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Big News: Minister of Finance announces fiscal stimulus measures worth $267 billion; Karnataka allows industries to directly buy land from farmers; Rajasthan launches innovative loan scheme for farmers; Uttar Pradesh lends over $265.6 million to small businesses via an online fair; Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala develop relief packages for small businesses; and more.

Center – State relations

The government of India extends the lockdown until May 31, while significantly easing restrictions outside containment zones. Source: Press Release In detail: MHA Guidelines

The Ministry of Finance announced fiscal stimulus measures worth $267 billion in 5 tranches with focus on liquidity and credit infusion, reforms, and building economic resilience. Source: Press Release (PR) – Tranche (T) 1, PR - T2, PR - T3, PR - T4, PR - T5 In detail: Presentation (PPT) – T1, PPT - T2, PPT – T3, PPT – T4, PPT – T5

Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government has released $371.5 million under a farmers’ welfare scheme. Five million farmers are expected to receive $73 each. Source: Deccan Herald In Detail: CMO Andhra Pradesh Tweet

The state government has announced several measures to incentivize the industries. The measures include waiver of fixed/demand charges (electricity), provision of working capital loans, and pending incentives worth $120 million to small and medium enterprises. Source: The Hindu In detail: Government order register

Bihar

Nothing critical to report this week.

New Delhi

Nothing critical to report this week.

Gujarat

The Gujarat government announced a $667 million relief package for small businesses. Under the package, an interest subsidy, moratorium on repayment and a collateral free loan of up to $1,334.36 will be given to small traders. Source: Financial Express In detail: Press Release; CMO Twitter Post

Haryana

The Haryana government announced relief measures for commercial and industrial establishment. The measures include waiver of simple interest and extension of deferment period for all dues payable to government entities. Source: Outlook India In detail: Press Release

Karnataka

The Karnataka government has implemented an amendment to the Land Reforms Act, 1961. As a result industries can now directly buy land from farmers. Source: Swarajya

The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order stating that the generic tariff for wind power projects will continue to remain the same at ~$0.04 per kilowatt-hour as determined in February 2019. Source: Mercom In detail: Tariff order

Madhya Pradesh

Nothing critical to report this week.

Maharashtra

Nothing critical to report this week.

Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government has announced a grant of $6 million every year to cooperative farmer welfare scheme from the farmer welfare fund. From the fund, the farmers will get a loan at 3 percent interest by mortgaging their produce, and the state will bear 7 percent interest. Source: Times Now In detail: Press Release (in Hindi)

Tamil Nadu

Nothing critical to report this week.

Telangana

Nothing critical to report this week.

Uttar Pradesh

To give a boost to the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Uttar Pradesh government launched an online fair in which loans worth over $265.6 million were disbursed to 56,754 entrepreneurs. Source: Financial Express In detail: MSMEsathi

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to accord industry status to warehousing and logistics sector, thus reducing the cost of setting up of such units. Source: Financial Express

West Bengal

The government of India, the government of West Bengal, and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement for $145 million project to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area in West Bengal. Source: Press release In detail: World Bank Press Release

Best of the Rest

Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh Commission has issued amendment to the renewable purchase obligation (RPO) of captive generating projects commissioned before April 01, 2016. The RPO is amended to 1 percent for solar and 6.25 percent for non-solar for the fiscal year 2015-16. Source: Mercom In detail: Amendment

Goa

The Goa government, has brought about changes to the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act, eliminating the services of middlemen and giving farmers direct access to the market to sell their produce. Source: Times of India

Himachal Pradesh

To provide more employment opportunities, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet has approved amendments to the Contract Labor Act. The amendment proposes to enhance the threshold limit for contract employment from 20 to 30 workmen. Source: Times of India In detail: Press Release

Jammu and Kashmir

The center has given approval to a modified detailed project report of the Ujh Multipurpose Project in Jammu and Kashmir at an estimated cost of $1.21 billion. Source: Economic Times

Jharkhand

The state government has announced a hike in the value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel by $0.03 per liter, effective from May 12 midnight. Source: Economic Times In Detail: Notification

Kerala

The Kerala government has hiked prices of liquor by implementing a special coronavirus fee of 10-35 percent on the maximum retail price. Source: Mint

The Kerala government has announced $455.6 million special package for the revival of MSMEs against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Source: Business Standard

Odisha

Odisha government has hiked VAT on petrol and diesel. As a result, the two fuels have now become costlier by $0.04 per liter and $0.01 per liter, respectively. Source: Mint

Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand cabinet provides relief to commercial power users by deferring their fixed demand charge for a period of 3 months. Source: Economic Times