to report this week.  

Water & Sanitation  

Rajasthan issues a gazette notification allowing the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) to supply piped drinking water to multi-storeyed buildings in the urban areas in the state. The notification came in effect from April 24, 2023.

Source: Times of India

Power & Renewable Energy  

Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) rules that distribution companies will not be allowed to impose reliability charges on green open access consumers due to the lack of a defined clause in the Green Energy Open Access Regulations, 2023. The ruling comes in response to a petition seeking amendment in the provisions of the Renewable Energy Regulations 2021 to ensure it is consistent with the Ministry of Power’s Green Energy Open Access Regulations 2022.

Source: Mercom; In detail: MERC Notification

Ministry of Power approves the proposal for the implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) in Ladakh with a sanctioned cost of $84 million. RDSS is aimed at improving the financial and operational performance of distribution companies through performance based incentives.

Source: Economic Times; In detail: Press release

Climate Change

Nothing critical to report this week.  

Health   

Kerala launches a scheme to address the declining female birth rate under the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). According to the scheme, the state will provde $73.4 to families if the second newly born child is a girl.

Source: Matrubhumi; In detail: Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

Center – State Relations  

Union Government releases the “Vital Statistics of India based on The Civil Registration System-2020” report. The report covers state wise data across different areas including birth and death rates, number of infant deaths, and sex ratio.

Source: Times of India; In detail: Vital Statistics of India based on The Civil Registration System-2020

Any Other

Madhya Pradesh expands the Ladli Lakshmi Scheme to include the fees for the beneficiaries’ admission in medical colleges, IITs, IIMs, law institutes and other  educational institutions. Originally launched in 2007, the scheme is aimed at preventing female foeticide, and providing educational and financial support to girls in the state.

Source: Hindustan Times; In detail: Press release

Himachal Pradesh approves the disbursal of $18.35 per month to all women older than 18 years in Spiti Valley under the Indira Gandhi Mahila Samman Nidhi initiative.

Source: Business Standard; In detail: Press release (Cabinet decisions)

Jharkhand launches 80 district-level Schools of Excellence. Additionally, the state has also announced 325 block-level leader schools and 4,091 gram panchayat-level model schools.

Source: Careers 360; In detail: CMO Twitter